Jungle, Prairie, Mountain, Sandy Beach: A Classroom Comes Alive

Cold air whooshes like a slap in the face, it surrounds you, as you open the exterior door. It sounds like a vault as it is finally exposed to the elements. Like on TV when they open a safe that has been locked for decades. The audible snap of the seal, whispering “What’s inside?” as it slowly releases the staleness of isolation. The anticipation speaks in a dull hum, felt to the core. As you step inside, hallway becomes scenery, each step a different landscape: Jungle, prairie, mountains, sandy beach. Crisp coolness mixes with a warm breeze- expectation meets imagination. Possibility meets parameter. Individuality meets consistency. There is a stillness, waiting to become noise. A serenity in need of agitation, disturbance, action. You can feel the rumble as it nears.

Desks empty, tables organized. Board advertising procedures. Enticing curiosity. This space has become your second home. You spend more time here than you do sleeping. It is comfortable. Yet, it is missing something, an energy, a din of giggles and contentment. There is a swirl of optimism glistening in the light. Sparkles of prospect, promise and passion gently adding a layer to the classroom climate. The daily weather forecast: clear skies. The warmth ignites a potency of happiness. A little bit of moxie and pizazz in your step. You are prepared. You are at the starting line, you have stretched and prepared for this- the opening bell is just about to ring.

For the remaining moments, you hum your theme song. A soft cadence becomes a boisterous rendition. The room absorbs your stamina and fortitude. It becomes an animated space: dynamic, spirited and above all else, activated. It becomes more than a classroom, it becomes an ecosystem: Jungle, prairie, mountains, sandy beach. It takes on the spirit of overlapping vegetation, tall grasses, peaks and valleys, ebbs and tides. As the voices approach, the wave reaches shore, the inhabitants merge into view- you see the entirety of potential. You no longer just see individuals on printed rosters, but communities. You may stand near the center of this beautiful landscape, but you are nothing without the residents. The citizenry of the classroom.

They enter, buzzing, chirping, cackling and chattering. They carry with them the vibrancy and tempo of real life. They send a vibration into every corner of the school. It is like a pulse, beating, charging the once silent hallways with electricity. This is the day they solidify your image of what your classroom culture will be for the year. They will determine the mindfulness. The kindness. The positivity. When you emanate joy and gratitude, they will return the energy with trust and respect. This is the moment many voices merge into a common language- expectations and possibilities. This is the day you choose to let many opinions remain vines, that connect the flora of imagination and creativity. This is the year that uniformity once thought necessary, dissipates and a common vision becomes clear. This is the space of all invested, the community of every participant, the home of every learner as they grow and expand into one giant jungle, prairie, mountain, sandy beach.

You Had Me at Hello: My Love Affair with Education

You Had Me at Hello

You had me at hello. I love to listen and read the amazing ideas of educators. It makes me recognize room for growth, but it also reinforces my belief in myself as a veteran educator. I absolutely love being a teacher. It’s a relationship that evolves and expands because I never get complacent. I understand it, it understands me. But we don’t always get along. I get angry at it, it overwhelms me. But at the end of the day I go home knowing that it will provide me with new opportunities tomorrow. Education is a beautiful profession, yet it is full of challenges, setbacks and frustrations like no other. It is a love affair for the ages. Both messy and boisterous.

There is a lot of noise, strategies everywhere, opinions, thoughts, sure fire suggestions. As educators we are bombarded with new ideas: some useful some not. Many repetitive and familiar. They often claim to reinvent the wheel, move mountains, yet many of them fall short. However, there are gems out there. You just need to keep your eyes peeled for them. During the back to school season the din gets louder and voices more powerful. It’s hard to isolate the ingenuity and inspirational from the mundane and common sentiment. Education is a profession worthwhile, meaningful and growth oriented. Most teachers want to share and collaborate. It is a wonderful field to be a part of. Hearing alternative points of view makes us stronger.

The Love Affair is Challenged

But the reality is, even with our amazing camaraderie and social media presence, being an educator, on the best day is challenging and exhausting. It is not for the weak of spirit or faint of heart.

Not everything is bake sales, blue ribbons and jars of jellybeans. As of late many strategies sound the same, they just add to the deluge of strategies. Joy, voice, community is classroom gold. Read this blog, listen to that podcast- buy these books. Better yourself by following these heroes of education- be aware, be present, build relationships. Technology is good- use it often. Homework is highly debated- is it bad now? Differentiate, use break-out sessions, stations, active learning. Teach students with visual notes, graphic novels, morning meetings. Be kind, listen, smile. Be yourself, be independent, yet stay a part of the community- build a positive school culture. Take risks, fail and get back up on the horse quickly. Share, reflect, give constructive feedback, accept critical feedback with humility. The list is endless.

