Ahoy matey! This was the first summer in a long time that I didn’t absolutely HAVE to do anything school-related, such as attending conferences, writing curriculum, etc., and I found myself feeling very lost. What was I supposed to do all summer? So, I decided to catch up on some reading. Instead of waiting any longer, I want to share this resource with you, my fellow educators, now in hopes of helping you find some inspiration as you are planning for a new school year. And, shiver me timbers! The most helpful book I read this summer was Teach Like A Pirate by Dave Burgess. To be honest, this book had been sitting on a bookshelf at home for quite some time. I had heard of the author, who actually dresses up like a pirate from time to time, but just assumed the book was geared more toward elementary or middle school teachers. I then found the Teach Like A Pirate chat (#tlap) as I was perusing Twitter one night, and realized the techniques being discussed each week were applicable across all grade levels and content areas. This book was a great read for a couple of reasons: (1) It was a steady reminder of my big WHY, and (2) The author provides creative lesson “hooks” that are totally doable...even in a math class! I’ll give a quick overview of Part I, and then talk about some useful lesson hooks from Part II. Part I: Teach Like A Pirate! The heart of the PIRATE system is Passion, Immersion, Rapport, Ask and Analyze, Transformation, and Enthusiasm. I will touch on each of these, but will spend the most time on passion. PASSION “We are not passionate about everything we teach. It’s OK!” Reading that statement was a very defining moment, because it’s true. As teachers, we should feel passionate about teaching, but sometimes it’s just not there. How do we incorporate passion into our lessons, even if we are not passionate about the particular day’s content? Burgess breaks passion into three distinct categories:
RAPPORT
ASK AND ANALYZE
TRANSFORMATION
ENTHUSIASM
Part II: Crafting Engaging Lessons Presentational hooks are a huge part of what makes Dave Burgess’ lessons engaging. He offers a multitude of presentational hooks to ramp up the anticipation and engagement. You will have to consult the book for all of them, but here are a few hooks from each category for some inspiration. The Kinesthetic Hook
The People Prop Hook
The Safari Hook
The Picasso Hook
The Mozart Hook
The Dance and Drama Hook
The Craft Store Hook
The Student Hobby Hook
The Real-World Applications Hook
The Life-Changing Lesson Hook
The Student-Directed Hook
The Opportunistic Hook
The Interior Design Hook
The Board Message Hook
The Costume Hook
The Props Hook
The Involved Audience Hook
The Mystery Bag Hook
The Storytelling Hook
The Swimming With Sharks Hook
The Taboo Hook
The Mime Hook
The Teaser Hook
The Backwards Hook
The Mission Impossible Hook
The Techno Whiz Hook
The Contest Hook
The Magic and the Amazing Hook
The Chef Hook
The Mnemonic Hook
The Extra Credit Challenge Hook *If your school, like ours, does not use extra credit, these techniques can be used to take students above and beyond the “required” learning.
Part III: Building a Better Pirate (pieces of awesome advice)
Teach Like A Pirate goes into so much more depth than what is written here. This blog post just touches the surface. This book has provided a wealth of inspiration that will benefit students and teachers. Thanks for taking the time to read. My hope is you will be able to find something that you can immediately begin using to make what you’re already doing in the classroom even more awesome. Until next time, Sheri
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Since I'm on spring break, I'll go on a "tangent" and share my kitchen cabinet makeover experience (had to throw some math in there for good "measure"...) Our kitchen cabinets were 15 years old, stained, builder-grade material, and in desperate need of a facelift. The stain was worn off in several spots. After experimenting with a few different types of chalk paint on the furniture in my classroom, I decided chalk paint was the medium I wanted to use on our kitchen cabinets. You have to decide what's best for you...do you have hardware on your cabinets? It will have to be removed before you paint. Do you want to paint the inside of your cabinet doors? Do you want to remove your doors and set up an assembly line, or leave your doors hanging? Since I had no hardware to deal with, and I decided not to paint the insides of my doors (maybe that will be a summer project), I left the doors hanging and just removed some of the kitchen drawers. I didn't even empty the cabinets or drawers. I just put a trash bag or drop cloth over them when I was painting nearby. My recommendation before starting this project: Talk to an expert. I went to three KC home shows and talked to the wonderful ladies from Restoration Emporium and got the most beneficial pointers (Tamara is amazing - look her up, she offers painting classes). I told her what I wanted to do, and she recommended these products (all Amy Howard, all from RE). Note: there is NO sanding required for these products.
