Taking Ownership

     Recently, I spoke with one of my teachers about lessening his lecture and increasing student collaboration in the classroom.  This very successful teacher told me he never did group work in the first semester because he didn't feel students would focus on the task at hand.
     About two months after this conversation, I happen to be presenting a PD on best teaching practices. The PD was mostly group orientated while I spoke only to set up what the groups needed to discuss and eventually share out.  Later that day, I heard the teacher sharing with others in his subject area how he enjoyed the PD because there was so little lecture, and he was able to share and hear others' thoughts on the topics at hand.
     These same subject area teachers are tasked with getting outside the "typical" teaching box in Saturday school when they identify students by specific standards to come to a four hour tutoring session.  These students are those who didn't master the standard(s) from the previous unit.  We have discussed how the "typical" classroom teaching didn't work for them, so how do we get them involved in learning in another way.  We use video excerpts to engage students in the standard, and then lead them into a text with the same standard.  We use authentic assignments to engage students such as asking them to evaluate the logical errors or appeals used in commercials to convince people to buy things.  From there, we move into a text where we have students use the same ideas they discussed in commercials to evaluate the argument written in the text.
     However, my question is why do we save these more engaging lessons for Saturday school?  Why don't we teach like this all the time?  Why are teachers doing most of the work by finding texts, lecturing about the standard to be identified within the text, and then asking students to show what they know in some assessment?  Why are the students not choosing a text, why are the students not identifying the standard within the text, and why are the students not writing higher level DoK questions for their peers to identify within the text they chose or presenting their findings to the class?

     As we move closer to our testing window, we need our students to take ownership of their learning.  One big way we can get them to do so, is to turn it over to them.  This is a scary proposition for many teachers.  We often feel students don't want to know anything; however, how many students really just sit there and do nothing?  How many, if given the choice to decide what they read might become more engaged in their learning?  How many might be able to identify the standard(s) within a text of their choice?  How many might be willing to debate and support their arguments if they were more interested in what they were studying?  Why do we fear allowing students more ownership over their learning, when by contrast, we - just like my teacher - prefer to be a part of a discussion rather then be lectured to.

Eat, Talk, Learn - My Favs!

     So...I'm sure your school is as busy as mine.  The teachers work hard, the administration team works hard, and the students work hard.  With all the time consuming hard work, where do we find time for new teachers, career teachers, and those in-betweens to gather to share best practices and support each other?
     For our school, we instituted a Lunch & Learn for our teachers.  They meet the last Thursday of every month during their lunch hour.  (We have 3 lunch times, so we have 3 separate meetings each day.)  During this time, a teacher will facilitate a conversation focusing on problem solving, best practices, or plans for the following year.  Each teacher facilitating the meeting started out by saying this is a time to share and ask questions.  This is not a time to gripe; do not come here planning to do so.  The point of Lunch & Learn is to come and have an open discussion about problems, concerns, strategies, and / or classroom successes.
     Our Lunch & Learn has focused on how to meet the needs of traveling teachers (we have 26), how to start off they year by directing student focus, best practices in classroom management, how to engage students, and how best to use blogs for students.  This is one way we were able to meet our teachers needs for mentors for new teachers, updated strategies for career teachers, the opportunity to share successful classroom experiences for all teachers, and the avenue for teachers to ask for help / support when struggling with an issue.  It has been a great success.

     Having just come back from EdCampOKC 2014, I realize Lunch & Learn is a micro type EdCamp process.  Our teachers are taking control of mimi PDs developed in that individual lunch meeting to meet the needs of the teachers who are present.  What a wonderful way to continue the process of EdCamp and organic PD.
 

Revered or Reviled?