Collaborate, celebrate- don’t isolate and always reverberate positivity. Build a student-centered classroom. Teach through PBL, flexible seating, personal connection. Can we do it all? Can we as teachers have a perfect performance every day, every class period? Are we going to like every one of our students equally? Maybe not but can we guarantee we treat them all equally- and keep our classroom student-driven, mindful, engaging, purposeful, productive and challenging? Do we need to use technology every day? Do we have to lecture rarely and always keep our classrooms quiet and well-behaved? Should we not smile until after Thanksgiving? Yes, I have heard a teacher say this aloud. As a new teacher, I was not blessed with Twitter or Facebook. It was collaboration within the building not between them. This has changed- now social media has allowed teachers across the globe to communicate, cooperate and climb the mountains of educational struggles together. But how much time do we need to spend on-line to feel like a good teacher?

All the congratulatory nods – follows and likes are invigorating- but what really matters is the connections we build. The ideas that filter out into the world and get picked up and incorporated into classrooms everywhere. Education is a team sport on an Olympic, Superbowl, World Series, World Cup level. While the players sometimes get overlooked the spectacle is on the news, scrutinized. Education is universal, it is a phenomenon because it occurs everywhere. Most techniques and strategies are universal, yet it is a field changing so rapidly that it is necessary to keep an open dialogue so we can continue to make education better for our students. So, throughout the scrutiny we do not feel alone.

The Love Affair is Strengthened

Yet, ultimately teaching is personal. It is a room where within its walls are interactions, observations and experiences. Relationships are forged, growth, learning and connection happens. It is a place where one or two adults try to build a community so hundreds of children can thrive. The strategies we see and hear about on social media might be perfect for some and not practical for you. Your classroom may seat 32 or ten. You may have the same students all day or within a block of time each day. Everyone has different circumstances, populations and personal philosophies. If homework works for you- use it in a purposeful, meaningful way. If traditional seating is your preference rather than flexible- then make that a way to build student relationships. The most important aspect of teaching is building relationships- if a safe haven is in place then learning is the focus. If trust and respect are modeled and common place, then community is the foundation of the learning space.

I have seen teachers spending a day in silence because the teacher was annoyed or having extra worksheets because the teacher needed a break- is this how we want to spend our time- their time? Our focus needs to be about them not us. We need to listen to other educators and read blogs that inspire us. We need to listen to thought-provoking podcasts because these will help us feel like we are a part of a community of teachers and as educators we know we all have good days and bad and if we share them we can accept the bad days while never letting them effect our students. Mindfulness is the awareness we need to respond not react- to find positivity even in the most frustrating of moments. We all have them its how we cope that impacts our classrooms.

Teachers need to see the barrage of speculation out there as just that- an avalanche of opinion and personal choice. Don’t fill your bucket with too many strategies or you will come tumbling down. You will have stressful days because you will feel overwhelmed. You have instinct, soul and a mindful spirit and you need to focus on what works for you. Don’t incorporate things into your classroom because others say it was successful. Bring things in that you are comfortable with, that you know you will use because it feels right for you. Social media is both a gift and a curse. If we rely too heavily on it, it will bombard us and stifle our own creativity. But if we use it as a tool to probe our understanding and get us curious, it will open our minds to new ideas, and this will enhance our classrooms.

The Love Affair, Unique

Education is like the Himalayas- a towering range of knowledge and experience. For me, the top is too steep, and I don’t have on hiking boots. I prefer sneakers. I like my shoes comfortable, so climbing up the piles of strategies is not going to happen. I can’t read every book, listen to every podcast. Nor do I want to. The middle can be precarious, its crowded and that din is very loud. So, I stay calm, walk slowly and pick a up a few mementos here and there. But I choose to stay near the bottom of the very high mountain of great educators. This does not mean I think I am not a good teacher. I just means I prefer solid ground and room to escape the impending overload. I can choose to climb a little, swim in a nearby pond or just watch the sunset without fear of a landslide.

I am a free-thinker with the indelible need to listen to a lot of people and their ideas- this I know makes me stronger. But I am also realistic- I know what works for me and even though I take risks in my classroom- I can only do this because ultimately, I believe in myself, I know my limitations and I push myself to move past them. I gain strength from my amazing PLN and having one makes all the difference- this is the beauty of education- community and personal independence. It had me at hello and with every greeting, educator and students- the love affair just gets more powerful.

Engines of Education (Part 3) Intuition and Reason

Intuition and Reason 

How often do you use your intuition? I bet you can't count the amount of times in a day. Intuition is honed, strengthened, with every new experience we have. The more we learn, the more we re-frame our image of the world. How often do you use reason in a day? I would estimate just as many times as you use your intuition. Intuition allows you to make sense of things immediately, without conscious reasoning. Reasoning on the other hand, takes a little logical, sensible thinking. When we use both, which most of us do- we gather information, add the data to our archives and daily collections, then decide to use it, or toss it into the proverbial trash bin. As adults we have learned to balance these two quite nicely, but children need practice. What better place to provide an opportunity for students to do this than a classroom? A student-driven, student-centered, student-collaborative classroom.

