Peek-a-Boo I See You: Mindful Awareness of Personal Interactions

Peek-a-boo a time honored tradition of childhood curiosity and discrepancy. One minute our parents are smiling at us, the next they vanish, if only for a second. Nonetheless it is a temporary adjustment of isolation versus community. Not only is it important at this time of the year to let students see we are aware of their presence it is also crucial that they feel we are present as well every day, providing them the opportunity to continue to grow and excel both academically and socially. The moment they feel isolated they will shut down. The same curiosity and discrepancy occurs every day for our students. In one class they are independent and self-driven, in another they are merely a name with little choice or freedom, then they shift to a class with flexible seating, where they find their friends and interact, while in another they are in rows, quiet and compliant. This constant deviation of incentive and stimulus versus mundane and hunger causes students to lose enthusiasm and motivation. We need to bring them back into the game, show them that surprise when the focus is back on them. When they become the center of attention. Mindful interaction. Mindful awareness of personal space and outward influences. This begins when we recognize and accept our own thoughts.

Accurately interpreting other people's words and facial expressions is another benefit of mindfulness. Students need to sense their teachers' commitment, observe their trust, and hear their positive influence. When they see teachers shutting down or giving up, they will as well. Mindfulness helps develop a resilient response to challenges by noticing our inner cues. One of the most important skills we as teachers as well as students can learn is distinguishing between the transient experience, of peek-a-book for instance, and the acceptance of the thought or feeling as fact. Seeing the myriad of circumstances as fleeting or significant. Accepting them as temporary and not allowing them to dictate our actions permanently. The act of witnessing is important. It allows us to recognize stress, reluctance, doubt and still know we are more then these feelings. That we are not isolated but a part of a larger world. This perspective allows one to see that failure, struggles and challenges are just that setbacks and not permanence. This brings us closer to a community rather than causing us to retreat. The game of quick isolation is now a lesson in personal reflection and understanding.

Recovering after a challenge is an area which mindfulness provides support as well. After a disagreement, a redirection from a teacher, even a moment of self-doubt we need to recenter. The end of the school year is when this becomes most prominent. To gain our composure we need to listen to our thoughts. The faster we learn to do this the more social we will become. The more we listen to our thoughts and accept them as a part of us, we will be able to construct solutions. What has happened is over and now we must solve the situation. Noticing when we are reliving the past, is the first step to shifting our focus to the present. Mindfulness facilitates this step. It brings our awareness of our own inner cues and how to be proactive in our reactions. It facilitates our need to shift our attention to the present without judgment or inner commentary. The more we can focus our attention towards others the less we will allow ourselves to get stuck in the uncertainty of our own actions. We all carry with us the fear that we will be alone. That once we are isolated no one will be able to find us. But when we are aware of this fear we can combat it and anticipate the I see you, after the peek-a-boo has occurred.

Helping students realize they can notice their own thoughts has practical and beneficial outcomes for classroom behavior and student motivation. Respecting other people's thoughts will become easier and more natural for students. As well as teachers. When we understand that thoughts are personal, mental events we are more likely to accept them in others. Be less judgmental. Mindful thinking can also help us recognize the difference between disagreeing with someones thoughts and judging a person as a whole. Many teachers model this behavior regularly as best practice, teaching this skill to students will only enhance their open-mindedness and growth mindset. From an early age we have been taught the impermanence of action and thought. I am here, now I am not. The actions of others impact me. My actions impact others. But we often lack the insight that thoughts are merely that, ideas that either dissipate or come to fruition through action. Once we begin to recognize our own fears as merely thought we can control them. We can learn patience. We can know unequivocally that we may feel alone temporarily, but if we pull back our hands, we will see that others are near and we are a part of the whole. Awareness begins not by looking outward but looking inward revealing our need to belong, our fear of isolation and our own thoughts and how they steer our actions. By recognizing this we can guide our actions, become more aware of those around us, and find our purpose in an ever-changing world.

Now You See It, Now you Don't: Combating the Motivation Doldrums

The doldrums is a colloquial expression derived from historical maritime usage, which refers to those parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean affected by the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone, a low-pressure area around the equator where the prevailing winds are calm.- Webster's Dictionary

It is that time of year, spring fever, "senioritis", restless anarchy. Students seem to converge at the spot of low pressure where nothing matters anymore. Where balloons are deflated and slowly falling to the floor. Summer is near and their minds and spirits are already there. Now you see it, a brief moment of engagement, they are talking and collaborating. They are focused on the task at hand but rather then immerse themselves in it, look for deeper meaning, they skim the surface only gaining knowledge that is in the shallow end, waders on, where their toes can touch the bottom. No swimming necessary. It feels very much like compliance. The eagerness and curiosity quickly dissipating as the conversations transform from academic to personal.

Now you don't. You look out they are completing the activity but the conviction has gone. The deep end is glistening in the sunlight- it is offering a reprise from the mundane but they neglect to see it. They are focused on the easy, the simplest route. This is the time of the year where worksheets and cookie cutter activities are dragged out because as with students, teachers are, as I hear in the hall frequently "done" for the year. But I am not, the end of the year takes more patience and more enthusiasm because the air has leaked out of the balloons. Those colorful, attractive, mini-dirigibles that attract the students interest and animate the possibilities. The shiny, floating inducements that let students know something cool is around the corner. But, it is time to re-inflate them, choose more dynamic and creative shapes and sizes. To let students know that school is not over yet. That learning still takes precedence. Now you see it, now you don't should only be temporary as we brighten up our lessons and allow students to hold the string that binds the blimps of learning together.

How can we combat the doldrums? The mundane classroom atmosphere that often emerges this time of year. Go outside, have a scavenger hunt, a walk-about, a moment to see the sunshine and breathe the fresh air. Set up stations so students can be mobile and independent while reviewing for the standardized tests that are nearly upon them. Use a makerspace, play-doh, games, skits, debates, edcamps anything that will allow students to choose and tinker and play even a little bit. There is so much pressure put on students this time of year with the onslaught of testing. Their balloons are full to capacity and bulging, ready to burst. Let them relieve stress, let some of the gas out, not with busy work but with authentic, active, interactive, collaborative, exciting, entertaining and self-driven lessons. Let them design and create, draw, sing if they want to, just let them get innovative. Let them own the rest of the year.

I hear teachers saying "I can't wait for this year to end." Students hear this and feel this attitude too. I get sad this time of the year because I have to say goodbye to my classes that I have come to know so well and love. This is the time of the year where both students and teachers feel the doldrums. We as adults are the ones who can stave them off. By setting up a more purposeful student-centered classroom. Behavior only gets bad this time of the year when students feel that teachers are "done" for the year. We have to show them we are not. That we will miss them next year. That we are thankful we had the opportunity to be their teacher. Say thank you. Smile. Let the small things go. Some educators say "Choose your battles" I say "Choose not to see the war at all" seek the calm, balanced, fruitful relationships that have blessed us this year. Continue to have fun, allow students to take charge of their own learning. Let the balloons gather and brighten, life, and unify the class into one large bundle of joy.

