" The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but rising every time we fall."
~ Nelson Mandela~
Recently there was a viewing of the game known as the " The Miracle on Ice" to celebrate an epic and historic event that took place thirty-five years ago in Lake Placid, New York. This event featured a group of spirited college athletes from various schools throughout the United States defeating the Soviet Union in a Medal Round Olympic hockey game at the 1980 Winter Olympics. This improbable upset remains today the pinnacle of amateur sports accomplishments in the United States. The Soviets were widely regarded as the best hockey team in the world, bar none. Just a week prior, the Soviets had beaten this same team of amateurs by a lopsided score of 10-3. Our boys were clearly outmatched. How does one begin to explain the amazing turn of events? How did this collection of college athletes beat the best team in the world on a stage that had been previously dominated by the Soviets? The answer ..... Resilience. This spirit that lives deep within the human soul. A spirit which allows us to overcome even the most insurmountable of obstacles.
Collectively they found something within them that allowed them to put the previous outcome aside and move forward. They found a reason to believe that the impossible was possible. They found a reason to believe that they could achieve something that everyone outside of their team believed impossible. In the games leading up to the game with the Soviets and then with the subsequent winning of the gold medal game, this team would teach us lessons of resilience that those of us fortunate to bear witness would not soon forget.
Throughout the course of our lives we are forced to confront situations as children and then adults that are adverse or uncomfortable. Perhaps we struggle in the classroom, or the athletic arena or perhaps our personal life provides its own set of challenges. We seek guidance and support from mentors. We seek their assistance and together we identify potential solutions. Furthermore we assess the situations that create the adversity, utilize resources that are available and eventually move forward. Our resilience makes this possible. Success and failure are temporary conditions. Our resilience must be part of our permanent condition or adaptation becomes impossible.
Our responsibility as adult learners is to use our own experiences with resilience and mentor our children as they attempt to come to terms with their own struggles or even failures.
As educators it is incumbent upon us to reinforce with our students the idea that assessments are performance measurements. They are a means of assisting us in how to best approach our instructional planning in order to provide the optimum learning experiences for them. They will result in success at times and result in productive struggles at others. Ultimately they will always reveal something about student learning. Assessment outcomes will never define the learner as a success or failure. If we can successfully impart this line of thinking upon our students, then we can create resilience within them. Then perhaps they will be willing to take risks, and confront challenges entusiastically, while possessing a forward thinking mindset regardless of potential outcomes. If we can help our students to develop resilience than they can eventually help develop it within others, thus creating a community of resilient learners.
Teaching our children to assess adversity is the first step in helping them achieve resilience. Once they complete their assessment then they can proceed to gather resources, human or otherwise. After gathering and utilizing the resources in an effective fashion then the hope is that they can move forward toward solutions and eventually beyond the adversity. Once resilience is achieved initially, hopefully they can continue to use a formula that allows them to consistently overcome the challenges that confront them. One thing is for sure, life will provide the hurdles, clearing them requires resilience.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Saturday, February 21, 2015
" A Tale of Two Centuries"
In a few short years every student in our schools will be from the 21st century, and no teacher will be. The entire student body and the entire teacher force will be from different centuries.
~Lester Laminack
Since reading this quote on my Twitter feed recently I have taken pause to consider its implications. You see, as a sixth grade teacher , all of my current students were born after the year 2000 and this has been my reality for the past three years. Moving forward it will continue to be the case until I eventually retire within the next fifteen years. As I continue to digest the implications of this reality, I am sure that it is not as dire as the quote suggests.
Here are some additional realities:
My colleagues and I are products of the 20th century educational system. Our passion and commitment as professionals has helped to produce many passionate educators who lead our classrooms today.
The passion that we have for teaching and for our students today was and continues to be fueled by the influences of many outstanding 20th century educators.
The great teachers have always understood the value of engagement and empowerment, these concepts are not unique to the eras in which students learn or teachers teach.
The 20th century teacher was also the 20th century learner and as time marched forward, the 20th century teacher became the 21st century teacher and learner.
As educators and as humans, we must continue to learn and adapt, if we are to survive in our careers or in life.
In an effort to gain an additional perspective I wrote the quote on the board and sought the opinions of my students regarding its implications. Their responses were varied.
Some felt that it made no difference at all because a 20th century background could provide additional perspectives for the 21 century student in terms of approaches and strategies.
