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He is more than a test score!

Posted on April 22, 2016April 23, 2016 by Sweat to Inspire

Griffin exploring Tiger’s dug-out during TigerFest16

One of the highlights of my days while I have been on medical leave is when my son, Griffin walks in the door from school. Normally I would be finishing my day at work. He comes in the house excited from his day. Typically he shares about learning in his classes and asks me questions for more information. Then we move to small talk about Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons before he settles in with a snack while doing homework. After that is done, he typically relaxes by watching “Chopped” on the cooking channel, since he has a passion for food. Tuesday was different, the door opened quietly something was different. Griffin had a scowl on his face, dropped his school bag on the kitchen table, ripped papers out to hand to me. Without words he marched over to hand me these papers from school, he almost had tears in his eyes. “HERE” he said, placing them upside down in my hand and rushed away. Was he in trouble? What could these papers say that made him so upset? As I turned the paper over, I realized he was upset with his NWEA MAP scores. Only one of the four test scores had shown growth. Should he be upset? Should I?

Griffin has loved school since he started, even with his struggles. Griffin has apraxia, he didn’t talk until 4 years old. He can’t sound out words. He has always been a struggling reader. Since kindergarten he has been marked below grade level as a reader. He has been tutored and memorizes words so he can read. His memory is incredible. Since he could talk he could give directions to a house, park or store after only going their once. Griffin works incredibly hard to make up for his disability. He has a passion for science and geography. This year as a sixth grader he won the school geography bee beating out seventh and eight grades. He competed on the school’s science olympics team, winning medals at the county tournament each of the past 4 years. He is a Boy Scout. He plays baseball and basketball. I have coached him in basketball since 2nd grade. His first year he scored 2 points, this year he lead his team in scoring as they cruised to an undefeated season. This is a chid who has grown. He has grown physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially. He is more than a score!! Should he be upset about the scores?

I was concerned. Was Griffin doing enough? Would he be ready for a career when done with school? (and I am a teacher just wonder what non-teachers ask?)

Last night Griffin walked in with a smile again, handing me an envelope, his report card. All A’s with outstanding marks for citizenship. Totally different emotion than the MAP test. Grades actually reflect Griffin’s learning efforts based upon teaching. MAP tests are normalized, knowledge based questions that might never have been taught. Which is more valuable? Griffin’s class grades are based on a standardized grading system that he has to score an 85% to meet the standard (A) or he can reassess until he does meet the standard. Not meeting the standard leads to an F. This system has it flaws but stresses student learning. Griffin has worked hard, reassessed when he failed to meet the standard, receiving A’s all year. Does this mean more than the MAP score?

Autism

I hated seeing my son arrive home crying about school. Is MAP testing hurting him? Do students who perform well on this test go on to live better lives with better jobs? Is having a low score going to hurt Griffin? He has already been offered “help” classes to take the place of his electives. On the advice of teachers, we have declined, not wanting take way quality experiences for Griffin. He gets to enjoy Band, Tech Ed, Spanish, Health, and Gym instead. Should students miss opportunities to boost their test scores? Might that turn them off to learning even more?

Schools need to be careful how we use tests and scores. We need to look at the WHOLE child, not just this little knowledge snap shot.

Careers are more than scores, GRIFFIN and every child is more than a test score!!

Evolving into my father …

Posted on November 3, 2015November 3, 2015 by Sweat to Inspire

I am clearing out our family office to make a bedroom for my seven year old son Gavin, who has been sharing a room with his 11 year old brother. I came across this picture of me and my dad. That is me on his right with the life jacket on. My father passed away in 1988, this is not how I remember him. During the 17 years I had with my father, I rarely spent time with him. He was a passionate physician. He worked 7 days a week for what seemed to be 20 hours a day. He made time for his children when he could. Always tried to make it home for dinner but more often than not his meal ended up sitting in the microwave till he made it home after our bed time. Mom was left to take care of us as he worked hard to be the caregiver for those that needed his medical skills. Often traveling with his patients most in need to hospitals in larger cities where they could get better care, since we lived in a small rural town in Illinois (Quincy).

I remember patients of his stopping by our house to drop off firewood, baked goods and produce as payment for services rendered. He explained that his patients needed care, their insurance didn’t cover services and this was all they could afford. He left a profitable clinic practice to run his own private practice because he disagreed with their practice of ordering unneeded tests that the insurance covered. He traveled all over the country to learn more from other doctors to be the best he could be.

