"Let us embrace the beauty of every culture and faith to create peace in our world." - Mitra Sen
When I was little, (well, even when I grew up), my mother called me a gypsy because I wanted to travel the world and see as much as I could. I haven't been to a lot of places physically, but I've visited a ton of places through books, and continue to travel in my mind.
When I became a teacher, I taught quite a large unit on prejudice, which included several weeks learning about the Jewish Holocaust during WWII (notice I didn't say "THE Holocaust" - because there have been so many of them throughout time, how can a person decree one of them being THE one?). My students always asked me during that unit, "Ms. Clasen, are you Jewish?" To which I would say, "Does it matter?"
Why did I mention those two things? Because the world is a small place and all of its inhabitants inexorably connected.
I woke up this morning, the last day of school in ISD 191 before winter break, and carefully picked my outfit to wear. In my sixteen years as a teacher, I've grown as a person and also as an educator. Today, I deliberately picked a shirt that was blue and white (Hanukkah), had red and green (Christmas), green, red and yellow (Kwaanza), and red/yellow, dark blue/white (Eid). Why? Because at this time of year, I am very aware of the over-abundance of Santa hats and candy canes to those who do not fit that profile of belief. Or to those who do not fit that profile of abundance (we have homeless people in our district for whom Christmas is as tangible as air). I can leave these halls of learning and celebrate any way I celebrate, but while I am in these halls, I need to be a person who leads by example. I want my children to recognize, understand, learn about, and embrace the fact that there are many different cultures and religions in this world.
Did you know that the Golden Rule exists in no less than 13 different world religions? There's a poster you can buy. It's cool. This rule cannot be laid claim to by just one religion. That tells me something - that maybe we're more fundamentally alike than different. Mitra Sen, the author of the quote with which I started this blog entry, is a filmmaker from Canada. Her first independent film was called "Just A Little Red Dot", and with it she empowered young people to challenge racism and embrace the messages of peace and understanding between people of all backgrounds. In the movie, three little girls find a way to overcome their parents' resistance to observing each others' celebrations (Christian and Muslim). The girls create a peace tree- a tree that highlights symbols from many cultures and faiths to reflect the beauty of unity in diversity. (see www.religioustolerance.org/peacetree). The girls are celebrating peace and hope for out planet.
Many cultures (not just religions) have very important celebrations in December. I forgot to mention that my earrings today are decorated evergreen trees. That was a pagan symbol of the winter solstice long before it became a symbol of Christmas. The white pine tree was a symbol of unity for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (5 Nations). It's also known as the tree of peace. All of the December celebrations, however, have foundations in acceptance, love for one another, and everlasting peace. That is what I am celebrating today - and that is what I wish for every student here and for every person reading this blog.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
A Sense of Accomplishment
I am a perpetual student. I am one of those people who really, really like to learn new things. But it's more than that - it's the feeling of urgency that I need to learn some things in order to be effective in different areas. Saturday, I finished a certificate program at Hamline University. I was very excited to do so - not just because it meant the end of homework (well hey, that's a nice thing...), but that I had that sense of accomplishment: that I pursued an avenue of learning, built that avenue as an opportunity for others, and then saw it through from beginning to end.
As adults, I think we have sometimes forgotten what it's like to engage in school learning, from the very beginnings to the "graduation". We will learn things that we want to learn (community education, etc.), but that's different than a school program of study. In these economic times, I think that more adults are more apt to HAVE to remember what it is like to go back to school, to read textbooks, to engage in classwork, to study, take tests and do homework. But this is the life of our children - and frankly, just because we did that as kids, doesn't mean we understand their lives now. Schooling has changed dramatically since I was in elementary, middle, high school. Hey - it's even changed since I got my bachelor's degree and my masters degree! I actually had a conversation with my professor about Skyping a class if the weather was too bad on Saturday to hold the class! And I'm still learning that aspect of 21st century learning that our children, our students take for granted in their personal lives- the life of continual connectivity, of instantaneous information, of technological engagement.
But that sense of accomplishment on a job well done hasn't changed one stitch from when I received my honors in high school and in college. It was a great feeling to see it through, to connect the learning to my professional life, to really embed some of the concepts in my thinking as a person. That's what our children should experience, every single year of their schooling... that "WOW - this school year is done and look what I accomplished!" "WOW! I graduated high school and now am off to my next set of learning experiences, because I'm not done learning yet!" I'm not talking about a dog-and-pony show style of teaching. I'm not talking about being "buddies" with my students so they're happy every day and learning next to nothing. I'm talking about instilling the love of learning in a person, to create teaching experiences that are relevant to them so that we are teaching our students how to apply that learning to their lives. It's this type of learning that will keep them in school - beyond any one school year.
I want them to feel the sense of accomplishment I felt this weekend.
Now.... off to the next set of learning experiences!!!!! (Yes, another program is on the horizon...)
As adults, I think we have sometimes forgotten what it's like to engage in school learning, from the very beginnings to the "graduation". We will learn things that we want to learn (community education, etc.), but that's different than a school program of study. In these economic times, I think that more adults are more apt to HAVE to remember what it is like to go back to school, to read textbooks, to engage in classwork, to study, take tests and do homework. But this is the life of our children - and frankly, just because we did that as kids, doesn't mean we understand their lives now. Schooling has changed dramatically since I was in elementary, middle, high school. Hey - it's even changed since I got my bachelor's degree and my masters degree! I actually had a conversation with my professor about Skyping a class if the weather was too bad on Saturday to hold the class! And I'm still learning that aspect of 21st century learning that our children, our students take for granted in their personal lives- the life of continual connectivity, of instantaneous information, of technological engagement.
But that sense of accomplishment on a job well done hasn't changed one stitch from when I received my honors in high school and in college. It was a great feeling to see it through, to connect the learning to my professional life, to really embed some of the concepts in my thinking as a person. That's what our children should experience, every single year of their schooling... that "WOW - this school year is done and look what I accomplished!" "WOW! I graduated high school and now am off to my next set of learning experiences, because I'm not done learning yet!" I'm not talking about a dog-and-pony show style of teaching. I'm not talking about being "buddies" with my students so they're happy every day and learning next to nothing. I'm talking about instilling the love of learning in a person, to create teaching experiences that are relevant to them so that we are teaching our students how to apply that learning to their lives. It's this type of learning that will keep them in school - beyond any one school year.
I want them to feel the sense of accomplishment I felt this weekend.
Now.... off to the next set of learning experiences!!!!! (Yes, another program is on the horizon...)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Other Side of Fear
Everything we want is on the other side of fear. - Farrah Gray
Who is Farrah Gray, you ask? Well, Farrah is an African-American male from the south side of Chicago. (Ever been to the south side? It houses some seriously dangerous neighborhoods juxtapositioned with the University of Chicago, from where more Nobel Laureates have graduated than any other institution of higher learning in the world. Interesting place. I lived there - even as a Cubs fan. That's like being a Packers fan in the Vikings fan sea.) When Farrah was six, he was selling body lotion door to door for $1.50. At age 7, he was carrying around a business card that read, "21st Century CEO". (I think that's awesome!) Well, he wasn't a CEO by 2000, which was the beginning of the 21st century.
He was a millionaire at the age of 14, in 1998.
For the last 40 years, America has spent THREE TRILLION DOLLARS (yes, that's "trillion" with a "t") on remedial education and school improvement models. And here we are, with the gifted education world BEGGING to have its SEVEN MILLION dollar Javits grant back. That equates to .00175 of the money we have spent on "reform". By the time students in India and China finish high school, they are four years ahead of American students in their education. To translate that, American students would have to finish college just to be on equal pace with Indian and Chinese high school graduates.
Here's a thought (and one that I like very much, thank you): let's balance the score card. Let's put the same emphasis on rigor as we do on adequacy. I doubt any Packer fan or any Viking fan would want the coach and the team to focus on "average". Why is it that we have such high expectations for our athletes and not for our academics? Every single child, no matter the gift or talent, deserves rigor. What do I mean by "rigor"?
1. A construction of knowledge. These are very important words, carefully crafted. It's the construction of knowledge, not a simple regurgitation of facts.
2. Sustained inquiry into important concepts. Again, carefully crafted words. Sustained, so not a one-shot deal (for students or staff, frankly). Inquiry - so we are focusing on essential learnings and higher-order thinking. Concepts - those overarching themes that can transcend content, such as "change".
3. Meaningful connections to students' lives outside of the classroom. School should not be separate from life - especially since we are requiring our students to spend so much time there. School, and the learning that takes place in school, should be relevant. Students should understand the importance of education and its direct relationship to their everyday lives. And frankly, if we made school a place where meaningful connections were made (yes, they can be made in American History, in World History, in Language Arts, in math, in science, in economics, music, art, pick it - I could go on and on. And while I'm at it, economics could relate to American History, to World History, to language arts, to math, to science... see where I"m going here?), it would be more fun to teach and more fun to learn. Students and teachers alike would share a reciprocity - each would in turn be a learner and a teacher.
