Have you ever had those moments when you realize, "Man, you've got a long way to go." I get those moments all the time as a teacher. I've been at this for 12 years now, and looking back I can see the growth I've experienced. But, looking ahead, I can see all the growth still to come.
One of the biggest hurdles for me has always been giving up control in my classroom. Maybe I'm a control freak, maybe I'm OCD, maybe I'm both. It's just hard for me to do. One thing is sure, as hard as it is for me to say...some of it lies in my expectations for my students being set too low. I should know better by now, after 12 years of teaching (at least in my opinion) the absolute best students, that I'm pretty sure I can throw just about anything at them, and they're knock it out of the park. And yet giving up control is still tough to do. But, as usual, the kids showed me the error of my ways.
I am working with an incredible group of seniors in a government class right now. I've worked with some of these kids for 4 years. If you're wondering, no, it is not lost on me how blessed I am to have been in a position to have seen their growth in this formative time in their lives. The thought of them graduating has me getting a little emotional right now...so back to my post! We've been talking about the "why" of the Constitution- its inspiration, its debates, why it exists as it does. We recently focused on the debate between the groups known as Federalists and Anti-Federalists, and I asked them to read parts of the writings from both groups, discuss them in small-groups, and then consider how each side would have responded to a set of prompts. Going into discussion day, I knew it would be a great discussion. Again, the product of awesome kids. And then the discussion began. One period later, as the kids left the room to head to their next period, I realized that I had barely spoken the entire period. Had I established the basis for the discussion? Yeah. Had I provided resources to the groups? Sure. Did I steer the discussion? No way. That was all the kids. In the end product, the discussion itself, the one thing around which the lesson revolved, I had exhibited zero control. And I LOVED IT! I couldn't help but think, what if I hadn't set the prompts, what if the kids themselves had written them? What if I had given up even more control? Does good teaching have to involve the teacher?
Just so you know, I still think the answer to the last question is yes (I'm not in the middle of an existential crisis). Instead, I'm pretty sure I'm just seeing a reality that I've missed, and as usual it is the kids who have taught me. Ask yourself- "What are my students capable of?" And if your answer has a limit in it, understand that YOU ARE WRONG. If there is one universal truth that my students have shown me, not just this week, but in 12 years of teaching, it is that the only limits on our students are those that WE believe exist. Trust them, respect them, give up a little control, and be ready for them to blow your mind.
One more thing, can I just say how thankful I am to this blog. People I trust kept telling me, "Blog to reflect, blog for yourself, don't blog so others will read, just write...you won't regret it." Amen brothers and sisters, amen! Someday I'm going to come back and reread this post...and smile.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Passionate Teaching...It Shouldn't Surprise Your Students
From the title of my blog it should be clear that promoting passionate teaching is central to my "teaching identity". In my opinion, a "teaching identity" is how one defines everything that is central to who they are as a teacher, from philosophies on discipline and homework to the work one puts into crafting relationships with students. While approaches to teaching will always differ (and this is not only fine, it's great), one trait must underlie the identity of all teachers- passion for the craft, passion for the students.
I would ask any teacher- Do you know how lucky you are to do what you do? Are you aware of the incredible gift you have in each of your students? I know that there are innumerable obstacles to teaching that can threaten one's ability to keep the passion alive. Teacher pay, the focus on standardized tests, frustrations with parents, etc...the list grows fast. I get it. I feel these frustrations as much as anyone else. I get it. But I have never been able to understand someone who can't feel hope when they look at their students. I can't tell you how many times I've found myself in a rut, when I have told myself "You are not doing a good job." It happens to me every year. And every year I am saved by the same people- my kiddos. It goes without saying that I am both thankful to my and for my students. How can we not be filled with a passionate desire to serve the kids to the best of our ability? They deserve that!
And shouldn't that passion for the craft, and passion for the kids, be demonstrable? I was in the middle of a discussion with a class recently, and the kids were blowing me away (as they so often do) with not only how well they had grasped the topic for our discussion, but for how they were connecting the dots in such ways to point out great branches of thought, at times beyond what I had considered. Needless to say, I was amped. It's hard not to be when you teach amazing kiddos. When I get amped I tend to get animated (it has to be quite a sight...talking with my hands, talking fast...oh my!) A student seated near me started chuckling, to which I apologized (I can only imagine it was annoying). The student responded by saying, "It's fine. You are just so passionate about what you do." I was, of course, flattered by that comment, but noticed the faint layer of surprise in her tone. Should she, or any other student, be surprised that teachers are passionate for their job, for their students? To borrow a line from one of my favorite bands, Led Zeppelin, "It makes me wonder."
What are you doing each day to show your students the passion you have for your work? What are you doing to make sure your students know that the root of that passion is them?
