Literacy Success Criteria

This is my success criteria that I've been using in Grade 6 over the past few years. 

Click here to download.

Publishing Product

A few years ago, I was in an after-school workshop, and the presenter was showing another great site where we could find lots of great resources to support our teaching. It was great - not only were they great, but they were made by teachers.

Then - and here it comes - he dropped the challenge: As teachers, we are used to taking. But how often do we give back?

How much do we contribute to the larger conversation?

So, sporadically, I would like to use this space to share what I've been working on, to add to the larger conversation.

M.

Curse you poster board! Let's really engage them!

I'm not sure if its irony, but something came back to get me. Could it be karma?

I pass 3 high schools on the way to my job. Each school is just about to start, so I get to see herds of kids, often begrudgingly trudging to school. And I'm sure that I am putting my own spin of this, but the most forlorn seem to be those kids holding a rolled up sheet of poster board.

Poster board! Really?!? What could possibly be the purpose of that poster board? Do NOT tell me it is a crucial part of a presentation!!

With all the technology available, with amazing and engaging presentation software, with the future looming closer every day, can we not think of a better way to engage our students? Can we please move beyond making our students do what was done to us!

http://www.chocolate-candy-mall.com/images/posterboard.jpg

So, with this daily rant fresh in my mind, my daughter (who is Grade 3) comes home with: A poster board project!! Oh, the things I wanted to say!

First of all: Why? Why does my daughter need to present to the class using a poster board? I tried to chip away at her resolve, offering to help her using a computer to create something much more amazing. However, I was met with an 8 year's resistance: "No Daddy. Mrs. H. says we need to use a poster board. So we have to." Done.

Second: What is she learning? Never mind that this project is an at-home project, what in the media literacy curriculum could she be discovering? We talked about placement of graphics and text. I insisted that she type up each of her fact bullets, and we printed them off (in colour!) along with graphics and clip art to enhance the presentation, as best we could. 

Here-in lies my professional conflict: Everything we know about student engagement and 21st century learning speaks to an eye to the future. Though we ended up bonding and "enjoying" the project (a project with 9 days left in school is worthy of another post!), I can't help but feel that an important opportunity was missed.

I am undeterred. I still think we can do better than poster board!

M.

I'm Not Going to Play: Taking issue with Gamification

This is the first among many, I'm sure, critical reflections after my amazing time at EdCampHamilton!

One session I went to was in gamification in education. I got so upset that I forgot the guiding question! The following is my attempt to add to the conversation, in however I can.

I have a cynical love/hate relationship with gaming, and gamification. My initial hesitation to embrace came about from a healthy suspicion that anyone pushing gamification usually had a product to push. Really, I believe that I am getting to a space where some of the most valuable educational resources are free.  So I threw off gamification as the fad I was convinced it was.

Then, ironically, at a product-pitch, I came to really appreciate the ideas and motivations behind gamification. Gamers will spend hours persevering and problem solving, collaborating and working relentlessly towards a goal. In education, who wouldn't want that? Who wouldn't want a group of kids who are working their *sses off towards a goal!

Then, at the un-conference, I heard the story of a particular teacher who had gamified his entire room. Now, assignments are worth points - more depending on the difficulty. Students are rewarded badges and tokens for all sorts of things, such as attendance, etc. The cynic in me then jumped in full-force: Don't we cheapen the experience by disguising it? Why do we have to hide the learning behind codes and rewards? Why do we have to trick the students into learning by reducing our classroom environments to entertainment?

Ideally, I would love to be in a space where the learning is the true reward. I want students to engage in the learning much like they engage in their games. I want this motivation to learn to be a part of my classroom. The rewards should be the learning itself, not tokens and prizes. I see how appealing the tokens and badges are - as they are instant feedback and rewards to the student - so this suggests to me that I need to provide the same feedback and rewards for the learning. 

So, all I need is just a fundamental shift in attitudes towards all things related to school. Passion and love of learning should be synonymous with school. 

That's all.

M.

Guess what I'm thinking? It starts with a 'Q'...

I've been doing some thinking lately, and then unexpectedly given the gift of time. Now I'm going to attempt to put some of this thinking into the larger conversation.

I've been thinking about how we teach through our questions.

When I was doing my practicum placements I was given some great advice. It had to do with the questions I asked. I was challenged: was I leading the students to one right answer, or to a wide open conversation?

In my attempt to visualize this thinking, I keep coming up with the same image - the prism of light. I see the potential of questioning to come through two different possibilities. If the prism is the teacher, I can either break open the conversation into a million points of light - or I can take all the millions of points of light (as the amazing ideas of the students) and force it into one response - the one I was looking for.

I created my title with a purpose - because I have heard this in classes. I've heard teachers ask their students questions, very thin and narrow questions, and up goes all the hands. Then as the first few are chosen, the teacher dismisses these with the "clue" - it starts with a (any given letter).  Then the hands go down, as the students start to run through all the possibilities of this magical word. Starts with an a? Apple? Aardvark? Antelope?? The thinking shifts so suddenly and fundamentally from the rich (well, maybe not so rich) conversation to an almost comedic run through of the alphabet!

