Narnia, Oz, or Mordor: Classroom Realms of Learning

There are different types of classrooms, this we know. Traditional set ups with desks in rows and a quiet atmosphere. Chaotic, energetic ones with little discipline. As well as, the endless varieties in between, whether communal or independent, teacher or student centered they all have been created for one purpose- education. These realms can be magical, creative, adventurous, and yes even a bit frightening. They are interpreted and discovered by our students. One day they may be Narnia while another a yellow brick road leading to the Emerald City, and hopefully rarely a large fire of doom like Mordor. But regardless of design and emotion it is these playgrounds of learning that shape our students for the future. So how do we make sure our classroom landscapes are built of magic not boredom and calamity?

It all depends on whether every day you are mindful of and focused on students. Snape always came off as mean and harsh but in the end he had a role to play to keep Harry safe. Gandalf, always the genial and smiling wizard always had the best for Bilbo and Frodo in mind and yet he often lead them to dangerous, precarious situations, at least the ring did. Following the best intentions is not necessarily the most successful route to take. With students it is most often taking the safest route, the most direct route all the while seeking the detours and side trips along the way. Much like Dorothy ventures off the yellow brick road only to find flying monkeys she also finds the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion. A well traveled path is safe but we also need to take the risk and seek some adventure too. This adventure often leads us to new goals and new friends.

Arriving at OZ, what Dorothy and her companions feel will be the answer to their questions and desires ends up being much more truthful. We often seek answers that are not available but are only found within ourselves. Providing opportunities for students to inquire through deep questioning and introspection gives students insight into the way they think and learn. Using reflection and feedback students form what is true for themselves not what others want them to see and believe. Only when we find our own truth can we dig our path to learning. But digging too deep into our own way of doing things can eventually form walls in which we isolate ourselves. So we need to teach our students balance and self-confidence. Open-mindedness and flexibility. Growth mindset and curiosity. This is what finally leads Frodo and Sam to their destination and the destruction of the hold that the ring had on them. The ring of nearsightedness and greed. Once students toss their short-sightedness into Mordor, the path to Rivendell, OZ, even Narnia will present itself.

Mordor is a necessary evil. A place where students can let go of the baggage that may be blocking their path. But it is a quick stop in the journey of education. Once they see the doorway, literally at the back of a wardrobe, they can choose to enter. It is our job as educators to make it so enticing, magical, and safe that stepping over the thresh hold is an easy decision. We can not force them to take the leap but we can urge them to join us in the world of fascination, enchantment, innovation, alchemy, and discovery. When they see other students venture in and go with the flow, laugh, have fun, they will want to do the same. Create a classroom designed like Narnia, both magical and educational. An auditorium of imagination and wonderment. A theater where students are the actors, the set designers, the artists, writers, directors. Where we are merely the audience waiting for the curtain to open.

Leaves, Petals, Stems Oh My! What's in Your Science Wallet?

Leaves, their main purpose is to collect sunlight and perform photosynthesis. They come in all different shapes and sizes.

Just to name a few categories. Their outlooks different on the best way to acquire the most sunlight-hence the goal. Grouping smaller leaves into various patterns or creating one large all encompassing leaf, large surface area. But whatever the shape, design, or size they all reach the ultimate goal, nourishment and survival. In my classroom, leaves represent the lessons, the standards or TEKS of learning, the differentiation of ideas and products. But all leading students to a common goal, knowledge.

Stems, the support and structure of the plant. Does the plant grow short to the ground or as tall as a Sequoia? Is the stem thin or as thick and old as a redwood? Is there thick bark protecting it from the bitter cold of winter, or a thin cuticle helping it to photosynthesize and grow? What ever its architecture it provides stability and resources to the plant. It houses both the phloem, food, and xylem, water, both vascular tissue that transports supplements and moisture throughout the organism. Stems are much like organizers and strategies that we can teach our students to help them make sense of new information, correlate ideas, and assimilate data. Together leaves and stems help a student flourish through a challenging climate and sparse sunlight. In other words discomfort and struggling in the content.

Finally, petals, the colorful and fragrant fronds creating a myriad of different species of flowers. Sunflowers, large and vibrant, turning to follow the sun, resourceful and enduring. Carnivorous plants, providing opportunities to get nitrogen where it is lacking, thinking outside-the-box. Gymnosperms or Angiosperms, flowers or cones it doesn't matter because both provide opportunities for pollination and the spreading of new information. In a classroom these are the active, authentic learning experiences that bring students together collaboratively, provide choice and voice for independent learning and inquiry, STEM lessons for discovery and exploration. These are the crux of any class, the alluring and beautiful semblance of thought, creativity, and implementation that together make education fun.

