Blue Sky Revelation- A Journey with the Clouds (43)

Bathed in sweet reason
The glow is eye catching 
Light peaks through a collision of cloud
A visual hum
Passing through an otherwise silent illumination 

Ruffles have ridges
Clouds do too
They crease and furrow
For me and you

The merge of yellow and gray
Wolves of the sky
They silently howl of nights arrival
and
To the sun goodbye

Ominous it congregates 
Mustering the strength to rendezvous
It is undefeated against
A sunny sky

The moon among the pink influence
Eyes wide open
Stares through a vastness
Unblinking at the glare of yesterday

Stretchy cotton candy
Refusing to melt within the warmth of the sky
Sugary, whispy and whimsical
It sweetens the morning

The nectar of the sky
Tells a story of music and memory
Catching shapes and mimicking 
Feathers of its inhabitants 

Sky Creatures
Soar through the open
Merging with the subtle
They often go unnoticed

Above us only sky
Cotton soft and inviting
Pillow top
Comfort

Sharp meets fluffy
Shadow aligns with contrast
Curvature and angle
Layer 

Above 
Below
Either
It unfolds

X marks the spot
Lying at the intersection
of
White and letter
as if
A journey awaits

A New Way To Test Correct (42)

Today we tried a new way to go over a test. Rather than just go over the answers and explain where students went wrong we did a four step, individual, team, review. This had every student reflect over the wording of the questions, analyse the questions and determine if they felt they got them right or wrong.

I asked them, independently to read over their test booklet, and beside each question put a + if they got the question correct, if they were certain. To put a check mark if they struggled with the question, but felt like they got it correct. Finally if they felt they had gotten it wrong then they put a -.

After they did this, quietly for about 3 minutes. Each table of 2-3, went through the test together and compared answers. They had to make sure everyone, at the table agreed, on the answer, if not they had to debate and then decide, which they felt was right and why.

Then we went over the answers as a class and they corrected any they got wrong.

After a discussion of why each question, that was missed by many, was correct- I had them do test corrections. They used their notes to explain, why the answer was correct.

Then we looked at the TEKs- Texas Essential Knowledge standards. The test questions had the TEK numbers by each question, but the actual description of the TEK was missing. I put the TEKs on the white board and they labeled them accordingly and counted up how many of each TEK was represented, on the test.

Last, students circled any question they felt needed re-wording for clarity AND they looked over their class journals/notes, to determine what, if any, topics we discussed in class, were NOT on the test. Then we discussed why. Students figured out very quickly, the importance of the wording and expectations of the TEKs and why some information covered in class, was not included on the test.

A QR code was put up on the board for students to answer a few reflection questions over the process, this way I can adjust for future tests.

This process took longer, but I think especially for my PreAP and ACA classes, this was definitely a reteach and it helped students prepare for the retake. But also, it was a good way for them to understand- what they are learning, how it is being taught and what they will be tested on, on future tests.

Subordinate Yourself to a Greater Mission (40)

An act of courage can bolster the resolve of others. But an act of oblation can halt it. Bravery is accepting the challenge, in the face of doubt. But also understanding and preparing for battle. Fortifying the battle field, yet leaving a path of retreat.

Diving in head first, without thinking about the consequences is not what I am talking about. We often do this though. We overestimate our endurance. Our passion is expansive, our purpose narrowed and defined, but our time might just prevent us, from accomplishing every aspect of our multifaceted mission.

A calling, per se, does not mean don't screen your calls. It means find the opportunities that not only matter most to you, but that can make the biggest difference. The ones that fulfill you but also balance with the rest of your life. Filter out the noise and hone in on the consistency, the frequency that resonates. As educators we do this a lot. But we also try to hear all the pulsations and this disperses our resolve.

We ask ourselves what we can do that will make the most impact for our students? What can we do to help every child feel welcome and safe? But, do we also ask ourselves- What do I need to focus on, what do I need to let go? A mission is an objective, a pursuit and we have to sometimes make sacrifices, in order to complete it. We find purpose, set goals and begin our quest- yet we rarely let the side ventures go, in order to commit fully to our mission. 

