A Teacher's Life for Me

Friday, June 17, 2011

Friday's Five: Summer Reading Books

flickr/Simon Cocks

Since today marks the last day of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation for me, I thought I'd share five books that I plan to read over the summer. After all, summer is the time when we, as teachers, finally get the chance to read and go to the bathroom. Not all of the books are education based, but that's OK. Being well-rounded is one of the things that makes us good teachers.

After reading my list, please share a book or two that you plan to read or that you suggest in the comment section. I'm always looking for a good book, and I'm sure others who read the blog would appreciate suggestions and/or recommendations.

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch - This book was highly recommended and loaned to me by a colleague. It's the story of Randy Pausch's last lecture at Carnegie Mellon University, where he was a professor, just before he died of pancreatic cancer.
The Vault of Walt by Jim Korkis - I admit it. I'm a Disney Geek. I love the stories behind the parks, stories of Walt's life, and stories about the company that very few people know or remember. That's what this book is filled with. It's a collection of short anecdotes from the memory and research of Jim Korkis, former Disney employee and respected Disney historian. The forward is written by Diane Disney Miller, Walt's daughter.
Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation by Edward L. Deci - The High School principal in our district loaned this book to me a while back. It's time that I read it and gave it back to him. When he gave it to me there was a sticky note on the cover that said, "Mike, Read with caution. This one has made me rethink everything we do in education." Sounds like my kind of book!
Galen Rowell's Inner Game of Outdoor Photography - When people find out that I am a photographer, or see my portfolio, I often get asked, "Who is your favorite photographer?" The answer is Galen Rowell. The guy was an amazing photographer, writer, and person. His passion for outdoor adventure photography is evident in his work, and contagious. It's unfortunate that he died in a plane crash in 2002 because the world lost one of it's great creative minds and artists.
A World in Transition: Finding Spiritual Security in Times of Change - This anthology of essays and talks has been sitting on my shelf for many years, but I have yet to read it cover to cover. I have found the parts I have read to be inspirational, thought provoking, and enlightening. The inside of the book jacket claims, "Today there is a great emphasis on external solutions to our problems. Yet, peace, happiness, and prosperity all come from within." That message is similar to Gandhi's "Be the Change" quote that I referenced in a previous post.

Now it's your turn. What books do you plan to read this summer? What books would you suggest to others? Have you read any of the above books? What did you think? Let us know in the comment section.

Also, don't forget to share the blog with others by clicking on the "Tweet" button up top, sharing on Facebook, sending a plurk to your PLN, or all of the above!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

What's Important

During the past few days I've been doing what teachers do at the end of the school year. I've been cleaning out my classroom and analyzing standardized test data for the year. It's been depressing. I'm always at conflict when looking at the data because I know that doing poorly is bad for our school, and that putting a great deal of emphasis on the tests is bad for our students. I want to see good scores, but I also want to not care about the scores.

I was feeling this stress and conflict his morning when I started going through my e-mail account to see what could be deleted. I came across the letter below that was sent to me from a former soccer player just before her graduation a few years ago. I'm sharing it (without correcting mistakes) because it shows exactly what is important. It's not test preparation. It's not the ability to fill in the correct bubble on an answer sheet. It's the skills that are needed in life.

Thank you to all of the teachers, coaches, and administrators who are remembering what's important.

Dear Coach,

I wanted to tell you that because of you I am going to be just fine next year when I step out into the real world. Its going to be very hard for me, but I truly believe that because of what you taught me, how to be mentally strong, how to try to stay positive when there’s really nothing to look forward to but uncertainty, and to have the drive and passion to do what you enjoy, even if its not the ideal situation, and even to overcome obstacles beyond my control, that I am going to get where I want to go. I think that I more than any other person on that team know what "mental toughness" is. Everyone may have their own definition, but to me I don't think I could have learned a better lesson. I still think sometimes that it wasn't worth it, but then I realize that it was probably one of the only lessons I can apply to anything. Even though I wanted to quit, I didn't. Even though I felt that I was working towards nothing, I did it. I want you to know, that you really are a good coach, and its not just because you can teach soccer to your players, but you can tech them lessons they can't learn in a classroom, or at least at the level they can on YOUR field. Thanks coach, for making me the dedicated, driven, and most hard working individual I can be, and for making me "mentally tough". Now I know what you meant... I know I have what it takes to make it in anything I do.

