Great Ideas From Great Writers and Educators: Part Two

Teach Like a Pirate: Increase Student Engagement, Boost Creativity, and Transform Your Life as an Educator by Dave Burgess

Transformation: Two Questions for Raising the Bar
If your students didn't have to be there, would you be teaching to an empty room? I have been in many college classroom with few students and later discovered why. A boring, disengaged teacher does not spark curiosity, interest, or motivation. Make sure your classroom is authentic, active and relevant for students.
Do you have any lessons you could sell tickets for? I know some of my lessons are awesome, frog dissection, Dyson vacuum engineering lesson, but I am not sure people would buy tickets. This makes me ponder. I am inspired to create lessons that people would pay to see.
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Learn Like a Pirate: Empower Your Students To Collaborate, Lead, and Succeed by Paul Solarz

Chapter 3: Peer Evaluation
"Give me five" is not just a way to get your class quiet. Let students say it as well to get the attention of the class if they have information to share or insight to help with a class activity. Empower students to be leaders in your classroom.
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Instant Relevance: Using Today's Experiences to Teach Tomorrow's Lessons by Denis Sheeran

Instant Sudden Changes to your Surroundings
As teachers we must be prepared to let world and local events steer the conversations in our classes. If they are relevant and meaningful to students we need to answer their questions either as a class or individually. When Texas flooded last year it was a topic we discussed at length as a class both relevant to science and to the lives of our students,
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Hacking Engagement: 50 Tips & Tools To engage Teachers and Learners Daily by James alan Sturtevant

Hack 15: Bring in an artifact for Show-And-Tell

Share mementos, items that mean a lot to you, items that your students would love to see. I brought in my piece of the Berlin Wall and we discussed Science in Germany Pre-WWII and Post-WWII. It was an awesome way to make connections between a simple piece of cement and world changing events,

Great Ideas From Great Writers and Educators: Part One

The Power of Questioning: Opening Up The World of Student Inquiry  by Staar Sackstein

Dissecting Questions Chapter 3: We need to teach students how to break apart the questions, how to find deeper meaning in the question. If students can look beyond the words and answer choices and dissect the true meaning of what is being asked then they can better absorb the information and learn from it.
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Hacking Education: 10 Quick Fixes For Every School

Hack One: Meet Me in the Cloud:  by Mark Barnes and Jennifer Gonzalez  
Use google docs, Voxer, Twitter to have parent/teacher and teacher/teacher, teacher/administration meetings when applicable. In person meetings are crucial to building relationships but sometimes it is a great tool to communicate.
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Launch: Using Design Thinking To Boost Creativity, and Bring Out the Maker in Every Student by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani

Chapter 1: We Need Creative Classrooms:
The word structure has a bad rap. Creativity is a process that needs structure. Structure are the blue prints, outlines, scaffolding for true creativity and innovation to occur. Even the most experienced sailors and pilots plot a course before they begin their journey.
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Kids Deserve It: Pushing Boundaries and challenging Conventional Thinking by Todd Nesloney and Adam Welcome

Chapter 7: Do The Little Things
Know the names of your students and colleagues and use them often, it shows you care. Making people feel valued and important is a very crucial step in forging respectful and enduring relationships.
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Most Needed Items

Canned meat, poultry, fish

Peanut butter

Canned fruits and veggies

(low sugar, low salt)

Cereal

Soups, stews

Pasta (whole grain)

Dry beans

Rice

pantry 

limited

Paper, pencil

pen or sharpie

colorful hand sanitizer

case full of glue and scissors

pencil shavings on the bottom

dirty kleenex personal size

various books 

backpack

tools

Knowledge

Listening or seeing

Discovery

Inquiry

Curiosity

Determination

Motivation and skill

Failure stepping

Back into the forum of experience

to

Succeed and grow

learning

achieving

human

need
existence
childhood

My Life in a Nutshell: Part One

In the 1980’s Laguna Beach High School was a school of normal adolescents; artists, musicians, and strange individuals; but for the most part normal. Wizards, dragons, and Hobbits were only alive in books and the Internet, I-phones, and X-box were not even heard of. We used type-writers, Atari, and payphones. We wore bangle bracelets, parachute pants, and head bands. But we were normal. Prince, Madonna, and Thompson Twins blared from over-sized boom boxes while the Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, and St. Elmo’s fire were the inspiration for our witty banter and social norms. The 1980’s was a decade of decadence and spontaneity. Growing up in a decade with no war, no economic depression, and no Columbine allowed for us to focus on the little things. These little things were the essence of what we became. These minute behaviors created a way for us to stay individuals but also to find a connection with our peers; to truly belong to a generation called lazy and greedy but who were actually the last generation of innocence and awe.

Some people do extraordinary things. Others live fascinating lives with fascinating people. The simple folk, however, like me, usually by chance or happenstance have interesting tales and cool anecdotes but aren’t considered outstanding in anyway.  I kind of like it that way actually. I can bump into a whirlwind of uniqueness or stumble over a barrage of newsworthy events and unlike the poor schleps that have a camera in their face on the worst days of their lives, I can experience very cool things and decide whether or not to share my findings. I have been alive for 47 years give or take month and I have been all over the world, been victim to many a natural disasters or man-made tragedy, and created and sustain a family of four boys. If that isn’t enough, I am a teacher, of 7^th graders, 12 and 13 year old's, which is challenging and frustrating but meaningful and enlightening.  It is a part of who I am.

When did all of this ordinary, simple, often mundane existence begin? I was born the summer of 1969. It sounds so long ago now that we are in the 2010’s. But in the scheme of things, it wasn’t, not really. I look at my students and my children and I often feel antiquated and out-of-touch, but when I think back on my experiences I realize that no matter what decade you sparked to light, the true essence of who we are is the same. The basic and fundamental fact is that we all want to fit in and be loved. We all want to be noticed, accepted, and supported. We all want to belong. 

Not My Child: A Parents Blinders Need to be Lifted

I have four children at home. A week does not go by that I am not getting communication from one of their teachers. Usually about homework never about behavior. As a teacher myself, I have instilled proper behavior in my children. Academics have always been at the forefront of our family discussions and this has always been the most important thing to my family: education. But alas, as with many children mine get lazy and neglectful. I get emails, calls, and even visits, one of my sons attends the school at which I work, in regards to this matter. I am never happy. I always address it and they get their missing assignments completed quickly and turned in for late grades.

