Ideas for using mini whiteboards

A simple white board can be a great tool. Not only is is quick and erasable but it also saves paper. I went to Home Depot and asked for a large white board. Then I had them cut it into 30 smaller pieces. Voila a class set of white boards. I have used them numerous times, students love them and they are easy to move about and clean. Here are a few ways they have been useful in my classroom:

1) Each student drew an organ and then we placed them all together on the floor to make a human body.

2) A quick assessment tool, draw A, B,C,D and hold it up (usually tight to the chest so others can't copy or see)

3) Write a question you think might stump a fellow student about our current topic-trade with a classmate

4) Make a giant graph of data on the floor, all A's, B's etc.

5) Use them as ramps in lab activities

6) Write different terms on some and definitions on others and have students match them up by walking around the room

7) Card sorts but they are the cards

8) Have each student in a group of 4 draw a different part of an organ or part of the body then mix them up and like a jigsaw have students create the right image

These and many more. The flexibility they provide is endless. I love that they can be cleaned very quickly and reused. They are also inexpensive and are long-lasting cutting down on needless copies.

How to support stressed-out students

Overachievers, underachievers, reluctant learners, worry worts, and perfectionists. Just about every student carries a level of stress with them throughout the school day. Whether is is coming from a place of fear of inadequacy, social awkwardness or parental pressure most students feel overwhelmed at some point in their school week. It can be noticeable or well hidden. But as teachers we need to try our best to not add to the layers of stress that our students are burdened with. Sports, music, academics it doesn't matter every aspect of a students life brings with it a little bit of stress. Add them all together, it is no wonder they act out or shy away.

Homework-is it really necessary? Is it purposeful, is it better completed in class with collaboration. Not everything needs to be done in isolation. A balance of both works great in my classroom. Every week discussion questions are posted on Canvas and they have 7-10 days to complete them. All other work is completed in class, and if not then becomes homework. If students go home with homework then they were not productive in class. This keeps stress levels low for my students when it comes to homework.

Options and choices lessen stress because some students love to write, while others love to draw or create, while others love to share and talk. Give them options in which to present and share their understanding of the content. Most of this occurs in the makerspace. The uniqueness and individuality shows here as I get so many different interpretations of the same topic it is amazing and leads to a great class discussion. Ultimately class discussions ease stress because it reinforces the information in a kid friendly arena where they are in control of the information and their own learning.

Lastly, talk to students weekly one-on-one, give them the opportunity to have a moment or two to ask questions and share ideas alone with you. This relieves any apprehension. I have found that these 1-minute check in's not only have alleviated almost any behavior issues but student achievement has increased as well as test scores. Students are more empowered and more motivated to participate and learn from one another. This has been the true sign that listening and forming strong, respectful relationships with students relieves stress and lets them focus on personal growth and learning.

What's in my teacher bag?

What is a teacher bag? To me it is a "bag of holding', or for you non-gamer's, a bag of endless crevices and pockets to store anything and everything. It contains the latest this and that, new technology or software, student work, lesson plans, makerspace materials, flexible seating, standing desks, even my classroom as it has evolved over time. It is a collective of the tangible and imaginable, the failures and successes, the enduring strategies and the current "flavor's of the month." It is important that it never be emptied because it encompasses every aspect of my teaching career and holds the reminders of where I have been as a learner and educator and where I am heading as a teacher.

It is a quiet place where I can meditate and reflect but also a bustling place where ideas are being generated. It is my storage place, my haven, my meeting place where great minds share ideas and innovations. I collaborate here with my team, colleagues, even people from around the world on Twitter, Voxer, Skype even Face Book. But also a diary and journal where I write my deepest fears and doubts. Where I face my insecurities and respond to naysayers. It is a place that travels with me through every season, even when in the heart of summer when my focus is being a mother and wife, enjoying my summer, it is there to jot down ideas for next year.

My teacher bag is not a container but a position that always puts students first, guides me to wherever I need to be to make that happen, and where I can find fulfillment as an educator. It is a safe place where no one but me ventures, where failure is welcoming and growth is inevitable. It is a thought, a feeling, a certainty that I am where I am supposed to be.

Music: Does Background Music Calm Students?

Two weeks ago I finally got my Spotify playlist complete and began playing it my classroom. It is a list of movie theme songs, Disney instrumentals, even some Mozart and Beethoven. I decided to collect some data, play it full time and write down some notes and after two weeks I would reevaluate if necessary. I explained to my students early on that "If I can't hear the music you are too loud." As my classroom is a student-centered classroom the majority of our class time is build around collaborative groups, which can get noisy at times.

Over the two weeks the volume was lowered a little every day to see if they would get quieter on their own. I would raise the volume at times, lower it at others. It took the full two weeks for this strategy to actually work. They quieted themselves almost on cue with little fuss it became automatic. One day I turned it off to see how they would respond. They noticed and asked me why it wasn't playing. It has now become quite routine.

Music in my classroom at least, does calm students. On occasion I will change to the playlist of upbeat current songs for brain breaks and clean up time. But the rest of the class there is a gentle, relaxing feel that keeps students focused. They are getting their classwork done earlier and as a class we are able to move at a faster pace. I am wondering why it took me this long to actually utilize classical music in my classroom. The students love it when I add a new song and they can figure out which movie or television show it is from. This week: The Walking Dead and The Lego Movie both of which they identified pretty quickly. Music the latest tool in my teacher tool box.

