Batter Up: A Swing and a Miss: Classroom Fouls, Strikes and Home Runs: 2017 in Review

Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is. -Bob Feller

2017 was definitely a year to remember. I spent a lot of time reflecting and writing. Both, with my blog and on Twitter. I even started my book- "The Shape of Things." I read many, many fabulous books, each in turn, inspiring my own writing, evoking emotions and ideas, previously unknown to me, and motivating me, to keep pushing the boundaries. Every day was a new adventure. Each class period, a new opportunity, to listen and learn, apply and adjust, and grow, in every way possible.

I tried many new things, inside my classroom and out. Yoga, which honestly, is not for me. I tried numerous times, just to be sure, but the stretching and posing is just painful. After a session, I would feel sore and exhausted, not relaxed and rejuvenated. So, I chose one pose, lotus, and switched over to meditation. Now, I find a quiet, calm, place, burn some incense and simply lean in, to the art of introspection and self-examination. 

This rumination, has the opposite effect of yoga, it renews my outlook, centers and balances me and relaxes my spirit. In fact, it is quite addicting, a daily indulgence. I only say indulgence, because it is a challenge sometimes to find the time, but I do. Like chocolate or coffee, it has become, a simple pleasure that makes me feel better.

During these reticent and reserved moments, I either close my eyes and simply stay still and meditative, or I write. Writing to me has always been reflective and tranquil, but in my serene, soothing place, it is even more so. My never-never land, Shangri-la, paradise, may change, but the result is the same: if I commit to the restoration and awakening of my spirit, it finds me and I am always replenished.

There are three types of baseball players: Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen and those who wonder what happens. -Tommy Lasorda

I have never been an extrovert. I tend to be a wall flower, simply listening and waiting for someone to ask me a question. I prefer taking it all in, at least when other people are around. I am definitely not a side-liner, or follower either. I am a conundrum. I take action, I welcome challenges and accept change easily. If it is in my classroom, I let loose and try new things, experiment and take-risks. My classroom is a venue I can control, one I am expected to control. But, if I have to convince people to do the same, I shy away.

In 2018, this will be, one of my main goals- to be someone who makes things happen. Not only in my classroom, but in my school and beyond. Every player on a baseball field has a role, without the interaction of these roles, the game would not exist. Each has to participate, be engaged, anticipate multiple outcomes. Baseball, may seem to be a simple game: hit ball, run around bases, score a home run. But, as with any sport, the potentiality of striking out or failing to make it, around the bases, is what makes the game worthwhile. 

A classroom, the field of education, brings with it the same myriad of outcomes: a lesson is successful, a home run, and the crowd cheers. A swing and a miss, a strike out, where the lesson needs to have a different pitch: curve ball, fast ball or slow ball, depending on the needs of the team. Teachers might take on the roll of pitcher frequently, but they need to also be faced with the pitch. The role of catcher, players and even the fans, may seem to be purely executed by students, but the roles must rotate. It is all a matter of perspective, are you as a teacher, in front of or behind the ball.

One of the beautiful things about baseball is that every once in a while you come into a situation where you want to, and where you have to, reach down and prove something. -Nolan Ryan

I have swung and missed many times this year. When one takes the mound, more often, than one steps up to the plate, one loses sight of the pitch. I have been hit by the ball or been struck out, more times than I can count. But, upon reflection, they were misses, because I either gave too many instructions, taking away my students control. Or, they were overly complicated and frankly, more designed to accomplish what I wanted them to achieve, rather than, what they should have been able to decide for themselves. 

The base hits were numerous: some made it to the outfield, while some were grounders, barely making it to center field. Most lessons were successful, in the sense that, students learned something, they were engaged and they actively participated. The important thing though, with my many fouls and strike-outs, is that I dusted myself off and after a quick respite in the bullpen, I walked back up to home plate, picked up a bat, and waited for the pitch. I became a hitter rather than a pitcher. Allowing my students to choose the angle of the curve, the degree of difficulty and slope of the action. Opening me up, to a more observatory role. I became a true fan of student-centered academic athletics- my classroom became even more flexible and crowd based.

The classroom dynamic, became more fluid and organic. However, what I discovered, after students took the district cumulative exam, was that at the time, students absorbed the information, but the content lacked a firm footing. It didn't resonate enough, for them to remember it months later. I decided at the end of the semester, that I would step away from the pitchers mound and home plate and be even more, of a spectator. 

I made a conscious choice, to incorporate after each inning, rather than, keeping the same line-up, or to simply wait for the 7th inning stretch, a recalibration. After each play, as a class, to review our strategies. To focus on our game errors and on how to eliminate them. When a team, as a whole, watches the playback and sees where improvements need to implemented- the club becomes cohesive and no player is left behind.