So... we should focus on passion, and focus on the prize. But it's scary to go out of our comfort zone. And frankly, American education is sitting in the middle of an extended comfort zone. We've been doing things largely the same since agrarian times (summers off), and then our current system (age level learning, i.e. grade levels) was borne out of the industrial age of assembly lines and sameness. So it's scary to leave all of that which we know behind and embrace a new way of doing things.
I don't know of a parent who would say, "I just want a so-so education for my child." Or "it doesn't matter if my child really learns much or not."
Everything we want is on the other side of fear. Homer Simpson once said, "Trying is the first step toward failure." Thanks, Homer, for that inspirational quote. We may fail. I have failed many times as an educator. (Boy, I remember some of my lessons that I thought were going to be just great and turned out to be, well, good learning experiences... for ME!) What's wrong with failing sometimes? We all can't be perfect out of the gate. But by giving in to fear and NOT trying, we are sending a LOUD message to our children - that they should not try if they can't get it right the first time.
I for one won't give my students that message. That's why I'm in the job I'm in right now, and trying to effect change. Farrah Gray is right. What I want is right on the other side.
Who is Farrah Gray, you ask? Well, Farrah is an African-American male from the south side of Chicago. (Ever been to the south side? It houses some seriously dangerous neighborhoods juxtapositioned with the University of Chicago, from where more Nobel Laureates have graduated than any other institution of higher learning in the world. Interesting place. I lived there - even as a Cubs fan. That's like being a Packers fan in the Vikings fan sea.) When Farrah was six, he was selling body lotion door to door for $1.50. At age 7, he was carrying around a business card that read, "21st Century CEO". (I think that's awesome!) Well, he wasn't a CEO by 2000, which was the beginning of the 21st century.
He was a millionaire at the age of 14, in 1998.
For the last 40 years, America has spent THREE TRILLION DOLLARS (yes, that's "trillion" with a "t") on remedial education and school improvement models. And here we are, with the gifted education world BEGGING to have its SEVEN MILLION dollar Javits grant back. That equates to .00175 of the money we have spent on "reform". By the time students in India and China finish high school, they are four years ahead of American students in their education. To translate that, American students would have to finish college just to be on equal pace with Indian and Chinese high school graduates.
Here's a thought (and one that I like very much, thank you): let's balance the score card. Let's put the same emphasis on rigor as we do on adequacy. I doubt any Packer fan or any Viking fan would want the coach and the team to focus on "average". Why is it that we have such high expectations for our athletes and not for our academics? Every single child, no matter the gift or talent, deserves rigor. What do I mean by "rigor"?
1. A construction of knowledge. These are very important words, carefully crafted. It's the construction of knowledge, not a simple regurgitation of facts.
2. Sustained inquiry into important concepts. Again, carefully crafted words. Sustained, so not a one-shot deal (for students or staff, frankly). Inquiry - so we are focusing on essential learnings and higher-order thinking. Concepts - those overarching themes that can transcend content, such as "change".
3. Meaningful connections to students' lives outside of the classroom. School should not be separate from life - especially since we are requiring our students to spend so much time there. School, and the learning that takes place in school, should be relevant. Students should understand the importance of education and its direct relationship to their everyday lives. And frankly, if we made school a place where meaningful connections were made (yes, they can be made in American History, in World History, in Language Arts, in math, in science, in economics, music, art, pick it - I could go on and on. And while I'm at it, economics could relate to American History, to World History, to language arts, to math, to science... see where I"m going here?), it would be more fun to teach and more fun to learn. Students and teachers alike would share a reciprocity - each would in turn be a learner and a teacher.
So... we should focus on passion, and focus on the prize. But it's scary to go out of our comfort zone. And frankly, American education is sitting in the middle of an extended comfort zone. We've been doing things largely the same since agrarian times (summers off), and then our current system (age level learning, i.e. grade levels) was borne out of the industrial age of assembly lines and sameness. So it's scary to leave all of that which we know behind and embrace a new way of doing things.
I don't know of a parent who would say, "I just want a so-so education for my child." Or "it doesn't matter if my child really learns much or not."
Everything we want is on the other side of fear. Homer Simpson once said, "Trying is the first step toward failure." Thanks, Homer, for that inspirational quote. We may fail. I have failed many times as an educator. (Boy, I remember some of my lessons that I thought were going to be just great and turned out to be, well, good learning experiences... for ME!) What's wrong with failing sometimes? We all can't be perfect out of the gate. But by giving in to fear and NOT trying, we are sending a LOUD message to our children - that they should not try if they can't get it right the first time.
I for one won't give my students that message. That's why I'm in the job I'm in right now, and trying to effect change. Farrah Gray is right. What I want is right on the other side.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Integration: A Multi-Faceted Word. A multi-facted Path. A multi-faceted Responsibility
I have always told my students that in order to define a word, they could not use a form of the word in the definition. So, how would one go about defining "integration" without using "integral", "integrating", etc.? One definition says that integration is behavior that is in harmony with the environment. (hmmm. Interesting [and cerebral] definition here.) Another definition is the "act or instance of combining into an integral whole". Substituting "co-existent" maybe, for "integral" would help that definition. A couple of definitions define integration by using the verb "integrating". Yeah, like that helps.
So I'm taking some words from an article I read in Educational Leadership (Integrated Schools: Finding a New Path, Nov 2010), where it talks about schools remaining a powerful tool for shoring up individual opportunity and attaining a thriving, multiracial democratic society. I would definitely say that is an overarching charge of public education today.
But what do they mean by "integrated schools"? When one uses that term, are they referring only to race and ethnicity? Socio-economic status? Are they referring to heterogeneous classrooms of mixed ability? Are they referring to schools which not only embrace but seek out ways to connect curriculum - to each other and to make it relevant to the world around our students? Of course, I think of the Supreme Court when I think of the use for "integration" - specifically Plessy v. Ferguson (integrated train cars), and 1954's Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka Kansas (did you know it was Topeka? Good Jeopardy question.), and those cases both had everything to do with race and ethnicity. Once Brown v. Board was decided, districts, states, the federal government began using "integration", "desegregation" and "segregation" much more frequently, and strongly. And as well, people's viewpoints on "integration", "desegregation" and "segregation" were (and are) just as strong.
However, when I think of "integrated schools", my curriculum brain starts churning and I think of ways that the "meat of the school" - the "stuff" that students learn - could be integrated. And by integrated, I mean to each other (math and social studies, Language Arts and science), and integrated into real life. In that respect, I believe that is the truest, and most challenging, aspect of integration befalling public schools. If we truly wish to integrate, we need to get to know our students. Their learning modalities, their lives outside of school, what gets them excited and what they already know. We search, and re-search (yes, re-search, as in "search again and again and again... don't be complacent here!) ways to make learning come alive to our students at every step of their developmental and academic journey. Sometimes we are lucky. I stumbled upon a website today that truly got me excited about teaching - it's called Let Freedom Swing, and it integrates the teaching of American Jazz and the concept of democracy. Talk about tapping into different modalities! And talk about integration! Music and social studies. Just AWESOME! (check it out: http://www.letfreedomswing.org - it's a collaboration between Rockefeller Center and Teachers College at Columbia University!) Take it one step further, and one could connect jazz to today's rap and hip hop. And then we could connect music to poetry. And poetry to the First Amendment. And the First Amendment to new discoveries in science. And so on and so on.
And if we did this - if we (and I am using "we" collectively here, as in communities of which public schools are a cornerstone) took the time to integrate what students learn with how students live, we would "shore up individual opportunity and attain a thriving, multiracial democratic society", to use the words in the Ed Leadership article. We would be nurturing a generation of critical thinkers and active citizens who proactively thought about their futures, their learning, their communities.
Integration is not just color, although race and ethnicity do matter, greatly. It's not just about equality (maybe there's a word for a future blog post - because can we truly be equal? Or should we?). It's about providing challenging coursework that is relevant to today and to the future. In other words, integrating school with society. Integrating a deeper understanding of ourselves and others in order to create and thrive in that challenging environment. Integrating pedagogy with sociology and psychology to give students the opportunity to become active, critical thinkers.
It's taking that multi-faceted responsibility and running with it.
So I'm taking some words from an article I read in Educational Leadership (Integrated Schools: Finding a New Path, Nov 2010), where it talks about schools remaining a powerful tool for shoring up individual opportunity and attaining a thriving, multiracial democratic society. I would definitely say that is an overarching charge of public education today.
