Three Little Words
28 Mar 2012 7 Comments
When I am frustrated, sad, annoyed or pretty much any negative emotion, these three little words can melt it all away.
Especially when said by my two year old.
I just look at him and say, “I love you Jack.” And he replies with, “I wove you Mommy.”
Done deal. This girl is realigned.
Guess what?
Other people need to hear it too.
The other day, my friend heard some bad news. I texted her, we chatted via text for a while and I ended with an “I love you”. Her response told me that that was what she needed me to say, and I should be saying it more often.
My husband and I say it every night before bed.
My mom says it every time we talk…and it usually is accompanied with some silly sounds. (I….love….you-boo-boo-boo-boo.)
When my grandma, my brother or my dad says it, I’m usually stunned for a few seconds. They don’t tend to say it often. It is implied. That’s fine because that’s their way.
With these three little words, comes great responsibility. I’m 35 and can’t be acting like I’m on Jersey Shore saying I love you to every person I encounter. Nope, I have to say it because I mean it. And if I’m saying it, I do mean it.
So, make an effort to say it to people you love and make that effort soon!
That’s Why It’s Called Work, Not Fun.
29 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
My husband is very lucky. Almost every day, I pick him up from work downtown so he can be home quickly and doesn’t have to take the bus. (I know, I deserve a medal.)
Every day I ask him how work was and if anything exciting happened. His answer is almost always the same, “It’s better now that it’s over.” This answer is mind-boggling to me.
Every work day for almost fifteen years, he has hopped out of bed, had breakfast and made his way downtown to his work station, worked for eight hours and then come home. He rarely has work related stories other than a couple of comments on how his co-workers are doing. Our conversations about his work are short.
If he dares to ask me about work, I could go on for hours. I tell him about the kids and the quirky things that happened. I tell him about interesting conversations I had with my colleagues. I chat about strategies for dealing with behaviours in the classroom and ask for his advice. Oh, did I mention I’m on maternity leave? I’m not even in the classroom right now and I still have things I can talk about!
Okay, so yeah, I’m a good talker. But that isn’t the point. I love my work. I get up in the morning and am excited to go in. Sure, sometimes I don’t feel like it and I get cranky, but those moments are few and far between. I want to be at work. I find it invigorating and interesting. I can’t imagine not being there.
I asked him (several times) how he could go to work for eight hours and not have anything interesting to say about it. Isn’t that boring and fulfilling? His reply was and is always, “That’s why it’s called work and not fun.” He tells me that most people feel the same way as he does: work is a means to an end. It’s something people do to live, not live to do.
Thank God I’m a teacher. My work IS fun, IS interesting and IS fulfilling. Even when it is hard or frustrating, I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. I live to teach and couldn’t imagine going into an unrelated field.
I guess I’m just lucky.
Have fun at Teachers’ Convention this year!
Home Alone: The Parenting Experience
30 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
I went to my work place for a baby shower a couple of weeks ago. Frank is my second little boy and he was born on December 3, 2011. A carbon copy to his brother, he is sweet and a good sleeper. I am a very lucky mom.
I was thrilled to visit with colleagues and, as is the teacher way, conversation quickly moved into shop talk. I prompted the ladies around me about my former students. I was so curious about how they were adjusting to the new teacher. I wanted all the educational gossip.
I went home feeling very loved by my colleagues who cooed and made faces at my little angel. It is awesome to see the reactions a little one brings.
Interestingly enough, I felt exhilarated by all the information I had gathered about my school and the people in it. My colleagues said over and over that time passes too quickly and so I should savour my time at home. Honestly, I miss work.
Sometimes being at home with a little one (soon to be two since my two and a half year old is in day home full time until February 1st) is boring. There is only so much t.v. I can watch before I start looking around for stuff to do. Reading is a great option, but a little hard to do while breastfeeding. (I am on my third attempt at The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.) I try to get my running around done but again, it is easier to breastfeed in the comfort of my own home.
