No School For You, Bully! But Did We Fix Anything?

The news broke last night that the 4 middle schoolers who were caught on tape tormenting their bus monitor received a year's suspension from riding the bus as well as school.  A whole school year! (I should add they get to go to the district reengagement center, not just sit at home).  So while many cheered at the justice being served, I shook my head and once again thought about how we dole out punishment in the American educational system.

I am not here to argue that what they did was in any way justifiable.  I am not here to argue that they should not be punished.  But a year's suspension?  Since when does any bullying incident result in a whole year away from school?  This seems to be another case of media sensationalism leading to excessive punishment, without actually thinking about how these kids could be helped instead.  Where is the repair?  The discussion of what led to all of this?  The plan for something like this to not happen again?

The sad thing is, we only know about this case because one kid foolishly published the video to Youtube, apparently proud of their achievement as bullies.  The bus monitor didn't report it, or at least we don't know that she did.  She also barely spoke up for herself throughout the ordeal, instead sitting their stoically taking whatever evil words they could fling at her.  How often does that happen, those untold stories of bullying that we only discover after it is too late?  How do school react to those stories where young children commit suicide due to the cruel nature of others?  What about the every day bullying that happens in our hallways, in our lunch rooms, at our recesses, right underneath our noses?  What punishment do those kids get?  How often do we say it is just a part of growing up, it is just a  part of school, it is just a part of life?  How often do we come up with a repair plan but then don't follow through?  How often do we not believe the children that report the bullying?  So when a case like this one, that seems so cut and dry, we jump on it, flaunt our muscles, blame the parents and then punish those kids with every thing we have.  Those kids are going to pay.  Those kids will be an example.  Those kids will learn.  And yet, we don't actually fix the problem.

So I wonder what can we as a society do to prevent these situations from happening?  And how can we serve justice in a way that makes sense, that makes children change their behaviors?  How do we focus in on all bullying and not just those cases that make it into the media, that start an outcry?  How do we teach children and adults, because adults are as much of a part of this as children, that bullying is vile and inhumane?  They say kids learn best from examples set, well, how are we setting the example?  What responsibility are we taking for all of this?  And how do we truly show kids that bullying is not just "not ok" it is deplorable?

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• How Do You Punish Your Students? (mrspripp.blogspot.com)

How to Create Successful Student Blogging - Taking it to A Deeper Level

One question that pops up in my conversations with people whenever I highlight the blogging I do with my 5th graders is that of safety and commitment.   How to keep them safe while online, how to prevent cyber bullying and also how to get them invested so it is not just another chore on their massive to do lists.  While approaches differ, this is what has worked well for me.

• Open it up to the world.  One huge fear people have when they have their students blog is opening up the blog to the world but those global connections are exactly what make blogging such a phenomenal experience for everyone.  If I had a private blog I wouldn't have to teach the students much, it is the vast possibility of the unknown that forces us to really think about how we present ourselves to the world and how we conduct ourselves.
• Stay on as moderator.  While this may be an "oh duh" comment just leaving you as moderator of both comments and posts and then doing your job (reading everything) is a huge deterrent to anything.  Comments don't just slip through.  Posts have the right tone and students present themselves well.  And I have only once in my 2 years of student blogging had to intervene in a post.  That's with more than 1,600 students posts.
• Prepare, prepare, prepare.  I don't just set up their blog and let them do it, we prepare through many steps.  We learn about safety and we approach it like any other skill; one we must develop in order to fully understand it.  But it goes deeper than safety, we have to get to the "why" of blogging, otherwise it will just be another demand from the teacher.
• Treat it with reverence.  Blogging is not an automatic right in my classroom.  It is something the students learn about, build toward and ultimately have to prove that they are mature enough to handle.  We discuss how much of a privilege it is throughout the year which means the students get that this is important.  They know they represent our school district on our blog and that adds weight.
• Have conduct rules.  Just like in any other situation we talk about what good commenting, good posting, and good conversational skills are.  Students know that their sense of humor can be taken out of context and that they need to represent at all times.  So we discuss how to engage in a dialogue without hurting others and we talk about how to offer appropriate feedback as well.
• Revisit.  I say this all the time, just like in any other big life lessons, how to blog appropriately, safely and well is not a beginning of the year lesson, it is an all the time lesson.  And you need to make the time for it.  
• Build community.  Blogging is only really successful if you have the trust of the students.  We use our blog to discuss happenings in our classroom, do curriculum, but also to write about big issues that affect the students.  If they didn't trust me and their audience, my kids wouldn't bare their hearts like they do.  Asking a 10 year old to tell them how they really feel about your classroom can be viewed as a trick question, one asked to get them into trouble, so before you get to those big questions, the foundation of honesty, reflection, and trust has to be present in the physical world.  
• Walk the walk.  I blog extensively and I share it with my students.  I talk about what my take aways are from blogging and why it is a necessary part of my growth as a teacher.  I do not hide what I blog about and I even highlight some posts that revolve around my students.  I show how I comment, build relationships and respond appropriately.  I am right there with my students, doing the same thing they do, sharing the experience.
• Listen.  I have students suggest topics, I have them give me feedback, and I let them blog about whatever they want.  All of that adds their passion to it and that is why they keep blogging even now when school is out and they are on summer vacation.  They still have stories to tell and people to connect with.  

