Discovering Calm

Rejuvenating my energy will require me to find, embrace, and savor the calm when it presents itself. 

Today calm found its way to me through cake. Deliciously dense chocolate heaven and elegant lemon chiffon. 

Something so simple provided a brief moment of calm celebration, rejuvenating my mood and ENERGY. 

~Celina 

***Inspired by #edugood, January Day 2: calm.

ENERGY

Thinking about the year ahead connected me with many potential words to guide me through: ASPIRE, ACCOMPLISH, BALANCE, ENERGY, IMAGINE... I was in search of a word that would push me through my current and new commitments & goals.  I wanted a word that would help me to focus on the positive and 'choose happy.'  But I also wanted a word that would extend my journey set forth by INSPIRE (2012) & BELIEVE (2013). 

As the New Year approached, ENERGY was the word clearly calling my name... Aspiring towards my goals to accomplish in the new year would require an abundance of ENERGY.  Balancing my family's daily schedule and calendar with fun and relaxation would demand a strategic use of ENERGY.  Above all, though, focusing on ENERGY would help me to develop a routine of healthy choices and positive mindset, allowing me to continue recognizing and sharing INSPIRATION while BELIEVING all things are possible.  

I will be aware of the fuel I need to recharge my body and mind with necessary ENERGY. 

I will strategically use my ENERGY to ensure I maintain my focus and accomplish my goals.

I will be mindful of the ENERGY I bring into the spaces I enter. 

I am confident ENERGY will provide me with the surge I need for 2014.

~Celina

The Power of One Word

Another year with a single word by my side.  I still am amazed at how "one-little-word" can have such a positive, dynamic impact on a person.  I will always be grateful that Ann encouraged me to simplify my new years' goals to a word providing direction rather than another list of "to-dos".  

For the past year, BELIEVE has been my simplified goal.  A word that inspired me to read a favorite series with my daughter believing there is always time for sharing favorite books (in which we tracked 28 shared together this year)! A word that helped me to conquer my book gaps, bringing more variety into my literate life with a focus on language, genres, and closely reading with deep purpose.  A word that gave me the strength to keep my running stamina throughout the entire year, believing this consistent exercise to be the key factor in my positive mood, focus, and thinking. A word that helped me to provided support to my family and friends as they embarked on personal change and challenges, believing that everything happens for a reason and will make us stronger together.  A word that kept me believing in the #edugood around me, helping me to advocate for and believe in practices that support the empowerment of students and their voice.  A word that provided me with the encouragement to challenge myself with new possibilities, believing that whatever is meant to be will be but we must not close our own doors.  A word that simply gave me the strength to be me and believe in myself.

BELIEVE provided an inspirational learning journey in 2013, proving that INSPIRE would always be a part of my mindset, my goals, my character. Even though INSPIRE was my word for 2012, it always remains close by my side.  In 2013 INSPIRE connected me to great books, helped me find enjoyment in the weather of the season, unveiled ways to share inspiration with others, kept me attentive to student voice, shined itself on new opportunities, and led me to quotes that kept me going.

Choosing a one-little-word for the upcoming year is more to me than just choosing a goal or resolution. It will be a word that provides a springboard into the future; a word that will allow me to be more intentional about my current goals while providing a vision for longterm goals. 

So as I leap into a new year with profound ENERGY, I know my words of the past will continue to support me and compliment my new word and personal goals. 

~Celina

Thinking Mathematically

Our Classroom Poster of the 8 Mathematical Practices!

Last spring I had the chance to gain a different perspective of our classroom, seeing it in action, not as the teacher who needs to make sure that engagement is high and problems are appropriately challenging, but as an outside observer. What I noticed amazed me and had me thinking and reflecting on what THINKING MATHEMATICALLY means in the new day and age of the CCSS.

Common Core Connections -- Breaking the Mold

Last night I had a deep discussion with my husband, who does not work in education, about the Common Core State Standards. He was asking about my take on them, given the frequent bad press that he has heard: that the Common Core will stick all kids in the same box, increase conformity, etc. I kind of laughed, because hasn’t that what traditional education has done all along, stuck kids in a grade level and expected them to process through whether ready or not?

This whole conversation had me reflecting on what the Common Core means to me and really what I expect of myself and my students to achieve. 

1.       I connect Common Core to the needs of the Whole Child through the focus Students-Standards-Curriculum

Celina and I have always approached our work within the classroom through the lens of students first, their social-emotional needs as well as their academic needs. The 8Mathematical Practices and the 7 Capacities of a Literate Individual also speak to students first. They are pushing for the development of habits of mind that ensure all students are prepared for a world that is ever changing and are able to think critically about their experiences. For myself and my students I see the practices and capacities as the ways in which I can help all students succeed. Students who persevere in math, become students who persevere in all areas of life, those who demonstrate independent use of the skills of literacy become students who can think and act for themselves.

