Tonight the chat focused on the positive and celebrated the end of 2013 by sharing stories and ideas that have been positive about our teaching. SO many great tools, videos and books shared. I feel this archive is a must read as a reference to tools you could use in your classroom.
Author: Sweat to Inspire
Educator and Parent
Homework is done to keep me off the naughty list!
I don’t give homework in my class, but I am doing mine to stay off of the naughty list! My friend Shawn Davids wrote a post recently asking fellow bloggers to answer questions and share random facts. IReading other bloggers “Homework” has given me insight into what makes others tick. I am in a race with Colleen Skiles to get it done but lost on speed but gained in learning about self and others. As teachers we often complete activities like this to get to know our classes. So here goes….
11 Random Facts about me…
1. I should have been a doctor: Well at least that is what my family says. My father, grandfather and great grand father were all doctors. Grew up spending hours in hospitals waiting for dad. Guess that is why I am a science teacher now.
2. I failed Biology in HS. Yes totally ironic, son of a doctor and now a science teacher. Wasn’t much of a student then. Freshman year was a rough adjustment time for me and my grades suffered. Retook the class the next year and got an A.
3. Went to Kent School for HS. Kent is a college prep boarding school in Connecticut. I was from rural mid-Illinois (Quincy). Culture shock for me really. Might explain failing Bio. Took me a year to get on my feet. Great school. Really challenged and changed me.
4. I am a loner by nature. I tend to like to sit off in the corner of a crowded room and observe other. Often feel like I don’t fit in any one group but friends with all groups.
5. Big Micro-brew fan. SO big in fact that when some friends from college started one, I invested. ( New Holland Brewing Company when it was in the start up phase) I am still an investor today. Incredible how the business has grown. I would be a brewer in another life. (Good thing I work on the other side of the state). This might explain some random micro-brew tweets.
6. A fellow student at Kent was Seth MacFarlane. We were not friends but knew each other. My students always want to know about him. Funny how I feel he has more influence over my students through his TV shows than I do.
7. Experts told me to go into the career of teaching when I was just 18, wish I listened. My grandmother had me tested for career aptitude. I still have the report that says I should go into education or education technology. Instead I majored in Communications in college the first time around. Took till 29 to realize the experts were right.
8. My first car was a 1969 Buick Station Wagon Special Deluxe: My friends called it the Brady Mobile.
9. Prefer fruit deserts over chocolate.
10. Once had a Mohawk in high school. Yes had issues fitting in.
11.Always ask for presents for my children on Secret Santa wish list.
Ok, now to answer David’s 11 questions:
1.Smooth or crunch Peanut butter?
Smooth Peanut butter: Crunchy is hard to spread and rips the bread. Smooth all the way.
2.Where is your Happy Place?
Sitting in the bay at my families cottage on Walloon Lake.
3. Your Favorite movie as a child?
Always loved “A Christmas Story”, must be coming to mind due to the time of year. Don’t miss it every year.
4. What quote inspires you the most?
“If it doesn’t kill you it only makes you stronger.” Was a marine quote that my fraternity used all the time. Reminds me that doing tasks make us better. Who doesn’t want to be better.
5. If you could sit down for one hour with any person, past or present, who would it be and why?
My father. He died when I was 17. Would want to know if I was living up to his expectations.
6. What’s one of the scariest things you’ve ever done?
Well, it wasn’t by choice but I survived a plane crash. Scared the crap out of me. Glad to have survived.
7. In just one word, how would your friends describe you? Your colleagues?
Friends: Loyal Colleagues: Dedicated
8.What’s the best decision you ever made?
Going back to school to become a teacher
9. What did you do for your 16th birthday?
Don’t remember! Must have sucked: I was a junior at a boarding school not much to do to celebrate. Didn’t get my driver’s licences till Summer after. (My birthday is in March)
10. What is your favorite joke?
When a student asks what’s up? I answer ceiling tiles. (Dry sense of humor I know)
11 Bloggers that inspire me!!
John Bernia– The Principal’s Page
Tom Whitford– The Connected Educator’s Hotspot
Carina Hilbert– The Grumpy Language Teacher
Garth Holman– Teachers for tomorrow
Ben Curran – Engaging Educators
Chris Stanley– Learning As We Go
Ben Kuhlman– Writing and Teaching
Ben Rimes- The Tech Savvy Educator
Short list of many who write to better education!
Your Homework: Hope you choose to do it!
1. Why do you teach?
2. What was your favorite book as a child?
3. If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go? and why?
4. Favorite dessert?
5. Describe the inside of your car?
6. Where were you on 9/11?
7. How many states have you traveled to?
8. What was your first blog post about?
9. What was your Best Christmas gift ever received?
10. Describe you standard work attire?
11. Favorite store to shop in?
Your responses will help us know you better!
So Now It’s Your Turn
Here’s how it works:
- Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
- Share 11 random facts about yourself.
- Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
- List 11 bloggers.
- Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.
Post back here with a link after you write this. Go on, you have homework to do. Thanks in Advance!
The Forgotten Purpose of Education
As United States policy makers set out to raise the standards on education by implementing the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS), I often think we have forgotten the purpose of education. Legislators have been convinced by “Education Reformers” that raising the standards will make our country competitive again in national tests and the rankings that follow. States, school districts and teachers have gotten caught up in attempting to teach the numerous standards each year. Many of us fail to cover it all. The argument made has been: “We don’t want Mary Poppins teachers”, you know those who teach a few of their favorite things. “We want to know that all students have the same educational foundation”, often called guaranteed and viable. Other education educational buzz words often used to describe new curriculum are rigorous and relevant.
When reading about the new CCSS non-educators often feel it is a needed change, especially with all the negative press education has received lately. Many educators have spoken out against the CCSS, arguing that it is a sign of corporate take over to education and takes away from the arts, leaving education dry and scripted. Really lost in all of this banter is the TRUE purpose of education.
Is education supposed to:
- Guarantee that individuals know curriculum?
- Create employable students?
- Enable students to be college ready?
- Solve a quadratic equation?
- Create a graph?
- Use the scientific method?
- Speak a foreign language?
- Create an App?
- Write a song?
- Paint a Masterpiece?
- Build a house?
The answer is simple yet lost in all of the discussion about education lately. Education is for ONE thing and ONE thing only. Since the dawn of time education has been about LEARNING to LEARN. Once this process is completed we can do all of the above if we so desire.
Think about it: Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Wozinak did not follow a “Common Curriculum” on their paths to greatness. Mozart, Picasso, and Jackson Pollock would have never created such wonderful works if their learning bound by a “common” content.
Schools need to become a place where students learn the basic skills. Then they are allowed to explore topics pushing their teachers to help them. This is the discovery that four and five year-olds have, the endless questioning and excitement. You know the ones parents get tired of and answer with BECAUSE! Schools should not be on clocks, expecting everyone to discover their path by 18. Some get to the road much quicker and others might like to wander in the woods for awhile.
A teacher will know they have done their job when their pupils finds answers to their questions without assistance.
Remember schools can’t teach all the skills needed for employment. Too many jobs and skill sets are changing too fast. I went to high school in the 1980’s: No internet and few computers. Look at me now writing a blog!! Once we know how to learn we can do anything we desire!
Let’s return education to its true purpose: TEACHING how to LEARN!!
Thanks… Focus on positive and let the negative fall away!
It is that time of year, where you reflect and give thanks for all the positive things in your life. As a teacher it has been easy to get caught up in all the negativity. The profession feels like it has been under a relentless attack lately, but there is so much to be thankful.
- Professional Learning Network- Such a positive group of teachers can be found on social media. When you are feeling down, have a bad day, they are always there to pick me up. I have yet to have a negative experience with my PLN. You engagement me, challenge me to grow and do better, give me comfort after a long day and never let me settle for being good.
- Collaboration- Teaching is in a time of transition from teachers being alone in rooms doing their own thing to a model where teachers collaborate to create awesome learning experiences for their students. All who have collaborated with me, thank you for opening you minds and sharing what you do in your classrooms so I can be a better teacher.
- My Administrators – They get it! Knowing how to comfort the afflicted teachers and challenge the comfortable. Always striving to exhibit the traits teachers desire. Thanks for being humans, not robots, striving for the best learning environment possible.
- #MichED – Thanks to the vision of Jeff Bush for spearheading the efforts to start this group of Michigan teachers. You all inspire me. The weekly chat is just the tip of the iceberg. Meeting many of you face to face has greatly enhanced my learning when attending Edcamps and conferences. Looking forward to the Connected Educator Unconference in Boyne City in January to meet more of you.
- AMLE– Thanks for the support with #mschat. Everyone at AMLE has an incredible energy and enthusiasm towards teaching students in the middle level. The passion that you bring out in members inspires. I can’t wait till we collaborate again. (Great chat coming in January).
- MEA– Protecting the risk taking teachers is a hard job. Many of us would only be good without the knowledge that the union is there to protect and fight for teachers rights. Being a union person is not a glamorous job (similar to teaching), it has many critics. The job they do, helps us all be better teachers.
Enjoy your break with family and friends. Focus on all the positives we have in life and teaching. Be the change you wish for in education.
Traits teachers desire in their Principals.
Principals have a tough job. They are responsible for an entire building of staff and students. Answer questions and demands from all sides. It is hard to for them to focus on their passion: The student and their learning (Has to be to spend so much time in a school), In the rush to handle the demands of the job, principals can take their staff for granted. Forgetting about the need for building and maintaining relationships. Below are a few traits that teachers find desirable in their principals.