Leaves, stems, and petals all have a specific function that if lacking would prevent the success of any plant. When working in harmony they support, nourish, and adorn a plant. They provide the basis for life. In a classroom they are the lessons, standards, curriculum. The strategies, differentiation tools and organizers. The engaging and exciting activities that students use to help them acquire and assimilate new information. They are the life line of the class. The foundation in which all learning takes place. A plant provides oxygen, fruit, and aesthetic pleasure all the while surviving, thriving and providing a habitat for other organisms.

A Nature Walk: Active Learning while Investigating Local Flora

A Nature Walk is a fantastic way to get students interested in their environment.  What types of flora and fauna can you see? How does this flora impact your life? Do you affect the flora and fauna around you? Plants may seem like immobile, sedentary, boring organisms but when you stop and take a look you see the adaptations of defense, offense, and even camouflage that make plants very interactive in their habitats. Today, being a warm February day in Texas, I took my students outside to collect some data. 

Three types of adaptations of local plants, 3 different types of leaves: using a picture classification sheet for reference and to collect various types of leaves. Tomorrow we are going to create a dichotomous key with the various samples we collected throughout the day. An active, mobile learning experience that continues into a dichotomous key and classification activity. Plus, we got to walk around outside where they got to blow off some steam and get some exercise at the same time.

Ebb and Flow

                                                                   Ebb and Flow

The transparent, shiny surface seems clear

but it is opaque, hiding the edges of what lies behind it, shadowed, obscured

seemingly empty but vaguely full

schools, herds, reefs, pods  skirting the deeper zones

like a quiet sigh of relief

not seen but felt

then sunlit and outlined coming into focus


The moment arises when thirty eyes are upon me

waiting, anticipating

and for a moment, a brief instant, fleeting

I pause, doubting

then a pencil drops, a shoe scuffs, a chair squeaks

smooth to ripples

I no longer see edges but landscape


The ebb and flow

begins like an eddy

swirling, flexible, fluid

up and down like gentle waves

then waters calm and the focus of

knowledge appears no longer deep in the current

but at the surface

floating

gathering currents into a focused stream


The distant sound of ringing

a swaying buoy

sending out a reminder, a direction

a slip stream, undertow, tide

redirecting the flow

bringing in new

flux

vortex

whirlpool

until

eyes upon me, quiet sigh, shift and settle

gentle ebb and tide

become calm waters

Race to Nowhere

Stressed about grades, over-committed, multiple athletics, orchestra or band, chess club, math club, science club, I can go on. District Spelling Bee winner, studying for the SAT and ACT, all the while attending 8th grade and maintaining an A average. Does this sound like a super child, a robot, a fictional character? It does actually, but it isn't. This is a student I taught in 7th grade and is still on my Quiz Bowl team this year. as ambitious as this sounds, it is so unbelievable that a 14 year old takes on so much pressure. "Oh, they're young, they can handle the stress." Maybe for awhile but it takes its toll, causing hair loss, nervous ticks, even anxiety attacks. And for what? Getting into an ivy league school? How important really, is an ivy league school?

What is truly sad, the aforementioned student is one of many I teach. Perfectionists, with a to do list impossible to conquer, expectations so high they can never be met, especially because they are continually being raised. Often this overdrive and hyper-focus is coming from an internal stimulus, but I have seen over my years of gifted and talented education that it can just as likely come from overbearing parents. "Helicopter parents, Dragon moms, Raptor dads" as they are called by many educators. When these A type parents come to my Quiz bowl or Future City competitions, I have to keep them away from their children or the stress gets so bad their child actually shuts down, self-sabotaging themselves. They are just children and they want to please but we need to step out of their way and let them find their own self-confidence and drive. This is the only way to ensure their commitment is personal and genuine and not pre-programmed.

So how can we as teachers, ease their burden? First and foremost we need to reinforce and model that constructive criticism is not a personal attack but feedback that leads to improvement. We need to set them up to fail. I don't mean in a bad way but a overcoming adversity kind of way. If we do not design situations that are challenging enough to push these students and get them to step off the path, the well grooved path, walls will emerge from the deep deep grooves they pace upon and box them in. The ridges a top these grooves is where we need to get them residing. But, alas, the cavernous gapes tend to slowly encapsulate them like quicksand and when this happens not even we as teachers can pull them out. We need to be the bridge they can cross the expanse upon. Still staying the course, as we can not get them off this course entirely, but just the elevation they need to see the big picture.

