On the Shoulders of Giants

Back to School Tip: Plan Your Hydration!

So it's the season for back-to-school tips, and I'm going to jump in the conversation with my most recent adult learning... 

Confession: I rarely ate breakfast this year, and powered through until lunch with very little sustenance. On top of that, I often found myself with a banging headache at 2pm because I hadn't had any water since the cup of coffee I drank in the morning, which doesn't count for obvious reasons. I did a little reading and found that there is now significant research that proves the obvious--that dehydration significantly diminishes cognitive functioning and quality of mood. 

In preparing for a new school year, one of my top priorities is planning to eat breakfast and stay hydrated EVERY DAY.  All the other planning, new strategies, assessment, parent outreach, and other good ideas will not yield much if I am not properly fueled when I teach. I have slacked in this regard too many times, and I'm just done with that.  

Here's the new plan.

1. Start the day with a smoothie.  This summer, I learned to make smoothies every morning, and they are delicious.  I use frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or a combo), vanilla yogurt, coconut milk (Silk brand found in the milk section), honey, flax seeds, and occasionally almonds, fruit juice and/or kale. Blend with Ice. Drink in the car.  My friend says if you add protein powder it helps keep energy even all morning. Making the smoothie takes very little time and has quickly attained the status of full-fledged habit for me. I simply would not want to begin the day without it. 

 

2. Stay hydrated. My number one choice for hydration is water.  Nothing works better, and it's pretty much free, yet somehow I don't prioritize filling up my water bottle in the morning or throughout the day.  Sometimes I also forget to drink the water I do have.  And these are the factors that make the difference between a hydrated teacher at 2pm and a banging headache.  

Besides the gravity of my dead serious commitment to hydration this year, I plan to remind myself by using a cool tool. Here are my two choices, both borrowed from colleagues.

Reusable Plastic Cup. Several teachers at my school have begun using this kind of reusable plastic cup with built-in lid and straw.  It's less work than opening and closing a normal water bottle and it's just kind of cool.  My colleague says she sees it and it reminds her to drink water. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hydration Backpack. This truly hard core gear was worn by a former colleague of mine who possesses a level of responsibility and organization that is unusual and truly admirable.  She's a runner and found herself so dydrated in her first year of teaching that she started wearing this contraption during her teaching day so she could drink water without searching for the water bottle, or opening and closing it, or forgetting it altogether! No, she did not wear a bicycle helmit... but she did say the kids thought the hydration pack was cool :)  

 

 

 

 

So I'll probably opt for the adult version of a sippy-cup... but will keep the hydration backpack in mind if that doesn't work out.

I'm confident that hydration will boost my energy and help me make the most of the rest of my efforts. Will you be hydrated this year when you put your teaching plans into action?  

 

[image credits: (1) smoothierecipe.tv, (2) vat19.com, (3) walmart.com]

Two Common Core Blunders To Avoid--and How to Do It

We all have heard that the Common Core ELA Standards specify more non fiction reading skills than state ELA standards appeared to do.  In a workshop I attended on Implementing the Common Core, the presenter stated that approximately 70% of what students read at school should be non-fiction. Here it is a little bigger.  

There's nothing wrong with this, except I've already seen it misapplied two different ways:

1. My friend teaches middle school social studies.  This year, her time with students will shrink from five periods a week to only four periods a week, so that ELA teachers can teach an extra period to accommodate all of the non fiction requirements.  WHAT?!  My friend teaches social studies.  They do almost nothing BUT read, discuss and respond to non-fiction in her class!  

2. I know an English teacher who has been very concerned about properly implementing Common Core in her classroom as quickly as possible.  This year students will only read two novels in her class instead of four, in order to accommodate two new non-fiction reading units.  There is precious little creative writing in her curriculum plans, because, apparently, she has to focus on building her students' non fiction skills.  

Why, at this moment, are schools and teachers making rash decisions, instead of making the appropriate push to teach and practice reading across content areas?  Students actually read almost nothing but non-fiction in every class throughout the day, except ELA.

Here are some sensible ways to make sure students are getting a strong daily dose of non-fiction, both in and out of ELA class.

(1) Support content area teachers in establishing solid reading practices in their classes.

• Read, recommend or create a book group around Cris Tovani's important book, Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? on applying reading strategies and structures in any discipline.  

• Many content area teachers include tons of reading in their courses.  Have them share how they do this! 

