Talkworthy

A Gathering of Thoughts

2011-02-27T21:48:00.014-05:00

I learn so much from those folks in my PLN. This morning as I reviewed my Twitter feed I came across a link to Chirpstory. I was curious enough to take a look. It seemed like a great tool for gathering tweets to create a story.

I attended the Dublin Literacy Conference this weekend. Several colleagues tweeted throughout the conference so I thought Chirpstory might be a way to capture some of responses to the presenters at the conference. So many smart thoughts were captured in those tweets.

So I created a Chirpstory titled Dublin Literacy Conference. It was a fun new tool that I am sure I will use again sometime. Maybe you will have some fun creating a Chirpstory.

Where are the Children?

2011-02-17T10:31:00.009-05:00

In January, I attended Educon 2.3 at the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia. It is a wonderful conference attended by many who care about learning, technology and the future of education. Prior to the conference an invitation was sent out to participate in Encienda

I am particularly worried about the current educational landscape. I worry that we are losing our children in many ways and hope that we can turn things around. So my presentation is called "Where are the Children". I have embedded here if you are interested in hearing what I have to say. I would love your comments as well. presentations. It is an interesting and challenging format: 20 slides that advance automatically every 15 seconds. The presenter narrates the presentation along with the slides.

Focus

2011-01-03T07:56:00.016-05:00

Made with My Cool Signs.Net

A Plan for Thoughtful Learning

2011-01-02T07:50:00.006-05:00

Many years ago (25 to be exact), I wrote an article about the importance of paying attention to children. I came across the article the other day as I was cleaning out some files. For me, it was confirmation that my core beliefs are alive and well. I think I submitted the article to a few magazines but no one every picked it up. The importance of the article now is that it is yet another reminder of what I am afraid we are losing in education. We are losing the children.

There are many of us out there talking about educational reform. I agree with the sense of urgency and I support many of the actions suggested by the most thoughtful educators across the world. Visit the Cooperative Catalyst blog to read some of the most thought provoking posts on school reform and the actions that will move us forward to more meaningful learning. My list of actions include four reminders to be thoughtful and purposeful about the days I spend with children and teachers.

Never Forget the Learner:
I don't want to appear simplistic but, for me, the most compelling reminder is to never forget the learner. Some days it's like fighting through a snow storm when you can barely see a few feet in front of you. You try to clear your vision to get where you are going, but it's tough. Or it's like working your way through a crowded highway of traffic. You are sure about where you want to go but so many starts and stops get in the way. Or it's that long "to do" list that keeps you from doing the meaningful work you know you should be doing like spending time with children.

Think Deeply:
The distractions we face today are enormous. I don't need to list them here because we all sense the pull of the meaningless diversions we experience each day. These take us away from deeply thinking about learning, teaching, leadership and our children's future. So my next reminder-to-self is to slow down and prioritze the thinking and learning I do each day. I need to make time to dig deeply beyond the surface of my thoughts and actions.

Demystify Learning
I worry about the disconnect children feel about school and learning. At our school, they come smiling through the front door each morning but I am not sure they are engaged and involved in their own learning. They are great kids, but I wonder if they have learned to play the game of school. They are good at figuring out what WE want and complying. But where is the curiosity and the passion? I wonder if our students think about the ways they learn, what they care about, and a desire to connect with the world.

Inspire
Someone suggested we choose one single word that drives us throughout the new year. My word is INSPIRE. I need to take some time for my own inspiration. The pace and intensity of the day often diverts me away from engaging my brain and my heart long enough to experience the inspiration that comes from spending time with children and teachers. I hope to inspire others throughout the coming year. That will mean helping them to find what matters, to think deeply and to take action.

So I have etched out a plan for the coming year. I will need many reminders along the way. I know that the educators I connect with each day will help me stay focused on what counts - our children.

Look Deeper, Listen and Watch More Intently, Collaborate and Learn

2010-10-17T13:47:00.017-04:00

There are so many people who seem to focus on school reform these days. Some of us are growing weary of those who take a deficit view of the situation and make major non-educated assumptions about what learning and teaching is or should be. Many of those who are speaking the loudest have very little direct contact with the day-to-day lives of teachers and students in schools. And yet, people are listening and believing that the state of student learning is hopeless and that education in our country needs a complete makeover with intricate ways of monitoring and measuring.

I worry that there are reformers out there that set their sights right over the tops of the our students’ heads. One might wonder if children actually live and learn in our current school communities. Too much focus is placed on scores, data, and deficit thinking. Imagine gazing across a beautiful ocean and never thinking about what wonders lie beneath. What could we discover just below the surface and what wonders would we find if our gaze had the depth to look beyond the surface? We need to put our students back into our line of vision and take the time to know and respond to them as unique learners. There are many teachers and schools who value the learning lives of students. But for others our children seem to be lost in the crowd. They seemed to be swallowed up by the negative perspectives of those who think they know what our schools need.

We only need to walk through the halls of our schools to know that children need to know someone cares about them, that there are people who believe in their potential and that learning is about inquiry, discovery and passion. Teachers are engaging students in thoughtful inquiry and giving them opportunities to develop knowledge as well as the behaviors, skills and attitudes they will need for the future. However, these are not easily measured so many are blinded by the data produced when we only measure those things that can easily be measured. Wasn’t it Albert Einstein who said, “Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Let’s think about what we value. Stamina, curiosity, persistence, choice, collaboration and passion are all important to me. I don’t really care about measuring them. I care about making sure we are giving students opportunities to learn them successfully. Let’s prepare them to be independent, passion-driven learners. Let’s create learning environments where all students can learn.