By no means a complete list, but hopefully food for thought.  Student blogging can be such a powerful learning experience and one that shows students that they have a voice and a place in the world of importance.  They are indeed connected within our class, our school, and in the world.  What else can you do for free that teaches them that?

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I Don't Think Your Students Are Ready - When We Don't Assign Homework

Mathematics homework (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

"....I worry about your students next year, I don't think they will be ready...". My heart is pounding so hard it sounds like a truck, I can feel my checks blazing, my hands are clenching. She worries? About my students? About those kids that I have poured everything into? Those kids that have set higher expectations for themselves than any other grade I have taught? Those kids that demand a better education, a deeper discussion, a better understanding of what we do and why we do it. This teacher worries about my kids? My ears fail to listen and I feel the need to explain myself, to defend and argue but instead I raise my gaze and ask simply, "Why?" The answer is swift, "You don't have any homework..." I wait, what else, but there is just silence. Homework and not giving it once again the center of a discussion.

So what is it about homework and whether to assign it or not that becomes such a flashpoint in education? Both sides are passionate in their reasoning for or against but the discussion seems to happen more outside of our schools than in them, not amongst colleagues. This teacher had decided, without speaking to me, that since I did not assign homework, students were not held responsible for their learning. Students were not held accountable for showing what they knew and I had no idea of how to challenge them. This was not a fair assessment by any means but still the one that had been made. So when others are misinformed about what a "no homework" classroom really is like, is it up to us to reach out and educate? Or should we expect them to come to us to become informed before they pass their judgment?

We may have all of the answers ourselves but how do we communicate them to other staff? How do we make others realize that there is a way to still deeply teach something without assigning outside of school work? How do we help others realize that homework does not have to be an integral part of what school is and that children will still be prepared for what is to come? Are we only fooling ourselves when we do boast that we are still creating responsible, accountable, time managing students without the use of homework? Can we truly not prepare students for the "rigors" of school if we do not do what others around us do? Can my fifth graders still be succesful in middle school even though I did not expect them to do two hours of work every night? Have I fooled myself into thinking that I am helping them become deeper thinkers when all I am really doing is robbing them of their chance for success? Was that teacher right? Should I be worried about my students?

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Can We Prepare Students for Middle School If We Don't Assign Homework?

I wonder if my child will be overwhelmed in middle school by all of the homework since they have not had much with you... The comment stares me in the face and I immediately think up excuses; but we had homework, we just did it in class, but it is not my problem what happens in middle school, and why didn't this parent bring it up before? And then I pause, re-read the comment, take away the personal insult I had added to it and see it as feedback, see it for what it truly is; a learning opportunity. 