I would ask any teacher- Do you know how lucky you are to do what you do? Are you aware of the incredible gift you have in each of your students? I know that there are innumerable obstacles to teaching that can threaten one's ability to keep the passion alive. Teacher pay, the focus on standardized tests, frustrations with parents, etc...the list grows fast. I get it. I feel these frustrations as much as anyone else. I get it. But I have never been able to understand someone who can't feel hope when they look at their students. I can't tell you how many times I've found myself in a rut, when I have told myself "You are not doing a good job." It happens to me every year. And every year I am saved by the same people- my kiddos. It goes without saying that I am both thankful to my and for my students. How can we not be filled with a passionate desire to serve the kids to the best of our ability? They deserve that!
And shouldn't that passion for the craft, and passion for the kids, be demonstrable? I was in the middle of a discussion with a class recently, and the kids were blowing me away (as they so often do) with not only how well they had grasped the topic for our discussion, but for how they were connecting the dots in such ways to point out great branches of thought, at times beyond what I had considered. Needless to say, I was amped. It's hard not to be when you teach amazing kiddos. When I get amped I tend to get animated (it has to be quite a sight...talking with my hands, talking fast...oh my!) A student seated near me started chuckling, to which I apologized (I can only imagine it was annoying). The student responded by saying, "It's fine. You are just so passionate about what you do." I was, of course, flattered by that comment, but noticed the faint layer of surprise in her tone. Should she, or any other student, be surprised that teachers are passionate for their job, for their students? To borrow a line from one of my favorite bands, Led Zeppelin, "It makes me wonder."
What are you doing each day to show your students the passion you have for your work? What are you doing to make sure your students know that the root of that passion is them?
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Day 1: To my kids, to their parents
Day 1. I am starting my 12th year of teaching, and it never fails...the butterflies. I'm nervous, but more than anything, I'm excited. As we start this new year's journey, a few thoughts for my kiddos and their parents.
Kiddos- I know you are in high school. I know you are hormonal teenagers. I know you probably feel like you're too old to listen to someone say they care about you. Well...get over it! I am genuinely so excited to work with you this year. I am excited to walk on this journey with you. I'm excited to do this together. Notice I've chosen my words carefully, to convey to you the fundamental reality of our work- it is a together mission. I may be the teacher, but I look forward to learning from you. I may have a bit more knowledge right now, but your voice, your mind, your heart have tremendous value, something to offer that I can learn from. And it goes without saying that I hope you can learn from me as well. Our success this year will be measured together.
I cannot tell you how every single day will go right now, but there are a few promises that I can make to you. One is that I will never lie to you. I will be quick to praise your success, and I want to do what I can to help you be the best version of yourself if I have concerns. I will set high expectations for you, because I believe you can reach them. I will be there to listen and help, both with class-related issues or otherwise, if you will let me. I will not be perfect. I will admit my mistakes, and work to make them right. Most of all I will care about you, regardless of how hard you try to make it so I can't.
I hope you have goals for this year, and if I can help you, please ask. I think it is important that you know that I have goals as well. I want to do a better job of communicating with home. If I have a concern that needs to go home, it will. But I want to make sure I am letting home know when you've done something great! That is just as, if not more, important. I want to continue working on giving up control in OUR classroom to you the students. Each of you is capable of bringing something great to our classroom; I need to make sure I am listening.
This will be a great year, and I look forward to our work together!
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Parents- If there is one thing I would say to you, beyond what I've said to your child, is to tell you that I am so thankful that I have been given the opportunity to work with your child. A primary mantra I have long held as a teacher is "to be the teacher I want my own kids to have." It is never lost on me, I never forget, that each day you are giving me the thing most precious in your life, and trusting me. What an incredible honor, and extraordinary mission! I can promise you that I will keep that mission at heart, and I will care about and challenge your child, just as I would want my own son's teacher to do for him. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
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Emerson once said, "Life is a journey, not a destination". I hope that, in the end, we can look back together, and see that this journey has been one in which we've grown, and grown together. Be open to that journey. See the dead ends and avoid them if you can. If not, realize that we often learn more from times we've lost than times we've won. Find pride in the person you are, not effort in becoming someone you're not. Find, and stick to, those that add to your life, not subtract. Move forward with passion. And remember that there are people in this place that care about you, and trust them. Cheers to our journey!
Kiddos- I know you are in high school. I know you are hormonal teenagers. I know you probably feel like you're too old to listen to someone say they care about you. Well...get over it! I am genuinely so excited to work with you this year. I am excited to walk on this journey with you. I'm excited to do this together. Notice I've chosen my words carefully, to convey to you the fundamental reality of our work- it is a together mission. I may be the teacher, but I look forward to learning from you. I may have a bit more knowledge right now, but your voice, your mind, your heart have tremendous value, something to offer that I can learn from. And it goes without saying that I hope you can learn from me as well. Our success this year will be measured together.