I bought these products for less than $150.00. I have a fairly big kitchen with a lot of cabinets and a large bar area, and this was enough for two coats of paint and two coats of sealer - just barely. TIP: Don't skimp on the paint. You get what you pay for with chalk paint. This paint was richer and thicker than most chalk paints I've used, and had the best coverage out of all of them. The other supplies that come in handy:
Step 1: VACUUM. Everything. Whether you have pets or not, you do not want hair to end up in the paint. The same goes for crumbs, so wipe down the counters too. Even if you think your house is clean, do it again. Step 2: Clean the cabinets and trim with Clean Slate. This is the stinkiest part of the process, but by far the most important. Paint does not stick to surfaces that aren't clean. Make sure you have windows open so there is a cross-breeze, if possible. This product is amazing - I had 15 YEARS of caked-on greasiness and God only knows what else on the cabinets, and this stuff stripped it off. Use rags that you can throw away, and wear gloves. Saturate the rag and wipe on cabinets. You might have to scrub a little, but not much. Wipe off dirt with additional lint-free rags. After the cabinets dry, you might notice white spots appearing in places. Don't freak out. I came to the conclusion that most of these can't be removed, even if you wipe them four or five times thinking you've missed some dirt. It just means the cleaner has stripped some tough grime away and this is the result. So, no turning back after you use the cleaner! Step 3: Tape. Even if you think you have a steady hand and can paint around objects...TAPE. I even taped the edges of my countertops, and I am so glad I did, because you never know when the brush will slip, especially after you've been working a while and your muscles are sore! I taped around the floor also, for the same reason. Step 4: Drop cloths - on floor and counters. I didn't move anything on the counters, just covered it up. Step 5: Paint. Two coats. Start at the bottom (but NOT the very bottom trim by the floor - it's extra dirty and you don't want that dirt to end up in your paint, which will end up on your cabinets). Tamara recommends starting the painting process with the bottom level of cabinets so you can get your technique perfected, because bottom row cabinets are less visible than the top row. Smart woman. I painted all of the cabinet trim first. Amy Howard One Step paint only takes 30 minutes to dry before it's ready for coat #2. By the time I worked my way around the kitchen, the first part of the trim had dried and I was ready to start coat #2. I rolled the paint on (get plenty of paint on the roller) and followed with long strokes of the 1.5-inch brush to smooth out the paint. You have to work quickly - I'm not joking when I say this paint dries in 30 minutes! Step 6: Paint the cabinet and drawer faces. After some experimenting, the best route for me was to paint the edges of the doors and drawers first, and then leave them open, because the trim might look dry but you don't want to slam doors/drawers into it just yet. Since there are indentations in my cabinets, I painted those first with the brush, then used the roller on the flat panels and followed with the 3-inch brush in long, vertical strokes. Don't overwork the paint with the brush when following the roller - one stroke for each area will do, otherwise the paint will gum up. TIP: Watch for drips, especially in crevices - they're hard to remove if they sit for even a minute or two! TIP: Rinse brushes often. Don't let paint get gummed up, because it will flake off onto your cabinets. The great thing about this paint is it's water-based, so you can rinse brushes, squeeze the water out with a rag, and immediately use them again. TIP: Do NOT go back over the area you just painted if it looks like the paint isn't covering very well - it will just make the bare spot worse. Wait for the second coat. If the second coat doesn't catch it, you can do a touch-up after that coat dries. Once I finished painting all the bottom pieces, I moved to the top cabinets, and lastly, the trim around the floor. Same process, trim first, then edges, then faces. Lather, rinse, repeat, for two coats of paint. Step 7: Matte Sealer, two coats. I chose sealer as opposed to wax, because (1) sealer repels fingerprints, dirt, grime, etc., and (2) you don't have to reapply the sealer - the wax is a different story. I used a cheap sealer on a table and chairs I painted for school, and it has held up tremendously well over everyday use, so that swayed my decision to opt for the sealer for this project. The sealer takes about an hour to dry between coats. I used the same process as before - trim, edges, faces. Roll, then brush. I used the same brushes but didn't have to rinse them as often as I did with the paint. Here's a video showing how to use the sealer. The directions on the bottle mention sanding between coats. I did not do that. Step 8: Collapse into your favorite chair and admire your work! I got this project done in three days but put in some long hours.