 The Whole Child blog recently had a podcast that truly spoke to this idea: "Educators need to prepare kids to be career and college ready, but they also need to prepare them for their present world. The Common Core State Standards set out to do that. They're not perfect, but they are a starting point" (Peter DeWitt).

The blog continues with: The standards are not a curriculum. Standards are targets for what students should know and be able to do. Curricula are the instructional plans and strategies that educators use to help their students reach those expectations. Central to a supportive school are teachers, administrators, and other caring adults who take a personal interest in each student and in the success of each student. A whole child approach to education is essential to realizing the promise of the standards. Only when students are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged will they be able to meet our highest expectations and realize their fullest potential.” http://www.wholechildeducation.org/blog/

For me that means connecting with kids, recognizing that their needs are not purely academic and making choices for the classroom that support a wide variety.  Working from the needs of the students, and then developing their understanding of the continuum of standards helps them to see learning as building up their foundation, something that is not solely achieved in school!

2.       Common Core Standards are broad in nature and deep in focus, pushing for authentic learning experiences, as opposed to discrete skills.

In order to meet the depth and breadth of the standards, Celina and I have had to rethink the purely skill focus of the past.  Our classroom activities of Passion Projects and inquiry based learning have helped us to infuse the standards into learning experiences that incorporate a multitude of goals. Students no longer read non-fiction text as an isolated skill, but rather to build up their knowledge and understanding for expository writing, presentations, multi-media projects and finding evidence to support their thinking. Students authentically connect the once separate skills into a cohesive whole that helps them to express and share what they know! Our day is no longer a segmented container but a set of links and blocks that boost engagement and relevance.

3.       Common Core has increased the level of rigor, not just for students but for teachers too.

Achieving the goals of the Common Core means raising our level of expectations! We can no longer just accept a curriculum as the end-all-be-all, or dumb down the work for students or teachers. Building our professional capacities as educators means doing the work that the Common Core requires of our students: reading for meaning, finding evidence, thinking across the grades, boosting conceptual understanding, as well as regularly interacting with complex text and academic vocabulary.  It makes me grateful that my work with Celina in  creating a child centered classroom has pushed me to learn more and grow. Truly understanding that message makes me more aware of the expectations I place on my students, the growth mindset that is necessary and the goals that can be achieved through this work.

So while the talk shows and pundits can banter back and forth about what they think Common Core means, I am left to marvel at the improvements implementing the standards has meant for myself, my students and our classroom as a whole. Conforming? I think not, more like connecting meaningfully and breaking the mold!  ~Ann

 

Our Self Assessment Rubric

With ROBOTS as our theme this year, we decided to name our standards-based grading scale in alignment with our theme!

Moving beyond the standard is a Level 4; NEEDS AN UPGRADE
Meeting standard is a Level 3; OPERATIONAL
Working towards standard is a Level 2; NEEDS A REBOOT
Introduction to the standard is a Level 1;  ANALYSIS NEEDED

Our students have really enjoyed this metaphor.  Recently our students created the rubric (in the photo above) to describe what it would look like and sound like to be OPERATIONAL as independent learners during our math block.  Since our students are fluidly moving between project-based learning activities, independent goal work, partner math, and small groups, it was crucial to have our students develop a deep understanding of their expectations as learners.  This rubric has provided us a platform for self-assessment, reflection, and goal-setting --- truly empowering our students as learners.

 A new favorite slogan of ours?  "Be OPERATIONAL."

~Celina

Building Blocks to Success

Our building blocks to success have replaced our traditional "rules."  Our focus is now directed to acting responsible as a learner, making personal choices to be courageous and engaged, and taking the time to focus on and celebrate the growth that is being made in our community (and selves).  We begin the conversation with our students by stacking building blocks as a visual model, also relating this concept to SYSTEMS.  What happens if one of these 3 is not present?  The blocks will not be stable; the system will fall a part.  

So why is WORK HARD on the bottom?  Because it is the foundation of our system.  We must choose to make responsible choices on a daily basis to be a focused learner.  A learner who comes to the learning community with a purpose.  A learner who has the mindset of participating and choosing to be engaged each and every moment. 

BE COURAGEOUS is our middle block because it is what truly makes the difference for us as successful learners.  It holds the hard work and celebration together, as without having a growth mindset to endure challenges it is easy to give up.  

CELEBRATE GROWTH is the top block, as it represents the goals we are trying to reach.  It reminds us that moments of celebration are necessary and should be a part of our community.  We must take the time to recognize the success of each other through the learning process.  And as one of our students mentioned, "By taking the time to celebrate the goals we accomplish we just want to learn more and more and more!"

This year our students recognized PERSEVERANCE as the overall theme of these building blocks, as well.  As we focus directly on the 8 Mathematical Practices, Capacities of a Learner, and Habits of the Mind, we are currently making genuine connections to where perseverance applies in our daily life.  Our students instantly noticed that perseverance was a key ingredient deep within each of the blocks.

