Sunday 25 February 2018

Are we sparking curiosity in our classrooms? Anyone? Anyone?

Are We Igniting Passions in our learners?  Anyone? Anyone?
#IMOOC Season 4, Week 1 #LCInnovation 


In her book: Learner-Centered Innovation: Spark Curiosity, Ignite Passion, and Unleash Genius, Katie Martin shares this graphic about Student Engagement:
From: Katie Martin, Learner Centered Innovation IMPPress, 2018. p.374 (Kindle version)
This steady decline in engagement makes me sad.  It would be interesting to see the earlier answers of students in grade Kindergarten to Grade 4 included, because I suspect the percentages for engagement would be even higher in the early grades.  Clearly, we are doing something wrong if we are taking kids who love to go to school and by the time they graduate only 18% of them are having any fun.  It makes me ask myself, "What are we doing to kill the joy of learning in our students each day?"

 Is this what our classrooms look like for our students?


I hope not.  That movie is now over 30 years old.  If the 'sage on the stage' technique was resulting in zoned out students 30 years ago, why are we still doing it?  I recently blogged about the resistance to change I've seen in some educators (more specifically regarding technology) in my January 26th post called "Reno Your Pedagogy."  But the problem extends far beyond a resistance to try new technology.  Technology, after all, is just the tool.  Using technology with good pedagogy is the innovation.  I am a classroom teacher.  I don't set policy or procedures.  I can get up on my soapbox/blog, but I know my blog has a limited audience and may only be preaching to the choir at that.  So what can I do to try to bring the trends on that graph back up?

I can only do what I can do.  I can model practices like project based learning and passion projects and using technology to leverage the collaboration of students in my room with students around the world.  I can be a part of initiatives like the Global Read Aloud, encourage my students to get excited about becoming good digital citizens through social media like our classroom Twitter account, website and blogging or vlogging.  I can give them choice in topics to investigate and how they show their learning, be it coding or #BookSnaps or creating videos.  I can keep trying new things, reflecting on them and tweaking them until my classroom is the type of place Dave Burgess talks about, where they would buy tickets to get in the door.  I can make my classroom as engaging a place as I can and hope colleagues see this and start to buy in.

I can only do what I can do, but as it turns out, that's a lot. Are you with me?  Anyone?  Anyone?


Friday 23 February 2018

Special Olympics is Special

Special Olympics is a Special Thing

Image credit
I was reminded this week of the greatness that is Special Olympics.  On Thursday, my students participated in the Regional Qualifier Bocce Tournament for the Special Olympics Ontario School Program at the BMO Centre in London, Ontario.  Teams that qualify have the opportunity to compete in the Provincial Championships that are held in late May or early June each year.  This year they will be in Peterborough, Ontario from May 29-31st, and we are planning to be there.  We compete over the school year in 3 on 3 Basketball, Bocce and Floor Hockey - just a few of the many sports that run for Special Olympians through the program.  If you want to know more about all the activities, the organization itself, it's history or how to get involved or donate to it, I urge you to check out the North American website. or follow Special Olympics Ontario on Twitter.  I just wanna write about how it directly makes a difference in the lives of my students and myself.

The Special Olympics Motto is: 

"Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

It is so much more than that.  It really isn't about winning (although some of our more competitively spirited athletes and coaches might disagree with me here). While all the athletes are showing courage of spirit and sportsmanship, it's benefits go beyond that.

It's about taking the rigid confines that can be competitive sports and bending them like plasticine.  It's about letting them be themselves and participate in whatever way they are able to.    The rules of the game are modified to suit their needs.  The equipment and playing space are changed to allow everyone to be a part of the game. It's about achieving your own personal best and not comparing it to anyone else's.  It's about learning to play and improving your own personal fitness level.  It's being a part of a team, but also showcasing your own unique talents.  And boy is it FUN!

I've been lucky to be a coach, spectator and convener of many Special Olympic tournaments and activities and while getting things organized can be a load of work and sometimes stressful, it is truly a labour of love.  Once the athletes are there and the games are underway, my heart fills with joy.  The smiles on the athletes faces could light up a stadium.  I've seen acts of sportsmanship that outdo any highlight reel or special interest clip on TSN.  Athletes and coaches support each other, cheer for each other and delight in each success.  There is plenty of the thrill of victory and never any agony in defeat, because being a part of it all is the victory.

