Freedom…to Blog…to Read Blogs…to Avoid Blogs
Blogging for almost two years now, I’ve read with great interest those posts by favorite authors (bloggers, whichever you prefer) that pop up from time to time regarding anonymity, confidentiality, off-limit topics, etc. I’ve found it interesting that bloggers of all makes and models, be they crafters, artists, teachers, poets, home decor gurus or chefs, have had to deal with clarifying their blogs’ focus and intentions, and in some cases, have either had to publicly defend their blogs’ value and validity at the risk of losing their employment or customer base, or stop blogging all together because bosses didn’t like what was being put out there.
Several of my favorite educational bloggers write anonymously. Some blog sites include disclaimers such as “this blog reflects my own personal opinions and not necessarily those of my colleagues or employer,” while other authors avoid identifying their schools, school districts, state or locale in any way, shape or form. Some friends and blogging colleagues with whom I write identify themselves and their locales on their blog sites, and have received varying feedback from their employers when their blogs have been shared, or in some cases, “discovered.” Encountering a few no-holds-barred blogs authored by anonymous teachers with bones to pick and gripes to share, I felt a strong inclination that my own blog should be written honestly and without cheap shots.
When I decided to start blogging, I did so only at my MySpace page. Only friends or those who were willing to dig through millions and millions of MySpacers could find the blog, and frankly, I wasn’t sure anyone would find it of interest once they did. Friends, family, colleagues, even former students are linked to my page, so should you visit it, you’ll find it’s a pretty accurate reflection of who I am. The page expresses my tastes, my humor, and my interests, much like my blog. My friends and family reflect a wonderful diversity that I enjoy, but I understand that visitors might not feel as comfortable with what they encounter when they leave my page to explore others. As always, it’s your choice to keep reading, or hit the back button. Leave the page, empty your cache or history, or shut down your computer. I have the right to write, you have the right to read, or to not read. Freedom is cool that way.
My writing evolves as do my interests. My writing “voice” continues to develop and change. I’m not only a teacher, but a wife, mother, daughter, friend, baker, and crafter, who enjoys sharing discoveries, recipes, teacher tips, family funnies, and the occasional rant with my readers. Since moving to Blogger (Kindergarten’s 3 R’s) I’ve gained more experience, fiddling with templates, subject matter, my blogroll, avatar, and all of the other bells and whistles that accompany publishing online. I choose to use my real name on my blog, but also choose to not “out” my family, friends, or colleagues by using their last names, location, school, or naming their employer(s), or mine. I am sensitive to the issues of confidentiality, safety, and mutual respect. I have chosen to share my thoughts with whomever might want to read them, and understand that just because I want to share doesn’t mean everyone else will feel so inclined. I’m sassy, I’m silly, and I’m sarcastic. I appeal to some readers, not to all. Thankfully it’s not my job to make everyone happy.
My present employers have told me they do not have a problem with me maintaining the online presence that I have at Blogger, EduBlogs, or MySpace. The content I’ve shared isn’t cruel or illegal, nor have I exposed my students’ or their families’ identities. As a teacher I’m happy to give credit where credit is due, so I link back to blogs I share, and identify colleagues (former and current) by first name only. They are appreciated, they are creative, they are inspiring, and for those far from my present location, they are missed. Many of them keep tabs on me and my family’s adventures by subscribing to my blog or checking directly at the site. Some colleagues have been inspired to create their own blogs, while many others enjoy their “lurking” practices. Several readers love the videos, while others find them a waste of space, preferring photos of my home decor or classroom center arrangement from which they can draw inspiration. To each his/her own.
Being a teacher who has been on the move for the past five years, my blogs reflect my emotions and impressions that are tied to each relocation, family upheaval, new school district, each state, and yes, each staff. I post the good, the funny, the stressful, and even the not-so-hot. I voice my enthusiasm, my questions, my concerns, and my frustrations. I advocate for my students, their families, and for my colleagues. My criticism and rants almost always strike a nerve with those who agree with my point of view as well as with those who don’t. When I read comments or emails about particular posts, I know many of us share common issues and concerns, though we don’t always agree with each others’ philosophies or opinions. I welcome dialogue and open communication- it’s how I learn, clarify, and understand. While readers regularly offer support and agreement, often it’s due to the fact that my rants match many of their own beliefs. Those who disagree with me move on and find other bloggers with more appeal. Readers may feel that I’ve aired dirty laundry about my school environment, though I’m guessing they find no objection with the praise and appreciation that I’ve also shared.