There is so much possibility, and indeed, so much great research into questioning. But I also think this points to the teacher's position within the class. Back to the tired, but ever important: Sage on the Stage, or Guide on the Side?  If we can't truly engage WITH our students, especially with our questions and prompts, then really, aren't we wasting this potential?

M.

Creating 21st Century Educators

I once believed everyone was like me. Well, not exactly like me, but the pack I ran with was as driven as myself. I have worked at the same school for the past 8 years. The staff chosen to open a new school are a particular breed of teacher. They are passionate about education, willing to regularly go above and beyond what is expected, and pursue excellence relentlessly. Sometimes this requires a bit of focus, as we've been described as a soccer team with too many coaches. With the right leadership, though, we were very effective.

Now, though, I have left this wonderful school to help support two other schools in the district. This has been a real shock to my system, as I can now see other kinds of teachers. I love my two new schools, and have felt very welcomed and valued in these spaces. But this experience has really called into question some assumptions I've had about teaching. It has also taught me a lot about how I teach.

I once believed everyone was like me. I am a great teacher. This statement has taken a lot of concerted effort to accept, and even more to put into a public space! I am a great teacher because I have a vision. I am a 21st Century Educator. 

Now, I don't truly believe that everyone is exactly like me, but I did think that there are a lot of people who share this vision of teaching. I was wrong. So I am going to unpack what it means to be a 21st Century Educator, and how I can instill these qualities within the teachers I work with (whether they are willing or not!).

What is a 21st Century Educator?

In a quick google search, there are a lot of differing opinions on the qualities of a 21st Century Educator. 

In trolling through these pages, I've come up with the following list - mostly because I feel that I am like this, or strive to be!

• Future-focused
• Life-long learner
• Embraces transformative technology
• Collaborative, connected
• Creative, Innovative, Imaginative
• Relevant, Committed, Authentic, Passionate

And this list of 25 Signs you might be a 21st century teacher just made me laugh.

My challenge in my role is to get others - possibly very resistant - teachers to think this way. I have a surprising amount of teachers who are really close to retirement. I mention this to challenge my own assumptions - as the majority of these teachers are not the resistant ones. However, their challenge is overcoming years of teaching practice that do not prepare our students for the world of tomorrow. Yet this is true for, possibly, the majority of teachers I'm working with. So my challenge is to simply transform the pedagogy of these teachers. Easy, right?

Future-Focused

I don't know what the future holds. I do know that there are certain skills that will be valued when the students I teach arrive at this future. They will need to deal with massive amounts of information. So I need to get these students dealing with information now. This changes my position in the class - and I know we've heard this before - but no longer Sage on the Stage, but Guide on the Side. To me, though, this means that I am not the deliverer of information. 

To me, this seems obvious - but not so much when going into other rooms. Information doesn't need to travel through the teacher - there is just way too much of it - and if the information is traveling through the teacher, then the kids aren't getting enough of it. So, to me, the Guide on the Side means that I will move alongside the kids as they deal with this information, help them manage and make sense of it. This creates a less structured, yet more focused approach to teaching. It is less structured because the students may be working on different things at the same time. It is more focused because I would argue that the kids themselves set the focus - what are you learning - and why?

So how do I get teachers to start looking towards the future? Perhaps it starts with a simple question: How is this helping your students prepare for their future? This question really isn't that simple, because we really don't know what the future will be like. Things are changing so quickly - but there are people who have an eye towards this uncertainty.  Teach your students to deal with this information, rather than listen to your information.   

Life-Long Learner

Truth be told, I'm getting kind of tired of this phrase. Too often I hear it being said, with no value behind it. There are many teachers who aren't life-long learners. What, indeed, are teachers doing - daily - to improve their practice? What reading are they doing? What conversations are they having? What reflecting are they doing? What changes are they doing? Are they truly responding to the students in front of them??

It has been difficult to convince my wife that after 6 years of teaching the same grade, I am still as busy as ever. There are certain things that remain the same, yet the program is vastly different year to year. This year especially is full of changes, with me leaving being the biggest! However, the changes came fast and furious this year because I became immersed in my Personal Learning Network (PLN) via Twitter. I love Twitter! I follow thought-leaders from around the world, learning from them, building my ideas from their thinking. I no longer feel guilty about the stack of books laying unopened on my bedside table, as I am daily engaged in professional learning. 

So I encourage the teachers I work with to get a Twitter account, and follow people who inspire them. If you aren't inspired within the work you are doing, then you aren't doing it right. If you aren't responding to the students in front of you, then you aren't doing it right. If you aren't engaged in improving your program, constantly, then you aren't doing it right.

Embraces Transformative Technology

Technology is crucial to today's teaching. It is crucial because it transforms the way we connect to our kids, our kids connect to each other, and how they can connect to the world outside of the classroom walls. 

I see data projectors, interactive white boards, document cameras, tablets, laptops, smart phones - oh the joy! - but to see the devices being used to re-create a worksheet breaks my heart. 

I was fortunate to attend the Mobilize Conference 2012, presented by Desire2Learn. One of the final speakers still challenges me with his words. Larry Smith spoke about going beyond the obvious. To misquote him badly, these devices we use are much more powerful than word processors and containers of porn. What can they be? Who knows - but much more than flash cards!!!

Teachers need to use technology to transform the learning product. Are kids (re)producing something they could do by hand? Is this simply just a fancier poster board presentation? Is using technology essential to what is being done? 