Some believed that it was "no big deal" as long as the educator used 21st century methods and technology to meet their students "where they were".
A few did in fact believe that teachers should be replaced if they were not willing to teach 21st century students with a 21st century mindset. As always their honest feedback provided valuable insight as I continued to work through the implications of this issue.
This is what I believe moving forward regarding the implications of 20th century teachers teaching, 21st century learners.
The quality of education is the key to the growth of any individual or the advancement of any society.
The manner in which we educate our children has always and will always evolve as a result of a multitude of political, technological, cultural and economic influences.
We must continue to understand how our children learn and prepare ourselves to meet them where they are. This is imperative to their success.
As long as we are willing to evolve and adapt, in order to meet the needs of each individual learner, then ultimately it makes no difference when the educator was born or educated.
The educator that continues to develop their instructional practices with their students front and center, will thrive in any century and so will their students.
~Lester Laminack
Since reading this quote on my Twitter feed recently I have taken pause to consider its implications. You see, as a sixth grade teacher , all of my current students were born after the year 2000 and this has been my reality for the past three years. Moving forward it will continue to be the case until I eventually retire within the next fifteen years. As I continue to digest the implications of this reality, I am sure that it is not as dire as the quote suggests.
Here are some additional realities:
My colleagues and I are products of the 20th century educational system. Our passion and commitment as professionals has helped to produce many passionate educators who lead our classrooms today.
The passion that we have for teaching and for our students today was and continues to be fueled by the influences of many outstanding 20th century educators.
The great teachers have always understood the value of engagement and empowerment, these concepts are not unique to the eras in which students learn or teachers teach.
The 20th century teacher was also the 20th century learner and as time marched forward, the 20th century teacher became the 21st century teacher and learner.
As educators and as humans, we must continue to learn and adapt, if we are to survive in our careers or in life.
In an effort to gain an additional perspective I wrote the quote on the board and sought the opinions of my students regarding its implications. Their responses were varied.
Some felt that it made no difference at all because a 20th century background could provide additional perspectives for the 21 century student in terms of approaches and strategies.
Some believed that it was "no big deal" as long as the educator used 21st century methods and technology to meet their students "where they were".
A few did in fact believe that teachers should be replaced if they were not willing to teach 21st century students with a 21st century mindset. As always their honest feedback provided valuable insight as I continued to work through the implications of this issue.
This is what I believe moving forward regarding the implications of 20th century teachers teaching, 21st century learners.
The quality of education is the key to the growth of any individual or the advancement of any society.
The manner in which we educate our children has always and will always evolve as a result of a multitude of political, technological, cultural and economic influences.
We must continue to understand how our children learn and prepare ourselves to meet them where they are. This is imperative to their success.
As long as we are willing to evolve and adapt, in order to meet the needs of each individual learner, then ultimately it makes no difference when the educator was born or educated.
The educator that continues to develop their instructional practices with their students front and center, will thrive in any century and so will their students.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Celebrating Authenticity and Affirmation
Since creating the "Power of Inspiration" a little over thirteen months ago, I have had the opportunity to submit posts on topics that reveal both my interests and passions. Each submission has given me the opportunity to reflect on my craft and renew my enthusiasm for writing. While I have enjoyed writing each piece, the posts that I enjoy writing the most, focus on my students and the authentic learning experiences we have collectively shared. The following post, inspired by the efforts of my students, traces the evolution of our second marking period Technology project.
The Launch
Prior to leaving for an extensive winter break my students concluded an exhaustive unit on the "early humans". Awaiting them upon their return would be a long term project that would give them the opportunity to create a product model relevant to the study of the "early humans". This product model would be constructed with the mindset that it was capable of assisting the "early humans" in their daily lives. Within a few days they would need to develop an idea and present it to me and my co-teachers for our approval. After reviewing the assignment handout and answering questions, the class concluded for the day. Their enthusiasm for this project as usual did not disappoint. As students got up to leave for the day, a handful were already stopping me and passionately sharing their early ideas. As the day continued more would stop by and share their ideas as well. Over the course of the week I would have many conversations about the visions that my students were having for their projects. I couldn't wait until Friday.
The Challenge
The following day I challenged my students to take advantage of this opportunity to do something great. I told them they had full creative control and virtually no limits on what they could accomplish. I then told them that not only was this an opportunity to potentially achieve individual greatness but that each one of them was quite capable of doing something great. I visually referred to a project from a previous year that they all agreed was outstanding and reminded them that the student responsible for its creation, shared common circumstances with them. I then left them with the challenge to go beyond ordinary and strive for greatness.