I'm forever grateful for everything you've taught me,
XXXXXXXXX

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Teacher Frustration - We're Losing Great Teachers

Last week I wrote that I'm the problem with education. It was a post in which I expressed that teachers should spend less time complaining about things they cannot control and more time focusing on what they can do better. That post created more conversation, debate, and discussion than any other post I've written this far. One of the conversations I had was so meaningful and illuminating, that I felt I had to share it.

After school one day, a teacher shared that our current culture of standardized testing and pressure to "teach to the test" makes it almost impossible for those in our profession who want to be great teachers to do so. She explained how she wants to teach her students essential skills like critical thinking, responsibility, and collaboration, but is instead forced to teach what will be on the tests that her students will have to take. Even if she wanted to pursue something her students find interesting or important, she can't without risking some of her students failing the all-important test, which leads to the majority of her students being totally unengaged.

fickr/Zach Klein

Basically, she complained that she is forced to teach content instead of teaching students, and this makes her job increasingly frustrating to the point that she may not be able to stay in the profession.

I must stress here that this is an excellent teacher with whom I was talking. This particular teacher is meticulous in her lesson planning, cares deeply about her students, routinely gives up her own time to help her students in any way she can, and is well respected by all who know her. This is the kind of teacher that every parent would want their child to have. This is the kind of teacher that we cannot afford to lose.

Yet, I believe that she expressed a feeling that many in our profession are sharing right now. We want to do what's best for our students. We're desperate to make school meaningful and relevant for them. We're frustrated because it's almost impossible without being almost insubordinate to administrators who are forced by the current laws to demand test results over anything else, including the very things that make school relevant and meaningful.

flickr/HelloHiyab

As I said in a previous post, the most important things we do in school can't be measured on a test. Show me someone who disagrees, and I'll show you someone who doesn't know what's important.

Great teachers are being forced out of teaching because they are being forced to do things in their classrooms that they know are detrimental to students. As Sir Ken Robinson would say, we are educating the creativity and passion out of our students. Our students believe that what we teach them in school will have no impact on their lives, and that the time they spend in our classrooms is a waste of their time.

Unfortunately, they are pretty much right.

What's worse, teachers who want to change that feel that they can't. Almost every teacher I know went into education because they thought they could make a difference for the next generation. If you take that away from them, what's left?

If we don't dramatically change what we're doing, I'm afraid we're going to find out.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Friday's Five: Continue Your Learning This Summer

This week's Friday's Five is a special cross-post on summer learning that also appeared on Lee Kolbert's "A GeekyMamma's Blog." Friday's Five is a feature every week where I pick a new topic and list five items that I think fit best. Then I ask you, my readers, to share your thoughts in the comment section. For an archive of past topics, check the Friday's Five page. If you'd like to make suggestions about future topics or discuss topics I bring up on the blog with other readers, make sure you click the "like" button on the right hand side of this page to join A Teacher's Life for Me on Facebook. Don't be shy about sharing the blog and Facebook page with others. Each post has buttons on the bottom that allow you to share several ways, including e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter.

www.freedigitalphotos.net / graur razvan ionut

When summer comes, many of the sources of stress that drain your physical and emotional energy during the school year disappear. Along with having some extra time to do some of the things you love other than teaching, it’s a fantastic time to learn, share, and find new inspiration that will make your classroom more enjoyable for yourself and your students. So, when you are not taking a little time to enjoy camping in the woods, lounging on a beach somewhere, or whatever it is that you do to relax, here are five ways to continue your learning during the summer:

Participate in a Professional Learning Network (PLN) – Nothing that I have experienced in my career has taught me more or inspired me as much as my PLN. Whether through collaboration using social networks like Facebook, Plurk, and Twitter, seeing different points of view on the blogs that I follow, interacting with those that follow my blog, or learning through my membership in professional organizations, I am constantly gaining insight as to how to better do my job. During the summer, all of those resources are still available.
Read a Book – It’s often hard to find the time to read during the school year. During the summer, though, I’ve been able to read some great books that helped me grow as a teacher. If you’re not sure what to read, ask your PLN. I’m sure they’ll have great ideas. Another option is to join a book group on a site like Goodreads. Two of the more influential books on education I’ve read are The Element by Sir Ken Robinson and Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen.
Attend and/or Present at a Conference – Educational conferences are fantastic places to both pick up new ideas for your classroom and network with other professionals. Many take place during the summer months to make it easier for educators to attend. Presenting is an extremely rewarding experience that often comes with the benefit of a free or reduced registration fee.
Browse Through Bookmarks - During the school year I am flooded with great new websites and web 2.0 tools that are shared by my PLN. Many I save in my Delicious account and never get the chance to play around with to see if they are useful in my 5th grade classroom. There’s just not enough time. Summer is a perfect opportunity to spend some time playing with these tools. You might discover something you love.
Download Content from iTunes U - Many people don’t realize how much free content is available on iTunes for teachers. There are over 350,000 free lectures, videos, and films available covering just about every possible topic. The best part is that you can listen or watch them while you go for a run, garden, lounge by the pool, or even while you stick your feet in the sand on the beach.

Now it's your turn. In the comment section, please share how you continue your professional learning. What books do you plan to read this summer? What conferences are you attending? Do you have any great ways to continue your learning that I didn't mention? What's your favorite iTunes podcast? Please share!

Monday, June 6, 2011

I'm the Problem

We know that our education system is broken, and we all like to point fingers.

The business community blames the politicians for not making teachers accountable enough. Politicians take turns blaming each other. Television gets blamed for corrupting our children. High school teachers point the finger at middle school teachers, who then in turn point the finger at elementary teachers for not preparing students well enough. Teachers claim that parents aren't doing their job. Students are blamed for being lazy. Everybody points their finger at somebody else.

I'm pointing the finger at me. I'm the problem. The system is broken because of me.

I need to do better.

flickr/wallyg

Because, if everyone takes the attitude that it's the fault of parents, students, politicians, television, society, or anyone else other than themselves, nothing will change. There is only one person who's actions I can change.

Mahatma Gandhi is quoted as saying, "Be the change you want to see in the world." If we all take his advice, stop pointing our fingers at everyone else, and point them at ourselves, we'll be just fine.

Stop complaining about what should be changed, and go be the change you want to see.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Friday's Five: Ways to Use Formative Assessment

Friday's Five is a feature every week where I pick a new topic and list five items that I think fit best. Then I ask you, my readers, to share your thoughts in the comment section. For an archive of past topics, check the Friday's Five page. If you'd like to make suggestions about future topics or discuss topics I bring up on the blog with other readers, make sure you click the "like" button on the right hand side of this page to join A Teacher's Life for Me on Facebook. Don't be shy about sharing the blog and Facebook page with others. Each post has buttons on the bottom that allow you to share several ways, including e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter.

We've all had students that try blend into the background. They are the students who never raise their hand, sit there silently when you call on them until you choose someone else, and go through the school year determined to participate as little as possible.

We've also all been in the situation where several of our students have failed a test when we thought they knew the content. Even though we recognize that they haven't learned what they were supposed to, we often feel we have to move on because of the amount of material that needs to be taught in a school year.

Is there an easy way that we can make sure all of our students, even the ones who try not to participate, are learning? Is there an easy way to determine whether our students really know content before testing them?