So I am a double pusher, of sorts. I am encouraging teachers to use technology - and then encouraging these teachers to use technology in a transformative way. Have kids create something that forces the technology to be essential. 

Collaborative, Connected

I get so upset when I see classrooms set up in rows. There: I've said it. It will be soon that I challenge these teachers: How are your kids working together if they are in rows! The answer is, though I already know: they can't. Clearly, a classroom in rows does not value student collaboration and connection. 

I love photos of the classroom of tomorrow. I love these creative spaces that encourage students working together in different ways. 

Of course, most of this vision is product driven: does purchasing a fun chair increase student success? Probably not - but it will if it encourages collaboration. I value work that gets kids to work together. 

So, get rid of the rows. Get rid of the lecture! Well, not totally - as there still is a space for teacher-inspired instruction, but it shouldn't be the majority! Get your kids connected and working together.

Creative, Innovative, Imaginative

I see this lacking tremendously within the participants in the PD sessions that I run - and this challenges my own assumptions that I'm just beginning to explore. I didn't think creativity, innovation and imagination was important, yet I held it close as the most valuable part of my program.

I recently ran a Math and Technology workshop with a few of these underlying values: I wanted my participants to be comfortable with technology, have a creative imagination, and drive the session with their own questions. I presented the MOODLE, a virtual learning environment, as a blank template, full of possibility. However, upon reflection, it came across with all the horror of a blank page to a person with writer's block! 

There were so many people who were frustrated at this workshop, because of what I thought was inherent to good teaching, but was sorely lacking within the majority of people who attended my session.  I've noticed this trend within those teachers now taking technology courses. I'm not sure what wave we are at, but it certainly isn't those who are on the cutting edge, or the bleeding edge! I'm seeing now a lot of people coming to technology-oriented workshops because they recognize that it is important, yet are very hesitant about it. So I have this group of people coming, yearning for something, yet having no idea what to do with it. So they want me to give it to them.

I hate this.

I hate this because it leads to teaching to the tool, not using the tool for teaching. I continually challenge my participants: what do you want the kids to do? Collaborate on a project? Share their work with a larger audience? I can show you how to do that. I will not tell you what to do - as I don't know what goes on in your classroom. Perhaps this is my own cop-out? The longer I'm in this leadership role, I see that the divide between the 21st century educator and the traditional educator is growing ever-wider. So much so, that I'm getting ridiculous resistance: How can I teach handwriting using a computer?? Where is the worksheet function on the MOODLE? I think this is the true root of my frustration - there are teachers who are just so far behind (yes, I said behind) the times that the basic infrastructure of their teaching will not support the power of technology. So then we have classes full of students using iPods as flashcards. Argh!!!

Perhaps sharing, inspiring, and even telling what to do with technology with begin to create in teachers an ability for them to use technology in a creative, imaginative and innovative way. 

Engaging Students: Relevant, Committed, Authentic and Passionate

I'm probably going to get in trouble for telling this story, as the teacher I was working with is fantastic and there is certainly more going on within the class than I was able to observe, but here it goes...

I was in a Grade 6 classroom, and the students were presenting orally their procedural writing. A boy stood up in front of the class and began: "How to Tie Your Shoes. Goal: To tie your shoes. Materials: shoe. Step 1: Take your shoe...." And it continued.

I tell this story because it bothered me, to no end, that the boy was not engaged. I even had a dream about it that night! A number of things needed to be addressed: Why is this acceptable as an oral presentation? Why was it necessary? Why is it important that he tell about this? Is this truly the best that he could do? How is this helping this child prepare for the future??

I spent way too much time brainstorming, to myself, other possible ways that would be so much more engaging, to meet the need of a procedural piece (though that, in and of itself, is troubling too). Argh!

If your kids aren't engaged, then why bother? Stop wasting time! There isn't enough within the day, and even school year. If it isn't important, don't do it!!

So I've made it my mission to share engaging ideas within the teaching circles I move in. Not in a way for them to simply copy, but to inspire all of us to come up with ways that will inspire the kids in front of us to do better.

So there it is. This is where my mind in now. It isn't an easy task, but I'm up for the challenge. There will be casualties along the way - and I'm sure there will be an end-point in my frustration, but for now - the future is wide open - and I'm ready for it!

M.

Student Engagement: Snack is not in the curriculum!

I am relatively new to my leadership role. Going on two months ago, I was happily teaching Grade 6, hyper-focused on my own class. I am now a Literacy/Numeracy coach for the board of education, charged with helping two schools improve in student success. There has been a lot of growth and learning that have happened, but I wanted to use this space to share some of my musings. 

As my title suggests, I have become focused on student engagement. Having the priviledge of joining other teachers, and in visiting other classrooms, I am continually seeing students NOT engaged. The following is me trying to make sense of student engagement, and my thoughts around this topic.

You get what you get and you don't get upset

Having young girls at home, I am very familiar with the teachings of Pinkalicious. 

There is a nugget of wisdom from this book that reminds me to stop complaining about things I have no control over. I was once told by a very wise principal that parents are sending their best kids to school - they aren't hiding them at home! Why am I getting upset about (behaviour? lack of home support? poor home condition? lack of parental involvement?)? The list could go on and on. I need to stop complaining and then start doing!! I can't make these kids better by complaining about them. I work with what I've got. 