Our shift in thinking from such an intent focus on "following the rules" to "being an engaged/dedicated learner" has truly made all the difference.  We have had a higher rate of focus, participation, and excitement.  Through this perspective we are able to build a community within our classroom more quickly, establish a solid foundation for our learning environment, and offer challenges more readily.  But more than anything, these blocks provide our students with a clear purpose when they walk into their learning space.  They know the expectations are high, but we offer them an environment for individuality to shine, and a safe space for risks and challenges to exist because we will celebrate each other every step of the way together.

~Celina

Starting the School Year with a Student-Centered Perspective

Poster found here.

Ann and I start the school year now from a completely different perspective:  We are facilitators in a student-centered classroom.  

Sure we can choose our color scheme (blue, black, and silver!), our concept of focus (SYSTEMS), our theme (Robots), and even a slogan ("Gearing up to learn...Sparks will fly!").  But those are just things we choose in the hopes that we will inspire our students from the moment they walk into their learning space.  Preparing anything beyond that is nearly impossible.  

Something wasn't feeling right as we approached the first day this school year, and we finally we realized what is was:  our kids were missing!

Then I was reading some of my favorite blogs the day before school started and came across a post by Pernille Ripp.  She too was feeling the same way me and Ann were.  In a student-centered classroom, you can only prepare so much for the first day of school; and the second day, and the third, and the fourth... for that matter.  The students drive our decision making on a daily basis.  In order to know the direction we will go, to make our lesson plans definite, to decide on specific materials and strategies, our kids must be present.  We must have countless opportunities to get to know their personalities, their strengths, their challenges, their interests and their ambitions.  

And as if it was meant to be, I came across the poster above created by Krissy Venosdale.  It put everything I have expressed and felt into very simple terms.  As educators with a student-centered mindset, we focus on one day at a time.  And everything we do is built on the premise of truly making dreams come true.

Here's to all the classrooms that whisper "you complete me" to students as they enter each day.

~Celina

  

More Great Reading Moments

Celina, as usual, inspired me to jump on the blog and reflect on what I have read so far this summer. So far my Kindle has been my go to resource for reading, as I can stay up and read as late as I like without complaints!

My first read was the book Well Spoken by Erik Palmer about teaching speaking to all students.

This book caught my eye when I was researching the CCSS in speaking and listening anticipating where we will be going in the fall with our next shift in instruction. Our kids have done a lot of speaking this year, as we chose to work with what they are really good at: TALKING!  We consciously focused on teaching our students how to turn & talk effectively. I quickly noticed a transformation in the way kids communicated with each other. Conversations were more purposeful and students began to add on to their partner's thinking as opposed to simply telling their one-sided point of view. We used more debate in our classroom, as well as building on our work with Arts Impact to help students more effectively express themselves in character.

Well Spoken is about teaching speaking skills and so much more, making it highly relevant for the 21st century classroom. Several things that stuck with me: Effective communication requires building and performing, not unlike reading, writing and skills in math. Speaking requires being mindful of audience, content, organization, using visuals effectively and the way in which you present yourself.  We work on many of these same skills in writing, building effective beginnings and endings, organizing our writing to explain or entertain and viewing our work through the lens of what makes writing interesting to read. When we presented our Passion Projects throughout the year, students also had the opportunity to use visuals and presentation skills, yet from reading Well Spoken I can see some areas where we can help our students to more effectively share their message. Palmer also suggests 6 Traits of effective speaking, otherwise knows as PVLEGS or Poise, Voice, Life, Eye Contact, Gestures and Speed. I saw many connections between these performance needs and building fluency in oral reading, such as expression (Life) and pacing related to what you are reading for effect (Speed).

I can't wait to use these ideas to effectively draw our students into effective communication, not only with speaking but also listening actively for these traits, writing clearly in building essays and speeches, as well as reading with expression and fluency.  When the work connects across more areas, I see my students finding greater relevance in the learning and more meaning in the strategies and ideas. Plus I love finding ways to prepare my students for the uncertain future, as Palmer says, "Now, let me make a radical statement: the mission of education should not be to make students better at school but rather to prepare them for life."

My second read was Who Owns the Learning? Preparing Students for Success in the Digital Age by Alan November, a recommendation I found via Twitter.