I put together a Special Olympics co-ed golf foursome last year.  We are the only one in our board so far, but I'm hoping it spreads.  We go to the same tournaments that the other teams in our school and board go to and participate as our own division.  We were welcomed at the Girls WOSSA tournament this fall.  Those four golfers don't care about the score, or that we are not competing against any other teams, or that the way they swing the clubs doesn't look like the way anyone else does.  Balls go in the water, in the rough, out of bounds and sometimes even straight down the fairway to make that satisfying plunk as it drops in the hole.  They learn, they try their best and they laugh a lot.  They just want to play.

Pure joy of the game.  

It just doesn't get any better, or more special, than that.

Saturday 17 February 2018

What I've been reading lately

Reviews of Recent Professional Reading

I have been doing a lot of Professional Reading this fall and winter.  Especially over Christmas, when the cold weather was not motivating me to get outside and play!  I've got a few here on pedagogy and leadership and then a section on Young Adult Fiction.  Most of the fiction titles are contenders for the Global Read Along 2018 - a chance to see what books might be on the list this year.  These are just my own opinions...check them out yourself and let me know what you think!


Shift This, by Joy Kirr

I think my favourite quote from this book is, "Just keep tweaking.  Just keep tweaking." (p3).   For me that sums up the beauty of this book.  It's all about little ways you can change your classroom, practice, thinking and Professional Development at a pace you can handle, but with awesome results.  As I read, I found many tips for things I am already doing, and so may more ideas for things I am not and would like to try.  It's a great help for someone new to teaching or with a lot of years in the biz, like me, who want to up their game. She writes in a very readable and enjoyable style - I could almost hear her voice as I read, and it felt more like talking in the staffroom with a colleague, than Professional Reading.  Every chapter has real life examples, resources, further reading and reflection questions/call to action statements.  She's also active on Twitter (click on her name above for the link) and as I was Tweeting out #BookSnaps, she was really quick to respond to my questions and comments...something I did not expect!


 by Liz Kolb

This book is published by ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) and is about moving educators to think more deeply and plan more purposefully their use of technology in the classroom.  She provides a strategy called the "Triple E Framework" for assessing and implementing technology in the classroom, and gives many case studies, scenarios, different technologies and resources for you to do so.  There is some really great stuff in here.  That said, it's a very academically written, textbook style book, and not a quick and easy read.  I found myself having to take a break after each chapter and sometimes re-read sections to get the most out of it.  But, if you are looking for a great resource to help you decide how to move your technology use further up the SAMR model, this is a must have.


Making your Teaching Something Special: 50 Ways to Become a Better Teacher, by Rushton Hurley

This was a quick and enjoyable read, likely more suited to teachers earlier in their career, but a good reminder for us old timers as well.  There are sections on building relationships and rapport with students, designing assignments and assessments to be more student centered, classroom management, developing a Professional Learning Network in and out of your school, working as a team with everyone in your building, including parents, custodians and secretaries.  There were several chapters on how to fund things you want to do in your classroom and how to get the resources you need.  These were useful to anyone in the Education Biz.




Code Breaker, by Brian Aspinall

Great introduction to coding in the classroom by one of Ontario's own!  He gives lots of links and QR Codes to projects students have created and resources and videos that will help get you started.  It's easy to read and is a good way for those new to coding to learn enough to get going.  He also explains why coding is important to teach to students.  This is full of resources and also links you to his website - where there are a lot more!  Brian is very active on Twitter and is a great follow if you are looking for resources and conversations about computational thinking and coding in the classroom.





Empower, by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani

This book has a unique style of writing - lots of sketch notes and a no nonsense approach to why and how we should be increasing inquiry learning in our classrooms.  It goes beyond just engaging students and encourages Teachers to Empower students (hence the title) to choose their own paths and find their passions.  They state right off that this is not a 'how to manual' - everyone is different after all.  Once you finish reading it, you should have a good idea of how to start - where you and your students go from there is up to you.  Great read!






Culturize: Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes, by Jimmy Casas






While written more for an audience of school administrators, there are lots of lessons and insights in this book that can be applied to classroom teachers.  He talks about being a champion for every student and creating a culture were all students can succeed.  He included insights from other educators and administrators and give lots of ways you can improve the culture of your school through small changes, big changes, resources, etc.  His chapter on expecting excellence really aligned with my own thinking.  He states that you have to be open to taking some risks and learning from failures, which will not happen if you accept the status quo or reject change.  One of the most powerful passages for me was: "No one person is responsible for determining your success or failure but you, and no one is responsible for your morale but you."  I found this book to be energizing - and Jimmy is a great follow on Twitter as well!



