Lessons I've Learned From Working Out!

I was driving back from the gym this morning, thinking about life, the universe, and Room 1113.  As I drove and thought about my progress at the gym, and what made me keep on coming back, I kept connecting what was happening in the OrangeTheory gym with what I should make happen in the classroom.  It all started when I began to think about how well they keep me on track for that hour of intense workout...

1. We do a lot of stuff in one hour.  When given many directions, I switch off and stop listening. If there are directions not repeated, I’m completely lost. On the treadmills, I am a ‘power walker’. I can’t run. So I walk. Most folk jog or run, so most of the instructions are aimed towards them. When the instructor differentiates the ‘what to do’, it’s normally only said once. They have a little cheat sheet on the treadmill, which is awesome and helps support all ‘athletes’, but, I can’t read that without my reading glasses on. So, huh.  Instructions, clarity, and repetition...key.  At OrangeTheory, they have honed the art of instructions - and I must learn from this!  Before we go into the gym we get an outline of the workout.  I used to always think that I can't remember anything - they go so fast, but I have learned to trust the system.  Yes, it's a quick summary....but then we go in and go to our first station and it is re-explained.  Then pointers and reminders continue.  I know what to do...and when I don't, the instructors guide me back.  A great analogy for how I should be helping students in Room 1113.  The trainers are dealing with all levels of skill, fitness, and motivation...differentiation of how-to instructions is as important as anything else.
2. I’m working really hard, I see and hear the instructor walking around, She’s talking to and about everyone else by name, saying how well they’re doing, but she doesn’t say, "Bridget" once. It makes me feel neglected, it makes you feel like she doesn’t care. OK, seriously? Do I really think it instructors care? I don’t know, but I know I want them to. I know I want the teacher to look at me with positivity - let’s think about that for a moment! Yes, we want to have positive attention drawn to us. When she only correct my mistakes and never says I’m doing well, I don’t like that. Fortunately, the OrangeTheory fitness where I work out, they always praise. I get at least one or two call-outs in every session and I’m always told that I’m doing well. If nothing else, when a correction is made, then positive feedback is also given afterward when you get it right. Lesson learned, it’s not always about being corrected, it’s often about being caught when you do it right! Which is funny really, I had this discussion with my riding instructor too - If you’re teaching me, and you want me to improve, you had better find what I am doing well, and hone in on it. Because the more you praise what I’m doing well, the better I will do that thing, and then everything else will come together to catch up. It’s just what works for me. But you know what? Sometimes I forget that as a teacher. Sometimes I forget that we grow from positivity and feeling good. Stop correcting so much, start building more.  So much to think about.
3. We need results. Sometimes the results are not easy to see. Oh, I’d love to be that person who comes to the gym, loses 10 pounds and 2 inches all over, and posts a picture of his/her sweaty body and tight workout clothes on Facebook. Yes, not gonna happen. Well, unless I lose 25 pounds, then there’s a possibility. Anyway, I have lost an inch around my waist, which is nice. I didn’t gain weight over the festive season, so I think that’s a win. But after a month or so, going in 3 to 4 times a week, I’m not seeing the tangible number differences I would love to see. I do feel better though, so that’s a plus, and there’s no doubt that my fitness has increased. Results.  There has to be a result. It’s not just important that I see the difference, it’s also important that other people see and comment.  We need support to validate our hard work. When my instructor notes that I’m going faster on the treadmill than I was last time, or walks by and pays attention to the fact that my incline is at a much higher level on this round, and comments on it and reminds me of my progress - her support is key. So important to remember this for my kids.  If you just treat every action as an individual, just focus on the moment, but don’t look back at how far they have come, then the motivation kind of quits. Let’s face it, would you really be excited about your writing as an 11-year old if there’s no one telling you that you should be?  The motivation is so important, so vital to everything we need. I need that motivation, my kids need it too.  Remember to SHOW the students how far he/she has come. Help them to reflect on learning.
4. Consistency. This reminds me of Eduprotocols by Marlena Hebern John Corippo. Anything you do on a consistent basis, gives you a baseline, you know where you’re at, you understand the process, and you can concentrate on the learning. It’s like that in the gym. You don’t want to get bored, the exercises have to change, but there needs to be a level of consistency so that you focus on what should be focused on. So I go to OrangeTheory. It’s quite simple, you have three different areas you’re working on - you’re on the rower, you’re on the floor, or you’re on the treadmill. Sometimes you do three blocks, one of each. Sometimes you do six blocks two times at each station. Sometimes you’re changing every five minutes. Regardless, you know that that’s what you’ll be working on today. We’re humans, even when we like to change (and I do), we all enjoy having a comfort level, a secure feeling of knowledge. Even when you’re the new kid, you know what’s going to come next. I have three options - and I can even choose where to start. Consistency..... doing the same thing again and again and again. Changing things up makes it fun and engaging. But the level of consistency so that I can figure things out at any moment in time, keeps everyone at a comfortable level.  Remember that the kids like change, like to be challenged, but familiar is important, comforting, and a safety net.  Routines work.
5. Choice. No, you don’t really get choices of what to do in the workout - I mean, the trainer tells you what to do at OrangeTheory.  When you look more closely though, yes you do have a choice! And the way they do it is a neat visual into how a classroom could embrace ‘choice’. It’s not the free-for-all some teachers assume it will be.  No, it can be limited choices, the point is that there are choices.  Maybe which activity to start on.  Perhaps there’s an extension option, maybe there’s an easier way if the initial try creates too much difficulty.  The key is, everyone isn’t forced into the same small box, rather given the opportunity to find the challenge that best suits him or her.
6. Desire.  So, this is where the analogy weakens - or does it?  I choose to workout ... ...but kids don’t choose to come to school.  They have to.  But, they don’t have a choice of school, whereas I do have a choice of gyms, so OrangeTheory has to consistently woo me back to get my monthly payment.  They have to make me want to go there instead of a different gym.  My kids have a choice of whether to switch on or off - my goal is to have them switch on.  Not only on, but I want them to seek the desire to learn.  They can be in the room, potentially even compliant, perhaps even trying their best to please teacher and parent, maybe even wanting an A.  Great, but what I seek is students who want to learn, want to know more, for themselves.  I am finally getting to a point where I am working out to make myself feel better, not because I ‘should’. Now I need to work on my Pedagogy and classroom habits to help my kiddos engage because they want to learn, not just because they think they should...