 This book pulled me in with thinking about the digital age and how students can be helped to take their learning on a larger scale. It speaks to a Digital Learning Farm model of instruction where students are doing authentic work with purpose, working as tutorial designers, scribes, researchers, and global communicators and collaborators. The model reframes the educational structure by increasing autonomy for students, publishing student work to a global audience, and creating a community of contribution within the classroom. November sees technology as a "transformational tool to change the culture of teaching and learning" not just pushing in lots of technology where it just becomes the "thousand dollar pencil". The significant take away was the shift in control, as November states, "Much of what used to be teacher directed in the traditional model is powered by students in the Digital Learning Farm model." This so fits my thinking about education, the more that students have the opportunity to direct their learning, the more they are engaged with the learning itself. ~Ann

Summer Reading Recommendation #1

Can be purchased here

Summer brings about many things for me, one in particular being a summer reading list.  I have been an avid reader since I was a kid, which is probably when the expansive book lists began.  One thing I have learned in my lifetime is that when you love books, reading lists are forever growing and never shrinking!  I am a balanced reader between fiction and non-fiction, and plan to blog about books that inspire me as I reflect on the past year of teaching, learning, and growing and establish goals for the upcoming school year.

Brain-Based Teaching in the Digital Age, by Marilee Sprenger, was a great first PD book for me this summer.  It confirmed so many professional beliefs I have developed over the past 3 years teaching within multiage classrooms.  These years have truly pushed me to let go and expand my understanding of a student-centered classroom.  This book brought forth 5 important points for educators to consider: 

1. The Net-Generation, more than any other, will be coteachers in the classroom. (pg.31)  Ann and I have dynamically shifted our practice to involve our students in every aspect of the teaching and learning process.  Students increase their memory by being a part of the discovery process and are courageous when researching information that meets their individual goals.  Providing opportunities for them to teach others enhances their learning and makes information relevant.  I really appreciated the term "coteachers" being used in this statement!
2. Students can both learn and teach in this world.  Education is available everywhere. (pg.43) ...well isn't that the truth!  Adapting this mindset is the first step in providing opportunities for our students to learn and teach globally.  Education no longer has to be confined to the walls of the classroom, or the building.  Rather there are a plethora of tools, resources, sites, etc. that spark communication among students around the world.  Imagine the possibilites! 
3. Brains learn best when working with other brains. (pg.50)  Ann and I both had professional goals in the area of speaking & listening this year.  Pushing ourselves in this realm of literacy enabled our students to authentically communicate with each other.  Their dialogue, silent signals, debating skills, and sharing of creative ideas added another dimension to learning within our classroom.
4. Your job as knowledge keeper is obsolete. (pg. 69)  In the beginning years of my teaching career this was a hard concept for me to grasp.  My college experience prepared me as the keeper of knowledge and how to share this knowledge with my students.  Technology has advanced at such an immense rate, it was difficult to shift my thinking and become comfortable with how accessible information is these days.  However, it has relieved the pressures of having to feel as though I had to play that role.  Instead I bask in the glory of teaching my students how to be learners in the world we live in and navigate the infinite information at our finger tips.  How cool is that?!?
5. Memories make us smarter and give us the tools to be creative, to synthesize, and to build relationships.  These are 21st century skills that our students need to succeed. (pg.125)  Everyday as a learner should be full of enriching experiences.  These experiences allow us to view the world from different angles, sparking creativity.  These experiences help us to be able to make genuine connections and deeply synthesize concepts.  These experiences provide opportunities to engage in conversations with other and problem solve together, building natural relationships.  Enriching experiences should be a part of our learning environment to build these skills that our students so desperately need.

At heart, I am a brain-based educator.  It is important to me to teach students about their brain and how we gather information through experiences and novelty, sparking creative juices along the way.  It is important to me to provide ample opportunity for my students to reflect during their learning journey and solidify the information they have encountered and establish goals to continue mapping their learning path.  I want my students to be a part of the learning process, every step of the way;  a navigator, rather than a tourist.  Sprenger's book helped me confirm my teaching philosophy and provided me with more strategies to strengthen my teaching skills, as a facilitator of the learning process.

 ~Celina

A New Summer Brings New Adventures

Image found here.

The summer break has brought rain in abundance.  The smell in the air is wonderful and very much welcomed.  It brings on the encouragement of something new.  It suggests change.  It makes you want to get outside and enjoy life.  It is the spring weather I usually miss out on inside the walls of a classroom... so I truly am enjoying the cool, fresh, clean air as I breathe in and embark on summer adventures:

1.  Adventure #1- Extreme Sports: My husband has been encouraging me to participate in some of his favorite hobbies, which have allowed me to experience feeling like a kid again.  Driving a Toyota through a MUD BOG or riding in the back of a monster truck are thrilling moments everyone should experience at least once in their life.  The mud, dust, and minor bruises are completely worth it.  But there is nothing more exhilarating than riding a Drift Trike (oversized customized tricycle with PVC on the back tires) down a long hill at 30 MPH.  Definitely brought me back to my days, as a kid, riding my motorcycle though the mountain air... These adventures are surely just the start of an exciting summer!