Speaking of home, being there with the baby is overwhelming. I have been forced to confront my “house projects” face on. So as I sit there, feeding the baby, I see the piles of stuff that needs organizing, the laundry that needs putting away and the areas that need to be cleaned. (ALL AREAS!) “Revel in the new baby. Cuddle. Bond. Enjoy the quiet,” I whisper to myself. Does anyone actually do that? Instead, I try to mentally plan how to organize this or that so when the baby sleeps, I can get it done. I plan finances in my head. I think about ways to fill my day. I think about my neglected blog…oy vey.
And I beat myself up for feeling bored, overwhelmed or anything other than the bliss that is (supposedly) motherhood at home. Fortunately I have met some other mothers who feel the same. Of course, we aren’t supposed to and so we talk about it in whispered tones during our play-dates. Why whisper? Why have we been sold this ideal of staying at home that isn’t easily accomplished for most? And why do we feel guilty when we don’t gush thankfulness for being able to stay home?
Well, I accomplished one of my million goals: I wrote a blog post before the end of January! I think I will try to get ahead of the laundry before I go to pick up my big boy!
Thoughts from Home
16 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
So today is the first day of my maternity leave. I sit here after a five-day fall break wondering when I’ll go into labour and meet my new little boy.
I have a lot of time to think.
In my thoughts now are the students who are in the classroom with my replacement learning to read and respond to a different person’s body language, expectations, rules and reactions. I’m worried and hopeful.
Maybe she’ll reach those kids I wasn’t able to. Maybe she’ll be the Math teacher I wish I could be.
Why would I be concerned about what’s going on when I’m a free woman? Free to watch all the pvr’d TV I want!!!
Because I read a book and saw a speaker.
I read a book called Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential – and Endangered by Dr. Bruce Perry. I went to his session in Edmonton and listened to his passion for the neuro-development of children. He helped me understand my students better and changed my perspective on my role as a teacher in a classroom with severe behavioural issues. I finally felt that I was able to change things I was doing to help students feel loved, appreciated, needed and wanted.
I care about my students more than I ever thought I would. Sure, I get annoyed when we work on a unit and the evidence of learning is there one day and the next day is seems to have disappeared. But after having read Dr. Perry’s book I realized I’m dealing with kids who have had so many struggles already and they may not be ready to learn. My job is to push forward while knowing that I will have to repeat myself innumerable times and hope that one day, it will click. By caring, I am helping to open the door to learning.
So once again, I feel that my first principal who told me (with my best interests at heart) that I was too soft and needed to create more distance between myself and my students, was mistaken. The passion and caring I feel about my job, my students and their lives is what makes me a better teacher. The fact that I am at home, thinking about my little school, the students there and the staff I left is not me being weird or controlling. It is a demonstration that I want those kids to succeed, those teachers and our EA to be empowered to be the best that they can be and have a successful year. I know they will. I believe they will.
If you teach kids, you need to read Dr. Bruce Perry’s book. It will break your heart and give you hope for what can be if we recognize children’s need for love and understanding from all the adults around them. I don’t need to be “the teacher” for all my students. I do need to be an understanding, compassionate and loving person for anyone who needs me.
A Change in Approach
12 Oct 2011 6 Comments
Sometimes life is full of surprises.
Our division has been hard at work changing our reporting process. If you would have told me that I would be singing the praises of a new report card three years ago, I would have scoffed. What is wrong with the old ways? I had marks on my report cards and little to no information to go with the marks and I turned out fine. My parents trusted my teachers to use their professional judgement and they accepted my marks and my precious few comments. (Please pretend to be shocked and surprised when I tell you the comment often was about my love of the social aspect of school.)
Imagine my surprise when I realized that there is another way. Imagine my shock when I realized it was actually more pertinent to the parents and guardians. Our new report cards better reflect student abilities. They actually speak to not only what they know but HOW THEY LEARN! Fascinating. So the nerd who used to sit beside me spouting off three digit by three digit multiplication in middle years will still have his validation while the struggling student such as myself who could not do the multiplication the way the teacher wanted me to, but could still find the correct answer will as well. Awesome.