Baseball, it is said, is only a game. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona. Not all holes, or games, are created equal. George Will

Strategies that work: one minute check-in's, makerspace/STEAM activities, collaborate pairs, the graffiti wall of big ideas and flexible seating. Not all strategies are created equal. Strategies that didn't work or were not utilized to their full potential: Podcasting, blogging and the connections board. I just had students do these a few times, they will definitely occur more frequently, in the spring semester. Students need more experience, in order to, get better, at both blogging and podcasting. 

The connections board, requires students to find articles and artifacts to connect with yarn and make an evidence board. This I admit, I didn't keep up with. Now that we are no longer focused on the human body, it will be more fun to make those larger connections with topics like: Genetics, Adaptations, Ecology and Ecosystems. The most difficult thing, for a teacher to overcome, is time-constraints. Budgeting our time in the classroom, takes balance and planning. For me, I try to do too much and it often backfires.

Goal two: simplify and stream-line. The best lessons are not overly complicated, nor are they too easy. They have found the right balance of skill, curiosity, and length. I need to create lessons that are doable, in a class period. That way, as a class, we can have more fun and explore more avenues. I tend to try to make things multi-layered. Sometimes, a base hit is okay, because it leaves room, for the next player, to fill the bases and the next player after that, to bring everyone home. It is a team effort, after all.

The best thing about baseball is there's no homework. Dan Quisenberry

Like a Baseball field, a classroom, is a diamond in the rough. It is maintained not by one groundskeeper, but by a myriad, of like-minded, architects, each with their own idea of perfection. The turf is mowed, the sand raked, the stands cleaned, all leading up to game day. Spectators file in, students take their seats. The pitchers are on the side lines, stretching their muscles, practicing their skill. Teachers are reviewing standards and creating activities.

Players suit up and motivate one another. The bull pen, may seem like a resting area, but it is one of constant support and camaraderie. A player can not fill their full potential, without the support of their team. Teachers need to have a tribe, a company of colleagues, who support them on the field. Like athletes, we as educators, need our team, our bull pen, our professional development, to push us to new heights. To hit it out of the ballpark.

There are wins and loses. No hitters and home runs. But, there are also, games that are uneventful. They are played, with little fan fare. But, they are finished, none the less. While some days, our classrooms are vibrant and energetic. Others, are quiet and routine- we need these kind of days. If we didn't have days where we bring everything together, where we reflect and build off of what we have learned, we lose sight of the content. This happened many times throughout the first semester. I now understand, that simple, deliberate, contemplative days are necessary, in order for the hustle and on the edge of your seat days, to exist.

Every day can't be game seven, the only way to make it, to the World Series, is to play every game, like you are already there. Luck, is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. As teachers, we know this. The cool thing about being an educator, is that homework is optional. The best thing about being an educator, is that growth is inevitable. Being in the classroom, will change you. You will learn from your mistakes, if you recognize them. Teaching is a pitch. Keep swinging. Whether you make contact with the ball or it whizzes by, if you don't swing, you will never hit a base run, or a pop fly, or a home run: each essential to the game of education.

A Small Fish in a Very Large Pond

Listen-
From deep within
a spark
either extinguished with doubt
or expanded
with determination
and curiosity
it speaks with
a gentle tongue
calming
focusing

We all hear it
whether
a big fish
or a small one

if embraced
it will open the
doors we close from fear
and
pave the way for
personal enlightenment
a confident tenacity
a spiritual strength
a perseverance
only we can
utilize

Size is irrelevant
whether minuscule
in the scheme of things
or at the height of popularity
internally
and
individually
stealth and camouflage
allow us to traverse
the landscape

A very large pond
seems infinite, dark in
its recesses
yet the edges are well-defined
it is a choice to swim near the surface
lights illuminating
or to dwell in the shadows
safe in the
obscured

To delve into new terrain
follow the pack
leave our habitat
is worrysome
it feels dangerous
but if we remain in solitude
we fade
if we make our presence known
we flourish
we experience
we grow

A small fish can weave in and out
unnoticed
safety in numbers

large fish are recognized
appreciated
even valued
to be a big fish one must
take risks
adhere to the adversity
and
push against the current

A small fish has purpose
and
can make even the biggest
of ripples
with a single
swish of the tail

Both large and small fish
change the course of
dialogue
conversation
and
transformation
each in their own way
with their own
focus
and their own expectations

I remain a small fish
for now
looking forward
to the possibility of growing
in size
all the while
swimming through the coral
learning new strategies
listening to the echolocation of the bigger
ocean dwellers above and below me

Twitter
an ocean of strength
for educators
each with a role in the bigger ecosystem
each contributing to
the web of
knowledge
innovation
and
reality of being a
teacher
writer
groundbreaker
trailblazer
pioneer

Three Spirits of A Learning Environment: A Visit from Classroom Past, Present and Future

“The happiness he gives is quite as great, as if it cost a fortune.”- Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol”

Time, family, friends, simple gestures of kindness and joy: these are all free and effortless, but often they feel, like they cost a fortune. Not because of any other reason, then that they make us see ourselves in the bigger scheme of things. That by just partaking and participating, in the life we have built, without desire of return, we truly become balanced: and that balance becomes happiness and happiness becomes reality.