Intuition is only trustworthy when we build personal experience making judgments in a predictable, purposeful environment. It is a skill refined and enhanced, the more we use it. So we need to ask ourselves, do we let students use their intuition enough? Do we build robust relationships between patterns and recognition? Do we let them construct a vocabulary they find meaningful? How we make connections uses our intuition. If we provide all the facts and design the arena flawlessly for our students- their intuition becomes dulled by listening, rather than amplified by independent choice. We need to find the balance between silence, pause and lecture- we need a bit of quiet reflection for their intuition to blossom. We need to give them the fundamentals and then let them construct the model. Try fail, risk fail, second or third try success. Intuition stems from failure.

Fundamentals are the glue that hold the tiles of change, mindset and growth together. Without the foundation our knowledge mosaic would crumble. But with the learning grout in place, hardened from intuition and self-awareness, secured with practice, patience and reinforcement- the mosaic becomes petrified, fossilized and sturdy. Not fixed- just adaptable to the many updates and challenges that lie in our learning acquisition. This becomes the base for future tiles, future connections, an expansion of sorts. The stories and concepts become continuous learning. Each a memento that bridges doubt and insecurity because they are placed in the landscape of personal growth, they add dimension and depth, and this creates edges. 

These edges are not fixed- they are neutral. The foundation is sturdy, but the edges expand from the addition of new insights, new possibilities- more choices. Our vision of the world, understanding of personal space are bridged here, in this personal mosaic. This vibrant landscape where every piece is altered a little because of where they decide to place it. These pieces form new masterpieces as students rearrange them. The grout solidifies their framework, but it is pliable, when they want it to be. When they can step back to see the big picture, the full view, they become more confident and open-minded. But we as educators, often stay too close to the center, to where most pieces seem to fit, we ourselves, lose sight of the new concept, because we so want it to fit into the spot we have designated for it. For it to be revealed we must step back and be willing to see the flaws in the mural of our thinking and students need the opportunity to see the flaw in theirs. This is intuition and reason combined.

Even with the thickest of cement- our thinking stays flexible, malleable, at least a little bit. We control the narrative, because we choose what is important to us. Boring concepts taught with mundane strategies will not be important or meaningful to us or our students. They may memorize and figure out a plan to make it fit- but it will be a temporary patch. To make it a tile, a piece of the mosaic, they need to have relevance and sustainability. A way to connect to the concept that makes sense- when things make sense we own them because we feel elated and excited about learning something useful and new. When things stay in the new category though, do not make the bigger connections, they lose their usefulness. Hopping back and forth to find new ways to connect, new ways to challenge is key. Being uncomfortable is the reminder our intuition and reason need a refresh.

We must not hang these new concepts in a dingy warehouse or bustling museum for all to judge. This new knowledge, once we take possession of it, adds to our masterpiece. It is a breathing, living entity and we must maintain it. When it is healthy, our outlook is expansive and adaptable. We must keep adding tiles, sliding them into new configurations- this is how each new portrait emerges, this is how our mosaic remains static. Mosaics stand firm because they are built to last and that is powerful. Providing curiosity and ingenuity makes the paint more vibrant. But the tiles must be accessible. Students must be able to find the gaps and choose the piece that fits best for them in it. These are given willingly and frequently by educators, parents and peers. These tiles are gifts, but often they are chosen because they are interesting. The glue, where to place the tile is personal. Ultimately, we must find the areas to grout, on our own.

Intuition versus reason is ours to determine. Its never the idea, it’s the execution. As educators we rarely take on the one-eyed gambles. We seek the sure thing. But we must take chances and risks. We use our intuition and experience and formulate new strategies- this is how we think. But many of us want to make sure they are well-tested first. We need to allow our students to get the same benefit. The experience and mindset to use their own intuition to acquire and assimilate knowledge. If we don’t do this- new ideas and concepts will never truly stick and never truly inspire them to try new things and experience failure. Intuition provides confidence, especially when it has proven itself to us in the past. When curiosity has driven them to discover and they had fun, they remember it. A classroom is a giant playground of knowledge- let them use their intuition, make choices and they may end up making castles in the sand box or screaming with doubt as they make it down the slide, but they will be learning.

As educators we reflect- we write our own headlines at the end of the day. We create our personal newspaper full of real-time updates and historical footnotes. We need to have editorials as well. We need to break down the silo and speed up communication, this adds articles, bylines. We can’t allow knowledge acquisition to be clandestine- we need to speak up in ways that gains credibility instead of losing it. We need to listen, be journalists and investigative reporters- get out of the newsroom and out from behind the desk. Intuition and experience serves us as adults well- but if we don’t let students hone theirs, they will be readers of the Classroom Daily Journal rather than the writers and investigators that contribute to its fluency.