The big picture of failing, feedback, reflection, innovation and reconstruction. Much like an architect they need a myriad of strategies and blueprints, and vision to design and construct a safe route for themselves. I always ask my students if being good not great at something would ever be okay with them? Many say "no, absolutely not." I respond with "Disney was not a good animator, he didn't draw well at all, but he was always a great idea man, and a good writer." Chuck Jones. "Here is one of the most famous people, literally, on the planet and he was good at many thing and great at a few. So find what you are passionate about and be great at it, and do your best at everything else." The best way to help a perfectionist, is to provide them with situations they can't perfect. Set them up to stumble and fail. Reset their thinking, model to them frequently that it is alright to take time to get it right. That sometimes good is enough. As Disney once wrote, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." They simply need to be reasonable, achievable and by all means enjoyable. Messy, courageous, adventurous and always, always imperfect because that is when true inspiration unfolds.

Go Ahead and Argue: A Time for Autonomy and Self-Expression

A parents Achilles heal in any of their children, arguing every point if they do not get their way. How do we turn this innate skill into a useful tool in the classroom.Using argumentation in the classroom is often a tough endeavor. It takes a lot of modeling and patience. But in the end it is definitely worth it because you foster research, understanding and interest when students can bring together different ideas and argue or debate their findings. The first strategy I use when setting up an argumentation lesson is to have students collect data and write explanations down in order for them to make real world connections. Then I have them practice their skills with a partner. Do they have their data focused enough to win a debate? Having students determine explanations for scientific phenomena helps students understand data, communicate their understanding to others, and make links between scientific evidence and scientific information.

The most popular device to aid students towards a deeper understanding is the use of CER's or Claim, Evidence, Reasoning. When students use these three together a synthesis occurs. When they write a claim they explain the answer to a scientific phenomenon  with a statement. A concise statement. Then in the evidence portion they support their claim with the use of their collected data and resources. Finally, they write a reasoning section where they justify their answer using scientific evidence and principals. These are a great strategy to use at the end of the unit because it assembles their knowledge but also reinforces the importance of evidence and justification. After completion of a CER, I have students have a mini debate or Edcamp discussion. This helps solidify the information. If you can win a debate or argument, you truly know your stuff.

These CER's can be written individually or be used as a collaborative assignment by first having students write a personal claim, based on their own consideration and ideas. Then as a group students discuss their conclusions and support their ideas with evidence they have collected. Then together they can revise their conclusions based on observations, new evidence and resources, and their partners data as well. This allows students to really argue and debate their evidence and also accept new ideas and alter their opinions and viewpoints. Argumentation instills respect and collaboration. After modeling this process students enjoy the process. the more students can argue their point, be concise and focused in their thought process the more they will see the importance of debate. The more they are allowed to argue and contemplate with respect, honing their listening skills.

Argumentation lends itself to the fulfillment of the practices of science as well as other subjects by: allowing students to ask questions and define problems, develop and use models, plan and carry out investigations, analyze and interpret data, perform computational thinking, designing solutions based on constructing their own explanations, and engaging in argumentation with the use of evidence, data and understanding of the natural world. Through this process they observe, collect, evaluate and eventually communicate their findings with each other and beyond. This is the basis of science. Using argumentation in the classroom connects science, reasoning and communication skills into a cohesive learning experience. As a community we debate, argue, and enhance our knowledge in a verbal, interactive way why? Teenagers like to argue and if given the opportunity they will question, ponder, and deliberate for hours. Just a little nudge in the right direction and learning grabs hold amidst the parley, like a pirate, seeing the map that leads to the treasure.

Creatures That Don't Move: Getting Students Mobile and Active

As adults, we rarely sit still for very long. We take breaks, stretch, even take short-walks for coffee throughout the day to help us stay awake. It is unreasonable to expect students to sit still for an hour and pay attention without any break or movement. Physical activity need not be recess, but it should include flexible seating, where students can stand at standing desks or sit at a variety of desks and tables. Let students be mobile as long as they are respectful and do not disturb the classroom flow. Creating a space that promotes activity and mobility sets the tones for personal empowerment and autonomy. In my classroom there are three sets of four standing desks, three round tables and 9 science tables. Students are welcome to move about during the classroom as long as they are quiet and on task.

