Category: Observations and Opinions

Observations and Opinions

Reflections on 2013 Resolutions

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

As I sit at home on New Year’s eve sipping on an Cabin Fever Brown Ale:

I am think about how I want to improve my teaching over the next year.  There are so many areas of which I can improve. Using more Project Based Learning in my classroom. Move my science instruction to the Modeling approach. Incorporate more technology and choice into lessons. …. The list could go on and on. As a connected educator I have been exposed to so many great teaching ideas, and avenues to explore. There isn’t enough time in a year to accomplish them all.

Focus is essential for all educators. The methods I use are not important, the LEARNING that goes on in my classroom is the vital component.

So how did I do with my goals (Resolutions)  last year? Good thing I have been blogging that long, I can go back and check my 2013 resolutions. A great benefit of blogging and posting on social media is that you can look back and reflect on whether you keep up with your intentions. (Hey I figured out why so many post their workouts on twitter)

By my account I did pretty well with my resolutions this past year.

1. Stay Positive: This is hard for me. More often than not I have been the pessimist in the room. I used to always look at why things couldn’t work. Over the past year, I have been more positive at work. (Need to work on this in my home life more.) Evidence can be shown in my relationships with peers and my Twitter chat. (#mschat)

2. Expand PLN: Well this has happened. I have connected with so many wonderful educators over the past year. Twitter has been a force in my life to help me focus on the positive in education.

3. Use more Formative Assessment in my classroom: I feel that I use more formative assessment today than I ever have. I am constantly using tools that help me measure where students have needs and then use the results to adjust my teaching. The Formative Assessment for Michigan Educators project has been the best PD I have been apart of in my teaching career.

4. Lead by example: Everyday I have thought about how my actions affect all that can see them. I am constantly aware of the example I set as a leader in my district. No one is perfect but I strive for perfection everyday. Over the past year I hope my example has impacted others in positive ways.

5. Blog More: Last year at this time I had written 53 posts. This year I have upped the number to 160. SO 107 posts over the past year. Not bad, doubling my blogging over the year. Hopefully my posts have helped others, and improved my teaching. I feel writing down the ideas has had a great impact on me as a reflective teacher.

Before my “break” from teaching is over I will have to set new resolutions/goals for the year.  Hopefully I can keep up with them as well as I did over 2013.  Wishing you all the best. Enjoy what the NEW YEAR Brings!!

#ISTE13 from a far

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

 

ISTE officially kicks off today after a few days of kick of pre-events. I have mixed emotions about the event. Part of me would love to be in San Antonio, hearing about the latest and greatest ways to infuse technology into my instruction. The other part of me still asks the question I asked a year ago “Should there be an ISTE?” I will be following ISTE 2013, from my home. I could not find it in my personal budget to travel to San Antonio and wife and three children miss me enough during the school year. My district was kind enough to pay for me to attend out states equivalent to ISTE, MACUL, so I am feeling up to date and connected.

WHAT I Will Miss:

  1. Personal Connections: I value personally meeting educators I follow on twitter, and authors whose books I read. The following connection because real. I value all these relationships. For me this was the most powerful part of attending MACUL and meeting my #michED PLN. Whether it is seeing them present, a passing conversation in the hallway or a reflective meal, these face to face meetings are the most powerful.
  2. Presentations on TEACHING: I always benefit from hearing from other teachers about how they teach. It is valuable to hear how teachers use tools in their classrooms, especially when they discuss the pitfalls and learning moments they experienced in their instruction.
  3. Time to reflect: For me the most valuable time at any conference is the time it gives me to actively reflect on my teaching practices and how they can be improved in the future. After hearing a powerful presentation it helps me to think about my practice and how I can incorporate  new techniques into lessons.

I hope that my twitter PLN will keep me updated on these aspects of ISTE.