I cannot tell you how every single day will go right now, but there are a few promises that I can make to you. One is that I will never lie to you. I will be quick to praise your success, and I want to do what I can to help you be the best version of yourself if I have concerns. I will set high expectations for you, because I believe you can reach them. I will be there to listen and help, both with class-related issues or otherwise, if you will let me. I will not be perfect. I will admit my mistakes, and work to make them right. Most of all I will care about you, regardless of how hard you try to make it so I can't.
I hope you have goals for this year, and if I can help you, please ask. I think it is important that you know that I have goals as well. I want to do a better job of communicating with home. If I have a concern that needs to go home, it will. But I want to make sure I am letting home know when you've done something great! That is just as, if not more, important. I want to continue working on giving up control in OUR classroom to you the students. Each of you is capable of bringing something great to our classroom; I need to make sure I am listening.
This will be a great year, and I look forward to our work together!
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Parents- If there is one thing I would say to you, beyond what I've said to your child, is to tell you that I am so thankful that I have been given the opportunity to work with your child. A primary mantra I have long held as a teacher is "to be the teacher I want my own kids to have." It is never lost on me, I never forget, that each day you are giving me the thing most precious in your life, and trusting me. What an incredible honor, and extraordinary mission! I can promise you that I will keep that mission at heart, and I will care about and challenge your child, just as I would want my own son's teacher to do for him. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
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Emerson once said, "Life is a journey, not a destination". I hope that, in the end, we can look back together, and see that this journey has been one in which we've grown, and grown together. Be open to that journey. See the dead ends and avoid them if you can. If not, realize that we often learn more from times we've lost than times we've won. Find pride in the person you are, not effort in becoming someone you're not. Find, and stick to, those that add to your life, not subtract. Move forward with passion. And remember that there are people in this place that care about you, and trust them. Cheers to our journey!
Thursday, August 11, 2016
The Key to Handling the Unexpected...Being Prepared for It!
Ask any of my students and they will tell you that one of my constant preachings is on the need to fight procrastination. Unfortunately it is a sermon which often falls on deaf ears with students, but the importance of preparation is a real thing, especially in teaching.
Most teachers, like me, undoubtedly enter each day with at the least a vague plan for the day, and at most a formal lesson plan. I'm somewhere in between, largely due to my utter disdain for "formal lesson plans". I believe in good planning, but the tedious form taught when completing teacher preparation programs has always seemed like busy work.
Planning, however, is a key variable to successful teaching. I often use my off-time in the summer to map out my ideal plan. I prepare a blank calendar for the semester, enter holidays and other interruptions which I know about, and then go about setting my plan for what will happen if every class meets for the entire class period every day, without anything unexpected taking place. I think about what we will do if we run short on time or have time leftover. Like I said, "ideal".
In thirteen years of teaching I have never actually used my ideal plan. And I'm ok with that. I know, going into the year, that this ideal plan won't work. I know I will have to move things around, or even cut things. I know that snow days, delays, pep sessions, convocations, etc. will cut into class time. I know that there will be times that I will need to give extra time to a subject, or that an opportunity for a great class discussion will present itself. In short, I know that the unexpected is going to take place. But I have found that it is much easier to handle the unexpected if your prepared.
With a calendar in front of me, I can see what can be moved, and to when. I can see what can be cut, if needed. Most might say that having these kinds of plans in place makes the classroom too concrete; quite the opposite. Being prepared in such a way allows me the flexibility to plan ahead for what may come, and ensure that I am covering material the kids need to know. If I think that more time needs to be spent on a given subject, or that the class would really benefit from an informed discussion, I can look at my plan and make the necessary moves.
Others might say I'm over-preparing...OK, I'll admit, that observation seems to be more on-point. I might be over-prepared. But weathering the storm of a sea that promises, like all, to be tumultuous requires me to ensure that I have a sea-worthy ship.
Most teachers, like me, undoubtedly enter each day with at the least a vague plan for the day, and at most a formal lesson plan. I'm somewhere in between, largely due to my utter disdain for "formal lesson plans". I believe in good planning, but the tedious form taught when completing teacher preparation programs has always seemed like busy work.
Planning, however, is a key variable to successful teaching. I often use my off-time in the summer to map out my ideal plan. I prepare a blank calendar for the semester, enter holidays and other interruptions which I know about, and then go about setting my plan for what will happen if every class meets for the entire class period every day, without anything unexpected taking place. I think about what we will do if we run short on time or have time leftover. Like I said, "ideal".