The next project will be painting the kitchen and deciding on some kind of backsplash, and - if I win the lottery - counter tops. But for now, I rest. Because my body demands it. Happy painting! (It may seem daunting, but it's definitely worth it - I am so happy at how the cabinets turned out!!) Personalized Learning: What is it? Why do we need it? How do we accomplish it? After surfing through mounds of professional articles and taking the dive into the great unknown of personalized learning, to say I am an expert on this topic would be a gross overstatement. Even some of the experts in education do not agree on a solid definition of personalized learning. Some confuse “personalized” learning with “individualized” learning, and I can tell you first hand, it’s easy to do just that. During this 2017-2018 school year, I am serving as one of the Lead Learners for the Personalized Learning ONEThing cohort at Excelsior Springs High School. I, along with my team, have spent many hours pouring over articles, researching the significance of personalized learning, weighing the pros and cons, and trying to figure out how to implement personalized learning at all grade levels. I want to share with you some of our findings. What is the reason for the big push for personalized learning? According to The Institute for Personalized Learning, “...our current system was not designed for all learners to be educated at high levels.” The Institute further states, “The [current] system has not become worse. It actually continues to improve--just not enough.” Our society has changed drastically. Students’ needs have changed with the vast amount of technology advancements that have become available. Our current system is lagging behind in its ability to meet those needs. The end goal is to engage learners, and to help them become more independent, more socially aware, and to prepare them for life after high school, whether they choose to attend college, become an apprentice, or directly enter the workforce. Hanover Research, in their 2013 report, “Professional Development for Personalized Learning Practices,” declared personalized learning as “an emerging trend that seeks to support student‐centered, 21st century teaching and learning.” Benjamin Herold, in his EdWeek post from July 11, 2017 titled “Personalized Learning: Modest Gains, Big Challenges, RAND Study Finds,” states this interpretation of personalized learning: “In the world of K-12 education, personalized learning generally means using software and other digital technologies to tailor instruction to each student's strengths and weaknesses, interests and preferences, and optimal pace of learning.” The researchers at RAND identified four components essential to what they refer to as personalized learning:
Hanover Research also included these essential elements of personalized learning, as identified by attendees of a 2010 symposium:
The role of the teacher changes in a personalized learning environment from an information “giver” to more of a “supporter” or “coach." The following key practices, identified by Hanover, are important to the success of the program:
As with anything, challenges come about when trying to implement personalized learning programs school-wide:
John F. Pane, a scientist and chair in education innovation at RAND, said that “while there’s enough evidence to date to keep pursuing personalized learning, this will likely be a race won by slow-and-steady tortoises, rather than hares who rush out of the gate with the expectations of quick, dramatic transformations.” In summary, we can conduct months and months of research about personalized learning, but the truth is, we won’t know the outcome and how our students will respond until we take the risk and begin giving them more choice in class. I am proud of our ONEThing Cohort members who have taken the leap and implemented changes in their classrooms to make their students' learning more personalized. Some have changed the format of their lessons and have given students more voice and choice (such as a “Must Do, May Do” list of options). Some have changed the physical classroom environment by bringing in flexible seating and creating various zones (quiet zones, collaboration zones, etc.), to help meet the needs of individual learners. Based on my unscientific opinion and observations, some students do well with having more freedom. Some still need more structure with less freedom. I had a very clear picture of what I thought personalized learning should look like in a math classroom, only because I had seen it in action upon visiting several different school districts across the state of Missouri. However, trying to re-create an exact replica of what other districts have implemented is a challenge in itself. Trying to change what has “always been” takes time, patience, flexibility, and a great deal of communication between teachers, administrators, students, and community. Sometimes success will come. Sometimes failure will take its place...and this is where everyone learns to be resilient. Bottom line, as educators, we want to give every single student the best opportunity to succeed in our ever-changing world, and we continuously look for ways in which to accomplish this goal. It’s up to us to communicate this vision to our students and, without crushing their creativity, model that vision over and over again until they can branch out on their own and fully take charge of their own learning. Links to personalized learning resources: Personalized Learning: Modest Gains, Big Challenges, RAND Study Finds http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/DigitalEducation/2017/07/personalized_learning_research_implementation_RAND.html?cmp=eml-contshr-shr Professional Development for Personalized Learning Practices http://www.hanoverresearch.com/media/Professional-Development-for-Personalized-Learning-Practices.pdf Personalized Learning Implementation Toolkit https://www.kmsd.edu/cms/lib/WI01919005/Centricity/Domain/484/PersonalizedLearningImplementationToolkit.pdf Training Tools for Curriculum Development http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0025/002500/250057e.pdf These 7 Trends Are Shaping Personalized Learning https://www.educationdive.com/news/these-7-trends-are-shaping-personalized-learning/434575/ ThingLink: 7 Principles of Personalized Learning (Fulton County Schools) https://goo.gl/images/8fzCeC If you've ever wondered what goes on in the minds of people who work in the field of education, here is a glimpse...