What I do not do, is blame the teacher. My children over the years have had amazing, dedicated, insightful teachers, and eager, motivated teachers, and alas disengaged teachers. But never has the grade of my child been the result of teacher competence and friendliness. I have teacher conferences, I accept the teacher for what they are and guide my children passed any hurdles this lack of interest on their part may cause. But, I never blame the teacher. When a parent says "Not my child, it is the teachers fault." I take offense because there are no perfect students, children or teachers. The lack of success is rarely entirely the teachers fault.

I have a 1st grader, he likes to talk. He is smart and funny, but he likes to communicate with his peers. Every day he comes home with a yellow or frown on his comment card because his behavior is not obedient and quiet. I set up a conference, his teachers words, "I like a quiet and obedient class. They must sit still, not fidget, and look forward at all times." Seriously, they are 1st graders. This was the moment I chose not to say "My child is perfect, this is your fault." or "Not my child, he never talks out of turn." Instead I chose to take the higher ground, "I will discuss with my son the value of following directions." This I do every morning before he gets out of the car. Less yellow and frowns more greens and smiles. BUT usually a comment about how he fidgeted today.

Let the little things go. As a parent accept the fact that your child is not perfect nor would you want them to be. Always talk about proper behavior but understand that a 6 year old is going to fidget. Understand that a high school student will get lazy and not turn in homework. That an 8th grader will get lazy and not complete assignments but with some redirection and a firm talking to they will get back on track. Do not blame the teacher for every mishap. Do not hold the teacher responsible for your child's laziness, I don't. I know my children do not love all of their teachers and that a lack of relationship and respect from their teachers can and often does lead them astray. But as adults we have to endure boredom and people we do not necessarily like every day. I have taught my children that that is no excuse. Overcome and be successful in spite of obstacles and barriers.

Parents need to lift the blinders. Everything that goes wrong in school is not the teachers fault. If you fight every battle for your child they will never learn to be independent. They need to understand the task of learning falls in their laps, that hopefully they will have engaging and enthusiastic teachers but if not always do their best not for you or for their teacher but for themselves.

Changing Perspective: A Mothers Acceptance of the Inevitable: Part One

My oldest son is a senior in high school. I know this means college next year and him moving away from home, but I just can't wrap my head around him not being here. It is a year away why do I need to think about it now? SAT's, ACT's, college applications, tuition/financial aid, living expenses. The list is endless. You want them to want to stay home forever, but you need to nudge them out the door to find independence and self-worth, You want them to get accepted into college but worry is it a party school, will he fit in with dorm life? He is not a social butterfly but will he transform into one losing sight of classes and academics?

These are the endless concerns going through my head. I am truly lucky because my daughter lives in Albuquerque and that is where my son wants to go, UNM. So he plans on living with her, helping her out with her son, while building up his residency he will attend a community college for a year. Then enter UNM with residency and a much cheaper tuition. So this as scary as him leaving is, is a great alternative because he will not be alone and isolated. But as a mother, losing my son to adulthood is a sad event. I am keeping myself busy with his last year here, he is helping with my science competitions and we are spending a lot of time together which? I hope will make the transition for both us us easier.

A 7th Grade Teachers Journey into 6th Grade

I am a 7th grade teacher. I have taught 8th grade but really, 7th grade is my passion. I love the age, the eagerness to learn and still respectful nature of 12 year-old's. I also am the mentor for many different science competitions varying from Future City to Quiz Bowl both of which I have opened up to 6th graders. I was eager to include all three grade levels because many competitions exclude sixth graders due to their age. So I ventured into the deep.

Let me preface by saying I am very happy that I have included 6th graders because they need an outlet for their creativity and drive. They are smart and funny and offer a lot to any team. But what I discovered very early on is that they are very different from 7th and 8th graders. In subtle and not so subtle ways. They are a lot smaller on average. They are louder then most 7th and 8th graders. They are more emotional than their older counter-parts. Most obviously they are a lot more hyper and easily distracted than 7th and 8th graders, on a whole of course. There are very hyper and distracted 7th and 8th graders as well.

Two weeks ago was my first 6th grade only meeting for Quiz Bowl. Wow. It was like herding a group of cats. I tried very hard not to raise my voice or discipline. But, I in a kind way I had to, to simply get them seated and quiet. They squirmed and fidgeted.  They giggled and poked each other. They were very hard to get focused. But eventually I did. Then they were separated into smaller groups and met one on one with a mentor. They squirmed and fidgeted. It was adorable but frustrating to try and get them to focus on the questions and not giggle or cry when they got the questions wrong.

This has been a growth experience for me in patience and faith. I believe in every one of my 6th graders. It has taken a lot of work and we are not nearly where we need to be yet, but I have faith that we will be. A lot of nurturing, reassurance, encouragement and smiles and slowly but surely they are becoming more focused. They are all motivated and they truly want to win.With a little patience, motivation and luck I can get these 6th graders qualified for nationals. Fingers crossed.

Homemade Soup: A Weekend of Family and Food

I love to cook. I wish I had more time to. This weekend I cooked two soups: broccoli cheddar and potato cheese from scratch. Fresh ingredients, painstakingly washed, peeled and diced. No frozen broccoli for me. I wanted to eat it long before it was finished. The house smelled awesome, my children kept wandering in to the kitchen asking, What is that wonderful smell?" The anticipation was rising and rising, all of us wanting a huge, piping hot bowl of soup. But it took nurturing and coaxing to get the potatoes to blend and the cheese to melt slowly and thoroughly. It was about four hours of nudging and stirring until finally, they were finished.

They both came out very tasty and my children are gobbling them up. It is amazing what a little anticipation and curiosity can do. My children, who scoff at vegetables, are digging into a bowl of broccoli or potato. The inquiry about cooking and why it takes so long to meld together and become a perfect union of taste was a hot topic of the weekend. My family came together in the kitchen and at the dinner table over homemade soup. It just goes to show that the simple things in life do mean the most. A little 80/s music and cutting board brought my family together to revel in the science of cooking.

School Spirit: How Do you Build Classroom Spirit!