Instructional time is precious

I can be a bit intense as a teacher. There is an urgency to my teaching - I only have these kids, the best that are sent to me, for a set amount of time each day. I cannot control anything else beyond what I have in front of me. So I need to maximize this time. This time for my teaching is precious and needs to be protected. This means that anything that takes away from this precious time needs to be cut. 

In my own practice, I needed to look carefully at what I was doing, and were students engaged in doing this. Not only does it contribute to behaviour problems (kids bored=trouble) but it is insulting to everyone.

Let's cut the garbage. I have had spirited discussions with other teachers about how they are spending their time - in response to my reflections on how I was spending my own time in my class. If I am complaining about not having enough time with my students, then what can I do about it?? If I need more time with an intervention group, then how can I free myself up?? 

What about the daily routines - calendar comes to mind. Could the kids run that routine, giving me time to work with a small group? Could I post the answers to homework, giving me time to work with kids that need it?? Do I need to spend time in class teaching handwriting???

What would make you run to school?

In her amazing blog post on The Passion Gap, Angela Maiers asks this question: What would make you run to school? I love this! I have often struggled with my role as a teacher. I am funny, but not an entertainer. I am not a friend to the students - but I am the one responsible for the learning environment. 

In my learning environment, I am passionate about success. I am passionate about giving amazing educational experiences to my students. I would love the experiences in my class to be the best part of the day for my students. 

In my travels, I have seen many amazing things. However, I have also seen kids filling in time until they can get on with the better parts of their day: recess, home time, gym, time with friends, etc. This breaks my heart!

I challenge my students who wear those disrespectful t-shirts. 

Why is it you don't like school? Probably because school isn't engaging. You don't have to love school... or do you? Why don't you love school? I don't think that's okay to publicly declare that you don't like school. My job, again, isn't to entertain you - but I do have to engage you. This is a shared responsibility - my students and myself. 

I need to give opportunities for the students to share their passions, engage in their passions, become as passionate about learning as I am!! If you aren't passionate about school, then that is a problem - not something to be celebrated. 

Snack is not in the curriculum

A VP of mine, who spoke fondly of the curriculum, was often heard reminding us that snack is not in the curriculum. Do kids need to eat? Certainly, but that dead time spent twice a day could be better used doing something - something real and engaging! You can eat AND work! Amazing!!!

Maximizing my time

I send homework home - and expect it to be done. Homework, I feel, is a great way for students to practice and solidify the skills I've taught in class.

My struggle has been about taking it up. How do I honour those who do the work, while really the kids who needed to complete this the most - mostly likely haven't done it! Therefore, the time I spend taking it up (to an audience that really doesn't need it) means that I am taking time away from the students who really it the most! 

I have had to be a little creative about homework. I've lately posted the homework and answers on the MOODLE, so those who did it can immediately correct it, so in class I can focus on giving more time to those who require it.

I share because I am passionate about student engagement. I will continue on this journey, as I continue to learn and grow in my role. Some remaining questions I still have:

• How do I get other teachers passionate about teaching?
• How do I teach others to be passionate about student engagement?
• How do I model this passion to others?

Here's to sharing my passion!!

Making Our Success Public - And Publicly Failing

Making our successes public isn't new, but allowing our students to publicly fail is a bit of a new stretch - and makes many uncomfortable.

So I was inspired by a talk I went to earlier this year by Principal Kafele. He spoke about a challenge he issued to his students, and making their successes public by putting their names on the wall. For many, it was a moment of transformation to have their successes so publicly acknowledged!

I wanted some of that. I wanted to inspire my students to achieve more than they thought possible. So I issued my own challenge. In my then current unit of study, we were working on Reading Comprehension Strategies. My challenge was this: if everyone reached a Level 4 by the end of the unit, we would all go play The Hunger Games (oh - so fun!). However, if we ALL didn't reach Level 4, then we couldn't go - I wasn't going to leave anyone behind. So, it began!

I launched the unit with a diagnostic assessment, and though I know I'm not supposed to, I gave each child a Level grade as well as rich, descriptive feedback, telling them exactly how they could reach a Level 4 response. I then printed off this list and posted it in the hallway. As I had them all do this on the MOODLE, I was able to print off just their profile icon and grade, though not totally private, it wasn't obvious who was who.

Then we got to work. Over the remaining 5 weeks of the unit, we practised these skills. I conferenced with individual students, pulled guided reading groups, share excellent examples, publicly displayed awesome mentor texts (written by the students), modelled what I was expecting, held strategic group work sessions, oh my!

I also gave out a mid-point assessment. I published this list as well. I then repeated my interventions, with a more specific group of students who still hadn't gotten it. 

Energy was high, expectations were high and the pressure was on! We finished the unit with a portfolio assignment, where they gathered excellent examples from their practice to prove that they had successfully demonstrated mastery of the skill. 

Did everyone get a level 4? No. However, everyone moved. I was able to save face and honour the work of everyone, and we did end up going. However, what I really worried about - and have come to accept as okay - is that not everyone reached the goal, and that we all knew who they were.