This all ties in to teaching, best practices, and feedback. Human beings need desire to accomplish, validation of efforts and results, visible achievements with support along the way, choices of actions to take and a reason to want to be better.  My trainer at the gym has it figured out, and now I need to take these lessons learned about me and apply them in Room 1113!

Negatives and Positives...

The Negative

I got tempted by another book today. Something about making my teaching magical. Isn’t that everyone’s goal? But I hesitated before purchasing. Actually, I didn’t purchase it! That is a miracle. I’m sure that will change later - I'm a sucker for a good book :-) but let’s talk about why I hesitated. 

Was it because I already have too many books? 

Or was it because I have a pile of books yet to read, that I still have not made any leeway on, even though we are into the second week of Christmas break? 

Perhaps because I have 'required' reading to do for my TKES goal...that I keep looking at and avoiding....

Could it be because I really need to stop spending money?

Yes, to all of the above...BUT,  the main reason was that of the struggle I’m having with making my teaching special this year. So wouldn’t it appear that this book might be the answer?  Perhaps. I will have to read up a little bit more on it but I have lots of books about making teaching magical, lots of fantastic ideas about how to engage and entice my students into learning, but here’s the thing, it’s a struggle making a textbook magical. 

It was so easy when we created our own lessons - we started with the end in mind, thought about how to cement the learning, and how to entice the students into the enjoyment of the topic, and went from there.  Then came this new year with a new textbook.  Our planning became about 'what it is the textbook says', 'what it is the textbook wants us to do' .....followed by, how can we make this more interesting?  There’s just something wrong about that. 

Mainly that it just didn’t work. 

So then we regrouped to create a combination of what we did before that worked, forced into the timing and constraints of the textbook curriculum.  It’s ok, but it could be better.  And it will be better. 