Things I wish my students knew: We don't like all this testing either. I know, we always tell you we have to have a standard way of measuring the progress of all of our students. Colleges need ACT and SAT scores to aid them in their admissions processes. But we also know you don't see the value in taking standardized tests, and would rather spend your time doing something more meaningful than deciding between A, B, C, D, or E. We get it. Really...we do. We often spend just as much (sometimes more) time doing things for you, our students, than we do for our own families. Even if we are not physically at school preparing for classes, our minds are constantly churning, contemplating how we should help facilitate a lesson, or trying to figure out how we can relate an objective to a situation you could encounter in the "real" world. And then totally scrapping our lesson plans at the last minute and going a different direction altogether. And then changing it again five minutes into class. No matter how outrageous your behavior, we know there is a reason for it. We may have to peel back the many layers of your soul to find it. And often times that reason breaks our hearts. Some of you see our tears, despite our efforts to turn away in order to pull ourselves together again. You go through heavy stuff. We wish we could make your situation better, but sometimes we don't have all the answers. All we can do is try our best to make sure you feel safe and happy while you're in our care at school. We like to laugh and be silly with you. It's good for the soul. Sometimes we silently agree with your witty, hilarious, less-than-appropriate comments. We appreciate your ability to be honest and "call it like you see it," even though we inevitably have to have a talk with you about using your filter. Sometimes we have to turn our backs to you because we are trying to regain our composure from wanting to fall on the floor laughing over something you said or did. Sometimes we don't turn our backs and just let it all out. We love cracking up with you. We worry about you. Even during breaks, we worry about you. We worry about who you're hanging around with. We worry if the progress we made during the school year is going to last throughout the summer. We worry if you're strong enough to say "NO" when the pressure is on and the line between doing what you know is best for you and doing something just to fit in with the crowd becomes fuzzy. We love you. Even on the bad days, we still love you. Even when we're all stressed, when we have too many irons in the fire and we're all snippy, we love you. Even when we're exhausted, when we're tired of each other, when home life is is hard, and when we're just trying to get through until the next break...we still love you. You are important to us. You are the reason we do what we do. Never, ever forget that. Next year when you move on to another teacher, you're still "our kid." Even after you graduate, you're still referred to as "our kid." We want you to be happy. We want you to be more successful than us. We want you to to have the ability to stand up for yourself. We want you to have compassion for others and give back when you can. We want you to dream big. We want you to leave a legacy of which to be proud. I'm looking forward to seeing old faces and meeting new faces in a few short days. I cannot wait to see what's in store this year. I look forward to the relationships we will build and the problems we will get to solve together. It's going to be different, it's going to be interesting, it's going to be frustrating, it's going to be rewarding, but above all, this year is going to be AWESOME. Get ready. The adventure is about to begin! At this point in the school year, kids are tired. We're tired. Patience? Not sure where it went. We feel like everyone is shutting down. But yesterday, as my sophomores were practicing their performance event for the EOC, many of them legitimately tried - some taking close to the whole hour - even though it was "just a tutorial." So, sophomores...THANK YOU.
This week hasn't been a cakewalk for anyone. It's all too easy to see only the negative. You gave me the boost I didn't know I needed. Every day, I try to soak up the last moments in class with all of you before you move on. Most of you have been in my class for two years straight. We have driven each other crazy on many occasions. You were integral in developing the vision for our classroom's flexible learning environment. Remember our "family meetings" a year ago when we brainstormed about what our classroom, and our school, could be? You talked about what would help you be more comfortable in school. You all helped make that classroom transformation happen. So, sophomores, THANK YOU. Your conversations during class were much more meaningful this year. You put yourselves on the line and actually talked about MATH...something that didn't happen last year. You teamed up and helped each other understand concepts on many occasions. You also helped create the kind of environment where we weren't afraid to laugh, to debate, or to shed tears together...and we did those three things on countless occasions. So, sophomores...THANK YOU. I love all of you dearly. We've all learned so much about ourselves and each other over the past two years. I love the fact I'll get to see some of you in our new resource room next year...but I'm feeling that sentimental little tug on my heart strings, and I can't believe we only have a little over three weeks of school left. Make the most of the next few weeks. Know that I want you to do well and finish strong...and also know that you are more than a test score, and test scores are not indicative of your future success. Be your best...and don't settle for anything less than that. Sincerely, Mrs. Whitt P.S. - Juniors in my "sophomore" classes...this includes you too!! :) It's like climbing a hill. You start slowly, then you set your pace and feel pretty good about your progress. Then the hard climbing starts, right around mid-November. You sweat, cry, have moments of temporary insanity, and contemplate quitting, but you keep going until you reach...CHRISTMAS VACATION!!!! You drop to your knees in a Brandi Chastain-like fashion (without ripping off your jersey, of course)...YESSSSSS!!!!! WE MADE IT!!!! So many days off, so much time to do whatever we want to do!!!
