Dollar Bill Paycheck

I've always joked about how a teacher's paycheck often comes years down the road when former students come back to visit or bump into you in a public place. Fifth graders rarely appreciate the hard work a teacher requires. You may be "their favorite teacher" for the year, but it's much farther down the road when the payoffs come- especially for an elementary teacher.

Every year, I tell my kids that they are part of my retirement plan, and that's why we need to work so hard. I totally expect discounts or free services when they become working adults. :) As part of my retirement plan, I tell them about my desire to go on a vacation to Hawaii. If every student remembered to give me just $1 when they graduated from High School, I could afford to go on my dream vacation. Students eagerly promise to remember to send me the dollar. I started telling my students my plan when I was a new teacher, and now I'm close to retirement. Do I have enough money for that Hawaiian vacation? No, but I've received a lot wonderful "paychecks" over the years and more so recently.

Once I was pleasantly surprised when a former student came into my classroom with a framed $2 bill. One dollar was for graduating from High School, and one was for graduating from college. She'd become an engineer and had landed a high paying job and came to celebrate with me. Ahh...this was an extra paycheck because one of my girls went into a science field. I've always been an advocate for girls going into STEM fields although it wasn't called STEM back then.

Another student came to visit me last Spring right after graduation. She told me how school had always been so easy for her until she came to my class. I challenged her, didn't accept her mediocre work, and gave her opportunities to lead. I don't really remember, but she did. She told me how our simulation for the Civil War changed her because she was the captain of her company. She realized for the first time that she could be a leader. Another paycheck! She graduated with all kinds of honors, a full scholarship, a name for herself in the theater (we participated in a lot of drama activities), and was a confident young woman.

One of my biggest paychecks ever came about 10 years ago. My entire class of former 6th graders came into my room the last week of school after their graduation practice. Only three students were not there, and they came on a different day. Those kids will never know how much they touched my heart! Most of us had spent two years together because I had changed from 5th grade to 6th grade. We grew so much in those two years! It was heartwarming that they all thought of me at graduation time. But equally touching was that all of my kids were graduating. They had big dreams and were on their way. Two of them were leaving within a couple of weeks to serve our country. Some were already making more money than I was as a teacher. And now, a decade later, those same kids contact me and keep in touch. Did they remember that $1 bill? No, not even them. But money cannot replace the "teacher's paycheck" of knowing that you made a difference in someone's life.

Other students have contacted me by email and even Twitter to my delight. Every student has a story! I've laughed! I've cried! I am so proud of my kids! The little girl who wrote me poems sent me one of her published books. A mom sent me letters from her two sons who are both doctors and had their mom find me to give me their letters. Two more of my kids came back just last week to visit and tell me about their successes and future plans. One of my former students recently contacted me and told me that he'd found me and had read this blog. :) I'm so touched!

You see, it all comes down to building relationships. The kids don't remember the facts, the test scores, and all of those great units of study I prepared. They remember the American Revolution and the Civil War simulations and how emotionally invested they were. They remember playing catch with a football after school. They remember the talks, the laughing, the silly awards I gave, the science experiments, writing and sharing stories, reading great books, and the high fives. Kids remember the musical programs, the service projects, and how we learned together. They remember the good feelings. I took the time to build team spirit and camaraderie. I loved and love them! I did everything in my power to provide them with the educational experiences that I'd want for my own kids. They are my kiddos! (quite literally since I don't have kids of my own) I never wanted to shortchange them.

Once again, I'm feeling the pressure to cover the curriculum, assess with more benchmarks, track the data, and make sure that the kids are ready for the year-end tests. Those things have their place. But, for me, my goal is to make sure my students prepare for life and are good citizens of a great country. So, I'm a rebel of sorts. My focus is on continuing to build relationships in my classroom, and the test scores will take care of themselves.

After all, it's the small things that you do that bring the greatest rewards.

Peahens and Frilled Lizards- How Tech Made A Difference!