But what do they mean by "integrated schools"? When one uses that term, are they referring only to race and ethnicity? Socio-economic status? Are they referring to heterogeneous classrooms of mixed ability? Are they referring to schools which not only embrace but seek out ways to connect curriculum - to each other and to make it relevant to the world around our students? Of course, I think of the Supreme Court when I think of the use for "integration" - specifically Plessy v. Ferguson (integrated train cars), and 1954's Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka Kansas (did you know it was Topeka? Good Jeopardy question.), and those cases both had everything to do with race and ethnicity. Once Brown v. Board was decided, districts, states, the federal government began using "integration", "desegregation" and "segregation" much more frequently, and strongly. And as well, people's viewpoints on "integration", "desegregation" and "segregation" were (and are) just as strong.
However, when I think of "integrated schools", my curriculum brain starts churning and I think of ways that the "meat of the school" - the "stuff" that students learn - could be integrated. And by integrated, I mean to each other (math and social studies, Language Arts and science), and integrated into real life. In that respect, I believe that is the truest, and most challenging, aspect of integration befalling public schools. If we truly wish to integrate, we need to get to know our students. Their learning modalities, their lives outside of school, what gets them excited and what they already know. We search, and re-search (yes, re-search, as in "search again and again and again... don't be complacent here!) ways to make learning come alive to our students at every step of their developmental and academic journey. Sometimes we are lucky. I stumbled upon a website today that truly got me excited about teaching - it's called Let Freedom Swing, and it integrates the teaching of American Jazz and the concept of democracy. Talk about tapping into different modalities! And talk about integration! Music and social studies. Just AWESOME! (check it out: http://www.letfreedomswing.org - it's a collaboration between Rockefeller Center and Teachers College at Columbia University!) Take it one step further, and one could connect jazz to today's rap and hip hop. And then we could connect music to poetry. And poetry to the First Amendment. And the First Amendment to new discoveries in science. And so on and so on.
And if we did this - if we (and I am using "we" collectively here, as in communities of which public schools are a cornerstone) took the time to integrate what students learn with how students live, we would "shore up individual opportunity and attain a thriving, multiracial democratic society", to use the words in the Ed Leadership article. We would be nurturing a generation of critical thinkers and active citizens who proactively thought about their futures, their learning, their communities.
Integration is not just color, although race and ethnicity do matter, greatly. It's not just about equality (maybe there's a word for a future blog post - because can we truly be equal? Or should we?). It's about providing challenging coursework that is relevant to today and to the future. In other words, integrating school with society. Integrating a deeper understanding of ourselves and others in order to create and thrive in that challenging environment. Integrating pedagogy with sociology and psychology to give students the opportunity to become active, critical thinkers.
It's taking that multi-faceted responsibility and running with it.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
My Heart Starts Fluttering Like Butterflies...
...so describes a senior in Hartford Connecticut, one of the poorest cities in one of the richest states in the country. This girl was failing. Years of doing poorly all but extinguished hope for her. She thought about quitting school. But school restructure, providing choice for students, gave a glimmer of hope for her, and she sees the possibilities of a good future now. She's taking PSEO classes at a community college, and states, "When I start seeing those As and Bs, my heart starts fluttering like butterflies."
Could there be any sweeter words spoken from a student in education? I'll speak metaphorically here. The butterfly has always been a symbol of rebirth and new life. The very hungry caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly, even after he ate tons of junk food and got a bellyache. When I think of butterflies, I think of metamorphosis and transformation. The insect is no longer anchored to a tree branch or a set of leaves; rather, it has the sky as the possibility. (If you're an Eastern monarch [like from Minnesota], you get a cool winter home in Mexico!)
What better metaphor for what we're trying to do here at Harriet Bishop, or, for that matter, what better metaphor for education in general? This girl nearly quit school. Now she's getting As and Bs, and her heart flutters like butterflies.
That's what I want for the students in this school and this district. To savor the taste of success; to build on that success and know that the future is as wide as the sky.
I want their hearts to flutter like butterflies.
Could there be any sweeter words spoken from a student in education? I'll speak metaphorically here. The butterfly has always been a symbol of rebirth and new life. The very hungry caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly, even after he ate tons of junk food and got a bellyache. When I think of butterflies, I think of metamorphosis and transformation. The insect is no longer anchored to a tree branch or a set of leaves; rather, it has the sky as the possibility. (If you're an Eastern monarch [like from Minnesota], you get a cool winter home in Mexico!)
What better metaphor for what we're trying to do here at Harriet Bishop, or, for that matter, what better metaphor for education in general? This girl nearly quit school. Now she's getting As and Bs, and her heart flutters like butterflies.
That's what I want for the students in this school and this district. To savor the taste of success; to build on that success and know that the future is as wide as the sky.
I want their hearts to flutter like butterflies.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Continuing the Learning Curve
I wish there were 36 hours in a day. Then maybe I could learn everything I needed to learn in a timely fashion. I'm sure our students think that, too, or maybe they don't. But I need to take a page from my students' playbooks when continuing my technological learning curve!
Today I joined Twitter, because...well, if I'm expecting my teachers and students to learn new things and keep up with the ever-changing world, I need to do the same. I want to keep current and fresh on research and news, and use that information to help me better serve my students, teachers and district. I'm not going to lie: it's a learning curve. In the matter of two weeks, I've jumped into the waters of a smart phone and the life of a Twitter account. It's daunting! But I think of my former students, and when they were asked to read the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (yes, I asked them to read that paper), and I'm sure they felt the same way I am feeling now. The language is different, the flow is different, navigating through that information is different - just like navigating through Twitter and learning the language of a touchpad (does a touchpad have a language? I think so.). And like my students, I will get better and better the more I am immersed in this.
This is the future of education in this country, as it should be. Education cannot continue to be the "sit and git" it was for the last...200+ years (it has changed VERY little since the 1960s - and think about what computers looked like then!). Students need to connect all content areas to their very lives and the lives of those around them (and by that I mean the entire world, because the world is much smaller than it used to be). I stated this morning in a meeting that if students had I-Pads and smart phones in their hands to use as tools for their schoolwork, they'd be more apt to come to school. I mean it. Relevance is critical to all our students; however, some students can seek that relevance and others need to have it placed in front of them.
Where better to continue the learning curve than with the innovative use of technology in schools? With the adults for whom technology is not as second nature as it is to our children?
Today I joined Twitter, because...well, if I'm expecting my teachers and students to learn new things and keep up with the ever-changing world, I need to do the same. I want to keep current and fresh on research and news, and use that information to help me better serve my students, teachers and district. I'm not going to lie: it's a learning curve. In the matter of two weeks, I've jumped into the waters of a smart phone and the life of a Twitter account. It's daunting! But I think of my former students, and when they were asked to read the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (yes, I asked them to read that paper), and I'm sure they felt the same way I am feeling now. The language is different, the flow is different, navigating through that information is different - just like navigating through Twitter and learning the language of a touchpad (does a touchpad have a language? I think so.). And like my students, I will get better and better the more I am immersed in this.
This is the future of education in this country, as it should be. Education cannot continue to be the "sit and git" it was for the last...200+ years (it has changed VERY little since the 1960s - and think about what computers looked like then!). Students need to connect all content areas to their very lives and the lives of those around them (and by that I mean the entire world, because the world is much smaller than it used to be). I stated this morning in a meeting that if students had I-Pads and smart phones in their hands to use as tools for their schoolwork, they'd be more apt to come to school. I mean it. Relevance is critical to all our students; however, some students can seek that relevance and others need to have it placed in front of them.
Where better to continue the learning curve than with the innovative use of technology in schools? With the adults for whom technology is not as second nature as it is to our children?
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Summer Fun (and learning...)
Watching my son sprint today to his classroom at The Works Museum in Edina reminded me that just because it's "summer vacation" doesn't mean learning can't occur. So far this summer, Samuel has made himself into a warrior (complete with warrior paint on his forehead), researched dinosaurs on the internet, is learning to add and subtract, and is reading independently up a storm! Pretty hard books for an incoming kindergartner, with words I never knew he could figure out! Today at The Works, he made a battery-powered boat and a really cool and crazy car. He is figuring out circuits and power sources, and is trying to understand weather patterns. We went to Barnes and Noble, where he promptly told me he had to go straight to the science section, because "Mom, I love science!"
He is like the characters in his favorite show. (Yes, his favorite show is "Phineas and Ferb", and yes, he tries to make every day a great day [he has even said that to me before]. Personally, I like Phineas and Ferb, too. Any show that has a duck-billed platypus as a secret agent is okay in my book.) Samuel and I read every single day - we take turns... I read, he reads. He does some math every single day, and we catch ourselves doing math when not really doing math. Learning is happening all around, and I truly believe that environment of continual learning, even "on vacation", will only help him as he begins his formal schooling. School isn't just nine months a year, in a contained classroom in a certain building. If we do it right, our children will find that the world is one big, exciting, challenging and rewarding school.