Mindful Mindset: Trying to Stay Focused and Purposeful at the End of the School Year

The wall. It appears when you least expect it. Brick by brick you tear it down but it slowly rebuilds, eventually in full height appearing before you. Often it is made of sand and with a little tap it swishes apart, blowing away in the wind. Like a mirage. A momentary halt. While others are sturdy, encumbering, impenetrable. I hit the sand walls frequently but with a little breathing and calm focus I can send the sand to the breeze. But, these substantial, rooted structures take a little more time to demolish. I have watched it creep in to existence these last few days, I have struggled with it. But alas it has become fortified and now- a wall blocking my path lies ahead. I am neither happy or sad just stuck. I need to regroup and settle into the barricade, that way I can identify an alternate route. I need a quiet moment or two or three to simply scan the impediment and find a crack. An opening I can use to dismantle it. I have 5 weeks left of school and this obstacle needs to come down now, immediately before it gets too high.

The bricks each one are formed from a conglomeration of insecurity, exhaustion, self-doubt, negativity from others but the mortar holding them together is a lack of focus. Forgetting to have a mindful mindset. So how do you break apart the mortar? Loosen the bricks so you can topple over the fortification. How can you focus yourself once you have become rooted behind the embankment? I am there. Partitioned from my clarity of thought. I can see it swirling, I grasp it momentarily but it slips away. I reach out but it is just to quick, fleeting. Deep breath. Noisiness just filters in, clogging my thoughts. I attempt to narrow the dispersion, create a point of convergence where my mind is free to assemble a life-line. But, I am distracted by everything. The world seems so far away. It is time to meditate. It is lunch now. Lights off, deep breathing, mindful thoughts will now begin. I found twenty minutes of solitude. I have recognized the root of this wall. The foundation of it. Expectations: larger then life that I place on myself but also try to seek in others. To grandiose and lofty to ever achieve entirely.

This is a stressful, chaotic time; the end of the school year, Nationals for Quiz Bowl, STAAR testing. Thin strings of uncertainty and doubt tugging me in different directions. Caught in them like a spider web. The more I struggle the more stuck and fastened I become. The only way to break free is to surrender. Succumb to the erratic, capricious nature of my surroundings. Embrace the unknown. I am a spontaneous person, flexible, open-minded but when entombed in murkiness of action and miasma of purpose I can't seem to find the low beams. Clear skies become foggy haziness, dense pea soup, slowing me down causing every decision to linger before follow through. This is why we have back up lessons. Some days, going outside to have a succession scavenger hunt is just too overwhelming so a student-led activity is better. I know my limitations I just don't always accept them. Melancholy slowly becomes easiness. I feel a bit more purposeful and calm. Mindful mindset reemerging. But just in case I think I will make a few sling-shots to peck at the wall, keep weakening its presence. Today, however, I will focus on today because that is the first step to breaking the enclosure to smithereens.

Skew Your View: Using Prompts to Get Students Thinking

A traditional curricular scope and sequence, lets face can limit the imagination. Any pacing guide forces teachers and students alike into a routine often with little wiggle room to alter. So teachers either have to move faster or leave out some activities that may not truly fit their curriculum. Every lesson has to be purposeful and relevant and connected to the educational standards. Concise instructions create fine lines that students must stay within to achieve the goal. Open-ended questions steer students into a realm of possibility but they often come with an expectation that students should answer it in a particular fashion using certain words or phrases. Still, unfortunately in the box in many cases. So how do we provide opportunities for students to think for themselves, find relevance and interest and also tie back to the standards? The best prompts come from a students ideas, their misconceptions, their curiosity and experience. If they wonder about something they are much more likely going to put thought into answering a prompt, or tinkering and creating something about it. If they find something challenging or a dilemma they want to solve they will dive right in and write or build. But if they have already solved it, or find it mundane or uninteresting they will only answer due to compliance. This is what I never want to see, compliance. I am aiming for investigation, hankering. and cynosure. I believe that if students are taught how they think and process information and are guided to being able to teach themselves all of these will fall into place. Ownership means attentiveness and enthusiasm, at least in my experience.

When students ask questions they should be provided time to mull them over and come up with an answer either independently or collaboratively. However, far too often the pacing gets in the way and students are robbed of powerful learning opportunities by teachers setting the prompt or being too prescriptive or limiting. Martinez and Stager, in Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering and Engineering in the Classroom, explain that there are three tips that one should follow when writing prompts for students: brevity, ambiguity, and immunity to assessment. Three tips I have integrated into my classroom. The best prompts do fit on a post it note. Quick and concise. Too many words seems to create anxiety in many students. Less is more. When students see it written briefly on the board, they think "oh, this isn't a long prompt, this should be easy." Gets them in the right frame of mind. That is where I want them, focused and open-minded, because truthfully writing is not always something they want to do. Building however is. I use many of the same prompts for both "writing in moments" and "makerspace" activities.

Ambiguity is also very important because students should feel free to take their responses in any direction they feel comfortable with. I even allow my students to reword the prompt so they can venture off in endless directions. The more vague I am the more creative and imaginative they become. I write one word on the board. One simple word like -change. Then wait to see what they come up with. I did this the other day. I got models of catastrophic events, succession drawings, short stories about digestion- how food changes in the digestive tract. All I prefaced the task with was it had to tie to science in some way. They just jumped right in because change is virtually everywhere all the time so, they had endless possibilities to choose from. They also could write or design and build. When they feel empowered with out consequence, they will leap. When they feel comfortable to take risks without penalty of failure, they will immerse themselves in learning. They will accomplish great things because feeling safe to explore is the first step in creating a safe haven where all learners can tinker and play and thus grow academically and socially.

Immunity to assessment is so important for prompts. They are informal for me. Not everything needs to be graded. I never tell my students what is going to be graded or not. We do so many things I usually just observe the prompts. This doesn't sway them from participating and having fun. They love to learn and so when I give them concise, short prompts that are ambiguous they see them as opportunities to surprise me. I always say that. "Be mysterious, interesting, nerdy and surprise me with your intellectual prowess." I also say "Just enjoy learning because this is not about a grade but about growth and seeing that you can take risks and great things will happen." Prompts are a tool I use through out the day: sometimes they have 1-minute to write or 5 minutes to design and create a model. I keep them short because they are meant to be rapid fire learning I call it. Bursts of ingenuity. These prompts give me great insight into my students with very little effort, they are not graded and not the focus but simply a time to tinker and play which is so important for the development of our students. Learning needs to be varied between quiet reflection, spontaneity and synthesis. Prompts are a great bridge between the three.

Once More With Feeling: Our Need to Belong: The Struggles of Childhood and Adulthood

Growing up in my world of being bullied and teased relentlessly, created in me, a wall, too tall to traverse and too thick for sound to cross. This wall, still sturdy and impenetrable to many still casts a shadow over my personality. I go about my daily life sometimes forgetting it is there. Then situations arise where I retreat behind it afraid that others will not accept or appreciate my ideas. It is a human need to belong to something bigger than ourselves, family, friends, colleagues provide us these opportunities. Often, however, as individuals we can not find the level of comfort needed to let them in. To let them see the truth behind the curtain. I see this every day with students. The uncertainty of will I be popular, will I be teased? In fact it still haunts many adults.

As a child, I always felt like the Wizard of Oz, or Willie Wonka, never Dorothy or Charlie. Many asked things of me, expecting me to deliver. But many just took with little regard of my feelings or needs. I knew I had something special, I knew I had ideas and creative thoughts, but being isolated behind the curtain and in the chocolate factory, forced me into a role of frustration and doubt. It was not until my teenage years did the curtain part and the gates open letting in friends to help me find my true calling. Making sure students have a safe haven to take-risks without judgment is key to making sure they will. Peer acceptance often being the underlining reason as to why many students stay in the safe zone. But with a little prodding we can get them to jump into the deep end. We just need to model failure and let students see it is good to struggle that is where growth blooms from.