As I reflect on my memories of my father, I see myself evolving into him. The good and bad all are showing up.

Since father was a third generation doctor, many in the family applied pressure for me to purse the profession. I resisted because I didn’t want my fathers life of being consumed by his profession. 27 years latter and I see it has happened despite my career choice. Like my father’s passion drove him to learn more and raise his voice in medicine, my passion in education has taken me all over the country and raising my voice for change in education. Being a Lead Fellow for Michigan Educator Voice Fellowship has been rewarding. Helping teachers raise their voice and share their passions needs to happen.

As a father I want a better education system for my 3 wonderful children. I just need to remember to find the balance that my father failed to have with me. I need to take breaks from my passion to spend quality time with my children. Dad did take some breaks, mainly in the summer but they aren’t the memories. I need to remember to take breaks all year round to make the best memories.

Evolving into my father isn’t a bad thing, like all of us he had great qualities and some flaws. His work ethic legacy lives on inside of me. I just need to remember to past the best qualities on to my children, to leave a legacy for them. I want them to remember our fun times, not just me working.

But I have my own kids too!

Posted on October 9, 2014October 9, 2014 by Sweat to Inspire

This year I am feeling guilty. I am rushing home after school, not staying to plan or meet with our formative assessment team. I missed the first district school improvement meeting and haven’t made a middle school sporting event. This is new for me. Up until this school year, my wife was a stay at home mom. Taking care of our 3 wonderful kids while I worked and looked after my school family. Now she has returned to the work force. I want to stay for school events, but I have my own kids who need me too.

Teachers all over the country are dealing with the guilt of leaving one family to take care of the other. Communities expect teachers to attend every school event. To be around to tutoring, to help out at dances and sporting events. Even to coach sports teams. To attend school events many teachers sacrifice time with their own families. If a school event is missed I feel guilty for not supporting my students. I also feel this guilt when I miss my own children’s event too.

I went into teaching as a second career to make a difference. I know I would not get rich financially but become rich in the connections I made to the community and with my students. Every student who ever walks in my door is “MINE”. I care deeply about them. I feel guilty when they ask if I can attend their game or event and I can’t attend. I especially feel the guilt this week. Our high school has a tradition for Homecoming, football players are to present staff members who made a difference in their educational career with a jersey along with a letter explain why the staff members was picked. This is the second year I have been presented with a jersey. Sadly my 10 year old son has a baseball game at the same time as the homecoming game.

I few outside of education understand how torn teachers can feel. I over hear comments from parents about why teachers can do more after school. Or why Teachers can attend events. We try, we want to, but we have kids too!

Finding Balance, in our unbalanced world!!

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Sweat to Inspire

The end of the school year brings so many activities. As a teacher and a parent of 3 children, it is often hard to find balance in daily life. Constantly running from event to event. Making the impossible choices of disappointing my many students or my 3 children. Throw in my “extras” of being a union president, my son’s baseball coach and connected educator, one might say I spend my days spinning many plates, making sure none fall. Learning to find a balance is key for an educators survival in this unbalanced world.

A few rules I try to live by to make sure nothing falls:

1. Prioritize: What has to be done versus what can wait. Identify what is urgent and take care of these items. Delay action on items that are not time dependent until you have time. Keep a list, move thing up and down based on the time needs. Make sure you give your up-most attention to those items that are important.

2. Delegate: If someone else can handle the task, LET THEM DO IT!! If a friend offers to grade papers, take the kids to the park, or help out, take them up on the offer.

3. Take care of you: Make sure you eat right, get you needed sleep, and exercise. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t function properly to fulfill all the demands on you time. Take a break from the go, go, go and take care of your needs.

4. Be true to the task: Make sure your efforts are YOUR BEST, if you can’t give it your best it is time to cut items off your to do list and start saying NO!

5. Don’t Regret what you miss out on: IF you couldn’t attend a school event or be there for everyone of your child’s events it is okay. Make sure you ask about what you miss and show those that matter you care about them, but don’t regret that you don’t have a clone or 36 hours in the day.

Finally: Make the important moments matter! Show the appropriate enthusiasm at events, Make everyone that matters know you are there to participate fully. Don’t try to multitask during the school talent show or you child’s award ceremony. Just be there for them!!