     I love to smile, and I love it when others smile at me.  There is something contagious about a smile, something that makes you want to lift the corners of your mouth, show a little teeth, and feel better about the world.
     I wrote a post a few weeks ago about some people who have invested in me and my professional life.  Isn't it nice when people say kind words about you?  believe in you?  hope for you? support you?  affirm your good work?  I can be a sentimental fool.  I can cry at sappy commercials (it doesn't take a movie...).  I can feel like my heart might explode with goodwill when I see selfless acts.
     Anyone know where I see these kinds of positive actions daily?  hourly?  by the minute?  Yes, at school.  I have watched teachers stand in freezing weather to scrap ice from windshields of other teachers' cars before they scrap their own windshield and get out of the blustery, angry cold temperatures.  I have watched as teachers show up 20 minutes early for morning duty in order to be ready to let students into the building, so those students don't have to wait in the cold.  I have watched those same teachers dance, sing, greet, and cheer on students as they enter the building at 7:00am.  At times, these are the only uplifting words some students will hear.  I have watched teachers stay late into the afternoon - after contract hours (meaning no pay) - to work with students who are struggling with a concept in class.  I have watched these same teachers stay for ballgames, concerts, plays, and other activities late into the evening just so they can tell their students the next day what a wonderful job they did.  I have seen teachers buy sweatshirts and jackets for students who walk in the below freezing temperatures wearing only a t-shirt.  
     For some unclear reason too many people outside the education profession do not seem to appreciate all that our teachers do for students beyond teaching.  Teaching itself is an exhausting profession.  Teaching in the classroom requires constantly flexibility to meet the ever changing expectations, students, mandates, assessments, and standards.  And, when you think about it, teachers have touched every life.  Each person is only as successful as their experience in a classroom some where at some time.  I look at all teachers do beyond the classroom walls, and I am awed by their courage, compassion, creativity, and kindness.  Why teachers are not revered I will never understand, but why they are reviled baffles and disturbs me.
     Those who choose to overlook the hard work, low pay, and self sacrifice of teachers are those who choose to be blind to some beautiful life experiences.  Just as I stated earlier, seeing kindness in action, affirmation of a person's self worth, and selfless acts done in secret make my heart swell, my eyes dampen, and my soul satisfied to be part of such a generous group of people.
     I have often heard that "hurt people, hurt people".  I wonder if people who tear down those in education are miserable inside?  If they can't see the overwhelming concern teachers have for their students that goes so much farther beyond four walls, desks, and a textbook, then I invite them to spend a day in a local school.  Follow a teacher through their day.  See the kinds of situations, obstacles, and distractions teachers must face and overcome daily, hourly to keep instruction going, students deepening their knowledge, and achievement improving.  If you do, I believe you will walk away inspired by the amazing educators we have in our public schools; you will find a respect and reverence for their work; you will find an appreciation for their commitment to students no matter the deterrents they encounter. ...and I hope you will find the desire to share a smile with each teacher you see.

Differentiation Strategies

     My last post discussed using differentiation strategies; however, it occurred to me some might like to have easily adapted differentiation strategies at hand.  Therefore, I'll offer some strategies I have found useful.

• 1s, 2s, 3s, & 4s  - Often in class, it is difficult to work between those who understand the focus standard and those who are struggling with that same standard.  In order to work more effectively, move those students who are struggling to the front (1s and 2s), and move those who understand or have mastered the standard to the back of the classroom.  For the 1s and 2s, using the SmartBoard (or whatever board) model - out loud - how you would think through each step of the process of the focus standard.  For the 3s and 4s, have an extension assignment that will require them to move deeper into the standard. 
• 1s - understand little of the standard
• 2s - with help can understand the standard
• 3s - understand the standard by themselves
• 4s - can teach the standard if needed
• Should you find yourself with more 1s and 2s than 3s and 4s, have the 3s and 4s sit among the 1s and 2s to help teach / work though the lesson you are modeling for them.
• Grouping Students to Work Together - There are many ways to group students.  You can group students by 
• ability (the same types of ability)
• varying ability (stronger students with struggling students)
• gender
• randomly (I like the SmartBoard random group maker)
• clock partners
• clock partners - using a clock image, have students exchange and sign on the same time number to pre-identify partners, so that time in class is used at a maximum.
• student interest
• student learning preferences
• Some argue that students shouldn't be grouped by ability; however, if students are grouped numerous ways, they will not know when they are grouped by ability.  To see a somewhat long (12 mins) but good video on this, click below.  