New kindergarten teachers who are seeking out their place in their new schools, parents of soon-to-be kindergartners or teachers in Title I schools have thanked me or subscribed to my blog because they feel it offers an honest voice, hope, helpful links and some tricks of the trade worth sharing. It helps to hear that similar misconceptions about kindergarten and public education are being dealt with by someone other than ourselves, that the joys of teaching outweigh the stresses, and that we are not alone, though we may occasionally feel isolated in our new environments. Teaching is not all glory and roses, it’s also not all torment and drama.
There are some really terrific teachers out there, and a lot of great teachers that also happen to be human and have tough days. Mistakes are made, even by yours truly. No one is perfect. Whether we like it or not, there are also some bruised or bad apples in the barrel, narrow minded educators who are more defensive than supportive, more belligerent than collegial, and administrators, school boards, and politicians who for some reason have lost sight of the fact that students are more important than numbers, and that diversity will always prevent one-size-fits-all programs from ever helping each and every child. Many parents will be involved, some parents will occasionally need more hand-holding than their children do, and sometimes parents won’t ever set foot in your classroom.
I’ve done this job long enough to recognize the truths of it. I’ve traveled enough to have some tales to tell, and have been both blessed and burdened by those who inhabit with me the playing field that is Public Education. I have a lot yet to learn, and more students to reach and teach. I anticipate having more thoughts to share, examine, and rethink with my colleagues both past and present, and I look forward to continuing to connect with educators, administrators, parents, and those interested in early childhood education via the web.
This blog is not a witch hunt, nor is it written with the intention to harm my students, their families, my colleagues, or our administrators. Breathe. Relax. Come ask me for clarification if necessary as we’re all still getting to know one another. Otherwise, feel free to NOT read this blog. Check out the links to some other “teacher bloggers” on the right hand sidebar (they are awesome!), sit back and enjoy a recipe or two, or avoid my blog completely. It’s all good.
Cookie anyone?
Saturday’s Bits and Blurbs/Kindergarten Teacher Tip
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I finally caught up a bit on politics this week… Democrats, Republicans, Independents, let’s not just put on a good show, let’s do some *real* good for this nation. Please.
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~Teachers, check out The Student Bill of Rights over at The Elementary Educator. Mark Pullen hit the nail on the head with this one, demonstrating pro-student advocacy over the priorities some teachers insist upon, usually for their own convenience.
~Jennifer at Inside Pre-K posted a blog that capped off my week, “Oh, So They Just Play…”
One of the reasons for my off-mood last week was the abundance of clueless-about-kindergarten statements that were made to me or about my students by colleagues. Everything from “wow, it must be hard to teach kindergartners, I mean, because those little guys can’t do anything” to “hey, your one girl, the medicated one? I don’t think she’s medicated enough…”
Early childhood and kindergarten do tend to be grades that teachers either love or avoid like the plague. A room full of five year olds can frighten adults who are uncomfortable around runny noses, accidents, spills, outbursts, loco-motoring through story re-tellings, broken crayons, and yes, hand holding when it comes to learning how to cut, hold a pencil, or tying shoes. I am not a person who is bothered or annoyed by those things, because I understand that every person alive, at one point or another, experienced this developmental stage, learned through it, had fun in it, and is, in part, alive and successful today because of it. They learned how to cooperate, they learned how to decipher the chicken scratch that is writing, they learned to obtain information from not just the printed word, but illustrations and verbal communication from teachers and classmates. They learned to recognize patterns, sort, classify, count, evaluate, re-arrange, build, and use tools and materials around them. They learned to create, learned new techniques, asked questions, shared joy, and made friends. They learned to take care of their personal needs, and with the right teacher, they learned that school was a good place to be and a safe place to try out activities new and unfamiliar. While many of my colleagues don’t remember their kindergarten years, let me gently remind you all: you didn’t master “being at school,” fine motor skills, social skills, or demonstrate academic prowess in the first twelve days of your kindergarten year. In fact, you didn’t master them for much, MUCH longer. Take a breath. Think before you speak, and please stop speaking about my students within earshot of them (by the way, we can hear your cackles and criticisms around corners, where we’re waiting, quietly lined up, for our turn with you). None of you have heard me say something like “Oh those third graders” or “Oh, all those students in the upper grades,” have you? Nope. Because I understand that while I haven’t taught third graders or secondary students, they are NOT incomplete or inadequate people because they haven’t yet mastered the school curriculum in a way that is convenient or ideal for you or me.