Today, on Twitter or Voxer, even with my blog, I fear that people will not read it or even care what I have to say. I participate in some chats where many respond and collaborate with me, these I go to every week. Often though in the larger chats, I try to communicate, but no one responds, my Tweets just fall between the cracks. I get frustrated and then just doubt myself and retreat. It takes reflection and reading the transcripts of the chat to often discover, that I just was not clear in my thoughts, or that there were so many tweets that mine just did not stand out. Other times, I just don't click with the participants. Students walk around every day replaying conversations they have had or strange looks they get. They internalize as much as we do and I try to set a good example by sharing my insecurities to let them know we all feel that way but we still have to face these fears head on or we will never grow and mature.

As a child, I never stood out. I was a wallflower, shy and introverted. I never wanted to be noticed for fear of being bullied again. As an adult, unfortunately that still lingers. But, I do step out and I do trust my own voice. There are good days where the negativity just flows off of me and I do not internalize it, while there are other days where it sticks top me, soaking me through to the bone. Lingering for days. I recognize these insecurities in my students and help them to find their voice. I seek opportunities to step out in front and take-risks and challenge myself. I do not want to stand behind the microphone and convince others my way is best. I merely want to be an advocate for change. I want to create a safe place where students and colleagues can share ideas and learn from one another. I hesitate to share sometimes for fear of being the one getting the strange looks in the hallway, I know I am misunderstood but the reason I became a teacher was to make a difference in every students life and this I do relentlessly. I may be afraid of rejection, I have few friends, but I always do what is best for my students.

I think feeling valued and respected as an educator, colleague and friend is what allows all of us to feel accepted. Everyone wants to belong. Everyone wants to know that they have a positive contribution to share with others and most importantly that others will listen and support them. Everyone wants to feel appreciated and respected. Being accepted calms our fears and lets us participate and be creative. However, I have come to find out that no matter what you do, some people will not like you, others will try to keep you down. People will spread rumors and talk behind your back. Words are only self-destructive if you let them become so. Find your voice and make sure it is louder then the rest. The din will keep you focused. You can not crush the flow of a river, it is powerful and its current shifting but you can surrender to it and harness its power and use it for your own purpose. That is my goal. Use the energy to continually look inward and reflect and become a stronger educator.

Acceptance to me is not the big things but the little things we encounter daily. Eye contact, a smile, positive feedback, engaging conversations. My biggest hurdle is accepting my own faults and my own strengths as those I alone control. That feeling accepted must also come from within. Trusting yourself to recognize those people who lift you up and steer clear of those who don't. I have found an amazing PLN on Twitter and Voxer and daily these wonderful eduheroes have shown me the path to positivity. I am truly blessed for that. I have an amazing friend who everyday reminds me of my intentions, vision and goals and this is what I take home with me every day. We do not know what kind of night our students have had, is their home life unstable? Did they not get enough sleep? We need to embrace them fully no matter the mood we are in or the attitude they may carry in with them. I was misunderstood because no one took the time to look at things from my point of view. Daily I ask questions and listen. Truly listen because all the answers are right in front of us if we just slow down and get to know our students.

                                                   

"Lets Give it the Once-Over": Cursory Contemplation and Cogitation

Let's face it timing is everything. In a classroom especially, down-time may bring mayhem. But pushing students every second with out a moment to breathe can cause drag and defeat. Students need to be challenged and empowered but they also need a few minutes to just be kids. To tinker, play even just talk to their peers. This transition time between ending a lesson and the bell can be purposeful and authentic but also fun. Cursory contemplation I call it. Quick reflection and spontaneous recall and synthesis. These little snip its of time in my class are not meant to be deep and thought provoking, merely a time to make connections. They should be simple, concise and entertaining. Like a meme. Relevant and silly but also sometimes, albeit rarely when it comes to meme's, educational.

One strategy I use is What if....this type of questioning stimulates fluency, flexibility, originality and elaboration. They get to discuss with their table groups, or the whole class on occasion, questions like; What if cars could fly? What if all the rain forests were gone? What if no one went to school? They love to debate these types of questions and rather then having them put on head-phones or their nose in a book it brings students into a collaborative group. I also ask the question: Then what happened? I write a sentence on the board. A tornado was spotted entering the vicinity of  small town in Oklahoma, then what happened? A parking lot was built outside of a growing community. It lied empty, unused, for many years because the town stopped growing and construction stopped. What happened next to the parking lot? This activity is often verbal only. It makes connections between concepts. I often have them write their responses in their journals. This is a great way to make sure everyone makes a contribution. As a class we choose what we think are the most accurate answers to the scenarios. Then sometimes we go even further....then what happened next?

Role Play, skits, or mini-plays are very common in my classroom during these moments of changeover. I use them to highlight a concept by using personification. I was also a Language Arts teacher for 7 years so writing is very much a part of my science classroom. I have students take on the role of a cell, organ, catastrophic event, various animals, even eco-regions and they discuss their characteristics and interactions with the environment around them. Then often I have two different "characters" debate their importance and impact. At the beginning of the year students were organic compounds and they debated which one had the most important role in the human body- only to find out none of them did. It was a great revelation for them to see that not all debates have a winner. Anytime students can get up and interact with their peers is a good thing. Staying stationary for too long spawns stagnancy and staleness and I never want my class to be either. The more control and choice I put in their hands, the more they lead the more they are empowered to take-risks and fail. Then they see the world in a different light and their role as more of a tinkerer and creator and less as a follower.

Finally, all of these strategies require creativity. Creativity requires the use of both content knowledge and conceptual connections. A linking of information, connections between disciplines. Nurturing our students creative potential does not stand in opposition to teaching the standards in fact it aligns nicely with assessments and checking for growth and understanding. It is a complimentary tool that highlights a students effective thinking and encourages achievement because it puts students in the drivers seat. They love to be able to think for themselves, teach themselves, collaborate, and many of them love to show-off their skills and entertain their peers. So why not let them. If there are progressing learners who are shy and fearful of the attention, I let them write the script and a partner act it out. As long as everyone contributes in some way I am happy. These are not grades for me but an empowerment tool to allow students to discover their strengths and shine as the leaders I want them to be.

STAAR Wars: May The Force Be With You: 8th Grade Swap Day

The human body, a topic 8th graders have not discussed since last year. In fact it is a unit lasting an entire semester. In order to review for the STAAR test 8th grade and 7th grade science teachers swap students for a day. So today I am teaching a crash course about the human body systems to 8th graders, many of whom I taught last year. It is exciting to reconnect with these students.This could cause some behavior issues for some, but with a concise lesson plan disruptions are at a minimum. It is a different feel for sure. The vibe of each class is more chaotic causing a sense of imbalance. But after a little prompt from me it calms and they settle into a routine. 8th graders carry themselves differently, they definitely have a little more spunk in their interactions with teachers and they carry with them a sense of spring fever knowing that in less then six weeks they will be high-schooler's.