Homework, that integral part of going to school, that bastion of what afternoons should be consumed by, how school should look. We grew up with it, we survived, we learned the lessons and now our children should go through the same. I used to believe that home work taught a deeper lesson, that without it children would not learn lessons such as time management, responsibility, accountability. I used to believe that if a child did not do their homework then they were not taking school seriously, that the failure to complete their end of the deal exonerated me from any further responsibility. Really all I had to then was punish and move on, hope the kid got the homework done and understood the bigger lesson. And now I know how wrong I was in those beliefs. I know how homework became something expected but not contemplated. and yet how do you communicate that to those kids it affects? How do you effectively have parents place their faith in you when how you run your classroom is pretty different than what they ever tried?

So for next school year I will not just mention my homework policy. I will thoroughly explain it and also stress that it is not that my students do less work than the other fifth grade classes, it is just that they do it at school instead. It is just that they may not get worksheets but rather delve deeper into projects, dedicating class time to learn those same lessons of accountability, responsibility, and time management. I will leave the doors for discussion open and encourage the questions, not afraid of criticism but welcoming the process, carefully explaining why I make the choices I make and how the students will indeed be prepared for middle school.

And so I continue to read through the feedback and I stumble upon one that is just as unexpected, just as deep... "I wish I had had a teacher like you in school, I am sure I would have liked school more if I had...". And I smile and I reflect and I am grateful for all those that took the time to tell me how they felt.

We only grow when we open up to the good and the bad, we only grow when we realize our own imperfection. We only grow when we reveal our vulnerability and then really listen, I would not want it any other way.

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Yes, We May Be Shocked But Let's Not Pretend to Be Surprised

English: this is my own version of what bullying looks like (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After the video of Karen Klein, the bus monitor who was relentlessly bullied by middle schoolers, went viral, the world is shocked.  How could these children treat another human being this way?  How could these kids get away with it?  And we show our outrage by donating money to give Karen a vacation, to get her away from her job, as a way to apologize for the torment she was subjected to at the hands of children.  We show our outrage by sending death threats to the children involved, swearing that this time, it has to stop.

And sure I find myself shocked as well, shocked that children once again prove just how cruel they can be.  Shocked at the level of bullying these kids stoop to.  Shocked that they talk about stabbing her and gang up on her and never stop.   But I am not surprised.  And neither should anyone else be.  This happens every day, on busses across our nation.  Whether it is kids turning on each other other or turning on adults, this is our reality.  We talk about bully prevention but forget that the minute our children are out of sight from us, they make their own decisions.  As parents we hope that the decisions they make will make us proud, rather than mortified.  We hope that we have raised them right, to be decent human beings that do not harm, that do not torment, that do not bully.  And yet, the moment we send them out of our door, they make their own decisions, good or bad.

I see this with my 3 year old when I pick her up from daycare.  How rather than solving a dispute she hits another child, and I stand there mortified.  Shocked even, that my loving child, hit someone else when she didn't get the toy she wanted.  Yes, it is a stage, and yes, she is only 3, but still...we have raised her better.  She knows she is not allowed to hit.  She knows what the consequences are.  She knows our expectations, and yet, her arm raised and slap, making the other child cry.  Far cry from the bullying that happened to Karen Klein, but the same nonetheless.  The hurting of another human being.

So what can we do?  We talk about training against bullying.  We talk about awareness of what makes a bully.  We monitor our children, our students, we talk and talk and talk.  We share videos, we enlist celebrities, we punish, and we talk some more.  And yet it doesn't seem to make a difference.  Kids continue to be kids, and kids continue to bully.  So let's continue being outraged, but let's not be surprised.    Surprise means we are not aware and that is a luxury we no longer can hide behind.

2 years of blogging

I remember grammar, læs og forstå, and always writing depressing essays.

By 13 it was poetry, long endless drones with every metaphor known to man.  A child wanting attention so bad that drama was the way to do it.

Then back to writing for duty for the next 15 years,  Essays, reflections, papers, and always hoping inspiration would strike so that I may find my lost voice.

Wanting to write more, looking for that elusive voice I had lost.  Blogging became it; the essence recaptured, stories to be told, journeys to be dissected.

And now I feel like a writer again, that lost part of me returned, thankful and thankless, but of so needed.  Thank you for reading the past 2 years.

