Online Blogging

There isn't always time to write - but there is always time to talk :)

So, I have started a YouTube channel for some personal reflection and musings.  Now I have two ways to reflect, two ways to share!  I don't know if anyone reads them but me, but... 😃

Here is my first post - on feedback using Google Classroom Rubrics 

Here is my second post - on extended learning lessons learned and types of learners in my virtual classroom:  

What Happened?

It's been a strange year.  I mean, REALLY strange.

You think that I'm referring to the extended online learning, COVID 19 and all of that?

Nope.  It was weird long before that!

• I found it much harder to build the kinds of relationships with kids that I am used to - parents too. 
• I felt much more of an island in my teaching, but at the same time more accepted by our faculty (she's weird, but she's one of our own?!).
• Our administrative team remains awesome, but I haven't had that person to sit and share with the same way that I had in past iterations of a leadership team. Is that a criticism?  Not at all, more to do with personalities.

You can tell it was different. I haven't blogged. I haven't found the same sort of excitement in sharing my learning. 

So, that's the negative (heck of a way to lead off, huh?).

Now to the positives!

I adapted my schedule, my hours, my intensity to allow myself more me-time.  I focused on being with Paul and my football (soccer) family.  I decided to ride my horse for the joy of it, rather than continually setting goals that were beyond us both (as a relatively aged pair!). We created a date night that both of us adhered to until the restaurants closed...but have ordered in food ever since. I've allowed myself to create and enjoy, but have focused on finding ways to think about which feedback matters the most, ways to give feedback in class, creating student reflections to allow THEM to make comparisons between exemplars and their own work.

Honestly, its been kind of awesome.

So, as I said - a weird year!

And now we are teaching from home, and a new challenge arises.  And you know what, guilt fills me as I type this, but I am enjoying it. A lot.

Oh yes, it was horrific at first.  All my work time rules went to heck in a hand-basket as kids were reaching out 24-7. Desperate to support them in whatever way I could, I spent hour making videos for kids, videos for parents...anything I could do. It was exhausting.  But then things began to find their rhythm. Then I realized that I was sleeping at night. Next thing that happened was that I could come off my prescription medicine for GI issues.

I discovered just how much stress I layer on myself - What do other people think? How can I fit in? Why do they laugh at my ideas?  All gone. One fell swoop. Just left with me and my (virtual) classroom.

Am I worried about the 2-3 kids who have gone missing? Yes.  Am I frustrated by the kids who have apparently forgotten how to access work and apparently have told parents that we never did it this way? You bet I am!  Do I get bothered by the students who do as little as possible, but then turn in their work to avoid that MISSING notification? Of course I do!  Am I super proud of my kids who are THRIVING with independent learning and far more time for one-on-one supports?  Yes I am.

Every day I am learning about things that will change in either my virtual or real classroom.  That's exciting, invigorating, and just plain good learning.

So, strange year indeed.  I last blogged in the fall, Now it's April and we are teaching from home.

Fall Break....Failing or Falling?!

And here we are...
All good intentions were made, plans were set, THIS was going to be THE year...
But then life happened.

It always does, doesn't it?

So, here it is - fall break, almost over, and I am blogging for the first time this year.  This school year.

The original plan was simple. I would only take on roles and committees that were important, I'd drop the extras that weren't really necessary for better teaching or future opportunities. I'd focus on what mattered.  I had my new grading procedures to focus on, knowing that conferring with 100+ students and giving solid feedback that was clear and visible, would take time. Lots of time. I'd reflect and plan. I'd spent a lot of time this summer planning and setting things up, and our ELA team was prepared to spend our planning day finalizing and focusing on making last year's teaching better.

Plan made.  Plan set.  Plan ready.

But then the year began.  Our pacing plan changed, and instead of starting with a unit we were comfortable with, we began with one we had planned to focus on during our first collaborative planning day...except we aren't having them this year. 