School spirit is about sports, music, science teams and cheer leading and camaraderie. It is about wearing school colors and displaying pennants and shouting from the rooftops. But it is also about academics and student growth and diversity. School spirit is incorporated into a positive school culture. Students and teachers are proud of their school and show it through participation, social media, and word of mouth. A community often revolves around its local schools and when the school embodies a supportive, respectful climate then the neighborhood is more likely to respond.

A classroom spirit encompasses much of the same ideals: Academic success, cooperation, collaboration, open-dialogue, respect, eagerness to learn, student-centered, flexible, independent thinking, relevance and most important student interest. An authentic, active classroom revolves around student choice, not a teachers demands. It is designed around options for demonstration of knowledge and innovation. When a classroom has a positive outlook, safety to explore and fail, and equality, then a classroom is thriving.

Classroom spirit should not be focused merely on the success of the few but on the community as a whole. Every student needs to feel apart of the collective. To have a voice they feel safe to use. To have opportunities to be successful but also chances to struggle and find true grit and rigor to become stronger learners. When students feel compelled to do well because it brings the class together, then classroom spirit has been achieved.

I celebrate every class individually on Twitter and my blog. I spark some competition by sharing class averages as a whole and this drives them to a healthy level of determination and motivation. Every class is unique and I let them know how creative and fun they are individually every day. I spark curiosity through inquiry and problem-solving but allow them to carve their path, to find what works best for them. When students feel valued and invested in their learning they will not sink into complacency but rise above it to be participants in their own learning.

School spirit ignites, classroom spirit enhances and fans the flames that make a school a positive and encouraging place to learn and grow. Having a choice in extra-curricular activities brings the school together, forms a strong united environment. Having choices in demonstration of knowledge provides that same enthusiasm in the classroom setting. Let students find their voice and what works best for them. Then as a class let them determine their own course. This leads to classroom spirit and unity.

Fireside Chats: They Worked for FDR, Can They Work in A Classroom?

                                               

"Fireside Chats" just hearing those word evokes an air of solidarity and leadership. These are two fundamental qualities every classroom should have. These chats were given while families were gathered together in a time of turbulence and these conversations reassured them that everything was going to be alright. That even in the darkest times, as a country, we are united and must forge ahead. This show of strong leadership was accepted and coveted. It was eagerly awaited because it was comforting.

This got me thinking, not only as a teacher but as a parent. Open, purposeful, meaningful conversations need to be happening every day. Students need to be having supportive and progressive discussions with one another but also with me. But, time constraints make this challenging. But my 1-minute check-in's are a weekly way for every student to come sit down, make eye contact, and have a conversation with me. I have truly gotten to know my students in a new light. Thus, building stronger more respectful relationships with them. This in turn has made behavior management extremely easy.

At the dinner table, I have instigated a "high's and low's" chat. Every night we sit down for dinner and I make my children share 2 highs and 2 lows about their day. I engage them in meaningful conversation by asking them questions and waiting for answers. It was a struggle at first but now after a few years of this routine it is second nature. In fact if we are distracted or eating in a hurry, my children remind me to do it. This keeps me up-to-date with their school and personal interests and goals.

In my classroom, I am always discovering new ways for students to communicate and take leadership roles. Podcasts, blogging, class debates, personal speeches, even open-mic day provide a myriad of opportunities for engaging and relevant conversations. Socratic Seminars are a great tool for students to have a self-directed, organized discussion where all voices are heard. It is a respectful way for students to each take part as a leader and share their amazing view points. Collaborating as a class can be a challenge but the first day of school I had my students write their own "community goals" and because they wrote them they trust them and enforce them with very little effort on my part. This set the foundation for respectful dialogue.

Fireside Chats were meant to bring about solidarity in the classroom. Group discussions when purposeful and self-guided lead to camaraderie and team building. Asking questions and sharing answers is a key role in problem-solving. This is a way to unite the class as a community. For every student to feel safe speaking up and letting go of reluctance. FDR spoke at length about seeing through to the end of dark times. To find the commonalities between ourselves and to embrace diversity. This solidified the nation through one of our darkest times. When students recognize one another as equals they seek opportunities to help one another grow as a learner.

Every class goes through its ups and downs. Its successes and its failures. But when failing is a forward momentum then students feel flexible to roll with the punches. Reflection, feedback and open, safe conversations are the cornerstone to what makes a great classroom. Student-centered activities, independent thinking, and authentic lessons all lead students towards a common goal of growth and acceptance. Learning from our failures drives us to overcome adversity and conquer our fears and doubts. Much like President Roosevelt guided our country through WWII, a teacher must guide her classroom through every pitfall until students find their own successes and become truly independent learners.

The 9th Planet: Are There Students Who Continue to Revolve on the Edge of the Classroom?

                                                         


This week my students and I have had a lot of one-on-one conversations through our one-minute check-ins. Students who revolve around the edges of the "community" to whom have never spoken to me at length, have now ventured in to the center of the class to speak to me about science and their interests. The once 9th planet phenomenon occurring in all of my classes has slowed and brought these distant celestial bodies closer to the center of the universe that is my classroom.

Often students can be seated in the middle of the classroom and still be on the outskirts of the galaxy. My classroom motto is "colliding with science" and I tell my students that this flexible seating, student-centered classroom has been designed to cause these collisions. Science with interest, science with curiosity, students with inquiry, growth mindset and innovation, the collisions are endless. We are all planets, satellites, comets, asteroids, even black holes. It is imperative that we work together to keep the balance between collisions and near misses. Collisions need not be painful but with new knowledge, discrepant events, and a change of mindset often comes struggles and challenges we must overcome.

So how do we recognize the 9th planet students, are they always the quiet ones? They may be the distant ones or the ones being bombarded with space debris. They may be eager and conversational but the bigger picture, viewing the Milky Way as a whole may be missing. They may be near the edge of a black hole and time is slowing and thought processes are staggering and connections are not taking place. Space is endless to our minds eye, we know through science that the universe is expanding and this applies to students as well. It is critical we realize that their mindset is expanding every day and that we as teachers foster this growth not hinder it.

