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

Dear INSPIRE,

Dear INSPIRE,
Who knew one-little-word could be so extremely powerful. Around every corner you lurked, popping out when I least expected it and dazzling me with your brilliance. You brightened my year, as I worked to achieve personal and professional goals.

I needed you through good times and bad. When amazing things happened and I wanted to shout from the rooftops, you were there. When tough times arose and I wanted to curl up and retreat, you were there. When I was at a standstill and unsure of the path to take, you were there.

INSPIRE, you allowed me to find my way on my learning journey but guided me gracefully in a purposeful direction. You also took the time to help me recognize & celebrate my growth. Sometimes you glistened through the words, ideas, and comfort of close friends. Sometimes you spoke gently through the close embrace of family members. Often you boldly showed your face in blogs, articles, quotes, art and books. And as 2012 gained momentum, I found you speaking through me, and I humbly accepted the honor. The year became more about sharing you with others than seeking you out for myself.

Thank you for being by my side during 2012. This is not good-bye, but rather I would like to think of you as a true friend in which I will keep in close contact with through the years to come You have taught me so much, especially how to BELIEVE in myself and the journey in which I continue to travel.

I appreciate you, friend.
~Celina

My INSPIRATION List 2012

What an amazing year it had been! It seems as though it flew by ever so quickly, though... Anyone else have that feeling?

Maybe it's because it was jam packed with events, goals, moments to treasure, and endless reading. (I must take this moment to personally thank Apple for helping me truly organize my life at my fingertips! ...2012 was a year of getting to know all the potential in my devices!) Simply put, my iPad was FULL of books to pack everywhere I went. My iPhone Notepad was consistently crammed with goal lists & my Calendar was full of family events and professional meetings; both apps thankfully keeping me be responsible and focused through the busy weeks. My iPhone camera kept track of all the priceless moments, as I greatly enjoyed my inspirational journey through the year. And my extensive apps and music kept my mind challenged, relaxed, and entertained. :)

As I look back on the year and my own professional growth, I continue to be reminded of and inspired by Seth Godin's "Shipping List". When I consider my highlights of 2012, I think again of the moments that have given me the inspiration to keep up my momentum. And I ponder the professional successes that will carry over into 2012 as encouragement.

So... here is my 2nd annual INSPIRATION LIST:
- Beginning a successful 2nd year of our Multiage Pilot with Ann.
- Becoming a Whole Child Blogger for ASCD.
- Presenting with Ann at the WSASCD conference in Seattle.
(Empower Students: 5 Powerful Strategies)
- Introducing Brain Books to other educators
- Chatting with my PLN regarding inspiring educational ideas
(#21stedchat, #gtie, #5thchat, #4thchat, #gtchat)
- Connecting w/ like minded educators around the globe often
(@KLirenman, @cherylsteighner, @ktvee, @Kkht6912- Thank you for our frequent conversations!)
- Researching best practices amidst dynamic changes
- Facilitating local professional development opportunities
- Reading a variety of text to enhance my own personal growth
- Conversing, communicating, and collaborating with Ann
(I think we share a brain some days!)

Big things are on the horizon. I sense exciting moments, engaging conversations, thoughtful goals, and intense reflection around the corner in 2013. INSPIRE will send me into the new year, BELIEVE will be waiting to guide me on my 365 day journey. I can't wait...

~Celina

Thriving on Collaboration

Ann and I thrive on collaboration. Do you???

We could not imagine our daily work without the inspiration acquired from:

• Conversations on the fly
• Lunches with people who share moments of support and laughter
• Emails that make us think deeply, smile, and share jokes
• Recommendations for books, and conversations through book clubs
• Twitter #chats (#21stedchat, #5thchat, #4thchat, and #gtie chatters- we always enjoy the collaborative spirit!)
• Connections made with other educators
• Formal collaborations, meetings, and trainings driven by conversation and learner needs, not agendas ;)
• Blogs we follow, and comment conversations that lead to new ideas
• Conferences, emails, and conversations with parents
• Connecting with students, getting excited about books, concepts, themes, and laughs

As we approach the Thanksgiving Break, we just wanted to say THANK YOU to those who support us, celebrate with us, and encourage us to grow.  Your inspiration helps us to be courageous, but also humbles us in your presence, support, and conversations.  You matter.