The In-Between

One of the teachers in our collaborative planning team was really excited about the textbook. She was so thrilled to have something that gave her an outline, that made her not reliant on the rest of the team. She was delighted by the tests and their DOKs and the workbook that gave assignments to the students. She had visions of great homework to send them home with, and work to do as a bell ringers. That’s awesome. The problem is for me, is none of those are ways that I like to teach. So, just as with any good group, we had a compromise. Those who wished to use the textbook in that manner now had the tools with which to do so. The others could find other ways to work things in, but we all followed the same timing.  And that’s how we started the school year.  We weren't really cohesive.  None of us really felt strong about our teaching.  We were on some unfamiliar ground.  Our students were not getting the best of us.

And Then The Positives......

There was a certain amount of feeling of vindication when, about halfway through the first semester, said teacher sat in collaborative planning, bemoaning the fact that we weren’t doing anything as active and energizing as we did last year. 

Where were the projects? Where was the engagement? Why is it all just writing and worksheets! 

I am proud of the fact that I bit my tongue. Truth is, I had learned a lot too by being forced into uncomfortable teaching methods.

It was a learning curve for all of us. I learned to teach in a more constrained manner, and admittedly, learned a lot about some new writing techniques, and ways to improve my students' work within the structure. Others learned the power of project-based learning, and how student choice improves everything. 

So now we go into our second semester. We are still following along this constraint of the textbook, and striving to combine what we know worked last year with the new pacing and texts from the textbook, but we are all far more open to change than we were.  We have also felt more empowered to go our own route, to teach the way that works best for us, We are brainstorming, and banging ideas back-and-forth between each other - all for the good. We ended last semester with a fantastic unit, that was a combination of the textbook, our IT's lesson concepts, and individualized additions, it was strong. My kids really benefited.  

And now I look forward to a new semester, it’s like a new shiny notebook, yet to be open, yet to be written on. When our planning team meets next week, my hope is that all will be as energized as I am.  That we will take our textbook plan and spice it up. I am filled with good ideas heard, learned, and thought of.  Great personal teaching plans are afoot with bringing in a 20% time for two of my classes, new feedback strategies and grading policies (losing putting a grade on the formatives - I can’t wait!!!), a great book to be read, and general fun ahead!

Bring it on 2019.  This is going to be a great year!

Ongoing Conversations AKA Move'N Grove!!

I feel that every time I listen to Cult of Pedagogy, I change something in my teaching.  That sounds exhausting, doesn’t it?  But it truly isn’t, it’s all good stuff.  More often than not we’re talking a little tweak that makes all the difference - something that just brightens up what I’m already doing!  So many times I’ll be listening to the podcast and do a proverbial 🤦‍♀️ as I think, why am I not already doing that?  My kids are used to me letting them know we’re trying something new.  You could even say that part of Room 1113’s culture is to be ready for change.  It’s kind of what we do - our own type of consistenc, if you will 😂😂. Seriously though, I will say, “I heard about this thing and we’re going to try it,” and, bless their hearts, they are always excited to do so!  I get feedback, we adjust and shift, and typically it becomes our own.  After all, if it has been practiced enough to be shared by Jennifer, it’s been proven in another classroom - there hasn’t been one that didn’t work yet!

So, Ongoing Conversations.  Check out the podcast at https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/ongoing-conversations/ for the original idea.  Really, a super simple concept - just making sure that the kids start checking in with other people than the normal circle, and giving them the opportunity it to dig a little deeper, whether with a novel or ... well, anything really!  Just like the TQE, the power is in the simplicity and flexibility.  I do have to admit that I disobeyed the first piece of advice given.  Jeff Frieden, the creator, said not to dive right in.  Well, I did 🤷‍♀️ But it worked, despite my appalling explanation (by the third period it was smooth 🙄😜).  Oh, and I also called it Move’N Groove, because I like that.  Fits our class.  

So, how did it work? 