- Listen to teachers, acknowledge their concerns and give them assurances to their actions. Teachers need to feel that the principal hears them and cares what is being said. Teachers like to feel like their opinion matters and it should. Respond promptly to concerns and address them. Disagreements will occur but not without hearing both sides out, then agree to disagree.
- Give time to your staff. Teachers want to be able to reflect and share what they are doing in their classrooms with the principal. Leaders need to be available for staff to meet, share positives and discuss concerns. Create a schedule so teachers know when you have time for them on a regular basis. When principals aren’t available teachers feel that they don’t care what is going on in the classrooms. Ask questions about lessons, successes and failures. Staff will be more comfortable sharing when more time if give.
- Give honest timely constructive feedback. IF you see a great lesson, tell the world. IF you see one that needs work, reflect back to your teaching days find the positive and then share how to make it better. Be specific on what works and doesn’t to help the staff grow.
- Treat all staff as equals. Teachers need to feel valued and equal. Every member of a building’s staff has unique qualities that make the entire team work. Give all staff equal access and time. Play no favorites, staff will see this action and start making assumptions upon it.
- Publicly back your staff. Teachers need to make split decisions when dealing with students. Back the decisions publicly, so staff feels supported. If teachers action was a wrong, deal with the issue in a private setting so the teacher can save face. Teachers need to feel supported.
- Lead by example. Model the behaviors you desire out of staff. Remember that your staff is watching every action. Choices you make with behaviors affect the entire building.
- Be Positive. Smile and say Hi! Just like Harry Wong says a teacher should meet their students, Principals should meet their staff every day. This is probably the hardest thing to do but has the best results when done.
Hope these quick reminders help remind principals to focus on their staff and create a positive environment for everyone to work and learn.
Reflections on 3 days of learning at #AMLE2013
Students performing at #AMLE2013 
I had the pleasure of attending The Association of Middle Level Education Conference in Minneapolis, MN this past week. It was my first time attending a “national” level conference. The conference had an incredible feel of energy an passion. Walking into the convention hall I should have know the energy would be high since the line for the only coffee stand around went out of sight. All the attendees had to get their share of caffeine to match the energy of the conference and its presenters.
The session program was littered with who is who of educational Authors/ experts: Ruth Culham, Laura Robb, Jeff Wilhelm, Ruby Payne, Rick Stiggins, Jack Berckemeyer, Monte Selby, Kim Campbell and Rick Wormeli to name a few. As an attendee it was hard for me to choose what sessions to attend, not only high caliber sessions from authors, but 100’s of sessions from teachers about what works in their classrooms. Every session I walked into demonstrated a passion for teaching every student that walks into a middle school classroom. What ever topic you needed to fulfill your professional development needs you could find it.
The General Session on Thursday remarkable. The Special Olympics, Project Unify put on a stage show demonstrating the needs to spread the word to end the word. If you every get a chance to see their performances DO!! Inspiring and meaningful. Every middle school student should be exposed to this program. Danielle Liebl and Jamie Behymer shared their personal stories about student advocacy and how SPecial Olympics had impacted their lives. The session ended with everyone dancing to Katy Perry’s Roar!
Friday kicked off early with a 7:30 general session by Brad Meltzer about Heroes. I am a huge fan of his Decoded series on the History Channel, but did not know why he would be speaking at a middle level conference. He opened sharing his story about how he became a writer. Stories about his teachers filled the auditorium. He talked about the power of Thank You, and listening to the unheard stories for those are the ones with meaning. I was inspired by the end, Brad Meltzer is an engaging story teller.
For me the greatest experience of the conference was connecting with other like minded educators. As a classroom teacher, I have little time to connect and share ideas with others. Due to my activity on Twitter, I meet up with members of my Professional Learning Network. We talked in the halls, in session, on twitter and enjoyed meals together. These personal connections matter. I also had the privilege to attend the AMLE leadership lunch on Friday. The discussion there were rich with focus on students learning. The time was engaging and meaningful. Lead by Dru Tomlin, the lunch is a must for leaders that want to engage in answering the critical questions facing educators.
The conference wasn’t all roses: WiFi connections were spotty at times and the web app for the conference had issues. It was not light on the pocket book: I was out over $800 for travel and accommodations (Note to self find a sponsor for next year: anyone??) The money was worth it, the conference is not about the TECH so those were minor drawbacks. The conference was about connections, passion, energy all to make student’s learning improve in the classrooms.
All attendees have to remember to maintain the feelings from the conference, share the passion with your building and maintain connections with presenters via twitter. One member of my PLN shared that the energy felt at conferences can be continued by participating in Twitter chats. I hope I can live up to the energy and passion presented at the conference. If you have the time it is so worth attending. I hope to return next year when it will be in Nashville, TN,
Thank you to all I connected with! Dru Tomlin, Mark Clements and Rick Wormeli: Thank you for making me feel your equal. You inspire me to work harder and be better everyday.
Sweat to Inspire 