He is like the characters in his favorite show. (Yes, his favorite show is "Phineas and Ferb", and yes, he tries to make every day a great day [he has even said that to me before]. Personally, I like Phineas and Ferb, too. Any show that has a duck-billed platypus as a secret agent is okay in my book.) Samuel and I read every single day - we take turns... I read, he reads. He does some math every single day, and we catch ourselves doing math when not really doing math. Learning is happening all around, and I truly believe that environment of continual learning, even "on vacation", will only help him as he begins his formal schooling. School isn't just nine months a year, in a contained classroom in a certain building. If we do it right, our children will find that the world is one big, exciting, challenging and rewarding school.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Harriet Bishop Scores Even Higher!
Harriet Bishop students, parents, and staff have a lot for which to be proud. Recent preliminary MCA-II scores released by the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) indicate 87% of our students are proficient in math and 83% in reading, tops in the District 191, and higher than most other schools in the area. and But that’s not the whole story.
Math
Last year, Harriet Bishop switched our instructional model in mathematics. Students throughout the school were engaged in mathematics instruction at the same time. We pre-assessed our students before every math unit and flexibly grouped students based on their levels of readiness. This approach helped us to maximize our support staff and encouraged team teaching and collaboration amongst our staff. Harriet Bishop saw an overall proficiency increase of 4% in math. In addition, almost all of our measurable subgroups saw the same increase or better, with a whopping 27% increase in proficiency for our Free or Reduced Lunch Population (FRP) of students!
Reading
Harriet Bishop teachers have begun to implement the Schoolwide Enrichment Model in Reading framework (SEM-R). SEM-R teachers integrate strategies instruction with book hooks to create interest in books and boost motivation to read. They also use student independent reading time to meet individually with students to provide additional instruction in strategy use as well as higher-order questions to challenge and engage readers. This approach helped us encourage students to pursue challenging independent reading in texts they choose and improved reading fluency and comprehension. Harriet Bishop saw an overall proficiency increase of 1% in reading. In addition, almost all of our measurable subgroups saw the same increase or better, with an impressive 19% increase in proficiency for both our Hispanic and Black populations and an 18% increase in proficiency for our FRP students.
Instructional Changes, Research, and Becoming a Magnet School
To see an INCREASE in student achievement is remarkable in the first year of a major change. There is much research that suggests that when a major organization goes through a major change, as Harriet Bishop did in becoming a Gifted and Talented magnet school, a dip in productivity, such as student test scores, is likely. Changes disrupt equilibrium. People find themselves less confident in the new versus the established. New knowledge, skills, and instructional practices take time and often come with hiccups that need to be addressed and adjusted. It is for these reasons that we have always said it will take us three to five years to develop into a successful magnet and fully realize the educational effects of our changes. However, to see the effects of our instructional changes across all subgroups and disciplines after the first year is truly rewarding. Imagine the possibilities and the future!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Excellence. Tenacity. Passion. Ownership. Tomato. Tomahto.
Sometimes reading too much makes my head spin. Not in a bad way (mostly). But so many times it completely affirms everything I am as an educator, and then I get fired up.
I was reading some work of Alan Sitomer, a three-time teacher of the year in California. He's interesting to listen to, has some great ideas for novels and poetry, is an author himself, and he, too, gets fired up. He teaches high school; but I've got to be honest with you here - teaching teens isn't that unlike teaching young children. Eighth graders are kindergartners with hormones; I've always said that and believe it to this day. But Alan had some tips for teaching teens, and they're good. However, I would like to extend these "tips" to younger children, and I would also like to extend these "tips" to adults. I am concentrating today on four "tips": be tenacious, be passionate, take ownership and seek excellence.
I talked with a parent today who was relating a story of an older child's time in high school. She talked of her son with an English teacher. The English teacher was teaching about commas and semi-colons with quotation marks (now, my ears perked up, because anyone who has had me knows that the semi-colon is by far my favorite piece of punctuation). The teacher could not tell exactly when to use semi-colons and when to use commas with the quotation marks. Can I repeat that: The HONORS English teacher could not tell exactly when to use semi-colons and when to use commas with the quotation marks. Instead, a quick explanation of "it's personal choice" and "writing has become much more relaxed today" was offered up to the student.
How can we expect excellence of students and schools when we don't expect it of ourselves? I know my expectations are over the top at times. I know that about myself, and frankly, I'm mostly okay with it - because if I accept mediocrity, well, where will that get me? Or us? Being passionate isn't bad. Frankly, it can get a person pretty far - better results, obstacles overcome, going an extra mile. In other words, tenacity. Not bad pay-out - and look - those three "tips" are inter-related. hmmm.
Well, let's talk about tenacity for a second. Alan Sitomer included a quote from Calvin Coolidge, which I will also include here (political views aside... can anyone tell me Calvin Coolidge's lasting legacy? Pretty good human rights record, better than most during that era...):
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "Press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
Well, he's got it right. I know tons of "smart" people who do nothing with their talent; I have had many, many students who aren't the most naturally talented but work hard and achieve great things. And I also know many students who had great talent but no one helped them cultivate that talent because it seemed as though they "had more" than others. Persistence - on all parts - is what will be the universal solvent. If we expect our students to be tenacious (which I do), we have to expect tenacity of ourselves (which I do).
Which leads me to ownership. If we are passionate about something, we take clear ownership of it. We are tenacious in its success. Failure is not an option (ask the Apollo 13 dudes). And if we really are taking ownership, we expect excellence of all - including ourselves. Again, would a parent actually WANT mediocre effort from a teacher? From a principal? From a doctor or an attorney? Doubtful. In turn, I expect students to be vested in their education. I also expect parents to be vested in education. I can teach students the difference in using commas and semi-colons (sorry, teacher, but it's not "personal choice". Clear communication in this century is never "personal choice". It's a requirement for success.) to practically anyone; anyone who wants to learn it, for sure. Effort. Commitment. Ownership. It's the idea that school, and life, really does have a purpose, and it's up to us to TRY. Take ownership over behavior and actions, and good things happen: there is more tenacity, more excellence, and more passion for success.
Full circle. I guess those four words really are intertwined after all.
I was reading some work of Alan Sitomer, a three-time teacher of the year in California. He's interesting to listen to, has some great ideas for novels and poetry, is an author himself, and he, too, gets fired up. He teaches high school; but I've got to be honest with you here - teaching teens isn't that unlike teaching young children. Eighth graders are kindergartners with hormones; I've always said that and believe it to this day. But Alan had some tips for teaching teens, and they're good. However, I would like to extend these "tips" to younger children, and I would also like to extend these "tips" to adults. I am concentrating today on four "tips": be tenacious, be passionate, take ownership and seek excellence.
I talked with a parent today who was relating a story of an older child's time in high school. She talked of her son with an English teacher. The English teacher was teaching about commas and semi-colons with quotation marks (now, my ears perked up, because anyone who has had me knows that the semi-colon is by far my favorite piece of punctuation). The teacher could not tell exactly when to use semi-colons and when to use commas with the quotation marks. Can I repeat that: The HONORS English teacher could not tell exactly when to use semi-colons and when to use commas with the quotation marks. Instead, a quick explanation of "it's personal choice" and "writing has become much more relaxed today" was offered up to the student.
How can we expect excellence of students and schools when we don't expect it of ourselves? I know my expectations are over the top at times. I know that about myself, and frankly, I'm mostly okay with it - because if I accept mediocrity, well, where will that get me? Or us? Being passionate isn't bad. Frankly, it can get a person pretty far - better results, obstacles overcome, going an extra mile. In other words, tenacity. Not bad pay-out - and look - those three "tips" are inter-related. hmmm.
Well, let's talk about tenacity for a second. Alan Sitomer included a quote from Calvin Coolidge, which I will also include here (political views aside... can anyone tell me Calvin Coolidge's lasting legacy? Pretty good human rights record, better than most during that era...):
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "Press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
Well, he's got it right. I know tons of "smart" people who do nothing with their talent; I have had many, many students who aren't the most naturally talented but work hard and achieve great things. And I also know many students who had great talent but no one helped them cultivate that talent because it seemed as though they "had more" than others. Persistence - on all parts - is what will be the universal solvent. If we expect our students to be tenacious (which I do), we have to expect tenacity of ourselves (which I do).
Which leads me to ownership. If we are passionate about something, we take clear ownership of it. We are tenacious in its success. Failure is not an option (ask the Apollo 13 dudes). And if we really are taking ownership, we expect excellence of all - including ourselves. Again, would a parent actually WANT mediocre effort from a teacher? From a principal? From a doctor or an attorney? Doubtful. In turn, I expect students to be vested in their education. I also expect parents to be vested in education. I can teach students the difference in using commas and semi-colons (sorry, teacher, but it's not "personal choice". Clear communication in this century is never "personal choice". It's a requirement for success.) to practically anyone; anyone who wants to learn it, for sure. Effort. Commitment. Ownership. It's the idea that school, and life, really does have a purpose, and it's up to us to TRY. Take ownership over behavior and actions, and good things happen: there is more tenacity, more excellence, and more passion for success.
Full circle. I guess those four words really are intertwined after all.
Monday, April 19, 2010
I Wish I Were A Butterfly. Or a Cheetah.