~Celina and Ann

Reflection is Essential for Change

How often do you engage in a reflective process?  What are your favorite ways to endure reflective thought?  Have you moved to making reflection a routine in your life?

About a year and a half ago I would have had different answers to the questions above than I do now.  I honestly was only reflective on occasion, specifically when I felt I HAD to reevaluate a situation or when I was required to by a professional development process.  I would have answered that running was my favorite way to endure reflective though, because putting my feet to the pavement was a great way to clear my head.  Above all, I did not have the passion, the drive, nor the innate ability to strive for change. 

My mindset has transformed, thus impacting my life in such a positive way.

Opening Minds Chap. 1-3

July is half way through and I am reveling in the long days and hot temperatures that have me finding a quiet place to keep on reading.  This week I tackled chapters 1-3 of Opening Minds by Peter H. Johnston. This book has been on my “To Be Read Pile” for a couple of months, so the #cyberPD was just the prodding I needed.  I have to say though now that I have started this is a book that is not easy to put down.

My take-away thoughts:

·         Using “Already”: that one little word suggests that what a student knows has the potential to be ahead of what is being assessed, and at the same time establishes that there is “nothing permanent about what is known and not known.” (pg. 2)

·         Mistakes happen at the edge of what we can do, when we are learning! So helping students to be comfortable with accepting mistakes as part of the learning process is essential.

·         MINDSET keeps coming at me from so many different directions! (Carol Dweck’s book Mindset is waiting for me on my Kindle ap.) I was fascinated by the idea that fixed mindsets tend to choose performance goals and dynamic mindsets tend to choose learning goals.(pg. 12) 

·         Influence: as a teacher I can contribute to my students developing a dynamic mindset in the ways I use feedback and praise, the way I frame activities, and lastly in continuing to teach students about how the brain works. (pg. 18) While I work hard with the last one, the first two are definitely areas I can grow and improve.

·         The Power of “YET”: “I am not very good at my multiplication tables, YET!”  Helping students to understand that they can achieve it, that they can grow and learn. (pg. 27)

Next steps:

·         I feel like I want to list some phrases to refer to for easy access until I have them imprinted on my brain. 

·         I am going to add the charts on pages 17 and 23 to our work with growth and fixed mindsets with our students.  While last year Celina and I worked this into some groups we saw struggling with challenging themselves, this year I feel like it will be essential information for all of our learners.  I also want to talk to our class about what they think it means to be smart.

·         Spend more time focusing on causal processes (pg. 31) “Causal process comments are the most effective way of promoting the belief that the important information is how someone did (or could do) something, because that’s what we learn from.”  I am going to try this one out on my own kids this summer! (Action-based research!)

·         Ah, and now to blog hop the others reading this book and then on to chapters 4-6!

~ Ann

The Percolating Continues!

I am well into my goal of reading, learning and growing this summer.  As Celina said the Arts PD we took part in last week was amazing.  It has me thinking more and more about CCSS in relation to English-Language Arts, which will have me moving into more great books, but first a recap of what has drawn me in these past few weeks:

Giddy

Yep, that's me... giddy about the upcoming Professional Development opportunity ahead of me this week.  And let's be honest, Ann is too.... I know this because we have shared a few giddy texts back and forth today.  And actually she is probably more gaga than giddy, because this week we are attending an Art Impact Institute :  5 full days of hands-on, interactive training. Yahoo!!