Why is mobility so critical for academic engagement and physical health in the classroom?  Especially in a junior high school or high school students do not have recess. They have one class of physical education, maybe, but generally remain immobile for the rest of the day, cemented in seats during 45 minute-60 minute classes. Flexible seating arrangements and active learning environments help fight childhood obesity by promoting a more healthy lifestyle of active learning rather then sedentary technology use. Get students up and moving with brain breaks, nature walks, and simply stations and museum walks. The more they have opportunities to get up and move about the more active they will become as learners.

The Ohio Education Association reports that research by the Mayo Clinic and at the University of Minnesota indicates that, by allowing students to move and channel their energy during class students stay more alert and feel more energetic. standing desks may help accomplish this. Burning off energy by standing up and moving around may also reduce behavior problems. Other potential benefits associated with stand-up learning include improved behavior and learning for ADHD students. Standing desks will promote physical health which can roll over into community and athletics programs. Maintaining low-level physical activity—such as standing in the classroom—results in greater student attention. Increased blood circulation and oxygenation leads to alert students. “Standing actually improved attention, on-task behavior, alertness and classroom engagement.” (Mayo Clinic).

Students are creatures who unfortunately are not given many opportunities to be active outside of physical education classes. Teachers need to offer a variety of seating from standing desks to tables and bean bags. Flexible seating where students can move about to help stay focused and engaged. But offering a myriad of arrangements is not enough. Students need to be given active, authentic experiences where they are moving and interacting, walking around to learn from QR codes posted throughout the halls, nature and outdoor walks to observe and document their environment, and even brain breaks like zombie musical chairs, get down and boogie for 1 minute, even just simply stretch and jump in place. The more active the more increased blood circulation and the less sedentary lifestyle. As teachers we can help strengthen engagement, lower childhood obesity, and help our students find focus if we just let them wiggle, stretch and move. 

Rethinking Existing Data: Reflection and Reformation

Often, after passing a test or quiz back we simply go over the answers and check for understanding. We many times, due to time constraints, neglect to actually analyze the results and discuss the grade and how to improve next time. I know as a teacher this is what I do most of the time. At the beginning of the year I had students write goals for the year, we do discuss these goals at progress report and report card dispersal, but often I do not delve deeper into the reason why some students have an A for me while others a B. I forget to go to the next level and discuss strategies for achieving a higher grade. Study more is not a strategy. Sketch notes, mini ISN, or podcasting are strategies. Looking at data is one thing, breaking it down with students and reflecting on personal growth and reform is another.

Getting students to recognize their need to integrate different strategies can be a challenge.  They have a B and many students feel a B is acceptable so why change their study habits? But to me a letter is not progress and a GPA is not growth. I talk to my students about this all the time. An A on a test can occur for many reasons, studying and memorizing facts, understanding the deeper concepts and having a great grasp of the knowledge needed to master the unit, or simply they are a good guesser. This is why many standardized tests, I feel, are not a true indicator of mastery or understanding of concepts. Lessons need to incorporate different levels of understanding: tactile/kinesthetic, auditory, verbal, artistic, writing, STEM, inquiry etc. Students learn and retain information best when it is presented in a myriad of ways.

Reformation of knowledge for me comes when I have applied different strategies to the same concept. When I see the new idea formed in an artistic way, through the maskerspace, I get to create a physical review for myself either sketch notes or Cornell notes, even a comic strip or cartoon. Then I write about it, discuss it with a partner, analyze my notes, reform my idea through inquiry and STEM and then make larger connections with other concepts from the unit and beyond. Until I, personally make these connections the concept is not a part of my schema. This is the same for students. I need feedback, maybe for reassurance that I am getting it but also to see my areas of unfocus or confusion so I can reconstruct my information. Feedback and reflection are critical to solidifying new information.

Whether in class or reading a book, or just observing our surroundings we obtain new information constantly. While some we deem important others we dismiss almost immediately. How can we train our brains to retain the data that academics requires? Relevance, interest and frequency. Say it once, it can't be that important and students will dismiss it. Bring in real world scenarios and discuss how this information applies to every day life, things begin to feel more connected for students. Repeat this and apply this data in various ways: active, authentic learning experiences, students will understand that this information is important and will make room in their schema for it. This is only part one. Reflection and reformation are vital to assimilate this deeper into our way of thinking in order to build on it and construct new pathways.