We want every one of our students to be a star. Shining bright with creativity and enthusiasm. In order to do that we need to make strong connections with our students. The one-minute check-ins, story share where we share our highs of the week, and collaboration between students provides the foundation for this. But as with every relationship, this formation of light and energy, needs to be cultivated. Genius hour, makerspace, even debates and skits are great ways to bring those students in from the fringes of space and put them on the spiral course where most students revolve. The teacher may be considered the sun or moon in the classroom but the students are all the objects of space on course or off course. It is our job to align them and get them in sync with the rest of the orbitals. The 9th planet then becomes one of many and together they form the classroom universe.

Buckle, Lace, Velcro: Tying up a Lesson

A buckle is secure, a tight concise closure. To unbuckle requires more effort than untying or tearing velcro. This seems to me to be more of a finality to a lesson, where one might need to leave it more flexible in order to revisit, reteach, and re-explore. I rarely ever, buckle up a conversation or lesson for this reason. Buckles have their purpose, they make sure a toddlers shoes are nice and tight so they can learn to walk. They tighten a belt so pants are secure in order for someone to go about their day without fear of losing their pants. But, alas they are rather fixed.

Laces are intricate and can be loosened or tightened depending on need. They can be left dangling at the end, often leading to a trip or fall, or they can be knotted which can lead to frustration. The best lace is wound up nicely in a bow but can be easily unwound to re-secure. These are the lessons that are more fluid and flexible allowing students to reach different conclusions: rabbit hole ties or two-loop style or even freedom knot. Laces come in various colors, sizes and lengths but always have an aglet on the end to secure it. These lessons are dynamic, engaging and authentic.

Velcro is accessible, does not require skill or dexterity just a simple pull will do. These lessons are quick and to the point. Often a simple vocabulary review. They are not meant to be enduring or exciting but simply informational. These lessons however are necessary in order for the lace lessons to occur. Buckles, laces, and velcro are all present in the classroom and are all strategies teachers implement to make the flow of the classroom consistent and dynamic. While a buckle and velco lesson are more fixed and direct, lace lessons provide opportunities for student-centered environments. Student-driven learning and student choice. Finally, lace lessons encompass diversity, individual learning style, and student growth.

Inventing to Learn

To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk- Thomas Edison

No where does it say that you need technology to be able to invent and create. Technology can enhance learning by providing opportunities to connect with the world, use gamification, and design amazing presentations but using your hands can also allow us to imagine, inspire, and innovate. It needs to be a balance between tactile and kinesthetic learning and digital awareness. Together these two encompass what it means to invent to learn.

Tinkering opens the mind to new possibilities. It brings together the artistic side of us with the mathematical, engineering side. We see the world in a new light when we are simply combining random objects into something new. Inventing new ways of doing things changes the way we think and learn. Discovering we have a creative mind leads us to a growth mindset. Leads us to seek new challenges. New paths to explore. New voices to hear and learn from.


Invent- create or design (something that has not existed before); be the originator of. -Webster's Dictionary

Invention does not mean physical. We invent new pathways for learning all the time. When we reflect and grow from our inventions then we grow as learners. When we take the time to tinker and design before we implement we are more successful. In a classroom it is the same thing. Activities need to be designed around this fact. They need to leave students open to problem-solve not simply conduct and explain. They need to be mindful and engaging not just fun. They need to be relevant not just accessible. But most importantly they need to spark imagination in order for students to invent their own truth, find their own passions, and hear their own voice.

Inventing to learn is natural when we as teachers step back and allow students to be leaders. We invent to learn every time we experience new things, share ideas, and collaborate towards common goals. Inventing is a part of who we are, now we just need the opportunities to recognize that all of us are inventors, tinkerers, designers, engineers, and ultimately educators.

Authentic Learning: A Success Story

As a teacher we always seek the most engaging and authentic learning experiences for our students. We create opportunities for students to grow through collaborative work as well as individual assignments. Together these provide a balance between self-driven inquiry and team discovery. Having a learning disability myself, I am always looking for new creative ways to make connections with reluctant learners. Many believe that students behave better for other teachers because the teacher does not discipline or "has a loud, uncontrolled environment." This could not be further from the truth. First, my class room is rarely quiet but it is very much monitored and organized. Secondly, it is the classroom dynamic, respectful relationships, and student-centered environment that allows my students to thrive. Not me, but the way our classroom is designed as a whole.

I have a student who struggles with other teachers. This student has Autism, is younger than most of his classmates, and is easily frustrated. When this frustration occurs they shut down. Then they are finished for the class, there is very little chance of reconnecting them. In my classroom, they actually are not a reluctant learner, they answer questions, share ideas, and seek opportunities to use the maker space, collaborate with their peers, and even yes, write reflections in their journals. But, in other classes they withdraw, refuse to write, and even get obstinate and argumentative. So, because this has become a major issue, I was asked to meet with the parent.

The parent asked me what happens in my classroom because every day her child comes home smiling and sharing ideas about science. They love school but often feel trapped. She asked me what strategies I use to keep her child engaged for 50 minutes a day. I explained that truly it has to do with positive reinforcement and the trusting relationships my class has forged these last 7 weeks. My students look out for each other. They support each other. It is a student-centered environment where rather than me being the focus they are. I pose guiding questions or topics and let them roll with it. I have them read, write reflections, conduct labs and activities, and use the maker space to inspire, imagine, and innovate.

She smiled because she said whatever you are doing it works. I told her as teachers we call it authentic learning. Active learning comes from student choice and ownership. When they feel a part of something bigger, they feel compelled to participate. Even my most reluctant learners do not want to be left out. I have only seen her child become frustrated a few times, but before I could even address it, his table mates had and got him calm and reengaged. A student-led classroom is truly an amazing thing. It is scary at times but it is beautiful when it works. I find that I do doubt its success at times and ask myself are they truly learning? Is this model truly successful, then I sit down and talk to a parent and feel reassured that it does in fact work.

The Reluctant Learner: How Do You Make Connections?