I feel like our new reporting system validates my job. Anyone with Google could potentially find the answer to any question. With smartphones and iPhones and all our little devices, we have access to all the information one could want, and then some. Yes, we still need a base knowledge, but now we need teachers to guide students into the correct information, the skills and attitudes from the front matter of the curriculum. And yes, it has always been there, but now we will finally, as a whole division, place emphasis on it.
That is a beautiful thing.
I said during my final PD session before my maternity leave, that I was jealous of the teachers who would spend the year prepping for the new report card that our school group will use in the fall of 2012. Surprisingly, I truly meant it.
The New Year: A New Approach
04 Sep 2011 3 Comments
I’m only working for ten weeks this school year.
What a strange way to start the year; knowing that shortly I will be leaving on a maternity leave! It sure has changed my process when starting up my classroom. This year, rather than coming up with long-term plans, unit plans, seating plans and every kind of plan with myself and students in mind, I have been forcing myself to also consider the teacher that will take over my role in nine short weeks and debating how I can best set them up. It is a very bizarre feeling to question every piece of paperwork and plan that I write. I feel like a student listening to my inner English teacher repeating, “Consider your audience.”
Add to that, two new colleagues, both new to teaching in our district and new to our unique program and, suddenly the already collaborative nature of our little two room school has shot up 100%! I’m being forced to consider Person ‘A’ who has not yet been hired, Person ‘B’ who is brand new to our district and Person ‘C’ who is completing her first year of teaching after many years in our district as an EA. Wowza, three distinct needs. Good thing we have our rock, Lorrie our EA on our team. It is fascinating to have a new perspective after three years of the same team.
I wish everyone had this opportunity. In the week that I have been back at the school, I believe that I have said, “Well, last year we…” a million times. The more interesting thing is that it is usually followed by an explanation of the past policies and then a, “but we could…” and “…what do you see happening…” This new challenge has forced me to question our past ways of doing things and become more creative and open to change. That is awesome and refreshing.
We often talk about developing our “teacher leaders”. This is truly happening at Brightbank this year. I am honoured to step up as a leader and am even more privileged to work with such a creative team with varied and rich backgrounds. I’m saddened that it will only last another nine weeks, but I will enjoy our brief time together. I can only hope that the person coming in for the eight month leave will find joy in our strong and collaborative team.
A new perspective can be so awesome.
The Instant Opinion: It’s a new world folks!
29 Jun 2011 2 Comments
in Family
So in the world of Twitter, Facebook, blogging, smartphones and instant everything, I found myself confronted with a paradox. A status update on Facebook read, “While John and Bobby sucked on their soothers, a lady at soccer told me that “we prefer to rock and snuggle our children, WE are their soothers…”**
WHAT???
In a fit of outrage on behalf of my friend I replied, “Nothing like some good old-fashioned judgement to get the blood boiling. LAME! “I prefer to teach my children to learn to censor their opinions and not judge others, …..”
Quickly, another person complimented me on my retort. I acknowledged her response with, “Yeah Sarah, I mean we all have our opinions, but do we need to share them all the time? I know so many moms who were heartbroken they couldn’t breastfeed and then, to add insult to injury, were told on a regular basis by strangers and even friends that they were doing wrong by not breastfeeding! What happened to supporting each other rather than one-uping each other? Grrr..”
This second post received three “likes” within minutes.
That’s when it hit me…ummm, aren’t I being just as judgemental and quick to give my opinion as the lady I was admonishing? I mean, come on Melissa, so the lady made a comment that seems judgemental and harsh….would it be so hard to reply, “Oh good for you” or “Hmm, that’s a thought.” Didn’t I just tell a friend who felt she was being bullied by in-laws to raise her child a certain way to reply as sincerely as possible that they had some good ideas and then do what she wanted anyways? What is the point in arguing with most people?
There are some things that need to be argued and debated. A good, healthy debate between friends or colleagues helps us see the other side and as Stephen Covey would say, can bring out the third way. I know that some of my most steadfast beliefs have been called into question during intense conversations with friends and that helped me develop a deeper truth. But really, just because we have an opinion, do we really need to share it with strangers, either during a soccer match, via Facebook or Twitter? In adding my two cents (a rather rude two cents I might add) to her status, I showed my self-righteous side.