Love his "Thinking Notes" too.  I use them all the time!

• Leading questions - Leading questions should scaffold students from where they are to deepening their understanding of a topic / standard.  Some examples of leading questions are:
• Give me a specific example of...
• What would happen if...?
• Why is ... important?
• How does ... affect ...?
• Explain how ...?
• Explain why...?
• Tiering Work Products - at a workshop I heard a man (I have forgotten his name) give an analogy.  He said in middle school, at the start of the school year, he would tape two pencils at the top of the whiteboard. He choose a tall girl, and he asked her to get one of the pencils.  She easily jumped up and grabbed a pencil.  He would then choose a short boy, and he would ask him to do the same.  As the shorter student tried to jump, the other students would say it was unfair of him to expect the shorter boy to be able to get the pencil.  He would then ask the class if they had a problem if he allowed the boy to use anything in the class to assist him.  The students whole heartedly approved of this, and the boy took a chair, moved it to the wall, stood on it, and he was able to get the pencil. Did each student get the pencil?  The purpose for each student was to get the pencil.  Each accomplished the task. Using this analogy, then why don't we allow students to use whatever tools are necessary to get to the end product of learning?  Tiering can look like:
• scaffolding texts - use lower level texts so students can understand the standard needed, then scaffold to high rigor texts on grade level.
• accept different work product - allow students to show their mastery of standards in different ways.  Yes, all our students must test at the end of the year, but those who struggle in "typical" testing mode may be able to show mastery in alternative ways (art, video, song, speech...) which can build confidence - and again scaffold to "typical" testing situations.  
• according to NSTA.org - tiered lessons are the meat and potatoes of differentiated instruction.  A tiered lesson addresses a particular standard, key concept, and generalization, but allows several pathways for students to arrive at an understanding of these components.  

I hope these strategies will give you some ways to help assist your students as we make the final lap toward high stakes testing.

 Good luck, and may the Force be with you!  

Staying Focused as Testing Season Squeezes Closer

     As the state mandated testing window gets closer, our focus must become more narrowed.  So, how do we make the most of the few days we have left?  

     If we are data driven sites, then we use data to drive instruction.  Which standards are bubble standards?  Meaning, which standards do our students almost know at the expected pass rate?  For English II and Algebra 1, we’ve set our pass rate at 70%.  We want to make sure our students are prepared to pass the EOI no matter the cut score or rigor.  If you are at a site that does not use data to drive instruction, you know your students, and you know which areas they need additional instruction. 

    Whether or not your site is data driven, the instruction must be engaging and real world focused.  I am not a believer in drill and kill - though it does have its place - I’m a believer in passionate teachers making their content engaging through interesting topics and engaging activities where students are working with and struggling to apply the instruction given.  Allowing students to struggle collaboratively with real world application makes instruction engaging.  

     Learning is not always and should not always be modeled by the teacher.  As teachers, we know teaching is the best way to learn, and - as one of my teachers mentioned last week - should be in level 4 of DoK - Extended Strategic Thinking.  Allowing students to become problem solvers together, to team up to figure out how to find what is required from class is not only real world, authentic learning, but it is engaging.  

     Nonetheless, to make lessons like this work, it takes many hours of pre-planning - including preparing differentiation strategies, grouping students to work productively together, and to make sure the lesson/unit relates the work to real world application.   Additionally, the teacher must be up and rotating through student groups to make sure they are on task, to ask leading questions to guide students who have hit a wall, and to encourage deeper thinking for those who finish early.  

     With the cranky weather, the days feeling longer, and the stress of testing looming over our heads - this is NOT the time to give up.  This is the time to dig in, reach deep, and move inch by inch to increase student learning.  I believe in my teachers, I believe in public education, and I believe in Oklahoma educators!  Let’s make it happen!