The classes I am teaching are GT classes so as much as they try to pretend they don't care, they do. They are competing a card sort about the different systems and completing a content frame including pictures and analogies. This takes about 1/3 of the class. They are excited to be back in my room, noticing the standing desks they didn't have last year and the change of posters etc. Many of them hug me and are excited to be back. It is amazing to see how much taller a lot of them are, the more mature they are and the more focused they have gotten. While a few of them are exactly the same. I hope they mature before next year or high school is going to be a very tough place for them. They settle down and begin working, completing their assignment. Then we watch an Amoeba Sisters video about the Human Body. They laugh at the puns and quirkiness of the video.

Finally, students complete a chart of which doctors would be called upon in different scenarios: chest pains, cardiologist for example. They begin to discuss family members who are doctors, visits they have had to different physicians and many of whom want to be doctors are discussing which field they want to study and why. Great conversations going on. It is good to see that these students are thinking about their future and how to accomplish their goals. They take school very seriously, as most GT students do. There is a huge maturity difference between 7th and 8th graders. It becomes more apparent watching the interactions of these 8th graders. They are less touchy feely and hands-on with each other and more stand-offish. The girls and boys talk more together, less apprehension to inter-mingle, for good reason they are full-fledged teenagers now. It shows in just about every way possible.

Several of the other science teachers were apprehensive about swap day- they were worried it would be a STAAR wars battle. But, I think for the most part they are finding it a productive day as I am. It is all about the tone you set when they enter the room. Be concise and direct and they will follow your lead. The force is definitely with us today, the ebb and flow of 7th graders and 8th graders changing hallways and classrooms is definitely felt throughout the campus but it is going smoothly. 8th grade swap day is an epic event for sure. They anticipate it all year. All we need now is some John Williams theme music playing in the hallways. But lets play the upbeat Ewok Theme and not Darth Vader's Theme, it is about the tone.

Superheroes of Learning: Tinkering, Play and Authentic Activities for Student Growth

Humdingers, illuminating inquiry, makerspace, interactive edcamps, experimental design, games and toys to represent science concepts, debates and prove me wrong. These are just a few authentic, active activities that I implement in my classroom to steer the focus of learning on students through play and personal choice, performance and participation. A student-centered classroom is a place of flexibility, interaction and choice but as much independence and personal learning that is present in this classroom design, there also needs to be consistency and teacher created options to help students find their voice. The performance tasks need to vary and the tool box needs to include plenty of instruments, gadgets and appliances like a makerspace, full of a la' carte alternatives. A student-centered classroom needs to offer not a set daily menu but rather an a la' carte menu where students can pick and choose the courses they are hungry for as they enter the classroom.

Just because a classroom is designed to have students take the lead most often does not mean that every day there is individual, personalized activities occurring every minute. In fact, each day should include a whole class humdinger or discrepant event, a hook. Then a class activity that can be completed in groups, teams or partnerships. Then ending with a personalized illuminating inquiry where they are reflecting, designing, tinkering or analyzing the concepts of the day. This is often completed as a prove me wrong or ticket-out-the-door. These final activities are individual because I believe until we quiet our thoughts and mouths and look inwards, synthesis and understanding does not occur. It is the operation of the classroom dynamic that is all about student engagement and motivation: where they sit, who they choose to collaborate with, what type of demonstration of knowledge they opt for as they use the makerspace. Too much of a blank slate leads students to get stationary and stagnate so I teach them various strategies they can use in their arsenal so when they transform into superheros of learning they are prepared to fight confusion and compliance, with their own interests, power to choose and creative innovations.

Humdingers to me are not merely answering a prompt, although this is an option on some days. I may put up a picture or a short video clip on the smart board and have students write about what it means to them personally. I often have a teacher demonstration from crushing a coke can with steam, showing ground water saturation in a cup of clay, rocks, and soil, or having students chew up a soda cracker, leave it on their tongue for a minute until it turns sweet, first hand evidence of the breaking down of carbohydrates into glucose. Quick and concise just to get their juices flowing. My favorite humdingers though come from students who either on the internet or through experience have discovered something cool and I let them demonstrate for the class. The last student demonstration was about creating a cyclone in a bottle. Easy & fun and every student was engaged. Humdingers can also be used at the end of class, my students will complete their activity for the day and often discover a new insight they want to share with the class. It is cool to end the class with students teaching students, it helps establish a sense of student-drive and interaction in the classroom. They love to learn from each other. Plus I get to collect helpful observations I use for informal assessments.

A makerspace is the appliance I use for illuminating inquiry, experimental design and prove me wrong. It is chalk full of recyclables, paper, art supplies etc. They use it a lot to tinker and build models. Play-doh is an ingredient in many a learning recipe from making giant cells to demonstrating catastrophic events and the path of food through digestion. Pliable, malleable and interactive for sure. I think getting them up and mobile, using various supplies and giving them the opportunity to play and construct is always a good thing. Even 7th graders love play-doh, crayons and using Lego to build and destroy models. Inquiry comes in my class in the form of simple vocabulary and allowing students to find the connections between them, letting them personally seek and discover the big picture. There is a lot of drawing, writing, singing and role-playing in my classroom because I allow students to truly think-outside-the-box. Show me what you know in a way I haven't seen yet and bonus points will come your way. They never cease to amaze me. My favorite makerspace activity is prove me wrong. I write a statement on the board that is clearly false. They may not know up front why it is wrong but they know it is. I simply say- prove me wrong, show me why this statement is false. They use the makerspace and anything they can find: research, conversation, and sometimes they ask me questions, to create something that explains why the statement is wrong. This usually is a 10-15 minute activity. I sometimes give different statements to each table group and them they share their ideas with the class. There is usually a lot of laughing going on because they have a lot of fun disproving anything, it is more fun for them to disprove something then it is to prove. They like the challenge.

Students love absolutely love to talk. They love to challenge one another, prove each other wrong and ultimately have the final word. So I let them set up debates and edcamps in the classroom. I give them the topic, broad at first, then they research and design their part of the debate or their section of the edcamp. Recently we had a grade level 7th grade edcamp where all the science classes rotated freely and investigated ecosystems through interaction with their peers. It was amazing. Setting up large scale edcamps is challenging so I like to have them in my classes too in order for them to take responsibility for their own learning. To be superheros of knowledge. They get to share their ideas however they want. They have to be concise and provide each other what is needed for the quiz or test. They support each other is such an insightful way. They are patient and helpful and they truly cooperate during debates and edcamps to not only be heard and use their voice but also to listen and ask thoughtful questions of their peers. We have had a lot of practice with these this year. This is our class synthesis activity, where on-line notes, think-pair-share, unit activities and labs all collide and students take the lead on making sure synergy happens and every student is successful. After they finish an edcamp or debate they set up remediation and enrichment circles where they divide the class so the main concepts can be explained again or taken one step further. A lot of modeling and reinforcement but this process works very well in my classroom now and is entirely student driven.

