What would happen if educators had one day a week to think, study, and learn--a day that's not intended for response or planning, but a day to simply surf the web question after question leading to discovery, understanding, and new ideas.
Like a world tour, a think day brings you to places you didn't imagine at the start of the day.
Today was one of those days. I started with a morning thought about creativity in response to a few classroom events. Then I began reading about creativity which spurred many more ideas related to our current curriculum, collaboration, and professional learning. After that I learned and relearned of a number of new tools and inventions for exploration and study, tools that would benefit my students--tools similar to those we asked for earlier in the year, but tools too new for the greater learning community to support at this time.
I conferred with a colleague about the new learning online which prompted new questions and research threads. A think day in the Internet age serves to free your mind, invigorate new ideas, and prompt you to refocus once again.
When was your last think day? What did you discover? Where did it lead you, and how did you revise your priorities afterwards?
Saturday, December 07, 2013
Nurturing A Creative Class Culture
“We want to encourage a world of creators, of inventors, of contributors. Because this world that we live in, this interactive world, is ours.”— Ayah Bdeir
Mostly outside of the four walls of many schools, technology and the Internet are fostering a creative culture beyond our imagination. Fortunately that culture is creeping into schools in dynamic ways. How do we embrace, nurture, and encourage this wonderful creativity in our schools and in our homes?
Yesterday, a young inventor in my class showed me the video game he created on SCRATCH with enthusiasm. He said, "This took me a long time," and further remarked, "When I first started SCRATCH I didn't know anything, and then I learned how to do this." He was thrilled with his complex game, one that he continues to develop, revise, and improve. From my bit of work with SCRATCH, reading, and collegial discussions online and off, I understood the creativity and sophistication of his work. I honored what he did, and also gave him the opportunity to share his work with other like minded, creative, video game designers in our school.
"How did they like your game?" I asked.
"They loved it. They're still playing it," he answered. Then he went on to say that one of the other boys beat the game, and has created a similar game. That made me think that we need to build in time for these game designers to meet, create, and share regularly so that they nurture and encourage each other's work.
Similarly, a young girl in my class has used SCRATCH to create characters, movies, radio shows, and more. In fact, she has created her own design studio on SCRATCH where she shares her work and the work of others. She synthesizes and interprets many learning experiences through SCRATCH in creative, dynamic ways.
Minecraft, known as Legos X 1,000,000 by some, offers the same creative environment. As we explored a local farm multiple times this year many of the children likened the farm to their Minecraft creations and used Minecraft vocabulary and connections to describe the farm's many interactions, possibilities, and needs.
Sketch-up, iMovie, KidPix, Google apps and more foster countless creative compositions related to classroom content and students' own imaginations, interests, and passion. The creativity develops a classroom of thoughtful innovators and designers rather than passive responders in contagious, fulfilling, and enriching ways.
This creativity has common denominators including the following:
- Share and collaboration.
- Innovation, novelty, and originality.
- Story and communication.
- Problem solving, perseverance, and struggle.
- A sense of satisfaction, drive.
- Synthesis.
- Reaching out to experts online and off for answers.
The children who are most involved in these activities have easy access to technology, invention, and design in their lives. I suspect they have computers, art/building supplies, and creative encouragement in their homes. I also suspect they have the chance to visit art museums, musical performances, and cultural events. I know they, like all children, have the inborn human instinct to learn, create, and solve problems.
As I move forward in the year, I will continue to work towards building a dynamic program while meeting common core standards. In that regard I will work with colleagues to embed the standards, best tools, and advantageous processes into worthy, dynamic, and differentiated child-centered earning experiences.
This is the focus of so many of our grade-level team discussions, and soon our whole staff will discuss this at an upcoming faculty meeting. I will continue to think about the challenge of nurturing a creative class culture, and I look forward to any tips, links, or ideas you have in this regard.
Friday, December 06, 2013
Less Challenges, More Support
At this point, for the most part there seems to be more support and less challenge. I like that as the change is moving me inward with greater focus and attention to the students and my grade-level team. When the support for the bigger systematic issues exists, then there is more time to focus on the details of the job. I've also curtailed involvement in areas that don't support my classroom work--that's opened a window for more classroom-centric work, another positive step.
So what will I do with this ability to focus more; what goals will I embrace.
Basically, I'll work to deepen my craft and service to students. I'll begin with the units and processes we're currently developing including the culture celebration research/presentation project, math number sense/geometry/SMP learning experiences, close reading/reading response work, and narrative writing strategies/processes. These are all great units, and the focus will be to use multiple learning strategies, experiences, and investigations to develop each child's skill and understanding in engaging, meaningful ways. Fortunately I have many tools in my midst with which to work as well as a fine grade level team to collaborate with. I'll also continue my affiliation with UClass.org which is serving to engage me in the new standards in creative, thoughtful ways.
This time away from worry and efforts with regard to the greater system will also serve me well as an opportunity to grow my own professional craft, collaboration, and abilities--one is never "there" when it comes to teaching, hence there's always room for growth.
Finally, this chance to be classroom centric with adequate support, will provide some time to have family/free time to nurture health, relationships, personal learning, and recreation. As we all know, "All work and no play, makes educators dull."--we need to have time to have a live outside of school too.
I hope this glimmer of change continues, and the ability to really invest in the job at hand remains. That will definitely help me effectively do my job--it's a movement that's needed in all learning communities, the time and support to allow teachers to do what they desire most--teach children well.
So what will I do with this ability to focus more; what goals will I embrace.