More Tips for Landing that Teacher Job

I swear every summer without fail I end up on an interview committee, and this summer proved to be no different. I do it out of pleasure, out of passion, out of wanting to find that perfect person who is going to make our school stronger, make us all better, teach us all something.  I do it so that I stay fresh in what my own responses would be, to be part of the process, to see all the amazing candidates out there.  And I know it isn't easy.  I know how hard it is to even get on the phone with a principal, let alone make it to the final round.  When I interviewed for my job I beat out more than 450 candidates; 450!  And that number steadily climbs every year, so with today fresh in my mind, as well as all of the other experiences, here are just a couple of hints to help you land that job.

• Be enthusiastic but stay true to your personality.  If you are a naturally chipper person, let it shine through.  Don't pretend you are something other than you, believe me, that type of charade gets cumbersome to uphold. 
• Know your programs and abbreviations and admit when you don't.  You cannot fake your way through a discussion of Everyday Math if you don't actually know the program, admit it, and then talk about how you are going to learn more about it and ultimately implement it.
• Be passionate, but don't scare me.  Sometimes you can want something so bad that your passion just turns into something frightening.  Scale back a little, go for the goal, but don't overwhelm the team.  As teachers we wonder how you will be with students when that happens and not in a positive way.
• Elaborate just enough.  Know when to add details, such as your own personal examples and then say just enough.  Since knowing when to speak and when not to is a huge teacher quality and something we correlate to your classroom performance, proving in the interview that you can master it is a huge benefit.
• Even if you are brand new believe you have something to add to the team.  Discuss how you will overcome your obstacles, how you will be a part of the team and then also what you can add.  You must have learned something in your education, life, and student teaching - share it.
• Don't use buzz words if you cannot explain them.  This is a common trap I think many of us make; we use lingo without fully understanding what it entails.  Just don't.  Know your stuff, do your research, but also know your limitations.
• Know how to integrate technology.   And this is not because I love my technology, even though I do, but I have sat through too many answers where the "integration" piece is projecting images on a SmartBoard or using netbooks for research.  That is not integration, that is merely using the tools given to you.  I can guarantee that something like that will pop up in most interview questions, it is a sign of the times after all, so do your research and be inventive.  Reach out and see what others do, ask other teachers how they would answer the question.  

So there you have it, just a few more tips that will hopefully help others get a step closer to their dream job.  Being a teacher is a passion, so be passionate about it, bring your personality, and let t your enthusiasm shine through.  Know your materials, do your research, but for goodness sake, don't scare me.

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A Child Reveals His Ambition and I Snort

Basketball (Photo credit: mvongrue)

"...Awe but Mrs. Ripp, I won't need to know how to do this because I am going to be a famous basketball player..."

I hold back a snort.  Really?  A famous basketball player?  In my head, the statistics of this ever coming true run through at lightning speed, I am about to say something, and then I stop.  Who am I to squash a dream, even if in my eyes it is an unrealistic one?

So I take a different approach.  "Did you know that even famous basketball players have to go to high school, have to learn, have to go to college?"  The boy stares at me.  "Did you know that this will directly lead into more math that we are going to do and I have a feeling you are going think it is really fun?  Did you know that to be a true role model you shouldn't just be great at basketball but you should also show the world just how smart you are?"  The boy nods, still unsure of what I am saying, but I walk away, dreams still in place, not squashed by this teacher.

As a teacher, I used to be the biggest realist I knew.  I was quick to tell students what they could or could not do, the odds of something happening to them.  I felt it was part of my job to set them up for "real life" with real expectations and real failure coming their way.  Now I know better, there is no sense in destroying dreams, even if we know it may not happen.  There is no sense in taking hope away from children.  What we can do, though, is to show them everything else that is important; how an education fits into their dreams.  How an education may be the ticket to get them where they need to be.    Hoa an education is not a waste of their time, so don't make it a waste of their time.  Make it something they want to have, make school a place they want to go to.  A lofty goal perhaps, but a necessary one.