• Have all content area teachers (as well as ELA teachers) monitor how much time they allow for students to actually read (whether silently, aloud, in partners, or by listening) in their classes. For teachers who feel uncomfortable assigning their students reading tasks, provide support! Use those PD funds! Or pair them with teachers who have this skill set to work together during all that PD time.

• Don't go crazy! Social Studies and Science should still include plenty of hands-on investigations and group work.  Social studies, math and even science curricula should be peppered with small doses of poetry and fiction...

(2) Embed non-fiction reading in a literature-based ELA classroom.

• My students are reading novels at most points during the year.  But I've begun regularly including complementary non-fiction articles and books in these units.  For exanple, I find students are extremely motivated to read articles about the life of an author whose novel they are reading, intrerviews with the author, or articles or autobiographical pieces by the author.   

• I've included excerpts of literary criticism that allows students to view the literature we're reading from another angle.  I tell them, "This stuff is really nerdy and difficult!  See what you can make of it!"  And they do. Their interest is piqued by the challenge. I have them read a chunk with a partner.  On chart paper, they must write down 2-3 things they think the writer is saying, and a comment, reaction or question in response to each one.  The discussions that come out of this exercise are fascinating. 

• I also introduce students to articles that relate to a topic or theme from literature we're reading. This can work whether we're reading a novel, poetry, or any other litarary form.  Sometimes these are required in class assignments and other times they are optional extensions. When we were reading When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, which includes an element of time travel, riffing on A Wrinkle in Time, the collaborative team teacher I worked led interested students to read non-fiction books about the theoretical possibilities of time travel from a science perspective.  It was wildly successful for those who chose to participate.  

• Non-fiction can provide important background information for students when reading literature that takes place in unfamiliar settings.  When we read Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which takes place mostly on a reservation in Washington state, I had my NYC students read articles about the conditions on reservations across the country today. At the same time, students were studying Native American History in their social studies class.  Their motivation to engage both with the fictional elements of the book and the realities of the history and modern day reality were impressive.    

Please, let's not rob students of a well-rounded education just because the Common Core seems to have added some new focal points to literacy instruction, making it seem like there's "more to cover."   Collaborate across disciplines instead!

Finally, from the Common Core State Standards Initiative site:

"Myth: English teachers will be asked to teach science and social studies reading materials.

Fact: With the Common Core ELA Standards, English teachers will still teach their students literature as well as literary non-fiction. However, because college and career readiness overwhelmingly focuses on complex texts outside of literature, these standards also ensure students are being prepared to read, write, and research across the curriculum, including in history and science. These goals can be achieved by ensuring that teachers in other disciplines are also focusing on reading and writing to build knowledge within their subject areas."

 

 

Guest Post: PD For the Teachers By the Teachers

Rachel Beerman teaches 7th grade American History at a middle school in Brooklyn. Previously she taught at an Expeditionary Learning K-8 school in Buffalo, New York.  This will be her 8th year as a classroom teacher.

 

One of the most important and innovative movements in education right now is differentiation. Teachers, administrators, and the larger community are coming to recognize that, lo and behold, not everyone is the same, nor do they learn the same way.  By using differentiation, students are able to access their learning in a way that maximizes their individual strengths and focuses on their specific areas of need. One area of education, however, that  has yet to embrace differentiation is in the professional development of its teachers.

I have been in the classroom for 7 years, teaching American history for the last three at a middle school in Brooklyn, NY.  I firmly believe, based on my own experiences as an educator, that professional development is inherently a good thing, and having all school participants share and learn from a common experience can be valuable. Unfortunately, I have found that PD sessions can also become either a throw away requirement for both teachers and schools or something that is lacking in true innovation. Listening to an expert lecture for an hour and a half after a long school day isn’t fair, either to the lecturer or to the teachers. Too often teachers feel like they would rather be in their rooms grading papers, rather than actively or, more often than not, passively participating in a professional development “PD” session they feel doesn’t match their needs or interests. 

My experiences have taught me that professional development should include opportunities where teachers can gather with colleagues and other professionals to develop the areas where they are excited to grow.  I imagine an education world where professional development is a combination of selections of sessions based on personal interest and workshop time to implement and try out what we are learning. Choice and workshop time exist in education, but it is often only at the larger regional and national conferences. These models for professional development should be replicated at the individual school level. Individual teachers of a school are just as varied in their interests and needs for growth as are larger groups of educators. For example, I would love PD time to work with collegues around creating an interdisciplinary unit, while my collegue is interested in learning how to teach debate. A professional development culture that embraces teachers' inherent interest in personal growth would be ideal.