Engines of Education (Part 2) Paving the Gaps

Paving the Gaps

Education is seeing the gaps and helping students find the answers without judgement. It’s like helping a lost child- you do not ask why they are lost you help them find their parents. Your immediate response to a child in need is to step in and help. You solve the problem without a second thought. When students are lost or bored in our classroom, for any reason, not necessarily anything we have done or are not doing, we must have a tolerance for their misbehavior. Because it is going to happen. Change causes uncertainty and thus severance. We as educators will lose the attention of students, what is important is that we have a plan b, we have a way to find them once they wander off.

Interruption does not necessarily mean confusion or distraction it often means perplexity, and this leads to curiosity. When we are curious, we are focused and engaged. Disagreeable even. But, with disobliging comes questioning for teachers and for students. If students are to be realigned with the lesson, lured back into the activity- we have to know there will be a little disruption or rumbling of the seats. The disagreeable and distracted will leave their mark- maybe even lure others to their corner. This is inevitable, but if we join their cause (boredom and re-engagement) we can rally the troops. Look them in the eye and admit, we ventured off course, I am sorry, here is a road map, let's all meet up at the next rest stop.

Disagreeable students will not just nod and smile- they will challenge us. They are not compliant. They are not so loyal that they turn a blind eye to our short comings. They will point out our mistakes. While many educators, truly dislike being, criticized by students, it is a necessary step towards their independence – we just need to teach them how to do so with respect and kindness. When we have a tolerance for feedback, good or bad, we learn not to take everything so personally. When things are broken, we do not need to toss them out- we simply need to re-purpose and they often will provide the most amazing insights. When we accept the cracks, look the dents and dings head on- we may be able to salvage. Why buy a new car because the old one has a few scratches? But it the front in is smashed and the frame is damaged- it is a good time to visit a car lot. We, want our students to become more understanding, self-aware and growth oriented. When we have patience for misfits and rebels, peers and students alike, we gain a willingness to be critical of our originality, we see the holes in our thought processes, we often putty up to avoid. In other words, we know when we need new wheels.

Every misstep does not weaken us as educators. A famous saying goes "The fall from low is easy, almost painless." If we refuse to grow, we will stay in this position. Failure will never be an option. "A fall from the middle can be devastating-" if it crumbles self-confidence and self-esteem. But the precipice of teaching is neither, it is high, it is visible to many and we must be willing to slide down the side when needed, so that we can climb back up. Each time we do- we notice what others are doing, we must slow to get our footing, and this lets us see things from a different perspective. We begin to see every rock, every groove we place our feet and hands upon, and this makes us see the vulnerability of our jobs. We are just that- vulnerable. We are exposed and we need to let our students see this. This does not make us weak or powerless, in fact, it is the opposite- it makes us human.

We need to switch from me focused to mission focused. We need to stay vulnerable because this keeps us aware. We need to be unique, innovative, and willing to take risks, but we also need to be practical. We need to provide a diversity of experiences- this exposure fosters in our students’ creativity. When we diversify our knowledge base, we are more likely to sample original ideas, use strategies we might be uncomfortable with. If we can retrieve unconventional methods and put them into our classroom then we can disrupt learning- ours and our students. Lessons and strategies do not create value, students do. If they embrace them, then they will become valuable to them. This is priceless. No one can replicate it. But it often comes from a tinkering, re-purposing, engineering of past successes and above all else, past failures. When students find learning valuable, when they embrace strategies like they were their own, then they become solidified into their schema. They will find them useful and will continue to utilize them throughout their lives.

Influence and Prestige

We as teachers have influence and prestige, earned from our years of education and experience. It may be faint in some districts and prominent in others, but it is there. We are often in the public seen as  glorified babysitters but in reality, when you take a deeper look, we do have both of these because what we do is misunderstood and it gives us a little street cred.

Influence and prestige are not our right nor are they easily gifted. But you need both to have any form of authority and earn any level of respect. To exert influence without respect and admiration of your peers can be isolating. But once prestige is achieved, through successful teaching practices and collaboration, rocking the boat is much more acceptable and even accepted. We are expected to stir the pot, make waves towards progress but if we ourselves are not on solid ground, where recognition for advancement and progress is absent, then we are doomed to enter rough seas. Prestige can’t be claimed though, it must be earned. Sometimes it is rewarded to a first-year teacher who does extraordinary pedagogy, while for others it never surfaces. We acquire and are reminded of our prestige mainly through networking with other educators- educators award prestige. The influence however, generally emerges from with one's school, district and from parents and students.