There is a lot written out there about butterflies. Lots of nice, sweet, fluffy stuff about butterflies. I watched the insect episode of "Life" where monarch butterflies were highlighted. They travel thousands of miles to hibernate, and never make it back to where they were born - but their offspring do. That's not such a fluffy tidbit of information, and that's my point. At one time, every butterfly was a caterpillar - often times doing serious damage to crops and plants in order to become that flitting creature that seems not to have a care.
Our children are caterpillars. Okay, I'm not saying that they're damage-causing creatures, but they are relatively misunderstood, as caterpillars sometimes are. I'm also saying that their life's journey is not done - that they won't stay the same creature, really, even, as they are as children - that they will grow and morph, as caterpillars do... given the right set of circumstances. As Richard Buckminster Fuller once wrote, "There's nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly." Yet, that's an educator's job - his or her responsibility, really - to find that butterfly in each caterpillar, and prepare that child for the metamorphosis that will eventually take place, given the right circumstances and the chance to morph. In our emphasis on MCA scores, other standardized testing, and curriculum, curriculum, curriculum (always the right curriculum, as in "What curriculum do you teach?"), we sometimes miss the forest 'fore the trees. Our students, our children, have emotional needs, challenges from within and without that sometimes get the best of them, despite the smile and perceived attitude that nothing really is wrong. In other words, are our children "performing" for someone else, or becoming true to themselves in preparation for their own adult life?
Take the metaphor of a cheetah. What do we think of first when we think of a cheetah? (I for one think of the cool markings under their eyes, like the journey of tears... but I digress.) When we think of a cheetah, we think of speed. What they can do. It's awesome to watch. It's flashy. But its impressive speed can only be achieved under certain circumstances, and some of those circumstances come from within the cheetah itself. It has to be healthy and rested. It must have enough room, and it must have fast prey. It has to be an adult in order to run at top speed (juvenile cheetahs don't run as fast.) Will it run 65-70 miles per hour if it was chasing a slower animal? Maybe, if it wanted to impress... what, National Geographic cameras, or nearby zebra, or a cute girl cheetah... but most likely, it wouldn't run that fast if the prey wasn't as fast. But is it still a cheetah without the flash? Is a caterpillar still a butterfly without the flash?
Can we continue to remember that our children, our students, are still people without the test scores? I think so - I think we NEED to remember that, in order to serve all our students they way they thirst to be served. Get to know me, they scream inside. Get to know who I am as a person, not just what I can do in school. And they are right. Our students are more than what they show on the outside. They may not be showing you much about their insides at all, and that can be a scary thought, frankly, because all of their decisions affect their whole life, even though they are still juveniles. If we look only for the flash, the do, the performance, we will miss who they really, really are - and can become. We must be prepared to see it all - the whole person - the journey of tears, the caterpillar in each one.
Where have those butterflies and flowers all gone
That science may have staked the future on?
He seems to say the reason why so much
Should come to nothing must be fairly faced.
- Robert Frost, "Pod of the Milkweed"
Our children are caterpillars. Okay, I'm not saying that they're damage-causing creatures, but they are relatively misunderstood, as caterpillars sometimes are. I'm also saying that their life's journey is not done - that they won't stay the same creature, really, even, as they are as children - that they will grow and morph, as caterpillars do... given the right set of circumstances. As Richard Buckminster Fuller once wrote, "There's nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly." Yet, that's an educator's job - his or her responsibility, really - to find that butterfly in each caterpillar, and prepare that child for the metamorphosis that will eventually take place, given the right circumstances and the chance to morph. In our emphasis on MCA scores, other standardized testing, and curriculum, curriculum, curriculum (always the right curriculum, as in "What curriculum do you teach?"), we sometimes miss the forest 'fore the trees. Our students, our children, have emotional needs, challenges from within and without that sometimes get the best of them, despite the smile and perceived attitude that nothing really is wrong. In other words, are our children "performing" for someone else, or becoming true to themselves in preparation for their own adult life?
Take the metaphor of a cheetah. What do we think of first when we think of a cheetah? (I for one think of the cool markings under their eyes, like the journey of tears... but I digress.) When we think of a cheetah, we think of speed. What they can do. It's awesome to watch. It's flashy. But its impressive speed can only be achieved under certain circumstances, and some of those circumstances come from within the cheetah itself. It has to be healthy and rested. It must have enough room, and it must have fast prey. It has to be an adult in order to run at top speed (juvenile cheetahs don't run as fast.) Will it run 65-70 miles per hour if it was chasing a slower animal? Maybe, if it wanted to impress... what, National Geographic cameras, or nearby zebra, or a cute girl cheetah... but most likely, it wouldn't run that fast if the prey wasn't as fast. But is it still a cheetah without the flash? Is a caterpillar still a butterfly without the flash?
Can we continue to remember that our children, our students, are still people without the test scores? I think so - I think we NEED to remember that, in order to serve all our students they way they thirst to be served. Get to know me, they scream inside. Get to know who I am as a person, not just what I can do in school. And they are right. Our students are more than what they show on the outside. They may not be showing you much about their insides at all, and that can be a scary thought, frankly, because all of their decisions affect their whole life, even though they are still juveniles. If we look only for the flash, the do, the performance, we will miss who they really, really are - and can become. We must be prepared to see it all - the whole person - the journey of tears, the caterpillar in each one.
Where have those butterflies and flowers all gone
That science may have staked the future on?
He seems to say the reason why so much
Should come to nothing must be fairly faced.
- Robert Frost, "Pod of the Milkweed"
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Chopin, Rachmaninoff...and Nachito
I recently spent much-needed wonderful quality time with my husband for our anniversary. We had the fortunate opportunity to listen to some music at the Dakota. Nachito Hererra was playing piano with a basist and a drummer. Now, if you've never heard of Nachito Hererra, don't feel bad. I didn't either. We kind of stumbled onto this show, and a Cuban pianist intrigued me. I didn't know what I was stepping into.
The guy was awesome. Look him up and buy his cd (he is not paying me to advertise for him - I do have a point coming). Here was a man playing Chopin, my grandmother's favorite composer, giving his music a Latin flair. A Latin Chopin! How awesome! Hererra did the same thing with Rachmaninoff. I was floored. But it got me to thinking about our learning (seriously, I do have a life; I don't spend every waking moment thinking about how my experiences tie into school - they just sort of do, actually).
Nachito Hererra came to this country only a few years ago. He speaks English with a very heavy Cuban accent. He really doesn't need to speak at all, because his music speaks for him. Why is that? Because classical music is world-wide. The heavy-hitter composers are known all over the globe. But each culture soaks up the language of music differently. Hererra heard Chopin differently than I heard Chopin - because of the difference in our experiences - our culture - our schema. I would never have thought to put a Latin beat to Chopins nocturnes. But he did - because of the life experience in which he was immersed.
What does that say about our learners? Our readers? Our students coming to American schools from families who have never experienced American schools? Our gifted students? Our struggling students? Each and every student comes to school with a certain set of life experiences, and takes from his or her learning something different because of that schema. There are students who have no books at home. There are students who hate reading because they read letters backwards and no one can seem to help them. There are students who have a brain that functions so beyond their years that they can't figure out how to really connect with others their age. Is an urban culture different than a suburban culture? (I'm just keeping it in the U.S. right now to illustrate a point.) Is one race's schema different than another race's schema?
The answer was beautifully apparent when I sat five feet from a classically trained Cuban pianist, listening to music I grew up with for the first time. Yes, I grew up with that music. And yes, I was listening to it for the first time.
I was "seeing" it through the eyes of another culture. And it make the experience, the music, all the richer. Instead of forcing our children to see American schools through the eyes of those who went through American schools, we should attempt to embrace as much as we can from others. It will make the entire experience more rich.
The guy was awesome. Look him up and buy his cd (he is not paying me to advertise for him - I do have a point coming). Here was a man playing Chopin, my grandmother's favorite composer, giving his music a Latin flair. A Latin Chopin! How awesome! Hererra did the same thing with Rachmaninoff. I was floored. But it got me to thinking about our learning (seriously, I do have a life; I don't spend every waking moment thinking about how my experiences tie into school - they just sort of do, actually).
Nachito Hererra came to this country only a few years ago. He speaks English with a very heavy Cuban accent. He really doesn't need to speak at all, because his music speaks for him. Why is that? Because classical music is world-wide. The heavy-hitter composers are known all over the globe. But each culture soaks up the language of music differently. Hererra heard Chopin differently than I heard Chopin - because of the difference in our experiences - our culture - our schema. I would never have thought to put a Latin beat to Chopins nocturnes. But he did - because of the life experience in which he was immersed.