Maybe I’m expecting too much. Some folks seem to be deaf to the voices of our children. Positive school reform should begin with less talking and more listening, especially to the symphony of wisdom that comes from our students. Every child’s voice has power and wisdom. Let’s all be very quiet and listen to our children and then act on what they tell us about their learning. Let’s be positive and hopeful about our children’s future.

photo via Flicker by Pink Sherbert Photography
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/234942843/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Teach Wisely, Teach Well

2010-09-22T19:51:00.014-04:00

This article was first posted at Dangerously Irrelevant on September 21, 2010

The Current Landscape

These are challenging times in the current landscape of learning and teaching. The standards movement is pressing upon us and students and teachers are being measured in the narrowest of ways. I know that any and every measurement can tell me something about a child and I fear that focusing on any one measurement can be dangerous. The biggest mistake we can make is to be single-minded. Concentrating on a standardized score or focusing on only the standards that we are required to teach will not allow us the opportunity to create a variety of rich, interactive, collaborative and thoughtful experiences that enrich learning and teaching.

In the worst situations, it’s not the data that is problematic but how the data is interpreted, generalized, and misused to make educational decisions. I think that all measurements can be helpful in creating a clear and precise profile of a learner. I tend to lean toward more authentic measurements and what they tell me about students. However, every piece of data is a piece of the puzzle. What the results can do is help to clarify the most effective instruction and be responsive to each student’s needs. Some knowledge and skills are easily measured. Some are not. When it comes right down to it, a good teacher knows her students well and teaches in response to what she knows about the individual child.

I worry that we look at standards the way we narrow a Google map search on. We can narrow in on the smallest of detail. But knowing the big picture is also important. We can consider standards, measurements and data and completely lose sight of the bigger picture. Each educational measure we put in place is a part of the whole and we must not forget that. What does a standard or a test score tell us about a student’s persistence or level of self-efficacy? How can we support students by giving them the skills they need for more critical thinking, inquiry and thoughtful pursuits.

What Next?

Whether or not we agree with standards and accountability, it is an immense part of the learning landscape. So we need to help others understand its place in the big picture.

The most important question we can ask when we are presented with any kind of measurement of progress is to ask “What next?” How will we formulate learning experiences that will move each child forward. What will we focus on? What are the strengths of the child and how can we teach from those strengths instead of looking at the deficits?

Causations for low and even high performance are being generalized. Some educators are guessing why students perform the way they do and linking to practices that may not have a positive impact on student learning. In some cases, we are instituting programs and practices that detour us from focusing on 21^st century skills. If anything the standards and data-driven accountability fuel the need to speak out, to do what is right for kids, to broaden our perspective on what counts as learning.

Remember

· Stay the course and make decisions based on what’s right for kids

· Embrace 21^st century learning

· Use measurement results to teach from a child’s strengths

· Be political. Let your thoughts be heard.

While it’s the most challenging time in education, it is also the most exciting. We are increasing the potential for our students to be active and participatory learners. We are encouraging them to build a learning community both locally and globally that will help them reach success. We cannot abandon our efforts to give our students what they will need to help them be successful in learning and life.

Karen Szymusiak is principal of Glacier Ridge Elementary in Dublin, Ohio. She can be found online at twitter.com/karenszymusiak. Karen has coauthored Beyond Leveled Books, Still Learning to Read, and Day to Day Assessment in the Reading Workshop. Her favorite moments are those spent with children. She says, "If we really listen to children, they tell us all there is to know about teaching wisely and well."

Local - National - Global

2009-10-13T20:56:00.008-04:00

Each year our students have a Celebration of Giving rather than the traditional holiday party that is typical on the day before winter break. When we opened the school three years ago we decided that we wanted our students to understand the notion of giving instead of focusing on a holiday wish list or thinking about what gifts they were going to receive.

Each December our students do chores for family and friends to earn money to donate to a charity. We ask parents to help out by taking pictures of their children doing the chores. They send the pictures in so we can make a slide show for our Celebration of Giving Assembly held on the last day before winter break. The assembly reminds us all that together we can do great things and that there are many reasons we help others who are less fortunate.

Our Student Leadership Team is in charge of choosing the charity each year. This year I am so impressed with their thinking. They have decided that instead of giving to one charity they want to choose a local, a national, and a global charity that needs our help. They are doing some research and will soon make a decision about the three organizations that we will support.

I am first impressed each year by the many ways our students open their hearts to give to others. This year I am so proud to be working with a group of children who understand the small as well as the big picture. They understand the importance of helping our local charity. But I am even more proud that they have chosen to consider a global charity.

These are the things that cannot be measured on any test. These are the things that make us hopeful that our students can impact their world - close to home and far away.

Twitter Treasure

2009-09-28T05:30:00.001-04:00

Portwiture is an interesting program that grabs photography from Flickr that matches the content of your most recent Twitter updates. You can view the photographs on a grid or in a slideshow.

Here is my Portwiture.

Talking Him Off the Ledge

2009-09-09T20:59:00.008-04:00

The beginning of the school year can be daunting for our youngest students in Kindergarten. Today I was called down to a kindergarten class because a child was not cooperating and being pretty disagreeable. I could tell that he was highly frustrated and impulsive. My goal was to calm him down and figure out just what led to his state of mind. His class was on their way outdoors to observe a tree. I asked him if he would stay inside to calm down a little and talk with me. He parked himself under a table and seemed to prepare for a battle.

In the first few minutes of our conversation, we just weren't connecting. He was still too frustrated to be logical or cooperative, but slowly he began to talk with me. I made it apparent that I was very interested in what he had to say. In a few minutes, he got the idea that I wasn't there to make his day more miserable but that I was genuinely trying to understand him. We spent the next 15 minutes talking - he stayed under the table as I sat near trying to make eye contact.