And new kindergarten teachers…if anyone approaches you with the classic “Oh, you teach kindergarten? So you just PLAY all day, right?” statement, just remember: most people play to learn and spend their lives trying to obtain mastery. Don’t believe me? Watch a colleage be introduced to a new computer program that s/he has to use for work. Then watch them play computer Solitaire, or Concentration, or type a letter to a friend. What are they doing? Practicing and developing techniques that will help them when they use the new computer program. Ever see an adult pick up a new hobby like knitting or painting? Were they experts on the first try? Nope. They made mistakes. Probably got frustrated a few times along the way too. *Might* have even thrown the paintbrush or knitting needles aside…”this is too hard!” Sound like some five year olds you might know?
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New Teacher Tip: For those of you who have a general elementary education degree, you can usually be credentialed to teach grades K-6 or even K-8. If you’ve been hired to teach kindergarten after your practicum experience has been in any grade OTHER than kindergarten, you’re probably in shock right now, especially if you didn’t have to take early childhood development courses for your major. My advice? TAKE SOME ECHD COURSES PRONTO. Kindergarten is NOT the same as grades 1-6, and it is NOT “easy” like babysitting either. FIND BOOKS, ARTICLES, AND BLOGS ABOUT TEACHING FOUR TO SIX YEAR OLDS, find out who a “master kindergarten teacher” is in your district, apply to take a day’s leave from your class and go observe that teacher. Ask permission to take your digital camera. Take notes. Ask questions. Keep in touch.
Scholastic’s The New Kindergarten
Joyful Learning in Kindergarten
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When in Rome…
…one has to *learn* what the Romans do!
After this first week at school, I’ve figured out a few things about myself. Surprising, because I didn’t spend the past year actively asking myself questions about teaching, debating how I’d like to spend my free time, or building face-to-face collegial ties. I also didn’t anticipate how my unique traveling circumstances (I’m now working with my fifth principal in my fourth school district in my third state since 2003) would affect my mood, my tone, and my attitude when I was once again hired to teach with a school staff that for the most part (other than the new hires that joined me this year) has remained the same for a while now.
My first ten years of teaching were spent in the same school, at the same grade, with roughly the same colleagues. The nurse, lead custodian and music teacher’s positions changed (along with a new principal) but the rest of us were a long term team, quirks, beliefs about education and all. Teaching in a small community, any teachers who transferred in were already known to everyone, and those who left visited often. A comfort zone was created by this long term teaching commitment that I have not felt again since leaving Alaska. Comfort zones are more common for those who stay in one place longer than a year.
Easy to understand since I spent one year teaching in New Mexico, one year in Kansas, and took last year off while we were stationed in Texas. I haven’t been anywhere long enough to settle into a school’s routine, a staff’s easy banter in the lounge, a community’s familiar scenery. On this latest educational stage, many roles are the same (librarian, kindergarten team, cafeteria staff, administration, special education teachers, custodians etc.) along with some new characters (21st Century Classroom teacher, Educational Dome Theater instructor, Compass Lab facilitator), and the goals we all work toward achieving are student focused and are seemingly educationally sound. Contemplating my new environment, I’m reflecting on my own perceptions, not knowing anyone well enough yet to be able to guess with any certainty what, if anything, is running through their minds as they interact with me.
For someone with over a decade’s worth of teaching experience, a person who has taught in very ethnically, religiously, geographically and socio-economically diverse locations, I’ve been asking what must seem like silly questions this past week, to include “What do the alarms sound like at this school?” My principal was kind enough to let us listen to short bursts of the tornado alarms, but several colleagues have looked at me like I’ve lost my mind when I’ve asked for a description of the sounds since, as hearing those alarms and dealing with them is second nature for teachers who have been here longer than a year. Alaskan schools have fire alarms. No tornado alarms. No earthquake alarms, nada. Just fire bells. In the newer schools, there are probably some computerized alarms with flashing strobes, but that’s it. In the New Mexico school I worked at, there were no tornado alarms. No door alarms. No intruder-on-campus drills (I’m sure that has changed since). In my previous Kansas school, the fire bell and tornado alarm did not sound the same as they do here. Some of you have sirens, some of you have bells, some of you have “tornado watch” beeps that are different from the “tornado imminent” howls- and at least in this school, you have a new teacher who has not heard them before. Thank you for your patience, new colleagues. Hopefully you feel you have a new partner that wants to be as prepared as possible, so she’s asking.