I believe there are two factors that have impeded true differentiation for teachers at the individual school level. 

Problem 1: Time

It is easier to have one PD session for the whole faculty than to put together a series of evolving and changing sessions that match a variety of needs and interests.

Solution: The time needed to create more comprehensive and personalized professional development will, in actuality, promote educational institutions where teachers feel like respected professionals. It is hard to imagine that this shift won’t have a positive impact on student  learning and teacher retention, both critical issues in education which take increasing amounts of time.  In other words, there's no trick to cut down on the time, but it’s worth the investment, because the benefits will be so much greater than in the current approach.

Problem 2: Fear  

The trend in education is to show that we are all in lock step, following one educational initiative that we assume will solve a problem such as low student achievement.  

Solution:  Not having a single answer is not to be feared, because in reality there are multiple ways to achieve our larger goals in education.  Accepting this truth about the way humans learn will minimize the need for a lock step mentality and suggests a vital and dynamic approach where educators come together to address education’s successes and struggles and make purposeful change in their own classrooms and schools.

In the end, we have to provide for our teachers what we seek to provide for our students: a learning environment where we are respected for our differences and our interest in self improvement.   A shift away from simply meeting professional development quotas and toward small, varied collaborative professional development opportunities will allow not only for personal growth for our educators but also for the growth of those around them, including, most importantly, our students.

 

Note: This is the second in a series of guests post I hope to continue, highlighting the voices of some of my favorite teacher friends.  The first one was Interview with Kita Grinberg on Teaching Yoga To High School Students. 

 

Teacherpreneurs--Make Sure To Know What We're Selling

This is a follow up on my previous post, which takes Nancy Flanagan up on her question of whether compromise with ed reformers whose methods we disagree with is possible, and whether teachers compromise their integrity when they become enterpreneurs.

Teacher expertise is valuable.  We know this.  And in most cases, it's more valuable than the amount a teacher gets paid in salary.  We can change teacher salaries to reflect this more accurately, and I hope to see that happen sooner than later.  Teachers can also engage in business that allows them to get paid for the value of their knowledge where it is useful.  This could include writing, consulting, designing, project leadership, mentoring, etc. Many teachers do this and may or may not consider it especially enterpreneurial.  The good thing is that when teachers do this, we spread our knowledge while making it clear that we are the experts, rather than leading from the classroom alone and letting others with little or no teaching expertise hold the "expert" badges.

This can get dicey because there is so much big money in education right now. Probably more than there has ever been. Nancy Flanagan, Anthony Cody, Diane Ravitch, and many others have pointed this out consistently.  The big money is mostly connected to testing, and sometimes also connected to cutting teachers' benefits, salaries and/or training. In a struggling economy, there is a growing industry around testing the heck out of our students and using the data to evaluate students, teachers, schools, districts, states, and policy initiatives.  We know this has adverse effects on teaching and learning, and undermines "teaching as a self-actualized, self-determined, self-defined profession," to quote my colleague, John Holland.  

As teachers step into the realm of teacherpreneurism, recognizing and taking advantage of the value of our skills and knowledge in the educational marketplaces, we need to be clear and careful about what we're actually selling.  Are we offering our expertise for a fair price? Fine. Are we also selling our support or silence in relation to policy initiatives that we know are harmful?  If so, think again.   

I have no question about my integrity when it comes to writing a book that shares teaching methods I think are really valuable, and getting paid for the time it takes me to develop and write it all down. To me, this is a very empowering experience. I have deep respect and gratitude for other teachers who've done this, and I'd like to see many more teachers become authors.  

I also have no qualms about getting paid to lend my perspective or advice to education policy organizations, as long as

a) I'm allowed to be an independent, critical thinker throughout the process--not expected to lie or remain silent if I disagree.  

b) I am in general agreement with the organization's mission and believe my work with them will impact teachers, students and communities positively.  There are some organizations and companies that could not pay me any amount to share my ideas with them, because I disagree with their positioning, and don't believe they want to advance teaching as a profession.  

I believe A is more crucial than B.  In other words, where a. is true, we generally don't harm ourselves, schools, or our profession. (First, do no harm.) However, our time is limited, and education is too important to mess around with less than truly positive work.  The scenarios most worthy of a teacher's time are those where both a. and b. are true.  