So: should kids be allowed to publicly fail? Is it enough to say YES because failure is a fact of life? I believe it teaches the kids resilience, it teaches them a valuable life lesson, and it allows them to own their learning. It certainly didn't shut down the learning in my class. It allowed for acceptance of each other's differences. As well, though, I firmly believe that everyone can be successful - perhaps not on the same day nor in the same way, but everyone can be successful. I heard this somewhere it is has stuck to me as being true - apparently this is a slight mutation from this quote: Every student can learn, just not on the same day, or the same way. ~George Evans

Would I do this again? Certainly. I believe that every student can be successful, and I work my hardest to ensure that.

M.

Making our learning public
You can see the 3 sets of grades - Diagnostic, Mid-point and Summative.
You can also see around examples, names of students who reached Level 4.

Agent of change, agent of chaos!!

I love my new role. however, I am really coming to see a duality in my role.

To start with, I am in a school because the scores are terrible. This immediately puts people on the defensive towards me. They think I am there to judge. I'm not, and I try not too. I am there to create change, as what was wasn't working.

Change is hard. It is disruptive and uncomfortable. It is also slow. And I need to work on patience!!

So I have noticed that chaos also leads to change, much like a bull in a china shop! Change will definitely emerge from the rubble!!

Case in point: on Friday I was in charge of re-creating a book room. I moved a dysfunctional room to a new space, purging in the meantime. With a vision of looking forward, I kept asking: will this resource prepare our students for the world of tomorrow? I threw out resources I used 14 years ago. It was time to go!

There were some bargains I made in order to maintain relationships. However the chaos was in full force. Many were uncomfortable, but maybe that is a place to start!

I am an agent of change, I am an agent of chaos!!

Interconnected Skills - part 1

I've been working on this for quite some time.

In the Ontario Currculum, there states (in reading, for Grade 6):

In conversation with past colleagues and experts, my journey towards this has taken many different paths - some fruitful, but many not!

This year, in my Grade 6 class I had a few reservations and changes. My first concern was that the students would find it too difficult to look at the OTHER skills and apply it to reading. I decided, to start at least, to focus on reading first then look outwards. My focus then became: How does reading help make you a better listener? speaker? writer? viewer? representer?

My other concern was due, to a large part, the flexible and free structure of my writer's workshop. Using technology so intensively, immersing every subject in tech, lead to this idea - could they see a difference between writing and representing? Using media within our writing - what is it now?

I approached my reader's and writer's workshop this year with that in mind. I knew the lines between the seemingly artificial categories were becoming blurry - to me, and I felt, especially for my students. Growing up surrounded by media, what then is the difference? The process seems to be universal!

I started my year off with the specific language of PRODUCER and CONSUMER. In that I mean that the reader's workshop would become that of the Consumer's Workshop - where we work on strategies to effectively consume information. My writer's workshop became the Producer's Workshop - where we work on strategies to effectively produce information.

Ahhhhhhh...... A new role, a new perspective

I have started a new role: I am now a Literacy/Numeracy Coach. This means that I was pulled from my classroom - last week - and thrown into this new role. 

There are a couple of things I would like to explore with this post. I am doing this for my own sake - mostly because I don't want to forget this moment, and all the perspective it has brought to my teaching.

A Literacy/Numeracy coach, as I understand it (so far, being 5 days into the gig!) is to help build capacity within the assigned schools. My philosophy is to help improve the teaching within the schools by supporting teachers - so much so that things will be better when I leave. I need to qualify that last statement. I am very cognizant of the role being misinterpreted as a withdrawal resource - I come, take your kids, fix them, then send them back. However, in this role, nothing has improved about the teaching. Things are going to continue the way they have been.

There is a subtle message that comes with my presence. I am in these two schools because things need to get better. This imposed message makes it tricky for me to build relationships. I am not there to judge - however, many don't see it that way. There needs to be an openness from the teachers to admit that their programs need to be improved - and that I can help them. So I come along, charming, self-deprecating sense of humour and a quiet confidence that will hopefully win over the sceptics. Here's hoping!

I felt it was time to leave my classroom. I had been thinking about this role for quite a while, but there were many reasons that I said no - fear being the biggest one. I had become quite comfortable in my own little box - room 211 - and leaving that comfort meant a lot of anxiety for me. This role in particular was very loosely defined. It really was up the individual to create change within schools, with a poorly defined plan. My question repeated within these schools is this: what is your focus? Schools that have a clearly defined focus gives me a starting place to work from. Schools that don't have a focus make it a bit more difficult for me to start. Then my role moves from supporting the focus to providing one.. which is a bit tricky for someone not in tune with the school culture!

As a teacher, I was good - but I was also exhausted. I didn't realize it until I had left. What an incredible pace I kept! I had heard recently that 50% of teachers quit within the first 5 years. I believe it! I mention exhaustion for a very specific reason: so that I won't forget this, and honour this within the teachers that I will be working with. Teachers work hard - all of them. I am there to support them.

I have started popping into classrooms unannounced - mostly because I don't have any specific requests yet. I try to do this unassumingly, but also with the attitude of honour. I am very honoured to be able to enter these spaces and participate in what is going on. 