One school had designated door holders during alarms, another stressed that no kindergarten student should hold the doors because they might get trampled, or get scared and be left inside, and another school insisted that all students file through the doors pushing the bar and not looking back, trusting that the next student in line would also be facing forward, arms at the ready to push the door open as s/he walked through in a quick but orderly fashion. Cafeteria routine? In Alaska, my students ate in the classroom. In New Mexico, they ate in the cafeteria which was in an annex building right next to ours. In Kansas School Number One, the gym and cafeteria were the same place. In Alaska, children had two choices, “home lunch” or “school lunch.” Same in New Mexico and Kansas School Number One. Here, my students have the following choices: entree one, entree two, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, bagel and yogurt, OR home lunch. Wow. And if you’ve taught kindergarten before, you know exactly how that routine goes during the first week of school: “I changed my mind, I want something else,” or “I thought I had lunch but this whole lunch sack is really filled with SNACK,” or “I don’t have to do the lunch chart because I’m not hungry.” Throw in a few “I brought home lunch but I want pizza now,” or “but I drank the three juices Mom gave me and now I want milk” and you can imagine that every so often, too much of a good thing is NOT a good thing.
Routines for duties, who walks whom back, who escorts students to buses, who picks up kids from the day care, who walks, who takes attendance and lunch count (I have an aide this year), who does copies, what hours can we be in the building over the weekend, and is it the class list on yellow, the red or green paddle flags or the class list on a clipboard we use for emergencies at this school? Does the principal want composite data sheets on students’ beginning-of-the-year screening assessments, copies of e-mail communication that *might* get tricky depending on how parents interpret them, and lesson plans on a weekly spread page or in daily list format? Do the staff members at this school view kindergarten teachers as teachers or glorified babysitters? Do we sit wherever we want to during staff meetings or do we sit at tables by grade level? How clique-ish are the teachers? I can’t tell you how I *wish* I could do a selective brain dump on the routines and need-to-know info I’ve had to memorize and learn from my previous teaching locations so I can keep this new set straight! Who uses the hallway potties and when since my classroom shares a single seat girls’ toilet and a single seat boys’ toilet with another entire classroom (talk about bad planning that someone should have caught when looking over the blueprints!), and though handrails are available down ramps we use to get to other parts of the school, why are most teachers encouraging their students NOT to use them while walking? I know, I know. I’ll “get it” this year. Time will give me the info.
Unless Uncle Sam decides to move us AGAIN.
I…am…*SO*…Excited!
The first day of school is Monday, and I’ve already met all but two of my students, thanks to a short Open-House-type visit yesterday afternoon!
I’ll wrap up some details for you today, and then unveil the classroom in all its glory tomorrow, okie dokie?
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I made center tags:
Many teachers list their centers on a single chart, somehow rotating names of students to cycle them through activities each day. Some teachers leave all centers as “free choices” for the year. I make center tags that are located at EACH activity, and I myself rotate students’ names/photos (not shown for confidentiality’s sake) that are affixed to each tag with hook-and-loop tape or dots. This may seem labor intensive, but for the first few weeks of school, I like to move through the classroom, helping and monitoring each student in all of the center locations. I signal it’s time to clean up and move to the next center with a special clap or by ringing a bell. Rotating the tags myself gives me the chance to see if the students are cleaning up appropriately, or are just leaving their mess for the next student to deal with as everyone else moves on. Catching students cleaning up gives me the opportunity to provide positive feedback, and I’m able to redirect mess-makers back to their last center before they become too engrossed in the next activity. After the first month of school, I can become a center that students will visit, and I can trust the kindergartners working elsewhere to clean up before moving on without too much intervention on my part.
Changing the photos to rotate students through centers assures that I won’t be stuck sitting all morning as well!
Each center lasts anywhere from ten to fifteen minutes, and no, none of my centers are “optional.” Every student cycles through every center, visiting their favorites, and knowing that, should they encounter an activity they’re not very fond of, it WILL end, and they WILL make it away from there to work elsewhere!
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Here’s a close up of my “Welcome” card (it’s a postcard by Mary Englebreit, available at many teacher stores) and the button my kindergarten colleagues made for each student:
I put a poem about the first day of school in the card for parents to read, and let my students know they can wear their pin for the first week of school, and then transfer it to a lunch bag or backpack. I’m guessing there are a few parents out there that save the button for their childrens’ scrapbooks or photo albums!
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While new kindergarten students need quiet and calm guidance paired with nurturing on their first day of school, many parents are just as tender-hearted and emotionally fragile as their children. I give each family a little gift bag that has a cotton ball, some kleenex, and a tea bag before they leave us on the first day. The cotton ball is to remind parents of their child’s soft spirit, the kleenex is to help them dry their tears, and I encourage parents to go home, heat up some water, make a cup of tea, and relax.
Frankly, it’s the most gentle way I’ve found to…cut the apron strings.