New Ideas
Over the course of the week I would have many conversations about the early visions that my students were having for this project. When Friday finally arrived we were able to finalize and approve most of the ideas but there were still students that were working through the process that required guidance and support. This year's ideas included; portable fire pits, baby carriers, first aid kits, poison detectors, security systems and a host full of other authentic and useful ideas. The next three weeks would be exciting for sure as we would all witness these innovative ideas blossom into finished products.
Sketches
One of my favorite days of the project experience was when I had the opportunity to review their sketches. It was exciting to gain an early glimpse at their designs as they continued to develop their ideas. I was also afforded the opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions that may help them move forward as they prepared to enter the construction phase of the project. As this phase came to a conclusion I was confident in the direction that my students were heading and eagerly awaited the arrival of the finished products.
Presentations and Affirmations
The day of the grand unveiling of the projects brought with it a great deal of excitement. Both the students and teachers eagerly awaited the beginning of the presentations. Collectively this batch of models/inventions was of the best that we have witnessed in years. The craftsmanship reflected ideas that were very well designed and executed. A three week journey which commenced with the project launch was now one step closer to conclusion. This day and the few days that followed thoughout were special for many reasons.
All of the students began revealing their products to one another in short oral presentations. We learned of the genesis of their ideas, the purpose and function of their products and essentially the process in which the product was constructed. We learned of research that had been completed, trials that had been endured and ultimately of the success that had been achieved. Following the presentations the students asked very thoughtful questions of the presenters which required very thoughtful answers. This was an impressive element of the presentations as the students were showing genuine interest in each others efforts.
This year we all were treated to an unexpected bonus feature. As some presentations concluded, the students were offering complimentary affirmations to the presenter instead of asking questions. One student commented to another about their idea being " very creative", or another commented on how the finished product indicated that they spent a "great deal of time" working on it. These affirmations were unprompted and unsolicited but indeed provided a special quality as some of the presentations concluded.
Reflection
After the final oral presentation had concluded our journey was all but complete. There was one final step that I was looking forward to taking with my students in order to bring closure to this project. As has been tradition following the final presentation students were required to participate in a reflection activity. This activity explored their thoughts on the positive qualities of the project experience, ways that it could be improved and finally what they had learned throughout the entire process. This as always was one of my favorite legs of the journey because it gave the students an opportunity to add an honest voice to the process. Once again as in past years they provided me with valuable feedback and have helped me to reaffirm the enduring value of the project. Their feedback will also help me to make adjustments and strengthen the assignment for future classes.
Some of the positive feedback this year included the following; "it was fun and I enjoyed the opportunity to be creative", " we could make our own choices and there were not many rules" and "it gave me a chance to bond with my mother or father".
Some of the improvements that were suggested included "share more models", "model an oral presentation" and "give more specific guidelines regarding the journal."
The went on to tell me that they learned how to manage their time better, that homework can be fun and that they learned more about the problems and needs of the early humans.
As the reflection activity came to a close, I was proud to be able to add the voice of my students to this project once again. They appreciated the opportunity to add constructive and honest feedback as well.
Final Thoughts
When given the opportunity to create and work without constraints my students will embrace it.
My students like challenges and love the feeling that accompanies achievement.
Authentic learning is the best way to learn because it allows my students to immerse themselves into their learning environment.
When my students demonstrate that they value the hard work of their peers, it strengthens the culture in our learning community.
We need to continue to ask our students if the learning experiences that we provide have value. Their feed back will always be honest because they have the most to gain if they are engaged. This project, like others authentic in nature, empowered my students to become active learners. The more engaging the activity the more meaningful their learning will become. The voices of our students need to be the ones that we hear the loudest and we need to pay attention to them. If not, we risk losing their interest and this is not a result that we can afford. We must continue to celebrate the success of the authentic learner and affirm the value of their commitment and effort whenever possible.
The Launch
Prior to leaving for an extensive winter break my students concluded an exhaustive unit on the "early humans". Awaiting them upon their return would be a long term project that would give them the opportunity to create a product model relevant to the study of the "early humans". This product model would be constructed with the mindset that it was capable of assisting the "early humans" in their daily lives. Within a few days they would need to develop an idea and present it to me and my co-teachers for our approval. After reviewing the assignment handout and answering questions, the class concluded for the day. Their enthusiasm for this project as usual did not disappoint. As students got up to leave for the day, a handful were already stopping me and passionately sharing their early ideas. As the day continued more would stop by and share their ideas as well. Over the course of the week I would have many conversations about the visions that my students were having for their projects. I couldn't wait until Friday.
