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2021 ASCD Summer Reading List4 years ago
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I'm Blogging Again11 years ago
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Philly Teacher has a new home!14 years ago
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Monday, November 15, 2010
Sometimes you might have to bribe them...
RtII...what is it? Why is everyone talking about it? Last week we invited parents to come back to school on a Friday night to hear about RtII and Responsive Classroom. I was amazed by the turn out! Over 175 children and parents came to hear more about current educational programs and school wide implementations.
Oh, I forgot to mention that we also held a "Family Movie Night". So, did we bribe them? Uh, sorta...but was it ever fun! It was also informative - lots of great questions were raised about both RtII and Responsive Classroom. Parents and their students attended two half hour highly interactive sessions, then we gathered in the large group room/cafeteria for the movie.
I can still picture the kids in their PJ's with pillows and sleeping bags sprawled all over the large group room floor watching a movie together on the BIG screen. What a cozy scene, but even more...we strengthened the parent-school connection, built our sense of school community, and made some great memories. Oh, and yes we did serve free popcorn and lemonade. I mean, you really can't watch a movie without those two staples (not in my house anyway).
I admit it, we bribed them...but it was so worth it!
Oh, I forgot to mention that we also held a "Family Movie Night". So, did we bribe them? Uh, sorta...but was it ever fun! It was also informative - lots of great questions were raised about both RtII and Responsive Classroom. Parents and their students attended two half hour highly interactive sessions, then we gathered in the large group room/cafeteria for the movie.
I can still picture the kids in their PJ's with pillows and sleeping bags sprawled all over the large group room floor watching a movie together on the BIG screen. What a cozy scene, but even more...we strengthened the parent-school connection, built our sense of school community, and made some great memories. Oh, and yes we did serve free popcorn and lemonade. I mean, you really can't watch a movie without those two staples (not in my house anyway).
I admit it, we bribed them...but it was so worth it!
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Friday, October 1, 2010
No time to "wait for Superman"
The recent release of the documentary film, "Waiting for Superman" has fanned the flames of the controversial debate about educational reform. (I haven't had the opportunity to see the movie yet, but plan on doing so as soon as it comes to a theatre near me.) The reviews range from "moving" and "on target" to "biased" and "oversimplified". Regardless of which camp you're pitching your tent in, everyone must agree that this conversation needs to happen. We can't hide from the data that indicates the American educational system is in need of a great overhaul.
The first question I have is: Do we have the time to wait? I don't think so. Something needs to be done now. We can't wait - the future lives of our children are at stake, and every minute matters. I'm not advocating that we jump in too quickly and begin to dismantle everything, but we can begin to make small changes.
The second question is really a rhetorical one: Is there a Superman? Of course we know there is not, however, if you look closely enough you may begin to identify a superman or superwoman (or quite possibly more than one) at every school. These teachers and administrators consistently put the interests of kids first. They are implementing best practices (based on research) that are best for kids. They have an unwavering belief that every child can learn. They go way beyond the minimum.
I think we already have a good idea of what really works in educating children. The challenge is honestly answering this question: "Are we willing to do what it takes to put children first?" (NY Times columnist Ton Friedman asks this same question) I'm excited that the movement has begun, I'm just hoping it can be sustained without becoming mired in political agendas.
Borrowing the words of Mahatma Gandhi, we can "Be the change we want to see". We need great teachers, willing to not only speak the truth, but live it as well by instituting the small changes that we know we can accomplish. We need great teachers in order to build great schools.
The first question I have is: Do we have the time to wait? I don't think so. Something needs to be done now. We can't wait - the future lives of our children are at stake, and every minute matters. I'm not advocating that we jump in too quickly and begin to dismantle everything, but we can begin to make small changes.
The second question is really a rhetorical one: Is there a Superman? Of course we know there is not, however, if you look closely enough you may begin to identify a superman or superwoman (or quite possibly more than one) at every school. These teachers and administrators consistently put the interests of kids first. They are implementing best practices (based on research) that are best for kids. They have an unwavering belief that every child can learn. They go way beyond the minimum.
I think we already have a good idea of what really works in educating children. The challenge is honestly answering this question: "Are we willing to do what it takes to put children first?" (NY Times columnist Ton Friedman asks this same question) I'm excited that the movement has begun, I'm just hoping it can be sustained without becoming mired in political agendas.
Borrowing the words of Mahatma Gandhi, we can "Be the change we want to see". We need great teachers, willing to not only speak the truth, but live it as well by instituting the small changes that we know we can accomplish. We need great teachers in order to build great schools.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Through the eyes of a child...
The first week of school is almost over. During the first week I must have overheard at least twenty teachers commenting how thankful they were that it was a four day week. It's hard to get back into the routine of it all, even for adults.