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Not All Teachers Have to Blog or Even Be On Twitter

Image via CrunchBase

I see a lot of posts and discussion about how we wish all teachers would get on Twitter or how all teacher should start a blog, and at first, I was a believer.  I know how much I have benefitted, in fact, how much my life has changed, because of blogging and Twitter.  And yet, now I falter on the belief of blogging and tweeting for all.

Blogging for me opens up a conversation that I don't have the time for to have face to face some times.  It opens up debates, new ideas, and inspiration that I often cannot find in my every day doings.  However, it also removes me from seeking out those opportunities to have those same discussions "live."  That doesn't mean everyone responds that way, but I think many of us do.  Blogging is a tool for deep reflection, even though it is a public one, it is a time for me to put myself out there and to sort through what it is I really mean.  And that doesn't work for everyone, and why would it?  We all have different comfort levels in how we share ourselves.

So instead of syaing that all teachers should blog we should hope that all teachers reflect.  Whether it is through a blog, throguh a conversation, through a journal; the reflection is what matters.  The reaching out to others and having those courageous conversations, putting yourself and your ideals out therefor debate, that is what matters.  Not whether you blog or not.

The same goes for Twitter.  I love Twitter because I can connect with others, easily, on my time.  Yet you can connect in other ways.  Twitter is not the only way you can learn something and again here I think it is the act of connecting that makes us herald Twitter as the best PD for teachers.  It is not Twitter that does the professional development for us; it is the way we use it.

So no, I don't think all teachers should have a blog.  I don't think all teachers should be on Twitter.  But they should all be reflecting and connecting somehow, somewhere, with someone.

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What My Dreams Tell Me Is Not Pretty

Image from icanread

"Peter, Peter..."  I wait until that child, and the whole class, is staring at me..."Get to work!"  I am 10 feet from the child and he just shakes his head.  I keep on doing what I was doing, satisfied that I have set him back on his path.  Except I have done more than that, I have also pointed out to the whole class that Peter (all names changed for obvious reasons) is once again not doing what he is supposed to and now they can follow along in his progress as well.  Yikes.

"George, you didn't blog, what are you going to do about it?"  I am once again asking George to stay in for recess, except I am clever, I am not telling him he has to, he has to come to that conclusion himself.  I know he doesn't have the time at home and he doesn't spend time very effectively in class, so recess it has to be, in fact, I point that out to him when his first answer is hat he will do it when he gets home.  Yikes.

"Thomas, sit up and start participating..." Once again I am on the warpath because that child has decided that math is too hard and has therefore put his head down refusing to participate.  I've seen it before, all they need is a stern talking to and their math confidence will come right back, right?  Yikes.

My dreams have been kind enough to point out all of the mistakes I made in the past year.  Those missed moments of communication, those missed opportunities for leaving a kid be, giving them some space and then reaching out when they are ready.    Now those moments show up at night, except they are exaggerated versions, all to show me just what I did wrong.  And I am grateful because although I cringe and get mad at myself, I see where I diverged from my road.  Where it went wrong.  My patience was stretched more, my mind was always too busy.  So as I think of next year I reclaim my focus, my inner peace and remind myself to bring it into school.  To slow down and evaluate the situation, not just shoot my mouth.  I learn from my mistakes just as I ask my students to do.

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Forced Education is Not Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Image from here

An interesting debate has been sparked in the comments section of my post "Not Grading is Awful" on the Cooperative Catalyst, with some people stating that forced school is inhumane.  I have been pondering this for a bit and I must say I disagree; having an educational system that is mandatory is not inhumane, not having one would be.  And neither is forcing courses on students, it all comes down how those courses are taught, which incidentally is something we do have a bit of control over.

Now I know that we are tied to standards and district regulations, the politicians are breathing down our neck to raise test scores and there are, indeed, major flaws within our educational system, and yet...There are many things we can change within the public school setting.  I did.  But back to the original point that forced courses or mandatory education is cruel and unusual punishment and that students should have a free reign instead over what they study and how.  I disagree.  I think students should be expected to take certain classes simply because education is what rounds us out at human beings.  Particularly in the primary grades.  I loved climbing trees as a child and could have spent most of my days outside roaming around with my knife, and yes because of school I couldn't pursue that all day, however, that childhood passion would certainly not have led me down the path of teaching.  Instead going through school and having a foundation to do further studies on led me to where I am.  Children may have the curiosity to explore, and that should never be stifled, however, we must support that curiosity with basic common knowledge and a well-rounded worldview.