Some moments in education are magical. In just a few minutes, I found out what was making him so unhappy and learned about what he liked. But more importantly, we connected. The class returned from observing a tree outside and went out for a bit of recess. I watched him and two other boys play soccer. When the children came inside, they spread out with books for a few moments of independent reading. He chose a book about bugs that we both found pretty interesting. We looked through it together, and I invited him to come to my office to read with me sometime.

In those last few minutes together, I could have imagined it, but I think he nearly reached for my hand. In our time together, I learned some things about him and he learned some things about me. We can build on the friendship we began today. I am looking forward to more opportunities to spend time with this child. He has some challenges but he is a most interesting child. In small ways I hope I can help him find his place in our school.

So Much Potential

2009-09-06T20:16:00.019-04:00

Our school's vision ends with the phrase "encourage the unlimited potential of the whole child."

It's a lofty goal in these times of grades, competition, testing, accountability, and an outdated school structure that impedes authentic learning rather than encourages inquiry, collaboration, discovery and a meaningful and thoughtful pursuit of new learning.

I continue to have a steadfast belief in our school's vision. But there are days when it is tough to sustain the vision and to rely on my beliefs about learning and teaching. I believe in the possibilities. I believe in the unlimited potential of every child. I believe in a caring and nurturing learning environment. I support the work of teachers who bring out the best in our children. I appreciate their dedication and commitment. I believe in the power of relationships.

Today I watched again the presentation by Benjamin Zander titled "The Art of Possibility" because it renews my belief in the possible.

Watch the video when your belief in the potential of every child is shaken by the rumblings from the conditions that seem out of your control. I intend to encourage my staff to watch the video and reflect on its connection to their own learning and teaching.

And I am wondering what it would be like to share the video with children and listen to their responses. I hope to do that this coming week and will post my reflections.

3 Days Into the School Year

2009-08-27T17:13:00.012-04:00

We finished our third day of school today. It's amazing how quickly we settle into our routines. How do we re-establish those routines but guard against the complacency of doing things the way we have always done them? How can we start the year with a new set of lenses through which to view our learning community? Can we get in the habit of asking "Why?" so we know our decisions are
meaningful and purposeful?

Today I was strolling around the cafeteria helping students open the juice boxes, milk cartons, and string cheese wrappers when a second grader stopped me as I walked by. He said, "My name is Jaden. I'm new here and who are you?" I love the way he felt comfortable enough to strike up this conversation. I told him my name and that I was the principal. I knew he had transfered from another school in our district and told him that his principal had told me he was coming to our school. We had a brief conversation, and I moved on. I won't forget Jaden's name tomorrow or the next. We have made a connection. My challenge is to make those connections with all the children at our school.

Tomorrow will be the end of our first week of school. We are settling in and making our new friends feel welcome. The hope of the new school year is ahead of us.

Twitter is my PLN

2009-07-26T17:09:00.019-04:00

I am responding to Franki's Twitter Mosaic Meme with my own mosaic of friends, colleagues and highly respected edubloggers.

It is difficult to even begin to describe the impact that Twitter has made on my professional learning. My learning community has grown by leaps and bounds and I have learned so much from everyone. My Twitter is my Professional Learning Network (PLN). I used to complain that I didn't have enough time to read the newspaper in the morning but now I spend at least an hour at the beginning of the day checking the latest tweets.

I appreciate the discoveries I make each day but I worry about the time I invest. I wish there was an easier way. I am reducing the amount of people I follow to make it more manageable. I know someone who keeps the number of people he follows to 150. If he finds someone new that he wants to follow, he drops one off of his list. I think this is good advice.

A day does not go by when I don't discover a new tool or a thought-provoking article. My list of bookmarks has grown so large (@2000) that I am attempting to move them from my browser to a social bookmarking site (Diigo). It will take me awhile but I can tag each bookmark to keep them all a bit more organized and accessible.

So here is my Twitter Mosaic.

Get your twitter mosaic here.

So, here are the rules:
1. Go to http://sxoop.com/twitter/ to create your mosaic (you can choose friends or followers).
2. Copy the code and paste it into a blog entry.
3. Reflect and comment on your mosaic.
4. Tag some “tweeples.”
5. Link back to this post or the post where you were first tagged.

I am tagging @katiedicesare and anyone else who thinks this sounds like fun!
Enjoy!

Leadership Day 2009

2009-07-12T06:05:00.002-04:00

Today, June 12, Scott McLeod from Dangerously Irrelevant is holding a blogging Leadership Day. I am really anxious to read what others post.

My thoughts on this Leadership Day ...

For me, it is the power of conversations about learning and teaching and the potential of technology that will move people toward new ways of thinking.

It's having clear expectations that we will enable our students to pursue learning in new ways and that we will give them the privilege and the responsibility to enrich their learning with new technologies.

It's encouraging teachers to discover what new technologies have to offer and to begin a conversation about thoughtful and purposeful technology integration in the classroom.

As a leader, it is about knowing what you stand for. It's about holding onto what you believe about learning and teaching. It certainly isn't simply about technology. For me, it is about the unlimited potential of our children and their future.

Zeke Knows Where to Find Books

2009-06-08T20:04:00.005-04:00

My grandson, Zeke, is just learning to pull him self up to stand.
He is a sponge for all the new things he is discovering.
I love the fact that he found some books on his journeys today.