The only way to be granted influence and prestige, not authority necessarily but respect and admiration = influence, is to become a part of the system. Then one can change it from within. We can double-cross it, make it believe we are worthy, then we will not have to coerce it, only nudge it into an upgrade. We need to build a network of rebels. To buck convention, you need an army of forward-thinkers. This is when the establishment will budge, and progress will ensure. Words are not enough. Writing about change is not enough. For some marching in the streets is not the way, rallying is too scary, but classroom disruption is doable. Disrupt the normalcy of classroom routines, just a little, rethink lessons, step back and let some of the ‘influence’ be handed over to students and the small quakes will become rumbles and change will slowly erupt. This change can come in many forms- as Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

We can not favor the comfort of consensus, we must actively, operative word here, actively seek the discomfort of dissent. In ourselves and other educators but also with our students. It is hard to let go of one’s authority and let others lead, especially when they are our students. But this is what keeps us relatable, current and growth-oriented and above all else, open-minded. Placing trust in our students should be easy, yet for some it is a challenge. We believe in them, why don’t we place our trust in them unequivocally? How can we do this, place our role in the background and let students take center-stage? Begin with novelty then add familiarity. Have routine, but then a little unpredictability; this is where curiosity and ingenuity come to the surface.

Part Three of Engines of Education will be about this disruption- using intuition and reason to design a student-centered classroom. But more importantly- giving students the opportunity to use their intuition and reason to guide their own learning.

Engines of Education (Part 1) Rinse and Repeat

Rinse and Repeat

Often a students first contact with a new concept is a wow moment- a 'Shazam' experience- but why is this information not resonating later? Why do they often lose them after the initial confetti exposure? We are often looking for significant changes in behavior, in processing- but we are looking for this to happen quickly. But it takes time to add to our schema, to rebuild the prior knowledge, reshape it- its like LEGO blocks or construction. It takes a short time to look over the easy to read pictures and to sort the bricks. However, if you are going to put together a bigger set, it takes more planning. The instruction manual becomes more important- now those photos in the booklet have more meaning- they are about engineering, rather than just clicking together various sizes of bricks. 

So why do we expect students to ‘get it’ before they are ready to construct, demolish and reconstruct? Time constraints, standards and learning goals aside- why do we lump all the bricks into a pile and not be patient enough and wait until students interpret the manual? Sometimes its more fun to just experiment and build without design, yes. But, for many students, they need the time to sort. They may seem like just different sizes of bricks, but they are much more than that they are: pips, shape, width- not to mention the other pieces that are not bricks. We need to figure out how to let students sort, make piles, tinker and redesign more quickly so we can keep the pace of the class and make sure the vocabulary and concepts are getting mastered.

An unfamiliar concept takes us more effort to understand, the more we hear it, see it, experience it, the less threatening it becomes. Then once we have conquered our discomfort, we can embrace it and add it to our bubble. Too much familiarity, however, can lead to boredom. In other words, large piles of bricks, can get overwhelming and never get used. We need exposure but with different intervals, various time frames and levels of depth. The more we see it as a part of our knowledge base the more we can manipulate it and mold it to our liking. The more we can pull from different piles to create some awesome models. We remember what we like. We use what we see as important and when we enjoy a topic and see its relevance, it tends to become a fixture in our learning and growth. This is the way humans learn.

Shampoo and Conditioner

Here are a few simple strategies to help students gather the bricks they need faster, help them create their own manual for learning, all the while keeping the pace of the class balanced so every student can rinse and repeat as needed.

Definition Maps, Frayer Models and Venn Diagrams are great ways to expose students to a new concept or vocabulary word. It doesn't matter how they organize, just that they do. Have them take the word and create an analogy, write a synonym and sketch an image. This of course can be accomplished in 'sketch-notes," visual notes or a simple magnet summary. But this component also must include a personal definition, something that resonates. Then students can play Charades, Taboo or Pictionary at the end of the week with all their new words and concepts. I use the graffiti wall to have them draw cartoons or comics- the artists leave off the dialogue and other students add to it throughout the day- this is a huge interactive word wall. A fun way to conceptualize and solidify.

Once students have tinkered with the concept, constructed something, an image, a symbol- I have them explain the word to one another, as if they were in kindergarten. Making sure they use simple, concise words, because if they can, then they actually understand the concept well. Then after they have reflected in their journal and discussed as a class these words are used to make bigger connections across concepts. They are not just content words we do this with, in my struggling classes, we do this with brick and mortar words too. The more exposure, the less fear and without confusion we can hear the sound more clearly. We can see the edges and form a more concise, personal meaning of the concept.

Every one of these activities is 5-7 minutes and dispersed within activities and labs. This way they are hands on using the concepts and building their framework of vocabulary simultaneously. This way the resonance of the wow moment lingers- if we get excited about a balloon, but then just tie it to a string and walk around with it, it loses its excitement quickly- but if we bounce it off our hands, twirl it on the string, talk about how cool it is- the balloon becomes animated, a presence that not only follows us but interacts with us. When it eventually deflates, we remember how much joy it brought us- its that emotion that creates the memory. What adds it to our knowledge base.

Pat Dry or Air Dry

We as educators need to disentangle the two parts of education: student growth and success and teacher growth and success. They are not mutually exclusive, but they are not reliant on one another either. As our students learn and process information, how they acquire and assimilate it is very much a part of how we once acquired and assimilated the same information. There are stages we all cross, milestones we all conquer, but we tend to teach how we think about things, not how our students do. We deliver information in very much the same way we remember learning it- especially if it was successful and meaningful. Marzano's Six Step Process of Building Academic Vocabulary tells us we need to describe, explain and give an example first. Then have students put the definition in their own words, draw an example or symbol of representation, reflect in a journal and then discuss with a partner. Use the word six different ways -rinse and repeat.