In thirteen years of teaching I have never actually used my ideal plan. And I'm ok with that. I know, going into the year, that this ideal plan won't work. I know I will have to move things around, or even cut things. I know that snow days, delays, pep sessions, convocations, etc. will cut into class time. I know that there will be times that I will need to give extra time to a subject, or that an opportunity for a great class discussion will present itself. In short, I know that the unexpected is going to take place. But I have found that it is much easier to handle the unexpected if your prepared.
With a calendar in front of me, I can see what can be moved, and to when. I can see what can be cut, if needed. Most might say that having these kinds of plans in place makes the classroom too concrete; quite the opposite. Being prepared in such a way allows me the flexibility to plan ahead for what may come, and ensure that I am covering material the kids need to know. If I think that more time needs to be spent on a given subject, or that the class would really benefit from an informed discussion, I can look at my plan and make the necessary moves.
Others might say I'm over-preparing...OK, I'll admit, that observation seems to be more on-point. I might be over-prepared. But weathering the storm of a sea that promises, like all, to be tumultuous requires me to ensure that I have a sea-worthy ship.
Monday, July 25, 2016
The Importance of Sharing
I'm excited to have been invited by a fellow educator, Mr. Kelly Christopherson (@kwhobbes on Twitter) to participate in the #saskedchat summer blogging challenge. Since I've just started this blog, I'm always looking for jumpstarts, and this is a great one! I love the subject for this week- "Sharing".
I'm a teacher of many mantras, but one that is central to me is that I shouldn't ever be doing something in my classroom that I wouldn't want someone else to see. Effective teaching, in my mind, requires many things, and one of these is transparency. Now I don't know that this necessarily needs to require posting a formal lesson plan every day; this has always seemed overly tedious. But I believe teachers are responsible for sharing what is going on in our classrooms. Our principal, our superintendents, and certainly our parents need to know, deserve to know, what is happening. More than that, our colleagues need to know.
I've taught for 11 years, and always considered myself a teacher who embraced growth, and was active in finding ways to achieve it. Last summer, while at an eLead conference, I was encouraged to get onto Twitter. Best decision ever! Over the course of the past year, I have developed more relationships with colleagues all over the country, have communicated with #eduheroes more, and have grown more as an educator than I could have ever imagined. But, as I used the platform to grow in my practice, I found that it also provided an awesome way to share the work in our classroom with admins, fellow students, and parents. I love taking pictures of student work and posting it, love it more when a parent likes or retweets it, and love it best when students themselves move it forward. In so many ways I'm frustrated for not getting onto Twitter sooner.
I've been fortunate to read the fantastic book Kids Deserve It! recently, and two thoughts shared by the authors really stand out while writing this post. The authors discuss social media as a tremendous communication medium. I've never been one to hand out my cell phone number to students or parents (still a personal rule, more on that in a minute), so when students had questions, they were encouraged to either wait until the next day, or email me. I've always been good about checking email, but I have to think about it, and there were always delays. Now that I'm on Twitter, and I allow students to follow my professional handle, they tweet me questions all the time, and I get instant notifications, and moreover their fellow students can see the questions and answers. Love it!
The authors of Kids Deserve It! also quoted another #eduhero of mine, Angela Maiers, who said "When you are not sharing your brilliant ideas, you are doing a disservice to others." I'm not sure how many "brilliant" ideas I have, but I have passion for the craft of teaching, and we all need that to be shared as much as possible.
We educators work in a world in which sharing is just as important as it always has been, but is infinitely easier than ever before. This brings with it rules, digital citizenship if you will. For me, when sharing through social media, the rule is always to remember that once it's shared, you can't take it back. Therefore I keep the personal and professional distinctly separate. I have Facebook, Instagram, and a personal Twitter account. But my current students are never allowed to follow me until after graduation. My professional Twitter is the only medium through which current students can follow, and as such becomes the primary "sharing" method I use for my classroom. Another of my mantras is that I go to Facebook to socialize, but I go to Twitter to learn. Rarely does anything personal (other than the occasional picture of my incredibly adorable kids) go on my professional Twitter.
Sharing is an absolutely fundamental practice in effective teaching. I hope to impact someone else, but I know that I have been deeply impacted by others having shared with me. I am thankful when my son's teacher shares something they have done in class, and I hope that the parents of my students, and the students themselves, enjoy it when I do the same. Educators need avenues of growth, and digital sharing is such a great way to achieve this! We teach better when we are challenged, when we are inspired, and to borrow a line from two of my #eduheroes Adam Welcome and Todd Nesloney, our kids deserve the best teaching we can provide!
I'm a teacher of many mantras, but one that is central to me is that I shouldn't ever be doing something in my classroom that I wouldn't want someone else to see. Effective teaching, in my mind, requires many things, and one of these is transparency. Now I don't know that this necessarily needs to require posting a formal lesson plan every day; this has always seemed overly tedious. But I believe teachers are responsible for sharing what is going on in our classrooms. Our principal, our superintendents, and certainly our parents need to know, deserve to know, what is happening. More than that, our colleagues need to know.