What I can do without:

  1. Product centered presentations: New tools are fun to learn about and it is hard to keep up with all of them, but I want to know how it will help me teach and my students learn. I want practical applications for my teaching. I don’t want to pay to hear a sales pitch. There are many websites and twitter feeds that focus on new tech. I know many teachers love these presentations but ask yourself, HOW is this going to improve my teaching?
  2. Crowds: 13,000 expected in San Antonio. WOW!! I learn best in a small group and being allowed to try things hands-on. I tend to be shy and get lost in a crowd. This is why Edcamps ate more for me. A sit and get lecture is not how I teach or learn. I can imagine the best presenters will be forced into this large lecture hall presentation environment.
  3. Sponsors SWAG: Sure I would love a new Microsoft tablet or free access to a pay website. How will my students benefit? Not too much. The purpose of the SWAG is to influence larger purchases. I don’t have the deciding power for these purchases in my district. I feel the sponsors money could be spent in better ways. How about helping subsidize teachers travel/ attendance to the conference? (Sure doesn’t help my crowd issue)

I wish all of you lucky enough to attend #ISTE13 a wonderful conference. Remember to share your learning with others because that is where it has true value. I hope to hear all about your experiences.

 

 

Why bullying won’t end in schools!

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

We live in a society fully of bullying! In recent years films have been made about how this affects the learning environments in schools. Bullying is a HUGE problem in schools. It needs to be solved. Many states have enacted legislation that make schools follow specific protocol to follow to prevent bullying. These types of actions are just simple window dressing to a complex problem.

Bullying is present in all aspects of our society. It is modeled everywhere. Schools are not where the bullying starts. It starts in the media with advertising. Imagines that place more value on beauty and size infiltrate our culture starting at birth. The most recent example comes from the CEO of clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch, Michael Jefferies. Below are his comments:

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Comments like these create bullies! Since when did size determine cool? If our goal is to rid our culture of bullies why would his comments be acceptable? Thankfully some news outlets are taking notice and writing about it. The media attention is only temporary. In time, the stories will fade and Abercrombie will continue to sell clothing and make profits. “Cool” kids will get to wear the popular gear and others will be picked on for not having A&F clothes in their wardrobe.

This is just one small example of how bullying is allowed to persist in our society. Turn on most televisions today and bullying actions are easy to find modeled for our youth. Most reality programming model bullying. MTV, which used to focus on music, now if flooded with bullies. Just watch Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, Buckwild, etc and observe where many grade school students see behaviors that model bullying. How can schools teach that behaviors are not appropriate, when they are modeled everywhere? Bravo’s real housewife series, takes it to another level. Showing that adults should shout and fight about the smallest issues. Why do we let this modeling of bullying exist so predominately in our media? It can be entertaining, funny and makes for good drama, but do we want our youth following these models?

Currently the very legislators who talk about ending bullying in schools are active bullies. Most states are actively attacking teachers, claiming that they are not effective. Saying teachers need more passion for their students and tearing down the traditional American education system. Attacking teacher pay, benefits, unions job security and tenure rights. Teachers feel they are being bullied by the very body that ask teachers to be the first line of defense against bullies.

Many would argue that we have the freedom of speech and expression in the United States of America. By restricting options on television, we would be creating a society of censorship. No good American wants censorship!! How can we address the prevalence of bullying in our media without censorship? Many networks like MTV and the Cartoon Network have used counter programming to help address bullying. Running specials or week/month-long promotions to address bullies. Is this enough? Isn’t it hypocritical to fight bullying while running programming full of bullying? I feel WE can do better!

I am glad that bullying is making it to the forefront of conversations today. It used to be stated that “Kids will be kids.” We are at least trying to change. More certainly needs to occur before we can rid schools of this problem. Society has to recognize bullying behaviors and work hard to not model them. The following poem by Shane Koyczan speaks volumes to how bullying can affect our youth.