The basis of communication is words. The meaning of words. Concepts are built around definitions. Connections are solidified because these meanings are often transferable, bridging ideas. Science is vast, different areas of science, like nature itself are all interconnected. The connotation, implication, interpretation, symbolization of these thoughts and images is personal, yet critical to being able to see the world clearly. This may sound grandiose, but think about it- if you are sitting in class and definitions, concepts, meanings are being thrown at you and you are failing to catch them, you are sinking below the surface of the quagmire of vocabulary and hypothesis, theory and supposition- are new ideas going to resonate? For me they didn't. My Dyslexia caused jumbles and noise not understanding and my teachers never slowed down in order for me to pull myself out of the muck.

School is an extension of our knowledge base, it adds to it, but ultimately when we go home at night, it is the clarity of the meaning that puts it in its place and as educators we need to make sure the sound quality is clear and that there is space for our students to create the file- spread out and make piles, construct Lego towers just to watch them crumble and build new ones. We have to be comfortable with the mess, learning is messy. It may take a little more time to clean up the bricks but if they have made a memory- if students have created meaning in their knowledge base, then vocabulary and new concepts have created resonance. This takes patience but if done, we are letting go a little bit of our power and status and allowing students to use intuition and personal reasoning to grow as learners.

This is what will be discussed in part two of Engines of Education- Intuition and Reasoning in the classroom.

The Time Beyond: The Difference Between Elementary, Middle and High: Bridging the Gap

Disclaimer

I am a middle school teacher. I have always taught junior high. But I have student-taught in elementary classrooms and have observed many grade levels. This post is about my recent encounters, peppered with what I know from previous experiences with students. Every level requires slightly different tactics and strategies, but every grade, every subject area when given the time to build opportunities for self-reliance, self-advocacy and self-confidence, will help create a well-balanced learner who moving forward, will possess the skills to be successful.

Commonality

The core is the same, curiosity, eagerness, a bit of distraction. One may be smaller in stature, however, when you take the time to talk to them, ask questions and listen to their stories- you find that elementary students are very similar, to their taller counterparts. The biggest difference I find, is the affection. Younger students, even after only a few days of teaching them, hug you. Some middle schooler's hug, but only at the end of the year, generally. I taught Elementary STEAM Summer Camp last week and the attachment and endearment from many of the students was outward and steadfast. I loved it. I am used to camaraderie and community, with a bubble of standoffishness.

At the end of the school year, with my students, there were smiles and "we will miss yous", but mostly waves. 7th graders tend to be more stoic and non-emotional. But after summer camp, there were a lot of hugs and tearful good byes, after only a week. It was adorable and the kids were so outgoing and collaborative- a beautiful thing to see. Now, there were some disagreements and a few arguments between them, but overall, they got along great- these 112 students were from fourteen different elementary schools throughout our district and they came together and learned science through cooperation and collaboration. Cooperative endeavors and collaborative action. Some harked from affluent neighborhoods, others from low SES communities, but it didn't matter- at the STEAM camp they were from the same locality, the same region called 4th and 5th grade.

Just like students from different grade levels and different schools, teachers of primary, elementary, middle and high school differ in many ways, yet we all have certain things in common. We are all looking for strategies that work. We do not get on social media to troll or attack one-another, at least the majority of us don't. We join chats and share our ideas through Twitter, not because we can, but because we have the strong, deep seeded urge, to learn and grow from alternate perspectives. What makes education great is educators who look outward, who are willing to take-risks and share their experiences. We are a giant collective, a global phenom, not because we share, but because we listen.

Uniqueness

I observe students a lot. I appreciate the time I have in a student-driven classroom to not speak. I enjoy listening and guiding with simplicity. Of course younger students need more instructions and more specificity, when it comes to how to do things, however, they also deserve the same student-centered design. They deserve choice of product, the ability to tinker and design independently and work cooperatively with their peers. When we provide these opportunities they step up in a beautiful way. Many need the guidance older students don't but when this supervision also allows for independence, all students thrive- because they get to imagine their learning as their own and this gives them the reigns, this lets them climb on and see the view from the saddle, rather then the stirrups.

The way elementary students collaborate is much different than the way middle grade students do. Younger students all jump in equally, they want to handle and manipulate everything, have a say in every aspect because to them it is not seen as learning- it is internalized as a game, a playing field that needs to be conquered. There is no grade attached for them, there is no evaluation, only self-satisfaction of accomplishment. I watched these amazing 4th and 5th graders at camp struggle and get defeated, while a few shut down, most talked about it, figured it out together. A skill universal yes, but often in elementary students it is about "me" not "us." They built bottle rockets, marble mazes, programmed Sphero's and Ozobots, and they got artsy with masks and slime. But, overall, they tinkered, designed and created some awesome things because they did not see the tasks as work, but as fun. Me became us and tasks became play, with a little bit of work added in.