There are many holiday movies, that resonate with us, this time of year. "It's a Wonderful Life," "A Christmas Carol," and 'Miracle on 34th Street," just to name a few. These are the films that make us remember our lives and remind us, to continue, to see the silver lining. They trigger both reflection and optimism: showing us we can always improve our lives and those of others. That we impact so many, who revolve around us, just as they make an imprint, on us. When we understand that every action has a counter reaction, we begin to strategize and rationalize, about our own behavior and its effect and repercussions.

The holiday spirit, often, orbits around our personal lives: how we embrace family and support our friends. It is about recognizing why we love and cherish, those we surround ourselves with. The essence of these few weeks, is about giving of ourselves, enjoying the moments of comfort, delight and festivity, we are deprived of, the rest of the year. As the holly and mistletoe are hung with care, the tree is decorated with the lights of renewal. We are blessed with an assemblage of our loved ones, who arrive to celebrate and reminisce about the previous year, and the new one, that is upon us.

“No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused” -Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”

Reflection is a gift. In times of hustle and bustle, we often neglect to open the package. We place it under the Christmas tree, or in the pile of presents, to be opened later. During this time of year, as teachers, we so desperately need a respite from our classroom. We need to venture away from campus and breathe. Take in the crisp air of freedom and simply welcome in our personal lives. It can be challenging for some, me included, because back in the recesses of our minds, lies not sugar plum fairies and candy canes but our students and the learning environment, we have built, to make a difference.

Where New Years has a built-in remembrance meter: telling us to write our resolutions.  These we often toss to the side, within a few weeks. As the feeling of overload and strain, returns to our lives. Christmas, just lets us soak it all in. The holidays, provide the opportunity for a reboot of mind and spirit. I have been doing just that: being mindful of my time and devoting it to laughing and playing with my children and family. Just enjoying every moment. This blog post is being written as everyone is out shopping and I am sitting in the coolness of the Albuquerque air, watching the sun creep over the Sandia’s. A perfect time to write and reflect.

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” -Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”

Last night, as I played a board game with my children, I reveled in the ease of contentment. The free flowing, organic, sensibility of knowing each other so well, brings. Trusting one another, delivers a level of honesty and vulnerability, that is often only embraced, within a close-knit family. This got me pondering, as I have been doing a lot lately, that this same level of emotion and mindset, is not limited to family. It is a way of thinking, that educators employ as well. It is a commonality, found in every successful classroom.

I have made it my goal as a person: a mother, wife, teacher, colleague, friend, to not just listen, but to be present and engaged, with those around me. To offer mindfulness, in every action, I perform. If I neglect to recognize where I have come from and what has led me to this place in my life, I can become too comfortable in my surroundings. If I allow myself to become too relaxed and satisfied, then I can also allow myself, to become stagnate. The only way to be truly happy, humorous and full of laughter, is to continually seek, the unexpected and stimulating. The spontaneity of life is contagious. Irresistibly so.

Whether we are gathered around a table full of holiday treats with family and friends, or a makerspace full of interesting and challenging academic delicacies, with our students, the result is the same: discovery, excitement and joy, at the opportunity to collaborate and share common experiences. Life is as breath-taking and provocative, as we make it. The holidays highlight this. They make even the most mundane, seem magical, because we are with family that we love. In our classrooms, the community, the family, when emblazoned with laughter and good humor as well, will make every day irresistible.

“I will live in the past, the present, and the future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me.”- Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”

I have been reflecting a lot on my various classrooms, over the past 15 years. I can hardly believe I have been an educator for that long. Seems like only yesterday, I entered my first arena, a month in to school. It was a difficult time for me, I was ill-prepared for what would face me. There was no sense of community in the room, rather a sense of abandonment, of a very free-spirited teacher with virtually no discipline. I am sure she figured she was leaving and just had fun, with little behavior management. I never did get that class fully cohesive. I was fresh out of my student-teaching, and had no sense of myself as a teacher, let alone as a disciplinarian.

The next few years were much easier as I taught 7^th and 8^th grade and thus had the same students for more than a year. This is when I was fully immersed into a classroom community. Yet, still my true voice was not unleashed. I was holding back. There were strict guidelines as to how to teach the curriculum, and my energy and self-expression, just did not fit into their model. It took a change of schools, my second of three, to unleash my exuberance and animation as an educator. This was when I committed and let loose, and it showed. My classroom was full of laughing, active, interacting, students: both eager and equipped to jump in to learning.

I admit, it took me at least seven years to become a good teacher. At least three more to become an even better one. I am still a work in progress. I have great days, where the synchronicity is there and others where the lesson falls flat. I have activities that students are still talking about months later and others, where they have forgotten them, by the time they reach the door. I always try to change things up and every year, take on something completely different. 

