Fish Bowl, Fish Bowl- When Breakout Rooms are not Allowed (244)

 Eager to try out breakout rooms but we are not allowed to. So I am trying to find out new ways to make a large group (about 50) more interactive and collaborative. Today I had six students in each class unmute and stay on screen and then every other student turn off their camera's. Then the only ones on screen were those six- because of the sound.

Then we watched a great video about onion tissue and onion cells which showed the cytoplasm steam of vesicles within the cell. I had students make observations and reflect on what they saw and discovered from the short video. Only the six students shared their ideas and collaborative presented their reflections on the video.

It worked really well. Tomorrow I plan on using Google Jam Board and have students get interactive about a model of a cell. There are a lot of awesome tools out there, you just have to ask Twitter friends and investigate. Hoping to make my large classrooms more engaging and fun by using some cool tools.

Eight Days, Eight Ways, Eight Rays: The First Hits and Misses of the School Year (243)

Eight days in. Faces on a screen. More than fill the screen. Empty classroom. Desks arranged, décor and optimization- yet absent of life. Except my own, a single heartbeat. First day of school passed, day one to day eight, came and went. There were lags and drops, frequent ones in fact. There were upgrades that caused malfunction. There were overloads and shutdowns.

Class sizes are unimaginable for in person learning, yet acceptable for virtual. A whirlwind of emotion, frustration, sheer exhaustion. Double planning, reshuffling, back-up plans. Plan C, D, E. Expecting connection issues, became necessary. Then hurricane warnings. Constant pandemic concerns. Parental expectations, teacher hopes and lessons, halted by software difficulties.

Eight days, eight ways, eight rays. There have been a lot of hiccups and burps. Planning for one thing, having to teach in completely new ways, constant pivoting. Having a mandatory template that works only part of the time. So then having to go back and update modules later. Double the workload. Questions less about content, more about the functionality of our on-line learning platform. Teachers shutting down.

Having to send daily videos of ways to get around the problems. On top of podcasts of daily lessons for those students who are absent, or are not required to come to synchronous classes. We follow the school schedule some will follow after September 8^th. Normalcy of bells. Yet, in every other way strange and cumbersome. Currently all virtual- yet in a week 30% will be returning to the building.

We still have to prepare for both Face to Face and Virtual. Again, double the work.

We found out our on-line platform has more glitches than it did in the spring. More connection issues. More flaws that do not allow us to link documents and share slide shows. So again, we have to provide alternative ways for accessibility. More work. All the while, balancing large class sizes, planning engaging lessons for the virtual world, and staying connected with our students and parents.

Eight things that did not work according to plan: devices, software, accessibility, linking documents, having time to plan multiple alternative activities, getting through a class without Zoom dropping students, having opportunities to talk individually with every student, really getting to know student names, I saw them on the screen in Zoom, but faces, I need time to learn their faces.

But, educators are quick on their feet- actually chairs in this case. We made adjustments, found new ways to link documents, discovered different ways to communicate efficiently with parents and students (without overloading them), engaged students with more mobile activities at home, kept things fun and interesting with 50 kids on Zoom, and maintained emotional balance, for the most part anyway. Those took a little longer than expected. The sheer volume of what teachers have to do, hinders what teachers want to do. Balance is a struggle, but after eight days of classes, I am in the swing of things.

It is important not to freak out when technology runs amok. It will. You have to expect that things are going to go wrong, and have several back up plans. Be patient, not just with students but with yourself. This is a whole new way of teaching. I thought I was prepared and then technology reminded me I am at its mercy. I had a few meltdowns after a Zoom meeting ended. I have six Zoom meetings every day. 

But I adjusted. I emailed stuff that our platform could not open. I had a constant dialogue with students on Zoom but also in email and on the school virtual platform. I kept things calm and focused. Everything turned out okay. I just had to remind myself to breathe.

Every day I say to students as the opening theme song ends and everyone has been admitted from the waiting room- "Lets see what hurdles we will face today? Let’s brace for take-off. There will be bumps, but imagine the view once we reach orbit. I am excited- are you? Let’s do this." 

As many misses as there have been with technology there have been more hits. More moments of laughter and smiles. More discussions and engagement. More connection with students. But there are almost 50 in three of my classes and we are encouraged not to use breakout rooms on Zoom. Further adjustment needed.

We have created podcasts, drawn sketch notes and made Google Doodles, had a scavenger hunt or two, created raps about cell theory, shared our mindfulness strategies, learned about each other’s culture with personalized culture slides. I am trying not to just have them complete notes and watch videos. I am trying to keep them on their toes. Orbit is a cool place to be, but they also need structure and notes are part of that structure.

Tomorrow will be day nine. Our last five days of school before my schedule becomes ½ face to face students in my classroom and ½ virtual in my on-line synchronous classroom.

I am excited to have some of my students back in the classroom, but most will still be virtual. Bouncing back and forth between the two formats, at first, will be a challenge. But I accept the challenge. I hear the engines roaring and feel the capsule vibrating into a rhythm – I am excited for the adventure that awaits. I am leaning into the blast of energy. The acceleration. Launch.