I am also enjoying the system and school perspectives. I had been very involved in my previous school's improvement team, so I had seen school plans in action. However, now seeing it from the system perspective - the "go in and fix this school" mentality is a completely new perspective for me. I was very good in my own box -and could laser-focus my attention on my kids and my program. Now that I have stepped outside of that, I can begin to see a larger picture. Change in a classroom, coming from a willing teacher, can happen quickly. Change on a school level is a whole lot slower! Change within an entire district is glacial at best! Already I am seeing and hearing things that I thought had been labelled "bad practice" years ago. Really - you are just trying Guided Reading for the first time? I have been living this for the past 10 years. But them, with that check in attitude, it is not for me to judge - it is for me to support others. 

I have reached out, and a few have reached back. For them I am very grateful. This is how it starts. Then in spreads! So for now, I am enjoying playing in other classrooms, turning off my brain at night, and catching up on my sleep!

M.

Branding Myself

I attended the Mobilize conference yesterday with my amazing principal. In all that I absorbed last night, one idea that has continued to confound me is this: branding.

I admit, there were parts of the conference that left me way feeling way out of my depth. This was one of them.

This idea of branding came from a session that was speaking more to students just about to graduate, and the idea of leveraging mobile technology in order to start a business, land a job, or create something profitable. This idea of branding was suggested.

This led me to wonder what my brand is. This connected nicely to the conversation I had with my principal in reflecting on what I had done in the school over the last 4 years, enacting positive change.

Therefore, here is my manifesto on my brand.

Technology - this plays a key role in my teaching - and the role it plays is to enhance my teaching.

Literacy - This is my passion, and has been for quite some time. I love to teach students to read and write, speak, listen, view and represent.

Numeracy - though not my strongest, it is my drive to constantly improve. 

Social Justice - it is how I teach my content, a lens to view the world.

My brand, my teaching.

M.

Me and my posse

I didn't mean to do this, but I sure am loving it!

I have 2 student teachers at the moment. Life is sweet - but not for the reasons that may seem obvious.

I am now able to muster enough man-power to accomplish all that I had wanted.

In literacy, I assigned each TC a certain skill to initially assess, plan, teach, check-in and monitor. We are seeing such great results now! I'll try my best to post the pictures of our tracking methods.

What I am noticing is that the kids have no spaces to hide, to do less than their best. It is pretty exhausting for some of them! 

Others, I've noticed, are being pushed and challenged. I've noticed in my teaching that there are some kids that I let "go", as they are independent and can coast along doing good work. This has become necessary as I push along the lower kids. The time I needed to move them along, I am taking away from the quiet, independent kids that are doing well, demanding no attention.

Now that I have leveraged my posse, I can now spread out the attention to encompass all of the needs in the room, whether they demand it or not.

As hard as it is to convince others, this is not a time off for me. I am not putting my feet up and cruising along. I am engaging the class in ways I cannot normally do. I am giving my attention to that which normally doesn't demand it.

And it is awesome!

M. 

We can write that?The blurry line between producing

photo courtesy of flickr: Technology part of our lifestyle

I have been struggling as of lately with the lines between speaking, writing and representing within my practice. In my writer's workshop, I have the students busy innovating and creating different pieces based on different purposes for literacy. 

What I'm finding, though, and a case could be made for the digital native and immigrant argument, is that so many of my kids are blowing open the idea of writing. They wish to create, and since technology is so embedded in my practice, they are creating what they want - and aren't fettered by the old notions that are limited by a paper and pencil narrative.

With the ipod touch in hand, yesterday I had a student ask if he could video a memo. I faltered, then thought: why not - since you have the technology. My only constraint was that he needed to work on the feedback I had given him after the initial writing assessment. If he needed to work on further developing his ideas within his plan, to prepare him for more sophisticated paragraphs, then why not construct a video... construct being the most important word here. 

When students are creating, they are no longer limited by the paper narrative. Revisions are happening in real time, with ease, without the cumbersome draft after draft, redundancy not-wth-standing, motif, masquerading as improving writing (when really it more frustrating). I'm finding that kids are no longer re-creating the paper and pencil products on the computer, but more intuitively using the tools to create - rather than being dictated by the tool. They are starting with the product. Yeah!





Photo courtesy of Flickr: Interconnected Chain with One Odd Link

This causes me problems when addressing the Interconnected expectation in the language document. I have to get my students to think about their skills in the different literacy areas, and the connections between them. However, I can no longer draw a simple line for my students. I cannot clearly distinguish for them the work that we do in the writer's workshop is writing, and not speaking or representing (a media message - media literacy, the production part). For them, they are quickly becoming one and the same. In a video that was produced, the students used speaking skills to deliver a message. They used their writing skills to develop the plan and write the script. They used their representation skills by filming the video, thinking about lighting, backgrounds, music, etc. 

In theory (having not attempted this yet), this should be a bit easier for them to see how the skills are transferrable to the other literacy areas. The trouble I forsee is that they won't be able to see the different literacy areas as truly different.

Truly, with the lines blurring, producing content is becoming very exciting!

M.

Take 2!

With the time line drawing to a close, I have yet again tried to publish my writing. This time I have listened to others! Let's see how this goes!!

One another note, I'm publishing this from my phone!

Computer Labs Were Once a Good Idea

Computer Labs Were Once a Good Idea

What a fantastic idea - how to move forward, rather than being stuck in an antiquated structure that doesn't work.