Collaboration on Stixyboard

2009-04-10T08:11:00.022-04:00

I am exploring ways to collaborate online. There are better ways to collect the thoughts of 50 or so staff members besides gathering them in a room to talk. I am also wondering how we can use collaborative online methods in the classroom.

Our teaching staff has tried Stixyboard as a way to collect people's thoughts on a topic. The Literacy Team has been sending a weekly question out to the staff on email. But the process was somewhat cumbersome. A person had to send the email, collect the responses, and paste all the responses together to share them with the staff. There had to be a better way.

So we introduced Stixyboard to the staff. We sent out invitations to respond to a discussion topic. In this case, we wanted to collect people's thoughts on what CHOICE means in an elementary classroom. So we asked, "What does it mean to give kids CHOICE in your classroom as it relates to literacy?"

We asked staff members to respond individually and then continue to revisit the site to watch the number of comments grown and to read what others are thinking about choice in the classroom. Here's what our online collaboration looks like now.

We are excited about using this tool for continued conversations about learning and teaching. It is a format that is easy to use and a very effective way to collect thoughts from a large group of people.

If anyone is using Stixyboard, let me know. It would be good to gather all the creative ways people are finding to use it. And if you use it in the classroom with students, please also share your applications.

Have fun with Stixyboard!

2009-03-30T06:00:00.001-04:00

I am working with a group of six kindergarten students who were identified as falling a bit behind in expected development of emergent reading skills. It is a great opportunity for me as a principal to exercise my teaching skills. We meet everyday for an hour.

When we first began to meet, I set out to get to know each one of the children. There were blaring deficiencies and a few strengths to build on. But when I asked one of the children to read something, he too quickly said, "I can't read." It was in that moment that I decided to prove him wrong. So as I work with these six children I will not accept low expectations. I began that day to convince them that they CAN read. It is often in the conversations that we build the confidence in reluctant learners.

It has been a great experience with these children. Yes, they are reading and continue to build their confidence and their skills. I have not heard, "I can't read" in a very long time.

School is for asking questions...

2009-03-25T17:00:00.004-04:00

I read a lot of blog posts today and spent some time (way too much) on Twitter. I always take away some new thought or reflection. In a post on Teaching with Technology Steve Kirkpatrick made a statement that made me think. He said,

"At which point did children stop going to school to ask questions and go to school to be given answers to remember?"

What have our schools become? How can we make our schools places where children come to ask questions? In another recent post, Angela Maiers shared a wonderful video of her lesson with first graders about how learners constantly ask questions. Take a moment to watch it.

I am wondering if we ever slow down enough so kids can ask the questions. If we don't take the time to stop and listen, their questions just might stop. That's a very scary thought. I can imagine a school where children walk through the door each day with a "Good morning", a smile to start the day, and a brain filled with questions and inquiries.

"Do you know..."
"I am wondering..."
"What might happen if..."
"How ..."
"Why..."

School would, once again, be a place where children came to ask questions. How would our classroom conversations be different? Would students feel differently about school? How would learning look and sound? I would like to find out.

Do What You Can - Share What You Can

2009-03-24T09:17:00.005-04:00

I have been spending so much time on the internet lately that I feel like I have lost some balance in my life. Don't get me wrong. I am learning so much and growing my Professional Learning Network (PLN). It is difficult to even explain how my learning has changed. But I admit that I am somewhat addicted to time online.

So when I read the recent blog post by The Cool Cat Teacher I was reminded that while our lives continue to move forward "like a speeding bullet" we should "Do What We Can" and "Share What We Can." My blog posts are few and far between. Yet each day I am learning, doing and sharing in many ways. Unfortunately, I am spending less time on writing blog posts and more time on teacher evaluations, school newsletters, writing grants, learning, school wikis, twitter and such. Some of this I truly enjoy and some of it just needs to get finished and off my plate. So I am doing and sharing in many ways. In the quiet moments of my days, I slow down to connect with my new grandson, Zeke, who is truly a joy.

Sometime soon, I hope, there will be time to reflect, post on my blog, write a book and the endless other things on my "to do" list. For now, I am doing and sharing what I can.

Have a great weekend!

2009-03-13T22:43:00.005-04:00

A message for you.

What I Heard Today

2009-03-06T19:42:00.009-05:00

I was in a first grade classroom today during writing workshop. The teacher has supported these young writers in many ways, and they have grown so much since the fall. As the teacher asked what each student was working on today, students shared a variety of writing projects in process. Since this teacher offers so much choice to her students, there was a wide variety of responses. One student with a tiny voice but a determined stature replied, "I'm using the book, 31 Uses for a Mom, as a mentor text to write my own book just like it."

This child has recognized that books can be a scaffold for her own writing. The word "mentor" is part of the shared language of this classroom. This young writer was engaged, motivated, creative, determined, and focused on her work. She created the text and began to illustrate. We talked briefly about how much her own mother would enjoy the book, so she has learned about audience. She never doubted that she could do it. In fact, she said that she had so many ideas in her head that she couldn't get them all down.

In writing workshop, even our youngest students can become writers with the support of a caring teacher, a classroom full of books, and the confidence to simply go at it.

What I Heard Today

2009-03-02T19:38:00.007-05:00

In my role as a principal of an elementary school, it is an absolute joy to wander the school and listen in on the learning conversations.

Today I passed a second grader sitting comfortably in our open learning space just beyond her classroom door. She was concentrating on the laptop computer screen in front of her. As I walked by, she seemed intensely engaged in a task. I asked her what she was doing and with spontaneity and ease she said "I'm recording a voice over."

Gotta love it! Learning that counts!