What does that say about our learners? Our readers? Our students coming to American schools from families who have never experienced American schools? Our gifted students? Our struggling students? Each and every student comes to school with a certain set of life experiences, and takes from his or her learning something different because of that schema. There are students who have no books at home. There are students who hate reading because they read letters backwards and no one can seem to help them. There are students who have a brain that functions so beyond their years that they can't figure out how to really connect with others their age. Is an urban culture different than a suburban culture? (I'm just keeping it in the U.S. right now to illustrate a point.) Is one race's schema different than another race's schema?
The answer was beautifully apparent when I sat five feet from a classically trained Cuban pianist, listening to music I grew up with for the first time. Yes, I grew up with that music. And yes, I was listening to it for the first time.
I was "seeing" it through the eyes of another culture. And it make the experience, the music, all the richer. Instead of forcing our children to see American schools through the eyes of those who went through American schools, we should attempt to embrace as much as we can from others. It will make the entire experience more rich.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
No rigor moratorium!
Yes, yes, yes, I meant "moratorium" rather than "mortis". Frankly, a rigor moratorium would be the same as rigor mortis. Dead and stiff education, stiff from "the unavailability of energy needed" (American Heritage Science Dictionary). When one looks up the word "rigor" in the dictionary, geesh, a lot of unpleasant images are created through the use of strong descriptors - words like "harsh inflexibility" and "severity and cruelty" and "unyielding or inflexible". And yet we use that term as a GOOD thing in education, well, good when used in the correct context and not in the context of any of those nouns/adjectives above!
What does rigor mean in the context of education? According to Strong, Silver and Perini (2001), rigor is "the goal of helping students develop the capacity to understand content that is complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging."
In other words, FULL OF LIFE! Rigor should be viewed as a curriculum goal for every single student - in every single subject area - in order to get all students to become thinkers. This definition of rigor requires students to work with challenging ideas and complex texts. Rigor stimulates the brain and helps make connections between learning and life. Nice.
Rigor is NOT more of the same. It's not the quantity of content (yes, children, we will learn ALL the world's history in eighteen weeks; let's get started!). It's not about "back to basics" or as some people put it, a "core" or "classical" curriculum, and it's not just for selected students. Content is important, don't get me wrong. In fact, I'm screaming that theme! But it needs to be rich, deep, and meaty. Why? Rigorous texts get students to become more flexible thinkers. Because students will tackle more difficult material and make sense of it, they will become better readers and more critical readers. Rigorous content requires attention, which in turn hones their critical thinking skills. Most of all, appropriate rigor creates self-confidence. Why on earth would I create easy stuff for my students? They would have been insulted. A rigorous content, with enthusiastic guidance and support, meant that my students knew I had faith in them and would undertake the journey with them. And when they succeeded, it was a beautiful thing. It wasn't handed to them.
Rigor is relevant to life and to our students' futures. It's critical. It makes learning come ALIVE!
What does rigor mean in the context of education? According to Strong, Silver and Perini (2001), rigor is "the goal of helping students develop the capacity to understand content that is complex, ambiguous, provocative, and personally or emotionally challenging."
In other words, FULL OF LIFE! Rigor should be viewed as a curriculum goal for every single student - in every single subject area - in order to get all students to become thinkers. This definition of rigor requires students to work with challenging ideas and complex texts. Rigor stimulates the brain and helps make connections between learning and life. Nice.
Rigor is NOT more of the same. It's not the quantity of content (yes, children, we will learn ALL the world's history in eighteen weeks; let's get started!). It's not about "back to basics" or as some people put it, a "core" or "classical" curriculum, and it's not just for selected students. Content is important, don't get me wrong. In fact, I'm screaming that theme! But it needs to be rich, deep, and meaty. Why? Rigorous texts get students to become more flexible thinkers. Because students will tackle more difficult material and make sense of it, they will become better readers and more critical readers. Rigorous content requires attention, which in turn hones their critical thinking skills. Most of all, appropriate rigor creates self-confidence. Why on earth would I create easy stuff for my students? They would have been insulted. A rigorous content, with enthusiastic guidance and support, meant that my students knew I had faith in them and would undertake the journey with them. And when they succeeded, it was a beautiful thing. It wasn't handed to them.
Rigor is relevant to life and to our students' futures. It's critical. It makes learning come ALIVE!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Oh, for the love of..... reading!
One of my favorite quotes in the whole world comes from a wonderful writer (and fellow sarcasm lover), Mark Twain, who once stated, "The man who doesn't read is no better than the man who can't."
Think about that for a minute.... it's really true, isn't it???
In 2003, 14% of American adults (defined as those age 16 and older) had BELOW BASIC literacy (National Center for Education Statistics). Below basic literacy is defined as the most simple and concrete literacy skills - such as signing a form and adding the amounts on a bank deposit slip. 14% of a million is...140,000, correct? And how many million adults are in the United States? Approximately 211 million as of 2000. So, since I love math and I am math literate, let's see...that's 29.5 MILLION adults at the below basic proficiency level of literacy. whoa. That figure makes my head spin. These are really the people who CAN'T read. (The bigger question here begs an answer...why can't they read?) Others can, but don't. Why don't people read?
I know what you're thinking. Life gets in the way. We're so busy! We'd love to read, but... we just can't squeeze in the time.
But let me ask you a question: would we accept these answers from a kindergartner? I'll be honest, we do actually accept these answers from adolescents - getting an eighth grade boy to pick up a book is pretty hard to do these days. But what about an elementary school-age child? Study after study shows that early literacy habits have a direct correlation to success in reading. And those who are good at what they do usually LIKE doing it.
We implemented the Schoolwide Enrichment Model in Reading this year at Harriet Bishop. One of its goals is to bring back the love of reading - and how does it do that, you may ask? By actively and purposely engaging students in texts that are approximately one level above their current reading level while in school. In other words, students aren't just reading in school; they're getting BETTER at their reading in school. It's a pretty logical concept, really, when you think about it. Children are actively engaged in self-selected texts in school that are at their instructional level. So the book is something they WANT to read, and they're learning skills and strategies while reading it. Schoolwide Enrichment Model in Reading (SEM-R) helps students become active partners in their own reading. It focuses on the development of self-regulated readers. Students are exposed to a wide variety of texts and text structures, purposefully selected by teachers to develop skills and strategies, and stimulate interest. It's not simply about the love of reading, but I reiterate what I said before - people will do what they're good at. And they'll LIKE what they're good at. The other two goals of SEM-R are to encourage students to pursue independent reading of appropriately challenging texts, and to improve fluency and comprehension.
If one wishes to look at this subject economically, illiteracy is a HUGE drain on resources in the United States. Alone, approximately 70% of current prison inmates would be considered illiterate. But not only that, the POTENTIAL resources for the United States are drained as well. Fields such as the sciences and technology NEED proficient and advanced readers. Food for thought.
I know that I will never get all students to love reading as much as I do. (I can try...) But if I can get students to love reading enough to continue reading, to grow as readers, and to bring reading into their adult lives, then I've done something worthwhile.
Think about that for a minute.... it's really true, isn't it???
In 2003, 14% of American adults (defined as those age 16 and older) had BELOW BASIC literacy (National Center for Education Statistics). Below basic literacy is defined as the most simple and concrete literacy skills - such as signing a form and adding the amounts on a bank deposit slip. 14% of a million is...140,000, correct? And how many million adults are in the United States? Approximately 211 million as of 2000. So, since I love math and I am math literate, let's see...that's 29.5 MILLION adults at the below basic proficiency level of literacy. whoa. That figure makes my head spin. These are really the people who CAN'T read. (The bigger question here begs an answer...why can't they read?) Others can, but don't. Why don't people read?
I know what you're thinking. Life gets in the way. We're so busy! We'd love to read, but... we just can't squeeze in the time.
But let me ask you a question: would we accept these answers from a kindergartner? I'll be honest, we do actually accept these answers from adolescents - getting an eighth grade boy to pick up a book is pretty hard to do these days. But what about an elementary school-age child? Study after study shows that early literacy habits have a direct correlation to success in reading. And those who are good at what they do usually LIKE doing it.
We implemented the Schoolwide Enrichment Model in Reading this year at Harriet Bishop. One of its goals is to bring back the love of reading - and how does it do that, you may ask? By actively and purposely engaging students in texts that are approximately one level above their current reading level while in school. In other words, students aren't just reading in school; they're getting BETTER at their reading in school. It's a pretty logical concept, really, when you think about it. Children are actively engaged in self-selected texts in school that are at their instructional level. So the book is something they WANT to read, and they're learning skills and strategies while reading it. Schoolwide Enrichment Model in Reading (SEM-R) helps students become active partners in their own reading. It focuses on the development of self-regulated readers. Students are exposed to a wide variety of texts and text structures, purposefully selected by teachers to develop skills and strategies, and stimulate interest. It's not simply about the love of reading, but I reiterate what I said before - people will do what they're good at. And they'll LIKE what they're good at. The other two goals of SEM-R are to encourage students to pursue independent reading of appropriately challenging texts, and to improve fluency and comprehension.