But I am also on overload and the thought of another change, is heavy. 

I feel the heft of the moment. I sense the excitement of students. The fear of parents. The worry in my heart of getting sick. But I also have an overwhelming certainty, that this is what I need to do- this is what my students need. This is what I was born to do. 

And these, well these eight days, eight ways, eight rays- they are the power that keeps me airborne and on the right trajectory for a very unique school year. I know the turbulence will be great, but the view, its going to be spectacular.

Hidden Moments (238)

 When students are in my classroom I rarely have time to just sit and watch. Generally I am interacting, conversing with and helping students through an activity. Its funny that Zoom virtual learning does have a positive aspect- it gives me time to just watch. 

See their faces as they figure things out. See where they live, within reason. See how they respond to student interaction. Its a different experience altogether. I miss my face to face students- soon I will have about 30% of them back in my classroom. So for now, it is the hidden moments that get me through the day.

The Storm is Coming (237)

 School has started. Virtual classroom communities building and strengthening. Classroom organized, yet empty. Quiet hallways. Full parking lots. Bells ringing into silent classrooms. It is definitely the strangest start of the year I have ever had as a teacher.

I am getting my footing, finally feeling like a teacher again. But with class sizes of 49, its hard to really bond. It is going to take time. I feel hollow. 

Then here comes a hurricane....an actually storm.

Everything is brewing and surging....

Keep moving forward. It is going to get better.

I Won't Give Up, I Won't Give In, I'm Gonna Reach the End, Then I'll Start Again (235)

These last two weeks are a blur. Prepping and preparing. Planning and purposing. It is hard to put all your focus on one thing with distractions. It took my whole attention, my entire outlook pinpointed into a laser like precision. Making an impact in one specific area of my life: teaching. Setting up a room that will not be used for at least three weeks. 

Designing a corner where it looks like a classroom on Zoom. It is a whole new way of thinking. 72% of our school decided to KVA, virtual school for at least six weeks. So, when students return to school on September 8th, there will only be 28% of our students (1890) in the building. About 15 per classroom, staggered dismissal times, no lockers. It is going to feel like many things- the least of all school.

The first three days of school included- internet outages, LMS delay, students in parking lots in cars so they could attend synchronous classrooms. Class sizes on Zoom (KVA) of up to 52 students. You open Zoom and there are 45-50 faces looking back at you, you are sitting in an empty classroom- it is surreal. In the background you see parents milling about, listening. Younger siblings playing. It is a new world indeed.

Our classrooms are now living rooms, cars in parking lots and bedrooms. I start every class - all on Zoom these days, with music, so as I admit students from the waiting room, I have the agenda shared on my screen and music playing- it sets the mood for the day. Our first day it was Happy by Pharrell. Thursday it was the theme to Jurassic Park by John Williams and Friday our 3rd day was Try Everything by Shakira. A song from the film Zootopia.

Most of the kids new the song and you could see them bouncing their heads as they worked on the warm-up. My first line was this song should be our class song- they agreed.

Why?

Like Shakira says in Try Everything-

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

I messed up tonight
I lost another fight
I still mess up but I'll just start again
I keep falling down
I keep on hitting the ground
I always get up now to see what's next
Birds don't just fly
They fall down and get up
Nobody learns without getting it wrong

I won't give up, no, I won't give in
'Til I reach the end
And then I'll start again
No, I won't leave
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won't give up, no, I won't give in
'Til I reach the end
And then I'll start again
No, I won't leave
I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh,…

A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats (233)

 There have been such uplifting and transforming blog posts lately: about reflection and growth, looking ahead and moving forward. The - #oneword2018 - campaign has energized many, to look at themselves and their role, in education and social awareness. This crusade has taken what often seems unattainable and distant, and narrows it, to something accessible and reachable. A concept not determined by others, but a conceptualization bubbling up, from a fire, deep within our bellies. Eager to get out.

I have been in a state of awe this last week, just reading the blogs of my eduheroes: Spiri Howard, Laura Steinbrink and Alana Stanton, just to mention three. There are so many, I am truly blessed to be an educator, at this time. An hour of independent, distinctive ideas, mingling with a deep rooted landscape, of commonality and integration. These three women, write from such a beautiful place, that, their words of wisdom and strength, resonate with everyone, who reads them. Each of them,  a powerhouse, galvanizing a movement. Carrying with them, a shift of self, that only a sense of community and unity can evoke.

Reciprocity can be observable and distinct or still and serene, often going unnoticed. Kind words, a smile, a simple gesture of acceptance, or a brief click of the mouse. In real life, exchanges are discernible. However, in the vastness, of the social universe, they are less so. Likes and Re-tweets, in the Twitterverse, are seemingly insignificant to some, but mean acceptance and recognition, for others. A reply, requires thought, examination, attention. In the hustle and bustle of life, many situations are tugging and prodding, us away from replying. Simply clicking a like or Re-tweet, is far quicker then writing a response. But, many of us do. I know for me when I get a response, no matter how short, I feel connected, accepted, and valued.