2009-03-01T09:41:00.007-05:00

I need to get my hands on Sir Ken Robinson's new book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything. I am fascinated by his thoughts on creativity and eager to consider ways to build a school where learning is centered on our passions. Until the book arrives in the mail, I will listen and listen again to Sir Ken Robinson speak on this video.

It's a 40 minute video, so take some time to sit back with a cup (or glass) of your favorite beverage and enjoy. Don't be tempted to skip the question and answer session at the end because his final words are powerful.

Inauguration Speech MindMap

2009-01-22T06:30:00.003-05:00

Love this post at DigiGogy. It's a MindMap of President Obama's Inauguration speech.

2009-01-21T19:32:00.006-05:00

Just poking around the blogs out there and came across this great video that's a 21st Century Literacy version of the Letter from Camp. It's posted at Higher Edison. Take a look. I promise you will smile.

Reading a Book with Zeke

2009-01-03T21:23:00.009-05:00

We babysat our three-month-old grandson, Zeke, tonight. My daughter tells me that he has a favorite book - imagine that! It's called I Love Colors by Margaret Miller. Each two page spread has a picture on the right (a red bow on a child's head) and on the left is a small bit of text ("red bow") on top of a brighlty colored matching background (red).

So when I shared the book with Zeke tonight I watched his eyes catch the page of color. The bright colors seemed to fascinate him. As I turned the pages, each new color caught his attention.

I am looking forward to watching our beautiful grandson learn to read!

A Clean Desk

2009-01-01T21:25:00.007-05:00

I spent a few days of the winter break cleaning my office at school. The piles had overtaken any available workspace! I was determined to begin 2009 with a clean desk. As I moved through the piles, it was scary to realize that so much of it went straight to the recycle pile! Someone told me once that I should handle every piece of paper just once. Good advice but I am not very good at following it. The piles grow no matter how hard I try. I am anxious to begin 2009 with a desk that sparkles.

The future...

2008-12-23T10:44:00.010-05:00

I spent some time today looking into the future. While many feel that our education system is stagnated, I find it compelling to look at future trends and to think about how they will impact our schools, learning and teaching.

I visited the Cool Cat Teacher blog where she suggested in her Daily Spotlight on Education that readers take a look at an interview, Six Important Forces That Will Shape 2009 at Trends in Living Networks. I found Ross Dawson's points very interesting especially the trend he calls Constant Partial Attention (CPA). He states that "our attention is constantly divided between a massive array of channels." and that "to be successful, we need to thrive on constant interruption.

This makes me think about the times I often watch TV, talk to my husband or to a friend on the phone, and read blogs or twitter - all at the same time! It also makes me wonder how that will impact learning and teaching.

In education, we need to raise the urgency to understand and respond to future trends. While this information is connected to the business world it has huge impacts on education.

While I was at Trends for Living Networks, I also linked to Future Exploration Network where I discovered a few other fascinating things under FEATURED CONTENT.

Extinction Timeline - a fascinating look at what will disapper in our lives

Future of Medial Report 2008 featuring the seven driving forces shaping media

and Enterprise Social Network Strategy Report that features what people are saying about social network strategy

Ross Dawson also posted on December 23 a Trend Map for 2009 created by futurist, Richard Watson and points out a few of the elements of the trend map.

While this seems like an unusual post for me, my brain has exploded with information as I have blogged and twitted in the last month. Hoping that you will join in the conversation.

2008-11-27T08:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Educationally Significant

2008-11-26T14:21:00.009-05:00

Cris Tovani shared this quote in her presentation at NCTE in San Antonio last Sunday.

"What was once educationally significant, but difficult to measure, has been replaced by what is insignificant and easy to measure. So now we test how well we have taught what we do not value." ~ Art Costa

Scary to think about!
I need to post this quote in my office as a constant reminder to do what is right for kids.

2008-11-24T10:03:00.021-05:00

I attended the NCTE session by Karl Fisch on Saturday. I left with a sense of urgency. Some time ago I had seen the original video Karl put together. The one he shared in the session had some new thoughts added. It was great to watch.

I appreciate Karl's thinking. He said that it is not about covering the content but about students uncovering understanding. So smart! I am thinking about how we can build intellectual curiosity at our school.

He shared a great quote from Hellen Keller.

"It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision."

We have been working very hard this year on our school's vision. We created it the summer after the first year our school was open. At our summer retreat, we had students join the staff to collaborate on the vision statement for our school. The kids were amazing and really helped us create a meaningful vision statement.

Here it is:

Glacier Ridge Elementary is a learning community with high expectations dedicated to inspiring children to find a passion for learning in a safe and kind environmenbt that celebrates diversity, promotes leadership and encourages the unlimited potential of the whole child.

There is always the danger of a mission statement and/or vision statement lacking any influence or impact on the learning community. It's important that we understand the words we have put together in our vision statement and continually look for the influence it has on the way we teach, learn and live together.

This year we are "unpacking" the vision statement by looking at each phrase and brainstorming what it "looks like" and "sounds like" at our school. It has given us time to celebrate what we are accomplishing but it opens many opportunities to think about our goals and what we want our school to be.

Karl's presentation adds a whole new dimension to our thinking - a set of new eyes to view the vision statement and think about the impact it could have on 21st Century learning.

NCTE

2008-11-23T16:14:00.002-05:00

I am in the airport waiting for my flight home from NCTE in San Antonio. It was a great conference this year. I am tired but energized. I will be blogging about it some this week.

Choice, Time and Independence

2008-10-07T07:00:00.002-04:00

I spent some time in writing workshops in a few classrooms last week. My faith in the unlimited potential of our children was once again renewed as I saw young writers work their way through texts they chose to write.