The Challenge
The following day I challenged my students to take advantage of this opportunity to do something great. I told them they had full creative control and virtually no limits on what they could accomplish. I then told them that not only was this an opportunity to potentially achieve individual greatness but that each one of them was quite capable of doing something great. I visually referred to a project from a previous year that they all agreed was outstanding and reminded them that the student responsible for its creation, shared common circumstances with them. I then left them with the challenge to go beyond ordinary and strive for greatness.
New Ideas
Over the course of the week I would have many conversations about the early visions that my students were having for this project. When Friday finally arrived we were able to finalize and approve most of the ideas but there were still students that were working through the process that required guidance and support. This year's ideas included; portable fire pits, baby carriers, first aid kits, poison detectors, security systems and a host full of other authentic and useful ideas. The next three weeks would be exciting for sure as we would all witness these innovative ideas blossom into finished products.
Sketches
One of my favorite days of the project experience was when I had the opportunity to review their sketches. It was exciting to gain an early glimpse at their designs as they continued to develop their ideas. I was also afforded the opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions that may help them move forward as they prepared to enter the construction phase of the project. As this phase came to a conclusion I was confident in the direction that my students were heading and eagerly awaited the arrival of the finished products.
Presentations and Affirmations
The day of the grand unveiling of the projects brought with it a great deal of excitement. Both the students and teachers eagerly awaited the beginning of the presentations. Collectively this batch of models/inventions was of the best that we have witnessed in years. The craftsmanship reflected ideas that were very well designed and executed. A three week journey which commenced with the project launch was now one step closer to conclusion. This day and the few days that followed thoughout were special for many reasons.
All of the students began revealing their products to one another in short oral presentations. We learned of the genesis of their ideas, the purpose and function of their products and essentially the process in which the product was constructed. We learned of research that had been completed, trials that had been endured and ultimately of the success that had been achieved. Following the presentations the students asked very thoughtful questions of the presenters which required very thoughtful answers. This was an impressive element of the presentations as the students were showing genuine interest in each others efforts.
This year we all were treated to an unexpected bonus feature. As some presentations concluded, the students were offering complimentary affirmations to the presenter instead of asking questions. One student commented to another about their idea being " very creative", or another commented on how the finished product indicated that they spent a "great deal of time" working on it. These affirmations were unprompted and unsolicited but indeed provided a special quality as some of the presentations concluded.
Reflection
After the final oral presentation had concluded our journey was all but complete. There was one final step that I was looking forward to taking with my students in order to bring closure to this project. As has been tradition following the final presentation students were required to participate in a reflection activity. This activity explored their thoughts on the positive qualities of the project experience, ways that it could be improved and finally what they had learned throughout the entire process. This as always was one of my favorite legs of the journey because it gave the students an opportunity to add an honest voice to the process. Once again as in past years they provided me with valuable feedback and have helped me to reaffirm the enduring value of the project. Their feedback will also help me to make adjustments and strengthen the assignment for future classes.
Some of the positive feedback this year included the following; "it was fun and I enjoyed the opportunity to be creative", " we could make our own choices and there were not many rules" and "it gave me a chance to bond with my mother or father".
Some of the improvements that were suggested included "share more models", "model an oral presentation" and "give more specific guidelines regarding the journal."
The went on to tell me that they learned how to manage their time better, that homework can be fun and that they learned more about the problems and needs of the early humans.
As the reflection activity came to a close, I was proud to be able to add the voice of my students to this project once again. They appreciated the opportunity to add constructive and honest feedback as well.
Final Thoughts
When given the opportunity to create and work without constraints my students will embrace it.
My students like challenges and love the feeling that accompanies achievement.
Authentic learning is the best way to learn because it allows my students to immerse themselves into their learning environment.
When my students demonstrate that they value the hard work of their peers, it strengthens the culture in our learning community.