For the LOVE of learning

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

Griffin, my 9 year old third-grader, came home with an “Animal Research Project” today. I felt this was a perfect assignment for Griffin. He loves animals,  has taken countless trips to multiple zoos, seen Jack Hannah twice, and wants to be a zoologist. If Griffin thought like my middle school students, he would have chosen the easy route for this assignment. He has already written two similar reports as science fair projects. Last year he wrote about his Elephants, since his grandparents adopted in his name at an elephant rescue. This year he created a report about the owls because he had watched born on a webcam. He could have easily chosen to recycle one of these reports.

Instead, Griffin listened to his teacher when she informed the class to choose an animal they did not know much about. Griffin spent time searching through his animal encyclopedia. As classmates choose common zoo animals: Lions, Tigers, Bears and Zebras. Griffin kept searching until he found the Aye-Aye! When he shared this with me, my reply was “The What?” Griffin quickly explained to me that the Aye-Aye is a small nocturnal primate that only lives in Madagascar.

Photo: Aye-aye close-up

He proceeded to run off to the library with his mother to search for reference books and get to work on this research report that is due May 20th, ignoring his friends playing in the street.  My sons actions made me wonder, Why aren’t my students as excited about learning like my son?

I am sure if I asked my students, the answer would be “Because you are a teacher!” I know that it is more than just me being a teacher. Griffin, loves learning. While at the library, he also picked out books about Rome, since it was mentioned in a book he was reading. Griffin has a natural love of learning. Paying attention and getting his work done are priorities in his life. Why? Probably because he is still young and nobody has killed his curiosity. As a middle school teacher I find few students like Griffin. When I talk to parents of middle school aged students, they always say “just wait” and “It will change”. I hope not. Griffin is full of questions, passion for knowledge and a desire to figure things out. I don’t want his love of learning to die.

Students need their passions supported. Adults need to do everything possible to not kill the passion. Schools need to create meaningful assignments that give students choice and help student pursue their LOVE of LEARNING!

I Wanted to watch NCAA Championship with my son!

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

As I sit here waiting with my nine-year old son to share a ONCE in a great while lifetime experience, I am angry. Our society has been taken over to maximize revenues for large corporations and holds no value for education and our youth.

It has been 20 years since U-M has been to the NCAA championship game (13 since MSU won we root for all teams in the state). Griffin has played basketball for the last two years. This past year his third grade team was dominant, going undefeated, winning all games by double digits, never giving up more than 12 points. He loves the game and has become a huge fan of ALL things basketball. The Detroit Pistons haven’t been much to watch this year, but MSU and UM playing in the Big Ten has been great. He gets so excited for each game. The Tourney has brought him more excitement. He has learned so much about geography and colleges while watching. Michigan making the Final Four made him so excited. Saturday he got mad. He asked WHY is the game on so late? I started thinking about it. Saturday games could have been played during the day or at least at a time where the game doesn’t end after 11 pm EST. (I realize I am using an east coast biased sorry Pacific Time Zone.)

9:23 start for a Final Four game is really late for a nine-year old. He will fall asleep by 10:00. WHY does the game start so late? When I started thinking about it more, Why is it on Monday? It seems like the Superbowl and World Series have similar time issues. Do these sports only want to cater to the late night “bar” crowd or west coast? Sports need fans, if the young are not going to be awake to watch the biggest games, will they remain fans? Heck, many I work with complained about how late the game is on. Maybe we shouldn’t be fans of the game!

America has to work tomorrow, many students will stay up late and waste a day at school sleeping in class. Many workers will call in sick. Sounds like the Super Bowl all over. Starting the games earlier would not mean the west coast could not see the game, they just might miss the beginning. Starting late means many young and old will miss the most exciting and definitive part the end. Relying on a newscaster to report the score in the morning. WHY? As explained to me, all for TV scheduling and ad sales!!

Work production, education and youth give way to the all mighty dollar! Our society has sacrificed so much over the years to the mighty dollar. Now when our schools are reflecting THIS society, government says reform schools. Let’s fix society, make decisions that show education and youth are valued and then schools will improve. “You can’t cut the hair in the mirror by reaching for the glass!”