I was a reluctant learner growing up. I suffered from Dyslexia and reading and Mathematics was such a struggle that I completely gave up. I was an introvert, rarely did I speak in class or ask questions. I was also bullied a lot and hid in the bathroom for lunch or in the corner of the playground by myself at recess. I just turned inward and because of this speed bump in my education I have had to work very hard to overcome my doubts and insecurities. Not until high school did a teacher finally say to me, "You are so smart and I love to read your narratives, why don't you ever do your homework?" For the first time, someone took the time to ask me why? This same teacher, rather than writing it on one of my papers, took the time to make eye contact, and wait for a response. I shrugged my shoulders, he responded with "I care about you and your learning and I will make it my priority to make sure you have a voice." This was shocking to me, I stared at him. He smiled back. All I said in return at the time was "Okay."

This experience changed my life. Students are reluctant learners for many different reasons: bullying, over-bearing parents, lack of structure, family instability, learning disabilities, social awkwardness, language barriers and even just self-doubt. It has become my priority every year to truly get to know my students. Ask them questions about themselves, get them to open up, trust me, laugh at my jokes, see me as someone who truly cares. One-minute check-ins is a weekly endeavor that has brought many of my quiet, reluctant learners out of their shells, at least in a one-on-one conversation. But, these chats have shown these students that I care about what they have to say. I listen to their ideas. This has gotten some of them to be more responsive in class as well.

It is not the large, life-changing events that make us stronger. Although they can. It is the little victories, the daily interactions that bond us together. The greetings at the door, the smiles in the hall, the positive feedback in class. These moments of interaction are what I seek. After a few weeks of the one-minute check-ins the conversations in class have become more fluid and interactive and students are feeling more safe to comment. My classroom, being a student-led classroom can not work if students do not take the lead. Reluctant learners need to feel empowered to participate. Every student needs to know that what they say is valued and that the class is stronger because of their presence in it.

A reluctant learner need not be stationary. They will have good days where they are engaged and active and there will be others where they are withdrawn. It is a teachers responsibility to make the former more and more frequent. Creating authentic, active learning experiences where the lesson is relevant and interesting will draw these reluctant learners in. I do not make my quiet learners speak out to the class as a whole, but eventually they do. However, I do require them to check-in with me. This is my attempt at the life-changing moment I experienced. It creates an opportunity for a private conversation not under the spying eyes of other students because they have the same requirement. It makes students feel safer to talk openly. The best way to break the reluctance is to ask students why they feel the way they do and to create solutions and strategies together to help them feel more connected and accepted.

Positive School Culture: How do you impact it?

A positive school culture is felt as soon as you walk in the door. The energy permeates through the halls with laughter, engaging, insightful conversations, and an excitement to be there. The positive vibrations permeate across the community like a wave. Infecting the neighborhood with pride. Eager children exit buses, albeit tired from the myriad of after-school opportunities for learning and growth. Teachers are happy to be there and are seeking opportunities for professional development. Collaboratively teachers, students, parents, administration and neighborhood members piece together the "community quilt" that is a school.

I have been fortunate enough to work in various schools with different levels of positiveness. While one was struggling, others were more successful because of the responsiveness, support, and involvement of the administration. The integrity, encouragement and resilience of a schools leaders drives the vision, goals, and determination of a school. A true leader accepts, listens, celebrates, and is open to new and creative ideas. When teachers feel unappreciated, undervalued, and isolated negativity is given an opportunity to rear its ugly head. When teachers feel like they have a voice and the freedom to take-risks, like-minded, outgoing teachers will step forward and bring about change and innovation.

It is one thing to be a member of a positive school culture it is another to be a leader and shape the course of it. Often teachers, as progressive and enlightened as they are, stay in their classrooms. They forge great relationships with their students but often steer clear of other teachers. This may be due to naysayers or negativity. But, to keep the positivity flowing these teachers need to step out of their classrooms, share the great things they are doing, the successes of their students, and spark interest in others. This will ignite curiosity, a growth mindset, and gain support from colleagues and administration.

Every one in a school, students, parents, teachers and administrators have an influence and impact on the school culture. The positive school culture does not maintain itself, we need to actively continue to keep it thriving. Celebrating student successes not only in athletics but in science competitions, music and art, math and writing is key to making the school feel like a community. Every student is a participant even if it is only in the classroom. Celebrate their successes as well by posting their work, giving positive feedback, and allowing time for them to reflect and grow.

A positive school culture like any relationship has its ups and downs. It needs to be rekindled with innovative ideas and it needs to be nurtured through respect and determination. There will be naysayers, set backs, even negative thoughts that stir up trouble. But, with a common vision, unified goals, and supportive staff and administration getting back on track will be easy. Stay focused on what truly matters, students. Not popularity, or jealousy, or envy of fellow colleagues and their accomplishments but on students. When students feel connected, valued and respected they will thrive and this will strengthen and empower the school culture.

Empowering Student Voice Through Competition

Competition is healthy, it is what makes us human. It has been apart of our genetic makeup since the beginning. It is inevitable that every one of us will enter a competition at some point in our lives. Whether it is athletics, music, grant applications, college applications, a job, or to move up the social ladder. As children we are taught to compete and win or lose but to play the game, to challenge ourselves and practice and do our best. Competing has become downplayed in some schools and geared up in others.

How can we empower students to have confidence and determination but also be humble and have character? Giving students the power of voice enables them to build strong respectful relationships with their peers as well as their teachers and mentors. When students feel valued and responsible for their own actions the humility and character will come naturally. It is important for teachers to provide numerous opportunities for students to display their strengths and passions and explore new ways of coping with defeat and failure.

Empowerment comes from not only believing in yourself but having others believe in you as well. A great team creates great individuals. Success comes as a team but also as accolades for the individual. Accepting your strengths and successes is easy for most people, it is recognizing growth from failures and defeats that tend to be challenging. In a classroom or on the field it is imperative that teachers forge strong trusting relationships with students so that they feel safe to fail. So when they fail they see it it as a learning experience and grow from it, recover quickly and become more determined and resilient.

In my classroom, I create lessons where as a collaborative group they problem-solve and explore to reach a goal. But I also provide opportunities for students to shine on their own. Defeat is inevitable I tell my students. As humans we fail far more than we succeed. Growth comes from both. Weekly I set up an activity or debate where there is no right answer, where failure is the only option. This builds character and drives them to cooperate and discover new ways of doing things. Competition need not be a win-win situation or a win-fail situation it only needs to be a growth opportunity.