If one wishes to look at this subject economically, illiteracy is a HUGE drain on resources in the United States. Alone, approximately 70% of current prison inmates would be considered illiterate. But not only that, the POTENTIAL resources for the United States are drained as well. Fields such as the sciences and technology NEED proficient and advanced readers. Food for thought.
I know that I will never get all students to love reading as much as I do. (I can try...) But if I can get students to love reading enough to continue reading, to grow as readers, and to bring reading into their adult lives, then I've done something worthwhile.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Importance of Service
A week ago I had the pleasure of rolling up my sleeves and working side-by-side with teachers, parents, and sixth grade students from Harriet Bishop, Hidden Valley, and Marion W. Savage. I picked a bad day to wear a black shirt. By the time we finished, my shirt was covered with soy dust!
You see, we were taking part in a gigantic Feed My Starving Children event taking place at Prince of Peace. ALL of the meals we made during our two hours (we only ended up packing for about an hour and 15 minutes of that) went directly to Haiti. We made about 68,000 meals out of a total of 1, 527,768 - again, ALL of it went to Haiti.
Not only did we help a nation in desperate need, but kids worked with their future classmates at Eagle Ridge Junior High. They laughed, worked, laughed a bit more, made some initial connections, and strengthened other connections. Most importantly, the kids learned, some of them for the first time, that serving others isn't just an idea. Instead it is an attitude...a habit...a way of life...and it doesn't have to be complicated!
I believe in what we are doing at Harriet Bishop. The staff continues to push themselves to grow professionally in order to meet the needs of our students in even more profound and impactful ways. This is saying something, as we know what terrific teachers we had to begin with! Our students are fantastic, energetic, and hard-working. I'm very proud of how they've grown as well rounded youngsters. However, I'm not sure I've ever been more proud of our students, as well as the students from Hidden Valley and Marion W. Savage, than I was last Friday. Before leaving the campus to return to Harriet Bishop I sat silently in my car to reflect on what I had just witnessed. These kids will never meet the kids they helped that day, but they willingly and joyfully worked hard to bag meals for them (chicken, veggie, soy, rice!), seeking nothing in return. If that isn't the definition of serving others, I don't know what is!
You see, we were taking part in a gigantic Feed My Starving Children event taking place at Prince of Peace. ALL of the meals we made during our two hours (we only ended up packing for about an hour and 15 minutes of that) went directly to Haiti. We made about 68,000 meals out of a total of 1, 527,768 - again, ALL of it went to Haiti.
Not only did we help a nation in desperate need, but kids worked with their future classmates at Eagle Ridge Junior High. They laughed, worked, laughed a bit more, made some initial connections, and strengthened other connections. Most importantly, the kids learned, some of them for the first time, that serving others isn't just an idea. Instead it is an attitude...a habit...a way of life...and it doesn't have to be complicated!
I believe in what we are doing at Harriet Bishop. The staff continues to push themselves to grow professionally in order to meet the needs of our students in even more profound and impactful ways. This is saying something, as we know what terrific teachers we had to begin with! Our students are fantastic, energetic, and hard-working. I'm very proud of how they've grown as well rounded youngsters. However, I'm not sure I've ever been more proud of our students, as well as the students from Hidden Valley and Marion W. Savage, than I was last Friday. Before leaving the campus to return to Harriet Bishop I sat silently in my car to reflect on what I had just witnessed. These kids will never meet the kids they helped that day, but they willingly and joyfully worked hard to bag meals for them (chicken, veggie, soy, rice!), seeking nothing in return. If that isn't the definition of serving others, I don't know what is!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Invisible Lines
I heard a story this morning: a student was talking with a teacher and was repeating a conversation from home. The student used the term "invisible lines" in the context of Harriet Bishop when explaining the conversation. That term, invisible lines, intrigued me. What did he or she or the family mean? Was it about clustering within the classroom, which is the backbone of Harriet Bishop's philosophy of serving all its students at their instructional level? Was it in reference to schoolwide math, which we implemented, again, to serve students at their instructional level...so that they would LEARN? Was it about the hot topic of boundary changes? Was it about magnet students vs. attendance area students? (Shouldn't it be, then, magnet students vs. variance/open enrollment students vs. attendance area students? No one should be left out of the equation.) What does invisible lines mean?
There's a book that I think every child should read. (Okay, I think there are a LOT of books that every child should read. Bear with me.) Ironically (or coincidentally - glass half full) it is titled Invisible Lines, by Mary Amato. It was just recently published. It's the story of Trevor, a middle school-aged boy who has just moved into a new apartment with his single mom and siblings. It's subsidized housing, and it's not a very nice place. I'm sure his mother would not have chosen this place if she could have afforded another one. And she is trying - she works two jobs to make ends meet, which is why Trevor spends a lot of time babysitting his younger siblings. The one thing this apartment does afford the family, however, is the chance for Trevor to attend a relatively affluent school. (Integration - crossing an invisible line?) He gets there and finds himself in a gifted science class in a G/T program at the school. He is terribly worried that he won't be able to do the work, but because his teacher is trained well and thinks outside the box (he's quite a character), Trevor finds himself learning a LOT and actually enjoying the learning, and it's getting easier. (Would he have crossed an invisible line at that point? I think so.) There's a lot going on in this story, and it brings up subjects that some of us would rather not face - things like abandonment, socio-economic cruelty, violence. Trevor has a lot of talents - hidden talents that are being brought out in the classroom, and his very apparent talent of soccer. He's a good soccer player - but that brings up even more challenges, including how to pay for the equipment he needs if he is chosen to be on the "elite" soccer team. The story brings up one child's efforts to meet the challenges of an accelerated program, a program that child had never had the chance to be in before. It deftly illustrates the tension between rich vs. housing projects.
Really, truly, all "invisible lines", if you think about it.
I live in South Minneapolis, and I am going through the process of figuring out where my son will begin kindergarten. Minneapolis, for the first time, has been broken down into "zones". Within the zone, a family has a choice of their neighborhood school and two magnet schools. You make your choices, and then are put in a lottery.
So my husband and I toured the schools. The first school I walked into was what many would think is in a relatively "sketchy" part of town, to overuse a euphemism. (All my son cared about, however, was that the school was across the street from a Dairy Queen. Doesn't that say a lot about the open minds and eyes of children?) Anyway, I walked into the school building. It was 98 years old. Old hallways, but beautifully open. Old floors, but sound great when you walk on them. Old woodwork, but solid walnut. Old windows, but with lattice panes. I have NEVER, and I do mean NEVER, walked into a more welcoming building. Instead of American flags lining the hallways, flags from all over the world were there (now there's a great teachable moment...). Students of every shape, size, color, personality in the classrooms. This was a neighborhood school that was beginning its journey to become a magnet (just as Harriet Bishop went through last year). Teachers were embracing the journey - and it was going to be HARD work, because this school is becoming an IB Primary Years Programme School, so they have their work cut out for them. My son, my beautiful, blond, blue-eyed boy, would be a minority in that school.
And I loved every part of it. The attitude of the staff and the principal permeated the air - that attitude of "we embrace all learners and expect excellence from all." That attitude of "every part of a person matters - from their skin color to their motivation to their history to their home life to their enthusiasm." It all matters. That's what I walked away from after touring that school. It's a Title school. Free- and reduced-lunch students abound. And those students, like Trevor, will get the chance to unlock hidden talents, while developing those that are apparent.
It's time to make those lines visible, so we can deliberately and enthusiastically cross them.
There's a book that I think every child should read. (Okay, I think there are a LOT of books that every child should read. Bear with me.) Ironically (or coincidentally - glass half full) it is titled Invisible Lines, by Mary Amato. It was just recently published. It's the story of Trevor, a middle school-aged boy who has just moved into a new apartment with his single mom and siblings. It's subsidized housing, and it's not a very nice place. I'm sure his mother would not have chosen this place if she could have afforded another one. And she is trying - she works two jobs to make ends meet, which is why Trevor spends a lot of time babysitting his younger siblings. The one thing this apartment does afford the family, however, is the chance for Trevor to attend a relatively affluent school. (Integration - crossing an invisible line?) He gets there and finds himself in a gifted science class in a G/T program at the school. He is terribly worried that he won't be able to do the work, but because his teacher is trained well and thinks outside the box (he's quite a character), Trevor finds himself learning a LOT and actually enjoying the learning, and it's getting easier. (Would he have crossed an invisible line at that point? I think so.) There's a lot going on in this story, and it brings up subjects that some of us would rather not face - things like abandonment, socio-economic cruelty, violence. Trevor has a lot of talents - hidden talents that are being brought out in the classroom, and his very apparent talent of soccer. He's a good soccer player - but that brings up even more challenges, including how to pay for the equipment he needs if he is chosen to be on the "elite" soccer team. The story brings up one child's efforts to meet the challenges of an accelerated program, a program that child had never had the chance to be in before. It deftly illustrates the tension between rich vs. housing projects.