We want to do it all. Be active on social media, write, mentor and coach extra-curricular clubs and competitions. We want to go to conferences and teach at professional developments days. We want to plan fabulous lessons- every single one exciting, engaging and purposeful. We want to get to know every one of our students, and form an extraordinary bond with them and their parents. We literally want to be a superhero. Yet, even a superhero, could not manage all of this- especially with a family.

Dedication and adherence can often lead to collateral damage. We neglect other parts of our lives. Balance is a myth. Nothing is ever truly balanced, at least not for long. There is constant give and take. Moving a gold coin from the left scale to the right. A constant leveling out. We are eager, passionate educators- but we are also a part of a loving, nurturing family. 

We have to ask for help sometimes. But, we also need to take stock, of our commitments and choose to subordinate, to our mission. As educators, we all have a mission, our students. PERIOD. Our colleagues, parents everything else is a close second. Our students are our mission. But if we are stretched thin, and we begin to satellite ourselves out in every which direction- how can they truly stay our mission?

Subordinate yourself to a greater mission and find time to be a celebrity. Subordinate yourself to a greater mission- be connected with family and friends. We have two missions and both revolve around relationships. If we make those the priority: parent, sibling, spouse, friend- teacher, mentor- the rest can align. But, if we are searching for something else, we need to choose to be that instead. No sacrifice- only subordination to what we really want, need and love.

A Cultural Revolution- 8 Strategies to Create a Positive Classroom Culture (38)

Culture is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities and habits of the individuals in these groups. Does this not sound like a classroom society, an educational atmosphere?

Classroom culture involves creating an environment where students feel safe and free to be involved. It's a space where everyone should feel accepted and included in everything. Students should be comfortable with sharing how they feel, and teachers should be willing to take in every ounce of feedback, in order to, help improve learning. Educators need to be more listeners than speakers.

Here are a few ways I make sure my classroom community is student-led:

Set rules together – We have designed a positive, mindful classroom where students are free to be themselves, this does not mean there aren’t any ground rules and routines. Students should feel safe and respected, and a framework around that helps them do so. Mindful, positive speak is our norm. I encourage them to think for themselves, and I ask them what kind of rules there should be. These rules are based around our mindfulness strategies.

Transform problems into teachable moments – Too many times we see problems as a setback of some sort. Instead, we need to see them as teachable moments. As something to build upon. I take a positive spin and get students interested in taking the steps to solve it. We work as a class to talk things through, so we can make sure the classroom is a safe place for everyone. This not only strengthens problem-solving skills, but also communicative and collaborative skills that are so vital in the classroom.

Change the setup – The way the classroom is arranged will have a massive impact on the way students work. The more individual spaces the better. In my room that means standing desks. We also have lots of tables where students can get into groups. Flexible seating is just half the set up. I provide space for students to add their work to the wall and help decorate accordingly. I have a graffiti wall (chalk board) where students draw comics, add mindfulness quotes and have a space to express themselves.

Chat with each student individually – Find the time to have a casual chat with your students individually to see how they’re doing. I have 1- minute check-ins every week with every student. More if they are struggling with something in particular. I also use 1- minute check-ins as an opportunity to get some feedback from students about lessons and the classroom culture.

Give out “jobs” – Giving students responsibilities in the classroom not only makes them part of the day-to-day running of the classroom, but it generally helps boost self-esteem knowing they have been trusted with a specific task. This can be handing out papers, being the greeter at the door, or makerspace organizer. My students volunteer for these tasks, partly due to the candy after a few weeks, but I think it makes them feel good to have the responsibility for helping our classroom run smoothly.

Create a Clear Communication Line with Parents -A classroom culture can’t sustain itself without the involvement of parents. They should be included as much as possible via phone calls, emails, positive post cards and invitations to participate in field trips and family nights. Parents are true allies- but it is a relationship like any other and needs to be cultivated, nurtured and strengthened by communication and respect.