Not my best side really.
I do wish we would support each other more and dig at each other less.
So I guess that will start with me. I’ll think about keeping my instant opinion to myself a little more frequently.
**Names changed to protect anonymity
The Amazing Transformation of an Educator
05 May 2011 4 Comments
in Curricular Understanding, Differentiated Practice, Partnerships, Reporting, Student Engagement, Uncategorized
When I became a teacher, I wanted to change lives. I wanted to instill passion into the boring classrooms. I wanted the disenfranchised student to find their niche with me and discover learning comes in many forms. Pretty ambitious hey?
Working with the confines of an actual school, complete with division goals and administrative visions made my dream of being the inspiring teacher I wanted to be a much more difficult task than I had anticipated. I couldn’t always follow the path I wanted to as I had become aware of professional obligations and deadlines. Basically, I got into a classroom and found out what being a teacher is really about.
This year, I returned to school after the summer feeling truly blasé about my assignment. I didn’t really care that much about what I was doing. UH-OH! I knew in my heart it was time for a new career. I wasn’t about to subject a bunch of kids to a lackadaisical and idle teacher.
Then something amazing happened. An opportunity to join our division’s Exploring Leadership cohort appeared. I joined the group and was able to participate in discussions about leadership. and changes in education practices. It was easy to get excited about spending a Monday night once a month with a group of people who were passionate about being excellent leaders in their schools. I was hooked. With my interest in my profession piqued, I was more open to exploring changes in the way the educational system worked with kids.
My Principal, George Couros, opened up some ideas by showing me the RSA of Sir Ken Robinson and his Changing Education Paradigms lecture. Wow! It is like Sir Ken read my mind. The education system is short-changing a large percentage of the population. This has always been my belief and thank goodness someone much smarter than me was able to put it in words. I felt empowered to speak up about things that needed to change. I was ready to adapt my assessment practices and teaching strategies. This time, it wasn’t an initiative “forced” on me by the powers that be. I was finally ready to take some ownership in my district. As Carolyn Cameron put it during one Exploring Leadership session, I was moving away from being a “classroom teacher” and moving toward being a “school teacher”. My passion for change in education began to shine through and was noticed by others.
My Assistant Principal, Carolyn Jensen, took notice and allowed me to take a role on the Comprehensive Reporting Team. A whole new world opened up to me! I was amazed that our school division was working to shift reporting to include better communication to parents, more hands-on and real-life curricular ties and engaging student learning by asking them to report on themselves. My employer was not paying lip service to best practices; it was ACTUALLY using them! Revolutionary!
I am thrilled to a part of such an important change and to be on a team that is willing to risk moving forward quickly when others would simply wait and watch. This year, I am ready to take on the challenges that come with change. I want to be a better teacher, a better leader and involved in my career. I only hope that other teachers can survive long enough to have the same transformation I have had.
Technology is a Tool, Not a Teaching Technique
15 Mar 2011 6 Comments
I love to talk.
Oh I can talk about any given subject at any given time. I know a little about a lot of things, and if I don’t have an opinion or a reasonable amount of background, I ask questions. I play devil’s advocate and try to gain perspective. The conversations that can happen when you are open to them are awesome, sometimes even life-altering.
What I find truly interesting is the amount of resistance when it comes to technology in the classroom. Recently my administrator went over some of the practical applications of iPhone/iTouch technology in the classroom and suggest we might look at bringing in some to test. The resulting discussions were outstanding. During the PD, some practical questions were asked. After the session, during lunch and at a staff function is where the real opinions came out.
Now, let me start by saying I am truly on the fence. I have a Smartboard and one to one computers in my classroom. My students have school provided email addresses and blog space. I know that I am limited in my Smartboard use, but we use the computers daily. The ability to access information is amazing. A great deal of my teaching when we are using the computers is about deciphering what is true and important from what is not. I don’t know if having more technology available to us will help or add to the pile of stuff we need to figure out. I truly don’t know how I feel yet.
