Three Days of Inspiration - Life and School

The last three days have been both exhausting and inspirational.  I will be reflecting on my three days in the next few blog posts.  Here are my thoughts on life and school.

 

On Day 1, I went to Apple Tree Auction Center with my husband.  It was just a day meant for fun - a way to celebrate my new-found freedom after retiring from the principalship. This day was my birthday, and I decided that I wanted to go to the local Apple Tree Auction Center  for the day.  I love the feeling of finding little treasures and the thrill of bidding against others to get them.  My husband and I furnished our first apartment by going to auctions, and so we both have enjoyed it over the years.

Apple Tree Auction Center

On this day, we intended to stay at the auction for just a few hours and ended up staying the whole day. We bought some large furniture items for my son, who is always filling his apartment with an interesting and eclectic collection of treasures.

I bought a wicker basket for my yarn and knitting projects and a little tapestry stool for a foot rest at my writing desk.  

We even purchased two cardboard boxes of  rocks (yes, rocks!) for my grandchildren.  At ages 5 and 3, they are so curious and love collecting rocks around the town and on vacation.  The rocks we purchased are fascinating.  Whole and partial quarts are embedded in the large stones.  We know the kids will spend hours as apprentice geologists deep in curious exploration.

I even fancied purchasing an odd but interesting piece of furniture that would inspire my writing but I feared that the item was so "unique" (and I say that kindly) that I would not have a place for it in my home.  It would have been a great place to think, imagine and write - a cue for my writing mind to get to work.

When the auction was finished, we set out to find a U-Haul truck so we could remove our purchased items before the auction house closed for the day.  We picked up the truck, and 100 miles later the furniture was delivered to my son's apartment and the rental truck returned.  Another 40 miles later, we were home and exhausted.  I love the way I was able to choose what I did that day and the small treasures that I added to my home.  It was also a great day to spend with my husband pursuing one of our shared interests.

Since retiring, I have discovered a new flexibility in my life that I  really enjoy.  I can get up and do whatever I want whenever I want.  If I feel like working hard to accomplish something, I do it.  If I want to rest and relax, I can do that, too. It's a nice feeling.  My life is filled with less "have-to" tasks and more time for "want-to" choices.  I am very fortunate.

But what about school?

I am wondering about the parallels between this day and a child's (and teacher's) day at school.  How can we make school and life like this for our children and teachers?  Does is require stepping away from rigid schedules and prescribed curriculum?  Would more choice and a student-centered environment encourage exploration, choice, curiosity and new learning?

I was so excited about the sense of adventure the auction offered me.  I had no plans accept to be there and soak in the experience.  I spent the day examining the items in the auction like an explorer anxious for new discoveries.  I used my phone to search online for the price of a beautiful wooden clock I found.  I determined what I was willing to pay for each item, and I anticipated what others would be willing to invest.  I mentally kept track of how much I was spending for the day.  I was disappointed when I missed a bid for a box of beautiful glass paperweights (and came home to do some research on them so I would be equipped to bid if I came across them again).  I conquered my fears of bidding wrongly based on the fast and furious words of the auctioneer.  I quietly celebrated when I won the bid for the items I really wanted.

So how can we help make school life more like real life? (No, it doesn't require a field trip to the auction center.)  Can we be the designers of a new life at school where children are curious and invested in learning?  Can students and teachers be makers of school adventures that inspire us to explore, research and learn?  Can we help students understand that math has a place in the world?  Can we encourage our students to navigate to knew learning as I did with the glass paperweights?  Can we help children conquer the fear of making mistakes and help them realize that mistakes are all part of learning?

I think we can.  What are your thoughts?

Today is one of those quiet, contemplative days with a steady sprinkle of rain and grey skies. As a person in my late teens and early twenties, I used to love to sit in a chair by the window in my parent's home. On rainy days, I would always find myself reading or writing in that chair. The chair was a cue for slowing down, reflecting and thinking about my place in the world.


I recently came home from a two-day writing retreat with Choice Literacy friends and writers at the Inn at Cedar Falls in Ohio. We had two days of wonderful weather - mild temperatures and sunny days. It was a wonderful time to begin to reinvent my life as a writer and find my new place in the world. I have recently retired from public education. I have had 37 wonderful years connected to teachers and children. I taught for 24 years and have been a principal for the last 13 years. I wouldn't change my life in education. It has been many years of sharing, growing, learning. However, it's time to think about the coming years and the opportunities I have for new adventures. I can't abandon my connection with children, teachers and other colleagues. I won't abandon my reading and writing. They will bring me new journeys and new discoveries.


The last few days at the writing retreat have helped me to begin reprogramming my brain. Instead of juggling the tasks of opening a new school year, I have the gift of time and choice. What a treasure!

A perennial writer.

It has been way too long since I have posted on my blog. Life (and work) just kind of got in the way. Today, these flowers from my garden reminded me that I can start again. Over the last couple of years, by husband and I have been working on the garden in front of our home. We were determined to build a garden of perennials so we could enjoy the flowers every year (without the work that annuals bring). Today I cut these beautiful flowers from our garden. I know these flowers will return next year in the same way that I am returning to writing. I have spent a winter of life doing so many other things that my brain could not slow down enough to think, reflect, imagine and write. I have recently retired from my career in education. I have been a principal for 13 years and the time has come to step back and let someone else take the leadership role in what is a fantastic school. As my days become less busy, I feel like I am beginning to come alive again, poking through the threshold that has held me so tightly for the last few year. I feel as though I am just beginning to poke my way toward the light, the sun, the refreshing rain. As the days pass, I hope to spend my time growing as a writer - to practice my craft, to share my thoughts with others. I feel alive!

A Gathering of Thoughts

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?

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.

A Plan for Thoughtful Learning

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

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/