And then after our two-week (or longer) hiatus, reality sets in. We start thinking about our to-do list in order to prepare for second semester. We start complaining about Christmas break not being long enough. We start dreading the day we have to set our alarms for dark-thirty in the morning again. We start wondering, "Do I even remember my password? Oh god, where are my school keys? Where is my BADGE? How am I going to get into the building?!?? What am I supposed to eat for lunch?" And then the biggest reality of all..."I have to retrain my BLADDER!!!" And then we pull the covers back over our heads and revert to the fetal position for a few more minutes. Let's go back to something before we move forward. When I worked in the business world, I got two days off for Christmas. DAYS, not WEEKS. When I worked real estate deals during the holidays, I would get calls on Christmas day from people wanting to see houses, or inquiring about houses I had listed for sale, or anything related to houses, the housing market, painting a house, etc., etc., etc. REALLY? Are you CRAZY? Go be with your FAMILY! I know you have one! I've seen them! Have you no boundaries? I had to shut my phone completely off before my mouth said something my brain couldn't stop from coming out. When I went into education back in 2005, I felt like I'd hit the jackpot. Who gets that much time off for breaks? Sure, by the middle of December we feel like we deserve it, and we do need time away from school to refresh ourselves, to relax, to re-focus. We spend an abundance of hours doing what it takes to help our students be successful during the school year and summer, (although some who are not in the field of education would disagree because they don't see all the behind-the-scenes work it takes to give our kids the education they need - but that's none of my business. Insert a picture of Kermit with a tea cup here). But hopefully, during these breaks, we are able to remember our big WHY. Why did we decide to become teachers, counselors, administrators, coaches, athletic directors, social workers, sponsors, etc., in the first place? Is is because we are passionate about our subject area or our specific job duties? Maybe. However, I don't know any administrator who has said, "YES!!! I get to go back to school and work on our BUDGET! My life's purpose is complete!!!" Or a teacher who says, "I cannot wait to do MATH PROBLEMS over and over again every day!!" Or the athletic director who says, "Woo-hoo!!! I get to meet with a bunch of other ADs and schedule games for every single sport for the next school year!" But those are the same people whose eyes light up when they see kids walking back into their building after a long break. They are the ones standing in the halls, ready to fist-bump every kid that passes by, even giving hugs when needed, welcoming them back with open arms. They are the ones who, during a vacation, think about their kids and wonder how they're doing. They worry about the kids from broken homes and hope they don't return to school even more broken than they were before they left for vacation. They think about the kids who seem to have it all and hope those kids realize how blessed they are. Bottom line, it's tough - for educators and students alike - to get back into a routine after having time off. But we are so, so blessed. We are blessed to have this unexplainable calling that not many other people get to experience. We are blessed to be a part of these kids' lives for the short time we have them in class. We are blessed to be their safe haven. Have you ever really took time to ponder the fact that some of our kids love seeing us more than they love seeing their parents? Take time to chew on that fact for a while. Remember the nice notes and shout-outs students have given to you. Remember the face of the student who finally had the "light bulb moment." Remember the student who thanked you for coming to watch his game, or the one that hugged you after her performance in the school musical and thanked you for being there. Remember the funny conversations you have had with your students that, at times, have left you in tears because you were laughing so hard. Remember the camaraderie with your co-workers and the moments when all you can do is shake your head, roll your eyes, and laugh with each other. When you strip away all the other "stuff" that goes with education and get to the core of why we do what we do, you will find that we don't have it so bad. Not many people in other fields get to form the kind of bond we form with our students and co-workers. We truly have hit the jackpot. So, as I sit here in my PJs with my second cup of coffee and catch up on email, fine-tune PD presentations, wrap my brain around what my students need to learn next, and give the house one final cleaning before the craziness starts again, I'm excited about seeing my kids. I'm feeling antsy to get this second semester learning party started. I hope you're feeling antsy to get started again too. Happy 2017! Do epic stuff this year. Sheri P.S. - I've lost spellcheck. No, seriously...the icon that used to be is gone. And today, I'm too impatient to try to find it. P.P.S. - Update: found it. Hello, Strangers! It’s been a while. I’ve started this post about five different times, each time focusing on something different. I wanted to write and brag about my Student Council kids and my fabulous Co-Advisor, and what a fantastic job they all did with Home Sweet Homecoming 2016. I wanted to write about Veteran’s Day and all the hard work they put into the ceremony honoring all those who have served our great Country. I wanted to write about the opportunity to be part of an amazing group of fellow Teachers and Administrators who are excited to go on fact-finding missions and brainstorm about how we can best serve our students. I wanted to write about how, in November, our plates are full - extremely full for some - but our hearts are somehow always fuller, which keeps us pushing through the exhaustion and frustration that sometimes creeps in this time of the year. What is the common denominator (excuse the math pun) of all of these things? Our kiddos. Why do we do what we do, day in and day out? Because…two words…our kiddos. Many of you have asked how the flexible learning space is going, and I figured this would be a good time to share the results to date. This school year, I find myself observing my students far more than I have in years past. I’ve observed their emotional state during class. I’ve observed their conversations. I’ve observed their seating choices. And I could make many assumptions about how they feel in their math classroom, but as my Mammaw King used to say - and pardon the profanity but I promised from day one I would be real - when you ASSume, you make an ASS out of U and ME. Thanks, Mammaw King, for teaching me that lesson early in life! So, to truly find out how the flexible learning space is going, I asked the most important resource: my kiddos. I made a survey using Google forms. The survey was completely voluntary, and open to all of my Algebra/Geometry A and Algebra Geometry B (mainly freshmen and sophomore) classes. Roughly two-thirds of my students took the survey. Here are the highlights: 86.2% said the flexible learning space made them feel happy. 