Now, in my 7th grade classroom, there is a lot of communal activities and collaborative lessons- but the underlying focus for most students is the grade. How accurate do I need to be, how much detail needs to be added to the reflection, how am I going to get full-credit? It is very difficult to get my students to see beyond the grade sometimes. When they ask me, "what type of grade is this other or minor?"- I just say "yes." But, once they get the materials, they begin to tinker, design and build: models, diorama's, 3D giant cells- they get engrossed in the process and the grade fades in importance. I have spoken to teachers of 4th and 5th graders and they have told me that, they do ask about grades, but not as much because what the grade will be, or how to get the A, is not what they feel is important. They are focused more on if they are doing it right, because they want approval above a good grade. This I noticed at the STEAM camp, they were not looking for personal satisfaction, but more for outside approval.

This I witness every summer when I get the opportunity to work with 4th and 5th graders. There is no grade per se in camp, but there are points and these points add up and at the end of the week the winning team gets medals. There is an underlining competitiveness- but it is quickly shadowed with "What do you think? Does this look cool? Look what I made?" While, my 7th graders during STEAM activities are saying "Did I meet all the requirements? Does this look like an A project?" The biggest difference I saw when it comes to approval, is 7th graders are looking for self-satisfaction and recognition while 4th and 5th graders are looking for approval- for acceptance. What a difference a few years makes. What happens to change the focus from fun to learning?

Bridging the Differences to Create More Uniqueness

So why does this matter? The younger grades of course have different gradients of the 4th and 5th grade mentality, while high-school students are centered more on grades and GPA. So how can we bridge the gap? How can we make learning more about self-satisfaction and less about requirements and ranking?  In the higher grade levels, it is never not going to be about grades- it can't be, because these grades get you into a good college. Your GPA is a mark of passage, a calling card for admission boards. But, how much knowledge are these students actually retaining? How much rote memory is replacing problem-solving, independent thinking and self-advocacy? Sometimes, facts and data need to be given quickly, but what they do after they memorize is what's important- how they apply their new evidence, details and knowledge is what makes 'big picture' thinking emerge.

Design and Implementation 

I find that between all students I have observed and been able to teach there are a few strategies that work across all grade levels. These strategies not only promote 21st century skills, independence and cooperation, but they also merge the need for approval with the desire to grow and learn. The simple may seem like a cop out to some- but not all lessons need to be elaborate, not all class periods need to be exciting. Productive and purposeful, yes. Engaging and relevant, yes. So how can we keep our day to day activities meaningful, beneficial and gratifying, but still, student-driven and student-centered? We as educators need to plan- be flexible and above all else, be willing to loosen the reigns and let them roam free. We need to step back and let them have more control- routine is great, necessary even, but flexibility negates compliance and inspires innovation. For me, the most important strategy is independence. Don't assign projects with specific products- assign goals with certain outcomes but an endless array of presentation and demonstration- choice over consistency.

We must also design our classrooms, not just our lessons to be student-centered. Make the space kid friendly, engaging and simple. Colorful and attractive, but with splashes of intensity. Too many things on the walls may look attractive, but it can be distracting and it also makes the space yours- not theirs. Leave a lot of empty space- let them decide what to put up on the walls. Provide lots of options of seating: tables round and square, standing desks, cushions and rugs to squat on. Flexible seating both physically and socially based, will create a communal feel and will allow students to take responsibility of their learning, behavior and time-management. This is what I feel is often set aside, student self-regulation opportunities- but if true learning is going to take place, students need to learn how to self-advocate and self-regulate. Responsibility is learned, compliance is assigned.

When we clear the learning space- they get very creative and then the space becomes an art studio, a science lab, a beautiful landscape of their choosing, rather than a structured venue of our comfortability level. We as educators want to feel comfortable and in control- but when we leave our classrooms free of self-centeredness, but rather construct it with a little bit of personal uncomfortability- this is when growth happens. For our students and for us. We feel more confident in our teaching and behavior management and students become more self-reliant and can regulate their interactions and progress. This is when we are forced to submit to the unpredictability of education. Again it is not giving up authority or discipline, it is accepting nonconformity and just a little dissension. Dissension leads to ingenuity and structure while it focuses us towards innovation and change, also shows us the edge and we can choose to steer clear or take the leap. Strict routines however, squash both.

If we set the guidelines, model positivity, trust and respect, reinforce the routine but also provide wiggle room for change and detours- we will be happier as educators. We all want to feel in charge because then we feel learning is taking place. But often when we have every moment planned out and we follow a specific path, with no exceptions- the classroom becomes compliant and predictable. Change things up- have an exit ticket rather than a warm-up, have students purposeful talk rather than write reflections, provide a makerspace of various materials rather than a bucket of specific ones. Give students the opportunity to build, record, write, draw or even act out their knowledge. While some students will shy away from unpredictability, it is important that they see it on occasion because life is very much unpredictable. We as educators will be there to relieve any of their concerns by guidance and nudging into independence.