I've taught for 11 years, and always considered myself a teacher who embraced growth, and was active in finding ways to achieve it. Last summer, while at an eLead conference, I was encouraged to get onto Twitter. Best decision ever! Over the course of the past year, I have developed more relationships with colleagues all over the country, have communicated with #eduheroes more, and have grown more as an educator than I could have ever imagined. But, as I used the platform to grow in my practice, I found that it also provided an awesome way to share the work in our classroom with admins, fellow students, and parents. I love taking pictures of student work and posting it, love it more when a parent likes or retweets it, and love it best when students themselves move it forward. In so many ways I'm frustrated for not getting onto Twitter sooner.
I've been fortunate to read the fantastic book Kids Deserve It! recently, and two thoughts shared by the authors really stand out while writing this post. The authors discuss social media as a tremendous communication medium. I've never been one to hand out my cell phone number to students or parents (still a personal rule, more on that in a minute), so when students had questions, they were encouraged to either wait until the next day, or email me. I've always been good about checking email, but I have to think about it, and there were always delays. Now that I'm on Twitter, and I allow students to follow my professional handle, they tweet me questions all the time, and I get instant notifications, and moreover their fellow students can see the questions and answers. Love it!
The authors of Kids Deserve It! also quoted another #eduhero of mine, Angela Maiers, who said "When you are not sharing your brilliant ideas, you are doing a disservice to others." I'm not sure how many "brilliant" ideas I have, but I have passion for the craft of teaching, and we all need that to be shared as much as possible.
We educators work in a world in which sharing is just as important as it always has been, but is infinitely easier than ever before. This brings with it rules, digital citizenship if you will. For me, when sharing through social media, the rule is always to remember that once it's shared, you can't take it back. Therefore I keep the personal and professional distinctly separate. I have Facebook, Instagram, and a personal Twitter account. But my current students are never allowed to follow me until after graduation. My professional Twitter is the only medium through which current students can follow, and as such becomes the primary "sharing" method I use for my classroom. Another of my mantras is that I go to Facebook to socialize, but I go to Twitter to learn. Rarely does anything personal (other than the occasional picture of my incredibly adorable kids) go on my professional Twitter.
Sharing is an absolutely fundamental practice in effective teaching. I hope to impact someone else, but I know that I have been deeply impacted by others having shared with me. I am thankful when my son's teacher shares something they have done in class, and I hope that the parents of my students, and the students themselves, enjoy it when I do the same. Educators need avenues of growth, and digital sharing is such a great way to achieve this! We teach better when we are challenged, when we are inspired, and to borrow a line from two of my #eduheroes Adam Welcome and Todd Nesloney, our kids deserve the best teaching we can provide!
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Don't Be Afraid to Get Your Pants Dirty
It's the end of July, and while there have been many thoughts this summer about new ideas and goals for the new school year, the time has come to seriously work on moving some of these from "thoughts" to "action." It is a time not just for setting goals, but considering how they are going to be fulfilled.
With this comes, you guessed it, reflection. I've written before about my ardent belief in the need for all educators to be ready to love every single student. This isn't a passing thought or belief; it is part of my passion for teaching. Having this love for your students pays obvious dividends in classroom planning, quality of activity, excitement of environment, etc., but we can't forget the role that love for our students plays in effective discipline.
We've all seen the teachers whose idea of effective discipline is to expect abject and thorough obedience, and when that isn't demonstrated by a student, then it's time for a referral and the principal's office. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about respect, and certainly realize that there are times when the admins in the building need to be involved. But so many potential classroom discipline issues can be rendered moot if the student is within a classroom that centers on three fundamental truths- love for the student, fairness of expectation, and mutual respect between the teacher and the student.
As I was working on this post, I happened to start reading the book Kids Deserve It! by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome. By the way- If you are an educator or leader in a school, and you're not reading this book, you are missing something special! One chapter of the book was titled "Never Slam the Door", and it spoke to so many of the things on my mind as I wrote this post. It spoke to the reality of all teachers that we each have had "that student...the one who works to make him or herself unloveable." I bet that if we all stopped to think about students who have presented the biggest challenges, from a disciplinary angle, this description would likely apply. So...what do we do with this student? Do we present ourselves as simply another in a long line of "senders"- teachers dealing with the student by sending them to the office every time a discipline issue arises? Or do we strive to work as a "change agent"- teachers who have decided to try and find the root of these issues, and be an agent of positive influence and change in that student's life? The first route is always an option...if you're looking for the easy way out. But I can assure you, I can promise you, without a doubt in my heart or mind, that this model will not only stunt the growth of a child, but it will also earn you the ire of an administrator. Moreover, it will rob you of an incredible moment that could be had with a student.