What works, works, but can always become better, more engaging and more meaningful. With each year, comes new faces, new personalities and new interests. I look back a lot on classroom past. I have only two, this is only, my third school in fifteen years. Each has brought challenges and rewards but my current one, has been the most so, in both categories.

“Men’s courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead,” said Scrooge. “But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me!” ― Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”

The future classroom is yet to come, but I am certain, it will be at the same location. With the comfort and coziness of my current academic abode, also comes the continual battle to innovate and inaugurate new ideas. To be the pioneer, through the vastness of judging eyes and threatened stagnancy. When we push through the barrier, we often topple, an old regime. We must be prepared to take fire, even when the landscape seems barren. If we have shield and armor, we can truly conquer any opposition. We must lean in, to the siege, for only then, will we see success on the horizon.

The holidays are upon us, each with a unique tradition of familial joy and delight. As we traverse this time of wonderment and bliss, may each one of us find our inner peace. May we raise a glass to the experiences of 2017 and carry what we have gained, with us into 2018.

Hurricane Harvey, a new President and more tragic events than can possibly be mentioned, have fallen upon us this year. But, through them all, we have been given insight and enlightenment, that have shaped our outlook and follow-through. We are leaders not only of our families but of our community of educators: both on-line and on our campuses. We are pathfinders, trailblazers and explorers. We share, we read, we accept all opinions and insights, with a sense of curiosity and marvel.

I am so honored to know each and everyone of you. Whom, on a daily basis, inspire and humble me. I send three spirits to all of you: classroom past, classroom present and classroom future, hoping they will bring forth, for you, a sense of calm and pride, as they have done for me. May holiday cheer embrace you and bring you jubilance, good cheer and solace, that with every day you are making a tremendous difference, in the lives of your students, family and friends and that you truly are, a Christmas miracle, not fading with the season, but enduring throughout every challenge, obstacle and encumbrance that lies ahead.

G.U.M.: Getting Ultimate Momentum: Gearing Up For the Holidays

Momentum Needs To Overcome Inertia

Inertia, a tendency to do nothing. This time of the year, as we are nearing our holiday break, this is in full swing. Although, we have more to do than normal, we often just lag. We slow down and become stagnate, before the sheer volume of tasks, that lie between us and vacation. We gaze, mesmerized, at the mass and velocity, needed to complete our end of semester check list. Ticking off our responsibilities, one by one, relieved, yet, burdened with the knowledge there will always be more on the horizon. 

As teachers, we are overwhelmed, but what about students? They have the work load of many teachers bearing down on them. They have the pressure of their parents, to excel. They have the weight of their own anxiety and determination, reducing their focus and curtailing their enthusiasm. You can see it in their eyes, complete shut down is approaching. I asked myself, "What simple things can I do to help alleviate my students fretfulness and jitters?"

This year is the first year that 7th graders have to take cumulative, academic finals. If the end of the semester was not stressful enough, now they have added, to the myriad of projects and quarter assessments, an end of the semester exam. The pressure is mounting and I wanted to make sure that, the level of nervousness and concern was minimized for my students, not amplified.

I allowed my students to use a 4 x 6 note-card to take as many notes as they could, on the human body. I reassured them they could use these on the cumulative test. The final, aggregate exam, was not by choice, but district requirement. So, I wanted to ease their feeling of foreboding, with a simple gesture. I noticed, as they were taking the exam, most did not need or use their note-cards. The mere act of making it, created a sense of security that pushed them through.

Finally, as a review for the final exam, rather than a study guide or review session, my students made board games. Each team made cards, using vocabulary and any type of design they wanted. Then we spent a day playing them. It was a fun, upbeat, energetic way to review. They listened to holiday music and had a relaxing day, as a classroom community, enjoying the fruits, of their labor (see pictures below).


Gearing Up For the Wrap Up

Topping off the quarter, my GT students had a STEAM field trip and our SciCon event. The field trip was all about the human body and students: listened to a brief lecture from a NASA scientist, created a full sized human, with all the organs and systems, albeit a unique looking one, using supplies from a giant makerspace. They made a paper model of the human hand, a gooey plastic bag of blood, created pulley's to demonstrate work, and played with Spiro's and sheep hearts. It was definitely a fun day. (see pictures below)

Last week, our two month experimental projects were completed and students designed a display, model and 1-2 minute speech about their findings. We set up all 60+ presentations at the SciCon convention (The Robert Shaw STEAM Center) and family, friends and Beckendorff faculty, came to see and hear, all about the science of the human body. The theme was universal, but the topics were by choice and ranged from: memory, vision, exercise and the effects of smoking, caffeine and sunlight on the human body, to just name a few.

It was an amazing night. The first SciCon I have organized, and after grading all 60+ projects, I had little time to mingle. But, I had a blast meeting with each team and hearing all about their successes and failures. It will definitely become an annual event for my students. (see pictures below)

SciCon was designed for all my students, but because the other science teachers did not want to participate, I could only have my GT students complete the experimental design project, for a grade. However, several of my Pre-AP students participated, for extra-credit. I am so proud of all my students, they dove in head first, swam for two months, through sometimes murky waters, but made it ashore with some fantastic results and realizations. The parents were excited and enjoyed it as well. 120 students participated and over 400 people came to SciCon. The event was a success.