Finally, every superhero needs to have fun. Let loose. Be human, or mutant, X-men, Avengers or god in Thor's case. They need to be able to play. I love to bring games into the classroom. I use Taboo cards I design for vocabulary review. Jeopardy, Quizlet, Kahoot! for interactive reviews. I just created a Jenga game for students to demonstrate trophic cascades in the Peruvian Anchovy food chain. I have made a lot of board games over the years, even had my students create a few and I love to bring them out and just let them relax and play a game. Going outside to run around and play tag may seem off task but when it encompasses predator-prey relationships, energy flow in an ecosystem, and biodiversity well then tag becomes science. Card sorts are fun and informative but why not have students have a seek n' find where the cards are hidden in nooks and crannies of the classroom and they have to identify where the matching sets are, then explain their significance by acting out a mini-play or writing a song. You can pretty much turn any worksheet or cookie cutter lab activity into a labyrinth of hidden gems, engaging conversation and problem-solving activities. This of course can be exhausting and many fall back on the traditional, but believe me once you have created these alternative activities students will transform from the background characters in a superhero movie with flying debris causing them to scream and flee, into the superhero protecting them, removing the obstacles and creating a clear path to discovery. Superheros can be cultivated, their powers of observation, curiosity, spontaneity, strength of character can blossom in any classroom if teachers let them wear the cape.

Buzz Buzz: Texas Quiz Bowl State Champions!

August 2016, I am sitting in my classroom watching my Texas Quiz Bowl team practice. It is our first year, the students are raw. Very inexperienced, clumsy, and they know very few answers. I am inexperienced, nervous, I have never coached a quiz bowl team before. We are rotating in teams of five to identify our strongest players. Our first ever tournament will be in a few days. I honestly have no idea what I am doing. I bought packets, registered three teams and now I am trying to get organized. It is a bit overwhelming seeing as I also mentor Future City, National Science Bowl and TEAMS an engineering competition. My head is just a confused mess. But, I watch my team for a few days and choose who I feel are the strongest players, never expecting to win anything just to gain some experience at our first tournament. I was wrong, we took 2nd place overall at our first competition, also a surprise to the other teams who have been competing for years. But, the win was a trifecta of circumstance, 5 players who had synergy, middle school questions which are easier then future questions and the sheer adrenaline of the students.

Several tournaments came and went, a few we won nothing, while at a couple we won third place, fourth place. Nothing too extraordinary. We were gaining momentum though and at one tournament we qualified two teams for nationals and state. This is when everything changed. The students no longer saw this as mere fun. They began to settle in to a groove, practicing every day with me after school often for 2-3 hours. Students began to get better and better until we truly had 12 students who shined above the rest. They became our state and nationals teams. We went to one competition and they came in 3rd and 4th place. They lost their focus. They began to not play as a team but as individuals. We had several meetings about teamwork and cooperation. We practiced and practiced. I bought speed round packets so students could get faster on the buzzer. We practiced some more. Then the day came, the day students would have to prove to themselves they had what it takes to be a cohesive team. State Competition Day.

This morning they arrived one by one. We have a home field advantage of sorts, it is our feeder high school. The students are excited because this is a familiar venue. They drop their bags and immediately begin to help the head of the competition unload his car of the concessions items, buzzers, and boxes of packets. Then they set up the buzzers and chairs in each of the classrooms. So I lose sight of them for about an hour. Then I take a seat in the crowded cafeteria and take stock of the various teams from across the state. Noticing the familiar competitors from previous regional tournaments. Several coaches make their way over and we chat about the turn out and our plans for nationals. Then collectively we decide to have a regional mini-scrimmage tournament before we go to nationals. I offer to host at Beckendorff. This will be a great way to practice against some challenging teams- these teams are our true competitors. Evenly matched with intelligence and rigor but they have got the speed. Something we are working on heavily these days.

The competition starts. I follow my team A for a bit then switch to team B. They are in different divisions. Each division based not on skill or challenge but merely the way the brackets are organized and the way the seeds are designed. Team B lost their first game. I sit down and have a pep talk with them. "Our new mantra is keep moving forward," I say. "Some teams win their first few games creating a sense of confidence and often arrogance. We lost our first because we needed a fire to be lit under us to keep moving forward. Defeat like failure is a first attempt at success. We lost. But now are you determined? Are you motivated?" They say yes, but with disappointment still at the forefront. "I didn't hear you. Are you motivated now?" They cheer "Yes" "Whats our new motto?" They smile, and enthusiastically repeat "Keep moving forward." They did and they did not lose another game making their way to 1st place in State. This team, B, was considered the underdog team and boy did they prove every body wrong. Their spirit and drive brought home all the marbles. Then I moved back to team A. They were on a winning streak. Only losing to a few private schools. They began to get deflated. I gave them the same speech. They rallied and made it to finals. They came in 4th place in their division after a very long, intense day.

I couldn't be prouder. I look back on our first day of practice wondering if I could ever coach them into a winning team. I thought it would take a year or so to gain the momentum to win. They proved me wrong. Many wins and many defeats but, we qualified two teams for state and nationals. Now that state is over we are focused on nationals in a few weeks. We will practice daily after school and build an even tighter team camaraderie. These two teams are 12 students of our original 45 that put in their all and ended up at the top. It is stressful, exhausting and at times overwhelming but I am so happy I discovered quiz bowl and I am so excited to continue on the last leg of this journey. I will lose all but 3 students to high school next year and then I get to start a new adventure. At least now though I know what I am doing.

An Interactive Edcamp: Mini-models and Catastrophic Events

An Edcamp can be spontaneous, as my classes have done several times this year. Where I just put placards on tables and students sat down at the table that interested them. Then they just talked and shared information. Other times, I let students create demonstrations and share them. Students moved around from class to class and learned about various topics. We did this as a grade level for ecosystems. It was a two day event culminating from a 3 day decoration of our classrooms as different ecosystems: mine was three types of forests. Today I decided to have students have an interactive edcamp where they created mini-models of various catastrophic events and then they got into groups to share and demonstrate their models. This was the end of this unit and the beginning of our next unit which is succession.

Students discussed the impact these events have on weathering, erosion and deposition as well as how the weather or geological events cause damage to the environment. The models were constructed in 15 minutes to make sure that they didn't over think it. They just needed to quickly make a model and be able to explain it. I wanted it to feel more spontaneous and flexible. Students enjoyed tinkering and creating using the makerspace and having an audience to present to. It is a fun day. I took some pictures of the Edcamp and that I think demonstrate the ingenuity and creativity of these awesome students. This is a great way to let students be self-driven, independent learners but also focusing an Edcamp so they have a game plan.

A Follow-Up Discussion "They Will Tire of it Eventually": How to Plant The Seeds of Change

After class change, the reason I could not stop and engage in a fruitful conversation previously, I decided to return to the scene of crime. I found the same two teachers, still complaining but this time about a different student. I decided to begin a calm conversation about strategies I use to help these students feel more a part of the community. When they feel like they are hear, you allow them to be mobile, you give them a role, a purpose they feel connected. I told them I do not have the same problems with these students. To keep it positive, I added that when a student is tired or overwhelmed often their behavior changes. We need to make sure we pull them in daily. I told them about my 1-minute check-in's and that this is the best tool to help me make a connection with these students. After we check in daily they feel like their opinion matters. They see the positive smile I give them, the encouragement I show when they get to choose where to sit. The patience I show by merely redirecting, not condemning.

I can be honest, as calm and positive as I was, I tried very hard not to sound at all condescending or judgmental only supportive of their plight. But, I fear they felt I was coming off as such. But, I spread the seed, the seed of strategy and understanding and maybe, just maybe they will heed my words. We have to start somewhere.