Cultivating Readers, by Anne Elliott and Mary Lynch

Written by two TVDSB'ers, this book is not about improving reading skills
in your classroom, but if you use their ideas, that will likely be a secondary outcome for you!  It's about how to get kids excited about reading and how to make your classroom an environment where kids will become avid readers.  Not just the ones who are good readers already, but those who may not be reading at grade level or who read because they have to, or those who actively avoid reading as a chore.  Anne and Mary share all kinds of activities, tips and advice on how to share and model a love of reading with every student in your room, all of them easy to implement and get started on right away.  The style of writing is really engaging and they use lots of real life examples to bring home their beliefs.  It does have a more Elementary School focus, but many of these ideas could be easily adapted in Secondary Schools.  It got me fired up about my own reading too.  This is a great book to add to your Professional Library!


The Four O'Clock Faculty: A Rogue Guide to Revolutionizing Professional Development,
by Rich Czyz

Sick of "Sit and Listen" style Professional Development?  So is Rich Czyz.  His book is all about ways school leaders and individual teachers can improve and take charge of their own learning to make it richer, more meaningful and tailored to each educator's own needs.  What I loved about his book was that it was about us making choices, and being active in pursing the opportunities that are out there and most relevant to our own practice.  He talks about ways to start, innovate and join PLN's on Social Media, especially Twitter, starting EdCamps, Book clubs, hosting Lunch N Learns, blogging, even a Teacher Genius Hour.  There are lots of ideas you may have heard before, but given a new spin or twist to make the PD better.  There is also a chapter on how to make the best of less than desirable methods of PD.  Some of his ideas will take some work or some school culture tweaking, but some of them are easy and could be started pretty much while you are still reading the book, and it is adaptable to whatever grade level or area of learning you are involved in.  Follow his hashtag ##4OCF or check out more at his website: https://fouroclockfaculty.com

The Wild Card: 7 Steps to an Educator's Creative Breakthrough, by Hope & Wade King

Image result for the wild card bookThis book reminds me a lot of Dave Burgess' book: Teach Like a Pirate.   Hope and Wade King teach at the Ron Clark Academy and share their creative ideas for making your classroom more engaging.  While it is very Elementary and Middle School focused, the ideas in it could be adapted to Secondary Schools.  They take a cross curricular approach in their pedagogy and regularly transform their classrooms into extraordinary learning environments to teach a variety of subjects with a thematic and inquiry based approach.  The transformations are amazing enough and you really need to read the book and see the pictures to get the full scope of them like a beach classroom or School of Rock classroom, but the way they weave so many learning objectives into these environments without a great deal of cost (Dollar Store!) is pretty amazing.  I loved the chapter where they encourage you not to listen to the Joker - that less than enthusiastic staff member who pooh pooh's change, or the voice in your own head that discourages change.  The book is not just about room transformations either, there are plenty of great ways to use inquiry learning even without a lot of physical changes to the classroom.  They are also active on Twitter and bloggers - so the learning doesn't stop with the book.

FICTION:(MIDDLE SCHOOL AND YOUNG ADULT)


Leave Us In Peace, by Marty Elkins

This is Marty's first work of fiction and follows many characters through WWII from start to finish.  He does a great job of including so many of the events of the War on it's many fronts, but told from the perspective of the people experiencing it, from around the world.  The characters show many different viewpoints as they experience the hardships of war.  We don't often get to read the Russian experience of war in History classes or books in the Western World, but Elkins does a great job of showing the human suffering and loss of these events (especially the Siege of Leningrad) through his characters.  This would be a great book to use in History classrooms and perhaps cross curricularly in English and Geography to learn more about the personal costs of war.



Paper Wishes, by Lois Sepahban

Written for a Young Adult/Middle School audience, this novel is the story of a young American girl of Japanese descent and her family from Washington State who were relocated to an Internment Camp during World War II.
It shows the racism, hardships and heartbreaks they experienced through her eyes as they try to find a way to survive their incarceration.  It is a sad a beautiful story about a part of history (Canada had Japanese Internment Camps as well) that we are not proud of, but should never forget. 





Global Read Aloud 2018 Contenders

In December 2017, the Contenders for the Global Read Aloud were posted on the GRA website - there is also the ability to nominate books you would like to have considered.  I took a look at the list and picked a few books to try out.