G.U.M: Getting Ultimate Momentum

Like chewing gum, the true flavor of the experience of finishing the year, does not become apparent until the motion of your jaw, salivary glands, and teeth create the motion of chewing. The act of chomping, gnawing and nibbling at the rubbery mass of sugar, creates the pleasure of freshness and in some people calm and contentment. The rumination of studying, gulping of knowledge and feasting on the last assignments and assessments of the semester, keep the power of momentum up, until the last bell, signalling the holiday has begun.

This momentum of chewing gum, propels the act itself, the desired effect, which is the minty or sweet sensation. Completing the semester brings a similar satisfaction, the pleasure of accomplishment and the anticipation of a restful respite, from the grind of school. It is a stressful time for everyone, but it can be lessened, with some opportunities to do something different. To have a SciCon rather than mere presentations, to go on a field trip or adventure, to have a day of playful learning, and to give a safety net, so students don't feel so apprehensive, before a week of exams.

Momentum is dependent on overcoming the mass of an object (responsibility) and the inertia (laziness) and getting ourselves in motion, sustaining velocity and at times accelerating, until the finish line is crossed. For our district, the checkered flag has been swung and the race has finished. No winners or losers, just participants who all worked hard to reach their destination: the winter break, a time for family and fun and well-deserved rejuvenation.

A STEAM Field Trip

Board Game Review Day

SciCon

What A Gifted/Advanced Curriculum Classroom Should Look Like: From A Parent's Perspective

An Opportunity Presents Itself 

This week I have had the opportunity through: Quiz Bowl, our GT field trip and a GT event at the STEM center, to talk with parents about the education of their student, in the GT program, here in Katy. While most conversations were led by the parents, asking me many questions. Others, were more of an interview, by me, of them. I am curious as to what parents feel is the ideal learning environment, for their child. Do they trust the advanced curriculum (GT), of our district, or do they desire a more challenging and demanding program?

What I discovered by having open, honest conversations: is both interesting and compelling. What I ascertained, both from parents of my own students, as much as from parents, of those who I do not teach, is that there are two types of GT or advanced classrooms, in the junior high/middle school realm of education: those that add more work and call it challenging and those that empower students to design the framework of their own learning. Teacher-driven or student-driven.

I asked parents how they were taught growing up and how they feel their children are being educated today? For some parents, their response was, that they are basically content. They trust their child's teachers and although they may have an issue with a few, of their educators, they see the benefit of GT/advanced classes and are happy with the level of rigor. Others, are frustrated and they are seeking more opportunities for growth outside the classroom: Math/Science, Quiz Bowl and other science competitions, to name just a few.

While one parent bought an old Dodge GT to rebuild with his son, others are visiting museums and events, just about every weekend, to broaden their child's mindset and outlook on academic scholarship. Either way, the GT parents, I spoke to, have a plan and they are hoping that the gifted curriculum matches up with it. Many parents, echoed this sentiment: "Not more, different, not lead, empowered." All of us agree on this. But how can we get this ideal into all GT classrooms? Not just GT classrooms but Pre-AP, academic and even Special Education classrooms? This is a post about the gifted program (GT), so my focus is on those classrooms specifically, however this ideal environment should be implemented in every classroom, at different degrees, not levels, based on academic skill and aptitude.

Grades or Grind?

How can we change the mindset of those teachers who think that a longer essay or more questions is differentiation enough, in an advanced classroom? I had one parent tell me that his 7th grader's GT ELA teacher, is so challenging that he is often failing the class. He says he understands the need to be challenging, but demanding at a 7th grade level, not a 9th grade level. He questioned this teacher about this level of rigor, and the teacher's response, "Grades don't matter, it is all about growth." This upset this parent and his reply was, "They matter to me and most parents, you can't make something out of reach, and then punish student's with poor marks, if they can't meet the over-exaggerated expectations."

I, in turn, asked this parent, "What do you feel are over-exaggerated expectations in regards to your child's education? What would you like to see improved in your child's GT education?" What I got in response, was partially expected and overwhelmingly insightful. I think it will resonate with every teacher and every administrator.

Parents are our greatest ally, and if we stop to listen to their critique and concerns we will only be able to grow as educators. It may sound like a complaint, but it is merely a vested interest, in the education of their child. As parents we feel the same way, as this father, yet somehow we often, hold it inside, without a venue in which to express it. But, if we as educators, open our doors and minds, and truly listen, we will come upon: meaningful, refreshing and stirring ideas from parents in our community.

The Shape of Things

His response: "I see a classroom not as four walls, but as a simple location, from which to springboard into an infinite world of possibility. When my child comes home and at the dinner table, is excited and sharing what he learned in school that day, I know that those four walls came down, and that he had a true adventure. This adventure resonates with him, and he embraces learning because he was allowed to think for himself and make his own choices. Not those written in stone, but those that are both flexible and challenging, but very much, acquirable and meaningful.