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We’ll be learning about colors for the first two weeks of school, so I’ve prepped some die cuts and art activities in advance:
I’m not sure if we’ll make necklaces out of the die cut shapes or use the shapes for some other activity, but the large white apples with green stems are ready for students to cut or tear red construction paper out to glue onto them on “Red Day.” On Red Day we’ll wear something red or bring a red item from home to share. Same thing for Blue Day, Yellow Day, Green Day, etc., and of course we’ll read books like Green Eggs and Ham, Blueberries for Sal, Green Wilma, Who Said Red, Harold’s Purple Crayon, etc. Dressing in similar colors and making group projects helps to bring us together as a class, giving us ownership of our surroundings, making us feel like we belong, and forging bonds with classmates and teachers.
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Tomorrow I’ll be baking “Kissing Hand” cookies, but will post classroom photos for you to see too!
A Full Teacher Work Day Tomorrow
…and you know what *that* means! No meetings, no professional development, no inservice topics to discuss. My to-do list? A full page in my notebook. But it’s a small notebook. And I’ll have Dear Daughter to help. We…will…plow.
Tonight I’ll be making the Rolo/Pretzel/Pecan nummies, and tomorrow my house will be smelling delicious as I bake cookies, cookies, and more cookies for my colleagues’ Friday treat. When you’re new to the staff and can’t possibly learn the names of everyone in the school, I highly recommend taking in wonderful treats. It’s staff support, I tell you!
Don’t tell my grade level colleagues, but I’ll be making something for each of them this weekend! We are going to have a GREAT year!
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I need to make sure I have my “beginning of the year” kindergarten playlist loaded onto my iPod this weekend. Songs to remember? Shake My Sillies Out, The Wheels on the Bus, Five Little Monkeys, Purple People Eater, YMCA… and some Summer Solstice selections by Windham Hill for our “Brain Break” time. Can’t forget Apples and Bananas (you *know* it’s a cool song if Keith Urban will sing it!):
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Tomorrow is Show and Share Thursday (hey, I didn’t forget this time!) so check back in for some updated photos of the classroom- school starts Monday, so we’re in the home stretch!
Going Around in Circles
As organized as I try to be at work and at home, once our family has to relocate, the packers, however nice and polite they may be, seem to think it’s GAME ON.
Boys, I made you all lunch, three days in a row. Granted, the first day was pizza, but hey, day two was homemade sub sandwiches. We certainly kept the fridge stocked with Gatorade, water and soda so you wouldn’t dehydrate or run out of energy. We even pushed Otter Pops on you when the temp got unbearable!
So would you mind telling me where my dining room chair pillows are? How about half of my Somerset magazines (that were all in one spot when you started)? The receiver for our cordless phone? Because the way things are going, I’m thinking I’m not going to find these things until I open my SCHOOL-SUPPLIES-THAT-HAVEN’T-SEEN-THE-LIGHT-OF-DAY-IN-OVER-A-YEAR that *you* opened and “re-boxed” because of some packer/moving company policy.
Soon-to-be-teaching-colleagues, I’ll apologize right now for any outbursts of exasperation you might hear coming from my new classroom two weeks from now. It’s not you, and no, I’m not some psycho hose beast. I’ve just finally found my crochet hooks~ in exactly the furthest location from where they originated in our home.
Darn packers.
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My finger and toenails are happy this morning. After enduring two weeks without a mani-pedi, I gave in, removed what little polish was left on them last night, buffed, filed, and polished with a non-summer color. MUCH better now. Yes Bev, you read that right: my nails were in disrepair for two weeks! Nope, I didn’t go looking for an emergency bottle of polish for the chips and nicks either. Scary, huh?
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With the repairs and modifications we’re having to do to the rental, we’re stuck, shuffling boxes and piles around and around and around as we get each new area designated, arranged, and decorated. The upstairs is nearly done, but the only reason why is because the downstairs still looks like a bomb hit it. My desk is upstairs, along with most of my crafty stash that was stored beneath it in Texas… but it will be clutter free when what I hope will be my crafting area is set up and ready downstairs.
Now if I could only find my three remaining ribbon boxes.
Maybe I should have made the packers extra cookies. Lesson learned.
For Bev and Jess
Bev was my first kinder-colleague and friend, thirteen years ago, while Jess became my latest kindergarten partner-in-crime-and confidante two years ago. They share a birthday today~ I can’t tell you how glad I am they were both born!
Blogging and Technology Reflection
I’ve caught myself in a state of self-reflection again, this time in regard to my presence out here on the web.
I’ve read the newest issue of Artful Blogging. For months now I’ve been enjoying my morning ritual of parking myself and my coffee in front of the computer to scroll through NetNewsWire. I’ve noticed the monthly blogging/commenting challenges that have popped up all over Blogsville this past week, and have wondered if I should join in or just keep my blogging activities to myself and my readers. I’m still confused as to why some of my subscriptions load reliably almost every day, while others get stockpiled in blog limbo and then flood my feed in one fell swoop after a month or so. It reminds me of my cell phone service here in the Bordertown. I miss calls, and messages get held for days, weeks sometimes, before hitting voicemail. Message after message, the callers’ tones seem to get testy, because they* JUST KNOW* I’m ignoring them and not returning their calls.
