Obstacles and Opportunities

As far as setbacks go, I was met with a pretty solid one this week. Last Saturday, while enjoying some outside activities with friends - badminton, to be exact - I ruptured my Achilles tendon. Not fun. Sometimes the universe is very aggressive in delivering simple messages like "hey, you're getting older."

Looking ahead to surgery in a few days followed by physical therapy and recovery, I know there will be plenty of smaller obstacles to work through that lie ahead.

With this situation comes opportunity. Personally, it's a chance to become more intentional establishing daily habits like stretching, being mindful, focusing on what my body is telling me and focusing on my body as a whole. There is every reason to think and believe I can emerge from this process better and stronger in many ways. 

The other opportunity for me is to be an example to my own kids and my students. In education we tend to talk a lot about mindset, grit, positivity, goal-setting, etc. This is my chance to show the people around me - in real time - what this might look like when working through very real setbacks. 

There will be tough days, good days, and bad days. Days where it will be very hard to put on a good face and power through. It'll be important for me to remember that it's okay to be honest with my students --> tell them when I'm struggling and why. Demonstrating thoughtfulness, reflection, vulnerability and - yes - toughness and grit, will hopefully be an example they can draw from in their own lives. 

Here's hoping... (also hoping that eventually that leg will get back to where it was - even though it might take almost a year!)

Essentials

Been thinking quite a bit lately about what's important - especially when it comes to learning and teaching. Typically you'll find that phrase written the other way around: Teaching and Learning. However, I am striving to be much more intentional in reversing the order. 

Why?

Because everything starts and ends with Learning.

In my mind, the number 1 goal as an educator has always been to promote, foster, and help create a love and natural curiosity for learning. 

With that said, here are some of the things I find are essential when it comes to tools, skills, strategies and resources students need to feel and become successful.

-A consistent time and place to study and/or work on homework. This can be tricky with busy lives and activities, but if students have a place in their home they mentally designate as the "work/study" place, they'll have a better mindset for that time. Some consistency around the "when" can also help in establishing and maintaining positive work habits. 

-An organizational method or system. Our school is a binder school (much evidence and research around to support this!) and this works pretty well. For some, it might be the use of folders and notebooks; others it might be an accordion file. Either way, a consistent, clearly labeled system will pay dividends. On that note...

-Planner use and/or direct instruction on Time Management! I've found that most students under the age of 14 or 15 really benefit from using a paper planner. Much can be said of the cognitive benefits of writing things down and being able to go back to check. Most schools and districts have LMS with calendar features. Teaching and training kids on how to effectively utilized these as well goes a long way.

-A school filled with caring adults that kids feel they can trust and lean on. Enough said. This is most definitely #1 and can't be overstated.

-The opportunity for students to build and use their voices consistently and creatively is huge! 

-The chance to READ and WRITE. Every. Single. Day.

-The space to take chances boldly, fail safely, and reflect thoughtfully. 

-An environment with high expectations around LISTENING to and RESPECTING different voices, viewpoints, and experiences. 

-Consistency from me as their teacher; with high expectations, support, and follow-through. 

Thoughts? Anything you'd add? Agree or disagree?

image: clipart-library.com

Takeaways and Truths

 

After a couple of weeks getting into a new school year, it seemed like a good time to reflect on some observations and takeaways of what is going on and what I have seen. Additionally, reminding myself of some of the more universal truths that seem to reintroduce themselves every fall. 

Two weeks in, here's what has resonated:

1. It is so unbelievably fantastic having all of the students back in class and together! They're engaged, love working together and collaborating, and feed off of each others' energy and creativity. 

2. Many students have not been in a classroom consistently - and some not at all - for a year and a half...and in many ways it shows! There are a lot of details around the rhythms of a school day that some are a little rusty on. That's more than okay! All in due time...and some of this stuff is always in need of updating/modifying/adapting anyways. 

3. Kids have become so much more knowledgeable and proficient with their use of technology skills over the past couple of years. A lot of this is due to necessity; some is a byproduct of their lives fully lived digitally.