The answer to both of those questions is a unequivocal "YES!" There are several types of formative assessment - long term (like semester or end-of-year), medium term (end-of-unit, etc), and immediate (in-lesson). It's the daily, in-lesson, formative assessment that is most important to increase learning for all of your students. It also allows you to diagnose where you need to change your instruction so that your students learn what they are supposed to before they are tested.

Formative assessment is a way to diagnose the patient, instead of waiting for the autopsy.

Here are five simple ways to start using formative assessment to ensure all of your students are learning:

Get a set of individual white boards and have your students use them. Have your students constantly show you that they understand what you are teaching them by showing you on their white board. A quick glance around the room will tell you who understands and who doesn't. Make sure the students that need more help get it.
Stop having your students raise their hand to answer a question. When that happens, you only get an answer from one student. Instead, have every student write the answer to the question in their notebook or on an individual white board. Maybe have them share their answer with a partner, and let the partner write it down, or have each student record an answer in a VoiceThread or Blabber. It doesn't matter how they answer, just make sure that every student is responsible for giving an answer and justifying it.
Use exit cards. At the end of a lesson, pose one short question to the class that deals with the day's lesson. Have them answer the question on an index card and hand it to you before they leave. Take a quick look at the cards. If all the students knew the material move on to something else the next day. If many couldn't answer the question correctly, start the next day's lesson with a review. If some of the students need more help, build in an intervention into the next day's lesson.
Demand that students tell you when they don't understand. I've found that colored cups work well for this. I stack a green, yellow, and red cup on each student's desk. If they understand what I am teaching, they show a green cup. If the cup is yellow, they need me to slow down. If the cup is red, I need to stop and re-teach something. How do I make sure that they are telling me the truth? If someone has a red cup, I choose someone with a green cup to do the re-teaching.
Let them give you a "thumbs-up." During your lesson, ask a few yes-or-no questions of the class. Have them respond with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. You'll be able to quickly assess which students are not understanding your lesson.

Lately we've heard a lot about "Data Driven Instruction." Too often it means sifting through standardized test data. The data we need to be using to drive our instruction is the data we get from formative assessment techniques like the ones listed above. That data is easy to understand quickly and allows us to make changes immediately to ensure that our students learn. Dylan Wiliam had a great way of putting it when I saw him speak. His quote went something like this: "Teachers who do not use formative assessment and then wonder why their students failed a test are like pilots that never make course corrections and then wonder why they ended up in Cleveland instead of Miami."

Now it's your turn to share. Do you use formative assessment in your classroom? How? Do you have other techniques or ideas to share? Leave your thoughts on these questions, or anything else you want to add in the comment section below.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

What I Hope My Students Learned

Today is the first day of June. The school year is winding down, and in a week or two the state assessment scores will come back. We'll look at the data and determine which students learned math, which were proficient in reading, and which students are good at "being students."

To tell you the truth, though, I really don't care all that much. To start with, I'm pretty confident that my students learned the content they were supposed to this year. I don't need a standardized test to tell me that. The formative assessments that I build into my lessons give me that data all year long. There's a bigger reason that I'm a bit apathetic about the results, though.

The most important things I want my students to have learned this year weren't on those tests. These things can't be measured by filling in bubbles with a #2 pencil.

I hope my students learned that learning isn't something that happens only in school, but is something that can and should happen all the time. I hope they learned the habit of learning.

I hope my students learned that being right isn't as important as being able to think. Our history books are full of individuals who failed many times and still rose to greatness.

I hope that my students learned to question the validity and bias of all information that is being sold to them, even if a teacher is the one selling it. I hope they continue to ask "why?"

I hope that my students learned to seek their passion when choosing a career path. 5th grade is not too early to start thinking about your future, and doing what you love and what is rewarding to you is worth more than all the money in the world.

Most of all, I hope that my students learned that the score that comes back on that state test, whether high or low, doesn't define them any more than their height or eye color. It's what they do with their given talents that will be their legacy.

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