I marveled at how soon into the school year first and second graders were able to work with intensity at writing. One child had a several page story going with a great lead. ("Once there was a girl who had woods in her back yard.") She had done some editing and was transfering her writing to a picture book format. I am axious to read the rest of her story. I asked her to make sure she read it to me when it was finished.

Another student, who struggles in writing, was using a mentor text to create his own similar story. It was a pleasure to see him use the scaffold of a mentor text. He was so engaged in the adventure of creating his own book.

In another classroom, children were creating a class book for a student in the class. After interviewing the student, each child was creating a page celebrating the life of the child and what they learned about him in the interview. There was a level of choice and purpose to the task. The pages were compiled into a book that was presented to the student who was interviewed. It was a great way for them to "publish" their writing. They understood that their writing could be a gift.

As they worked on their pages, these first graders chatted about their ideas, helped each other with spelling, and shared their work with each other. When they were finished, these first graders moved to reading or writing activites of their choice with a great deal of independence.

WHAT ARE THE BIG MESSAGES IN THESE CLASSROOMS?
We are all writers.
We will write every day.
We share our writing with others.
We use our own ideas and thoughts in our writing.
We have a choice of what to write.
We can learn from the writing of others.

The teachers in these classrooms have established a way of thinking about writing. Students hear the big messages and are well on their way to developing their own identities as writers.

Students Leading the Way

2008-10-03T20:30:00.016-04:00

This week our Fall Student Leadership Team met after school. Students submit an application to participate in the Student Leadership Team and include ideas for activities and projects for the year. We have had so many students interested in being part of the Student Leadership Team that we had to split them into a Fall Leadership Team and a Spring Leadership Team. It's nice to know that we have so many students interested in developing their own leadership skills and in making good things happen for our school. I have always said that we really need to listen to children. They have so much to teach us. On the application, we asked students to give us some ideas for projects that they would like to see in place this year. I am so impressed with their ideas. Here are some of them:

HELP OTHERS
Have big kids work with little kids
Help new students adjust to the school
Encourage others to be hard workers
Collect food donations for the needy
Raise money for charity
Include others
Respect the school and others
Get more kids thinking about leadership
No bullying
Make it easier for the little kids to be safe
Bring in extra school supplies for children who need them
Promote diversity
Include others
Start a support group for bullied people and help them make new friends
Do something for the community

PLAN ACTIVITIES
Overnight Read In
Caring/Helping Day
New Friend Day
Spirit Days
Movie Night
Compliment Day (I want kids to be nicer to each other)
Eat lunch outside
Have fun activities and stay healthy
After School Grounds Clean Up
Plant flowers
Have a week dedicated to animals and conservation
Service projects
Fundraiser to earn money for the library
Healthier snacks in the cafeteria
Play calm music during work time
Include birthdays in the morning announcements
Have a full time computer teacher
Music during lunch
Recycle
Start a Writing Club
Start an Invention Club
Fitness Club

Sometimes we are so busy building schedules, planning instruction, setting up classrooms that we can't hear the voices of our students. We have to create opportunities for children to be heard.

WE NEED TO QUIET OUR OWN MINDS LONG ENOUGH TO REALLY LISTEN.

Balloon Rides and Train Rides

2008-09-30T20:44:00.004-04:00

I have been thinking about how important it is to stay true to our beliefs about learning and teaching. I think our beliefs clearly define who we are as teachers and learners. They give direction to every decision we make in the classroom. Most importantly, they guide our interactions with the children.

There was a time when I would have measured the success of a teacher by how closely his/her teaching practices, instructional processes and classroom environment were most like my own. But I have learned some things along the way.

First, I learned that there are many ways to teach effectively, wisely and well.

Second, there are many ways to set up a classroom for authentic learning and thoughtful conversations.

Third, how we teach and what we teach aren't nearly as important as our relationships with the children in our classrooms and our schools.

Fourth, our relationships with colleagues should never be defined by the differences in our styles but by the similarities in our beliefs about children and the experiences we share.

Through the years, I have made good decisions in my classrooms and made more poor decisions than I would be comfortable admitting. During my days in the classroom, I balanced my own autonomy with being part of a community of learners. There were tough decisions about when to travel alone (what I would call my hot air balloon rides) and express my learning and teaching styles in ways that were tightly aligned with my beliefs and that expressed my unique way of thinking. There were also times when I made tough decisions to travel with others (what I would call my all-aboard-the-train rides) and join in celebrations of learning and community. Not one of these decisions were wrong. None of them harmed children. All of them represented the way we live and learn together.

No longer does anyone stand alone in education. Our work is too complex and demanding to be doing it alone. No one has all the answers. What seems like a good idea to us may not be the most motivating idea for someone else. Someone else's ideas may not be the choice we would make. But the common thread should be a balance of walking alone and coming together to find what works best for children. Sometimes it means being part of something bigger than our own thinking.

I believe strongly in collective wisdom and collective energy. What does it mean to give ideas, accept ideas, and build a common knowledge and a common motivation to do what is right for kids? How do we get there? Each day, I have to believe that we can reach that goal of collective wisdom and collective energy that binds us together for the success of our students.

Zeke shares his birthday with H. A. Rey

2008-09-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

My good friend, Louise Borden, told me that my grandson, Zeke, was born on the same day as H. A. Rey who wrote the Curious George books. How fun is that! Of course, we had to go out and buy a Curious George for Zeke!

I'm a grandma!

2008-09-27T20:17:00.003-04:00

I have a new appreciation for board books now that I am a grandma.
My first grandchild, Zeke, was born on September 16. What a miracle!