2.  Adventure #2- Feet to the Pavement:  My daughter is now old enough and has the stamina to run with me.  Running/walking, listening to music and chatting is the perfect adventure to experience alongside her as we both mentally and emotionally prepare for her journey as a middle schooler. ;)

3.  Adventure #3- Grant Award:  Ann and I spent time recently planning for the expenditure of our technology grant, awarded to us at the end of May.  We wrote the grant over a year and a half ago, so the celebratory assembly was truly a surprise.  Planning for the "Multiage Minutes University" has been an inspiring process.  This will definitely be an adventure that helps us to enhance, and in some ways recreate, our learning environment.  

4.  Adventure #4- New MAC BOOK!!: Tonight has brought forth a big adventure... digging my way through a new device.  One that has been well worth the wait.  First came the iPhones, next an iPod for my daughter.  I was hooked.  An iFanatic!  Then my iPad followed (along with iPads in use in the classroom).  Now I am the proud owner of a Mac Book.  A perfect addition to the iFamily :)

5.  Adventure #5- GLAD Training:  I have wanted to experience GLAD Training for several years, and recently Ann and I were able to jump at the opportunity to commit to training this summer.  Many visitors/observers to our classroom have made comments assuming we are, so we definitely feel as though the GLAD strategies will fit our brain-based philosophy and style as teachers.  This adventure is sure to provide new inspiration as we move into the new school year, much like Arts Impact did for us this past year.

Adventures are not moments that are necessarily planned out, but should be welcomed with arms wide open.  You can never pinpoint what to expect exactly, but what fun would unfold if you could?  Embracing the change, chance and risk within each new adventure sparks growth to an exponential power.  The benefits may appear immediately or have a longterm affect; irregardless they are each worthy in their own way. Allow yourself a moment to be free and seek out the adventures that await you.

~Celina

Wow, April?

It is shocking and amazing to realize that we are well into April. The longer days, warmer weather and upcoming testing remind us that we are well into Spring! Our students are a bit more chatty and restless, yet we are also seeing the work we have done over the year expand the capabilities and processes within our classroom. 

We've been working on debating issues about the environment for this month's Passion Project. We've discussed endangered biomes, water use and even the #1 most endangered river the Colorado River. Students are backing up their opinions and assertions with evidence, seeking reliable websites for resources, and even discussing point of view and bias. What I love is they just get more thoughtful, excited and engaged. One student, who is traveling to Colorado this summer, told her dad all about the endangered Colorado river, which had him checking out the websites too.

At the same time, Celina's work with CCSS ELA has our kids doing close readings of songs, poems and informational excerpts on math concepts. Students are making connections back to culture, discrimination and personal acceptance. They are marking their texts with their thinking and wonderings. I love that when I come back to school after a meeting I am greeted by a student who is gleefully telling me about the Text Talk song they listened to! So much delight over connecting words, feelings, thoughts and ideas.

Today was our first day of the "testing season" with a measure of reading skills. Our students were so focused and on target, it was inspiring to me to see their determination and perseverance with this assessment. It reminds me of all the hard work they are capable of, renewing in me that sense of pushing through in my own goals and matching their drive!

Our theme this year is "Learning is Growing" and our students are certainly coming into their own as we wind down. It makes for an exciting time of year, there is much to celebrate!

Welcome Spring!  ~Ann
 

 

(The photo above is of a card my dad picked up for me this week at Trader Joe's (by Angela Duncan) to tell me that he and my mom are super proud of me! It was fitting that a line came up in the book I am reading called Point of No Retreat by Colleen Hoover that fits this card to a T --"Sometimes it feels good to have your biggest fears discounted with a simple compliment.")

Top 3 Issues Impacting Students of Today

Yesterday I came across a challenge by Marty Stevens (@martylstevens) encouraging educators to personally identify the issues they believe to be impacting students the most. For me, the following 3 issues quickly came to mind:

1. An Increased Need for Social/Emotional Development

The students in our classrooms today need us in different ways than the generations of the past. The times have changed dramatically, and our current world requires an increase in skills that support effective relations and acceptance of diverse perspectives. Our students need us to not only strengthen and support their minds, but their hearts as well. Unless we are reaching our learners through relationships we will not reach them academically. We must first work to establish safe learning environments for our students, ones in which they feel supported to take risks. This begins with positive interactions among the entire classroom community, as well as the school culture as a whole. A safe environment, through, is not created through a laborious list of rules and expectations, but rather through the development of social skills that support the affective domain of our learners. Intentional lessons and activities must be infused into our classrooms daily to support social and emotional growth. Listening intently to student voice will also prove to be valuable as community expectations are discussed. When this foundation is in place our learners will then, and only then, thrive academically.

2. Insufficient Resources within Education Today

Educational funding is very limited these days. We have experienced an insane amount of cuts especially over the past 5 years. These cuts have not just affected teachers' salaries and benefits, but also the supplies and tools we can put in the hands of students. And I am not necessarily even referring to large scale curriculum adoptions, but rather genuine resources our students need access to regularly (updated technology, a variety of literature, field trips, supplies to support the Arts, manipulatives that enhance science and math explorations, etc.). These are the resources that provide our students more opportunities for genuine learning experiences and direct connections to the real-world. These are also the resources that allow the basic skills or reading, writing, and math to be authenticated and solidified. And most importantly these resources support teachers in helping students achieve true retention and master relevant skills.