ReStart, by Gordon Korman

We've read a few of Gordon's books in our classroom and my students always love them.  He has a very accessible writing style and includes lots of humor and realistic, lovable characters.  ReStart does not disappoint.  It is about a teenager, Chase, who falls and sustains a head injury causing amnesia and complete personality change.  When he goes back to school, he, his family, his friends and his schoolmates have a hard time dealing with this new Chase, who is essentially getting a "do-over" of his life so far...a re-start.  I'm hoping this is chosen as one of the books for GRA18 because I would love to share this book with my class and with our GRA worldwide connections.  My students could really get into the themes and questions this book asks, like "Should people be given a second chance?"



Bronx Masquerade, by Nikki Grimes

A winner of many awards, including the Corretta Scott King Award, this contender looks at the voices and poetry of all the students in Mr. Ward's High School Literature class.  It takes them through a year of inquiry into themselves, their lives, and their ability to express themselves and learn about each other through poetry.  I love that the teacher in this book is barely a part of the story - other than to display some great pedagogy and to set up a classroom that allows for inquiry learning.  Unlike a lot of books and movies about classrooms, where the teacher is the main character and hero - this book is about the journey the students take, based on their own passions and lives.  This book may be a bit beyond my classroom to do for GRA18, but I hope it makes the final list, because it is inspirational.


Long Way Down, by Jason Reynolds

Written entirely in verse, this book amazes me for it's ability to tell so much through such precise language.  It's the story of Will, whose older brother has just been shot and killed.  Will is going to follow "the Rules" he's always lived with and retaliate.  On his way down the elevator he runs into various characters who share their experience with "the Rules" over several generations.  It's ending is brilliantly written.  But, I don't want to spoil it for you.  Even written in verse, it's easily accessible for students, but clearly has some mature themes.  There would be so much to talk about and share in this book with a classroom.  Honestly,  I think is a great read for adults too.



Orphan Island, by Laurel Snyder

Nine orphans on an Island.  Always nine.  When a new Changeling arrives, the oldest one returns - to where, we do not know.  But, what if the oldest one stayed?  This is what Jinny, the next orphan scheduled to leave wonders and struggles with throughout her final year on the Island.  She is curious about what is out there, but afraid of leaving her home.  The book is a well crafted look at what it means to grow up, and the desire not to give up our innocence and childhood.  It would be interesting to hear what my students would think of Jinny's choices.  Would they stay or go?  Why?




The Red Bandanna, by Tom Rinaldi

This is the true story of Welles Crowther, one of the many who worked on the 104th Floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center and died as a result of the attack on September 11, 2001. The book takes us through his childhood and shows us what kind of a person he was through the stories of his family, friends and co-workers.  On the day of the attacks, his actions saved the lives of others and serve as a model of courage in terrible circumstances.  This would be an interesting book to share with a class to talk about the choices we make and how they affect our lives and the lives of others.





That's it for this post.  I've already started a few more great reads (Teaser:   Pernille Ripp's two books and Katie Martin's newest book that will be featured in the latest George Curous #IMMOOC) that I will save for my next installment of Professional Reads.  Until then...just keep learning and reading!








Friday 9 February 2018

I'm a Podcaster!

Image from Flickr


On Monday February 5th, 2018, I became a Podcaster.  Wowza!  Did that really just happen?  If you had told me a year ago I would be doing a podcast, I would have laughed at you.  I only started blogging just over a year ago...the thought of a Podcast would have been much too daunting to even contemplate.

I have to thank Stephen Hurley for giving me the push I needed to do this.  He planted the idea in November when he talked to me about how I might be a creator of content for VoiceEdRadio.  I had to do some reflecting and thinking about what I would want to talk to other teachers about.  I let it percolate for a bit.  I needed to get my head around:  (a.)  Actually confronting my fear about it and
(b.) What I would want my podcast to be about?  After some reflection, I had my concept, but still a lot of fear.  I messaged Stephen that I thought I might have a concept for a podcast and would he still be interested in putting it on VociEdRadio?  He was putting together a radiothon for VoiceEd's first anniversary on Saturday and suggested I come on the live broadcast and sort of workshop the idea with some of the VociEd community.

OK - so now I'm going to be on a live broadcast, talking about an idea for something I'm feeling both excited and terrified about - with folks who are seasoned Podcasters - folks whose podcasts I have listened to and admired, and let's be honest, been in awe of.  Bless the VoicEdRadio family - they could not have been more supportive of the idea - both the folks who were chatting with me live, and those who were responding on Twitter while we were broadcasting.  My thanks to all of you - especially Stephen, Chris Cuff, Brad Shreffler, Sarah Anne Lalonde, Shane of theedpodcastLeanne Hansen and Noa Daniels.  Your words of encouragement gave me the boost I needed to get this thing done.  I was DM'ing with Noa after the broadcast and she shared some words with me that Derek Rhodenizer had given her about the fear of taking a risk: "take the leap and build wings on the way."  Well said.