If you have read any of my blog posts, or been in a Twitter chat with me, you know that as a child, I was severely bullied. I felt isolated and abandoned, by my teachers especially, often being ridiculed by them as well. I hesitated getting on social media, Twitter in particular, for fear of a similar atmosphere. But, I did. It was a slow process, it took months to find my groove and figure out the terrain. But, hill or valley, I traversed the medium and found my community, my network of fellow travelers, my kindred spirits. I have been judged, a few have not been kind, but they are in the minority. Twitter is all about networking. You have to put yourself out there, for better or worse. You have to have faith, that you will find your PLN.

My PLN, has built a foundation for growth and confidence, on which I thrive. No walls, no ceiling. A canvas, on which I express myself through words. Growing up, I always kept a journal, wrote poetry and short stories. None of which, were shared. I have a steamer trunk, filled with them. Buried and covered in dust. They were my solace, escape, liberation. But, now, they are echoes, of who I was. At some point, we all need to find our bearings and break free. Twitter and my PLN has allowed me to do just that.

Having a forum like my blog, has reinforced my love of prose and expression, only the written word provides. Its a language that may seem universal, but having the choice of sequence, continuance and stream, makes all the difference. Order and effusion are everything. They are how words become story and story becomes reflection and realization. Every blog personal and global: each connecting us as educators. Reading the stirring words of other educators, makes me better. They may drudge up the sediment of my past, but they also allow me to find the harmony, in which to allow them, NOT to settle back to the bottom. Rather, to be carried on the current and incorporated into the framework of my mindset. One, built on augmentation and evolution.

Today, I am a kayak, in a tide of insurmountable possibility. I bounce and float in the ebb and flow. Below a sky, full of sea birds and albatrosses. I have an auspicious bearing, both local and unbounded. I get to look up at the ships that stir the waters, all the while, rising with the weight of their enormity and prodigiousness. A rising tide, lifts all boats. But, if we do not put our oars in the water, we will never find the current. The prevailing, undertow of change and progress. I hold the line, anchoring me, to the dock. Where, even the strongest of gales, will not divert me. I may get jostled and shaken in the storm. But, calm seas always lie ahead. I will lean in to the squall, knowing the coast guard is always near by.

Resistance is Futile... Lean in to it (230)

Resistances confront you. Anxiety sets in, when you become conscious, of how much you are avoiding preparation. The sheer thought of writing, shuts you down. You get stuck trying to prove to yourself, that you still got it. The proving ground, enlarges, each blade of turf standing on end, just waiting for the 'cleat' of inspiration to crush it. Yet, no indentation occurs. Only a silent breeze, causing it to waver. Both extremes present themselves, they always show up. All in or avoidance.You can let things percolate, which seems lazy and evasive, or you can ninja attack it. However, too many swipes at open air, not making contact, can set things, even more off course. There are many tough drill instructors out there, ready to redirect and guide you. But, you have to be your own. That is the only way innovation can set in.

Something has been afoot recently, not distraction per se, but a density that feels suffocating. You need general maintenance. A reboot. A shut down. This is the only way to hear the ping...ping...ping.. in the fog. The only way that your crucible can be resolved. You breathe in deeply, taking in the ether. Lessons come in the ether. Ideas linger there. You have to grab them before they go away. You have to be open to the experience. If you proceed with precision, like a scientist, you may miss it. You have to find the spot of relaxation, calmness, flexibility. Inspiration can be deep inside, swirling a mile a minute, but if you are dissecting it, rather than inhaling it, it can become sterile. You have to let go, to not prepare so much, that accidents don't happen. When you are too dialed in, you often get a busy signal. Accidents are opportunities, that allow beauty, to find its way to you.

If you give yourself thirty choices. you will always be disappointed. you will second guess your choice. But if you limit yourself to three, you are more focused and wind up more satisfied. Choice is necessary, we all desire options and preference, but when over-stimulated, by franchise and selection, we get blinded. The ether is not precise, nor is it filled with advertisements or claims of betterment. It is merely a celestial center, in which our thoughts can find their voice. It is a cosmos of opportunity, based on what we can identify in the moment. If we struggle within it, it will dissipate. If we lean in, it will be a comforting blanket, of hope and direction, that will inevitably bring in to focus an idea, a creative notion, a moment of clarity.

This week my ether was no where in sight. I got lost, not in a focused fog, but a quagmire of indecision, distraction and murk. Each step was viscous and glutinous- slowing my every musing, to a syrupy, sludgy pace. I could only function in automatic pilot. I did not Tweet, blog or even read ferociously, as I tend to do. It is Thursday tomorrow and I am just now, starting to see the wispy entrance of my ether. The filaments are emerging, from the darkness and an awakening is taking place. I can see the revelation. Burn out is real. Fatigue will conquer fortitude, if we allow ourselves to be weakened, with too much responsibility. Sometimes there is nothing we can do, but to let it. To abdicate, to its charm. Escape is very inviting. We all need to be rescued at times, from our overzealous nature. Our minds have to go dark. But, after a personalized, well-deserved remedy, we bounce back. I am finally bouncing back.