Stripping the educational budget of professional development monies allotted to school districts has also dynamically impacted students. The advancement of technology and the skills required in this era have outpaced teacher development. A large gap now exists between what students need in a learning environment and what teachers are able to naturally provide. Teachers need time to collaborate in order to learn and grow and meet the students' needs in the classrooms of today. Frequent (inexpensive) professional development opportunities must exist in order for teachers to advance with the rate the changes of today are requiring, otherwise the gap will just continue to widen.

3. Learning Environments that Meet the Needs of this Generation

Our students are facing an unknown future; that much we know. However, some of the materials, skills/strategies, and curriculum existing within the classrooms of today are equipped for the generations of the past. Traditional practices were not developed to meet the needs of the learners of today. They were developed during different times to prepare students for a different future. Our students struggle with engagement within environments that is so extremely different than the world they know. They are acquainted with the technological advances, the momentum of the world, the desire to connect and collaborate with people frequently, the need to question in order to learn, and the aspirations that are building inside them as they recognize the possibilities the world has to offer. It is our current responsibility to teach students, in this innovative generation, to think critically, create, communicate, and collaborate with the people of the world. We must recognize these as essentials and find a way to ensure that our learning environments foster these skills so students are prepared for success as they approach their future.


These are 3 issues that constantly weigh on my mind as an educator. What about the issues that weigh on the minds of our students? As Marty also mentioned, maybe we should be asking students to identify 3 issues that impact them. I think the answers to this question would prove to be of value. Ann and I will definitely be infusing this question into a Brain Breakfast this upcoming week. I am very curious to find out if their perspectives will overlap at all with mine... I absolutely look forward to listening to their collective voice.

~Celina
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Learning from Their Perspective

 

Everyday Ann and I learn with our students. 

Sometimes they bring new ideas to the table.  This week they suggested graphing the improvement of our community behavior, while setting personal goals based on the data, in an effort to positively affect the synergy in the classroom (totally working).  Sometimes they provide evidence to support our thinking.  Conversations this week about emotions and colors confirmed how daily infusion of the Arts has passionately impacted authentic connections (totally amazing).  Sometimes they motivate our daily plan.  Our one-on-one conferences have shown us how much they truly love to read and share their love of books (totally heart-warming).  Sometimes we are just purely inspired.  An individual student taught us how to celebrate relationships through personalizing Valentine’s Day cards to us in a unique, artistic way (totally impressive).  These are the instances we treasure because they truly provide the “AH-HA” moments we need to propel ourselves forward, with our own personal goals and the goals we have for our students and program.  Their voice always shows us another way, another thought, a different perspective.

But how often do we learn FROM their perspective?  How many times do we sit with them, at their angle, to attack the same task we have asked them to accomplish?  Do we solve the same problems, ponder the same question, or attempt the same challenge? 

Ann and I are advocates for listening to student voice and empowering them during the learning process.  Their thinking always pushes us to reflect more deeply about our practice, lesson scope, and projected journey.  When we look at a task or question through their lens we can view it for what it really is and analyze the relevancy of its existence in our learning environment.  This year we have raised the bar for ourselves and look for every opportunity to join them in learning moments.

For instance, I posed a multiplication problem recently in math (stretching students into thinking about a new operation, decimals, and money- also a little formative moment for Ann and me).  Many students came to the answer quickly, but only solved it one way.  But then I asked them to think more deeply and work with their partner to solve the problem using 3 different strategies.  I did receive many googol-eyes due to the fact that we were entering new territory.  I gave them a hint that they needed to consider multiplication the “cousin” of addition.  The googol-eyes turned to twinkles, and the conversations unfolded.  Students worked for 10 minutes with high-engagement, and I decided to take the opportunity to figure out how many ways I could solve the problem.  I absolutely love math and truly enjoyed the time to play with the possibilities.  The benefit of permitting myself the time to do this, while joining in on conversations around me, allowed my thinking to become even more flexible to new ideas and strategies I had not considered.  I was inspired by the strategies the students had discovered through this process, and after 10 minutes students had recorded more than ten examples on the whiteboard for all of us to ponder.  This moment proved incredibly more powerful and impacting than if I had showed them 5 traditionally great ways and gave them time to practice. 

Other times if Ann and I sit WITH our students AS students, in a moment of full-on engagement, we can assess from a different perspective.  By becoming students ourselves, we have the opportunity to hear different conversations.  Those “insider” conversations that unfold naturally with their peers during the learning process can only be captured from the angle of sitting amongst the group, rather than over the group.  We gather our own supplies and thinking, and we participate as an equal learner in the moment.  And often we joke with them, “Don’t bug us, we’re learning!”