Look careful at how society constantly places the dollar, ahead of our youth and their education. This is one small example.

Game Time. Enjoy Go Blue, sadly many will hear results in the morning. Griffin will watch it tomorrow afternoon, have to record it.

Why Grade?

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

why

Okay, let me ease the minds of many readers who feel a grade is a form of feedback. Yes, teachers need to give feedback on ALL assignments that is timely and specific. I for one don’t believe a letter grade (or number if that is what you use) is feedback at all. It is little more than a type of categorical ranking for a piece of work or period of time. It may be timely but is not specific at ALL. Why do schools chose to assign letter grades to work? What does the A, B, C, D, F (or now often an E) mean?

Our culture is obsessed with these grades. Grades are found everywhere, from Consumer Reports and stock ratings to ESPN and fashion magazines. Here is a quick rundown of the common understanding of letter grades:

  • A = The best can’t be better (unless +,- system used)
  • B = meeting the standards 
  • C = Average but okay
  • D = Below Average but passing
  • F/E = Failing do work or not acceptable work

So, if letter grades are used as feedback, are they specific? NO not very specific and actually quit vague by most standards. These grades might be okay for a stock rating or to judge a person’s attire for an evening but that is about it. Consumer Reports uses a great model for grading. The magazine gives a letter grade, but backs the grade up with a paragraph or two of justification. Giving specific reasons why a product receives a certain marking. I would bet that the grades came after giving reviews for awhile and readers wanted a “quick” guide to how a product compared to another. As educators or parents should we care how our student stacks up to another?

I hope not. Education is not about where a student ranks, it is about getting a student to be the best they can be. Grades hurt this growth in our students. Students need the kind of constructive feedback that Consumer Reports gives products that it is reviewing. Details about strengths and weaknesses. Remarks about how they can improve on their work. Does a student gain a desire to improve when earning an A?

Students often see the letter grade as a destination. Asking “what do I need to do to get an A?” Is this what we want in our students today? Reaching an end goal and stopping? Schools need to instill the value of improving work. Everything can be improved. I am still becoming a better teaching now, after 13 years on the job. Letter grades inhibit this growth in our students. In the many conversations I have with students, they often reflect that they are doing well enough when their grades are B and above. Many refer to this behavior as “doing” school. Are we creating learners? or something else?

Parents can actually be worse about grades. Parents will call and ask how their child can receive an A. Not worrying about the quality or the work or learning behaviors. Parents will often use these letters to compare their child to others. Should we be making comparisons? I personally would leave that up to selective colleges or employers.

This leads us to one of the major arguments for grades: those darn colleges require them. Should they? I don’t think so. Colleges should have an application process that has performance tasks. Admittance to college should not depend on arbitrary letters a collection of teachers gave a student over 4 years. Admittance should be based upon what a student can or cannot do! Colleges are currently complaining about grade inflation and student needs for remedial classes. So obviously our current K-12 grading system is not working for college admittance. Another example of where letter grades fail the students has been shared with me from high school AP teachers. Regularly they will have a student who “fails” their class but receives a 3, 4, or 5 on the AP exam. This means the student would receive college credit for the class but not high school credit.

Our culture thinks grades are great for education. Schools need to change this perception. Grades are great for the momentary comparison, for products or ranking a draft. Remember it is momentary if not,Tony Mandarich, Charles Rodgers or any other first round draft pick bust would be in the hall of fame.

Feedback is important for learning. Students need to know what they do well and what needs improvement. One way of doing this is to switch to a Standards Based Grading System. Nationally recognized author Rick Wormeli (@RickWormeli) has been working hard to explain to the world why our current grading system is not working. Below is Rick explaining why the current system doesn’t work. 

Help change grading from a ranking of students to feedback that would work to get the best out of our students. Make a system that helps students grow and become life long learns. Not striving for a letter on a piece of paper but to do their best!