So some may argue that there is no point in knowing historical facts that do not directly relate to whatever we end up pursuing as a career.  Some may argue that much of math is arbitrary for most people who simply do not end up using it.  Some even say that grammar and how to write an essay is superfluous knowledge that does us no good.  I disagree.  I think all of these lead us to where we end up.  I think knowledge as a whole is needed to be a citizen, to be a knowledgeable member of society, to be respected and accepted.  So I may not remember all of the days of grammar drilling, or spelling lines, or even math facts, but I see the result of them; me teaching it to my students but trying to make it more interesting.

I think we sometimes mistake the whole notion of education for all as flawed, where instead we should be focusing in on the parts that are.  Drill and kill, sometimes that is a necessary component.  Teacher talking, yep that too.  However, how we teach becomes just as important as what we teach.   And that is something we all have control over in this endless debate of education policy.

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Have Something to Say? Here's Your Chance

As many people know we are in the final countdown before the arrival of our twins; Ida and Oskar.  These two little miracles should be joining their big sister, Thea, some time in July, which means writing is going to have to take a back seat for a bit.  So although I might not be blogging as much as I usually do, I still want the conversation to keep going. I am therefore hoping that others that have something valuable to add to the conversations here want to guest blog.

I am looking for personal stories of the changes you have made in your classroom/educational philosophy,  posts on giving student voice and giving them more control, dealing with moving away from homework, grades, punishment etc, or anything that you think will fit this blog.  While I wish I could pay you, I can't, but you can link your own blog to the post and hopefully have an increase in traffic because of it or at the very least a fun experience.

So all I am asking from you is to submit your idea to me via email at psripp at gmail dot com, a couple of sentences will do unless you already have the post written up.  Thanks for considering being a voice on this blog.

Not Grading is Awful

I am just going to admit it; not grading sucks!  Not grading means I cannot assign an average, translate it into a grade and be done.  Not grading means I have to have anecdotal evidence to back up my final grade on the report card, anecdotal evidence I have to collect throughout the year and then actually keep in one place.  Not grading also means that my students have not been given percentages at any time throughout the year, which means that when I have to give them a letter grade (as mandated by my district) it is my job to make sure that they have an idea of why they are getting what they get.  Not grading means I cannot just zip through a pile of papers, correct them according to my answer key, and whip out my calculator.  Not grading means that a product can take weeks to truly be complete because that student has to rework it or revisit it in some way.  Not grading means I have to find the time in our super packed schedule to have discussions with kids about their progress.  And it sucks, honestly, because it is so much work.  I am not going to lie.  It is a lot of work not to grade in the traditional sense.

And yet, despite all of this, not grading in the traditional sense of percentages and letter grades makes so much sense to me.  Giving feedback rather than a letter leaves room to start a conversation.  It leaves room for the student's voice to be part of the deliberation.  It leads to more learning situations as I cater my curriculum to fit the needs of that particular student.  It leads to much more time spent with the student rather than at home going through their piles.

For one, sitting down with my students to discuss why they have assigned themselves whatever grade is eye-opening.  To hear 5th graders take control of their learning, to own up to where they should have worked harder, to set up the future path for learning they need to travel, wow!  I even used my Livescribe pen for some of these conversations just to record what the students had to say, even though no one but me would listen to it.

Second, I am amazed at how often my students and I land on the same grade.  These kids really know where they are in their learning journey and they know why they are there.  It is rare that I have to steer them toward a different grade and even then it is something we discuss.

Finally, having these reflective discussions is a great way for me to culminate the year.  The students give me feedback on what worked for them, they give me ideas on how to improve and we discuss where they are headed.  All of them set learning goals for the summer, not through assigned homework, threats or promises from me but because they want to read or want to remember their math concepts.