There goes that blind trust and over-reliance on technology again. Don’t trust the phone company or advances in voicemail technology, trust ME.
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From what I could gather during my job interview over the phone with my new employer (I’ll be back in Oz, this time at District #2), I’ll be working with a staff that is a bit different from the last three with whom I’ve taught. This is completely understandable to me because I’ve witnessed first-hand the diversity that exists in the United States each time Uncle Sam has relocated us, however it might still come as a surprise to those who assume school districts across our nation are actually nearing some state of standardization with one another.
During my interview I was asked about PLC’s and technology in particular, a question I’ve never been asked before. It’s a question I myself have asked prospective employers at each of my interviews here in the Bordertown, a question I received very awkward answers to, responses indicating that I was more familiar with current technology usage in education than the interviewing principals were. I was told by District #2 that my classroom would have at least three wireless laptops for my students to use, so no, I wouldn’t have to bring my outdated iMacs with me when I moved. For the first time, I was able to say “I have a blog” without worrying that the interviewer’s mental alarm bells were going off, imagining a site full of inappropriate photos and text of a wanna-be-web-celeb instead of a teacher/crafter/mother/military wife who was sharing recipes, craft ideas, family updates, and links to kindergarten-related themes. I’m guessing someone at District #2 has already Googled me…probably did it before ever dialing my number for the interview. I would if I were in his or her position.
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I know that time has continued to march on as my family and I relocate from state to state. When I left Alaska, my teaching experience was built over a decade’s worth of observations and paradigm shifts, most notably in regard to technological advances and their impact on school and society. I had to learn how to be responsible for an entire new iMac lab (not so new now!), and had to exercise caution because of what my students might encounter or see “out there,” *NOT* what they themselves might PUT out there. Teachers with their own web pages were testing the water for all of us, and must have felt the pressure of it. My usage of White Out decreased significantly when a computerized report card replaced the traditional hand-written one.
In New Mexico, the kindergarten curriculum included goals for computer technology, but my classroom was given rarely operational PC’s for the job because really, why would five year olds need computers? They’d just “play on them.” Many of my colleagues had never heard of or seen Living
Books before (another no-longer-”new” resource). Teachers emailed, or instant messaged one another, but other than professional communication and entering data for attendance records, computers were to be used for student assessment only via Accelerated Reader. During chats in the staff lounge, no one complained about their own childrens’ MySpace pages, and no one understood why I would want a dry erase, mobile magnetic white board in my room instead of the singular chalkboard I had. My son’s and daughter’s teachers didn’t assign web projects. My own students were taught how to use the overhead projector, c.d. player, computers, and scanner instead of just being parked in front of them during lessons. Report cards still had to be filled out by hand. DIBELS too, though the number crunching of scores took place at Central Office somewhere.
In Oz, District #1 seemed to focus on using technology primarily again for student assessment. Improved reading and math scores were the be-all-end-all goal, with lists of acceptable web resources and sites xeroxed off and distributed ad nauseum during most professional development seminars, while statewide assessment test “practice” took precedence over any other web activities or lessons that students might have normally been assigned. My old iMacs came in handy, as my students were never a priority for computer lab time when the assessment crunch was in full swing unless my colleague and I were prepping them for future first grade AR assessments. I’m guessing the proposal I helped to author for an additional portable/cart computer lab wouldn’t have created increased computer access for my kindergartners…it would have provided more test prep for additional (older) students. District email was handy, as were the attendance and report card programs though the kindergarten report card wasn’t aligned with state standards and didn’t provide enough narrative space for additional and essential info/documentation.
A younger group of teachers have MySpace pages, but several still don’t quite know that their just-out-of-college-weekend-partying photos that they regularly post on their public sites are still viewable by students, parents, and colleagues. Some post photos on their personal pages of not only themselves but their students as well, something as a parent and teacher I find highly inappropriate. Some colleagues have their own personal blogs, where they reflect on their teaching practices and philosophies, their frustrations and their goals. Many of their identities are kept private for good reasons, as professional retribution and/or public misunderstandings by parents and colleagues who might search the web for them would be unbearable and possibly even job-threatening.
District #2 sounds incredibly promising, pro-teacher and therefore pro-student.