Discomfort, Growth, and Innovation

For any true growth to occur, some discomfort must be allowed to surface. That moment of fear before you introduce a new concept or idea to your class. The instant you realize you have ventured into uncharted waters, but continue to tread water further from the shoreline. That uncertainty you feel when you are unsure of how others will react to your innovative design. But, then suddenly the relief that you succumb to as the turbulent waves become calm seas. This is when the sails unfurl and the wind of accomplishment sets you free.

I have always stepped outside my comfort zone to try new things, but I have always had a safety net or a plan B. My navigation system has always been aligned with my path so I can quickly change direction and get back on course. I rarely, write detailed lesson plans, I have goals and essential questions and yes, a plan but never a concrete one because I alter my travel plans according to the weather and current. Otherwise known as my students. But the discomfort is always there because I rarely anchor in place but would rather drift in order to provide opportunities for them to peer at the horizon, swim with dolphins and even explore the greatest barrier reefs. This somehow works for me and my students.

Growth comes from taking risks and either succeeding or failing and swimming back up, life-jacket securely fastened, or even choosing to float or tread water to let the waves steer your course. Either way choice is key. Flexibility and motivation is what truly sets students on the right course. Always let them know a life boat is near by but place it just out of reach so they feel the salt on their skin, their eyes may burn a little from the splash of the waves but the engagement and exhilaration of learning makes them want to struggle just a bit. Students love to be challenged but only when they know that eventually they will make it to shore. So it is the balance between a distant horizon and feet in the sand that keeps them curious and determined.

Innovation does not mean that a teacher has created authentic lessons. It means that together students and teachers have created a "shark free zone" where every student can see the bottom of the clear water. That colorful fish and sea life can entice and draw them in but a snorkel or oxygen tank will always be available. Many students will choose the snorkel, stay near the surface but with a well-lit course we should be able to lure many to dive deep and find the so called buried treasure. Discomfort is the moment students jump in to the murky waters but swim to the clear blue. Growth is letting go of the snorkel and choosing to take the plunge into the darkness in search of hidden gems. Innovation comes when students and teachers recognize that together they are more likely to conquer the rough seas and make it to the calm waters through experience and discovery.

Why do Students Cheat?

There are dozens of articles, and endless research on why cheating occurs. Why seemingly intelligent, high achieving students resort to copying someones homework, peeking at someone else's test, and yes even plagiarizing someones work. When I was in college I watched other students do this during a test. Proctors would walk up and down the aisles in a 300 plus auditorium and cheating was everywhere. But why? Was it the thrill one might get caught or was there far too much partying and hung-over students just needed to get a passing grade? Either way most got away with it. Teaching generation after generation that cheating works.

In 7th grade, the stakes may seem lower, but often they are higher. The pressure placed on them by ever watchful and encouraging parents. Peers that always get the A making them feel second best. Even, unfortunately too much pressure placed on them by teachers and themselves to exceed all the time. I teach 120 gifted students who on a daily basis I have to reinforce with, failure is a good thing. It is alright to turn something in that is not perfect. They will tear up nearly completed projects and begin again because the lines are not straight. This is setting many of them up to withdraw from learning, not take risks, and internalize every criticism.

As teachers we need to build strong, trusting, respectful relationships with our students. We need them to believe that we will tell them the truth and that when they fail, we will welcome it and help them succeed. Not give them negative feedback and move on. I discuss every assignment with a rubric. After the assignment is completed and graded, I pass it back and we have 1-on-1 check in's about their progress. This is instant feedback, purposeful critique and praise, and reassures them that no matter the grade I appreciate and value their effort. It is crucial for teachers to reflect on their teaching and it is also crucial for students to set goals and reflect on their learning. If this is continual they will find solace in it. They will see their growth and not internalize only grades.

Children cheat for many reasons, least of all to win. They want to belong to a community of those who are praised and have opportunities to try again without penalty. If a classroom is designed not around a pacing guide and grades but on growth and progress students will not feel the need to cheat. If they do and receive a good grade, they will feel relieved but when they see others who failed honestly, and get to retry and succeed, share their journeys and are proud of their accomplishments then students who cheated will not see any value in continuing to cheat. Set up a classroom of success geared around failure and there will be no need for students to feel the tug towards dishonesty.

Halloween: A Teachable Moment

Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Harry Potter, Ghosts and Witches oh my!  Taking my 6 year old trick-or-treating this year was an adventure. My neighborhood is a quiet one on Halloween with only about six houses out of about 60 actually participating. Last year my sons was miserable and saddened that this was the case. So this year we piled in the car, and drove to a neighborhood down the street that was bustling and humming with laughter and anticipation. He was mesmerized by the vast array of costumes.

Halloween now-a-days is all about the candy of course. But before we journeyed into the sugary fantastic world of treats and trickery I sat down my son and we discussed the meaning behind All Hallow's Eve. Halloween is the night before All-Saint's Day. I explained that "Begging at the door grew from an ancient English custom of knocking at doors to beg for a "soul cake" in return for which the beggars promised to pray for the dead of the household. Soul cakes, a form of shortbread and sometimes quite fancy, with currants for eyes became more important for the beggars than prayers for the dead. This slowly became treats, candy, etc."

Each beggar sang a song which also over time has transformed into "trick or treat"

Soul, soul, an apple or two,
If you haven't an apple, a pear will do,
One for Peter, two for Paul,
Three for the Man Who made us all.

I could have gone on and on but, alas he just wanted candy. I thought well, my little story went in one ear and out the other. BUT at the 3rd house, "ding dong", the door opened, and my son, to my surprise exclaimed "I am not a beggar, but if you haven't an apple a pear will do, did you know that is what they said before we started saying trick or treat, my mom taught me that."