I'm experimenting and trying to figure out how best to use our Chromebooks, class time, nontech activities, and all that we need to do in a jam-packed schedule. Plus, I have to work with kids coming and going all of the time for speech, resource, counseling, etc. It's a juggling act! Here's what I've done for the past two days.

I moved desks AGAIN. (Using student feedback, I'm trying to find the best seating arrangement for our class activities.) Now I have three large "tables" and two smaller ones. Each "table" is a learning center. The two small groups of desks make one center. The kids rotate to each center with their Chromebook so that they always have it available to them.

Today, one table was my reading group. Another was a math center where kids worked on Tenmarks math lessons and ixl for extra practice with fractions. They chose what to work on for ixl although I gave them some guidelines. The third table was was for working on Quill (grammar, keyboarding, spelling) and TypingAgent (keyboarding). The fourth center was using Edmodo to watch a StudyJams science video, read an article from Wonderopolis, and to work on their StoryboardThat project. In between each rotation, the kids chose a Gonoodle activity. Yesterday a center was independent reading and the kids hung out on the couch, yoga balls, and other comfortable seating. I also used SpellingVocabCity to practice our science words, and another center was for practicing handwriting, (something we really need to practice).

The rotations went beautifully, and I was lucky to have a parent help to moderate the centers for a whole hour today. Although, I must say that the kids were pretty awesome on their own. I didn't have any behavior issues, and kids helped each other with their accounts and other questions. It was quiet. My reading group didn't bother anyone because the other students had on their headphones and were engaged in their other lessons.

The BIG DIFFERENCE was that in my reading groups, the kids had Internet access at their fingertips! We read a book about animal adaptations. I started with my lowest readers first which is a whole group of boys. I started with them first because they are the kids that leave throughout the day for other classes and I needed to spend more time with them reading. The word peahen came up, and no one knew what the animal was and so we Googled it and looked at some pictures. They were able to discover quite a few facts just by looking at pictures and reading the captions. When we turned the page and saw a big picture of an Australian Frilled Lizard, the boys got excited! After talking about some keywords and text features, the kids read the page. While they read, I was quickly able to find a Youtube clip and added it to Edmodo. After reading the page, kids went to Edmodo and watched the clip and got very excited to learn more. We read the page again, this time as a whole group. Our whole discussion about animal adaptations took on a new enthusiasm. They boys wanted to read more! They wanted to find more details! And...because the rest of the class was busy, we took a few minutes to find some answers to their questions. I'm sure that at least one of the boys will choose to do his Genius Hour report about the lizards.

Each reading group was a little different. One group was interested in aardvarks eating termites and another was more interested in migrating butterflies. But, I had TIME to better meet their needs. We had the tech in front of us to help us find information together. I wasn't the source of knowledge. The learning was timely and relevant.

To have 30 kiddos in one class is a lot of responsibility- a lot of individual needs to meet. The system wasn't perfect yesterday or today. It was a lot of screen time to me. (The kids disagree with me and told me that they had plenty of rest in between each learning center block of 25ish minutes.) They loved it! They chose the activity in each center to work on first, and who they sat by for each center. In their eyes, learning with their own Chromebook, moving around to different places, and having choices was great learning. I agree, and it can only get better! This is another baby step towards making learning more differentiated and individualized. I still have a lot to figure out and tweak. I'd love to know your thoughts- especially if you have experience being 1:1 Chromebooks. Any suggestions?

Puzzle Pieces

Dump out a new box of jigsaw puzzle pieces and it can look a little overwhelming.  Subtle shades of the same color blend into the pile and it's hard to distinguish the features of a single piece until there's a closer inspection of detail. However, there is anticipation and excitement about the prospect of completing the puzzle. It's a challenge but one that can be successfully completed. And so you start.....first by flipping over each piece so that you can clearly see them face up.