Back up - before I sound like I'm being exceedingly negative, we are getting the gift of time with Robin, our ELA county leader, who will help us to deconstruct our standards, making sure that we are taking out students in the right direction.  We've already had our first and it was awesome. So valuable.  The only problem is, we have no time to be together to implement the learning!  I am planning to see if we can change that..but that's all depending on my pleading meeting next week. I'm fully aware of how lucky I am to have a principal who will always listen to our needs.

So, it was back to weekend planning for the week ahead. Each and every weekend.  My husband said, "Wasn't it going to be better this year?" 🤷

Then I was given the gift of a student-teacher to mentor.  And gift it was.  With a strong work ethic and the ability to take the classroom on immediately, the support has been great. I"ve been able to do some conferencing and catch up work while he has taught, and he's made copies and supported all ventures in Room 1113.  The negative though?  I no longer have time for myself.  My normal ability to close the door, focus, and get everything done has been taken away.  The result has been long weekend days of work and less riding time on Sunny to clear my brain.  No regrets, I always want to support future teachers, but it is the reality. It is something else that has impacted the year. There are planning periods when I literally waste 10-15 minutes just visiting the office (and hitting the candy bowl) simply because I need some space.

And of course, I'm mentoring our new ELA teacher.  She's fantastic.  She's already an outstanding teacher, with only greater things ahead, but I need to be available and supportive for her - because it's time that I paid back Jordann for all she did for me in my first year.

Finally, my focus is on better feedback for my kids.  It's taking time.  Time because I haven't quite figured out the best ways or found the easiest strategy for successful commentary that they pay attention to. I'm very conscious that I need the feedback to be visible.  It's ironic that parents are happy with numbers that mean nothing, but I need to spend multiple hours providing them with verbal commentary to show that I am doing my job!  That's OK though because as I strive to get it right, I am also learning and being the best teacher I can be for these kids.  I'm going to get it right and by next year I will be rocking it.

This first quarter was about survival. The next quarter will be about thriving.  You just watch this space!

Room 1113 is Ready!

Everything is so clean and fresh. 
Everything is straight on the walls.
Everything is wiped down and dusted.
There is space, the floors are clean. 
The sharp, neat piles of paper and workbooks are crisp and clean to my eyes. 
The books on the bookshelves are arranged, straight and square, each genre sorted, making it easy to find each kind of book you like best. 
The class signs are newly made, freshly laminated, and easy to read. 
It is our little haven. 

Room 1113

In one corner, a collection of Doctor Who items sit on the top of the bookshelf, with a couple of posters and quotes. Some of the kids know who that is, others will have no clue. Some of them will recognize the TARDIS, others will wonder what the big 'blue box' shower curtain hanging on the wall is all about! 
In one corner, there are dragons. Shelves of dragons, black silhouettes of dragons hanging on the wall, even a picture of me sitting on a dragon. The dragon corner. The dragon corner is also the teacher corner. I don’t have a desk, after all, it’s not MY room. But I do have a small standing desk, that’s on wheels, easy to roll out in the hallway, or next to a different child's seat. In the third corner, it’s an ode to football, soccer is they call it here. My signed Almiron jersey carefully placed in a glass case, the Atlanta United flag, Atlanta United pom-pom, and sign. The Everton Football Club crest hangs proudly, as does the pennant. And an England soccerball. It’s all about football. Then finally, the Reading Corner. A corner with one of the two bookshelves, crowded with books. The entire bookshelf filled with fantasy books, carefully chosen and placed to entice. Each side is found cute bookshelves that the kids can sit on. Cushions and comfortable places, and more and more and more books. Everything from 3rd to 4th-grade standard to eighth, and higher.......And beyond. 
And that’s the corners.