Well, I was out at a training on Friday, and the kids had been tasked with completing what was basically a worksheet (I know, I know, we don’t do them - but it’s the easiest for a Guest Teacher, and I had issues with Chromebook management the last time I was out, so I went for easy 😕). They had to read the textbook (again, I know, I know, but that’s another blog for another time) launch text and respond to questions.  Here it gets more positive, not comprehension questions (😴😴), they did have to dig a little deeper than that!  Having just focused on informative essays and moving into argument, their hunting was for text structure, author strategies, etc. Plus, it was pep rally day, so classes were only around 30 minutes anyway, so it was just enough to keep them busy, simple for the Guest Teacher and accomplished the goal of introducing our unit theme and topic.  But as always, some didn’t finish.  Others made stuff up.  The odd one or two had markedly blank papers.  And of course, I knew all that before setting foot in the classroom Monday morning.

So, I had already planned to go back over things and had been mulling over ways to avoid it being a snooze fest.....and there it was: Ongoing Conversations.  

I heard the podcast as I drove to the barn to see my horse.  I thought about it and ran ideas through my brain as I did chores and hung out in my happy place. And Move’N Groove became a new ‘thing’ in Room 1113 to add to Walk’N Talk and the TQE Method!

I typed up the class-lists, with two checkboxes next to each name.  Side note, I purposefully created the ‘checkboxes’ as more of a table, leaving the door open for future notes/write-in/feedback for when I employ a deeper use of the strategy.  This confused the kids immensely 🙄. There was room to write in there, so they wanted to know just what they should write - they were a step ahead of me, for day 1, I was just asking for a check mark 😝.  Next time I will really jump in there and ask for notes and feedback!  I guess that was my way of actually listening to Jeff and not diving in - but my kids, and their openness to new things, were ready for more!

Anyway, it was quite simple.  They got their sheets from Friday back.  They got their textbooks, they got their Move’N Groove sheet.  The timer was set and off they went.  The task was to review each question with someone different, checking off who they met with as they go.  With my larger classes, I said they could meet with the same person twice (just logistically the getting around furniture and finding an available body in the time constraint wasn’t always easy).  They were allowed to edit and change their answer after a discussion. We did this for every question, keeping the sense of urgency high as the timer kept them moving.  The kids enjoyed it and blank papers became a little more filled out, and the noise level was purposeful.  On a very surface level, I would say it was successful.  On a deeper level, the potential is huge - in so many ways!  Here’s my AHA list

• Kids got to review work from Friday and think a little more deeply than they might have otherwise.
• The kids that clique together at the lower level were given permission to seek out higher level support instead of being forced into it.  My strugglers who bad together and sulk when I group the apart, were approaching kids they normally would not.
• The kids who’d done all their work and had focused on the task dug even deeper and were open to helping their peers (although I did spot one or two cases of frustration).
• My ‘sit & get’ kids were forced to ‘get up and find’
• The kids who like to avoid turning in their unfinished work (who can blame them - after all, maybe one day Mrs. B won’t notice!), happily put their work in the basket.  After all, they had answers now.  So, I can now eyeball the papers and get a feel for comprehension rather than just compliance.  
• I can ensure that everyone at least heard/saw the correct answer, even if he/she didn’t discover it for him/herself.  
• If there is a class misconception, I can now discover it as I go through the papers.
• I had several students ask me names of the peer they had just talked with.  Jeff is right, they need to discover all these other kids in the class!

Next time - yes, notes will be included, some kind of feedback from the conversation.  That will take it up a notch.  As they become more familiar and get more adept at finding new partners, it will be someone new every time - actually, that will be the next time.  Why wait?

This, combined with the TQE (newest iteration of that today after watching a video for homework), is just going to keep adding depth to what we do in Room 1113!  Thank you, Jennifer, now what’s next?!

Editing Essays with Walk'N'Talk!

Walk'N'Talk in ACTION!

I always tell my students to read their writing out loud. 

I know that when I read my writing out loud, I always find the places where I should’ve put a comma, where I’ve missed some simple spelling, even where I’ve missed a word (I’m not sure how that happens by the way, but it seems to be something I do a lot! Especially when I text talk my writing first).  Anyway, I'm a broken record on this. I’ll ask my students, "What is one thing you could do to make your editing process better?" and they will invariably say, "Read my work aloud!" sometimes they even chorus it.  And then they never do it. 

Ever.

So there’s a disconnect. A big one!  They can spout off the answers, but don't do it.