The start of another school year is similar to opening a new box of puzzle pieces. There are feelings of excitement, anticipation, hope, and of being a little overwhelmed with all that needs to be accomplished before the kids come into the classroom/school for the first time. A new challenge is motivating! Great educators are constantly seeking ways of improving their craft.  A new year, a new puzzle, is a fresh start to tweak and implement all of the ideas that have incubated over the summer.

How do you complete a jigsaw puzzle?

• Look at the cover of the box. The picture gives you an idea of the direction that you need to take. It's your vision of what can be. 
• Start with separating the pieces into groups. For me, the puzzle pieces include the various groups of people that I'll work with throughout the year. The pieces are also the different components of what I want to accomplish like implementing PBL, a maker-space, STEAM, genius hour, content, and a more student-centered classroom. 
• Connect the border pieces. Border pieces are the foundation. Building relationships with my students are my priority. Although I feel the pressure to start immediately with content, I know that taking the time to build trusting relationships far outweighs any curriculum standard or objective.
• Assemble small groups of like puzzle pieces together. Start with what you know. I don't know all there is about Google and Chromebooks. I'm starting with what I know. I know that @edmodo is my foundation for all of my online class activities. My students and I will learn about the other various puzzle pieces together.
• Stop working for a time. Come back to the puzzle with fresh eyes. Reflecting on what I've accomplished, what I need to improve, and where to go next is crucial for growth. Here's a taxonomy of reflection that was shared by my PLN. 

• Engage the help of others. Part of the fun of putting together a jigsaw puzzle or trying new things in a classroom or school is collaborating with others. I want the help and experience of others as I try and put my puzzle together. I know that there will be mistakes. Some puzzle pieces are not going to fit together. But, I know that my PLN has my back. They are there to support me every step of the way.
• Celebrate the success. When all of the pieces start connecting, when the vision of what you want to accomplish starts to come into focus, when the momentum of connecting the pieces speeds up, that's success! Take the time to celebrate. I'm really looking forward to the time when everything starts to fall into place.

Tomorrow, I start my sixth week of school. My how time flies! The puzzle pieces are face up. The border is almost completed. I've managed to connect little groups of similar puzzle pieces. I have a vision in my head of what I want my classroom to be. If I close my eyes, I can see it, feel it, hear it, touch it! I'm just a little unsure about which group of pieces to assemble first. My instinct tells me to ask my students....and so I will.

WONDER!

Celebrating Our First Month of 5th Grade

Dreams Come True

 

Chromebooks are here! Unpacked! Connected! And...last Monday...we turned them on for the first time. At first, kids couldn't get into their accounts. I held my breath...pleading/praying that I could troubleshoot and get them working. My whole day was planned around using the Chromebooks. Kids were really excited. I didn't want to disappoint them. With a few little clicks, everything worked! All my kids were able to use "their" Chromebooks. Actually, the kids are calling them "Chromebabies" because we talked about the special care that they'd need. Some "Chromebabies" have names.

I've waited nearly five years to have this dream come true! I never imagined that it'd be Chromebooks, but I'm tickled pink to be 1:1. Once again, I owe my PLN. It was through my PLN that I found out about the grant (that paid for the Chromebooks) only days before the deadline last year. 

Last week, a lot of our time was spent getting into the various accounts. Honestly, it was a little painful. I'd set up the accounts, but if the students didn't type the information correctly, they couldn't get in and I had to walk around and help them. I used my tech savvy students as much as possible. I had to keep my patience (or lack of it) in check. I knew that there would be a big learning curve. Patience. I was expecting my kiddos to learn a lot in a short amount of time. They loved using the Edmodo apps. Zondle was a favorite. We also started using Google Classroom, TypingAgent, Wizenworld, Quill, and NoRedInk. I'm also teaching the kids how to watch/interact with a video for flipped instruction. It's a lot to learn and I definitely don't want the kids in front of a screen all day. We did enjoy a great game of Kahoot! Kids are very excited to learn more and parents have sent me some very positive emails.