So much is going on in our lives. Make sure you focus on what you can do. Live in the moment. Enjoy those that you are with. Keep all the plates spinning!!

Notice I have been so busy I haven’t written a blog post in awhile, many spinning in my head, hopefully I will have time when my summer break begins June 18th!

Dear Parents- A Teacher’s advice for the school year

Posted on August 14, 2013August 20, 2013 by Sweat to Inspire

Dear Parents-

As the school year starts, please listen to the following advice of how to help your child be successful in school (and life).

You are vital to your child’s educational process. Make sure you participate and build a partnership with your child’s teacher (s)
Make sure your child eats nutritional meals- Food is vital for the brain to learn.
A regular sleep pattern will enable your child to be alert and ready to learn in the classroom. Research shows 8 or more hours of sleep is optimal.
IF you need to contact your child during school hours, call the school not their cell phone. Cell phones should be off during school hours (some teachers may allow use in class for learning). You message my be important but will distract the class. Schools have systems for getting messages to students.
Speak positively about school and education to your child. If you don’t like or understand an assignment don’t share this with your child, discuss it with the teacher or school’s principal. It is important not to foster negative attitude towards education in your child.
Have a daily discussion about school. Show your child you are interested in what they are learning in school. Ask them what they like? Don’t understand? and Learned? Stay away from just asking what they “did” in school since the most common answer will be “nothing” which you know isn’t true.
Homework might not occur daily (I don’t give any) but learning should still occur at home. Students should review ideas covered in class and work on areas of weakness at home. If your child’s grades are low in a subject ask teachers for ways to reinforce/ improve skills at home.
Don’t stress over grades for your child, stress learning and best effort. Grades are just a snapshot of how a student measures up to a standard. Encourage your child to work hard and improve in their abilities. If this is your focus grades will improve.
Teachers are your partners in educating your child, keep an open positive line of communication. They want ALL children to succeed, listen to their suggestions and communicate your concerns.
Reading and comprehension are fundamental for any students success. Model reading and encourage your child to read something daily. It can be anything that interest them: Books, magazines, websites, comics,
Most of all: Show your child that learning is essential and many times fun!

Please try to follow this advice, so that you and your children can have a wonderful school year. It is important that teachers and parents work as partners in students success. Have an awesome year!!

Vacation School Lessons #vsl

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Sweat to Inspire

When you hear the word “vacation” many imagines come to mind: beaches, fine dining, airplanes, boats, etc. Is learning something that comes to mind when vacation is mentioned? Learning happens all the time, but vacations offer unique learning opportunities. Children are in a new environment, interacting with different people everyday. Vacations are the perfect place for learning.

Depending on how you travel on your vacations, geography and modes of transportation are good themes on vacation. We usually travel by car, my son, loves to read all the licences plates looking for different states he always wonders how far people are traveling. He also asks about all the cities and landmarks we pass. Great learning opportunities if you have the time to talk about them in detail along the way. When we have traveled by plane we have discussed more United States geography and spend time talking about time zones and distances.

I feel better learning happens at your destination. Weather and Climate are natural topics to discuss with children on vacation, especially if you are traveling to a different climate region. Cultures can be a topic on vacation if you are traveling to a region with different cultural climate than where you live. Last year we traveled from Michigan to San Diego and our children loved learning about the region so different from their own. For those of us that are daring, we can also expose our children to awesome new culinary choices. Most vacationers dine out, make bold choices that are different than ones you would make at home.

Of course many vacations are educational by nature, whether you are traveling to Mackinaw Island, Sleeping Bear Dunes or Tahquanmenon Falls (All great spots in Michigan) the purpose is to learn about the location. My children know that trips like these are fun and for learning. They have loved our trips to all of them. Learning about the history of Mackinaw Island or how the falls and dunes formed.

Often on vacation learning can be unintentional. Children learn about SPF for sunscreen and the value of good Aloe Vera lotion if they stay out in the sun to long. Just today by children learned the value of a bowline knot for tubing and how to be a “Good Samaritan” as we helped out a distressed sailboat. Earlier in the week they learned how to bait a hook and catch a fish. This of course lead to me teaching a hands-on lesson on gutting and skinning the fish and later cooking it.

Just remember that the learning happens everywhere. The best learning is hands-on and vacations lead to great new learning experiences, not just for relaxing. (Although that is a good use for vacations too!!)

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