And then, this week, off the top of my head, off-the-cuff, in the middle of a lesson, I found a way to make it happen.

We were coming to the end of writing time for an informative essay when a student came up to tell me that he was finished with his writing. I looked over the writing quickly, and I saw that the writing was replete with errors, even though the 'voice' side of things was pretty good. So without really thinking about it, I said, "Why don’t you go walk up and down the hallway, and read this aloud to yourself. Just hold the computer out in front of you, look where you're going and read it a couple times. See if you can find any mistakes,"  and off he went.  Then I had another student claim that they were finished.  Again, I looked over the work quickly, and thought, maybe this is something I should do with everyone. So I gave the same instructions and off she went. 

As I watch the students stopping and making corrections to the hallway, I thought… This has potential. So I quickly went to my computer and adjusted my instructions on the board.  Now they read, 

When you think that you are finished...
Visit Mrs. B for permission to 
WALK'N'TALK!

Well, that got their attention - now they were excited. 

I had to create rules-because they love it when they think it’s a real 'activity'. 

So, here were the instructions.

• Walk the hallway three times.  As you walk, read your work aloud.
• As you come across a mistake, stop, and stand still, both feet on one tile (I told them that this was very important - I couldn't help it, they were so serious).
• Make your corrections. 
• Once corrected, you may continue.
• Keep walking, keep stopping to make corrections, keep walking, until you have walked and talked the hallways three times!

The results were unbelievable. Well, not really, when you consider that all writers know just how powerful reading work aloud is, but the kids were blown away.  I had students telling me that they had found five or six mistakes - sidenote, they were amazed by this!! They told me they had fixed punctuation, found run on sentences, seen things that just didn't make sense...they were as excited as I was! 

As I look over the finished work today, I realized how much 'cleaner' the essays were from the kids later in the day, after I implemented the Walk'N'Talk wholesaele. 

I’m going to make this a permanent strategy, part of our editing list - and the next time I do it, I’m going to tally the number of edits they tell me they make. I think it would make for some interesting action research. Plus, how powerful this would be for the kids to see - to show them just how much this can help them with their writing. 

#Powerful. #ItWasJustALastMinuteIdea #ThingsTheWork

Amping Up My Note-Taking

So I have an idea.  I’m always having ideas, and I try to implement as many as I can without causing complete mayhem in the classroom 😝.  I always tell the kids too, and get their feedback.  After all, they ARE the experts.  Some ideas fall flat, some are amazing. This idea, it’s not too exciting, but I’m hoping that it’s super successful. 

It all started after listening to Jennifer Gonzalez’ fantastic note-taking podcast. If you don’t listen to the Cult of Pedagogy podcast, you’re missing out on some of the best free professional learning. 

So, she talked about the best ways to take notes. Talked about the research. And it seems that the combination of all of the different types of note-taking, works best. Now that sounds like a muddle doesn’t it.  After all, how much stuff can we throw at our poor kiddos?!  What I mean by all of them is, we need to find ways to mix in scaffolded notes (fill-in-the-blank notes), with teacher notes, with students taking their own notes. All three types of note-taking have benefits, so it only makes sense that all three put together is the best way to teach. But then I thought, why not add another layer to the mix?  An area for ‘help needed’ or ‘questions I have’?  

One of my goals this year is to truly work on better feedback. I think that is probably a goal for every teacher, right?  I really want to better my feedback with my students. I read about these wonderful ideas, but I always run into time issues.  I try to conference, but never get around the room. I add reflection in there whenever I can, but then take up all my own time in reading and response.  I’ve thought about cutting my own time by having kids to prepare for conferences, but then that adds a layer of extra work to their already full plates, flies in the face of my desire to avoid homework, and the very kids who need the most support, will be the students who don’t do it. 

But reflection is vital to learning.

Feedback is my job.

Personal conferencing is best teaching practice.

So here’s what I’m thinking. To the side of the notes I just created, I have added an area for a student questions.  They will take notes initially in their composition books.  Then they will be given their prepared notes for their folders to ensure they have the information they might have missed in their note-taking (I need to add some scaffolded sections in there too), and then we’ll have a two minute reflection time.  