86.2% said the space made them feel comfortable. 87.9% wished they had more flexible seating options throughout the whole school. 63.8% said it is easier to work in groups. One student said he/she would rather have desks in rows. The most popular pieces of furniture are the futon, bean bag chairs, the kitchen table and chairs, tall tables, and cushioned tall-back chairs. The Fridge (the wall where student work/art is displayed) was also popular with over half of the students who took the survey. But the most surprising favorite of all wasn’t a piece of furniture…it was the lighting! On many days, we shut off the fluorescent lights and leave all the lamps and string lights and lighted trees on, which together with natural light from our one window, produces enough light for them to still complete their work but in a calmer atmosphere. Wow…I didn’t expect that result! And, probably the most important result and the one that had me a little emotional… 100% of students who completed the survey said the space provided a positive environment. So, despite the Big Joe bean bag explosion that occurred during the first month of school, which resulted in a duct tape/staple fix… Despite the other bean bag Deflate Gate (they look more like pancakes now, but kids still lay on them)… Despite the leg randomly falling off of one of the tall tables in the middle of class due to a stripped-out screw, not due to abuse… Despite me having to ban the futon from time to time, when students get a little too comfortable… Our classroom is still a place where kids say they feel comfortable, safe, and a place where they say they feel like they can engage in deeper conversations and take some risks. Do we still have a long way to go? Absolutely. Does change take place overnight? No. Does everyone like change? Not at all. Will everyone react positively to flexible learning spaces? Never. But are we doing some good things in the classroom to help each other be more successful? I believe so. I’ve had to overcome a lot of my Type A personality tendencies throughout this process. If a kid wants to sit in a tall-back chair and prop one of the small side tables on his lap to use as a writing surface, so be it. If a kid lays belly-down on the futon and puts his packet of work on the floor to write in it, as long as the work is being done, so be it. If a kid wants to drag out all of the rubber interlocking mats and sit in a corner to take her test, so be it. If a kid wants to spin around on the wobble stools during a discussion, but still participates, so be it…just don’t fall and break your head. You do you, kiddos. At the end of the day, our classroom is nothing short of a disaster zone. Actually, by the end of 3rd hour, our classroom is nothing short of a disaster zone…and it gets worse by the time the 2:27 dismissal bell rings. Furniture and bean bags are everywhere. Coffee tables are awkwardly sitting in weird places. Stools are all over the place. But kids are using the space to meet their needs, and that was the intent all along. And I am okay with that. And yes, at the end of the day, the first thing I do (after raiding my chocolate drawer) is shut off the fluorescents (if they’re even on), turn on Pandora radio, and spend about 10-15 minutes straightening the room out again before I can even begin to think about tackling grading or working on the next Stuco event or searching for more resources/research for my Innovative Learning Environments group. My colleagues even pop in from time to time to just sit, decompress, and enjoy the calm at the end of the day. The space has not just affected my kids’ attitudes…it has affected mine as well. The environment we have created together is yet one more reason I love coming to work every day. Just this past Friday, I took a break from math packets for a bit and had “Family Meetings” with my morning classes. I’ve pushed these kids hard all year, and felt like we hadn’t had the opportunity to talk, collectively, for a very long time. We moved the tables out of our way and pulled the chairs together. We dragged the carpet blocks toward the center of our sitting area. Some kids plopped down on bean bags right in front of me. Some pulled up their chairs up right next to mine. It truly did feel like a family. And then we got REAL. We talked about what was going well at our school. We talked about what we could do better. We talked about why some students only come to school once every couple of weeks, or not at all. I asked them to dream about what their ideal school would look like if there were no limits on resources. The conversation was intentional, and therefore, incredible. Our kiddos are a wealth of insight. We need to tap into those insights more often. Kids appreciate being heard. I can’t wait to share their thoughts and hear from my Flexible Learning teammates this week about how similar convos went in their classrooms. All in all, this journey is just that…a journey. It continues to be a huge learning process with bumps and roadblocks, and figuring everything out along the way instead of having all the answers up front. The furniture is just the tip of the iceberg when looking at the things that benefit our students. We need to keep pressing on, keep researching, keep trying new things, keep taking risks, and above all, keep talking to students to see what’s working and what could be better. Until next time, I hope your heart stays more full than my bean bags! Sheri P.S. - Below is a slide show of our 2nd quarter happenings. I tried my best to post the pics throughout this blog post. Epic fail. I'm still learning...and trying... I remember...