Now, I find myself gravitating to the board books whenever I walk into a bookstore. I took my mom to Half Price Books today. She loves getting those bargain paperbacks.

Of course, I was in the children's section. One of my daughter's favorite books was The Giving Tree. I found a copy in great
condition. I found a couple of Spot books, too.

Isn't he just perfect!

Stop the train!

2008-08-09T12:52:00.004-04:00

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted on this blog! I am caught on the fast train to the beginning of the school year! As a principal, it seems like I never really got off the train. I made a few quick stops to some peaceful moments (mostly reading books) but now we are full speed ahead. I need to constantly remind myself to slow down and think about the big things.

Since I last posted, I did read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, an epic of a story. Read the review on the New York Times. There were moments when I was mad at myself for starting a book of over 500 pages because I didn't have the time to read anything else but it was a real pleasure to have read this book. I quickly got drawn into this fascinating story. A satisfying read.

I need to start another book because I can already see how my job is consuming me. If I have a book I am reading, I will work hard for moments to sit down, relax with a cup of tea, and read a few pages. If I'm not reading a book, I am too easily drawn to my work - and there I go again - an unbalanced life! There are still books on my stack that I want to read ... so many of them inspired by Mary Lee and Franki at A Year of Reading.

I am wondering if our students start the year feeling like they have hopped on a fast train. Do we jump into routines and assignments so quickly that we forget our first goal is to get to know the children? Something to think about. How can we remind ourselves to slow down? Each and every minute we spend with our students should be like panning for gold. Scooping up the pebbles from the river of their lives and looking for the sparkle that makes them different from the rest. A work of patience but unbelievable discoveries!

An Incredible Book!

2008-07-15T11:20:00.004-04:00

I just finished reading The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. It was recommended by Franki at A Year of Reading.

This book is incredible! Franki did a great job reviewing the book so I won't do that here. I can only encourage everyone to read it. I want to read it again right away but I think I might wait a bit and move onto something else on my "next read" stack. I have a feeling that it will keep enticing me to jump into the reread. I may wait until I can get a couple of kids to read it with me. That would be so much more fun!

Get it! Read it! NOW!

A Book That Made Me Cry

2008-07-10T10:24:00.006-04:00

I just finished reading Waiting for Normal and literally cried!
Read it if you haven't already.

What books have touched you this way? Let me know.

The really good books stay with you for a long time. This one is definitely taking over my brain and my heart. The story weaves itself into my thoughts since I put the book down.

So I have been thinking about how some of our students are "waiting for normal" as they learn. Do our most struggling students wish for things to be normal? Do they recognize that something is different about their learning? Do they connect with people like Soula, Elliot and Rick who give them the courage to keep going? Do our most struggling kids need these kinds of relationships?

How can we help children be as resilient as Addy? Who is in their corner cheering them on, finding their strengths, and celebrating who they are? Mrs. Rivera, the music teacher, Grandio and Dwight were there for Addy.

I will be thinking about this story for some time. It was a mixture of "sad" and "happy" that left its mark.

Mom's Reading

2008-07-08T08:00:00.002-04:00

My mom came for a visit last week. It was great to spend five days with her. We only live two hours apart but during the school year it is a challenge to get together. She needed a break from "the same four walls" so she came to our house. We went on some great shopping trips and simply enjoyed each other's company.

On one of our shopping adventures we stopped by Half Price Books. My mom is an avid reader who is always looking for a bargain. She found about 10 books that she wanted to purchase. So I considered it a successful trip to the bookstore.

That evening she started reading... and reading... and reading. I had forgotten what a model she was for me as we were growing up. She has favorite authors and favorite series. She buries herself in the book and can do little else until she reads those last few words.

It was a pleasure to see her unwind, relax with a book, eat meals that someone else cooked for her and smile. What a great week!

Reading and reading

2008-07-07T19:20:00.002-04:00

I have been reading and enjoying the summer pace but have neglected the blog. So I will catch you up on my reading for the last month.

After finishing The Glass Castle I decided to reach for a children's book. I bought The Thing About Georgie by Lisa Graff when the local bloggers met to kick off the 48 Hour Book Challenge. It was such a fun read with such an important message about honoring the gifts we all have.

Next, I read Greetings from Nowhere by Barbara O'Connor. Wow! Such a story of comfort about bringing people together and building friendships.

I slid over to an adult novel that I picked up at Powell's bookstore in the airport on the way home from Oregon. For some querky reason it caught my eye. I loved every page of Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. It is a historical novel about the woman who had an affair with Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous architect. The story is based on the truth but embellished so beautifully by Nancy Horan. For me, the story was less about a love affair and more about a strong woman finding her way in the early 1900s. I would definitely recommend it to others looking for a good adult read.

I spent a couple of days skimming and scanning one of my favorite professional books - Going Public by Shelley Harwayne. It is always an inspiration to me during these summer months when I have time to slow down, reflect, and plan for the next school year. Her every word is a tribute to the lives of children.

And now I am reading Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor. I am only about one third of the way into the book but I love the characters she weaves into this story.

So I am a satisfied reader... I even have had time to read the daily newspaper and my favorite blogs. What more could I ask from these glorious summer days?

Not Much

2008-06-09T16:56:00.002-04:00

Ok, I read a total of 100 pages over the weekend.
More than I have in awhile. I am hoping I have awakened
my reading life - at least for the summer.

48 Hour Book Challenge

2008-06-08T10:53:00.011-04:00

Well, I started out with good intent but the 48 Hour Book Challenge has been quite an impossible task for me this year! I am already thinking about next year and how I can set myself up for success. I have decided that whatever reading I do this weekend will be more than I usually do so I still consider the 48 Hour Book Challenge a great event because I will enjoy every minute I spend reading. Sometimes LIFE gets in the way of INTENT. That's OK because there have been so many times when LIFE is what pulls me away from WORK. And that is great!