We need to continue to ask our students if the learning experiences that we provide have value. Their feed back will always be honest because they have the most to gain if they are engaged. This project, like others authentic in nature, empowered my students to become active learners. The more engaging the activity the more meaningful their learning will become. The voices of our students need to be the ones that we hear the loudest and we need to pay attention to them. If not, we risk losing their interest and this is not a result that we can afford. We must continue to celebrate the success of the authentic learner and affirm the value of their commitment and effort whenever possible.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
One Life to Live... and Learn.
"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."~ John Wooden
Thirteen months ago I unwittingly embarked upon a journey to improve as an educator. I began to explore the possibilities of using Twitter to develop a Professional Learning Network. Within the first month I began to establish personal connections with likeminded educators that shared my passion for making a positive impact on the lives of today's youth. Through hashtag conversations, tweets and blog posts, personal and professional relationships were being formed, renewed and strengthened. Authentic learning experiences were taking place as wisdom was being mutually shared. Eventually opportunities were created that allowed me to meet my PLN face to face at regional and national conferences. Our connections were being strengthened as we shared our convictions for education. Connections were being made at the local, national and global level and I was feeling empowered to strengthen my instructional practices as well as create engaging learning experiences for my students. Learning was now occurring autonomously and at my convenience. Resources focused on current educational pedagogy were consistently made available and were essentially limitless. I was living out of my comfort zone and I was growing. Furthermore, my students were reaping the benefits because my learning experiences translated to improvements in the classroom..
Last week I was engaged in a weekly #Tlap conversation about the ABC's of learning and at the end of the conversation there was a challenge question in which we were asked by the moderator, Shelley Burgess to include a response using the UN prefix. Essenntially this was a contest to generate the most favorities and or retweets per individual response. My response was Unforgettable, and that I never want my students to forget why they love learning. It was a response that met with many retweets and favorites. Also it resulted in my winning of the contest and receiving and autographed copy of the new book P is for Pirate which is written by Dave and Shelley Burgess. One of the favorites came from my friend and valued PLN member Barry Saide who reminded me that "nor should we" as educators ever forget why we love learning. His sentiment reminded me how much my love for learning has been rejuvenated since I became a connected educator. The places that learning will take us is amazing if we are willing to make ourselves available to new ideas. While the "world remains our classroom" as connected educators the current and future possibliliities for learning will remain limitless if we continue to embrace new and innovative ways to do so. My only regret is that I only have " one life to live and learn."
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
C is For Culture ( My Word for 2015)
The dynamic and inspirational author Jon Gordon made an excellent suggestion to start 2015 off in the right way. He suggests that rather than make a "resolution" (because most of us fail to keep them anyway) we may be better off finding "one word" that we can embrace and then use it as a driving force to inspire us throughout the year. While overwhelmed at first at the daunting task of choosing just one word, upon further review it became clear that there was only one truly appropriate selection for me. My word challenges me to bravely consider existing conditions in my personal and professional life and then make courageous changes where they are necessary and appropriate. My word of course is Culture."
C is for Caring. As a parent and an educator it is vital that the children I am responsible for nurturing believe that I care about their social, emotional and intellectual growth. I am responsible for putting them in situations that will allow them to succeed and/ or fail. When success occurs I must find ways to praise and celebrate that success. When failure occurs I must provide coping mechanisms to assist them in moving forward. Either way, the children in my life need to know that I care deeply about the outcomes of their efforts and I must find ways to demonstrate this.
U is for Understanding. Each of my students are very unique individuals. They possess their own skill sets and approach learning in their own diverse way. When developing a relationship with my students, assessing their work or evaluating their behavior it is important that I remain aware of their unique currencies. Ultimately this will help me to understand the rationale behind their actions and help me to avoid making assumptions about their character. As a parent the stability of my relationship with my children hinges on my ability to show compassion and understanding during the most challenging of situations.
L is for Love of Learning. My hope for my students and my own children is that they will evolve into productive adults and eventually make consistent contributions to our society. This will not happen accidentally. The passions that lead to the development of their skills and eventually to the pursuit of career choices are ignited in the classroom during their formative years of education. Books that are read, discussions that captivate and engaging experiences that they take part in, lay the foundation for an intellectually prosperous adult life. My job as an educator and a parent is to help ignite that spark and foster a love of learning that continues throughout their lifetime. The best way to accomplish this is to model this " love of learning" by always seeking new opportunities to learn and then sharing these experiences as they occur.