When it becomes routine and teacher-driven then all of the above is removed. A true GT classroom, I feel, is one where my son is active not only physically but mentally. This can only happen regularly, if teachers push him to excel, but also give him the opportunity, to fail and grow. Grades unfortunately, are a requirement, so many focus on those, but if the engagement and self-advocacy is there, then the grades will fall into place, accordingly."

I asked finally, "Why did you choose to put your son in GT classes?"

"At first it was the mere idea of my son being gifted, he is smart and needs that challenge. But after awhile, it became more of, the pace and the depth of complexity, that a GT class provides. I know that this may not be happening in every one of his classes, but where it is, it is the best gift a child can receive from a teacher. The trust to excel at their own speed, but with a nudge to go further, that impetus to keep them forever intrigued and curious, because without that, learning becomes flat."

I responded: " I wholeheartedly agree. Learning should never be flat. It should always be fluid and expanding to the needs of the child. Taking on an endless shape of meaning and interest. Only then does it truly become student-centered."

"Yes," he said as we were making our way back to the bus, to return us back to campus, "It is not the speed but the shape that matters. Please keep allowing my son to be a triangle or square, whatever his heart desires, that is why he loves your class and GT so much, he loves the angles from which he can choose. GT should always be about the puzzle and how all the shapes fit."

The Precipice of Profundity: Precision Not Included

Tis' The Season

A common theme this time of year: frustration and exhaustion. The celebratory nature of the holidays, in our personal lives, is familial and festive. Yet, in our professional arena, as educators, it often takes its toll: final exams, distracted students and grading. We are in a hustle to finish the semester's curriculum and hold on to our students' attention spans. Everyone it seems, has one foot out the door. We stand at a precipice, between celebration and constriction. How do we keep our footing, as we glance across the landscape, past the bluff, on which we precariously reside?

We have to find the clarity in the routine and often menial tasks we are racing through, before the winter respite begins. This can be a challenge, as our minds our inundated with what seems like impossible expectations. Holding it all together is exhausting, in and of itself. But, keeping our mindful composure, joyful presence and cheerful facade, can be down right overwhelming. For me, this is the hardest time of the year: we travel for the Christmas break and just this year I added a Quiz Bowl tournament and a GT SCICON (an evening of experimental design projects, 2 months in the making) event to my over-crowded schedule.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful

Words accessible, even fragments and clauses are coming to mind. Yet, the completeness of thought, still lingers just out of reach. You can see it, taste it: that clarity we have all sought out, but rarely maintain. It provides glimpses and glances, but refrains from a permanent gander. This leaves our minds for most of the day, static and magnetic: absorbing every possible stimuli for later use. Each impulse, steering our actions and reactions, all the while leaving some wiggle room for enlightenment.

It is a delicate balance of climbing the steep, sharp, crag and propelling down it, at the end of the day. With each foothold, we slowly wind our way to the calm of the evening. Only to search for the crevices and crannies, on which to hoist ourselves up on, the following morning. Some days the ascension is effortless, we smile in the face of danger, we embrace struggle and setback. These are the days we relish, this time of year. Those where students are engaged and we are both: content and focused.

Other days we feel like we are free-falling, that our last step, on our mount up the wall, has pushed us off the edge and we are spiraling. The sheer drop seems bottomless. We are caught off guard and rather than look for support to anchor us, we often retreat. This is the time where we need to reach out and ask for help. But, for some reason we latch on to the rope and pull ourselves up alone. I know I do this. I am working on finding a spotter, someone who can guide me up the bluff- we are stronger as a unit. We simply need to offer our hand, to those who may be dangling off balance.

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This is a time not necessarily for precision but for completion. As educators, we want to give everything our utmost attention. But, we have to realize, we are not invincible. We are edu-heroes, but, we are also human. We have to give it our all and keep moving forward. With each beat of the drum, we need to progress. With each reverberation, there needs to be an achievement, fulfillment, or attainment. It all leads to the moment where smiling, excited faces are entering vacation-bound buses and traveling home for the holiday's. Where teachers are both relieved and thankful for the intermission between semesters. Where education takes a back seat and the pure joy of the festivities begins. We all need time to revel in relaxation.

"It's the most wonderful time of the year", as the song tells us. Full of shopping, stockings and Santa, or any other cultural traditions that make us who we are. This is the time we remember where we came from. Embrace those we cherish. Spend time with our loved ones, whom we are often too busy, to just have fun with and enjoy. But, in order to get there, we have to jump off the precipice and take the plunge. Take stock in what we have accomplished and set the pace, for what we have yet to do.

All we can do is hold on and dive in, things may get messy, they may get shuffled and prioritized, even put on the back burner. Profundity will guide us towards our goals, if we listen. Every chaotic time comes with imbalance and that is okay because, during the holidays, precision is not always included.