Competition is healthy. Setting up children to feel equal and where every student gets a trophy defeats the purpose of competition. There will be those individuals or teams who shine and deserve to come in first place. It is doing a disservice to our children to tell them they will be great at everything and succeed at everything they do. This is putting too much pressure on them to be perfect. What we need to do to empower our students is to teach them to keep a growth mindset, seek grit and rigor, innovate and take-risks and accept defeat. Michael Jordan, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton all had failures but they were determined to find success. That is empowerment through competition.

The Squishy, Colorful Facts About Digestion: Makerspace Models

The culminating activity for digestion, the review before our test on Monday, is all about using the makerspace, having fun, laughing at ourselves, and reinforcing respect and community goals. Students were asked to create a model of their assigned organ. I did not say it had to be to scale, or what materials to use so the digestive system models are all very different. Most students chose play-doh, however, many students stepped outside the container literally, and used other materials provided in the class makerspace.

The digestive system lends itself to models and diagrams. It is an uncomplicated system and students can relate to it. It is a process they understand, eating. We have discussed organic compounds, energy transformation, chemical versus mechanical digestion as well as the organs of digestion and their structures and functions. Enzymes, acids, and other digestive juices are crucial to this process and students also discovered through labs and research what the most important digestive liquids are: hydrocloric acid, pepsin, insulin, bile, and saliva to just name a few. This activity was a fun way to get them up and out of their seats, collaborating and engaged.

Students presented their models and created the large model of the digestive tract. But, I also asked them to act out the movement that occurs, as well as discuss the structure, function, and other processes occurring in their organ. This information was presented as a group in front of the class as a puppet show, comedy skit, and even simple conversations with the class. They already learned this information and this lesson was to make sure all the facts were processed and shared as a class. This was funny but also very informational and it reinforced respect, communication, and collaborative skills.

Energy Transformation: A Mooverlous Lab with Hydrogen Peroxide

This week my students have been doing various demonstrations representing various digestive organs: Cracker in mouth to demonstrate saliva and amylase, bread and orange juice to represent stomach and hydro-chloric Acid (HCL) and aspirin in vinegar, then transferred to baking soda and water to represent the stomach to the small intestine. Today students demonstrated energy transformation chemical to thermal by using cow liver and hydrogen peroxide. 

All organisms rely on enzymes to catalyze chemical reactions.  An enzyme is a biological catalyst that increases the rate of chemical reaction by lowering the level of activation energy necessary to start the reaction.  In other wards it is the spark that ignites a reaction quickly without needing extra energy to do so. Without enzymes, many of the chemical reactions that occur within living things would proceed to slowly to be useful.  We need these reactions to occur quickly during digestion in order to receive the energy in a timely fashion. Enzymes speed up these reactions by bringing the reactants into close proximity and facilitating their interaction. When hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is added to liver, a chemical reaction occurs which results in the products of oxygen gas (O₂) and liquid water (H₂O) (foam).

It was a smelly lab but students really enjoyed using the probes for the first time. I cut the liver ahead of time so students only had to pour the hydrogen peroxide, swirl, and time the chemical reaction. The temperature spiked very quickly then dropped off slowly. I walked around the stations and asked questions to steer them to the correct answer. They were surprised this occurred until they talked about it together then they determined that the hydrogen peroxide was a catalyst and that it only spiked the temperature because at the end of the reaction the temperature went back down. It was a discrepant event for students. 

This was a great inquiry lab that led students on a journey. It was their first time using the probes and "gross, Mrs. CJ, liver is gross." and liver. After the lab as a class we debriefed and then they wrote up a reflection in their journals.

Standing Desks: A Classroom Adventure

The standing desks, ordered in June, purchased through a grant, finally arrived. This is the first of many posts about how these desks enhance our classroom setting. Our classroom is a flexible seating room, we were just missing the standing desks. Now that we have them, the room is organized community style with round tables, a group of six slate, science tables, and now groups of four standing tables. They are all arranged and here are a few pictures of the new set up of my classroom. 

The first day students had an opportunity to use them was today. I have taken pictures with them in use for a lab activity and to allow students to have an alternate seat or should I say standing arrangement. I am excited to get them in full use. Standing desks have many purposes as well as many benefits.

The workstation/standing desks can be used during classroom instruction, after-school clubs, and at school events if needed. The workstations can enhance instruction by allowing for student choice in seating giving them ownership of their learning. The desks will allow students to move about more freely allowing more focus especially for students with ADD/ADHD. 

The implementation of the standing desks into my classroom will consist of the following: 1. Organize classroom with traditional desks and standing desks so students have a choice of seating. 2. Provide flexible seating for every student allowing them to move about more freely with the classroom in a respectful way.

Students will be more focused therefore less behavior issues should arise. Allowing students a choice of seating arrangement will give them the opportunity to change things around day to day and feel more in control of their learning. Finally, the attitude of students should be more positive and this can be measured by student survey's about motivation and engagement. After a month I plan on conducting a survey to see how well they are liked by my students. I will keep you posted.

Aspirin? How can that Demonstrate Digestion?

This week in my class is all about digestion. Yesterday student did an activity about the mouth, saliva, and amylase. They chewed up a soda cracker, into a bolus, and held it on their tongue for 2 minutes until it tasted sweet. As a class we discussed how the salivary glands secrete saliva which has the enzyme that triggers this-large complex carbohydrates to be broken down into simple sugars. So the class said, "digestion begins in the mouth."

Today Students used one cup of vinegar (represented HCL in the stomach) and a second cup of water, baking soda ans salt (represented the small intestine). I provided each group two aspirin one un-coated, and one coated. They placed both aspirin in the vinegar simultaneously and waited for two minutes making observations. The un-coated on dissolved quickly while the coated one lost its coating but remained in tact. This demonstrated that the stomach does not break down everything entirely.

Then students took the remaining aspirin and placed it in the baking soda water. There was a slight foaming due to the vinegar, it floated for a second, and more of the coating began to deteriorate. Finally, they waited for fifteen minutes, again documenting observations. During the 15 minute wait time, students drew mini-posters of the three types of energy transformation in digestion: Chemical to Chemical, Chemical to Thermal, and Chemical to Mechanical. After fifteen minutes they stirred the water mixture to determine how much of the aspirin was left. Most of it was left. As a class we discussed how the coating, like nutrients was absorbed in the water, like the villi in the small intestine. The remaining aspirin was what would be considered waste and would be passed along into the large intestine.