A Deep Sigh (229)

 This week I turned off social media. No Twitter at all. I wrote my blogs but did not post on Twitter. I was so overwhelmed and stressed out I was afraid my words would come off not mindful. I was in a bubble of discombobulation and it wouldn't pop. It still hasn't popped and I need another day or two before I can rejoin. 

Starting school, family situations and sheer exhaustion is real. And I am trying to stay away from anything that may cause me more anxiety. School starts on Wednesday this week- and I feel totally unprepared. That is my focus. Family and getting prepared for the new school year.

Soon, I will have something to say I suppose and at that time, I will start to share and join chats and feel  more like myself. Until then, I hope anyone reading this, has a fabulous week. Good luck with your journey and remember to take lots of adventures.

A Hole, An Anvil, and a Galloping Goat (227)

 Several friends were walking in a field. They had just finished hiking and decided to take a stroll, in the quietness of nature. They were enjoying each others company, laughing and talking, about the latest political debacle. So deep in conversation, that they almost missed a giant hole in the ground. They stopped, looked down, into the darkness, and were mystified that there was such a cavernous chasm, out in this remote area. One of them wondered, how deep it actually was and decided to throw in a rock they found near by. They did not hear it, hit the bottom. They joked if there was solid ground below, or if it was so subterranean, that it went, to the center of the Earth. This is what highly educated adults converse about sometimes, reality and fantasy, each playing a role in the humanity of it all. Truth, sometimes needs a little comedy, to help the pill go down.

The group started a debate about far-reaching ideas, rooted philosophies and points-of-view. That even the most level-headed of all of them, loses their vision at times, especially when bombarded by opinion, feedback and negativity. The chamber before them was no longer, merely a fissure or fracture in the Earth, but a dent or cavity, in their identities. One of the friends, determined to end the rhetoric and get back on their path, looked around for something bigger to drop into the void. He wanted to prove, that the space, actually, was not bottomless. That in fact, it was reachable and concrete. That if they had a rope, he could in fact, make his way to the foundation. He would prove that investigation, leads to truth and that truth is irrefutable. Another member of the group replied, "nothing is truly irrefutable because everything is blanketed with a personal bias, ideology and understanding." He scoffed in return, "I'll prove it."

"Either way", the determined friend said, "I will prove to you, there is a solid base, on which to plant our feet." Under a tree, nearby, he saw an old, rusty anvil. "Come help me move this", he coaxed. The group pushed it over, to the opening, and shoved it in. "You will see," he said "this is so big, there is no way, we won't hear it land." The anvil, disappeared in the darkness. Suddenly, from behind them, they heard, a loud galloping noise. "Clop, clop, clop" The entourage, turned to see a goat, running at full speed, coming towards them. They stepped aside and the goat ran right, into the abyss. Stunned, they stood in silence, never hearing the anvil or goat, reach the bottom. "What just happened?" they remained shocked, still in their stance. "Maybe, the goat knows something we don't?" There has to be a ground down there, or why would the goat run into the hole, with such conviction?"

Moments later, a farmer walked up to them. "Hello, I was wondering if any of you have seen my goat?" Amazed, they shifted and one of them replied, "Yes, it just ran down, into that huge cavern. We couldn't stop it, it was running so fast, it flew by us and right into this hole."
They all pointed, as if they expected him to say "If it weren't for those pesky kids."
The farmer, looked confused.
"That is impossible, I had him tied, with rope, to an anvil."
"How deep is that hole, anyway?" Another, mesmerized friend asked.
"No one knows, we have dropped many things into it, to never see them again, so we just stay away from it.? The saddened farmer replied.
As he walked away he mumbled "Another goat, I can't keep losing goats or I am going to go broke."

The group of friends, still perplexed and undecided, on the depth of the mysterious orifice, made their way back to their cars. Each contemplating, what the pocket in the field, meant to them. Is it just a depression in the surface of the Earth, too big to fill, so it remains open and dangerous? Is it the recesses of humanity, that remains silent, because it is easier, to toss something into it, rather than face what might be down there? It represents something different to all of them. To the lawyer, the case that was lost. To the doctor, a patient, they did not cure. But, to the teacher, it is an opportunity to test the science of sound, to expect the unexpected and to literally look into the crevasse of knowledge. To not simply fill it, but to see it, as an opportunity to bring about change.

With every gorge, we as teachers have to cross, with every ravine, canyon and gulch, full of negativity, that we have to traverse, there are just as many overpasses, branches and scaffolds that other educators, have constructed to help us negotiate them. Look for the cartographers, architects and foreman, because they know the pitfalls, that lie ahead. See every pothole and shaft as a sign to grow, not as a harbinger of bad luck. Be not the farmer, trapped in a cycle of losing goats. Be inquisitive and eager to figure things out. Find a group of like-minded spirits who you can have the conversations with and get clear, concise, feedback from and whether you decide, to walk back to your car, or vertically ascend into the grotto, just remember, there is no comfort zone, when it comes to the abyss, only belief in knowing, there is a solid ground below.