I've been very fortunate, over the course of my career, to have had several of these moments with kids. I don't wish for discipline issues, but always try to seize on them as a moment of growth. I remember having to write an elaborate classroom management plan while completing my undergraduate work, and emerged from college believing that I needed to have such a plan in place in order to have any kind of order in my classroom. What is clear now, after 11 years of teaching, is that, while it is good to have a process with which one is comfortable, teachers need to be flexible, ready to handle any situation, and ready to understand that each student is going to have a different story, a different need. My process is pretty simple- as a discipline issue arises, I always offer a quick warning (sometimes verbally, sometimes something as simple as moving through the classroom and placing a hand on a shoulder, or a foot to the back leg of the desk). If the issue continues I may ask the student to step outside and have a seat. I know what you're thinking, so far this isn't any different than most teachers. Here is the key, however- never leave the instance or the student in such a way.
"That student" for me will always be vividly etched in my memory. This student had a propensity for talking out in class. As teachers often do, I was "warned" about this student. Generally I don't listen to such warnings, but would be lying if I said I wasn't keeping an eye on her. Sure enough, she started the year with issues that ranged from talking out to sleeping to being openly defiant. After a warning, I asked her to step outside and have a seat, which she did (with a considerable amount of attitude). The easy way out- claim "good riddance" and be thankful for a few minutes in class without said student. But sitting a student in the hallway does nothing to fix the issue, and certainly nothing to help the student. As I've written before, it is our responsibility as educators to love every single kid that comes into our classroom, even, and especially so, those that are harder to love than others. I purposely ended class that day with about 5 minutes to spare, and stepped outside into the hallway. The student was sitting down, as I asked her to do, but it was obvious that she was not in a good mood. I sat down beside her, in the hallway, in the dust, and calmly asked her why she believed I had asked her to step out. She explained, perhaps grudgingly, that she had talked out and disrespected me. I then asked her if she thought what I had done in response was fair. The look on her face was priceless. I could tell that she had been expecting detention, and had certainly never been asked that question. She responded with a yes. What then followed was a conversation about the need for mutual respect, and what I believed she could bring to the class and her classmates. By the end of that short 5 minute conversation she was calm, I was calm, and we had an understanding.
And I'm proud to say that, from that moment on, our relationship was one of trust and respect. I continue to look back on that instance as the moment that I began building a relationship of trust and respect with a student for whom I care a great deal.
I don't tell this story to sound my horn, but simply to encourage each of us to remember what Welcome and Nesloney talked about in Kids Deserve It! We make nothing better by filling out referral forms left and right; we make no impact on the kids when we fill up detention. Sure, we might gain a day or two of quiet, but how many potential future issues could we solve by simply handling things the right way the first time. When confronted with a discipline issue, we have to make the effort to find the root of the issue. We may not know the hurt they are feeling. We may not know how pain in their life is manifesting itself as a discipline problem in school. Give them a chance to talk. "When you listen to a child, you give him back his voice" (Nesloney, 38). This doesn't mean be lax or stop setting expectations on behavior. It simply means to check your reaction, and make sure that you give the time to a student. Sit with them in the hallway; don't be afraid to get your pants dirty. Treat that student with respect, and don't be shocked when you get it back. Love them...you may be the only one who does.
With this comes, you guessed it, reflection. I've written before about my ardent belief in the need for all educators to be ready to love every single student. This isn't a passing thought or belief; it is part of my passion for teaching. Having this love for your students pays obvious dividends in classroom planning, quality of activity, excitement of environment, etc., but we can't forget the role that love for our students plays in effective discipline.
We've all seen the teachers whose idea of effective discipline is to expect abject and thorough obedience, and when that isn't demonstrated by a student, then it's time for a referral and the principal's office. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about respect, and certainly realize that there are times when the admins in the building need to be involved. But so many potential classroom discipline issues can be rendered moot if the student is within a classroom that centers on three fundamental truths- love for the student, fairness of expectation, and mutual respect between the teacher and the student.
As I was working on this post, I happened to start reading the book Kids Deserve It! by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome. By the way- If you are an educator or leader in a school, and you're not reading this book, you are missing something special! One chapter of the book was titled "Never Slam the Door", and it spoke to so many of the things on my mind as I wrote this post. It spoke to the reality of all teachers that we each have had "that student...the one who works to make him or herself unloveable." I bet that if we all stopped to think about students who have presented the biggest challenges, from a disciplinary angle, this description would likely apply. So...what do we do with this student? Do we present ourselves as simply another in a long line of "senders"- teachers dealing with the student by sending them to the office every time a discipline issue arises? Or do we strive to work as a "change agent"- teachers who have decided to try and find the root of these issues, and be an agent of positive influence and change in that student's life? The first route is always an option...if you're looking for the easy way out. But I can assure you, I can promise you, without a doubt in my heart or mind, that this model will not only stunt the growth of a child, but it will also earn you the ire of an administrator. Moreover, it will rob you of an incredible moment that could be had with a student.