And yet, I still struggle with taking that conversation and distilling it to a letter grade.  That letter seems so shallow compared to the rich discussion we have had.  That letter doesn't seem to reflect all of the growth they have done.  That letter doesn't seem to describe their journey at all but instead boils them back down to a percentage, to a number and a grade that says nothing.  So I return to my constant state of reflection on grading; what am I trying to accomplish with it?  What is the true purpose?  What am I trying to classify and portray?  How can I ever hope to capture the essence of a child's growth in a mere letter?  And the time?  Where will I continue to find the time as our school gets more focused on tests and data?  I am not sure I have all of the answers but in my heart and mind I know what I am doing makes sense for me.  Even if it is one of the most time consuming changes I have ever integrated into my room.

Related articles

• Zero? No zero? How about just getting rid of grades altogether? (coopcatalyst.wordpress.com)
• But How Do You Really Get Rid of Homework and Still Know Where Students Are At? (mrspripp.blogspot.com)
• Change Doesn't Have to be All or Nothing (mrspripp.blogspot.com)
• Throwing Out Grades Doesn't Mean Throwing Out Expectations (mrspripp.blogspot.com)
• My Kid Is Drowning in Homework - Why Parents Should Be Speaking Up and How (mrspripp.blogspot.com)

My New Rules

This summer I have to make new rules for myself, new rules that don't interfere with that 3 year old little girl that so eagerly wants to show me something.  New rules that don't interfere with my swollen feet and impending arrival of two more children to love and take care of.  New rules that will allow me to let go of the guilt of what I do not do or even the things I do.

So this summer I allow myself to drink a cup of tea outside rather than in front of my computer.  To not check email while blinking because I just woke up.  To not search for things to blog about but go back to my natural voice.

This summer I allow myself to maybe have a bad clothes day, I have been on a good streak lately and it is ok if it ends now.  I allow myself to go to the book store and buy books that will offer me nothing more than entertainment.  This summer I will allow myself to not reach out as much, to unfriend some people and start some deeper conversations.

I will allow myself to eat popsicles and watermelon every day.  To water my plants, to go for a walk, and to even just float in a pool without a magazine.  I will go to the zoo every time Thea asks,who cares if we went the day before?  I will graciously accept any help people offer, knowing that as I get even bigger, my abilities will diminish.

I will allow myself to not care whether people like what I wrote but just to write from the heart again.  I will even allow myself not to write but instead have others share their voice on this blog.  I will allow myself to laugh and cry when I need to but keep everything in perspective.  This summer is about letting go and creating new habits.  This summer I allow myself to go back to life and step away from the cputer.  What will you allow yourself to do?

Student Feedback on Writing

On our last day of school I like to pull out the student questionnaires from the first day of school and have the students revisit them.  We laugh over some of the things we wrote, we share what we still believe our strengths are and then the students tell me what they still don't like about school.  How often do we ask students that?

As we went around the circle one thing was made abundantly clear; writing was not a favorite subject.  Writing!  These students who have blogged more than 700 posts, blown me away with their superhero creations, and handed out heartfelt thank you letters to all of their teachers, they hated writing.  In the past, I would have shrugged and not thought further of it, "Oh well, I tried..."  But this year I asked them to tell me why and how I could fix it.  So here are some of the ideas my 5th graders gave me:

• Let one of the daily journal prompts be a complete free write (easy!)
• We use the 6 traits curriculum so every week focus on one specific skills also in their journals.  They can write about whatever they want but what we are looking to improve is that one skill.
• Give them more time to delve deeper into their stories.
• Have a culminating writing project (which we did this year) but make it free choice.
• Once a week do a pop definition hunt of a word where students are not allowed to use computers.

As I look at this list I see two things; free choice and how easy all of this would be to implement.  So once again I remind myself to give the students time to speak, to add their voice to the curriculum, and then to actually follow through.  I am already excited to add some of this to my writing next year.