Wait!  

An even better idea has come to mind!  At the end of class, when we have our final five (my closing activity), they can revisit their questions and add to them, writing out their most compelling thoughts on an index card to submit to me.  That way they revisit the thinking after doing the work the notes were preparing them for - and I have an instant assessment of student thinking. Yes!  I like that addition!

Oh my goodness. Now I’m getting even more excited. So all that remains is for me to create these all-singing-all-dancing notes for all topics if this works. I guess I’ll be putting that on my to do list. 

Time to implement!  Let’s GO 🏃‍♀️

The TQE Method

Today was one of the good days.  Actually, today was one of the GREAT days - the best kind of days to be a teacher.  The kind of day where birds are singing and you can't keep the bounce from your step.

There are so many days that are tough.  So many moments when you wonder just WHAT you have to do to get the love of learning embedded into those minds.  But it is all worth it for the days like today.

Yup, the birds are still singing 😍

So, what's all this about?  Well, it is all thanks to Jennifer Gonzalez and her podcast The Cult of Pedagogy - and to her amazing guest Marisa Thompson.  Marisa shared her TQE Method on the podcast, and I could hardly contain my excitement as I visualized how well this would work in Room 1113. Between my personality, my students need to have excitement in reading discussions rewoken, and the fact that we were about to embark on a novel using flipped reading, this podcast made me hurry home (I was listening on my nightly walk) to open up my calendar and figure out how it could be used - where and when.  I could hardly wait!

So, what's the excitement?

In some ways it could be considered a simple way to have students share their reading, with a catchy moniker to add a certain cachet.  But it is so much more.  I had non-readers responding, typically silent students itching to talk, and I heard Room 1113 filled with reasoning about just WHY the author had made certain decisions.  Wait!  What was happening?  I was watching my sixth graders, who just last week had struggled with central idea, discoursing about author purpose and tone and mood!

OK, so enough with the build-up!

Thoughts, Questions, & Epiphanies
Room 1113 gets to work!

Here is the simple premise.  Over the last few days we talked about thoughts about reading, questions that readers may have, and how when you are reading you might have epiphanies - especially when some of those thoughts and questions were answered as the book was read.  The students were issued their books and given a reading assignment.  They had to complete a short reflection in Google Classroom - and it was all due this morning before school.

I should note - the school provides a class set.  I've had enough of never having enough books, not being able to let students read when they want.  I'm done with not being able to get to read the entire book in class as the pesky pacing plan always interrupts our flow.  This year, I wanted it to be different.  I shopped and searched and was able to add books to our supply.  I had even one parent donate 4 books.  Between students getting their own copy, the school copies, and mine...EVERY SINGLE STUDENT was able to take ownership of his/her reading.  In addition, our ELA collaborative group created audio recordings of each chapter so that students could be supported in their reading - especially our ESOL and other struggling kiddos.

Back to the TQE.

Our whiteboard is consistently covered in messages, our Question of the Day, and our reading recommendations, so I put big sheets of white paper over the boards, titling one THOUGHTS, one QUESTIONS, and one EPIPHANY!  As the students walked in, they saw the message on the board - they had 8 minutes to get in groups and come up with a thought, question, or epiphany from chapters 1-5 of The Island on Bird Street by Uri Orlev.

The groups were self-selected (other than that ONE class.  There's always one class....that class had special grouping created, including the group that I was in!).  I immediately saw that this was going to work.  How could I tell?

• When that one student who doesn't talk was bubbling over with a question.
• When my ESOL student who never shares was standing at the board writing.  
• When the students weren't bouncing on their stability balls but were seriously leaning over their book copies....

But that was only the beginning.

Following Marisa's feedback. I helped the students to talk through their thinking and to help them to better their questions by relating back to author craft and just WHY the author made that decision.

I heard my ESOL student suggesting that Uri Orlev (the author) had started the book with the father teaching his son how to work a pistol was to get our attention and build interest.  YES!

I heard a typically quiet student suggested that the author knew that we would infer that Alex's mom was a concentration camp, so making it feel even worse that Alex didn't know what had happened to her...

I watched the thinking, the reactions, the responses, the follow-ups.