I think the kids had the most fun when I gave them the boxes and introduced the cardboard challenge. Wow! These kids were so creative! They had a blast! A parent helping me was completely delighted to see her twins so engaged in the creative process and the collaboration that these kids exhibited. It was a little messy. It was a little "chaotic" to an outsider maybe walking into the room. But, it wouldn't take long to see the great learning happening!

Now the hard part comes. I'm figuring it out as I go. For some reason, my dreams never revealed the speed bumps along this journey. I want to have the learning personalized as much as possible. I don't want to get caught up in the semantics of buzz words. But, I do want to use the technology to meet the individual needs of my learners. That's a challenge! I'm still trying to figure out their skill levels, interests, strengths, and weaknesses. I have no budget for programs. But, I do have my Chromebooks!

Rocks-n-Ripples

 I Can't Change Everything,

But I've Got A Good Arm And I Can Throw A Stone To Cause Ripples

@jennifer_hogan

 A great childhood memory that I have is learning how to skip rocks across the surface of a pond, lake, or reservoir. My two brothers and I spent hours along the shores of Tibble Fork in the American Fork Canyon. There was no shortage of stones to toss in the water. I was always amazed, in particular, at my mom's skill at being able to skip a rock multiple times across the surface- sometimes over five skips. I don't remember ever making a rock skip more than once or twice, but I still had a lot of fun and delighted in the ripples that it'd make across the surface.

Learning to skip rocks is a lot like building school culture. There's some skill/leadership necessary. The choice of rock, grip, angle of the throw, body position, the flick of the wrist, and the amount of practice all come into play in the success of the rock being able to skip. Vision, mission, investment of stakeholders, diversity, communication, relationships, and timing of any change are all integral parts of school culture.

My #leadupchat PLN is an amazing group of educational leaders pushing and challenging each other on a daily basis to lead and make changes. School culture is an important topic and one that we've recently discussed. I'm in awe of their leadership. The culture that they are developing or have nurtured in their schools and districts is unmatched. It's caused me to think about the culture at my school, my sphere of influence, my responsibility to be a contributing member, and how I can lead change.

Here's my action plan:

• I will be positive in my thinking and my actions. 
• My classroom is where I have the most influence. I will make sure that I develop and nurture a classroom culture where it's student-centered, and kids can learn. (This is another post for another day.)
• I consider all of the 5th graders my students. I am making a huge effort to learn all of their names as quickly as I can. But, I've been inspired to go beyond 5th-grade students. I've made a commitment to learning the names of as many kids in the school that I can. Last week, I had bus duty and gave high-fives to kids as they came to school and left to go home. Yes, I got some strange looks, but it felt amazing. Kids smiled, said hi to me when they saw me around the school, and even came up to me to tell me their stories. It was a blast interacting more with kids of all ages! They ALL are my kids.
• Staff recognition is really important to me. I've thought about how I can do this without stepping on toes. I knew the answer after about 30 seconds of thinking. My kiddos can do it! Of course, I need to ask them their opinions, but I think that they will love highlighting the great work of teachers and staff members in the school. How will they do it? I don't know! I'll let the kids decide! Maybe they'll start a podcast, make videos, Tweet it out, or use a web tool. That will be fun to watch!
• Positive calls home are also important to me. I will continue this practice.
• Starting tomorrow, Aug. 9, 2015, I secretly want to start doing nice things for people in my school. Being anonymous is so much more fun! I've delighted in making some plans. I can't afford big prizes and treats, but I don't think it's about that. Little things like writing a positive message on the whiteboard or leaving a sticky note on someone's desk can mean a lot.
• Share. I will continue to share ideas, resources, and the happenings inside my classroom. I also want to involve my kids in finding positive happenings around the school and sharing it out to the world. 

My action plan is nothing new, grandiose, or worth announcing to the world. It's not even something that I haven't done before in the past. It's a focus. I'm excited to see how far the little ripples will extend. Truth is, I may never know. And that's okay.