T is for Trust. In order to provide guidance and support and to be a vital part of a child's life, it is necessary that I establish and maintain trust throughout our relationship. If something happens to fracture the trust, I must give immediate attention and effort towards rebuilding that trust and ultimately the relationship. Trust is built when I take an active interest in their lives, when I show them that I genuinely care about them, that I am present and accountable, and that I follow through on things that I promise in a consistent fashion. Furthermore I need to show them that I believe in them and that I will go to great lengths to help them.
U is for Uplifting. One of the most important responsibilities that I have as parent and an educator is to maintain a positive attitude and inspire my students and my children about the world they live in. While there are many stories today that are mired in negative detail there are plenty of opportunities to accentuate all of the good that goes on in the world. Not only is it important that I provide evidence of the events that inspire us, but it is equally important that I empower them to find sources of their own inspiration.
R is for Relationships. My success as an educator and as a parent is largely dependent on my ability to establish solid relationships with my students and my own children. The foundation for each relationship is the genuine interest taken in their lives and a willingness to share a part of my life with them. Not only is it important that I take the opportunity to get to know my students at the beginning of the year but in order to cultivate the relationship I must take an ongoing, active interest in experiences that take place inside and outside of the classroom. As far as my own children are concerned its about being present, staying interested and providing guidance and support when its solicited and sometimes when its not.
E is for Engagement. An area that continues to concern me regarding today's learner is engagement. A Gallup poll taken in 2012 that surveyed students revealed that our secondary level learners become less engaged as they progress through middle and then eventually high school. According to the poll only 60% of the students were engaged in middle school and then it dropped to 40% in high school. As a parent and educator this revelation alarms me because it indicates to me that collectively our students are less than enthusiastic about learning as they prepare to enter college and eventually the workplace. As stakeholders that have a vested interest in the outcomes of educating our children, we need to act collectively and collaboratively towards changing this trend.
Dave Burgess a teacher/author, in his book "Teach Like A Pirate" discusses the value of developing engaging educational practices for his students and he has met with great success in his classroom. His book, his weekly conversation on Twitter (#tlap) and his Professional Development sessions have sparked a global movement that is entrenched in various ways to engage todays learners. Educators throughout the world are embracing a more engaging and empowering approach to their instructional practices and we are heading in the right direction. Moving forward we must continue to give credence to the importance of engaging and empowering our students if we hope to continue to develop productive adult members of our society.
My challenge for 2015 is to honestly assess the health of the culture in my household and my classroom. Once the assessment is complete, action must follow, either to strengthen or improve the culture. One thing is certain, I cannot be passive if I expect to influence growth within either culture. At home, my wife and I must empower our children to assist in the growth process. In the classroom all stakeholders must be empowered to assist in the strengthening of our classroom culture. Moreover, regardless of the setting, all of the members of each community need to continue to feel valued and respected if we can realistically hope to avoid complacency, or worse apathy. The goal for 2015; sustain a culture where achievement goes beyond potential, growth is measurable and where my students and children prosper.
My word, simple, Culture, I cannot imagine another that has more value in my life. What's your one word and how will you address it in 2015?
( A special thank you to; Jon Gordon, Dave and Shelley Burgess, Glenn Robbins and Heidi Jones for inspiring this post.)
C is for Caring. As a parent and an educator it is vital that the children I am responsible for nurturing believe that I care about their social, emotional and intellectual growth. I am responsible for putting them in situations that will allow them to succeed and/ or fail. When success occurs I must find ways to praise and celebrate that success. When failure occurs I must provide coping mechanisms to assist them in moving forward. Either way, the children in my life need to know that I care deeply about the outcomes of their efforts and I must find ways to demonstrate this.
U is for Understanding. Each of my students are very unique individuals. They possess their own skill sets and approach learning in their own diverse way. When developing a relationship with my students, assessing their work or evaluating their behavior it is important that I remain aware of their unique currencies. Ultimately this will help me to understand the rationale behind their actions and help me to avoid making assumptions about their character. As a parent the stability of my relationship with my children hinges on my ability to show compassion and understanding during the most challenging of situations.
L is for Love of Learning. My hope for my students and my own children is that they will evolve into productive adults and eventually make consistent contributions to our society. This will not happen accidentally. The passions that lead to the development of their skills and eventually to the pursuit of career choices are ignited in the classroom during their formative years of education. Books that are read, discussions that captivate and engaging experiences that they take part in, lay the foundation for an intellectually prosperous adult life. My job as an educator and a parent is to help ignite that spark and foster a love of learning that continues throughout their lifetime. The best way to accomplish this is to model this " love of learning" by always seeking new opportunities to learn and then sharing these experiences as they occur.