It was great.  It was perfect.

Can we extend and deepen? Of course! Could the questions and thoughts have been deeper?  Naturally.  Are we struggling with epiphany? Sure. But these sixth graders really grew - and when we reflected, were all thrilled with this new way of discussing the book. The handful who had not read the book were abashed and disappointed with themselves. Today, I let them stay, because I wanted them to see the process. Next week non-readers will go outside to read while the rest of us discuss.

I wish that we could do this more often. Oh, for block schedules that would allow reading AND discussion on the same day.  But that's a dream and discussion for another day!  My kiddos rocked and rolled it today.  Room 1113 was full of academic discourse and literary discussion.

Yes.  Birds are still singing!

If you want YOUR birds to sing and to hear the full details of the method, listen to the podcast episode here:  Deeper Class Discussions with the TQE Method

 

Beginning to Find the Flow

It's mid-October.  I should have found a rhythm by now, but it's been hard.  No need to go back over the textbook and the changed curriculum.  Why rehash the difficulties?  Writing about negatives sometimes makes me feel more negative, so let's not 😁But here we are, past Fall Break and approaching Thanksgiving, and it is all beginning to come together.  As always, a myriad of convoluted happenstances is what has created the change.

1. Our principal met with the 6th grade ELA team.  There were tears.  We vented, we soul-searched, we strived to be the rule followers and team players we are, while honestly demonstrating how each of us is reaching the end of her proverbial tether.  The release was good.  Even better was the resounding support and planning ideas given to us.  Some weight was lifted, the spark of creativity relit.
2. We had our ELA CPT days.  Each content area is divided into grade level collaborative planning teams, and our school allows (and encourages) us to take a day with a paid sub, to plan and create together.  This year we were given the additional gift of one day for on-level and one for advanced. While always beneficial, this year it was literally life-changing - from a pedagogical standpoint, anyway!  With only 2-weeks notice about curriculum changes prior to the beginning of the school year, we have been literally planning from week-to-week, flying a little blind with the textbook, shoring up our teaching with what we know we do well from prior years, but never quite having the time to find rhythm and create flow.  We planned.  Oh boy, did we plan!  We took the new pacing plan and input what we knew worked from last year.  Booksnaps, novels, and DBQs ... OH MY!  The sparks were igniting.  Creating the lesson slides and preparing started to bring me the joy they always have once again.
3. I received an award.  Every month at our faculty meeting, our administrative team recognizes teachers for Inspiring Wonder.  Last year I received an award for Blazing New Trails, and honestly, it felt both right and deserved.  I was building something fantastic in our classroom, it was becoming a joyful place.  This year, I have struggled. I haven't felt worthy of any recognition other than for working hard.  Knowing that despite the struggle, the administration still recognized the spark, meant even more. 
   
4. I was observed by Mike, our Assistant Principal.  I love being observed.  Teaching is almost always a bit of a 'high' for me.  Oh, OK, there are THOSE days and those periods where it is a struggle to keep the energy high, but mostly, it's my happy place.  Add someone observing and I am on fire inside!  I love to be watched.  It brings out my best teaching and allows me to be the educator I always desire to be.  Even better was Mike's strategy of writing little notes and leaving them on my laptop to find later.  Such a fantastic way to give immediate feedback.  I need to do that with my students.  I will be starting that on Monday.  Who doesn't like to receive positive feedback?

And then, finally, this week, I got to share at our school collaboration.  I love to share.  Training peers is almost as much fun as teaching.  Well, except for the part where I am worried that no one will come.  That bit is always tough.  I even talked to Mike about whether the preparation it would take was going to be value for my time.  What if I spent hours creating and no one came?  He persuaded me otherwise, and I am so glad he did. Granted, the first session was only attended by Elizabeth, teacher friend who was there simply to support me (bless her!).  I got to practice and find my groove.  Second session brought in different faces and it fired me up.  Oh, how I love to share what I know and brainstorm what I don't!  The topic was on using social media to build pedagogical practice.  Since it was something near and dear to my heart, it was fun to put together and a blast to present.

Teaching my favorite lesson this week didn't hurt either!

She's back and she's got a HUGE smile on her face!