Yesterday, a colleague of mine shared with me that her granddaughter had just started kindergarten this year. She picked her up from her first day of school and asked, "How was your day?" Like most small children, very little details of the day were divulged. They had to return to her granddaughter's house to let out her new puppy. As her granddaughter walked the puppy outside, she could hear her through the open kitchen window conversing with 'Buddy', the puppy. 'Buddy', her ever faithful confidant was getting an earful. "Buddy, school is hard... It's awful scary there....There are a lot of people there and so much I got to remember".
It's easy to forget how overwhelming the new school year can be for our little people. Taking a minute to view the whole school experience through their eyes is powerful. There are so many new things....new friends, new teachers, new learning environments. What can we do as educators to help ease this transition? The most important thing is to create a "safe" learning community. Taking the time to hear the hopes and dreams of our students for the coming year, inviting their participation in creating guidelines (also known as rules) for our learning together, and just taking the time to get to know each other is so important.
Unfortunately the tyranny of the urgent competes for our time in the first few weeks of school. There is so much information to cover, routines to establish, forms to fill out....and the list just doesn't end. No wonder we're all exhausted!
I wish that every child had a 'Buddy' to confide in when they are overwhelmed and scared. I hope that all of us...educators and parents can take some time to breathe, relax, and take a peek at the world through their eyes.
Yesterday, a colleague of mine shared with me that her granddaughter had just started kindergarten this year. She picked her up from her first day of school and asked, "How was your day?" Like most small children, very little details of the day were divulged. They had to return to her granddaughter's house to let out her new puppy. As her granddaughter walked the puppy outside, she could hear her through the open kitchen window conversing with 'Buddy', the puppy. 'Buddy', her ever faithful confidant was getting an earful. "Buddy, school is hard... It's awful scary there....There are a lot of people there and so much I got to remember".
It's easy to forget how overwhelming the new school year can be for our little people. Taking a minute to view the whole school experience through their eyes is powerful. There are so many new things....new friends, new teachers, new learning environments. What can we do as educators to help ease this transition? The most important thing is to create a "safe" learning community. Taking the time to hear the hopes and dreams of our students for the coming year, inviting their participation in creating guidelines (also known as rules) for our learning together, and just taking the time to get to know each other is so important.
Unfortunately the tyranny of the urgent competes for our time in the first few weeks of school. There is so much information to cover, routines to establish, forms to fill out....and the list just doesn't end. No wonder we're all exhausted!
I wish that every child had a 'Buddy' to confide in when they are overwhelmed and scared. I hope that all of us...educators and parents can take some time to breathe, relax, and take a peek at the world through their eyes.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Reflecting on reflection
Yesterday I had the privilege of teaching a workshop for teachers in preparation for the upcoming school year. We shared ideas, learned new strategies, and played games together. During one of our interactive games, I asked them to each share a goal that they have for this year as it pertains to their classroom. While preparing for this workshop, I took the time to consider this question in light of my own teaching. I thought, "What is my goal for this year? What specific skill do I wish to "hone in on" as a teacher this year? What goal do I have for my students? As I pondered this question a long list of possibilities coursed through my brain. Then it came to me....Reflection!
I have to confess, I've had this as a goal before. Teachers recognize that reflection is good thing to do. Research even backs this up. To demonstrate my earlier commitment to this skill there is even a space on my lesson plans designated to this endeavor. Knowing how much we cram onto those two pages, carving out space for reflection illustrates how important this is to me as a teacher, right? However, as I look back on my lesson plans for the past three years I can see that I was well intentioned. I started out well (OK - in reality maybe 6 entries over the course of the first month). Then no reflections, not even a scribble for several months, then finally, a few sporadic, hurried comments wedged into the last month of school.
I took the time to reflect on my reflections. I know that this is key to implementing change and a powerful piece in the learning cycle for students. Why is this so difficult for me? I came to the conclusion that I need a plan ...what would help me to accomplish this (other than adding an extra hour onto my day)? Check out this blog http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/316.cfm for some wonderful ideas to help put this into practice.
I am excited about what I will learn about the art/science of teaching and how my student's learning will be impacted as we commit to this discipline during the coming year!
I have to confess, I've had this as a goal before. Teachers recognize that reflection is good thing to do. Research even backs this up. To demonstrate my earlier commitment to this skill there is even a space on my lesson plans designated to this endeavor. Knowing how much we cram onto those two pages, carving out space for reflection illustrates how important this is to me as a teacher, right? However, as I look back on my lesson plans for the past three years I can see that I was well intentioned. I started out well (OK - in reality maybe 6 entries over the course of the first month). Then no reflections, not even a scribble for several months, then finally, a few sporadic, hurried comments wedged into the last month of school.