HomeThinking: Students Need Time to Just Think (226)

 "I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework." Lily Tomlin

I read this quote, for the first time, a few weeks ago. It resonated. I mean it really attached itself. I rarely give homework, although classwork sometimes needs to be finished at home. But, this quote, having hooked on, made me rethink classwork these last few weeks. When students get home at night, do I want them pondering and problem-solving, perplexed and premising, playful and productive- Or, sitting at a desk rushing through a worksheet that feels pointless?

So I asked myself, how can I get my students to go home and visualize, surmise and analyze, without having to produce anything? Is it possible to inspire students to take the time to just sit and consider what they learned in my class? To determine its relevance and importance to the real world, without having to create or write something? To just imagine and mentally assemble, as Lily Tomlin so eloquently said it, “give them something to take home to think about besides homework?”

It sounds crazy right? I had one teacher I was talking about this with say “That’s ridiculous how are you going to grade them?” “Does it have to be a grade?” I replied. “I don’t see the point of having students go home and just think, they need to produce something measurable, gradable,” she replied. “Homework is important,” she continued, “Homework has always been a part of learning, they need to reflect on their lesson of the day with practice.” “I agree,” I nodded, letting her know I was hearing her argument. “But, why does this practice need to be physical, why can’t it me mental?” Let’s just say the conversation ended there. We agreed to disagree.

So, here I am with this idea, mental homework, without a grade? Would any student complete homework that wasn’t a tangible, gradable, product? I had full faith that they would. So the next day, I asked my gifted classes these questions:

1-Why do you think homework is important?

2- Does homework have to be graded, or is merely practice and reflection?”

3- Do you think home-thinking is it just as important as homework?

4-Do you spend more time writing and completing assignments or pondering over notes and ideas you heard in class, when you get home?

5-If you were assigned home-thinking rather than homework, would you do it? Or, would you just pretend you did?

Their responses were surprising. Most students felt that purposeful homework was important but that a lot of the time, they feel it is just a way for teachers to collect grades. They feel homework, when relevant should be for practice and reflection not necessarily for a grade. One student said, “When homework helps me learn, then I want to do it, it needs to be relevant- when it is I choose to complete it for myself, not for a grade.”

When it came to home-thinking rather than homework, these answers made me smile, these answers were honest. Many students expressed that even when they don’t have homework per se, they still think about what they learned. “If you assigned home-thinking, even if I didn’t want to do it, the idea of not doing it would actually make me do it. I would think about not thinking about it and then ultimately, I would have thought about it- genius.” 

About 70% of students said they already review notes and think about all their classes when they get home. The rest of the students, feel they would prefer home-thinking mostly because they can do this in the car between extra-curricular activities and on the bus etc. “I remember more when I can just think about it for a little while and not have to stress about writing a paper or answering a bunch of questions on a worksheet.”

So, I gave home-thinking and cut back on some classwork, ensuring that they would be able to complete it in class. Opening them up to just think. After a few days- the purposeful talk in class became more purposeful. I even discovered that students were researching and trying to come up with cool facts to lead the conversations. Home-thinking lead to more motivation for many students. While some, I am sure didn’t think about science for long- partook in more collaborative chats. I heard them giving their two cents worth. This made me happy. I had nothing to grade. I only had to listen and observe.

I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework. Lily Tomlin. 

You can learn a lot from not writing down a single word. Just mulling over things in your head. When you can let concepts simmer, percolate it stirs up questions and these questions need answers. These answers need clarification and before you know it. Home-thinking has worked- you are learning not because you were assigned a reading or a worksheet but because science came to life, words became visual, history became another piece in the big puzzle of knowledge.

Looking at an Eclipse Through a Cereal Box (225)

 Depression is real. It is not easily erased or suddenly overcome. It takes time, patience and a glimpse of what lies ahead. For, when we are dragged down, into the darkest of caves, we may hear voices around us, but we only see the rock: both slippery and moss covered. They seem treacherous and impenetrable. Although, if we just turned around, we could see the way out, our feet stand firm. Our eyes locked on the trap, that lies before us, entombs us. I have been there many times and only because those around me, made their voices louder than the darkness, did I turn and find my escape. 

Eclipses

Eclipses, an obscuring of light, a shadow over an object, a blockage of illumination. They are a sight to see when they are high above us. We can't alter them or avoid them, instead we have embraced them. We travel long distances to be able to encounter them first hand. To us, mere mortals, the moon and sun appear to come into such tight contact, that they seem to merge. I remember as a child, poking a small hole in a cereal box and going outside to take a peak, at one of these events. There really weren't any glasses available to the public back then, so we had to make our own makeshift optical devices. Every child in my class, was told to bring in an empty cereal box, to create our personal telescopes.