"They Will Tire of It Eventually" : Six Words You Never Want to Hear About Your Students

Tire, a word with so many meanings: bore, dispirit, exasperate, overwork. This phrase has always perplexed me. Usually it was said about me by my grandparents, when I was outside running around like a ten year old, or unfortunately by my teachers, who believed I would tire of being lazy and off-task in class. I have never heard it used in a positive way, it definitely brings a negative connotation with it. I hear teachers saying it in the hall on occasion in regards to misbehavior behavior or complacency of one of their students. But, today I was privy to a conversation where two teachers were complaining about the same student. This time it drudged up memories of my childhood and it frustrated me. I absolutely loathe generalizations and complacency from educators. This is how students fall through the cracks, get labelled, have judgments placed upon them when they are not allowed to defend their actions. I had to leave the conversation before it steered into one of a lot of questions as to why? this statement was said in the first place. Often, I hear frustrated, overburdened teachers use this turn of phrase as a release, putting blame per se onto the student rather than seeing the big picture. Personally, I hope my students never tire of anything in my class. I try every day to keep them engaged and excited about science.

But, alas students do get bored no matter how exciting you believe your lessons are. Attention spans vary, interests bring different levels of curiosity, personalities create very different stages for students to act upon. Some may be the lead while others forced upon it, hide in the shadows, lurking rather than participating in the play. So with the change of scenery, day to day, those participants or actors move center stage, rear stage and off stage. Some days you have full cast on stage while others you lose some because they are more comfortable being stage crew. Stirring up the plot, changing the lighting, re-writing the script sometimes doesn't matter, there is always one or two that just don't care. It could be hunger, a home situation or social distractions but there will be a time when you lose a few characters in the musical, comedy or drama that unfolds in the classroom. But, it is important to identify why? Not just give up on the students. Even if every day, this student is disruptive or off-task there is a reason and we need to figure out why. They may have become one of the off-stage lurkers in most of their classes, but if we can make a connection in ours, we can change their outlook, at least for 42 minutes a day they are the star of their own learning.

I may want to avoid the things I find dull or tedious. But, I try not to tire of things. In fact I try to force myself into situations I may find uncomfortable or boring to try and broaden my horizons. To tire of something to me means to give up on it. So I choose rather to keep a growth mindset and look at things differently because only then can I make connections and see the big picture. Monotony- lack of voice and mobility can lead to tiring of a certain class. Indifference comes when a student feels disconnected. This is easy to remedy- build relationships, camaraderie, a sense of community and students will engage and become more collaborative with their peers. Use flexible seating and let them be mobile and active. Sitting in a desk for 42 minutes is tiresome. Doldrums, fatigue and apathy come from a strict routine, lack of spontaneity and a teacher-centered classroom. This is tiresomeness at its worst. Rows, lectures, notes. To tire, is often to feel sameness, repetitive, trapped in a cycle. This is a cycle we as teachers can break. Include students in the decision making process, give them a voice, get them up and moving, give them choice of demonstration of knowledge and they will never "tire of it eventually." they will be excited to participate again.

Quiet Observation: A Mingling of Cultures

A science center, a residence of discovery, exploration and robotics. A meeting place where schools, students, and cultures come to discuss and exchange strategies and ideas. A mingling of interpretation, skill, competitiveness and ultimately solutions. I am simply quiet, observing from a far as cultures from Israel, China and America smile, shake hands and embrace as they meet each other for the first time. A gathering of like-minded, scientific-minded students whose purpose is to brainstorm and collaborate about robotics. The engagement, generosity, excitement is in the air. The din of hundreds of conversations blend together almost harmoniously, a common goal, a unified frame of mind. It is awe inspiring to see these three vastly different cultures, no politics, no social segregation, no judgement, only science and purpose. Robotics.

The posture, mannerisms, facial expressions are so different. Jovial and outgoing versus restrained and determined. Yet both cultures very happy to be here, after a long travel time, you can sense the jet lag but the conviction to take in every word the hosts are sharing. To tour the facility, to investigate the various robots around the arena. The looks in their eyes fixed and intrepid on learning something new. Students begin to break off, several Israeli students introduce themselves to a few of the local team members. They smile and then begin to show each other their technology, I-pods although slightly different versions. A family from China walks by and the smallest child throws himself on the ground from exhaustion I am sure. Reminding me of my child and about this time of night he would be doing the same thing. A young child's adamant frustration, universal.

It is a feel like any other venue, adults, children, students talking and listening. Yet these vastly unique cultures are more in sync then you would expect. Even with the language barrier they are vigilant of the obstacles of communication and are patient and resilient because the universal language is science and they are speaking science. Purple shirts, orange shirts, green shirts, black shirts the only distinguishing variance among teams. The culture may be different but the passion for science and engineering is a marvel to watch. It takes a while but slowly each group begins to dismantle and begin to weave themselves into smaller groups of the three nationalities, a true cultural mix of teenagers, laughing and getting to know one another. The competition is First Robotics, Worlds Competition here in Houston. Not simply a nationals but a world competition showcasing the innovation and creativity of our local high schools and those around the world. It is not competitive in this room however, but more a meeting of spirit and commonality. A community of engineers and scholars eager to improve, examine and collaborate. The best at what they do, build robots. A night of not only a merging of science and culture but of human curiosity, integrity and ingenuity. Even better, the music throughout the evening, Star Wars soundtrack, both ubiquitous and comforting.

Students Subdueing Statistics: Interpreting Graphs and Data Tables

I made posters of five colorful data tables, graphs about catastrophic events and the varying information about location, damage, and impact (see below). I thought they were colorful and that the information was straight forward. Most of my students interpreted them easily but more students than I thought struggled with the meaning and relevance of the information. They didn’t see the big picture, the connections. So I sat down and watched them as they went up to each one. I listened to their ideas and discussions. Then I reflected on why this skill, this very important skill of reading and interpreting graphs is such a struggle for many students. I thought it was just because they do not look at them very often. But it made more sense after I asked them some challenging questions. That was when I recognized the gaps between reading, interpreting and analyzing data representing in tables, data charts and graphs.

In science, it is critical that students be able to interpret graphs and represent scientific information in graphic form. Although graphing skills are taught extensively in mathematics classes, students are often unable to apply these skills to scientific concepts. They can't seem to transfer their knowledge from one subject to another. The inability of students to transfer such basic concepts should be a concern to both science and mathematics educators. Data analysis is the process of interpreting the meaning of the data we have collected, organized, and displayed in the form of a table, bar chart, line graph, or other representation. For students this process involves looking for patterns—similarities, disparities, trends, and other relationships—and thinking about what these patterns might mean. This is the hiccup. They see charts and graphs on occasion but many just ignore them. Although many magazines and newspapers include graphs, the visual depiction of scientific data is something very different from the photographs and illustrations published in magazines read by students. This representation of data may be colorful and dynamic but often students misidentify the data. Why is interpreting different types of graphic data so important?

Students need to understand the importance of context. If students understand the how and why figures were created they can recognize the meaning behind the graph or table. Often there is a bigger picture such as the larger question, experimental approach, or school of thought which are “invisible” to students. As a result, students don’t understand why the figure is interesting or how it relates to the topic being taught. Students also need to be able to think abstractly.  Graphs are an abstract representation of some aspect of “nature” which scientists and students relate to differently. Scientists see raw data while students see numbers. It is important to walk students through the process of interpreting many types of graphic representations because this helps them better understand science and the world around them. Statistics is integrated into daily life we just don't always look at the data it represents.