For example, I spent an hour with a major testing/text book corporation giving my feedback on an Ipad app they were working on to "help teachers plan."  It was pretty terrible and showed no understanding of the planning process most teachers use.  I answered all of their questions honestly and got an $100 Amazon gift certificate.  I sold my ideas for a fair price. I have no confidence that their work will advance the teaching profession, though I suppose this app has a slightly better chance after hearing my feedback... nonetheless, it's pretty safe to say won't be working with them again.  Even though I don't think I did any harm, I don't believe in what they are doing.  So why bother?  Even if there were tons of money in it, I didn't go into education for the money.  

To quote my father, "Whatever doesn't help, hurts."  If you have a goal, don't get distracted, just because the *something else* doesn't directly conflict with the goal.  If my goal is to teach well and help transform the teaching profession into a "self-determined, self-actualized, self-defined profession," then don't waste my time funneling my energy and knowledge in the opposite direction.

One more thought:  If B is true, but A is not... rethink B.   

 

[image credit: daviddewolf.com]

Response: When Teachers Become Entrepreneurs, Is Their Core Mission Altered?

I just read a provocative post from Nancy Flanagan at Teacher In a Strange Land called "Sleeping With the Enemy," which questions whether teachers comprimise their integrity by selling their ideas. Nancy seems to be asking the right question, and I was surprised at how much I had to say on the topic... though maybe I shouldn't be, since I helped develop the idea of the teacherpreneur in Teaching 2030. 

Here is my response, which I'm having trouble posting on the site at the moment:

Nancy, I am wondering about compromise myself.  I have not yet come to a conclusion about it. 

That said, I'm not sure that selling our ideas requires compromise.  I think teachers can start small businesses that offer their expertise for money to those who might want to pay for it without compromising integrity.  For example, right now I am writing a book on a curriculum method I've named Whole Novels.  I've been developing the program since I first encountered the idea from my mentor at Bank Street College (who has helped me immeasurably and whom I give due credit in the book).  I've spoken to many teachers who are interested in learning more about the method, and so I'm writing the book to fill a need, as well as to fulfill a dream I have of writing it all down in a book.  The book will be sold by a regular publishing company, and I'll get a small percentage of the profits.  I might end up doing some consulting about it as well.  I have benefitted from many books I've bought over the years, written by teachers for teachers.  Is this the entrepreneurial comprimise you mean?

Maybe the issue lies in how we apply our expertise to policy initiatives.  The method I'm writing about could never work as a mandated, one-size-fits-all kind of thing.  The book is not written to suggest that, although I'd love for it to become a known idea, that teachers can pull from as they see fit. 

Am I right that the issue you're talking about is in selling our expertise to the organizations that are creating new oppressive structures for our profession? Ones that rely on tests to determine success and feed a corporate testing industry?  If a corporation or district wanted to pay me to write Whole Novels: The Scripted Curriculum, would I do it?  Thank you for pushing me to ask myself that question.  The answer would almost definitely be no.  

But I'm tempted to ask myself, would there be a way to compromise?  Would Whole Novels: The Scripted Version be better than whatever other scripted curriculum is out there?  Possibly, yes. There's the rub.

When I first started teaching, Teacher's College Readers and Writers Workshop Model, led by Lucy Calkins, was mandated in NYC public schools--or perhaps just those with low test scores.  It was a scripted version of the program, which came to us in condescending form.  It had not been designed for middle school, but was being forced on us as an experiment.  We and principals were promised higher test scores, and there were sticks for non-compliance as well. (I later heard that Calkins herself was not happy with the watered down, force-fed nature of her curriculum as a blanket mandate). Teachers found it frustrating and limiting.  I did what a lot of others did: I took the things that made sense to me from the program and combined them with other things I was trying--namely, Whole Novels. 

The funny thing is that later, I realize I actually learned a lot from this exposure, albeit uncomfortable and borderline insulting, to the program.  I also notice retrospectively that during that time, NYC paid for every ELA classroom to have a good library of developmentally appropriate books, which was a real benefit to students (and teachers’ purses).  This had not been the case before, when only textbooks and city-mandated whole class novel sets were provided. It is not the case now, since principals control purchasing decisions for their schools and may or may not decide to fund classroom libraries.  The program also popularized the notion that teachers did not need to be at the front of the room talking to be teaching—helping teachers, principals, and other evaluators to understand that students need workshop time.  These were some positives that came from the scripted mandate. 

That's just to say that I still don't know where I stand on compromise... As always, thank you for pushing the conversation and for your unwavering integrity.

 

[image credit: infobarrel.com]