Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Back to the Classroom


Will Sub for Experiences - Nov. 30, 2011

In my presentations I am proud to tell the participants that I try to return to the classroom and teach on a regular basis. I’ve been a long-term substitute on several occasions over the last five years. Sometimes I am asked to be a “guest” teacher or we arrange for me to do model lessons and we film it. I’ve always found that by returning to the classroom, I am able to keep my skills honed, as well as experience first-hand the kinds of issues facing teachers on a daily basis. Teaching students helps me be a better teacher trainer and staff developer. This Fall I had several jobs cancel or reschedule due to funding shortfalls – surprise! I found myself not working out on the road for several weeks. I went to our County Office of Education and dusted off my “Substitute Teacher” file. My fingerprints were up to date and there were no recent felonies on my record, but I did have to go get a TB test. I notified several of the local school districts where I have taught in the past. I wasn’t willing to be on the 5AM computerized emergency call list, but I immediately had several requests come in and I started my 2011 Substitute experience.

The night before I was to sub in an 8th grade class in Santa Cruz, I began to prepare myself. By that I mean I carefully selected an outfit to wear that wouldn’t scream, “I’m an old out-of-date-teacher,” or “I’m a white upper-middle class English-speaking, culturally-insensitive Gringa,” or  “I’m totally overdressed for this job (and out of my comfort zone).”  I also took time to double-check that I didn’t have any whiskers growing out of my chin, as they tend to do these days. There’s nothing that an insensitive middle-school student likes better on a sub than a few physical flaws to point out. In the morning I brushed my teeth and packed breathe mints – I was not leaving anything to chance. I brought along my Singing Bowl that I use as an attention-getting chime, the Recessitate Box of quick energizing and relaxing activities, colored popsicle sticks in case I needed to randomly get students into groups, my green-red apple response cards, and just in case things got ugly, a bag of mini-Tootsie Rolls.

My first assignment was for two days in an 8th grade class. Day one I was doing a lesson of my own design on “Growing Smarter Brains” This is a presentation on neural plasticity  (how neurons and dendrites are prompted to grow and connect when one is in an enriched stimulating environment) and how to develop a “growth mindset,” (the belief that with effort and perseverance, one can get better at anything they work at) as described by Carol Dweck. These lessons include novel information, humorous video clips, group and partner activities, brain-teasers, optical illusions, and provide time for students to relate personal experiences – all ingredients for successful learning! Day one went well, but I was exhausted.

On day two I was following the teacher’s carefully planned lessons. They included a variety of activities and tasks for two 90 minute Core Classes (Language Arts and Social Studies) and an Advisory class. I added a couple of my own lesson strategies for learning and identifying the “four kinds of sentences” (declarative, imperative, interrogative and exclamatory). Classroom management was tricky, but I held my own. Everything got completed in one class, and all but one task got done in the other. My personally best learning experience happened in the last class on the last day.

Just after the bell rang, a provocatively dressed student entered the room, looked around and sashayed her way to a table group and plopped down. I quickly checked the seating chart and realized that she would have been the fifth student in a four-person group. I asked her if that is where she was supposed to be sitting and she sighed, “I don’t know…” and rolled her eyes a bit. I asked her name and she told me. I quickly found her assigned to another group and asked her to go to it. She made a pretty big deal about picking up her stuff and slowly moved to her group.

Later the class was supposed to get out the novel they were reading. She didn’t move and just stared at me. When I asked her to get out her book, she said she didn’t have it. I said, “Where is it?” “I don’t know…” she shrugged. I inquired if it might be in her locker. “I don’t know,” she replied again. Now I was getting frustrated. This young thing wasn’t cooperating at all! The other students were starting to smile at her continued lack of interest and participation. I took another approach. “Do you have your “Free Reading” book in your backpack? Maybe you could just read that during this time?” Again, “I don’t have one.” I rolled up my sleeves.

I marched the student over to the bookcase and told her that this was a silent reading time. She needed to be reading something.  Since she apparently didn’t have her required books with her, I had her choose anything she wanted from the shelf and asked her to go back and silently read. She selected a picture book about the Renaissance and went back to the table. She still continued to fix her hair, adjust her clothes, and rummage through her backpack… avoiding reading at all cost. Now I was intrigued! And irritated!

During the last few minutes of class, students were asked to get out their Planners and write down the homework for the day. Again my nemesis failed to move. When asked to get her planner out, she said, “I don’t have one.” I snapped. I got down on one knee and looked her in the eyes. “Look, I’m not sure what your trip is today, but you need to get a piece of paper – any piece of paper, and copy down the homework.” And after a dramatic pause I said sincerely, “WHY DON”T YOU HAVE ANY OF YOUR MATERIALS???”
And she said,
“It’s my first day.”
OMG
“This is your first day at this school?” She nodded.
“This is only my second day here,” I said.
“You’re not the teacher?” she asked.
“No, I’m just the sub.”  I told her I was so sorry, but I just didn’t know. I did also mention that she could have told me that she was a new student. But, as she said, she thought I was the regular teacher and I can only imagine what she thought of my lack of understanding!