4. Middle School students - especially but not limited to 6th grade - definitely need recess or some sort of built-in time for physical activity! Ideally, gym class (and frankly ALL the allied arts classes) would get just as much time as others. **if you've read much of what I've written previously, you would know I'm a huge believer in the whole child, well-rounded approach**  It would be so nice if the kids were able to have a daily chance to get movement, be active, clear their minds, and release some of their energy in a positive way!

5. Students love creating. Even when they don't realize it, they seem to feed off of and get energy from creating. The more I can put opportunities in front of them to create, share, give/get feedback, and reflect - the better! 

6. It's vital to have balance in tech/computer use and doing things "analog" as well :)  The students need it, I need it, and everyone benefits from finding that balance after so much time needing to rely on technology. It goes back to those guiding principals around tech use --> is it useful? transformative? enhancing to the experience?

Beyond those thoughts, here are some seemingly universal truths around what students need to do - and what I can need to help with and foster - for successful learning:

a. all kids love learning and are curious. it's a matter of supporting them and building an environment & culture to foster that excitement.

b. every kid deserves an environment at school where they feel safe, respected, and valued. what I've found in 20+ years of teaching is that when kids feel this need is met - no matter what "type" of kid they are - they will flourish and grow.

c. so much of life - and learning - is just about giving it a shot and throwing yourself out there! for some this comes naturally. for many others, it does not. it's incumbent upon me to be their cheerleader when necessary.

d. effort goes a long way and makes up for so much!! 

e. when students know I'm invested in them they will almost always reciprocate. while I understand this doesn't always check out and you'll never get that from 100% of students, that's not a reason to NOT engage with kids!

f. kids need organizational skills and they need to be explicitly taught these skills!

g. at the start of the school year --> start SLOW to go FAST!! 

image: istockphoto.com

Simple Yet (Hopefully) Effective

Something I've always done as a teacher - for 20 years now - has been to greet my students at the door as they come in for class. Additionally, I have always stood in the hallway before first hour and during each passing time throughout the day. It's a great way to have a positive interaction with kids; remind them that you know their name; maybe ask a question about their day/weekend/previous day/game last night, etc. More than anything, what I hope it does is help kids feel welcome.

It's been a little different this year. Students are more spaced out in the halls. For much of the year, only half of the students have been here at a time. There can be a sense of emptiness and even loneliness when you're sitting outside your class waiting for some traffic to come by! Plenty of times over the years I've laughed to myself thinking I'm like Kramer from Seinfeld when he set a mock front porch.

 

Maybe it's generational, but I really enjoy seeing and talking to people in the hallway as they go by - students, fellow teachers, custodians - anyone. It's great to share laughs/jokes with the kids, and razz the older ones you had in previous years. 

It's been hard to get that same feel this year with masks and more distance. Couple that with the fact that kids have spent more time away from people than with others for the past 13 months and it's easy to understand how many are a bit "rusty" with some of the interpersonal skills. Eye contact, the knowing head nod, saying hello, etc. More days than not I am met with more awkward silence, stunted hellos, and short answers than I'd care to admit, but I am sticking with it! Serenity Now...

More than anything, this time has reinforced to me just how much I thrive on communicating, collaborating, and working with others - live and in person as much as possible! No matter what lines of work I find myself in, I know that this is something I'll need. Until next time neighbor...

Rumbling, Stumbling, and Bumbling...Into Learning

 This is really less about my students (at least the stumbling/bumbling part) and more about me and my experience these last months. As someone who began teaching by using a blackboard (at least a little...my student teaching experience in college featured a little bit of this -> the chalk using kind, not the LMS platform!), it's pretty crazy to think about how important, essential, and downright ubiquitous technology has become in this line of work. I understand that isn't a unique statement...this is pretty much how things are in most areas of life right now. No doubt that will only increase each and every year. 

Cue the bumbling and stumbling! I've always prided myself on being up-to-date with best practices, and not just tech integration. In fact, I would say one of my favorite things about being a professional educator is that you're always learning, always growing, always developing new skills. It's pretty integral if you want to be effective (along with a ton of other things...but that's a whole other post). 