Integrate Social and Emotional Learning Programs- Mindfulness is my classroom SEL strategy. We have lessons every week, warm-ups and tickets-out-the-door daily. Students write on our positivity wall among many other things to keep our classroom positive, optimistic and happy. (see this post for more information Practical Rebellion: https://practicalrebellion.blogspot.com/2020/02/ten-easy-ways-to-create-mindful.html?spref=tw )

Ask different questions- It is interesting when we pause, respond not react and listen intently, the questions we can ask, get more meaningful and purposeful. When we are present and focused, we can see problem-areas and address them quickly. When we listen with purpose, we see things we might otherwise miss. Then we can ask the right questions to solve them. For instance:

• How can I help?
• What do you need from me?
• Is there a different sentence we could use to express our self?
• What exactly made you feel the way you do now? Can I make a difference for you in how you handle it?

If we ask them how we can help rather than how they feel, it puts them at ease and this in turn creates a community, of listeners and action takers. A classroom culture, like that of a society level culture is diverse, multi-cultural, and a vast community -with personalities and needs and opinions. It is fluid and expansive and it needs attention and the trust of its inhabitants to make it work. 

A culture is only as strong as its citizens. Our classroom citizens have everything to do with the culture. We can’t make them be anything that they are not. We can only create a space where they can be themselves. We are just the cultivator- they are the energy that keeps it sustainable.

I Always Feel Empowered After I Read (36)

There is a face-off of time and attention, I live through it every day. I have a list of things to accomplish and a list of things I want to do. I want to find a warm-comfy corner and make a hot cup of tea and just read. My escape is reading and writing. Yet, most of my day is requirements and regiments. Finishing my to-do-list first.

I can write anywhere, I am a fiend. I write in my journal or type on a nearby computer. Doesn't matter where I am, even a sticky note, I write down ideas a lot. Write poems, write stories, write anything really. I write down my inspirations and aspirations, all the time and these phrases or words lead to blog posts- they lead to journal entries.

"My Guitar Gently Weeps," the famous Beatles song was written by George Harrison. His action was to open a random book and choose the first line he read. ________ gently weeps. He plugged in the guitar part and voila, an iconic song. He did that a lot, choose random lines and ideas he glimpsed in books and programs. I just found this out and it made me smile. I do the same thing.

I hear or read a phrase and from it- an idea- and finally words flow into a post. I usually hear or read something- jot it down in my inspiration journal and choose to not return to it until days later. I like things to percolate. I choose to forget them for a bit- they always find me again. Usually combining with a different idea. It's how I find my flow. For some people writing comes naturally- it does for me.

You have to build your determination. It doesn't always continue with an exponential ascent. I plateau every now and again. I jump into reading for awhile and this brings on a new insight. A new rhythm. I try to alternate daily between reading and writing. I love fiction books- but these days I am focusing on the non-fiction books of Pink, Gladwell and others. The books about inspiration and real life determination and ingenuity. I am connecting to that aspect of life these days. Growing through the action of others.

I appreciate the anecdotes. I enjoy learning about what motivates and drives people to behave they way they do. How our minds work. How our personalities and misconceptions steer us, shape us and above all else bond us to other people. Psychology and sociology- not just in education but in every aspect of our lives. How we miss the lies, accept what we don't understand and try to believe the best in people. Our humanity.

Reading and writing empower me. They connect me to other people by allowing me to see the differences and uniqueness among us. I feel another blog post approaching....

Moments (34)

We all have peaks and valleys. Moments where we are thrilled, like a roller coaster, arms up, screaming at the top of our lungs. While some moments, are the anticipation, the build, the climb to the peak. Others the lull, the after glow or even the sad, trauma moments, we all must experience. These moments sometimes happen to us or around us. Sometimes though we create them.

Peaks need to be based on elevating ourselves, seeing the world through excited eyes- something wonderfully memorable. These become peaks. They should be insightful, interesting, and again memorable. Finding a great book and nestling under a tree to delve into it- insightful and memorable. Peaks are peaks because we see them as such. We believe in them.