Basically, I'll work to deepen my craft and service to students. I'll begin with the units and processes we're currently developing including the culture celebration research/presentation project, math number sense/geometry/SMP learning experiences, close reading/reading response work, and narrative writing strategies/processes. These are all great units, and the focus will be to use multiple learning strategies, experiences, and investigations to develop each child's skill and understanding in engaging, meaningful ways. Fortunately I have many tools in my midst with which to work as well as a fine grade level team to collaborate with. I'll also continue my affiliation with UClass.org which is serving to engage me in the new standards in creative, thoughtful ways.
This time away from worry and efforts with regard to the greater system will also serve me well as an opportunity to grow my own professional craft, collaboration, and abilities--one is never "there" when it comes to teaching, hence there's always room for growth.
Finally, this chance to be classroom centric with adequate support, will provide some time to have family/free time to nurture health, relationships, personal learning, and recreation. As we all know, "All work and no play, makes educators dull."--we need to have time to have a live outside of school too.
I hope this glimmer of change continues, and the ability to really invest in the job at hand remains. That will definitely help me effectively do my job--it's a movement that's needed in all learning communities, the time and support to allow teachers to do what they desire most--teach children well.
What Does Putting Children First Look Like?
We know that putting children first in schools is the right thing to do, but what does this look like?
First, it means being prepared each day with those "loose-tight" plans that have their interests and needs in mind, but are flexible enough to change if needed.
Next, it means focusing your time and energy on what those children need, want, and desire--they are your charge, and you essentially are their servant looking out for their interests.
Then it means a healthy balance of fun, motivation, hard work, and response--yes, lots of response both verbal and written. This is often a real challenge as much of the response comes after hours.
After that, one has to avoid the issues and actions that take you away from the children--events that do not serve children well, and that take up a lot of your time.
Goal setting is important too. There's so much we can do, but time limits us. Hence we have to be discerning about the choices we make.
Thoughtful, careful language supports this process. Using the kinds of words, descriptors, and encouragement that moves children ahead, nurtures the teacher-student relationship, and builds student confidence with regard to their abilities, effort, and outcomes
If children remain the centerpiece of your work as an educator, you will move in a positive, worthy direction--one you'll be proud of, and students will benefit from.
Putting students first is the right thing to do in schools.
First, it means being prepared each day with those "loose-tight" plans that have their interests and needs in mind, but are flexible enough to change if needed.
Next, it means focusing your time and energy on what those children need, want, and desire--they are your charge, and you essentially are their servant looking out for their interests.
Then it means a healthy balance of fun, motivation, hard work, and response--yes, lots of response both verbal and written. This is often a real challenge as much of the response comes after hours.
After that, one has to avoid the issues and actions that take you away from the children--events that do not serve children well, and that take up a lot of your time.
Goal setting is important too. There's so much we can do, but time limits us. Hence we have to be discerning about the choices we make.
Thoughtful, careful language supports this process. Using the kinds of words, descriptors, and encouragement that moves children ahead, nurtures the teacher-student relationship, and builds student confidence with regard to their abilities, effort, and outcomes
If children remain the centerpiece of your work as an educator, you will move in a positive, worthy direction--one you'll be proud of, and students will benefit from.
Putting students first is the right thing to do in schools.
Thursday, December 05, 2013
Traditional Teaching That Works
There are a number of old fashion teaching strategies that work, and we can't forget them. Here's a few. Please let me know what you'd add.
1. Correcting mistakes. A former grade-level colleague always had students do this, and I've been doing it more. It's a simple strategy that works because when children have to figure out what they did wrong and how to fix it great learning happens--great learning as long as you're ready and able to coach them through the tough spots.
2. Practice. The more your write, the better you get. The more you read, the better you get. The more you practice your math, the faster and better you get. Most of the time in school should be time when children are actively learning and practicing what they learn--of course, the activities need to be meaningful, inviting, and vibrant, not dull, boring, and one-dimensional.
3. Listen. Make the time to listen to children. They want to be heard, and they need to be heard. Simple, powerful, but not always easy given the numbers and constraints in schools.
4. Read aloud. Sharing a good story that's read well is terrific teaching.
5. Response. Take the time to assess learning, then respond with next-step learning--children don't learn in one-size-fits-all ways. Every child is different and every child requires a responsive approach to their learning needs.
What other tried and true traditional teaching approaches do you regularly and successfully employ?
Today's teaching benefits from the best of the old and the best of the new--a wonderful, continuously changing menu of learning experiences.
1. Correcting mistakes. A former grade-level colleague always had students do this, and I've been doing it more. It's a simple strategy that works because when children have to figure out what they did wrong and how to fix it great learning happens--great learning as long as you're ready and able to coach them through the tough spots.
2. Practice. The more your write, the better you get. The more you read, the better you get. The more you practice your math, the faster and better you get. Most of the time in school should be time when children are actively learning and practicing what they learn--of course, the activities need to be meaningful, inviting, and vibrant, not dull, boring, and one-dimensional.
3. Listen. Make the time to listen to children. They want to be heard, and they need to be heard. Simple, powerful, but not always easy given the numbers and constraints in schools.
4. Read aloud. Sharing a good story that's read well is terrific teaching.
5. Response. Take the time to assess learning, then respond with next-step learning--children don't learn in one-size-fits-all ways. Every child is different and every child requires a responsive approach to their learning needs.
What other tried and true traditional teaching approaches do you regularly and successfully employ?
Today's teaching benefits from the best of the old and the best of the new--a wonderful, continuously changing menu of learning experiences.
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