I took the time to reflect on my reflections. I know that this is key to implementing change and a powerful piece in the learning cycle for students. Why is this so difficult for me? I came to the conclusion that I need a plan ...what would help me to accomplish this (other than adding an extra hour onto my day)? Check out this blog http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/316.cfm for some wonderful ideas to help put this into practice.
I am excited about what I will learn about the art/science of teaching and how my student's learning will be impacted as we commit to this discipline during the coming year!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
The Art of Observation
Like many teachers in the month of August, I'm already thinking about the first few days of school. These first few days are so important. Our primary job is to create a safe environment for our students: physically, emotionally, and socially. We are also working to build a sense of community within our classrooms. In order to make this happen, we must take the time to simply observe.
We watch...we listen...we learn...
The information we gather will guide our instruction. Not just academic instruction, but our social curriculum as well. As we watch and notice, we'll discover which students are struggling with reading and which students enjoy math. We'll learn social skills they are adept at and which need further refining.
There is a constant pull for our attention. So many forms to fill out, plans to write, assessments to give. It is difficult to remember our foremost task at hand and practice the art of observation.
We watch...we listen...we learn...
The information we gather will guide our instruction. Not just academic instruction, but our social curriculum as well. As we watch and notice, we'll discover which students are struggling with reading and which students enjoy math. We'll learn social skills they are adept at and which need further refining.
There is a constant pull for our attention. So many forms to fill out, plans to write, assessments to give. It is difficult to remember our foremost task at hand and practice the art of observation.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Would you rather?
Recently, while embarking on a rather long car ride, several colleagues and I played a game to pass the time away, "Would you rather?" This hilarious game placed us in imaginary situations forcing us to choose between the lesser of two evils. Ex:"Would you rather have eyebrows that make a complete circle around your face -OR- flat eyelashes that stick out 10 inches and cannot be trimmed?
Soon the game morphed into our own personally designed scenarios, one of which was directed towards me for my consideration: "Would you rather be forced to be 'that teacher' (known for doing the exact opposite of Responsive Classroom principles- ie: using sarcasm with children, belittling them, not taking in consideration the individual student or creating connections with them) -OR- Have your daughter teach in a grade level that she hates for 12 years?
Obviously these colleagues knew me well - my belief system (aligned with Responsive Classroom principles) vs. the extreme love for my child. I had a difficult time choosing and it really began to stress me out. For some reason that conundrum just wouldn't leave my brain long after the game was over and I was back at home. I kept mulling it over, realizing that what they were really asking me was "Would you give up being true to yourself to ensure the happiness of your child?" I would just rather not choose between the two. However, after thinking about this for about a week I suddenly realized, I don't have to choose. Then I had an epiphany...nobody has to choose, we all have the opportunity to teach in a way that recognizes the difference in our young learners and seek to bring out the best in them. It is our choice to strive to create joyful learning environments where children thrive.
Soon the game morphed into our own personally designed scenarios, one of which was directed towards me for my consideration: "Would you rather be forced to be 'that teacher' (known for doing the exact opposite of Responsive Classroom principles- ie: using sarcasm with children, belittling them, not taking in consideration the individual student or creating connections with them) -OR- Have your daughter teach in a grade level that she hates for 12 years?
Obviously these colleagues knew me well - my belief system (aligned with Responsive Classroom principles) vs. the extreme love for my child. I had a difficult time choosing and it really began to stress me out. For some reason that conundrum just wouldn't leave my brain long after the game was over and I was back at home. I kept mulling it over, realizing that what they were really asking me was "Would you give up being true to yourself to ensure the happiness of your child?" I would just rather not choose between the two. However, after thinking about this for about a week I suddenly realized, I don't have to choose. Then I had an epiphany...nobody has to choose, we all have the opportunity to teach in a way that recognizes the difference in our young learners and seek to bring out the best in them. It is our choice to strive to create joyful learning environments where children thrive.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Who holds their story?
What does it take to really know a child? Some say that children are "an open book". The problem is that few adults are willing to take the time to sit down, turn the pages, and read that book. I recently heard a speaker declare that we are in an "epidemic of praise". He asserts that the reason we praise our children is because we're too busy to take the time to really know them. Praise is used as a substitute. Most often this type of praise is generic in nature. We've all heard it (and probably even had these very words escape our lips as parents or teachers): "Good job", "That was awesome!", "Way to go!" These are all said with the best intentions. Our underlying belief is that the more we praise, the more we fill a child's tank. Recent research actually points to the opposite. Nurture Shock a book by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman points to the inverse power of praise.
The questions we must consider as educators and parents: Who holds the story of a child? What will it take for us to know their story?
The questions we must consider as educators and parents: Who holds the story of a child? What will it take for us to know their story?
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