So what did I learn? After teaching for over 30 years, I still profile students (and I don’t mean this in a good way!). She looked, acted, and responded just like a student named Ashley did in my first 10th grade class. She immediately pushed my buttons and I reacted. I’m going to have to not jump to conclusions so fast in my next subbing class.  So do YOU have certain student-types that push your buttons? Who do they remind you of? This is different than racism or ethnic stereotyping, these are behaviors, attitudes, or mannerisms that cause you to react differently. Take time to think about this. Until you do – they will keep showing up in your life!


Monday, October 24, 2011

Clever Play on Words


Forwarded to me via an email (Thanks Jaysa!). A wonderful play on words.
 
  

WHERE I HAVE & HAVE NOT BEEN.
  
  
I have been in many places, but I've never been in Cahoots.  Apparently, you can't go alone.  You have to be in Cahoots with someone.  
  

I've also never been in Cognito.  I hear no one recognizes you there.  
  

I have, however, been in Sane.  They don't have an airport; you have to be driven there.  I have made several trips there, thanks to my friends, family and work.  
  

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I'm not too much on physical activity anymore.
 

I have also been in Doubt.  That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often. 
  
  

I've been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.  
  

Sometimes I'm in Capable, and I go there more often as I'm getting older.  
 

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense!  It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart!  At my age I need all the stimuli I can get! 
  

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Another good Edutopia Blog Article


Twenty Everyday Ways to Model Technology Use



I thought this was an interesting discussion on a recent Edutopia Blog. The author suggests 20 simple ways that teachers can "model" technology usage in the classroom. I agree with some of the comments, that in the future we would like the students to be the ones using the technology. But, I also believe that for many teachers these ideas and suggestions would be a great place to start. Ian Jukes once told me that if students don't see evidence of technology use in a classroom within the first five minutes, they begin to "power down." Check out this list of ideas. For many teachers they may be good first steps.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

New Book! Think BIG, Start Small!


New Book released!

I am happy to announce that “Think BIG, Start Small: How to Differentiated Instruction in a Brain-Friendly Classroom” was released this week from Solution Tree Publishers. This is the first book I have co-authored with my friend and colleague, Gayle Gregory. This book looks at educational neuroscience and how it can guide teachers as they design differentiated instructional strategies. We are so excited to have this labor of love finally be ready for educators.

When Gayle and I present workshops and trainings for teachers we know that if we can provide strategies that they can use tomorrow – we will be successful. We also noticed that many teachers had some specific views of what differentiation can and should be in the classroom. We found that Differentiation is many things to many teachers. It is a relatively simple concept with com­plex implementation and requires a shift in thinking and planning to be successful. It can be daunting and somewhat overwhelming when we look at all the facets, and it takes time to see the big picture.

We used the following Indian legend about the six blind men observing an elephant as a metaphor for how teachers often just focus on one part of the whole teaching process:

The following is John Godfrey Saxe’s (1816–1887) version of the famous Indian legend.
It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,


Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind
The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side,
At once began to bawl:
“God bless me! but the Elephant
Is very like a wall!”
The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, “Ho! what have we here
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me ’tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant
Is very like a spear!”
The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake:
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a snake!”
The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
“What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain,” quoth he;
“’Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!”
The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: “E’en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!”
The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant
Is very like a rope!”
And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!
Moral:
So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!

Teachers may misconstrue differentiation when they have only seen one part of the dif­ferentiation “elephant.” A workshop on the multiple intelligences leads them to believe that they should teach to multiple intelligences. Others learn about creating tiered lessons, and that becomes their understanding of the topic, so they group most often by like readi­ness levels even though we know that heterogeneous groups get better results. Others attend a session on using data and decide they need to preassess and group students accordingly. Others believe that providing choice of assignments and assessments is the way to go.  Some design Choice Boards or Centers and believe that it is enough.
Gayle and I tried to write a book that would look at the whole “elephant” and still break it down into some manageable pieces. What areas of DI are you already implementing? Are you looking at the “big picture?” We hope we can provide you with many “small steps” so that you can continue to expand your teaching repertoire.

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for excerpts and ideas from the new book.

Click here to see a copy of the Book Announcement recently sent out to subscribers.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Guest Blog for Roz Savage



I was honored to be asked to write a guest blog for my friend, solo-ocean-rower, Roz Savage. She is currently rowing across the Indian Ocean, having already completed solo-row journeys across the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans. She is an environmentalist trying to build awareness of our oceans' health, with a specific focus on plastic bag pollution. Her site is a great one to share with students.
Be sure to visit her web site RozSavage.com

And tell me what you think of my Guest Blog: Learning New Habits: Practice Makes Permanent

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Brain scientists offer medical educators tips on the neurobiology of learning

ScienceDaily (2011-03-30) -- A new article connects research on how the brain learns to how to incorporate this understanding into real world education, particularly the education of doctors.