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I’ll reflect more on why I blog at some later time, but I have to tell you, it’s because of blogging, reading, commenting, participating in discussions, and contributing to the sea of teaching perspectives out there that I’ve been able to continue my own professional development during my Stay-at-Home-Mom year. My professional learning community stretches around the world, crossing borders, philosophies, cultures and ages, and in many cases it includes my own personal tastes and interests apart from public education. A wiki on cross stitching, a MySpace group devoted to scrapbooking techniques, a subscription to a photographer’s blog overseas, my weekly download of the latest Oprah podcast for A New Earth, and my own contributions to blogs like In Practice aren’t threatening to me or my employer- they’ve been essential to expanding my connections with others, and with myself.
My next goal? Podcasting- reading my students’ favorite stories for them to access at school or at home. My voice, and the memory of face-to-face storytime can increase the personal connection with my students that promotes literacy better than any digital/cartoon character ever could.
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Personal Pet Peeve: Popsicle Sticks
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a complete popsicle stick advocate when it comes to classroom and home crafts, or, go figure, for making popsicles. But when these creativity-inspiring, cool-snack-enabling pieces of wood are used for classroom “discipline,” I can’t stand the little buggers.
Discipline: training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character; control gained by enforcing obedience or order; orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior; a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity; a form of punishment.
Have you witnessed a student being told to go “pull a stick” in a classroom after demonstrating behavior that a teacher doesn’t like? Have you heard a student be told by classmates “oooh, you’re gonna have to go pull a stick!” Or “uh oh, if you lose another stick you won’t get to go outside for recess!” Are you a teacher who routinely warns students about their “stick status?” Substitute the words “card” or “face card” for “stick” in any of the above examples- it’s the same concept: using public humiliation as a form of behavioral control. Sadly, popsicle stick discipline pocket charts are popular “classroom management” tools.
Excerpts from “Public Humiliation” at Wikipedia: “Just like painful forms of corporal punishment, it (public humiliation) has parallels in educational and other rather private punishments (but with some audience), in school or domestic disciplinary contexts, and as a rite of passage. Physical forms include being forced to wear some sign such as… a “Dunce Cap”, having to stand, kneel or bend over in a corner, or repeatedly write something on a blackboard (”I will not spread rumors” for example).” “In some cases, pain or at least discomfort is insignificant or rather secondary to the humiliation…” “Even when not strictly public, humiliation can still be a psychologically “painful” aspect of punishment because of the presence of witnessing peers, relatives, staff or other onlookers, or simply because the tormentor witnesses how self-control is broken down. This is also true for punishments in class.”
In my mind, classrooms are not prisons. I am no warden. As a teacher, I am employed to educate, guide, and serve the academic, physical, and emotional needs of my students. To fulfill my job requirements successfully, I take the time at the beginning of each year to build a positive repoire with my students and work with them to establish a safe environment in my classroom. This means I observe my students at length, I interview their parents (personally and in surveys/questionnaires that are sent home), and I constantly model appropriate behaviors and reactions to most, if not all, of our classroom experiences. No yelling, no threats, just explanations, questions, and role playing appropriate reactions for “next time.” Praise, praise, appreciation, and more praise.
“You must feel so good inside. You accidentally spilled the glue, but you told me and helped me clean it up. That’s terrific!”
“Thank you for showing J. what a good friend you can be. You hurt his feelings, but then you apologized. I think he feels better now, I hope you do too.”
” I’m so glad you remembered how to move safely during free center time! You didn’t run, so you didn’t get hurt/hurt others today! Good job!”
“Thank you for letting B. have a turn to talk with me. When I’m done talking with her, your turn will be next. Thank you for waiting nicely, you’re being very polite.”
Perhaps such phrases sound Pollyanna-ish, and I admit, I go home with a sore throat and sore face every day for the first month of school because of how much I verbally communicate and smile with each of my students. It’s become apparent over time that the fact that I actually enjoy talking to and WITH my students has set me apart from some of my colleagues in the past, as have my beliefs about children in general.
*****
~ Just-turned-five-year-olds are not experts on issues of self-control. Neither are many adults. Ever see an adult burst into tears, “vent” in a less-than-appropriate venue, or behave in publicly embarrassing ways? Of course you have. No one is perfect, though adults have years and years and YEARS of experience built from successes, mistakes, and regrets that young children can’t and won’t possess, no matter how many time outs, cards pulled, or whistles blown that you inflict upon them.
~ First graders tend to be a little more acclimatized to school than kindergarten students are, while second graders demonstrate a bit more familiarity with the choreography of the classroom environment than they did the previous year. No, fifth graders don’t have “it” all mastered, just because they’re older than kindergarten students. No, tenth graders don’t have “it” all mastered just because they’re in high school.