In the beginning I said no to participating in the opportunity, as it is a 2-year commitment (in conjunction to a grant) and I had planned on other commitments this summer.  However, as we were in desperate need of another person to attend (along with Ann dangling the carrot, because she has been syked for MONTHS), I agreed with excitement.  As the week approached and I had many days to rest and rejuvenate, I began to feel the excitement grow.  Then reading the schedule last week sent me over the moon!   I felt like Krissy Venosdale as she was counting down the days to Space Camp... Thinking about spending a week deeply engrossed in your passion is an incredible feeling. 

Ann and I (along with many other remarkable educators, trainers, and experts) get to participate in over 40 hours of Art, Theatre, and Dance.  Yep!  WE get to learn, dance, create, collaborate and perform!  It is so thrilling to prepare for a learning experience that is not a "sit-and-get".  Ooohhhh the possibilities!

So it leaves me thinking as I approach my week of learning... Do our students get giddy about coming to school and go gaga over the possibilities of what they are about to learn?  And how do we ensure that they do/are? 

Hmmmmm.... More to come, I'm sure of it, as Ann and I reflect together throughout the week.

~Celina

In Retrospect: Our Top 10 Essentials

As we requested our students to provide their feedback regarding the school year and highlight the elements that were most important to them, Ann and I also did the same.  As we compared our list to the students’ Top 10, we were honestly not amazed that many concepts overlapped.  Our year was full of learning and inspiration, and the 52 of us truly built this experience together. 

In creating our list, we included all of the things that we desire to carry forward into the next school year as essential aspects of our classroom.  We do teach in a unique situation, as team teachers in a large classroom with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders together.  However, we view these 10 as fundamental within any learning environment.

Incredible Us

Image found here

As we returned to school yesterday from our spring break, we dove into our third and final theme:  SOAR.  Our students began the year working hard building their own unique STRUCTURE for learning and developing a plan of relevant personal goals.  In the winter, they were courageous as they began to BLOOM.  Students were excelling in their goals, and continued to raise the bar for themselves.  Now they are ready to celebrate their growth and SOAR.

Yesterday we began decorating our classroom with inspiration to encourage us all to SOAR.  They worked individually to decorate a star that represented their personal goals and aspirations for the remainder of the school year.  In teams they developed banners for the windows to inspire others in our school community to SOAR.  We reestablished routines and rituals to help us SOAR to success.  And above all, students reevaluated their personal goals to SOAR to new achievements. 

Today our school Social Worker and her amazing Intern came in and shared a beautiful story, “Incredible You”, written by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer.  They share in our desire for students to believe they can SOAR to new heights and celebrate their amazing achievements.  The book explains 10 ways to let your greatness shine through, which was a perfect tie-in to our theme.  As I thought about each of these, I connected them with the overarching philosophies that Ann and I remind each other of daily; the words of wisdom we truly live by.

1.       Share the Good:  Attempt to inspire others, and seek out inspiration around us.

2.       Find What You Love:  Be passionate and never allow fear to guide us. 

3.       You are Filled with Love:  Extend our compassion and empathy to others.

4.       Find a Quiet Place Inside:  Be mindful and find ways to calm our thoughts to process clearly.

5.       Make Today Great:  Live in the moment and treasure the day we are standing in.

6.       Change Your Thoughts to Good:  Recognize the good and presume the best.

7.       Take Care of Yourself:  We must be healthy and happy to support others.

8.       Picture What You Want:  Honor our vision.

9.       Everyone is Special, Especially You:  Take time to celebrate ourselves and our students.

10.   Good Thoughts Give You Energy:  Thrive on positivity, novelty, and humor.

Ann and I model our Building Blocks to Success (Work Hard, Be Courageous, Celebrate Growth) for our students every day, and these 10 ways allowed me to reflect on how even as adults we must allow our greatness to shine through.  As we work hard, courage is necessary to help us celebrate our own personal growth.  We must soak up our moments of greatness and be careful to not minimize the work we have accomplished.  Every goal reached is a stepping stone on our personal journey, and valuing our own personal successes gives us the momentum to keep going through the ups and the downs. 