Reflection is the best way to see how our new ideas and concepts fit in with our understanding of the world around us. Reflection helps drive us forward, find our interests, see our strengths, and recognize the strategies that work best for us as learners. When we feel confident and expand our growth mindset we take more risks, overcome failure quickly, seek challenging opportunities and look for ways to collaborate and share our ideas. Thus a student-centered classroom is born. Reformation allows us as individuals to use our reflection to understand ourselves better. When we see our strengths and weaknesses as merely stepping stones and not boulders pinning us in place, we follow our educational path willingly. While some excel in certain fields others may struggle but no one is great at everything. We all struggle at something but with reflection and rethinking the way we gain and use new data we can create the best path possible for our individual academic journey. Reflect, reform and growth this is what makes us all human.

Data circles and remediation tables are the best way to allow students to look at their data, highlight it, discuss it, interpret it. When they circle or underline what they missed and discuss it with a partner they can recognize where they went wrong, the "illogic "in their thinking. Taking the time to delve deeper into our misconceptions is critical to overcoming them. We as teachers, can't get away with saying "go home and make corrections and retake the test." We need a check-in time to go over the test with them personally, so they can understand why? not just that they missed a problem. When we give students opportunities to work together and one-on-one with us to overcome any hurdles then when they retest it is not simply a correction game but a reformation process. The information has truly been reformed into new knowledge, the correct concept, deeper meaning. This is when reflection: making corrections, reflecting on why you missed the question and reformation: taking this new insight and recreating or reconstructing your knowledge base, when added with teacher input and feedback is how we as learners grow and change overtime, evolve as scholars and students.

Critical Questioning Strategies in a Science Classroom: Getting Students Pondering

There are several strategies I throw at my students on a weekly basis that gets them thinking about science in a new way: Changing up the Symbol System, Reversal of Thinking, Analogy, Analysis of Point of View, Webbing, Complete an incomplete, and hypothetical thinking. I use these as openers, brain breaks, and even turn to a partner and share questions. Anytime I can get my students to analyze, justify, expand upon and correlate information in a new way, the more my students can find what works best for them. I like to give them as many strategies as possible to add to their arsenal of learning tools.

Changing up the symbol system forces learners to step outside their comfort zone by displaying information alternative to the written word: Draw an example of the scientific method in use-not using words, sketch notes, stand up and use movement to portray the movement of molecules in photosynthesis or cellular respiration. Act out the movement of food through all the organs of the digestive system, demonstrating types of absorption and mechanical digestion. All of these require multiple levels of analyzing and application. They are visual, auditory and tactile strategies to demonstrate scientific knowledge.

When my students get in a rut or stuck in place, I like to use reversal of thinking. This provides them an opportunity to re-frame the information provided and look at the problem from a different point of view. This is important before a debate or Socratic seminar because it allows them to see not only the argument but the counter argument as well. For example I will phrase certain science questions like this: What is traits were not passed on genetically but through exposure like the passing of a flu virus or cold bacteria? What if plants gave off carbon dioxide rather than oxygen? How would digestion work if we had more then one stomach? These questions may seem easy but it really gets students thinking collaboratively and helps them see how a simple change can effect us in major ways.

Analogy is always a great way to make sense of the world around us. How are the parts of a cell like the systems of the human body. Making connections between a microscopic, vague image to a concept very familiar to students. Analogy is the cognitive process that transforms information from one context to another. Developing analogous thinking is the first step in creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. Seeing how things are connected helps us recognize our place in the world and how structure and function is very common across nature. analysis of point of view is also a critical thinking skill that helps students recognize their role in the universe. Researching and analyzing primary and secondary sources gives students a glimpse through history, provides opportunity to understand and interpret the validity and reliability of data and resources.

Webbing allows students to see a ripple effect of a conflict or or event. Basically a quick tool to understand cause and effect. To unpack all the details of an article and see all the results of a single action. Complete an incomplete's are used when students do not have all of the facts. They must use prior knowledge and other resources to solve the problem: Fill in the missing word in this sentence: Charles Darwin, Gregor Mendel and Isaac Newton all had a role to play in __________. Or list several steps of the scientific method, leaving out two and ask which two are missing and why are those steps necessary in the inquiry process. Finally, hypothetical thinking requires the student to use logical questioning and abstract thinking, this challenges many of my students: How would life change if you had four legs? What would you look like if we no longer had to breathe oxygen or eat food?

There are many strategies of questioning I use to keep my students on their toes. They like the different ways in which they can display their knowledge. They love to answer these alone and collaboratively. We often use these as springboards into Edcamps and class debates which keeps our science class submerged in inquiry and self-discovery.