Active vs. passive learning is also important for students to experience. Generally they simply listen to a teacher’s explanation of a graph or table. They are rarely given an opportunity to look at various representations of the same data. They are not often given enough time to make comparisons and predictions based on the data- at least not in science class. Many studies show that most students learn best by actively engaging with the information (e.g. asking questions, talking and listening to other students, working with data). The more graphs and tables we show them the better they will get at interpreting them. Lastly, students need to bring data tables and graphs into everyday life. In a way, figures are a “language” through which scientists communicate with each other. Students with little experience making graphs and data tables may well not understand the “language” and therefore have difficulty interpreting graphs and tables. In order to communicate results and form an opinion based on research and fact students need to be able to understand data and the various ways it gets drawn, labelled and demonstrated for all to see.

I Spy With My Little Eye.....Tink..Tinker...Tinkering and Engineering

I spy with my little eye...a mindset for learning. A place to tinker and design, create and build- a makerspace. Tinkering is a uniquely human activity, combining social interaction with individual creativity, forging a place where play and learning intertwine. When we allow students to take risks- create, destroy, rebuild, tinker, alter, rebuild- we are letting them experiment with their own ideas. We are letting them discover their own voice. A makerspace lets teachers take a step back and give students permission to trust themselves and think independently. Tinkering is what happens when students try something new, something they do not quite know how to do, guided by whim and fancy rather than rules and instructions. When you tinker there are no directions, there are also loads of mistakes but no failures, no rights and wrongs, simply trial and error. In a classroom this is the synergy of student ingenuity, making connections and habits of mind, an opportunity to see things in a different way by manipulating and altering your surroundings.

Engineering is more concrete. Engineers make things work in the real world. They are precise and definitely follow a set of rules. Engineers plan but they also tinker. In a classroom we need to nurture the playful, creative inclinations our students have. Rather then merely drawing a diagram, why not let them use play-doh to create one. Tinkering and engineering are both rooted in thinking. Yet, this is a topic often neglected in education. There is a lot of discussion about learning, classroom design, relationships but little about the process of thinking. Thinking is not merely a process of the mind it is a development of ideas and discovery of new knowledge. How we put these together is what makes us creative and innovative. How do we know what a child is thinking? We don't. But we can tell if they are bored and uninterested. This is visible. But, if we offer a chance to tinker and engineer, thinking will come to the forefront and students will be engaged.

Students need to find nurturing places in real life to geek out with others who share their passion. They'll thrive in spaces that perpetually rekindle their desire to make meaningful contributions toward personally relevant issues, ideas, people and interests. A makerspace allows for students to collaborate and construct their knowledge into tangible things. Today, more and more schools are adding educational makerspaces to classrooms across all levels:  elementary, middle, and high school. In the makerspace environment, students are set free to be makers limited only by their creativity. They are unhindered by instructions and guided by pure unfettered imagination. A makerspace mixes all aspects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), and allows for creativity in an exploration of “what if?” This brings inquiry, mystery and engagement into any classroom.

I spy with my little eye... a makerspace and students laughing and playing and learning. Through collaboration and tinkering a model is born. An examination of catastrophic events is happening in class. The "what if?" Demonstrate what happens to an ecosystem during a flood, hurricane or tornado, using play-doh, pipe cleaners, and Popsicle sticks. Not only are they tinkering, they are seeing these events in a different light, not what they are but their effects on the environment.

To Blend or Not to Blend? Is that still a Question?

What ever your term of choice: blended, hybrid, or flipped, a classroom that is designed for students, run and operated by students, is a classroom in which learning is happening. It should be an arena of flexibility and learning tools where voices are in harmony and opinions are valued. Blended learning is a mix of technology and hands-on activeness that allows students to set the pace, place and demonstration of their knowledge and understanding. Where as a flipped class is entirely in a students hands, with very little facilitation from the teacher, a blended classroom is a balance between on-line assignments over-time and authentic, interactive, and active learning experiences students complete in class either together or independently. It is unrealistic to believe students do not need a teacher to help facilitate their learning. But it is very realistic, as an educator, to step back and let students take the lead. We are no longer in an atmosphere of "sage on the stage" but have journeyed into the realm of "observer and docent" still necessary on the outskirts of the daily routine but all the while immersed and ever present in the classroom culture.


One of the key components of blended learning is to identify what is already working well in your classroom, and what might be better suited as digital content. On-line assignments need to be based on pre-loading information, note-taking, watching short video clips, answering discussion questions. These are tasks best suited for individual completion and having students complete these in class takes time away from more collaborative activities. Adding digital content doesn’t mean throwing out all the direct instruction in the classroom. Keep what is working well in a face-to-face mode, and add what could be more effective in a digital format. I spend very little time with direct instruction but as a class we talk a lot about what they have completed at home- students come with the vocabulary and with conversation we can blend and synthesize to see the big picture. Rather than have them read a chapter in a book, I have them follow a web quest or watch a short video lecture or podcast from me about the current topic. This makes at home learning more engaging as well.


So what does a blended classroom look like? The students are at the center of learning. Facilitating the activities, collaborating and designing lessons, completing assignments on-line at their own pace as well as working independently and cooperatively with others in a fluid, dynamic, flexible learning environment. In a personalized learning classroom, student needs drive the design of the learning. Students have a voice and choice in how they demonstrate their understanding. The organization of this learning space is an amalgam of teacher comfortability and student interest. It will not work if the teacher is not fully committed. Students need to feel safe in their learning environment. There needs to be a sense of community. The first thing I do every year is have students write the class "community" goals together and design a plan to implement and reinforce them. They decide very quickly that self-monitoring is best and with little redirection from me this generally takes place. With flexible seating, it can get noisy, but as long as they are working and engaged in learning noise is inconsequential.

How do I group students? I generally let students group themselves. They often move tables, stand at standing desks for awhile then shift to a round table to sit. When students feel like the group was their design then they are more likely to cooperate with one another and accomplish the task. I walk around the classroom in the "proximity zone" quite a bit, listening and gathering valuable data. I love to simply observe and listen. This tells me where we are headed as a class, who are my master Jedi and who are my Paduan. I spend time with my students, 1-minute check-in's and table chats. Our learning environment is adaptive. Each day we debrief and design the activities of the next day as needed. Students tell me when they need another activity or they have mastered the content. They also ask me for more resources on-line to help them learn material. Canvas is a tool to turn in assignments as well as a place to upload resources for remediation and enrichment. Students can also share podcasts and blogs as a class.

In my classroom students are mobile and come pre-loaded with notes and vocabulary and this sets the tone for the days activities. The less time needed to take-notes the more time to enrich their learning. Additionally, every student has an individualized path toward success. There are remediation and enrichment circles set up so struggling students can chat with their peers, who are experts, and can give them the support they need to be experts as well. Student learner pathways are customized based on students’ strengths, weaknesses and goals; and learning experiences vary. By sitting at their tables and talking every week with students one-on-one I notice the little idiosyncrasies and can be proactive to solve them before students get to far behind. Also, on-line there are review quizzes, practice assignments, podcasts, blog posting and optional activities that students can complete to help them be successful. Assignments are also flexible, I have one rule- show me what you know. This they can do in writing, drawing, speaking or any other medium they feel comfortable with. I often get several different products for the same  assignment. I love the variability and creativity.

