To The American People (or anyone reading this blog entry), little is more important to me than proper use of the English language. As employers are finding out from our Text Generation (would that be "TXT GNR8RS"?), we American People are having a hard time with the English language these days. We can't interview well, it seems. A quick back story for you - as a former Language Arts teacher, I could have told anyone this years ago, because I could see it coming in the writing skills of many of my students. When I started getting answers to questions written in text speak, I knew we had a problem on our hands.
This may be a problem of epic proportion, and one that you may refudiate. (At least that one came up as wrong on the grammar checker...whew!) But Google it, if you will. Our young people - those who are graduating from high school and college - are vying for jobs in a shrinking world, and need to man up. So do we as adults, as their mentors, because it is up to us to show them the way. I may be a mama grizzlie (at least people have told me I look like a certain one), but I want to make sure that the generation in charge of taking care of me when I'm an old woman doesn't make a fail. It is up to us to provide for them the a-ha moment where they begin to understand and to believe that clear communication is vital to success (even in a STEM world). English Language Arts may not have the wow factor that other curricular areas, such as chemistry, have (seriously, how can words compete with cool chemical reactions?!), but now's the time when being an effective communicator could become viral. We could start the movement! Our young people, along with their thousands of BFFs, could begin to realize just how important communication among and between the generations really is (along with communication among and between different countries, cultures, etc. Think about it!).
Now, if you think this blog entry is replete with ridiculous information, you may just be right. However, if you see through the transparent layer to the real reason for writing, and find the entry pretty clever, well, thank you. I believe in living life to the fullest, and sometimes showing what a simple list can't: that the way we speak is indicative of the way we think...
... and I for one believe that we should be thinking deeply, figuring out solutions to problems that we haven't encountered yet by using the wisdom of those who have come before us, and communicating clearly our thoughts and opinions. I'm just sayin'...
(In this blog entry I have effectively weaved together all fourteen banished words from the 2011 Lake Superior State University Word List. It wasn't even hard to do, frankly, which makes the words on the list even more scary. I hope you received your mental stimulation for the day. I know I thoroughly enjoyed the process.)
Monday, January 3, 2011
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The Peace Tree
"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.
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.
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.
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