    

With Captain Crunch or Fruit Loops boxes in hand, we ventured, onto the grass at school, our teacher explaining the science. I have a vivid memory of feeling very separated from the occurrence, as I peered through the pin-sized opening. The box, smelled sweet of cereal remnants, distracting me. I wanted so much to feel the shadow cross over me, feel like the Earth was disappearing for a moment. But, that cereal box, held me fast to the planet. It was a view both accessible and safe, but guarded and remote. Now, as an adult, these eclipses, both literal and metaphorical, feel more scientific somehow, more meaningful when I come into contact with them. These transitions of light: alter perception, heighten curiosity and ultimately create realignment. They often transfix, but they also kindle our outlook, highlighting the need for change.

Obscuration does not only happen during celestial events of course. Shading and dimming can take place anytime, anywhere. When we lose sight of our achievements, walk away from our dreams, hesitate to take a risk. My grandmother always called these momentary or prolonged 'fits of fancy,' bone orchards. The cracks in the earth, from lack of rain, the places where we wear ourselves thin. Where we let fear choke us from behind. Fear is not something to be despised, it is a lifeline. It directs us away from danger and pain. It is a part of us, down to a cellular level. We have to coax it, appease it and befriend it. This is when it becomes beneficial rather than terminal.

Labyrinths

To avoid the labyrinths, we may come across, we have to keep a map close at hand. We have to stay on the path. Once you wander off into the wilderness, you can encounter nature at its purest, which is beautiful. But, you can also run into a bear or a mountain lion and if you are alone, they can trap you, in the farthest corner of your trepidation. We all feel this creeping, stinging feeling of certain collapse. We all make a wrong turn and become a statue, even if it is temporary, in the midst of the bends and twists, of the labyrinth of our thoughts. Every day we conquer the mazes placed before us- these lessons and puzzles we must solve to continue. They are placed before us not to trick us, but to test our resolve. For how can we make sense of the world, without the trials and tribulations of being human. But the entanglement, the snarl of self-deprecation, can place us smack in the middle of Mordor, the Forbidden Forest, or at the dinner table of the Queen of Hearts. To steer clear, we must find our own happiness, hold fast to our own grace, our own intentions.

Why take the first thought, best thought approach, when you can take a few more steps up the incline and see all the avenues. When we hyper focus on what we want and disregard what we need, we never feel fulfilled. We take comfort in knowing where we are going, but this can blind us, to alternative roads that may actually be less bumpy, filled with less potholes. The bog sets in, when we try to hard, to keep up with those around us. When we place ourselves in someone else's shadow. This quagmire is self afflicted. We can only escape the slough, if we choose to. We have to want to escape. We have to ask for help. The densest marsh, however,  can easily be sidestepped, if we see its muck, not as a trap. But, instead we use the mud to form stepping stones. The structures that heighten our lowland path, to an elevation both sunny and inviting.

Putting Down the Cereal Box

An eclipse does not have to separate us, isolate us, distance us from the action. The light may be blinding and we may have to look away temporarily, but if we put down the cereal box, we can see the positive effects much clearer. Observing from afar can be beneficial, it can be the coax you need, to allow fear to guide you into the flare. But viewing the world through a pin-hole is limiting. Why erect edges around vast opportunity? Why buffer the sounds of encouragement? Because the cereal box feels safe. It reminds us of childhood, both fruity and sweet. 

Our confidence is heightened, when we can see the bright colors, of the cartoons, on the outside of the box and enjoy the memories of youth. But, then we must place the empty cardboard, in the recycling bin, knowing we have gained nourishment, albeit minimal. Cereal may be sugary and provide us with some energy, but it is quickly burned calories. We need to see them for what their worth and then look forward and revel in the notion, that our next meal, will be a juicy burger, or piece of chocolate cake.

The Ledge (221)

It is alright to feel scared. To recognize and feel sad that something is different. Everything is fragile lately and I know I feel a loss. I feel a loss of a lot of things that together made me feel secure and safe. I was never afraid of the ledge. In fact, it was my favorite place to be. But that was my choice. Now that has been taken away and I feel so anxious and nervous. 

I always see the purpose, the landing zone. The beauty in the leap- but these days, the ground is crumbling and I seem to be stuck in a cycle of doubt and sadness. This too shall pass- I know. But, today, its heavy. I think a lot of us are feeling like this as educators.

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Ledge. This is a solid word. One syllable, five letters. It's sturdy. It evokes both optimism and fear. It brings to mind an image of a small child peeking over the edge of a counter top, seeing the cookie jar just out of reach. Curiosity and hunger. 

But, it also awakens a fear of falling, an abyss. The distant sound of crashing waves. Yet, it lures you to the precipice to look down. But, in the past there was always solid ground behind on which to balance and retreat. 

Edges tend to block or beckon on one side only- these days every direction seems to be crumbling, feels like a trap. Cornered. Directed. Instructed. The cookie jar is no longer a haven of sweet treats but a sealed container of dreams, of hopes, of grace.

The ledge is alluring. It is a place where you stand, toes afloat in the crisp, misty air. It is a resting spot, feet dangling over, sea and salt tickling their soles. It is a mantle on which we are the decor. Reminding us that below is turbulence, above us only sky.