T is for Trust. In order to provide guidance and support and to be a vital part of a child's life, it is necessary that I establish and maintain trust throughout our relationship. If something happens to fracture the trust, I must give immediate attention and effort towards rebuilding that trust and ultimately the relationship. Trust is built when I take an active interest in their lives, when I show them that I genuinely care about them, that I am present and accountable, and that I follow through on things that I promise in a consistent fashion. Furthermore I need to show them that I believe in them and that I will go to great lengths to help them.
U is for Uplifting. One of the most important responsibilities that I have as parent and an educator is to maintain a positive attitude and inspire my students and my children about the world they live in. While there are many stories today that are mired in negative detail there are plenty of opportunities to accentuate all of the good that goes on in the world. Not only is it important that I provide evidence of the events that inspire us, but it is equally important that I empower them to find sources of their own inspiration.
R is for Relationships. My success as an educator and as a parent is largely dependent on my ability to establish solid relationships with my students and my own children. The foundation for each relationship is the genuine interest taken in their lives and a willingness to share a part of my life with them. Not only is it important that I take the opportunity to get to know my students at the beginning of the year but in order to cultivate the relationship I must take an ongoing, active interest in experiences that take place inside and outside of the classroom. As far as my own children are concerned its about being present, staying interested and providing guidance and support when its solicited and sometimes when its not.
E is for Engagement. An area that continues to concern me regarding today's learner is engagement. A Gallup poll taken in 2012 that surveyed students revealed that our secondary level learners become less engaged as they progress through middle and then eventually high school. According to the poll only 60% of the students were engaged in middle school and then it dropped to 40% in high school. As a parent and educator this revelation alarms me because it indicates to me that collectively our students are less than enthusiastic about learning as they prepare to enter college and eventually the workplace. As stakeholders that have a vested interest in the outcomes of educating our children, we need to act collectively and collaboratively towards changing this trend.
Dave Burgess a teacher/author, in his book "Teach Like A Pirate" discusses the value of developing engaging educational practices for his students and he has met with great success in his classroom. His book, his weekly conversation on Twitter (#tlap) and his Professional Development sessions have sparked a global movement that is entrenched in various ways to engage todays learners. Educators throughout the world are embracing a more engaging and empowering approach to their instructional practices and we are heading in the right direction. Moving forward we must continue to give credence to the importance of engaging and empowering our students if we hope to continue to develop productive adult members of our society.
My challenge for 2015 is to honestly assess the health of the culture in my household and my classroom. Once the assessment is complete, action must follow, either to strengthen or improve the culture. One thing is certain, I cannot be passive if I expect to influence growth within either culture. At home, my wife and I must empower our children to assist in the growth process. In the classroom all stakeholders must be empowered to assist in the strengthening of our classroom culture. Moreover, regardless of the setting, all of the members of each community need to continue to feel valued and respected if we can realistically hope to avoid complacency, or worse apathy. The goal for 2015; sustain a culture where achievement goes beyond potential, growth is measurable and where my students and children prosper.
My word, simple, Culture, I cannot imagine another that has more value in my life. What's your one word and how will you address it in 2015?
( A special thank you to; Jon Gordon, Dave and Shelley Burgess, Glenn Robbins and Heidi Jones for inspiring this post.)
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Mirrors
Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.
~Peter Drucker~
The Man In The Mirror
Each day of my life, I seek to become better. I seek to make the necessary strides to improve upon my life in various capacities. As a husband, a father, a son, a friend and an educator, I desire to grow each and every day. This is a challenging proposition because in order to grow it is necessary to reflect upon shortcomings that need attention, or flaws that need correction. Sometimes the honesty that accompanies reflection can be painful to endure and life is easier or more comfortable if it is avoided. However if growth is the objective, stepping out of the comfort zone is a risk I must be willing to take,
The Man In The Mirror
Each day of my life, I seek to become better. I seek to make the necessary strides to improve upon my life in various capacities. As a husband, a father, a son, a friend and an educator, I desire to grow each and every day. This is a challenging proposition because in order to grow it is necessary to reflect upon shortcomings that need attention, or flaws that need correction. Sometimes the honesty that accompanies reflection can be painful to endure and life is easier or more comfortable if it is avoided. However if growth is the objective, stepping out of the comfort zone is a risk I must be willing to take,
Sharpening the Tools
The last twelve months of my life have encompassed unparalleled professional growth. A conscious decision to become a "connected educator" has allowed me to elevate my reflective practices to new heights. Weekly online and eventual face to face interactions with a global network of educators, have improved my instructional practices exponentially. These relationships formed as a result, have influenced a personal and professional transformation. My classroom has become a community that provides an authentic and engaging learning environment for my students. Within this environment we have created a culture that empowers students to develop their own reflective skills and thus grow as 21st century learners.