Every student regardless of grade level will benefit from a student-centered, student-designed space. Where some age groups need more guidance and routine, they will benefit from opportunities to be independent. Opportunities to make a mess. Learning should be messy- our brains all work differently, all respond to challenges in our own unique way- so if we confine our lessons and classrooms into how we think, what makes us comfortable, we are going to lose many students. But if we make them more flexible and student-centered- they will connect to their learning because it will be personal, rather than general and ordinary. Engagement is intimate, growth is particular to oneself- and if we truly desire engagement and growth, we need to be inclusive of all peculiarities and oddities of thought, processing and imagination. A classroom full of collisions, discombobulation and reassembly is a classroom both personal and communal because learning is messy- so get ready educators- get your shovel and rake and get ready to till the soil, plant some seeds and step back and let your garden flourish.

The Music of Change (3 Easy Updates and Revamps for the Classroom)

Don’t You (Forget About Me)

Hindsight is 20/20. After we have experienced a year in the classroom we often tend to reflect over our lessons and interactions and determine what worked, what didn't and what we will use again next year. Most teachers, as the school year is in full swing, are focused on the here and now, the current unit. We don't have enough time to see the bridges and arcs, we rarely see how everything clicks together, into the giant mosaic, that is our curriculum. We see the edges but viewing the fully, complete, masterpiece does not happen until the end of the year. Once the final bell has rung and we are filing away our knowledge for the summer break is when the vibrancy and shininess of the tiles, take shape. This is when the glassy, reflective surface of our school year starts to sparkle and glisten. This illuminates our memories and helps us see the full story- the narrative of being an educator.

This is a time of packing up cupboards, putting in final grades and removing things from our classroom walls. But, as we bundle and bale our former year into the crevices of seclusion, it is important we take the time to jot down a few notes- not plan excessively, but maybe put some sticky notes on our lesson plans, and classroom design, creating ways to remember what to tweak and alter before we present the lesson the following year. Summer is a time for rejuvenation but once we step foot back into teacher mode, some earlier than others, we need a road map- warning signs and danger zones we are directed away from so that our new route will be as bumpy free as possible.

Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough

There are a few big reconstruction projects I have in the works, it has been a week since my school year completed and with a new principal and new team for next year, it is important that I grout certain activities into the mosaic and move some pieces around before they become a semi-permanent feature. I will be the lead teacher, on my team next year, and it is important for so many reasons that I align my team and have some well-used, successful strategies in place. A few are new teachers to our curriculum, and they will need a baseline. This foundation for the first time in many years, will fall on me to smooth and even the cement, removing any bubbles. To make sure that we each have plenty of room for our hand-prints, that out signatures have plenty of space to fit, but also that the concrete is consistent and stable- scaffolding and all.

1-Community Board/Calling Cards

I will be keeping these in place, but the community board needs to be designed and updated by students, not me. Let them put articles and projects they are proud of up on the wall. Make sure they feel comfortable using their calling cards to meet partners and create lab teams. Also have their calling cards in the fishbowl (have them make two) and I can use them to create random teams for projects and activities. This wall was bare at the beginning of the year but changed and grew throughout the year, but mainly by me- it needs to be more student-driven next year.

2. Graffiti Wall/Collaborative Assessments-

The board I use for various assessments, but I like to leave it blank for them to science doodle, as well. Next year to make it more steam-lined and fluid I plan on writing different words and sentence stems to spark their creative juices. That way the board is a daily interactive tool.

3. Classroom Podcasting-

I use podcasting in many ways in my classroom:

-students podcast lab results and reflections

-students create 1-2-minute expert podcasts about their favorite relevant topics and beyond

-I podcast test/quiz reviews

-I podcast what’s cool in science topics

What I am doing for next year is create a class podcast on Sound Cloud where students can have easier access to all the podcasts in one place. We share on our on-line district platform Canvas, but this will make it more like a channel rather than a drop box.

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Lastly, flexible seating, just for good measure, has always been apart of my design. Freedom and options. I have round tables, long slate science tables, standing desks and a few assorted cushions and rugs. But I think the layout was off this year. My revamp will make it feel more coffee house, a corner with cushions, long tables (like dining tables) on the edges and standing desks pushed together like coffee house tables. I am also going to buy more cushions so I can ramp up the floor options. If I create more of a group feel, like a community center, I think more students will sit in the cushion areas and at the standing desks because it will feel special.

These are just four of many small and big overhauls I am planning for next year. My walls got a little cluttered this year. If I really want a coffee house vibe, I need to go more minimal and sparser. Have the clutter in one area only- the makerspace, right down the middle of the room, where it can be the focal point of inspiration, creativity, tinkering and community.