This past year has brought more than its share of roadblocks and frustrations. Just when you think you might have things figured out, there's a setback, change of schedule, back to hybrid-back to distance-etc. that you just have to work through. As a result, I KNOW I have stumbled, bumbled, and failed more than a few times.

BUT!... But I've learned. I've grown. I've been able to reflect and decide what has worked well and what hasn't. I have had to adapt, try new techniques, build up aspects of my self that weren't necessarily strengths, and lean into my strengths more than ever before. For all of this, I am better.

This leads me to my students, and this fascinating concept of "learning loss" that gets tossed around quite frequently these days. 

-Have there been parts of 'usual content' that may have been missed over this past year? Yes

-Have students missed out on 'seat time' compared to every other year? No doubt!

-Have students experience more and varied difficulties now than ever before? 100%

Here's the thing...they have LEARNED so much. They've been thrown into the fire, for better or worse. They have had to adapt, try new techniques, developed new skills, and build up some of their own weaknesses that they otherwise (maybe) never would have been forced to develop. Knowledge will now always be at their fingertips through phones, computers, etc. Skills, intelligence, wisdom, and learning should always be happening and developing outside our classroom walls -- even in a "good/normal" year. Part of what I've realized is that a new responsibility on my end is to help foster and facilitate these opportunities for kids whenever I can; to create chances to learn, build, collaborate, and reflect at a high rate in my class; to not go back to any 'usual' things from before that weren't effective and implement as much as possible from this past year that came out of the darkness. 

I love the kids being back in school as much as possible for all the obvious reasons - socialization, mental and emotional health, a connected school community, etc. These have been the tragic parts of the past year. Maybe now we will all recognize just how important all of that is...and not just the potential "learning loss" identified through standardized tests.

...the Mother of All Invention

Last week I shared a simple thought via Twitter and LinkedIn: even though it is pretty tough to quantify, I can't help but feel as though many of my students are experience a type of learning and growth they would have never fully realized without experiencing our current situation. Thankfully, I received some positive feedback, along with a common addition: tell me more about that - what are you seeing?

So, after thinking about it a little more over the weekend while watching the Vikings fritter away another road game, here are some skills and/or areas I have seen kids grow, learn, and overall rise to the occasion:

Self-Advocacy

I can tell you as a 6th-grade teacher one of the most crucial skills for middle-level students to learn is the art of self-advocacy. Every year, it is one of main growth goals for our students, one of the main talking points with parents at the beginning of the year and at conferences, and one of the universal, transcendent skills all of us educators are looking to foster. In some ways this year is just like any other...some students are further along than others; some students need more support than others; some students will continue to struggle and grow in this area all year and beyond. But what's different this year is more students are developing this skill - growing & learning - at a more rapid pace.

Flexible Thinking

With so in life being tossed upside-down and all around, students are forced to become more flexible, pliable, dynamic thinkers and problem-solvers. Now, they're not alone. Parents are doing more and being challenged in more ways than ever before; juggling work, raising kids, being support staff at home, and managing their own lives! Teachers are adapting, honing, changing, modifying, and updating what we deliver and how we deliver it every day. What's impressed so much about so many of my students is how they have absolutely risen to up to meet the moment. While I do still have a handful of students I worry about and know need support, it's been so incredibly energizing to see the resiliency of so many young people. 

Problem Solving

This is connected with the first two categories. There are so many ways in which my students are demonstrating efficient and effective problem-solving strategies. Organizing their daily schedules to know when each class starts, along with Google Meet information. Working with partners and groups for school work and still completing assignments at a high level of return and quality. Communicating with teachers with any issues/questions/concerns they may have during the day. Navigating digital platforms to find and interact with content. Yes, teachers and staff have put in a ton of work to help with all of these things. Administration and district-level technology and media have done exemplary work as well (ours are amazing!). As stated above, parents have been unbelievable partners throughout everything. That said, I truly need to tip the cap to my students in this area!