Assessment that Builds Autonomy

Modeling, as every teacher knows, is key to creating any kind of autonomy. But after teachers demonstrate a strategy, use guided practice as a large group, have students practice independently in small groups, then they need to provide opportunities for students to self-direct and guide themselves to the next step. This gradual release of responsibility creates optimal learning because the support and scaffold that is put into place by the teacher is slowly removed leaving the students to own their learning and take charge. The more a teacher steps back and observes the more a student will begin to take risks and innovate. Their comfort zone will expand and they will be more open to new experiences. In fact they will create them for themselves.

How can students build learning autonomy? Setting personal goals and monitoring and managing their implementation. Goals are a choice and when students are given a choice they will more likely tough through any challenges and accomplish them. When students hit a road block, they need to be independent. Rather then come ask the teacher, "What do I do now?" they need to ask themselves, "How can I get there on my own?" or "What do I need to do to achieve today's goal?" Assessments need to slowly merge from a single discipline to a multidisciplinary project or product. They need to switch from a single purpose, test specific knowledge to authentic experiences that draw together multiple ideas, concepts, and standards. The more layered a lesson the more autonomy you can give students. The more choice a student has the more connected they feel and the more input they will give to any assessment, test or performance task.

Assessments can only be truly autonomous when they transform from an independent goal to a collaborative one. A fabrication of group, cooperative and interactive roles leading to a more dynamic learning experience. A shift from passive recitation to social action. Active and interactive. This type of differentiation lends itself to autonomy. Self-determination, self-governing, liberty, self-rule all play a role in the autonomous classroom. Freedom comes with choice, voice, and group democracy.  The more a teacher lets student sovereignty the more responsibility and respect will heighten. Give students control and they will embrace it with deference, esteem and regard. Leadership skills will come to life as opportunity to pilot and navigate arise. Assessment becomes autonomous when students are leaders and together they help determine how to be assessed. Allow students to help create the assessments and they will be powerful and impactful and most importantly personal.

Why Build Autonomy in Students?

Students in the 21st century will either be passive repositories of  repetition and memorization, acquisition and regurgitation or self-learners with successful strategies and tools to be able to shape and operate their own ideas into creative innovation and useful applications. The ability to manipulate and alter your own learning is a tactic all students should be able to utilize. The more autonomy a student possesses the more independent the feel, the more risks they will take, the more times they will willingly fail just to be able to try again, the more likely any hurdle they will face will be a mere obstacle used to rise and survey the objectives.

Learning does not occur through teaching but through engagement, analysis and application of this knowledge in ways that make it personal and memorable. Building confidence and learning autonomy must involve the construction of listening, inter-personal, speaking and writing skills. Reflection and feedback are the glue that binds self-confidence, risk-taking and independence together. Authentic learning experiences the brick and mortar that lock knowledge and application in place. As teachers we need to provide the materials and allow our students to design and build their own scaffold and foundation on which to construct their schema.

Self-confidence is an essential life skill. If a student lacks self-confidence they are unwilling to take charge of their learning and rely on constant confirmation and guidance to make any step forward.  Planning, organizing, self-monitoring, all lead to success. If students lack-confidence they also generally lack self-direction. So teachers need to model strategies like, organizers, note-taking, reflection, feedback and analyzing growth to help students find self-confidence and motivation. The more students feel in control the more they will be open-minded and responsive to new ideas. As learners become more self-confident they will:

• look for academic challenges
• build on their own learning strengths
• set goals and monitor their progress
• become more critical and creative thinkers
• strengthen reasoning skills
• problem-solve with ease
• let curiosity lead them down deeper and longer paths
• become more motivated to grow as learners 

Autonomy emerges when self-confidence is created and integrated into the mindset of our students. Making mistakes, moving forward, staying motivated, collaborating and planning with others, seeking new learning opportunities all solidify and gain momentum when our students find themselves challenged and struggling just a little to achieve their goals. When they overcome these barriers and speed bumps they  believe in themselves and will face future trials with optimism and excitement. Thus, independence and self-direction directly impact autonomy. Allow students to find their interests, guide themselves to understanding, and analyze and reflect on their learning and autonomy will become second nature.

The Comfort Zone: Is it Bordered by an Enclosure or a Bridge?

A zone of saturation is the level at which water has filled under ground soil and sediment. A zone of demarcation being the border between two areas that are not inclusive, but rather need an area of separation. Residential versus industrial zones, no fly zones, and frigid versus temperate zones. All areas of division, some small in area while others expand over thousands of miles. However, anyway you look at it, they are given areas with certain characteristics that allow it a purpose or use. This territory can be designed to be temporary, fluid, or definitive. But, there always seems to be "the other side." The area viewed from a far, either with envy or dread. Much like a comfort zone, many stay safely behind the walls of the sector while others scale the walls and venture out into the unknown.