Who sold us the dream of a 1:1 ratio of student to technology? Isn't there a better way to build in accountability?

M.

My Lit Block Roxs!

Well, not really, but it is a provocative title, isn't it?

I'm inspired daily by the conversations I overhear from my students. I have a group of boys this year - 21 to be precise - that daily challenge me. They crave structure and freedom - and thrive or rebel within this balance.

The other day, I had to intervene in one particularly intense conversation - before it escalated into a full-blown argument. These two boys were arguing about a writing piece they were collaborating on. They couldn't agree on the voice. One insisted that since it was a formal, professional report, the word "I" didn't belong in it. The other argued that since they were writing as a professional engineer, giving an environmental assessment, they could use the word "I" since this person was giving the report.

There are instances daily where I'm re-affirmed that boys can learn in a literacy environment. This environment needs to make sense to them. It is a tough balance to maintain. I am known for giving my students a lot of freedoms and independence. We create daily, because I give them the space to do so. There are high expectations within our space, and all can achieve these.

As the year winds down - and as EQAO looms in my very near future - I'm amazed by how far we've come. On paper, my class is "That Class". We shouldn't be successful, yet we are. I believe it is because we have the space to create.

M.

I love my job!

I love my job!

I had a meeting tonight with my local unit about upcoming negotiations regarding our Collective Agreement. This made me realize: I love my job!

Every morning I awake, eager to begin my day. I almost immediately begin to think about what I am going to experience that day. From the moment I open my eyes, to my morning run, to my half-distracted lunch making (both mine and my girls'), to my short commute to school, my mind in on my day.

I get to work early, on most days at least an hour before the bell goes. In this time I am getting my morning ready. I am updating my agenda board with the day's activities, adding today's date to the board, getting myself a coffee, checking in with colleagues, gathering materials from the work rooms (math manipulatives, book packs), scavenging for desired picture books (from the library, other classroom libraries), planning out the day's DPA activity, gathering the necessary materials, checking my email for the daily update from my administration and any notes from parents. I also get all my programs ready to go - my planning for my ESL students, my day plan for my autistic student, my modified activities for my students on IEPs.

When the bell goes, I go to my door to eagerly await all 28 of my students - 21 boys, 7 girls. I greet each one by name.  I can quickly assess what each child needs from me that day: they are tired and grumpy, probably haven't eaten - I need to be extra patient; they are ridiculously wound up after an amazing game last night - I need to be excited, but tempered; they are anxious because they didn't finish (whatever) last night - I need to be firm, yet kind and understanding.

On some mornings, we have (provincial mandated) DPA - 20 minutes of Daily Physical Activity. With my schedule, I often have DPA right away. Therefore, part of my greeting is directions about where to go - in the class, downstairs in a large hallway, various staircases (for cardio!) or - the most preferred - outside. I also ensure that all student digital devices are safely locked in the closet before beginning the class. I run my 2 to 3 different activities for DPA. I try to start with a quick warm up activity to get them moving, then a cooperative game, then a game that has a cardio component or fitness - something that gets their heart rates up. During this time I complete the morning attendance.

We then transition inside for the next 30 minute period of the day. On most mornings I have scheduled in Word Work. This is much more than a traditional spelling program - it is time that we spend working on words. I have the kids playing scrabble, Making Big Words, Boggle, Word Twist, or any other variety of games or activities that focus on spelling. During this time, I am also collecting any forms, money, notes. I am also checking in with my students, following up on: outstanding homework, assignments, parent communications, student emails, etc. 

In the next 30 minute period, normally, the students have French. This is my 30 minute PREP of the day. During this time, I continue to prepare for the day. Most days I am getting the math lesson ready for the day. I scan the day's lesson to put on the MOODLE (including the homework and the homework answers), adding the journal prompt, getting the necessary math manipulatives ready to do. This 30 minutes goes by fast. If I am really efficient, I try to complete some marking - including grading and giving rich descriptive feedback, with specific and attainable goals that each student can work on.

Next is recess - I usually have duty. I supervise the Junior and Intermediate yard. I solve friendship issues, give out passes to students wishing to use the bathroom and/or get a drink, tie shoelaces, fix zippers, monitor roving groups of students, lock and unlock doors and monitor for the presence of strangers in our space.

After recess I teach math. I begin the lesson right away, while the students are eating their snacks. While teaching I monitor what they are eating, strongly encouraging healthy eating choices. I start the lesson with a "Mind's On" activity - something that will encourage them to start thinking about the day's expectations. I then introduce the Problem - something that will need to be solved in their math packs - strategically structured groups that are either homogeneous - similar ability - or heterogeneous - different ability. During this time I am visiting each group, gathering information about what is going on, the thinking that all the kids have, the errors that they are making, and what I need to teach them next. I am also re-directing kids, offering advice, getting kids back on track, solving behaviour issues.

Then I teach the needed lesson. During this time, one of my three math groups goes on the computers to work on their math journal prompt. This group is expected to complete the journal and pay attention to the lesson. These are my multi-taskers! The other 2/3 of my class sits for the lesson, then completes some structured or scaffolded activities that reinforce the lesson. This is a fluid conversation, based both on the information gathered during the problem solving that just occurred, as well as during the conversation that is going on. This is teaching in real-time. I am also re-directing kids, offering advice, getting kids back on track and solving behaviour issues.