One day I was sitting amongst a table of 5 other students participating in a science experimentation process, led by Ann.  Our focus was on variables, along with the scientific process.  I was enthralled by the conversation of the other learners in my group, but was also captivated by the discoveries at the table groups near us.  The learning going on all around me was priceless, AND I also was having my own pivotal moments of learning during the inquiry process.  I even announced to my group at one point, “Seriously!  I wish I could come to this classroom everyday as a learner!”  One of the other students looked at me perplexed and stated, “Uh, you do.”  A complete DUH moment for me, as she was absolutely right.  Ann and I ARE the learners we expect our students to be every day.  We bring nothing less into the classroom.  It was then that I realized the students had not thought it was bizarre that I had sat amongst them as a LEARNER during that lesson, because that is how they view us in our classroom. 

Most recently, Ann and I both joined them during art time, creating our own watercolor paintings [see mine above; I learned specific strokes to add texture to a watercolor, expressing emotion through color…very exciting for me!].   No one was shocked...except maybe the visitors in our room J.  For us and our students, it was business as usual.  Occasionally we bantered back and forth to one another, shushed the group when our favorite songs came on our classroom playlist, and joined in conversations about the techniques being used by the artists at our tables.  Learning should be fun, sometimes unruly, but always focused.  Our students often do not need us to manage them during this time, in fact they prefer we step out of their way.  Or even more, they thrive off of occasions when we put our “learner hats” on and join them in the moment.

We live by the motto that if we do our jobs right, they won’t need us to manage them, provide them resources, or confirm their thinking.  As self-managers, resourceful learners, and confident thinkers genuine learning for them can occur.  We love the days when the classroom runs like a well-oiled, flexible machine in true synergetic motion.  These are the days when marvelous, awe-inspiring moments occur;  when we stretch our arms up and yell, “Hizzah!”

So our advice based on our lessons learned this year?  Become one of them.  Take the time to learn from their perspective.  Listen to the valuable dialogue that unfolds.  Interact from the learner’s level of conversation.  Share your own ideas and cooperate as an equal participant in the learning process. 

 

There is always more to learn about a topic, or a new perspective to discover, when you allow yourself the freedom to let go and allow the students to be the teachers.  They will lead to down a powerful learning journey.  And it will be so worth it.

 

~Celina

 

Aspects of Whole Child Classrooms

Image found here.

 

I am very excited to share that this past week Aspects of Whole Child Classrooms posted on ASCD's Whole Child Blog. This post was written to support the mindset that is necessary while facing the challenging changes within education, along with the needs of our current generation of learners.  As I considered the other posts I have written for the Whole Child Blog (along with a collaborative post by Ann and I), I was reminded of the educational practices that have made a positive difference with our students.  It has been so important to us to design a multiage learning environment that allows us to meet the social, emotional, and academic needs of our learners, but also one that assists us in embracing the change agents we continually face in an unknown future.  Ann and I have found these aspects to allow us to keep an open-mind when change comes our way, while also allowing us to keep the needs of our students first and foremost in our minds. 

The aspects of whole child classrooms, as outlined in the blog post, include:

• Character Development
• Collaborative Environment
• Inquiry-Based Learning
• Reflective Practice
• Inspiration Focus
• Emerging-Infused Curriculum
• Personalized Instruction

Each of these have grown to become near and dear to our hearts.  We appreciate and value how each have dynamically shifted our mindset to focus on the whole child.  Our students continue to amaze us each and everyday with their thinking and insight, along with their empathy towards others.  This supportive group of learners thrive off of these essential components of our classroom.

Which of these aspects have you found to be imperative in supporting the needs of your students?  What other aspects do you feel are missing from this list?  What other educational practices support you in designing a classroom that advocates for the current generation of learners and the future they will face?  We would love to hear your feedback!

~Celina

Conversations

"My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company." ~Jane Austen

Conversations are essential for growth to occur.

Whether they take place through a means of collaboration, discussions with individuals, or self-reflective processes, conversations offer opportunities to discover new ideas and perspectives. They also open doors to deeper understanding of concepts. Each allow for moments of self-discovery and trajectories of forward movement.

Taking every opportunity to engage in frequent conversations is a quality of a life-long learner. Those who seek deeper understanding and a variety of perspectives gain a wider lens in which to view a situation or accomplish a goal. They also provide themselves with the possibility of exponential growth.

One must be an integral part of the conversation, though, to reap benefits. Bystanders profit minimally and offer very little to other participants. Every member present should encourage the equal participation of all, as true learning will occur from valuing all perspectives.

Choosing to participate whole-heartedly in discussions breaks down barriers and clears up misconceptions. Assumptions are limited when all perspectives are shared, questions are asked and answered, and open-minds are present. Individuals should provide evidence to support their stance, but also listen intently to other viewpoints. Progress toward goals can only be achieved when all perspectives are considered.