Today was an engaging lesson that took students one step further into the digestive tract. Tomorrow we are going to demonstrate all the organs in the digestive tract from mouth to anus using various materials, Ziploc, bread and OJ, panty hose, and even the mouth of a non-latex balloon. Can you determine which materials represent which organs? That is what students get to tackle tomorrow.

A Journey Through Digestion: Interactive Word Wall

This weekend I decided to create a review game about the digestive system for my students from a poster someone made for me. Rather than just hanging the poster on the wall as one piece I decided to laminate it, cut out the organs and use it like a puzzle for the interactive word wall. Over the weekend I wrote out cards of all the structures, functions, processes, what food is called at different stages, and the mechanical and chemical processes. Then I laminated them and added magnetic tape on the back to make them stick to the blackboard.

Today, I gave each table two organs, and several different cards to place on the board. I asked for the puzzle pieces one by one until they made the digestive tract-they had to adjust and move things around until they got it right, this they did as a class.  After they read each function they explained which organ it matched until finally all the cards were on the board. 

Finally, students walked up to the interactive word wall and drew it in their journals. This was a very fun way to make sure that students knew the order of the organs, the shape of the organs, and the functions and processes in each organ. It was engaging and interactive. I modeled proper behavior and listening skills and students participated and took notes during the activity.

Tomorrow students are going to take what they learned today and create one of the organs (designated by table) and use it to demonstrate mechanical or physical digestion. Then explain the chemical processes that occur if any. (Yellow gunk for chyme etc.). For this activity students will use the Play-doh and other makerspace materials.

On Wednesday students are going to act out their organs function explaining what exactly is happening to the food. They will stand in a line and one by one act out the functions from the mouth to the anus. This will conclude our visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile review of the Digestive System. I will write another blog post documenting the makerspace creations and skits later in the week.

Professional Development: Ed Camp Katy 2016

I am a person who is courageous and takes risks in my classroom. I strive every day to find new ways to encourage, engage, and inspire my students. I continually seek opportunities for professional development because I know that there are amazing educators out there that share insightful and creative ideas and I want to meet them. I chat on Twitter and Voxer with eduheroes who motivate me to be better. I have had a growth mindset my whole life. I have always sought out experiences for evolvement. But, I also lack the confidence to be a leader. I step outside my comfort zone within my classroom but then skirt the border when it comes to face to face interaction with my peers.

Ed Camp Katy is an amazing camp where phenomenal educators meet to chat about relevant, pertinent, and diverse topics. Rather than a speaker discussing innovation and change, a community circle is formed and everyone in the room shares ideas and insight about what they are doing in their schools and classrooms. The information is profound and thought-provoking. These edu-heroes came from various Texas school districts and everyone had stimulating and refreshing ideas. I was reluctant at first to share mine for fear that I had nothing provocative to say. Slowly over the morning however, I became more confident and began sharing my educational insight.

I learned a lot of amazing things: all teachers are leaders, be brave and share for you will be surprised at how many people will respond to your ideas in a positive way. True leadership comes from humility and letting those around you shine. Leadership is not a role but an attitude and willingness to forge relationships and mentor and collaborate and listen. I change things in my classroom all the time because I listen to my students feedback. I am always willing to authentically listen and update as necessary. A true leader is willing to let go of the reigns and let others lead. In my classroom, students are the leaders and they are the true inspiration for what I do.

Questioning is a fantastic way to drive your lessons forward. Asking the right questions is key to engagement and understanding. Rigor and grit come from challenging open-ended, thought-provoking questioning that put students in the drivers seat. Questions that intrigue and spark curiosity and ultimately create more questions and more paths of enlightenment. In my classroom, debates, think-pair-share, even 3 before me all guide students to their own learning. Knowledge should not be the focus of education. Providing opportunities for students to learn how to think and teach themselves should be the focus of education. I say to my students all the time "I am not here to teach you science, but to teach you how to teach yourself science." Allowing students to take ownership of their own learning is empowering them to be independent thinkers. This is my goal as a teacher.

Ed Camp Katy was a great experience for me because I gained confidence in myself not only as a teacher but also as a leader. Sharing ideas and innovations with other educators is critical if we want to bring about positive changes in the field. If we as teachers want to truly be innovators and risk-takers we often need inspiration, motivation, and support from those around us. Ed Camps, Twitter, Voxer and all collaborative professional development is the cornerstone of growth and advancement. When like-minded, forward-thinking teachers unite they galvanize, spur and invigorate each other and ultimately the lives of every student they teach.

A Week in the Life of a Teacher

A typical week begins with a stressful Monday morning; children complaining, making lunches, sharing the bathroom with four boys. Our second bathroom has a plumbing issue. The last to get the bathroom, no hot water, steamy mirror, stinky clothes and towels in the hamper. But, I go into my walk-in closet close the door, sit on the floor and just meditate for five minutes. This calms me and I get into the car ready to begin the week.

The days are filled with 7th graders exploring, playing with play-doh, creating, laughing. I love teaching even on the most stressful day (grades due, paperwork, grading quizzes, labs, planning) I stand in the doorway greet my students and smile, they make me smile every day. This week so much to do, 2 copiers down at school everyone cranky and fighting over the remaining ones, I do not make many copies so I am not to stressed. I stay late with my clubs and run to make copies when everyone else has left.

A club everyday after school Quiz Bowl, Future City, Pokemon. This means I have to come in early to attend the grade level meeting make-up session. Monday I went to run my scantrons from the previous Friday's test, the breaker blew and both scanners were out and grades were due at noon. So my wonderful IC stopped by and ran them for me during my 3rd period which gave me enough time to record the grades in the computer and run my quarter grades. This event, left me on edge all day.

The rest of the week busy with setting up labs, laminating, cutting yarn for the demonstration activity, and Thursday night working 4-9 at the RSC or Steam Center. Then Friday rolls around and looking forward to relaxing but Saturday is Katy EdCamp which will be fantastic, and Sunday I am going to dinner with my parents. So busy weekend too. I love the quiet moments I get so rarely but I also love to stay connected so every night I go to at least one Twitter chat.