We can run towards it, hoping to dive into the future unscathed, or we can halt just at the empty. Feeling a rush of pivot. 

But most, tend to walk towards its projection- unsure of the distance down, nervous of the landing. They take heed of the danger and prepare with a chute. This is the safety of some kind of certainty, some kind of normalcy, perspective.

Salty mist, cool breeze, sound of ocean churning feels familiar. But we back away from the strip, that sheer drop. We look for a better advantage, a spot from which we can safely jump. As educators we prepare to leap, but safety first.

The view can calm. It forces a pause. Lowers our inhibitions. Then the strong winds catch us off guard and push us forward. Once solid ridge is crumbling,  no longer protected on one side. The jut is sharpening.

The leap was refreshing, in the past. For the sand softened the landing. The water was a giant blanket, protective and comforting. But now, the sand has been eroded. 

Below are just giant rocks of sea weathering minerals. We stand on not solid, but fragile. The shake is cracking the foundation. It is dividing and conquering. Loss of confidence. Retreat restricted. No room for lift off. No place to go.

The cookie jar is empty. The view is obscured. The cavalcade is beginning and the only option is to sit, in the only spot left. 

Ledge is now a circumference around. I sob for a loss. I sob for options depleted. I sob for once weathering and erosion run amok, offering opportunities. But now smothering instead- and all that is left is to wait for deposition.

I the ruble. I the sand. I the salt and mist. No longer have a ledge on which to ponder. I sob at the sight of flat ground, darkened skies and abandoned cliffs. 

The brackets are closing and the trailblazers have found the long way down. They are geared up and descending on the beaches. Comfortable with the crowds.

The din surmounts the ocean bellow. It is deafening. 

The rim is thinning and I choose to hang on for the ride. The teeter is exciting. But the fall will be painful. I am aiming for the water, at least there I can navigate within the tumultuous waters of loss, and swim into deeper sea. That is another ledge after all.

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Things will never be the same. Growth is a good thing. But the journey can be scary. The removal of choice is scary. The fear of getting lost at sea is real. It is called anxiety. 

I always felt like I had an anchor in my profession. Something that stayed fluid and consistent. But that has been removed. It feels like a giant tidal wave, swallowing, pushing me downward.

But, here, in the depths, there is bioluminescence, different types of creatures great and small. 

There are reefs and caves. 

New ledges to stand upon. 

I am not afraid of the dark. I am not afraid of change, I am not afraid to fail. 

I just feel a loss of the one ledge I felt would never crumble. But, talking about anxiety, allowing yourself to feel sad and angry. That is the only way to calm the turbulence so the new view, the new residence, can become manageable and navigable.

Listening as a Student, Not a Teacher (220)

 Listen as a student not as a teacher. See the reflection, diffraction and refraction, as they do. When we as educators slow our own wavelength, sit atop the crest and just observe, quietly, we see things we would never encounter otherwise. The glass becomes clearer, when we take the time to polish our craft. The light gets more focused when we design the learning environment, to be student-driven. When curiosity and desire is not planted but discovered, solidification occurs. When students are the light, guided by their own decisions, their wavelength strengthens and focuses. This is when true learning takes place.

Let students know that you don’t have all the answers.

As teachers and parents, we all want what’s best for our children. Empowering students, letting them discover their own answers is important. But, just as critical, is teaching the skill to be able to communicate, their ideas to others. If we can get students curious about a topic, they will teach themselves more than we ever could. If the door is opened, allowing the wave to enter freely, it will continue unhindered. It will bounce off new ideas, observe and embrace creative outlooks, and it will seek new opportunities, to extend itself and grow in strength and speed.

A wave doesn't just stop when it reaches the end of a medium. Rather, a wave will undergo certain behaviors when it encounters the end of the medium. Specifically, there will be some reflection, off the boundary and some transmission, into the new medium. Hence, an exchange of objectives, interpretation and viewpoint. This is why we must teach our students, our children, to think for themselves. We try our best to shield them from the blindness of fake news and pure malignancy of thought, but particles of propaganda and scattering of speculation, will occur. All we can do is help them sift through it. Give them the proper sunglasses to lessen the blindness, amidst the solar flare, of insight.  

New significant designs and beliefs are emerging every day. As teachers, we must admit to ourselves and to our students that with the influx of opinion, concept and advice, we do not have all the answers. Theories change. Messages become garbled. Wisdom becomes flawed. We have to continually update our schema, our knowledge base. We have to tell our students, that we as adults, do not have all the answers. But, more importantly that our interpretation of the facts, may vary from theirs. That our circumstance and outlook is unique, as is their own. Freedom for children and students alike, comes from the enlightenment that our thoughts and beliefs, will be accepted as they are. That our voice is important. That our wavelength may bend, but its amplitude and magnitude is dependent on our choices.

Question everything and encourage them to do the same.