There are many on-line platforms for blended learning. My district uses Canvas. It is a one-stop-shop for students. All of their classes are uploaded onto the server, it is used more frequently by some teachers then others but, it is a great tool to combine all of their classes, calendars, agenda's and assignments into one place. I also use Google docs for all student projects and PBL's. This way every group member has access and they can share with me so I can stay apprised of their progress and make comments to them along the way. To be a blended classroom, there needs to be a safe, reliable, easy to use platform, where students feel confident in turning in their assignments. Many teachers use Seesaw or Kidblog but I prefer Canvas because it combines aspects of both and I can upload videos, podcasts and students can take quizzes on-line.

I decided to blend my classroom two years ago. At first I had trepidation to say the least. Finding the right platform, would kids be able to turn their assignments in? There are hiccups. I tell my students, "If Canvas isn't working for any reason, turn the assignment in on paper." No excuses. Plus they have at least a week to complete any on-line assignment so they have time to make arrangements if their internet or computers at home have issues. I have had very little problems with this. But to be sure things run smoothly I have a set of i-pads and notebooks in the classroom, so students can complete any assignments before or after school if necessary. As with my classroom I am flexible. It is not the grade I am after it is the growth and understanding so I take late work, usually without penalty. A blended classroom is more student-driven, it combines both digital and hands-on learning and it definitely fits the 21st century idea of an interactive, authentic classroom. Why do I love a blended classroom? I have more time for fun activities, collaborative learning, labs, inquiry, makerspace design. I do not want to sit and watch my students take-notes from a Power-point. I do not want to watch my students read a chapter from a book or complete a worksheet. What I want to do is observe them problem-solving and critical thinking through STEM activities and Edcamps and Debates and Socratic Seminars. The reason I have time to jump out-side-the-box with my students is because I have a blended classroom. They read and gather notes at home and together we find synergy and grow together through interactive, authentic, challenging learning experiences.

The Happiest Place in School: A Student-Centered Classroom

Much like "The happiest place on Earth" adage for Disneyland it is more then just a saying, its an experience, an energy you feel as soon as you are in the parking lot. The anticipation, the excitement, the sound of laughter and joy. As a child, I lived in many places but the majority of my young adulthood, I lived a half an hour from the "happiest place on Earth." I had a yearly pass, visiting it as much as possible. The Disney vibe was very much integrated into my psyche. I knew very early on that when I became a teacher that the feeling of discovery and adventure found at this theme park, was what I wanted my classroom to be, "The happiest place in school, an interactive, engaging, student-centered atmosphere where most lessons were "rides" of inquiry and each unit was a land of enchantment. A flexible, challenging, interactive community based on interest and choice not traditional handouts, note-taking and homework. A blend of technology and hands-on learning with a makerspace, standing desks, active sitting and collaboration. All the qualities that make Disneyland memorable and personal to every visitor young and old alike. The memory of a magical place that still resonates in all of us. This amusement park aura being merged with a classroom of learning. Thus a student-centered design for me was born.

When you enter a Disney park you have a sense of wonderment and suspense. Not to mention, a feeling of where do I begin? A quick glance at the colorful map shows you the myriad of destinations just waiting for you to partake on. Flexible seating provides this sense of adventure letting students be mobile and active lets them use the "map" to their advantage. It takes self-discipline, modeling and sometimes redirection but in my classroom they stay the course most of the time and their resilience to sudden change or distraction, pliability and plasticity allows them to be open to new ideas, innovate, take-risks, and collaborate in a respectful and energetic way.

It is a very personal journey, learning. It needs to offer thrill and interest but also safety and relationships that help guide you through the carnival of knowledge. In my classroom the best expedition I embark on with my students are one-minute check-in's. Each week every student sits down with me for 1 minute to simply talk science, ask questions, and for us to get to know one another better. This is the foundation of our classroom amusement park- relationships. In Disneyland, costumed characters and guides in themed dress are there to help at every turn. This helps create a sense of security. Visitors can roam freely knowing they will never get lost in the hustle and bustle, maze like framework of the grounds. The joyride becomes more natural and memorable when the focus is on learning and having fun and not grades and assessment. A student-centered classroom needs to be designed around growth, providing endless ways to demonstrate knowledge and experience into the curriculum. Build, tinker, write, draw, sing, read-aloud, any option welcomed.

Having strong relationships between guest and Disney cast member creates respect and cooperation. In my classroom students work together every day through collaborative assignments and by setting up support systems where every student feels a part of the journey. Even the most reluctant learner needs to feel inspired to ride the roller coaster as well as the tea-cups and the log ride. Each bringing a different commotion and challenge but all bringing a new memory and new information into the fold. A student-classroom should not be a place built on speeches or lectures given by the teacher, but a neighborhood, residence, hangout that students operate and secure. Lessons should not be handed to them but ideas and concepts presented to them in order for them to create and design the rides, whether slow like "Pirates of the Caribbean" or mysterious like "The Haunted Mansion" it should be their choice which to participate in. If it is fast-paced and challenging like "Space-Mountain" or "The Matterhorn" let them set the speed and how fast they take the turns. This puts them in the drivers seat, which is where they want to be. The more input students have in writing, sharing, and implementing lessons in the classroom the more thrilling and interactive the classroom will become.

My favorite way to allow students to take the lead is community assessments. Sitting on a ride, quiet, afraid to experience the sensation and titillation is an awful feeling. Being afraid to get on the ride in the first place is even more awful. So how do we get the fearful, distracted, reluctant learners to buckle in for the spin? Rather than focus on individual grades, a multiple-choice quiz, a short-answer test, I try as much as possible (I am still bound by common assessments) to have community appraisals or observations. Not placing a grade per se but recognizing where their strengths and weaknesses are as much as my own. Where did the lesson go a miss? Much like the Disney Electrical Light Parade, a conglomeration of cooperation, brightness and clarity, spinning figures, magical music, and absolute engagement. Visitors line the streets, after-dark to experience the festive, interaction of sight, sound and mesmerizing detail. In my classroom, students have Edcamps where each table shares with the class their favorite aspect of the unit, or students line up and recount vocabulary (each a different term) and as the discussion progresses they make connections between the vocabulary until at the end the "Big Picture" has been formed. Group assessments are much more meaningful because it lacks judgment or evaluation merely connection and surveillance. They not only learn from each other but they find the confidence in themselves to share and collaborate with their peers.

Then the fireworks occur, drawing the day to a close. Eyes up to the sky watching the colors blend and fade. In my classroom tickets-out-the door are often verbal and interactive bringing illumination and conclusion to the days events. What bursts of knowledge did you gain today? Were there firecrackers, making distractions in your path? How can we lessen the distractions tomorrow? What was the most thrilling or magical idea you came up with today? Was this innovation personal or constructed through cooperation and interaction with your peers? I always have them talk it out and then use their journals to reflect. Mindful reflection brings the experience to a close- it helps solidify, synthesize, and bring synergy and harmony to both the new information and bigger connections they discovered during class. At the end of the day, leaving Disneyland, tired feet, exhausted, every child still has a little energy left to visit the gift stores lining Main Street. In a student-centered classroom these gifts are often the laughter and smiles on their faces as they know they learned something new. It is not the material aspects of life that mean the most but the often subtle assimilation of new knowledge because then it was not learning but playing. It was not work but fun. It was not compliance but independence and choice that ultimately we remember as we fall asleep in the car on our way home.