Students create this zone through habit, fear, or they can be raised by others through lack of conviction and hesitancy. They decide to wait a moment before answering only to be cut off by another student, forcing them to retreat out of embarrassment or disappointment. It is a teachers job to prevent the drawbridge from raising. To try to coax them back out onto the playing field. So how do we do this? How do we recognize that a student is withdrawing? How do we get the cascade to slow and the invasion in to learning begin? Just like the commander of the forces, watch, nudge, raise the flag of victory. But allow students to carve their own path through the battlefield. The sides have been chosen, now as educators we need to expand their comfort zone so they can construct their defense.

In any battle of wills, delineation is key. The enemy on one side, while allies on the other. The enemy can be anything for students: public speaking, reading skills, collaboration even writing. a personal growth mindset can weaken the enemy, break their stronghold, cause them to raise the white flag of surrender. These defenses can be heightened if we as educators help students find the strategies that work best for them. The larger arsenal they possess, the more impact they can have to destroy the enemy. The enemy is quiet and stealthy and can creep across into the comfort zone on a moments notice or even unnoticed causing undue stress and frustration. But if students have a reserve force, a national guard they can knock them back across the border quickly. Positive reinforcement, reflection, and collaboration can help strengthen the barricade. Slowing down any advancing threat. In fact, with enough reflection and feedback students can begin to anticipate the enemy advances and begin to get proactive.

A comfort zone can be bordered with a high wall, garrisons defending or a bridge that is protected by mere border patrol. a bridge that is designed to bridge the gap not isolate and shelter. when a student has erected a tall fortification how do we knock it down? By creating a safe, interactive environment for them to venture in to. If they can look over the turrets and see that their territory is unthreatened and out of harm's way they will let the guard lower their arms and allow visitors at least. They need to see beyond themselves and witness the villagers laughing and learning as a community. They will then begin to slowly but surely leave the gates open and spend more time out with the local populace. An enclosure can be weakened if we allow it to stay intact in case of retreat, but make students feel it is getting farther and farther away. The distance eventually outweighing the need. A bridge lowered in which all foot traffic can cross builds a sense of community and commonality, everyone travelling to the same place. Common ground and common goals bringing everyone together, making a giant classroom comfort zone where everyone resides.

Mini ISN's: A Great Tool for Organizing A Unit

I have used binders, interactive notebooks, folders and just about anything for students to get organized, reflect, and analyze their notes. Some students love to just glue into a composition notebook or 3 whole punch and stick in a binder. Usually I allow them to organize any way they see fit, at least my GT classes. But a year or so ago I added to the end of the year what I call a mini-ISN. I have students take anywhere from 8-10 pages of computer paper and fold in half, and use a piece of yard to bind it, very simple. Then voila' a mini ISN (Interactive Science Notebook) a compact, portable, interactive study guide. I have taken a survey every year and by far, overwhelming results, students love these self-made, class organized, review tool.

This not only cuts down on paper because all their notes are in this same booklet, it also is a fun way to collect and compile all the graphic organizers of the unit. I even have students unpack the TEK"S (standards) and reflect on their mastery at the end of the journal. My favorite mini ISN is the one students create on Ecosystems, Energy Transfer, and Succession. Here are some pictures of the mini ISN pages for some inspiration. Test scores improved, retention improved and STAAR scores have increased since I have integrated these little gems into my classroom, because they are student-driven and organized they are a more fluid way for students to study and practice concepts. In fact every year my students come back and say they used them to study for their 8th grade STAAR test.

Interactive note books are a support tool that are important for several reasons: they help students organize and synthesize information by creating a visual manipulative, they accommodate different learning styles, tactile and visual, they can be used for parents and teachers to monitor progress, students can compare theirs with another students, asking questions about interpretation and understanding. Also, students can be creative and use their notebook to study. The more freedom a student has to design and construct their own tool, ISN, the more they own their learning. Finally, ISN's are used to reflect on their progress. Writing a reflection is key to understanding their growth and personal mastery of the content.

Cherry, Carnations, and Chocolate

Valentines Day as adults it entails wooing our partners with roses and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. Romantic dinners and love in the air. But in a school setting especially a junior high, it is a hormonal feast of balloons, giant bears, and red candy:  Fun Dips, lollipops, candy bars. A cornucopia of hyperactivity, sugar rush, and excitement. During our advisory classes PTA moms delivered vases of valentines carnations with love and friendship notes. It made me smile and reminded me of Mean girls when Gretchen Weiners does not get a holiday gram.