I've been very fortunate, over the course of my career, to have had several of these moments with kids. I don't wish for discipline issues, but always try to seize on them as a moment of growth. I remember having to write an elaborate classroom management plan while completing my undergraduate work, and emerged from college believing that I needed to have such a plan in place in order to have any kind of order in my classroom. What is clear now, after 11 years of teaching, is that, while it is good to have a process with which one is comfortable, teachers need to be flexible, ready to handle any situation, and ready to understand that each student is going to have a different story, a different need. My process is pretty simple- as a discipline issue arises, I always offer a quick warning (sometimes verbally, sometimes something as simple as moving through the classroom and placing a hand on a shoulder, or a foot to the back leg of the desk). If the issue continues I may ask the student to step outside and have a seat. I know what you're thinking, so far this isn't any different than most teachers. Here is the key, however- never leave the instance or the student in such a way.
"That student" for me will always be vividly etched in my memory. This student had a propensity for talking out in class. As teachers often do, I was "warned" about this student. Generally I don't listen to such warnings, but would be lying if I said I wasn't keeping an eye on her. Sure enough, she started the year with issues that ranged from talking out to sleeping to being openly defiant. After a warning, I asked her to step outside and have a seat, which she did (with a considerable amount of attitude). The easy way out- claim "good riddance" and be thankful for a few minutes in class without said student. But sitting a student in the hallway does nothing to fix the issue, and certainly nothing to help the student. As I've written before, it is our responsibility as educators to love every single kid that comes into our classroom, even, and especially so, those that are harder to love than others. I purposely ended class that day with about 5 minutes to spare, and stepped outside into the hallway. The student was sitting down, as I asked her to do, but it was obvious that she was not in a good mood. I sat down beside her, in the hallway, in the dust, and calmly asked her why she believed I had asked her to step out. She explained, perhaps grudgingly, that she had talked out and disrespected me. I then asked her if she thought what I had done in response was fair. The look on her face was priceless. I could tell that she had been expecting detention, and had certainly never been asked that question. She responded with a yes. What then followed was a conversation about the need for mutual respect, and what I believed she could bring to the class and her classmates. By the end of that short 5 minute conversation she was calm, I was calm, and we had an understanding.
And I'm proud to say that, from that moment on, our relationship was one of trust and respect. I continue to look back on that instance as the moment that I began building a relationship of trust and respect with a student for whom I care a great deal.
I don't tell this story to sound my horn, but simply to encourage each of us to remember what Welcome and Nesloney talked about in Kids Deserve It! We make nothing better by filling out referral forms left and right; we make no impact on the kids when we fill up detention. Sure, we might gain a day or two of quiet, but how many potential future issues could we solve by simply handling things the right way the first time. When confronted with a discipline issue, we have to make the effort to find the root of the issue. We may not know the hurt they are feeling. We may not know how pain in their life is manifesting itself as a discipline problem in school. Give them a chance to talk. "When you listen to a child, you give him back his voice" (Nesloney, 38). This doesn't mean be lax or stop setting expectations on behavior. It simply means to check your reaction, and make sure that you give the time to a student. Sit with them in the hallway; don't be afraid to get your pants dirty. Treat that student with respect, and don't be shocked when you get it back. Love them...you may be the only one who does.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
How Being a Father Changed My Teaching
I've been lucky enough, over the course of my career, to have had the chance to mentor several teachers who were new to the profession. Without a doubt, this has not been a role that I have ever taken lightly. With every teacher I've mentored, I've always started with the same question, "Why are you a teacher?" I love this question, because I believe it is at the heart of good reflection. Why are we here, in this profession? What is our motivation to teach, and teach well? What is our inspiration? I ask myself this question all the time, and even post a small strip of paper on the top of my computer that says, "Remember why you are here." I was asked once if the strip of paper was a sign that I wasn't happy with my career or school; that strip, this question has nothing to do with being unhappy. It has everything to do with reminding myself each and every day that I have a mission, and it deserves everything I have every single day.