Buckle up and lean in to the turbulence. It may get bumpy, but the landing gear is down and we are on approach.

Just Another Day: Only if We Want it to Be

There are always two paths, from whence we choose. Left or right. Forward or backwards. Up or down. With each opportunity we are given options, even if we no not see the alternatives. The alarm beeps....we hit snooze. It beeps again... we hit the snooze button again. Do we wake up, put our feet firmly on the ground, eager and ready for the day, or do we grumble, kick the covers off and with a heavy heart, stumble into the shower? A choice. Albeit, one of attitude.

In the moment we enter the day, join the hustle and bustle of life, are we willing participants or reluctant spectators?

Every day is exactly the same. No voice, just routine. No expression, just indifference. A lethargy, entombing spirit and felicity. Voices distant and muffled, direct and suppress. Leaving a feeling of melancholy, that can't seem to be shaken off. It follows us around like a heavy fog. Nothing seems interesting or intriguing, but, we are compliant. Discussing, implementing, fulfilling the requirements. It is as if the universe is daring us to move. Daring us to overcome the burden of boredom and exile. Welcome to the fallout. The aftermath of resistance and rigidity.

They say we are what we are. But, we don't have to be. 

Conversation, both familiar and comforting. The scenery may be the same, but the landscape changes daily. Every feature altered by an outlook, both earnest and inquisitive. A warmth and brightness, ebbs and flows with each transition. The direction is focused, but the course: meandering and continuous, creating a sense of involvement and camaraderie. It is as if the universe is daring us to swim the current. Daring us to drench ourselves, in individuality and persistence. Daring us to succumb to curiosity. Welcome to emancipation. The liberation of spirit.

They say "I am done. I give up. I am just phoning it in." But, they do not have to.

We have traveled many roads. Overcome the hardest of trials and tribulations. We are still here. We have not been presented with a 'yellow brick road' to Oz. One that leads us to all the answers. We have not been given an excuse, to not give it our all. But, rather, we have been granted access to even more valuable information. The ability to recognize our short-comings and evolve past them. The strength to find within us, the fortitude to be better. Not only for ourselves, but for those around us, who need us to.

We can allow every day to be redundant and hog-tied or we can thrust off the shackles of inertia and apathy and welcome the moments of exhaustion, because only then, will we truly know, we have given it our all. Our all, is all we have to give. A choice. Albeit, one of attitude.

It all comes down to that, attitude. This demeanor, both fixed and fluent. This temperament, both instant and eventual. This sensibility, both nurturing and accepting. This perspective, that only we can shape. The power is ours alone. 

Each day, just another day, if we want it to be, or a new adventure if we welcome it. Little wonders become extraordinary events, if we allow them to be. 

Let the frustration and fatigue roll right off your shoulders, let in the clarity and twist and turns of fate. These small breezes are what keeps the creativity circulating. Let them carry you, where you end up, is just where you are supposed to be. Giving it your all, because your all is you have to give.

A School's Culture: Through the Eyes of Them

This story is a little non-fiction and a lot fiction. It integrates what I have discovered from talking to my students, what happened to me growing up with moving so frequently, and what I imagine someone would be going through after Harvey. I never had to rebuild after a hurricane, but fires and earthquakes shaped my landscape. Either way, changing schools is hard any way you look at it. School culture impacts these fragile students as soon as they enter the building. As a teacher, I constantly am reminded, with every new face that enters my classroom, that they may put on a brave face, but inside they are vulnerable and scared. I am determined to make connections with every student as soon as I meet them. I want them to feel that what they hear about our school is true, we are a safe, positive place to learn.

Observation and Imagination 

The alarm clock chimes....6:00 am. Just enough time for them to grab a quick shower and bite to eat, before they head out to the bus stop. It feels so normal in a way, getting ready for school, yet so foreign, almost surreal, after what they just went through. They sit, eating a banana, imagining this new school is happy and fun. They are a bit worried, fretting about meeting new people, they often struggle to fit in.

A new living arrangement, new hand me downs, a fresh layer of both anticipation and anxiety. They make their way to a corner, inhabited by the 'regulars', they seem comfortable there. Several different groups have formed, each with a different energy. The bus stop is their first impression of the populace, so far so good, they think, no one has noticed me yet. It is a warm September morning, and the dialogue is centered around, whose house flooded and whose didn't. They are comparing notes.

While some are in conversation, others are new to this arena, like themselves, and are standing alone, hesitant to join the crowd. They, just stand quietly, listening, noticing that these kids have gone through the same thing they have. They braved a hurricane, lost their possessions and are still unsure of their near future, but they know for today, they are attending school.

They have heard good things about this school, but to them it is just hearsay. They won't feel comfortable until they have made it to all their classes, met their teachers and know that they are safe. They are mere observers right now, perched just on the outskirts waiting for eye contact to lure them in. They imagine making a friend today. They miss their usual, normal routine. The familiar faces they are used to.