I was standing in the hall before class and I couldn't help laughing at the sea of red, the smell of cherry permeating my sinuses. I have memories of hating this holiday because I never received a rose or box of chocolates, at least not until high school. It seems sad to me that so many students are overlooked. I understand the celebratory and fundraising reasons why, but we never take the time to notice how impactful being forgotten can be on a child. So this is what I put on my smartboard yesterday. I am a huge Dr. Who fan (Whovian) if you didn't already know. I wanted to make sure any student passing through my classroom understands that love and compassion do not come in the form of chocolate, cherry sweetness or carnations.

 I had one student in my advisory get so excited they received a carnation only to frown when he realized it was from his mother. I giggled but he didn't appreciate the gesture. Sometimes a simple gesture, smile, hug means the world to a student and being Dr. Who made it personalized and genuine. Every student should be recognized and appreciate every day but especially on days like Valentine's Day when being popular means you get all the flowers and tokens of love.

What A Difference Practice Makes: A Successful Quiz Bowl

It always astounds me how much hard work and dedication make all the difference. It seems logical enough. The parable of course is used all the time. But I have practiced with many of my teams and never seen instant results. At the last tournament I let every player compete to a loss of tremendous proportions. Almost every team was in the bottom 3rd. But from that I weeded down to the top 12 players. These 3 NAQT Quiz Bowl teams practiced almost every day after-school for a month. When others kids were home having fun, these students were at school with me practicing and strategizing. This dedication paid off.

Non-Catholic Schools (MS-21)

#	Team	W–L	%	Points	TUH	P	TU	I	PPB	PP20TUH
1	St. John's A	10-0	1.000	4495	200	54	74	19	23.75	449.5
2	Annunciation Orthodox A	9-1	0.900	4020	200	40	82	18	22.05	402.0
3	Beckendorff A	8-1	0.889	3450	180	32	79	5	19.86	383.3
3	Kinkaid A	7-2	0.778	3635	180	39	62	9	24.50	403.9
5	T. H. Rogers A	6-2	0.750	3345	160	44	56	22	22.35	418.1
5	Beckendorff B	6-2	0.750	2570	160	22	63	16	19.88	321.2
5	St. John's B	6-3	0.667	2555	180	20	62	7	20.37	283.9
5	Quail Valley	5-3	0.625	2665	160	39	39	26	23.33	333.1
9	Beckendorff C	5-3	0.625	2250	160	18	55	14	20.55	281.2

All three of our teams made top 10, making it into the finals. Then two of our teams made Nationals. It was awesome to not only of course do well, but also excel beyond their previous matches. Every student who competed scored/ranked higher then they had before pushing their team to the playoffs and ultimately Nationals. One of our students out of all of the students in our division- 140 actually scored #1

1	Siddharth Nair	7th	Beckendorff A	9.0	180	21	53	0	4.69	28.4%	93.89
2	Alkiviades Boukas	8th	T. H. Rogers A	8.0	160	18	28	9	3.16	39.1%	63.12
3	Nicholas Hao	8th	Quail Valley	8.0	160	17	23	13	2.62	42.5%	52.50
4	Aaryan Sagar	7th	Beck A	8.0	160	11	27	5	2.56	28.9%	51.25
5	Ayush Suresh	8th	Baylor Academy at Ryan A	7.0	140	13	23	14	2.54	36.1%	50.71
6	Vedul Palavajjhala	7th	Kinkaid A	9.0	180	14	25	1	2.53	35.9%	50.56
7	Kile Stenoien	7th	Annunciation Orthodox A	10.0	200	12	34	5	2.48	26.1%	49.50
8	Anirudh Srinivasan	8th	Village B	7.5	150	12	22	6	2.47	35.3%	49.33
9	Sarah Chen	8th	St. John's A	10.0	200	18	23	2	2.45	43.9%	49.00
10	Everett Adkins	8th	Annunciation Orthodox B	8.0	160	7	31	5	2.44	18.4%	48.75

Out of every 20 questions read- He scored 93.89 points for his team. I am just so very proud of the dedication my students have in this very rigorous, engaging, academic competition. It is a National competition and if you haven't joined yet you should. It is so fun and it isn't taking written tests in a quiet room, it is a Jeopardy style, buzzer system competition, highly interactive and exciting to watch.