Today we are celebrating my youngest son's 3rd birthday. These days, as you might expect, are filled with the usual- balloons, streamers, new toys that Dad gets to put together (and play with...I'm especially stoked for the new Legos), and the best cake ever! But every year, on the birthday of my sons, I always try to stop, look upon my boys, and reflect on how they've changed my life. It never ceases to amaze me, and I try never to forget how thankful I am for them, and to them. They make me a better man. But when I really stop to think, I realize how much they've changed my teaching. I was in the classroom for 4 years before my oldest was born, and I know that my love for the craft and for my students was deeply rooted even then. But without a doubt, when my son was born, my motivation, my inspiration evolved, and dramatically changed my answer to the question, "Why am I a teacher?"
That answer has always been that I believed that I had a heart for the craft, that I believed that every child deserved a passionate teacher, that I wanted to work with these kids and I truly believed I had something to offer them. But when my son was born, and certainly when he started school, one motivation trumped them all. I wanted to be the teacher that I wanted my own children to have.
I want my sons to feel three things every day when they go to school- challenged, important, and loved.
I want my sons to have a teacher who is not afraid to push them outside their comfort zones, to realize that each of my sons are unique, like every child, and will need to be challenged on their own front. I don't want my sons to have a status quo teacher, I don't want them to have a teacher who is comfortable treading water in the classroom. I want them to have a teacher who is not afraid to use unconventional thinking, try new things, use technology in inventive ways, to stand up for what they believe is in the best interest of my child.
I want my sons to have a teacher who makes them feel important, both as part of a class or a team, but also as an individual. I want my sons to have a teacher who sees them for who they are, embraces their strengths, quirks, and weaknesses, and loves them for these things. I want my boys to be empowered to find their voice, and more importantly, use it to be a channel for positive change in this world.
Above all, I want my sons to have a teacher who loves them. I want my sons to have a teacher who understands that the best teachers are those that know that they need to love, not tolerate or endure, but legitimately love every single child that they teach. And I want my sons to know that their teacher has that love for them.
Can each of us be that kind of teacher? Is it too much to ask? With all my heart, I hope every teacher answers the same way. I hope that I'm that kind of teacher. I hope that my students feel challenged by me, know that I will fight for them, know that I love them. My oldest is getting ready to start second grade, and my wife and I are so thankful that his teachers thus far have challenged, respected, and loved him. I can only hope that his teachers in the future do as well.
As for me, if asked, "Why are you a teacher?", the answer is simple. I want to be the teacher I want my sons to have. Happy birthday son. Love Dad.
Today we are celebrating my youngest son's 3rd birthday. These days, as you might expect, are filled with the usual- balloons, streamers, new toys that Dad gets to put together (and play with...I'm especially stoked for the new Legos), and the best cake ever! But every year, on the birthday of my sons, I always try to stop, look upon my boys, and reflect on how they've changed my life. It never ceases to amaze me, and I try never to forget how thankful I am for them, and to them. They make me a better man. But when I really stop to think, I realize how much they've changed my teaching. I was in the classroom for 4 years before my oldest was born, and I know that my love for the craft and for my students was deeply rooted even then. But without a doubt, when my son was born, my motivation, my inspiration evolved, and dramatically changed my answer to the question, "Why am I a teacher?"
That answer has always been that I believed that I had a heart for the craft, that I believed that every child deserved a passionate teacher, that I wanted to work with these kids and I truly believed I had something to offer them. But when my son was born, and certainly when he started school, one motivation trumped them all. I wanted to be the teacher that I wanted my own children to have.
I want my sons to feel three things every day when they go to school- challenged, important, and loved.
I want my sons to have a teacher who is not afraid to push them outside their comfort zones, to realize that each of my sons are unique, like every child, and will need to be challenged on their own front. I don't want my sons to have a status quo teacher, I don't want them to have a teacher who is comfortable treading water in the classroom. I want them to have a teacher who is not afraid to use unconventional thinking, try new things, use technology in inventive ways, to stand up for what they believe is in the best interest of my child.
I want my sons to have a teacher who makes them feel important, both as part of a class or a team, but also as an individual. I want my sons to have a teacher who sees them for who they are, embraces their strengths, quirks, and weaknesses, and loves them for these things. I want my boys to be empowered to find their voice, and more importantly, use it to be a channel for positive change in this world.
Above all, I want my sons to have a teacher who loves them. I want my sons to have a teacher who understands that the best teachers are those that know that they need to love, not tolerate or endure, but legitimately love every single child that they teach. And I want my sons to know that their teacher has that love for them.
Can each of us be that kind of teacher? Is it too much to ask? With all my heart, I hope every teacher answers the same way. I hope that I'm that kind of teacher. I hope that my students feel challenged by me, know that I will fight for them, know that I love them. My oldest is getting ready to start second grade, and my wife and I are so thankful that his teachers thus far have challenged, respected, and loved him. I can only hope that his teachers in the future do as well.
As for me, if asked, "Why are you a teacher?", the answer is simple. I want to be the teacher I want my sons to have. Happy birthday son. Love Dad.
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