Often these peaks are centered around life changes or progressions: weddings, birthday's, graduations. They are milestones. We remember them fondly. Like most of us adults, remember our adolescence fondly. We remember our friends, prom, marching band and everything else that made high school memorable. Yet, of course, others find this same time period a valley. Perspective and experience dictate our moments, our memories.

When we feel a sense of pride- finishing a marathon, getting a book published, winning an award- these are some of the greatest peaks. They connect us- we feel a part of a community. We run together as a community, we write and get published with an editor and publisher, we accept an award in front of our colleagues and peers. Its exhilarating.

Moments can be big, like fireworks- colorful, explosive, filling the sky with optimism. That is why they blast the sky on some of our greatest holiday's. But, moments can be intimate, quiet and simple. Reading a book aloud to your child before bed. A walk on the beach, hand in hand with your spouse. These moments might not feel like peaks- but they are definitely inclines.

If we get ourselves into a relentless loop of routines, goal setting without leveling up, and just plowing through day after day, without setting time aside for the moments- we will grind down the peaks. We will be left with a desolate, barren, region of just getting by. Balance is impossible- we will always struggle to get things done- we have to let something go, to accomplish something else. Unbalance is alright. As long as we continue to climb the peaks. Accept the valley's, but carry a shovel, so we can always fill in the ditches, until we see the brightness, of the next new moment.

Dial 7 to Get an Outside Line- Routine to Get Recompense (32)

Relentless routines create a sense of comfortability- yes. They generate compliance- yes. If they are strict enough, they lead us to 'reasonability' rather than recompense. They might seem practical, purposeful even predictable- thus structured and organized, but if they are relentless, they lose their mission. If routines are steadfast, yet flexible, they create a cantilever effect. Secure on one edge- strong enough to hold the other sides in place. So tight in fact, they can actually have some room to hang over the precipice a bit.

This overhang produces awe inspiring ideas. Ideas are easy. Execution is hard. It is an idea world we live in after all. The next big thing is always right around the corner. Trends rise and fall like ancient empires- yet persistent, strong-willed, tenacious designs are everywhere. They are ascending the walls of the fortresses, built to keep power, within the hands of the few. They are clambering at the archway ready to break down the gates of hardship. They outweigh procrastination, overcome drag, overpower the inertia of meekness ten fold. If they didn't, we would be stuck back in the time of Neanderthals. We progress because we dream, we imagine, we build.

There are limitations- placed on us by ourselves as much as an outside force. Dial 7 to get an outside line. We can breach the barrier yet we are required to connect to the ether first. The swirl of imagination and creativity. But, once we do- the sky is not the limit- above sky is space and that, well...is literally endless as far as we know. Routine gets us to atmosphere and troposphere. Conventional might present the ship, but brain power, science and ingenuity builds it. Unremarkable does not outweigh inventiveness, astuteness and plain ol' gumption.

We need a little routine to get to the wisdom. A writer, writes. Athletes play, practice, exercise and compete. We set goals, push ourselves to continue to grow. Once we leave that routine we can easily fall short. So custom leads to cunning. A treadmill may be stationary- but it bears results. It is what compels resourcefulness. Thus we choose to dial 7 and get an outside line. It is the bridge between deduction and dexterity. If we follow the rules, we will be able to see how we can modify and adapt to them, to use them for our benefit.

Routine to recompense. Structure, scaffolding and the boards that build the platform, the cantilever, we perch ourselves on, is only secure because we understand the importance of the physics. We believe in the mathematics and engineering, that allow us to frame our habits. We understand the importance of construction and stability, so we can shape our tendency to eyeball and quickly survey, rather than scrutinize at first glance. When we step out onto our stanchion, our personal crosspiece- we have to know we will be guarded while we are there.

Relentless routine diminishes possibility because it narrows the playing field. But purposeful standards help bolster our position so we can pay attention to what's important- the view.