The weekend started out quite promising. On Friday evening, I spent a couple hours reading blogs. I am looking for some good principal blogs. If you know of any, please send them my way. I also started reading THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeanette Walls. It has been on my stack forever and had made up my mind that it would be my first read this weekend.

On Saturday morning, I met fellow bloggers from Columbus for a great breakfast at North Star. Since I am new to blogging, it was nice to get together with other folks who have much more experience in the blogging world (Stella of My World - Mi Mundo, Mary Lee and Franki of A Year of Reading, Katie of Creative Literacy, Abby of Authentic Learner, and Karen and Bill of Literate Lives). After breakfast and great conversations we moved to
Cover To C ov er Children's Books, our favorite
children's bookstore. Good food! Good conversation! Good books! it doesn't
get any better than that.

Of course, we all left with a stack of books to read for the weekend!

Here are my choices for the 48 Hour Book Challenge:

Something Old: THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeanette Walls
Something New: GREETING FROM NOWHERE by Barbara O'Connor
Something Borrowed: THE THING ABOUT GEORGE by Lisa Graff
Something Blue: WAITING FOR NORMAL by Leslie Connor

It's Sunday morning and I will continue to read the rest of the day. If I don't get through my four books, I have a great "next read" stack for the coming weeks. Happy Reading!

48 Hour Book Challenge

2008-06-02T20:48:00.002-04:00

I can't wait to spend some time reading this weekend. I am jumping into the 48 Hour Book Challenge from Mother Reader. I am joining some friends for breakfast and a trip to the bookstore.

The Whole Child

2008-05-31T14:28:00.005-04:00

Our school's vision statement speaks about encouraging the unlimited potential of the whole child. So in these last few days of school I am thinking about what we have done to explore and encourage the talents of every child. Now that the school year is coming to a close, we are witness to many visual, oral, and textual displays of learning.

Just watching the children as they spend their last few days of recess, picnics and parties together, we can tell that they have become part of a learning community that values everyone, appreciates differences and respects the individual in all of us. They have learned to work and play together. Do we have room to improve? Of course, we do. There will always be emotional, behavioral and social bumps in the road, but if we can approach them with a set of beliefs about what we value, then we will be able to support the growth of the whole child.

Our Writer's Club had their final meeting and share. Proud parents attended the celebration and joined in recognizing every student as a serious and credible writer. I watched parents making an effort to talk to every children about their books and the writing process. A writing club advisor shared the story of one writer who told her that she just couldn't draw. The advisor wouldn't settle for that and began to show the student how to shade a drawing with colored pencils. The student's final story was accompanied with beautifully drawn illustrations colored with skill by the budding artist/illustrator. When we think of the whole child, we learn to value the growing self-identity of these students as learners as well as the skills of writing they learned. I think it was a moment that will be etched in student's memories as they develop a sense of identity as writers and illustrators. What has resulted from their passions reminds us of how we can support the whole child.

Our fourth graders shared individual projects they had worked on during the last few months of school. Because students chose their topics for research, they were so invested in the work. As I stopped to look at project displays, viewed electronic presentations and listened to students share what they had learned, I realized that it wasn't so much about the research and presentation skills they had learned but how these presentations were expressions of their passions. How can we encourage our students to bring passion to their learning? How do we respect those passions and encourage choices for the whole child?

During the last four days of school, we invite our students to participate in a Talent Show that is held at lunchtime. Children sign up to perform while their peers eat lunch. I am delighted by the respect and attention our students give the children who peform. But what we really discover is that children have passions and talents beyond the school day that we may not even know about. We watch dancers, gymnasts, singers, pianists and violinists as they share their talents with us. I am thinking that we need to find ways to showcase talents and passions early in the year and throughout the year. How else can we begin to understand and respect the whole child?

I think when we are commited to encouraging the whole child we remember to value and celebrate every child's passions. Tests and formative assessments can only tell us so much about a child. When we create communities of learning that value time, choice and passion for learning we can nurture and celebrate the whole child.

"High" and "Low"

2008-05-28T16:06:00.003-04:00

Occasionally, I start a conversation with my son (who is now an adult) by telling him my "high" and "low" for the day. Each day, I can overcome the "low" by appreciating and celebrating the "high".

Today, my "low" is that there are not enough hours in the day to get done what I need to get done by the end of the school year. Most of the work is the "have to" kind, and I find myself wandering from my office to spend time with kids who will be gone (and missed) over the summer.

My "high" for the day was something I discovered on A Year of Reading. Mary Lee posted the text of a commencement speech at Smith College. One commenter mentioned that the video was worth watching so I searched and found it. I sat here in front of my computer consumed by the words so well spoken and so full of meaning for us all who spend our days in the classroom.

Take a moment to watch the video. It might just be your "high" for the day.

Karen

2008-05-17T20:50:00.000-04:00

This time of the school year can be so chaotic. How can we slow down enough to think about this past school year? What memorable moments can we bring to mind?

I took this picture last summer on our drive up the west coast of California. We found this spot on our journey through the Redwood Forest. Can I transport myself to this calm summer day? Can I close my eyes and feel the breeze?

This is where I want to be when I steal a few moments to think back on this school year. It seems like I never accomplish everything I set out to do. So I leave the school year with a measure of frustration but a resolve to do a better job next year. When I think about the small victories I can always picture a smiling child. And when I add up all those small victories I can see a wave of smiling faces. Children who discovered the joy of learning.