What a beautiful, crisp, sunny morning it was as I drove in to work at Ferrellgas 15 years ago today, on September 11, 2001. The confusion I felt as I entered the on-ramp to I-35 when KLJC's morning DJ announced a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers. The tone of her voice was alarming. Something wasn't right. Walking into the office and realizing the gravity of the situation as my coworkers and I gathered around a small radio...and my boss grew so upset she finally just shut it off. We had no smart phones with Internet. We didn't even have Internet access on our computers...just a radio and each other. The horribly sick feeling that crept into my stomach and chilled me to the core. Why? How? I couldn't wrap my mind around any of it. Talking to customer service reps that day, and instead of getting down to business as usual and discussing credit scores and approvals, each conversation started with a "How are you?" and ended with a "Hang in there, friend." I remember Jason calling to see if I was ok, and that he would be making the 4-hour drive home after his last class at C of O. I remember Dad calling and saying he'd pay for our gas because news anchors were reporting prices would soar above $5 a gallon. Driving to Wendy's for lunch and hardly being able to eat as I sat in my car in the parking lot, listening to the reports of each attack over the radio. The heartbreaking images on every channel when I finally got home and turned on the TV. I remember the world seemed to stop...but the tears did not. 15 years later...it still feels like yesterday. We are never guaranteed the next day, the next hour, the next minute. Today is a reminder to lift each other up as we did that day; to show love to friends and strangers alike; to remember the innocent and the courageous who paid the ultimate price on and after September 11, 2001; to tell our story about how 9/11 affected each of us when asked by our students - many of whom were not even born yet or were too young to know what had happened. God bless those who serve, and God bless our Nation. Even with our differences and faults, there's no place I'd rather be. ~Sheri "I love your purple room!" "Thanks. It's blue." "No...it's obviously purple!" "IT'S NOT PURPLE!" "Well, then it's graple! Or maybe BLURPLE!" The friendly banter with the Custodians the week after school ended in May as I was painting my room was very entertaining. And my new nickname is Graple. Honestly, I didn't plan to transform my high school math classroom into an innovative learning space all at once. I planned to keep half of my big, bulky, classroom desks with the chairs attached, and change up the other half of my classroom. But, anyone who knows me very well knows it is impossible for me to do anything halfway...it's either all or nothing. This journey began one year ago, when I came back to teaching part-time after taking a year off. When I walked into my classroom, my first thought was, "Gag. I need to get rid of these desks." But when you're used to doing something the same way for 10 years, change tends to be pretty scary. Over the following months, I researched flexible learning spaces, innovative learning spaces, classroom redesign, makerspaces...basically anything I could get my hands on to give me an idea of how to begin a transformation, and I needed the research to back it up. But the most important thing I did was observe my kids. If you look closely, you can tell whether kids are comfortable in their learning space. Some fidget in their seats. Some complain about their backs hurting. Some, when given time to work, leave their desks with the attached chairs and choose to sit on the hard floor, because they don't want to sit in the desks any longer. Some stand. I couldn't sit in my kids' desks for 10 minutes without wanting to roll out onto the floor...and I expected my kids to be able to sit comfortably AND concentrate AND be engaged when I couldn't even do that myself? What an idiot I was. In May, it was time to have a heart-to-heart with the kids. I had four classes of freshmen, who would be looped into my classes again as sophomores. I didn't know the best way to approach the topic, but I knew their input was the most important piece of the puzzle. I started off by saying, "Hey guys, I need your help." Those four words - I NEED YOUR HELP - were magic. Their ears perked up. They looked at me like I had two heads. What teacher asks KIDS for advice? I went on to tell them my observations about our learning space. Immediately, their ideas came pouring out. I couldn't write them down fast enough. I finally had to stop them and ask if they would be open to filling out a few questions on a Google form (not mandatory). The next school day, I gave them the QR code so they could scan it and go to the form I created. Those students who didn't have their iPad or phone were grabbing sheets of notebook paper so they could give their input as well. I knew, at this point, there was NO turning back. I could no longer dig my heels in and put on my brakes. I was on the edge of that cliff, about to be pushed off into the deep water. An innovative learning space HAD to happen. Luckily, I am blessed with a wonderful Administration team who was all for the transformation. I asked my kids what colors they liked, and 84% of those who answered the survey questions listed some shade of blue, thus, the blurple paint color. Yes, I taped off, primed, and painted the room myself. It took a week. It was a b*&ch. Just being honest. I asked the kids what type of furniture made them the most comfortable. I asked what supplies they wanted. I asked them if we should keep our current desks, and why or why not. Their responses were eye-opening. And now for the controversial piece: I decided to furnish the room myself. I had items sitting at home that were collecting dust, and my classroom would be the perfect new home for them. My other (part-time) job allowed me to buy several new pieces of furniture, and I had decided a few months prior that this was the route I wanted to take. What if the District purchased my furniture and the whole experiment crashed and burned? I wanted to test the waters first. I wanted to be the guinea pig. And if it worked for my kids, then other teachers would have a resource and a jumping-off point to start making small changes in their rooms or common areas as well. And I was way, way, waaaaaaaaay out of my comfort