Ann and I attribute our incredibility to our students.  They inspire us often and give us the courage to keep going each and every day.  They help us believe.   Incredible Me… Incredible You… Incredible Us… 

~Celina

Observation Brings Inspiration

Ann and I had the luxury of spending time in the classrooms of a few colleagues outside of our building. With our busy schedules and limited financial resources it is a challenge to get out and about. But today we found a way to make it happen and we jumped at the opportunity!

We made many connections today regarding the ways our teaching practices/programs are similar. We found the following key elements refreshing:

*meet students where they are
*think outside of the box
*offer choice
*use a project-based approach
*connect with parents often
*teach with variety
*allow for exploration
*enjoy every moment of your job
*build positive relationships
*smile, laugh, joke :)

We appreciated our time away, valuing an opportunity to pursue our own personal growth. Moments like these offer insight into new perspectives and promote potential growth in ourselves.

~Celina

WHY Start a Multiage Movement

Last Friday, Celina and I had the amazing opportunity to share our message with our school.  We were asked to explain our program, and took it as an opportunity to truly reflect on what has made a difference for us this year in being a multiage learning community.

We were both moved by George Couros’ fantastic post on the Connected Principal’s Blog about defining the WHY in our experience with our program.  He cites the Simon Sinek TEDTALK about the fact that “People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it”.  It had us both reflecting on the WHY that we wanted and needed to share about our program. 

5 Ways to Cause Your Own Personal Shift Towards “Research is Crucial”

Ann and I have found this “Shift in Thinking” {Shift #1} to cause us to travel down a different path, changing the course of our journey for the better.  Here are 5 suggestions to make the “Shift”:

1)      Partnership for 21st Century Skills This national organization advocates for 21st Century readiness for all students.  If you have not utilized their website www.p21.org, we highly recommend you doing so.  The Framework is thought provoking and may change your perspective, and possibly even your philosophy.

Digital Literacy

This school year I set out with several personal growth areas:  Science, Brain-based Learning, Student Book Clubs, and Formative Assessment.  I can proudly say that I am making strong gains in all 4 areas, as I devour literature on these topics any chance I get and apply my learning directly in my classroom with my students and alongside my teaching partner.  But one additional area snuck its way into my daily life through my own personal growth process; Digital Literacy is now on the forefront of my mind.  In my professional life, as well as my personal life, I am now “connected.”  I finally feel like I understand our present technological world, and I am more prepared than ever before to face the future advances that technology will have to offer.   

An Honored Moment

My post, Student Learning Communities, has been cross-posted to The Whole Child Blog!
http://www.ascd.org/whole-child.aspx

Student Learning Communities

Professional Learning Communities are the topic of many conversations within education: the culture that is imperative for success, the goals we choose to focus on, the protocols we should follow, the structure that must be in place, and the realities that we face. There is an abundance of research I have read to support how PLCs are necessary in improving students’ learning.  I myself belong to an amazing PLC (as well as many micro PLCs within my PLC).  But my thoughts lately have been on how to take the characteristics of successful PLCs and apply them within the walls of the classroom for students. 

Gratitude Post #1: Thankful for our Nerdiness

Ann's post yesterday was perfect! This topic is something we discuss and celebrate daily- we ARE proud nerds and "geek-out" over the new literature we are reading each day. We take this information and apply it within our classroom, and even with our own children at home. Most days our brains are even on the same "wave" of thought (which at this point has stopped freaking us out, and we are just accepting it- it is no longer weird that we have the same thought in the same moments, buy the same book on the same day, or even find out that we had been reading the same blog or article at the same time....).