The transmitted wave undergoes refraction (or bending) if it approaches the boundary at an angle. We need to provide strategies for our students in order for them to basically, step aside and let the misinformation and falsehoods travel past them. But, we need to reinforce that all information is important- fact or fiction, truth or lies, opinion and doctrine. We do not have to accept, but we must listen, each layer is a clue, a piece of the puzzle. We must construct our foundation, not on ignorance of alternatives, but on the strength of individuality. Provide choice and time to process and our students will thrive in this area.

If the boundary between points of view, is merely an obstacle implanted within the medium, and if the dimensions of the obstacle are smaller than the wavelength, of the wave, then there will be very noticeable diffraction of the wave around the object. If we help our students expand their wavelength by honing their intuition, and becoming more discernible, of their research, we can get them to form their own perceptions and build their own acumen of the truth. We can help them to question everything. Questioning is not being contrary, nor is it being discourteous. It is being mindful of yourself. Truth is personal. To find personal actuality, you must have all the details, available to you.

Force students to make their own choices.

One characteristic of wave reflection is that the angle at which the wave approaches a flat reflecting surface, is equal to the angle, at which the wave leaves the surface. The reflection of light waves off of a mirrored surface, results in the formation of an image. It is critical for us as teachers and parents, to not be standing in the mirror as the reflection occurs. To not project on our children, our beliefs, as being infallible and unquestionable. They are looking for us to provide the answers. But, what we have to do is to, step out of the way and force them to form their own conclusions. Make their own mistakes. One characteristic of wave reflection, is that the angle at which the wave approaches a flat reflecting surface, is equal to the angle at which the wave leaves the surface. Let students decide the angle and the outcome will be decided on their input and judgment, not on ours.

A wave will bend one way when it passes from a medium in which it travels slowly, into a medium in which it travels fast; and if moving from a fast medium to a slow medium, the wave-front will bend in the opposite direction. If we bombard students with our personal beliefs we are deciding the direction of the bend. When we nudge them, rather than allow them to choose their direction, speed and curvature, we create the bend. Listen and guide not with kinetic energy but with potential. Help push them to the top of the climb, then allow their own transfer to take place. Let them decide to raise their hands in anticipation, or hold the bar tight. Either way, when they reach the next climb, they will be more prepared for the thrill of learning.  

Avoid content specific tests, especially multiple-choice, whenever possible.

Diffraction involves a change in direction of waves as they pass through an opening or around an obstacle in their path. Exams do not always give you the information you need as a teacher to assess growth. Especially multiple-choice exams that even with the highest level of questioning, are based on one result- the correct answer. Students have good days and bad days. Students can be excellent guessers or distracted test-takers, as well as prepared and informed. Either way, for me, the true way to assess growth and progress, is to talk to them, listen to their conversations and let them demonstrate knowledge in a way that best fits their strengths and understanding.

Water waves have the ability to travel around corners, around obstacles and through openings. When light encounters an obstacle in its path, the obstacle blocks the light and tends to cause the formation of a shadow in the region, behind the obstacle. This shadow comes from the stress of a definitive exam. A singularity of explanation. I avoid them at all costs. Unfortunately our grade level tests have to be common, so there are some. But, I always provide alternative ways to demonstrate their knowledge. Choice is key. When they feel safe, they will be more creative and confident in their learning.

Push students to try new things.

I will end this post with a simple quote-

The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.

-Jean Piaget

A Brief Primer: Functions and Tools of Distance Learning 101 (216)

Designing a classroom whether virtual or brick and mortar is personal. It is a place where students and teachers are learning and growing together. Teachers are pushing themselves down new avenues, albeit involuntarily these days. Students, even having gone through some distance learning in the spring- still feel uneasy and apprehensive. So together, both teachers and students should forge the virtual vestibule.

These days you cannot go on social media and not see links and suggestions about on-line tools and virtual software. The power of educators and design is great. There are too many to name. They range in application from document share, uploading into portfolios, and engaging through Gizmo’s and Demo’s. Most educators have their favorites. We test, we use, we either love or hate. We use what we feel comfortable with. We reuse what is user friendly, purposeful, and engaging.

To engage students online we must keep them active. We must keep them collaborating and sharing- discussing and demonstrating. So, what tools can you use. There are endless, as I said before, but here are a few I use for the reasons listed above: user friendly, teacher ease, purpose, and engagement. The 4 criteria I use to decide what I will use in my classroom.

To find information or research my favorites are: Newsela, HHMI Interactive and TedED.

To present information/for review: Quizlet Live, Nearpod, Kahoot

To create presentations for students online: Flipgrid, Evernote, Flippity

To have students share as a class or with the teacher: Google Docs, Bulb Portfolio, Stop Motion app for videos, Audacity for recording podcasts

To share out information easily in addition to email or LMS announcements: Remind

Less outside links the better. Choose those that align and integrate with your district LMS if possible. But these tools meet the 4 criteria and I also had my own children play around with it and they found it fun and engaging. Whatever tools you use make sure above all else they are purposeful and engaging.

For videos: Amoeba Sisters, Teacher Tube and Discovery Education are my favorites. To edit them and create short clips: https://youtube-clutter.org