The Wider View

The building looks huge, as the bus rolls into the back-parking lot. They scan their surroundings, noticing just a few trailers. Their old school had many, almost lining the practice field. It is still dark out; the lights are clouded by a thin layer of fog. For a moment, it feels mysterious and they have the urge to turn and run in the other direction. They don't. They keep walking with the crowd, they still have not been acknowledged. Then as they are funneled through the main doors, a smiling face is greeting students as they enter. Students are hugging one another and several adults that are in the main entrance hall. 

They stop in their tracks. Causing several students to collide behind them. A gentle reach, a friendly repositioning and before them, leaning down, a sympathetic, loving face, eye contact, and kind words. Somehow, they know I am new here, they think. They continue to smile, "Welcome, we are so happy you are here today," this puts them at ease. They feel a connection to this place instantly. They feel relieved and calmer. Now all they must do is find the strength to speak. "Thank you," they say shyly. "Can I help you find your classroom?" "Thank you, that would be cool." The day begins for them, not with an adult leading them down the hallway, but a fellow student. They have just met their first friend.

A Strange New World

That first day is long behind them. It is the week before Thanksgiving. They have made many friends. Their teachers know them by name, make eye contact and most of them are jovial and happy. Some classrooms are boring, but they muddle through. Others are full of life: every student a giant pine, spreading its branches. Creating a forest through the trees. Collectively, sheltering one another and working collaboratively to keep the dense forest alive and thriving. It is these habitats they appreciate. Forests prosper and flourish because of the relationships, the balance, the equilibrium. This harmony is constantly challenged, it needs work to maintain itself, but somehow it progresses, if it is left alone to do so. This school to them, feels like a giant forest, evergreen and ever mindful.

This school where they have found a niche, a personal terrain, is a positive one. There are places where the energy can be negative. There are bullies, but they are recognized, like predators and are dealt with. There is no territory that is perfect. There will always be mean people. Unfriendly people. But, here, the mindful, nice people, far outweigh the negative ones. This is felt everywhere. Especially in the hallways as they are addressed at every doorway and in their classrooms where teachers have expectations and are consistent with their behavior. This creates a familiarity both comforting and secure. 

The most important aspects of a positive school culture, for them, is acceptance, acknowledgement and awareness. All of which permeate these hallways. But, in their eyes, there is room for improvement. A forest can only prevent blight and deforestation, if it never takes its survival for granted. A school’s culture can only blossom and expand if its strength becomes galvanized in continual community and character driven interaction. If doors are open, adults are smiling and networking; with students and each other. There needs to be a symbiosis both endearing and welcoming that takes place. Each member connected in a web of positivity.

Nature's Tapestry: A School's Culture

A school, like nature, is a living, breathing entity. Each part integral to its survival. A cacophony, of noise, focus and ideas, swirling and integrating. The vibration of many thoughts, forming one. A chain reaction of cause and effect. While some are privileged, others hindered. While some flourish, others struggle. This disadvantage can occur, not only by lack of monetary means. But, just as devastatingly, by a disregard of mindful awareness. 

This blight, disregard and disassociation, ravishes the vegetation causing a trophic cascade, a destructiveness seemingly irreversible. A mildew that creeps in often unnoticed. This infestation is silence, seeped in negativity. A contamination of spirit. A scourge not only damaging the flow of energy, but the will to overcome its halting. If we remain quiet when such an affliction occurs, we allow it to devour us from the inside out. We must take a deep look at our culture, every day. We must eliminate the pessimism. Extinguish the annulling, invalidating speech. Once the words are spoken they poison joy and corrupt even the most idealistic of people.

However, with the reintroduction of key stone species' and balancing factors, a healing process can provide a rebirth. Even the smallest of changes can cause a positive domino effect. Remember that first moment when they entered the building? They were put at ease by the genuine, honest words of a fellow student. This needs to occur every day, like a circadian rhythm.

Adults need this same encouragement. If the reticence is replaced by generosity, the spread of negativity will wane. In the immortal words of Phil Collins "You can't hurry love." No matter how long it takes, you must keep trying. It is give and take. It is words and action. It is a flow of energy, like in that thriving forest, where every organism plays a part. You remove a prominent species and collapse is imminent. Heal the habitat and the ecosystem will recover. It all starts with a choice: one to make a difference.

The Next Chapter

The bell rings and as students pack up for the holiday break, they are excited to have a week off. They look around their classroom and remember the first time they entered it, all those months ago. They feel comfortable here. Safe here. The hearsay was right, they smile, they exit the room in a pack of friends. They make their way down the hallway and out to the bus.

The building doesn't feel so big now. They wave goodbye to their friends and make their way to their bus. Several teachers and administrators are gathered nearby. "Have a great Thanksgiving," they say with a joyful smile. "We will see you in a week." They return the gesture with a "You too." and with no anxiety, they happily climb aboard. Knowing when they return, this safe haven will welcome them with open arms.