My Kids Say Goodbye

We have committees at the end of the year and we always give thanks to all of those who have helped us have a successful year.  So a group of kids spearhead thank you letters; they have everyone write them, they gather them, bind them and present them.  This year though they presented one to me as well; a complete surprise and one that has left me a little teary eyed.  So what were some favorite comments?

• I like it a lot because you are not strict but don't let kids fool around like my bus driver.
• I sometimes have been thinking I did bad but you made me feel much better.
• My family and I will miss you...I babysit.
• The most interesting part of my blogging experience was that people on the other side of the Earth ask questions that people in America think everyone must know the answer [to].
• Thank you for not trying to bore us in class...
• Thank you for criticizing me but not being mean about it.
• You have inspired me to want to become a teacher.
• You cared about the class and what we wanted...
• Thank you for helping and believing in me...
• I will miss you the most

And so that's why I teach...

May your final days with your students be filled with stories and laughter, and perhaps a tear shed in private or public. 

Does Absence Make the Student Grow Dumber? Or Is That Only For Certain Students?

As I wrap up the year I have been tallying absences for my students with some notable surprises.  Wow, that kid was absent that much, I would have never known... Or, wow, that kid hardly missed and yet they didn't grow as much as I would have thought. This end of year project reminds me of a student I had once that missed more than 20% of the year and yet still succeeded academically.  How was this even possible?  He was a fast thinker, had parent support, and probably didn't miss out on that much, which yes, is a total indictment of how I used to teach.

So fast forward to this year and conversations we have about the importance of students being here or else...I can't help but wonder if this applies to all students, I mean, let's face it, there are students that cruise through school no matter how many challenges we throw their way.  And on the flip side there are also students who hit every bump in the road even when they are here.  So is being present in school enough to spell success?  Or is it just one more factor that can lead down a certain path?  I think I know the answer here, that it is just one factor that can lead to success, but then what is behind our thinking and our obsession with students coming to school?  Why do we get so stuck on attendance with some students but not with others? 

To You It May Be Just Politics, But To Me It Is Personal

I became a teacher not for dreams of riches or glory but because I believed I could make a difference.   I believed that I could be the kind of teacher that would inspire children to themselves become teachers.  I would be the kind of teachers that would make school a place students would want to go to.  I would make a mandated education meaningful and relevant.  I didn't become a teacher to get rich or even well-off.  I didn't become a teacher to get a free ride from the public or to mooch off of society.  I didn't become a teacher to have long leisurely summers off where I could do whatever I wanted, which apparently mainly involves scoffing at those who work. 

And yet, if you ask the Governor of Wisconsin and many of his supporters, I had no glorious or noble intentions when I chose my profession.  It is much more simple than that; I became a teacher to catch a free ride.  To hustle the public into paying for my mediocrity with unlimited job protection so I can do as little as possible while collecting a big fat paycheck.  I have become the reason for the recession we are in.  I have become the reason for the dumbing down of American society.  I have become the reason for the deficit, the lack of pay raises and the general bad state of the state of Wisconsin. 

So these days I turn off the radio when the ads come on.  I turn off the TV when the governor proclaims that his reforms are working, that taxpayers support him, that he is moving us forward.  Forward doesn't involve taking the voice away from the people of the state, even if they are public workers.  Forward doesn't involve cutting programs for the poorest people of the state.  Forward doesn't include dividing an entire state because you cannot reach across the aisle.  Increasing class sizes and not being able to hire enough teachers is moving forward?  Cutting my salary, which already is laughable, and giving me no chance for a raise, because there isn't money for it, moving forward?  I can't even bargain for one, like they can in the private sector because that  has been taken away too.   

Yes, I believe in being held accountable, yes, I believe in paying my fair share, but I don't believe that slashing the education budget is forward.  I don't believe in the governor when he says that Wisconsin is on the right path. I don't believe that Wisconsin will become a better state because of what the politicians have done and that to me is just sad.  Those who lead us should be role models, much like the teachers that are bashed every single day.  So this isn't just about politics, this is my life every day.  The decisions made in our capitol affect every single thing I do in the classroom, yet where is the accountability for those who make the decisions?  I hope someone can give me an answer.