zone! But, it's not about ME... I started with IKEA. I hate IKEA. But their prices were reasonable for what the kids had requested. My first trip to IKEA was pure fact-finding. I walked through the store, trying out the furniture, sitting in the chairs, making a fool of myself wiggling around in them to make sure they were sturdy, and took pictures of the items and their info cards that I thought would work in our classroom. I measured our classroom and brainstormed possible layouts. Once I decided on what to buy and how many of each item, I went back to IKEA, did a quick walk-through of the store again (10 minutes max - didn't want to give myself time to back out), took my list of items to a warehouse worker, and had him look up everything on my list to make sure it was in stock. That step saved a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth that would have happened later. On my list was a variety of chairs, stools, tables (some with casters), rugs, and lamps. The furniture was to be light and easy to move, but sturdy. He printed a list of my items in order by aisle and bin number, which made picking the items extremely easy. The only bump in the road happened as we overloaded one of the carts, attempted to turn it, and all the boxes crashed into the middle of an aisle. All in all, it took my husband and I around five hours to put all the items together the next day. Everything was pretty easy to build, much to my surprise. Side note: make sure to sign up for their rewards program. I saved a bit of money and they'll give you a free meal based on how much you buy. Food tip: The Swedish meatballs are delightful. The indigestion afterward is not as delightful. I had to wash it down with a piece of chocolate cake. IKEA is bad for your health. ;) I picked up some Big Joe bean bag chairs, tray tables, and bar stools at Walmart; rubber locking mats and clipboards from Sam's Club, and found a good deal online for individual white boards and stick-on white boards for the tables. I had been hoarding stuff from Michael's since August...join their rewards program, wait for the 60% and 70% off coupons, and for the 40% off coupon for your WHOLE cart, hit the clearance aisle, take the teacher discount as well, and you'll be surprised at how much you can cheaply acquire. Oriental Trading is also a good, reasonable resource. I bought some paper decorations, geometry solids and brain break blocks. The space isn't done. It will never be done. I expect my furniture to be moved every day. I expect the kids to try new seats every day, even multiple seats at appropriate times during class. We have to have expectations in place, and classroom management has to be on point from day one. But...I cannot wait to get the kids in the classroom and hear their feedback. And yes, I am expecting both positive and negative feedback from kids and parents. I've already had my Student Council kids, some of our Cheerleaders, and a team of Teachers and Administrators for our District inservice try it out. I wish I had video recordings of their expressions as they entered the room...some were priceless. This is a continuous work in progress and learning process for all of us. I could write a few more paragraphs, but this is enough for now. Check out the picture gallery. A small sample of my favorite resources are listed below. If you have any questions, please comment or email me and I'll be happy to chat with you. If you have suggestions, I'll be happy to hear them! The worst thing is re-inventing the wheel. Teachers who keep everything to themselves grind my gears. If kids are our main focus, we need to be sharing all our insights and resources with each other - building to building, district to district, state to state, country to country. I have a fantastic PLN both local and worldwide, and they are some of my best resources. Even if you're not ready to take the swan dive into this kind of transformation for your own room, I hope you have the courage to dip a toe into the water and start transforming a corner of your space. Change IS scary. But, change IS necessary. There are grants available, donation sites you can sign up for, and if you put the word out there for what items you need, there is always someone willing to help you. P.S. - I looked at the paint can today. My paint color is Olympic Semi Gloss in BLUE Opal. I KNEW IT WAS BLUE!!!! (insert winky-sticking-out-tongue emoji here;) Resources Blogs that inspired me: Cult of Pedagogy: Classroom Eye Candy Focus 2 Achieve: Starbucks My Classroom Twitter hashtags #StarbucksMyRoom #ClassroomDesign #InnovativeLearningSpaces #FlexibleSeating #FlexibleLearning #CollaborativeSpaces Twitter people to follow Oskar Cymerman @focus2achieve Bob Dillon @ideaguy42 Periscope My video from ISTE 2016 - From the Periscope app, look for me at @sheriwhitt77, and watch the video "Mindsets & Classroom Management for Making in Every Classroom" for ideas about classroom design and makerspaces from a panel of experts. Books The Space: A Guide for Educators (Rebecca Hare, Robert Dillon) WHO has TIME for ACTIVITIES??? Us, that’s who! Sometimes we just have to make it a priority, like Brennan and Dale in Step Brothers (hopefully with better success;). I’m going to cut to the chase, because let’s face it…we are running out of summer vacay, and we need some quick ideas to use in our classes. These activities are courtesy of John Antonetti’s Power of Student Engagement session, and this is the final part of my blog series about this particular PD day. Here we go.......... First Activity…this one is great for kids AND adults…maybe a great one for a school or district-wide PD session…
Second Activity – I’ll call this the Oddball Out.
Third Activity - The New Zoo (this is one of my favorites)…
Fourth Activity – Japanese Poster Method (This is actually a method that can be modified to an activity you already use)
Fifth Activity – Say What?
Sixth Activity – How Much Carpet?
Seventh Activity – “GRANT”ing Wishes
So there you have it...seven activities that hopefully spark some ideas about how to find ways to lead your own students into a deeper understanding and MAKING SENSE of the concepts they are learning. Thanks for sticking with me throughout this three-part series. Coming next...innovative learning spaces (including makerspaces)...and I cannot wait to share my experience (and resources) with YOU!!! Yours truly, Sheri |
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