Collaboration & Communication

Most kids love to talk. Middle school students are especially gifted at this...especially in loud voices! But meaningful, productive communication can sometimes be hard to come by when we're talking eleven to fourteen year-olds. These past eight to nine months have really forced students to become better email writers, more purposeful speakers in class, and more efficient with their time when working with others. It has challenged me as their teacher to develop more opportunities to not only leverage these skills, but to also practice and build up these skills. It has been very enjoyable to watch students grow in their communication. In some ways it might be unfair they've had to 'grow up so fast' with some of these things, but I know that they will be way ahead of the game down the road. In terms of collaboration, students are constantly working with others, even when it may not seem like it: waiting to speak in a virtual class, listening intently to others so they can add something meaningful to the conversation, understanding the purpose and Why of different roles within groups. 

There is much more I could add. There are also students who are struggling with (very real) issues around mental health, isolation, and barriers around language, unstable home situations, and inequity. For this post, however, I wanted to take a minute and share some sincere appreciation for all the hard work, growth, and real learning so many students are experiencing in the midst of all this madness.

Thoughts & Reflections Approaching Winter Break

Part of the problem with taking a break from consistent writing is it ends up feeling as though I'm trying to time my jump into a fast spinning revolving door. Each separate door frame-sized pane of glass representing a large area of life, current happenings professionally, and/or one of the myriad crazy things going on in the world on a daily basis.

 

Sometimes I think transitioning back into cogent thoughts will be smooth, and other times it seems predestined for slow, awkward, epic failure. Even though that (often times) debilitating line of thinking has kept me from reflection, I know - and personally value - the importance of looking inward and collecting thoughts on a regular basis. 

But it's more than that. This fall, there has been the ever-present feeling of "so much." So much noise; so many variables; so much distraction; so many obstacles. While I fully understand and acknowledge I write this reflection from a point of privilege and being blessed - health of self and family good, steady job, etc. - it is also valid to say the last handful of months have been a bit much. A grind. And when I think about all of it, it can be easy to let the "so much" become all-consuming. Sometimes it just feels good to put your head down, be productive, and get the job done. The problem is, there can be so much 'cargo' that you end being the one taken for a ride, wondering just how the view became so altered, so quickly.

With that said, it feels appropriate to focus on some of the positives from this first semester so far...obviously the craziest, weirdest, most challenging, and (in some ways) the most rewarding four months of a twenty-year teaching career. 

• Students are amazing. Like really, truly incredible. Is this some of the best "work" I've seen out of kids thus far? Not necessarily. Have I been pleasantly surprised and inspired on many occasions? Absolutely. My Advisory (homeroom) kids show up every day, most of them eager to talk, share, exchange stories and jokes, and encourage each other. All of my other classes typically have 97-100% attendance; work is done just as much as before. In short - the kids are alright.
• That said, my biggest worry is their mental health. Are they feeling connected enough? Do they know many adults are caring for them and invested in them every day? I know it's my #1 goal this year...creating the environment and culture where they can just come and "be," if nothing else. The work will get done, and they always end up learning. I fully believe they learn just as much by observing me - my attitude, my commitment to them, the grace I offer, the patience I show, and the enthusiasm I bring on a daily basis. 
• While it has been different to not have the usual amount of interaction with parents - especially in person - to a person they have been amazingly supportive of me and their child. I have no doubt this makes an invaluable difference. There are many roadblocks this year, but this support has worth more than I could have imagined. 
• I really miss seeing and working with colleagues in-person. This isn't really a "positive," other than it speaks to the talented, dedicated, amazing staff at my school. 
  
• The administration at my school is fantastic. Enough said.
• In some ways, this fall has been the most rewarding stretch of my teaching career. Learning new ways to instruct, connect, assess, and plan have helped me grow as an educator. 

There are more things on my mind - serious and lighthearted - from the experience of these last nine months. More posts and more reflections for other days. For now, it was important to get back in the rhythm, think about how things have gone, and take stock of all the positives going on in a world of chaos.