During lunch I ensure all student digital devices are locked in the closet before heading down for my own lunch. I eat my lunch, socialize with my colleagues. When the bell goes (15 minutes later) I go upstairs to my room to supervise some of my kids who want to stay in to work. I am also getting my afternoon ready, including getting my literacy materials ready as well as the independent work for the last math periods. Again, if I am efficient, I am able to get some marking done. I can also input some data into the board mandated entry systems, file paper work, organize OSR's, add to IEPs, etc.

When the bell goes again, I again greet all my students at the door and by name. I complete attendance (again) while my students transition into one of the rotations for literacy. One group meets me at the front for a specific literacy lesson (either science or social studies focused) while the other groups are on a computer - either in my room, on their own devices, or in another classroom. During this time, I am inspiring students in their writing, challenging them in their reading, managing behaviour, monitoring my ESL and IEP students. I have many separate programs functioning at the same time to fully meet the diverse needs of all my students. I am part cheer-leader, motivational speaker, boot-camp instructor, therapist, coach and judge. I inter-change all these hats seamlessly in order to match the motivational needs of all my students. My literacy block has 3 different transitions, ensuring that I see each student for an intensive half hour of instruction, but also time for others to get off-track, requiring reminders and prompts. I also have an Education Assistant who comes to me for a period and a half, right in the middle of the block. I find time to touch base with her, quickly give her today's high impact lesson for my targeted students, and then return to my focus group. During this time I also witness scenes of brilliance, and take every opportunity to highlight and celebrate these.

Recess quickly comes, giving me 15 minutes to chase kids out the door, supervise those wishing to stay inside, visit the bathroom, gather any remaining materials, photocopy tonight's homework, add to the MOODLE and catch my breath and plan for tomorrow's day.

My last two periods, generally, are math again - this devoted to independent work. I am able to intensively work with one group, with another is engaged in computer work (an on-line math journal), while the third is working independently. This period goes by quickly as I am helping many at once, as well as supervising the computer group, inspiring the independent workers, handing out and managing materials and keeping all 28 of them on track. With the last period comes the final rotation: this time I work intensively with one group, final group on the computer, and my previously independent workers are engaged in an extension activity - solidifying and extending the concepts discussed today. I am also ensuring my IEP students are engaged in tasks that best meet their needs, as well as my ESL students are getting materials that best meet their limited language skills.

With 10 minutes left of my day, I muster together 28 exhausted students to tidy up the class, discuss homework expectations, share any last thoughts of the day, before sending them home.

I then begin my after-school routine. I see everyone out for the night, visit the washroom, and get my desk organized. I send out a lengthy email to all my parents informing them, period by period, of what we did today - complete with prompts to engage in conversations (ask your child about...), as well as sharing of the night's homework expectations.

I then plan for the next day's activities, and any longer tasks that will occur in the near future - end of unit projects, art lessons on Fridays, organizing field trips, etc. Some nights I leave "early", 45 minutes after the bell has gone, to collect my own children from their school. On two nights of the week, I stay for an extra hour (on top of my time spent planning) tutoring students who are struggling in math.

I arrive home exhausted but thrilled. I spend as much quality time with my family as I possibly can. On some nights, I multi-task - drive and attend dance classes, I also mark and prepare. Other nights I do this when my family has gone to bed.

I go to bed each night utterly satisfied: I have accomplished something today - I have taught!

I love my job!

M.

Why do I do what I do?

This post is inspired by the following video by Simon Sinek.

It got me thinking about my vision in teaching. Why do I do? What drives me to go to work everyday?? What is my vision of teaching????

Let's run through them, should we?

I believe that my students need to be creative and innovative. Therefore my students need to create and innovate.

My students need to be able to pull knowledge (off the Internet) and construct their own knowledge, be critical and be aware.

My students need to be problem solvers.

I am only a guide. Often, in learning, I am not always necessary. I am merely providing the structure.

I am responsible for creating 21st century students, ready for a 21st century world.

I am a teacher.

Constantly exploring the WHYs continually challenges me to teach in a more effective way. I now need to listen more to myself when I am asking these WHYs!!

M.

Balancing Superman and SuperTeacher

This post has been inspired by the post found here. 

Too often I can get overwhelmed by the myth of the SuperTeacher. See epic examples given to us by Mr. Holland's Opus, The Freedom Writers, ad naseum... I too aspire to be that amazing teacher which movies are made, books are written, Oprah appearances are booked: Why? Because I too believe in making a huge difference in the world (and thus celebrated).

I need to go further in explaining myself. I don't teach for the movie offers. I teach because I love to teach. I teach because I get to celebrate daily how amazing my students are. The Oprah Show would simply be a cool perk.

However, what these movies and legends fail to share with the rest of us is how much of yourself you need to sacrifice to attain this greatness. 

I am a whole person - not just a teacher. I am a husband, father, friend, cat-owner, runner, reader, writer, tech-enthusiast,... If I am to give all that I am to teaching, what is left for me?

Balance is always a tricky notion in teaching. We need to spend more time in making links among educators. We need to share the load. I need to spend more time on my whole self. 

Perhaps this is why, day 4 into my break, I have yet to do any school work!

M.