I have watched a little TV this week, NCIS, Hawaii 5-O, some basic shows not needing a lot of brain power. But Sunday after noon I plan on getting caught up on Longmire and Mr. Robot, needing a lot of brain power but such great shows. I smile every time someone says teachers get to clock out at 3:00, get the weekends, summer off etc. I spend most of my summer attend PD and mentoring my science competition students for free by the way, I mentor 6 different competitions and receive no stipend. But again, I love teaching and that makes this crazy busy life I lead worth it.

Laying in bed with my 6 year old watching Phinneas and Ferb and loving the quiet time. This is my relaxing, my calm, being with family and reading a great book. So a week in the life of this teacher is a fast paced, dynamic jumble of work, family, and sleep. My focus this year is on finding time for myself. But until then...a little Sherlock never hurt anyone.

Is Coffee a Priviledge?

I live in a single income household. I am a teacher so even with a Master's and nearly a PhD it is not a huge salary. But, we do alright. With four boys at home, Starbucks is a luxury, but I do get gift cards from students for teacher appreciation or Christmas. They get saved up and then over the course of the year I get to treat myself. I recognize that 5.00 is a lot of money to purchase, albeit a yummy beverage, a coffee drink. However, I never thought about the cup and the status that it does denote. the white cup green emblem is infamous at schools. Nowadays students are arriving a hot cocoa or decaf espresso in hand.

You know when you hear something and you go, man how had I not thought of that before? Well, thanks to a Voxer I heard today that happened to me. The difference between privileged and underprivileged students has never gone unnoticed by me. My own children are far from privileged. But, getting a Starbucks never caused me pause. My former school was not affluent or economically advantaged, but I was in a bubble, I taught the Gifted students who often were. But when they would walk in the halls carrying a Venti Macchiato eyes would turn. I never thought anything of it until now.

Is a Starbucks coffee a privilege? I guess it is because most people, many of course do partake, but most do not. Why? Many do not like Starbucks coffee, my daughter is a coffee snob and wont touch it, but many cant afford it. I can't afford it. I got a Keurig for Christmas and man it is my favorite gift ever. So what should seem like an elite gift, a Keurig, is a private encounter. I have my coffee thermos and no one knows where my coffee came from or if it is even coffee for that matter. So before I walk in sipping a Chai Latte I will consider the simple implications it promotes. Many students could never afford one and maybe it does not matter to many people but to me, the relationships I have with my students are of the utmost importance and I would never want to seem elitist.

This does not mean I will never have a Starbucks but I will definitely use this awareness to model generosity and consideration. Many students at my school are wealthy, have the Armani bag or latest Nike sneakers but many are not. The great thing though is our students are respectful and I have never seen overt elitism. Our students are a giving and compassionate group of individuals we have Service Day where we spend the day giving back, we have Rachel's Challenge where students promote courage and respect. Finally, our school has a program where we partner with our underprivileged schools to donate books, clothing, Christmas gifts, and canned goods. This is an on going way for our students to understand the dynamics of socio-economic status. But it is the little things we often do not notice that can make the difference.

Failing Forward

Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently- Henry Ford

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm- Winston Churchill


These two statements have always resonated with me. I have never claimed to be successful. I make mistakes all the time. I doubt myself, lose confidence, shy away from naysayers, but I always always get back up and keep going. When I wake up every day, before I stir and climb out of bed, I always remind myself that the day will be a balance between successes and failures, I will learn from both. 

I seek new opportunities all the time especially in my classroom. I am mid-sentence and I say, "No, I no longer want to try it this way let's change it up and...." My students always smile because they know something cool is going to happen. This makes my classroom a very fluid environment, where students are collaborating to reach their weekly goals more often than I am teaching. I like to take-risks in my lessons and this is why as a class we try new things and they turn sideways or are unsuccessful at times and together we talk it through and retry in a different way.

Failure to me is not winning or losing. It is not trying or giving up. It is certainly not making an attempt unsuccessfully for that is learning. As babies we stumble and fall on our bottoms thousands of times before our legs can balance our big heads and heavy torso's. We do not call this failure we call this determination. When we begin to speak the words are babble and nonsensical but slowly with practice and comprehension they become words then sentences then conversations. These conversations are in turn our communication within ourselves and with others.

Failure is never a negative thing when it comes to growth and improvement. It is a cobble on the bumpy surface of the road of education. They can be smooth and unnoticeable or they can be dislodged and cause a change of direction. In the end though, they make us human. they make us humble and cautious when needed, and even better risk-takers. Failure is necessary in order for us to progress, innovate and ultimately change the world for the better. 

One Minute Check-in's: Weekly Feedback with Students

A few months ago, I was watching my students collaborating and while they were engaged and interactive,  a few were dominating the conversation. I observed a bit longer, trying to determine why these two students in particular were steering the discussion. Then it dawned on me that one student might have been more knowledgeable about the topic but the other was simply more confident and outgoing. I decided then that I needed to communicate with my students one-on-one every week to bring out the voice of certain students, have others share their doubts or struggles, and allow others to ask questions and share new ideas. Thus began 1-minute check-in's.

I have a check list I use every week to keep track. I count up all the check in days and they total a grade at the end of the quarter, this makes those students who ask "Is this for a grade" on track. The first week or so I had to remind them, "Come see me, you can ask me questions, share ideas, and even provide me with feedback." But, after the second week they are now walking up to me during collaborative class time, during class change, even after-school to chat. They only have one minute. If they have more to say they can come up to me anytime to continue the chat.

After awhile many students look forward to the chats. They remind me in the hall that they are going to come chat with me during class. It is actually a highlight of my day. Often they are asking questions about science and how to best study but often it is about a book they are reading, a topic they are interested in, or enrichment ideas they want to bring into class. Either way just the opportunity to speak with students one-on-one every week has opened up a fantastic dialogue, created a safe place for students to open up and feel safe, and a perfect opportunity for me to identify student strengths and weaknesses so I can address them promptly and efficiently.

The best thing a teacher can do is build a rapport with their students. Communicate with them on a personal level as well as in the role of teacher and student. One minute chats do not take a lot of time, they are required but the timing is flexible, and they are effective and enhance the classroom dynamic. I really have gotten to know my students and them me.