It does take courage and trust for authentic conversations to occur. Counting on one another to bring experiences, knowledge, and resources to the table is a first step. Dialogue can then move forward efficiently when common goals are understood. Participating with positive energy keeps a conversation in motion. Considering various standpoints, while valuing evidence, builds momentum. Demonstration of appreciation is necessary to keep people energetic and committed to conversations. Finally, identifying solutions/progress regarding goals strengthens future conversations and collaborative relationships.

It takes the minds of many to make amazing things occur. Change is not an individual process, but rather a collegial effort to make things happen. The support of one another causes dynamic shifts when we align our practice, share our knowledge, and create common goals. Let the conversations begin.

~Celina

Personal Goals

Lifelong Learners establish personal goals as a natural piece of their daily survival. Goals are what help them identify who they are, provide a platform for learning, push them forward, and allow for opportunities of growth. Personal goals also anchor our focus, give intentionality to our days, open doors for feedback, and have potential to send inspiration into the world.

I consider the sharing of goals a personal decision. It takes courage to move through the learning process. A safe and supportive learning environment is required to support growth. Sharing knowledge, ideas, and resources requires less personal risk and is how previous accomplished goals grow into inspiration for others. But sharing the layer of how information directly affects our goals opens a window into your personal world. That is the piece that requires trust.

I personally count on my goals to guide my journey; my adventure that unfolds each day. Learning goals, though, are something I hold dear. I am a very open book, and most often an overly exuberant person who shares loudly with the world. However, when it comes to the sharing of my personal goals and growth I protect my own learning by ensuring I am sharing in a safe environment full of passionate learners. So often I hide this piece of me, keeping my personalized learning journey close to my heart.

I articulate my goals to those I trust and respect to provide me with effective feedback. I am very thankful for the people in my life that listen intently to my goals, offer insight and evidence of my progress, provide honesty in how to further improve, and support me with resources and ideas to keep my goals alive.

We want our students to identify with goals that drive their learning. Goals that help them raise the bar for themselves. Goals that will help them reach beyond the rainbow. But we must ensure that an environment is established that supports learning challenges, personal reflection, and progress towards these goals. Solid relationships are the foundation from which we take the risk to fly, because these relationships will also be the cushion that supports our potential fall from great heights.

Before pushing your students to share their personal goals, make sure the environment in which they open up to supports their whole heart.

~Celina

Let It Unfold Naturally

Ever have  a moment in education where what you feel pushed to do and what you think is right collide? I had one of those moments this past weekend as I was thinking ahead to the major testing we have this week in reading. I began reflecting on the item types and questions that can come up on the assessment which had me thinking about what could be CRAMMED in this week. 

That saddens me really, because we have been so engaged in purposeful and meaningful learning these past few weeks. Our students have been delving into genres with renewed interest and digging deep into different kinds of text through close reading. We wrapped up Wonder and our students created amazing precepts of their own, many drawing on their One Little Words or our December study of respecting diversity. In math students are expanding their strategies for the basic operations and applying their understanding of the mathematical practice of "One big whole, break it up" to fractions, decimals and division (that last one without even labeling it with the D word!). Our work with science has infused our curriculum connecting our mathematical practices to science applications, finding symbolism and learning about electricity in our reading of The City of Ember and even experimenting in our work with art (ever consider all the variables that can affect a watercolor painting?). We are even extending our work with culture into the diversity that shaped the formation of the United States. Our learning has been varied, yet intentional, and in many cases it is the kids that have spun our thinking into even new and better ideas, letting the learning UNFOLD NATURALLY!

And this is where I am grateful that I am able to process my thinking with Celina. I sent her a text about something that could be CRAMMED in, but without my rationale. She then responded with her own thinking, and I was forced to rethink my idea and recognize if for the proverbial TEACH TO THE TEST CLIFF. I jokingly thanked her for allowing me to talk myself "off the ledge" and relaxed. Amazing, engaging and powerful learning happens in our classroom every day, and taking time away from that for just one test is not honoring our students or our goals.

So as the week unfolds, I vow to let it do so naturally. 

My One Little Word for 2013

A New Year always begins with a gusto of goals, promises, endeavors, challenges, resolutions, etc. When Ann introduced me to Ali Edwards' One Little Word (OLW) last January I was struck by the simplicity of choosing one word to encompass, or rather summarize, the achievement one hoped for in the new year. After participating with OLW during 2012, I realized the deep impact one word could have and was impressed with how a word could positively change your personal character. INSPIRE brought me opportunities, conversations, knowledge, ideas, and a plethora of possibilities. From all the inspiration that I encountered and shared during 2012, I was able to change my mindset as a learner and approach my professional journey with eyes wide open.

#brainspins

Today kicked off one of the best forms of Professional Development I have ever experienced, thus resulting in major #brainspins. (Thank you, Google Hangout!)