Paying it Forward
Reflection has been a priority over the course of the past ten weeks that I have spent mentoring pre service teachers from Rider University. One of our weekly exercises was to spend time reflecting on the observable outcomes of a particular day. If they taught,we reflected upon the quality of their lesson, if I taught we reflected upon the quality of my lesson. Our conversations focused on the strengths and the weaknesses of the lesson, while looking through a lens that examined student learning.
Although the exercise was to help them understand the value of reflection and improve, I can honestly say that their reflective feedback enabled me to grow professionally and improve the quality of my instruction. At the end of ten weeks I firmly believe that they embraced the idea that honest, authentic reflection is a vital componenent of the learning process. Ultimately it is this reflective piece that leads to success, for both the student and the teacher.
Eyes On The Prize
We are living in an age of an unprecedented commitment to student centered learning . As educators it is important to facilitate opportunities that allow students to collaborate and create. With both collaboration and creation we should expect students to experience a "productive struggle" as they work to complete various tasks. The development of clear protocols must occur at the outset to ease students through the navigation process. Once the task has been completed and the desired outcomes reached, the students need to be encouraged to honestly reflect about process and outcome. Again as is the case with the adult learner this will force the student beyond their comfort zone. As educators we need to find a way to help our students embrace authentic and honest reflection. Moreover, we will need to encourage the celebration of their success and assist them in the rebuild when failure occurs. Only then will authentic growth be a natural consequence of their reflection.
Parting Thought
The "growth process" is personal in nature and everyone arrives there in their own way but at the end of the day, the quality of the image in the mirror forces us all to contemplate, "what is" and "what can be."
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Exercises in Gratitude
Throughout the course of the past few days my students and I took advantage of several opportunities to express our "gratitude." With the onset of the Thanksgiving holiday quickly approaching the timing was particularly appropriate. I expected my students to express gratitude for their family, their friends, their homes and their pets. With each conversation their responses did not fall short of my anticipated expectations. After 20 years of teaching and learning, you develop an understanding of the middle school students mindset. However, what unfolded became an unexpected surprise as the exercise quickly developed into a learning experience.
For the past couple of weeks we have been investigating the challenges that the Paleolithic humans had faced in attempting to fullfill their basic needs. My students are well aware of the struggles that their ancestors faced due to various physiological and environmental factors. I was impressed during the "exercise of gratitude" that my students were grateful for their ability to meet their basic needs and for the efforts of others to provide for them. It was obvious to me that in considering their own gratitude that they were reflecting upon the challenges that were faced by prehistoric cultures. They were expressing gratitude for not having to endure similar circumstances. This was not something that I had expected to learn as the exercise progressed but was thrilled when I realized that this had become one of the outcomes.
The exercise would also teach me a valuable lesson about stretching the thinking of my students. During this exercise my most "social "group of students revealed themselves as my deepest and reflective thinkers. When asked about what they were grateful for, they provided responses that reflected a great deal of contemplation. Their answers revealed an obvious depth of thinking and the exercise unexpectedly taught me a great deal about their willingness to stretch their thinking. These students were eagerly awaiting the opportunity to stretch their thinking. This question of "gratitude" had peaked their interest, and their responses revealed, passionate reflection and genuine enthusiasm.
However, this exercise did not produce the same result with all of my classes as other groups of students gave one word answers to the question. They seemed reluctant to push the limits of their thinking and their responses seemed to indicate a lack of confidence or a lack of interest. What is clear with the later group is that new strategies need to be implemented in an effort to stretch their thinking, build their confidence and spark their interest.
As I prepare to enjoy Thanksgiving with my family, I am grateful for the love of my family and friends as well as all of the positive influences that have shaped the course of my life within the past eleven months. Additionally I am grateful for the gifts bestowed upon me by my students when they are least expected. It is those gifts that teach me the most valuable lessons and allow for my maximum professional and personal growth.
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