Really, truly, all "invisible lines", if you think about it.
I live in South Minneapolis, and I am going through the process of figuring out where my son will begin kindergarten. Minneapolis, for the first time, has been broken down into "zones". Within the zone, a family has a choice of their neighborhood school and two magnet schools. You make your choices, and then are put in a lottery.
So my husband and I toured the schools. The first school I walked into was what many would think is in a relatively "sketchy" part of town, to overuse a euphemism. (All my son cared about, however, was that the school was across the street from a Dairy Queen. Doesn't that say a lot about the open minds and eyes of children?) Anyway, I walked into the school building. It was 98 years old. Old hallways, but beautifully open. Old floors, but sound great when you walk on them. Old woodwork, but solid walnut. Old windows, but with lattice panes. I have NEVER, and I do mean NEVER, walked into a more welcoming building. Instead of American flags lining the hallways, flags from all over the world were there (now there's a great teachable moment...). Students of every shape, size, color, personality in the classrooms. This was a neighborhood school that was beginning its journey to become a magnet (just as Harriet Bishop went through last year). Teachers were embracing the journey - and it was going to be HARD work, because this school is becoming an IB Primary Years Programme School, so they have their work cut out for them. My son, my beautiful, blond, blue-eyed boy, would be a minority in that school.
And I loved every part of it. The attitude of the staff and the principal permeated the air - that attitude of "we embrace all learners and expect excellence from all." That attitude of "every part of a person matters - from their skin color to their motivation to their history to their home life to their enthusiasm." It all matters. That's what I walked away from after touring that school. It's a Title school. Free- and reduced-lunch students abound. And those students, like Trevor, will get the chance to unlock hidden talents, while developing those that are apparent.
It's time to make those lines visible, so we can deliberately and enthusiastically cross them.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Active and Involved
This has been an extremely busy week both within our school and within our neighborhoods. I am once again reminded of the passion and involvement of Harriet Bishop parents. On Monday, we had a magnet open house, attended by nearly 70 parents. On Tuesday, next year's kindergarteners brought their parents to our annual Kindergarten Orientation. That same day, the Harriet Bishop Advisory Panel, made up entirely of parents, met to discuss programming, initial survey results, and the Facilities Utilization Taskforce's recommendation for boundary changes.
Speaking of that recommendation... several of you have called, stopped by, or emailed with questions. Thank you for your involvement! No question is a poor question. If I know the answer, I'll tell you. If I don't, I'll try to steer you in the right direction.
Speaking of that recommendation... several of you have called, stopped by, or emailed with questions. Thank you for your involvement! No question is a poor question. If I know the answer, I'll tell you. If I don't, I'll try to steer you in the right direction.
Tradition, Tradition, and the Vacuumous Black Hole
First, I feel compelled to reiterate who I am. I am an educator, first and foremost. For those of you who know me as a teacher, you know that I am an educator, and am passionate about education. This is my fifteenth year in the Burnsville district, and I have taught many, many students, including those students who were achieving at well below grade level and at risk for failure. For those of you who know me as a coordinator, you know that I am passionate about education. Notice I didn't qualify "education". I didn't say anything about educating some and not others. I am passionate about the power of learning, about the power of knowledge, about the power of education.
I also am well acquainted with the power of a black hole - especially when it has to do with information. I will admit, I'm only somewhat familiar with the power of REAL black holes, because I have never encountered one in space. (Someday, maybe...) But informational black holes? Yes, I am quite familiar with those. They are a vacuum... and scientists know that in the natural world, a vacuum will find its way to fill up. It is the same with informational black holes. Even if people don't have all the information, the informational black hole will still find a way to fill up. So.... I am writing to help fill an informational vacuum that exists right now because, as was the purpose of creating this blog, I want my parents and families to have all of the correct information.
1. No program in existence at Harriet Bishop exists or was created at the expense of the education of any student. Our mission statement is for ALL students.
2. Magnet programs and schools in public education provide choice, and also bring in additional dollars to the district if students are coming in from outside the district.
3. Qualified and sustained research proves again and again that learning a language at a young age is much easier and longer-lasting than learning one at an older age.
4. Students learn best at their instructional level.
5. Gifted education receives one penny for every $100.00 of money spent on education in this nation.
6. SEEKERS at Harriet Bishop does not exist solely for the magnet gifted students. Both magnet students and neighborhood students are enjoying an enriching experience at the skillful and loving hands of Mrs. Koutnik.
7. No proposed boundary change or recommendation for change was made to make room for more magnet students at Harriet Bishop.
8. This blog was never intended for one audience. If one will read all the entries, he or she will see the great desire to blend new and existing families together by writing about a journey. I write about all children, and help people better understand a growing population in our school - that population of gifted children. I write about opportunities to learn - about strings, and Spanish, and the Minnesota Orchestra - all opportunities that are not limited to the gifted population. I want all families at Harriet Bishop to understand what's backstage - how we're building what we're building and why.
I love this school and I love what we are doing. What we are doing is right and good for all students in this building. We are still learning and growing, and like I've said before, we're not perfect out of the gate. Harriet Bishop has a rich tradition of quality education. We are continuing that tradition, and will continue that tradition of quality education for ALL students. Every single child deserves that.
I also am well acquainted with the power of a black hole - especially when it has to do with information. I will admit, I'm only somewhat familiar with the power of REAL black holes, because I have never encountered one in space. (Someday, maybe...) But informational black holes? Yes, I am quite familiar with those. They are a vacuum... and scientists know that in the natural world, a vacuum will find its way to fill up. It is the same with informational black holes. Even if people don't have all the information, the informational black hole will still find a way to fill up. So.... I am writing to help fill an informational vacuum that exists right now because, as was the purpose of creating this blog, I want my parents and families to have all of the correct information.
1. No program in existence at Harriet Bishop exists or was created at the expense of the education of any student. Our mission statement is for ALL students.
2. Magnet programs and schools in public education provide choice, and also bring in additional dollars to the district if students are coming in from outside the district.
3. Qualified and sustained research proves again and again that learning a language at a young age is much easier and longer-lasting than learning one at an older age.
4. Students learn best at their instructional level.
5. Gifted education receives one penny for every $100.00 of money spent on education in this nation.
6. SEEKERS at Harriet Bishop does not exist solely for the magnet gifted students. Both magnet students and neighborhood students are enjoying an enriching experience at the skillful and loving hands of Mrs. Koutnik.
7. No proposed boundary change or recommendation for change was made to make room for more magnet students at Harriet Bishop.
8. This blog was never intended for one audience. If one will read all the entries, he or she will see the great desire to blend new and existing families together by writing about a journey. I write about all children, and help people better understand a growing population in our school - that population of gifted children. I write about opportunities to learn - about strings, and Spanish, and the Minnesota Orchestra - all opportunities that are not limited to the gifted population. I want all families at Harriet Bishop to understand what's backstage - how we're building what we're building and why.
I love this school and I love what we are doing. What we are doing is right and good for all students in this building. We are still learning and growing, and like I've said before, we're not perfect out of the gate. Harriet Bishop has a rich tradition of quality education. We are continuing that tradition, and will continue that tradition of quality education for ALL students. Every single child deserves that.
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Magic of Encouragement
"You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everyone wins." -Jim Stovall
You're probably thinking to yourself right now, hmmm, nice quote, but who is Jim Stovall? His name is not a household name, but his entrepreneurship is known quite widely. See, Jim Stovall has been instrumental in making television accessible for our nation's 13 million blind and visually impaired people. To me, that is awesome. He was a National champion Olympic weightlifter, so he understands the success that hard work brings. And hard work needs encouragement.
I am a language arts teacher, among other things. One of the mantras I had as teacher of writing was that we can't write perfectly the first time around. It takes effort, scrutiny, multiple drafts, and a smattering of hair-pulling to bring forth something really good. It's okay to not be perfect the first time. The success is in the journey.
Harriet Bishop's transition to a magnet school, all the while staying a neighborhood school, has not been without its trials. It's hard work, and like a piece of Pulitzer-prize winning fiction, not perfect straight out of the gate. That's one reason for the creation of our surveys. Think of them like an editor's remarks (I do - I need the feedback). But I got a magical piece of encouragement today in the form of a detailed response in our mid-year survey:
I absolutely believe Harriet Bishop is headed in the right direction...I can't wait to see where we go from here."
A piece of encouragement like that is priceless. First off, the creator of that piece of encouragement probably doesn't realize its impact (just as, sometimes, we don't realize the impact of negative comments). Secondly, the creator of that encouragement is validating the process of what we're doing, and I for one am extremely grateful for that acknowledgement and validation of process. Lastly, the creator of that piece of encouragement used the collective term "we", which implies a team effort - people helping each other. The collective use of "we" was probably the MOST encouraging - that people are willing to do this together. It was a piece of magic, and I am profoundly grateful. Personally, I can't wait to see where we go from here, either.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)