I had mentioned to a colleague that I was contemplating doing this.  I always enjoy "talking teaching" with Heather Jacobi and thought if I was going to do this, she would be the perfect first guest.  She didn't hesitate for a second, bless her!  With my live radio broadcast experience from the weekend still fresh, I decided to leap before I thought/talked myself out of doing it.  She was available after school Monday - so we sat down and got it done.  She was the perfect first guest too - it was just two gals talking teaching.

I've already learned a few things about podcasting:
1.  Use the paid version of Zencastr - you get more postproduction options.
2.  Don't worry about the technical aspects during recording - stay focused on the conversation and let the magic happen.
3.  The hardest part about podcasting is deciding to do it and clicking record.

Now that the deed is done and I have pushed send to VoicEdRadio, I really do feel like I have sprouted wings and could actually fly.  Is it the world's best podcast?  Nope.  But, I confronted my fear and became a content creator, not just a consumer.  I'm feeling an adrenaline rush - a bit of a high really.  And it feels good.

Blogger's/Podcaster's Note:
My podcast is called "I Wish I Knew - EDU" and the concept is talking to experienced educators about the things they wish they knew when they started teaching.   If you want to hear Episode 1 with Heather Jacobi - check it out on Soundcloud by clicking this link or clicking the play button below.  I welcome your comments on how I can improve and expand it.  I'm recording Episode 2 this weekend - so if you enjoy Episode 1, watch for my next podcast when I talk to T. Scott.




This post was featured on VoicEdRadio.ca's "This Week in Ontario Edublogs" on February 28, 2018.  Click on this link if you would like to hear the discussion between Doug Peterson and Stephen Hurley.

Friday 2 February 2018

Hope and a Groundhog


image from: https://jasbaku.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/groundhogday5.gif?w=300


I, like many others this morning, who do not consider themselves "winter enthusiasts," was anxiously awaiting word from Wiarton Willie about his prediction for the coming of Spring.  I was very much hoping he would not see his shadow and tell us that Spring would be on it's way, post haste.  Alas, it must have been a much nicer day north of here, and Willie did see his shadow....so six more weeks of winter.

It does seem an odd thing to pin our hopes on the weather prediction of a sleepy, yet famous, rodent.  Certainly, Willie and his many weather predicting rodent cousins, are wrong as much as they are right when it comes to the arrival date of warmer days.  And scientifically, there can't be many studies that would vouch for this meteorological methodology as a verifable way to accurately predict our seasonal changes.  Yet still, we wait, and we hope.

That's kind of what hope is all about though.  We don't let things like scientific facts stop us from hoping.  Hope is not quantifiable or scientifically provable.  It's about a desire for something to happen.  It's about what our heart wants, not what our brain tells us.  When we are waiting for an event we ponder the outcomes, we consider the odds, we consult experts, but we still harbor our own hopes even when they are the most unlikely option.  We hope for the best and prepare for the worst.  We hope against hope.  We hope for miracles.  Hope springs eternal.

Hope gets us through the hard times, because without it, we would be lost.

I hope for so many things.  I hope my students will be safe when they are not at school.  I hope they will believe in themselves.  I hope they will overcome the obstacles life puts in their way.  I hope I will find that spark in them that makes them want to come to school.  I hope they will always choose to be kind.  I hope I will continue to be a model of life long learning throughout my career and life.  I hope I and those I care about will stay healthy.  I hope for happiness, well being and a well lived life.

I absolutely work and plan and act to make these hopes reality.  Goals without a plan and hard work are just dreams, after all.  But on the bad days, I hope tomorrow will be better.  It's that hope that gets me out of bed each day to start fresh.

Today, I'm hoping ole Wiarton Willie is wrong and that soon I will see some snowdrops and daffodils pushing their way through the last of the snow in my garden.  Maybe spring will come in six weeks or less, and maybe it won't. But, that won't stop me hoping.

Photo: R.Meharg
This post was featured on VoicEdRadio.ca's "This Week in Ontario Edublogs" on February 7, 2018.  To hear the discussion between Doug Peterson and Stephen Hurley, click on this link.