~The need to guide and respond in meaningful ways to our students is so great, but it’s one of those essentials that many teachers and schools ignore because they believe “there isn’t time.” Popsicle sticks are faster. Embarrassing a student is faster. But it’s not better.
~ Too often teachers forget that their students are children, no matter what they wear, how they behave, or what they say. While children aren’t social savants, they are certainly masters of observation, and they have emotional reactions to and an elephant’s memory for interactions, good and bad, with the adults in their lives. You are making an impression on your students, and your treatment of them will determine their reaction and responses to you.
~ Students are not sent to school in order to make a teacher’s day brighter, more cheerful, or to feed their ego. It’s amazing to me that a classroom full of children “complying” by sitting in their chairs, completely silent, demonstrating no interactive or inquiry-based behaviors is considered a successful model of classroom management, a successful model of teaching. No questions are being asked, no ideas are being explored, no communication is occurring, but teachers receive atta-boy or atta-girl praise that they enjoy from their administrators and colleages, which reminds me…
~ Children aren’t adults, nor are they robots, no matter how much some teachers and administrators wish they were. Information is exchanged with students, not just dumped into their open skull caps, lips zipped.
For my initial month’s worth of teaching, guidance, and constant communication, my students work in an atmosphere that frankly, throws people for a loop for the remainder of the year. Month after month, observers, parents and colleagues come in and sit at my reading table, just to watch and listen, and take it all in. They hear children, those “uncontrollable and impulsive” kindergartners talking, apologizing, encouraging, laughing, singing, and debating. They witness students approach me with questions, not interrupting, waiting until I’m done speaking to someone else. They hear explanations of feelings, expectations of how someone can help, negotiations between peers, instead of tattles and screams and cries. They hear productive noise, which many had previously felt indicated mayhem, a “lack of control,” a “zoo,” proof that this teacher has no “classroom management skills.” Funny the things visitors hear when they stop to truly listen, what they see, when they truly observe.
Because I’ve listened respectfully, because I’ve shared without force, I’ve modeled and therefore taught kindness instead of humiliation. I’ve appreciated my students for who they are and what they do, and in turn they reciprocate when I indicate it’s time to transition from one activity to another. They respond appropriately, they enable each other, they cooperate. They help me create and maintain a positive learning environment, their ownership and sense of belonging being the essential foundation upon which the rest of our learning is built.
I invest in my students, their feelings, and their potential to learn. I do not believe their first and foremost responsibility is to learn how to comply, Pavlovian in nature. If you can only “control” your students through threats and public humiliation, it’s time to rethink your purpose, teaching philosophy, and moral compass. How would you feel if your principal, administrator, or spouse put you on a popsicle stick chart? Go ahead, imagine it… you talk out of turn, to your grade level partner during inservice (pull a stick!)… you arrive late to a staff meeting because your potty break could only happen as soon as the bell rang and you had bus duty (pull a stick!)…you accidentally forgot to stop at the store and pick up milk (pull a stick!). I’m betting it wouldn’t take long before you’d categorize such behavior as emotionally abusive. How long would you tolerate it? How willing would you be to perform your best? How long could you perform your best while suffering from repeated overdoses of humiliation inducing fight-or-flight adrenalin?
Working with a staff made up of mostly popsicle-stickers can be excruciating. You see your former students squashed into compliance, their new teachers finding fault in their questions, their exuberance, their anxiety, their need to adapt- everything that demonstrates that students are children who require guidance, instruction, experience, and time to reflect on situations that might occur outside of the math or reading curriculum. Relationship-building is seen as a chore, a “touchy-feel-y” approach, instead of as the foundation to which I referred earlier, an essential “safe” zone where students can re-evaluate and recover from natural mistakes. Teachers don’t invest in it because it’s not a quick fix, and it isn’t “done” after a particular grade, though many of them have no problem doing everything possible to ensure that public humiliation goes hand in hand with public education, year after year. Why invest in embarrassment? Invest in reasoning, invest in valuing, invest in fairness, and invest in an attainable and attractive ideal that enables the best kind of learning to take place.
In my classroom you’ll find popsicle sticks in our Creative Construction Zone, math calendar counting chart, or classroom refrigerator, three places they absolutely belong.
Read It Read It Read It Read It!
Jim Horn at Schools Matter discusses Testing and the Death of Play, quoting a Morning Edition Story on NPR:
“Guess what? Play is required for the healthy development of children. Imagine that.”
“It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped children develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function. Executive function has a number of different elements, but a central one is the ability to self-regulate. Kids with good self-regulation are able to control their emotions and behavior, resist impulses, and exert self-control and discipline.”
Parents, teachers, administrators, “behavior specialists,” this is a *must read*.
Go.
Now.
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