Even when I don’t know how I feel, I don’t want to rule it out. I like a challenge. Some others are not so inclined. Once we took the money and logistics (Why wouldn’t we pay for more teachers and EAs instead? Who will provide tech support when our district won’t?) out of the issue, it seemed to become a generational thing. Kids will never learn to communicate, just tweet and blog! What is wrong with face to face? Is a pencil so offensive? Just because technology exists, does that mean we must use it?
Did my grandpa think the same when the telephone became common place? Did he figure we would become lazy just because cars replaced horses and walking? Did he think we would become illiterate because we could watch the news on t.v. instead of reading the paper? Makes you wonder…
For me technology is a tool, not a teaching technique or strategy. If iPhones, iPads or the next best thing makes its way into my class I will try to make it work for me and my kids. I will NEVER give up on the conversations and the learning that comes from them. I will make sure my students understand the connections they create with others, both in person and using our tech tools are invaluable. If my team goes from seven people in my classroom to hundreds using the tools available to us, I won’t resist because in the end it is about what’s best for kids.
Thanks for the post topic George.
Assessment, Differentiated Instruction & American Idol
07 Mar 2011 4 Comments
I watch American Idol.
My favourite thing about American Idol is having the opportunity to sing along with the contestants. I really enjoy that I can sing better than some of them and am bested by a great deal of auditionees. It is especially fun to watch it on the PVR where I can fast forward through the banter or rewind to hear some of the truly amazing singers.
On my way to work this morning, I got to thinking about a conversation I had with a friend. I had asked if anyone at the table watched American Idol and the passionate reply really made me think. “No way,” he proclaimed, ” I find it a joke that these kids get up there and sing and if they make it through suddenly they are stars. What about all the people who worked, slaved and sacrificed? Those guys who played the bar circuit and lived in their crappy vans touring around the country to build up a reputation are suddenly having to face these young punks who haven’t put in their time and paid their dues. Doesn’t seem right, does it?”
I guess not. But those kids have talent. Does the fact that they didn’t have to slave away, honing their craft for years before they found their big break make them any less valid or talented? I guess for some it does.
This morning, it dawned on me that we have a large group of teachers that have this mindset when it comes to education. Many believe that if the kid can’t pass the test, they must not know what they need to know. If they don’t hand in an assignment, they should get a zero. The conflict of the kid that did all the assigned work and earned their 80% vs the kid who handed nothing in but pulled off an 80% on the final exam and because of division policy, they will both end up with 80%. Not fair, right?
A big argument I hear over and over is that it is not real-life. In the “real world” no one can say to their boss they just aren’t going to hand in their work on time and expect to still have a job. Well, it isn’t that cut and dry. Talk to any HR person and they will tell you that when someone isn’t working to the expectation, there is a great deal of coaching and mentoring that takes place before a termination takes place. Most work places will try to help their employees rise up to expectations rather than start with a brand new employee. Sure, sometimes in some work forces firing isn’t that strategic or such a process, but try to fire the unionized employee without a lawyer and a boatload of paperwork.
Sometimes I wonder if it ego. How dare you come into my class and not do one assignment and then pull off an 80%! What, you don’t need me? Sounds ridiculous written out, but I think that can be an issue at times.
In the new Math curriculum, we moved away from the “I will show you how to do it and that is how you WILL do it” attitude. Now, we try to have the kids show us how they think they could solve a problem. We talk about differentiated instruction or “creating multiple paths so that students of different abilities, interest or learning needs experience equally appropriate ways to absorb, use, develop and present concepts as a part of the daily learning process.” Really, we are developing the idea that understanding how we get to an answer is just as, if not more important than the answer and that we must accept that each child may have a different way to find answers.
American Idol found a way to realize the dreams of nine individuals that compressed years of touring into nine seasons of three-month auditions. Differentiated instruction for singers! It is pretty cool when “real-life” aligns with the classroom.