In the middle, there’s a mix of seating, an attempt to help each kid to find a comfortable spot to learn in. Not as much flexibility as I’d like, but I do what I can with the finances and space that I have. My husband is patient. And Amazon knows where I live. There’s a futon, covered this year by a really cool piece of material that looks like a Union Jack, but with more muted colors. There are the bookcases that kids can sit on with loose cushions, and my two new additions, small benches, that are now bookcases underneath with a nice cushion on top for additional seating. Great places for the kids to sit.  Then there are the trapezoid desks both low and high, stability balls and chairs and the plastic small Ottomans - an opportunity for kids to sit on something a little different. The round cushions help for comfort. Then there are the two Ottomans, filled with books, always favorite seating spots.  Then the big massive square ottoman that several kids all like to sit on together. There are the floor mats ready for them to pull out, and floor cushions to use in the hallway. Lap desks are crated and on hand to help them have something to write on. 

So. Much. 

But not too much, because I wanted to leave space to roam, to move. 

On Thursday, our first day back, it will be about finding a spot where you like to sit. It’s less about the groupings, more about comfort as we work together to learn. 

And then there’s the wall space. I tried really hard to leave more available space this year. Not something that’s easy for me, as I’m always seeing something that would "look great in the classroom," but I managed to hold off 😆 The corners make the statements, the rest is ready for the students work and ideas.

My goal was to alert the senses, awaken interest, but not to overwhelm. Reduce the busy, while keeping my personality, and the flavor of room 1113 intact. 

On Thursday the first students will enter the classroom. But today, as I sit and enjoy the silence. 

But I can’t wait. I can’t wait for the color, the noise, the commentary, the pushing, the moving, the questions. 

I can’t wait to try out some new things I have thought about, and share s exciting things with my students. 

I can’t wait to see them.

I can’t wait to see kids eyes light up when they see the room. 

I can’t wait to see one or two kids recognize who Dr. is. 

I can’t wait to see the first kid pick up a book and light up with excitement to read what they want. 

I can’t wait for the who kid says he hates reading, to pick a book that they end up loving and enjoying. 

I can’t wait until the first time the idea button is pressed and a great idea is put on the board to make a change in their room. 

I can’t wait.

Wow - it's been a while!

Last year was a strange year, and looking back at my lack of blogs, there is nowhere clearer that this shows than right here on my website/blog.  Good gracious...for someone who thrives on writing, who loves to put the proverbial pen to paper (or finger to key), it's pretty pathetic to see the lack of writing. No, it isn't as if I have a huge fanbase, hanging on my every word, but I need to write for reflection, for deeper thinking, to share my ideas with myself and dig a little deeper.  It's a little concerning that I didn't carve out time for it.

So, with a new school year, comes the time to renew and refresh.

The teacher rebirth.

That's one thing that is so cool about this profession. You can literally reinvent your practice EVERY SINGLE YEAR!  Right the wrongs, adjust the learnings, change the nuances, change the path...what didn't work can be easily removed, what did may be honed.  It's one of my favorite things about what I do.  Recreating the space and the moments each year.

It's actually been hard starting back up this year.  My first summer, I worked almost every day to reinvent myself.  My second year I did a lot...and the pattern continued. This year, as I ended my fourth year and approach my fifth, I switched off instead.  I stopped the thinking, didn't do the reading, let the cotton wool invade my brain.  It was good - but starting up again has not been easy.  I had to worry that I had lost my passion.  I started to get concerned that I wasn't as excited, that I wasn't going to be able to give as much to my future students.  I mean, that's what I have loved about teaching, the way it fires me up every day.  But as time has moved on, a couple of conferences and good books later, I am beginning to feel the fires ignite and the desire rise up again.

Take last night for example.  A restaurant with a good group.  My poor friend just asks one question about teaching, and I was OFF! Lecturing the crowd about the creation of moments to make connections and impact learning (shout out to the Heath brothers and their AMAZING book, The Power of Moments).  As I listened to myself (something I seem to do upon occasion), I cast an inner smile. Ahhhh, there it was.  The fire is back in belly.

Let's go!  Room 1113, we have one heck of a year ahead!

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!