We know we take personal learning and growth to the next level, but we do it for our own sake because of the success we then see for ourselves as teachers and mothers. It is not for show or attention; we save our jokes/humor for that! :)

Last night I began reading 21st Century Skills, and I became captivated with Howard Gardner's "Five Minds for the Future".  He talks about the Disciplined Mind and how it takes about a decade to learn a discipline well enough to consider yourself an expert.  And that, "an individual needs continually to practice in a disciplined way to remain at the top of his or her game (pg. 12)."  He also talks about how downfalls can arise with having a fixed mindset, or even being an expert at one time but no longer keeping up with the changing times.  I think I connected with his discussion on the Disciplined Mind because it reminded me again of Ann's post... We approach our days with a growth mindset, ready to change our plan as needed and read new literature as relevant to our situation or dilemma. We may have both been in the teaching field for more than a decade, however within these changing times we find the only option is to seek knowledge and apply changes that will better serve the students of this generation.  

And finally a quote that I found yesterday:
Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. -David Frost

Be thankful for who you are, your own passions, and the friends and family who support you. 

~Celina

Student Voice

Learning from children’s voices allows us to know

a deeper level of who children are as learners

 and, because we have that knowledge,

to expand and enrich our sense

of what it means to teach.

- Penny Oldfather (1995)

Do you listen to your students?  Do you hear their desires for learning?  Do you know what inspires them?  What are their personal goals? Are you aware of what THEY would like to learn today? Are your plans based on your curriculum map or chapter guidelines, or are they based on the individual needs sitting before you? Have you asked your students to reflect on your growth?

At the end of last year, I opened the floor to my third graders (whom I had been teaching for 2 years) and asked for the honest truth... How had I grown as a teacher?  What did they notice was different from one year to the next?  Well, it's as if I opened a can of worms!  I couldn't type as fast as their ideas were spilling out.... One of my spunkiest student's remark truly changed my mindset, though, as I was still wondering at that point if I had reached him after 2 long years. However, I am so glad I had asked to hear his voice, because in that moment I KNEW I had.  He stated, "You let us learn by our Multiple Intelligences and Learning Styles this year, and last year we really didn’t get a lot of learning done because we didn’t know and use Metacognition.  This year you changed a lot and you made us grow more than we did last year. Oh, and I like how you taught us so much so we are able to teach teachers and YOU, because we teach you too!"  And these were his words, verbatim, and trust me I remember because he made sure I typed it correctly during that moment, a moment I will remember forever.  The moment when I let them provide me feedback.  My only regret was that I hadn't asked sooner... 

I wonder what would happen if you asked these questions to your students?  What if you asked them to provide you feedback?  Would it change the course of their learning path? Would it change yours?

~Celina

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

"Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after." Ann Morrow Lindbergh


Today and everyday I was reminded that I am blessed and lucky to work where I do, and with the people I do.   I am inspired everyday to push myself into new and more challenging roles, and there is a support system and belief in my abilities that allows me to try it at my own pace.  I grow at my own speed, and yet know that I am much further along than I could ever have been alone.  That I grow faster from the company that I keep and the ideas I am inspired to undertake.

And to think, a year ago I was in a far different place, until one good conversation, one share of an interesting article, one connection about my own child opened up a whole new world.  Thanking my lucky stars today and everyday.  ~Ann

Perspective

Wow, nothing like a more challenging day to bring about some much needed perspective.  Today was such a day, and despite the tired body and brain in reflection I am made aware of the distance we have come and all the things we have accomplished.  Growth, progress, success, maybe none of these are truly appreciated until you take that much needed pause.  That moment when you are "cooking" along and hit a speed bump.  That jarring sensation that says, "Whoa!"  Despite this I am not defeated, if anything I am elated and amazed because the pause is also a call to attention.  Look what has transpired, look where you were 6 weeks ago, look where things are now.  Our little community of learners are growing right out of our expectations, which brings to mind the mindset of realizing there are so many  more wonderful things to come!  Perspective, I thank you.

Completely loving the site www.choiceliteracy.com. Inspiring, refreshing, informative, the best money I have spent on my professional development in a long while!