Celebrate the Journey #IMMOOC4

Everyone is on a journey… the great journey of life. We are off the great places every day, and we all have a different path that we follow. Some of it depends on where we begin and what we experience the first few years of life.  Every experience we have along our path make an impact on us. All of those moments shape us, and begin to create who we are.

When we go to school, we learn how to read and write, and  how to solve math problems. We test things out in science and learn about our history in social studies. Most importantly, we learn how to work well with others and be a team. We learn how to share our ideas and what we are thinking. We find out what we like to do  and what we need to do to succeed. In many classrooms today, students come up with creative solutions to problems they find. Everyone brings their own experiences and knowledge to the group to help problem solve. Yet, every journey is different.

When I was in elementary school, the things I remember are the special events: playing Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz ( and the munchkins were taller than me), have a cheese party to taste cheeses from around the world, and my 6th grade teacher bringing in apples for the whole class when she went apple picking. The day to day routine of school has shaped me by providing me with the foundation of learning with lots of structure. In Junior High and High School, I had more choice in my learning – choosing courses to prepare me for my future in college and beyond. But looking back, most were just pre-requisites for college. ( three years of a language, SAT prep courses, 4 years of English, etc.) I did take a creative writing course that I enjoyed, and took journalism so I could be on our school’s TV news show!

As a teacher today, that structure is still very important for students. But it is also important to find the passion in our kids. Yes, they need to find out how they learn best, and we still need to provide the foundation in elementary school. Now, that platform has to expand to include collaboration, creativity, communication, critical thinking, and resiliency – our 21st century skills. We need to create moments for students to explore an area of interest, to learn how to research a topic, and how to share it with the world.  That means that as a teacher, I need to be providing these experiences for my students.

In Katie Martin’s book, Learner-Centered Innovation, she states, “The goal of professional learning and development shouldn’t be to just get better at what has always been done; it should be to better meet the needs of learners in your classrooms and move forward. ”

How do I do that?

How do I ensure I am meeting the needs of all of my learners, and what are their needs?

My first graders began the year at their own starting point. My job as a teacher is to grow them as learners. We start where they are, and move them forward. Some take giant leaps and move forward quickly. Others move at a different pace, working hard each step of the way until it all becomes clear. Then they soar! In our classroom, I have to build the capacity for learning. I help them to see that I believe in them, and they believe in themselves. We expand on our belief that we can grow our brains, and that everyone is smart about something. We use Bena Kallik and Art Costa’s Habits of Mind, introducing them one at a time, and we reflect on how we are using them in the classroom.  They help us to focus on how we learn, and how we can grow our brains and adjust our path. 

Everyone is on their own journey with a goal of being successful and being happy.  Success looks different for different people. I am one part of their journey, and while we are together, my plan is to make a positive impact on my students; encourage them to wonder and to investigate.  It is my job to create a classroom culture that grows us all as learners and move us all forward on our path.

Where will your journey take you?

 

Choosing kindness

Building a positive classroom culture and a school culture depends on the relationships you establish with each other. When you take an interest in others, they blossom, and you “fill their bucket.” My students have been focusing on  being Niceness Ninjas, and dong things for others to spread happiness. We began by looking at ideas in this book by Bernadette Russell. 

We are trying to build up our capacity for doing nice things for others. We are learning that by being kind to each other, we can all grow.  I have had more door holders in the past few weeks, and there are many notes given by students to other students. I hear kind, encouraging words shared since we began looking at how we can be kind … and have courage in our classroom. We started a kindness chain where anyone can write down when they saw kindness in and out of the classroom and add it to our paper chain. (It stretches across two full walls of our classroom! ) As a result, I have also seen a lot of risk-taking in the classroom. The students are willing to try something new ( In first grade, there is a lot of new stuff, too).  By offering even a smile to someone on a tough day, you may change their mood. Its time that we all celebrate the work, celebrate the effort, and celebrate the learning.

More importantly, we need to work to establish those relationships among ourselves as educators. Honor each other’s strengths and celebrate each other when something is working. As educators, we need to work on building each other up and celebrate each other’s expertise.   Everyone has talents and passions, and as educators, we need to build upon those talents, share our passions in the classroom, and work together to achieve more.

Know your Learners #IMMOOC4

“As teachers, your greatest power comes from knowing your learners”. – Katie Martin  in Learner-Centered Innovation. 

How well do you know your learners? Do you know what they are doing after school? What do they really like to do at school? What do they struggle with?   The first thing you need to do is get to know your learners. And that begins with building a relationship with each of your students. When students know you care about them and are interested in them, they will work harder. A fellow educator, Jed Dearybury says : 

When your students know that you love them, care for them, and are proud of them, then they will give you their best.  This is very important at any age. And all it takes is a small amount of time.

 

Shifting Our Thinking

As the role of the educator evolves, the human connection and guidance will become increasingly more—not less—important. Katie M Martin in Learner Centered Innovation

Teachers are traditionally put into a role of being the expert. As primary teachers, we know how reading happens, and how to begin to write . And we teach that process to our students step by step. We show them how to add and subtract, and how to solve mathematical problems. We share our knowledge of the world with them. But in reality, there is so much more in the world we don’t know. Yet, our job is to teach. So, we teach our students to ask questions, and find solutions: we teach them to work together and listen to others because two brains are smarter than one. We teach them how to think about their learning and how to share what they know with others . However, recognizing that we don’t have all the answers is the first step for teachers towards growing as learners.

As teachers, we need to shift from being the only expert in the classroom to recognizing the strengths and expertise in others . One thing I adore about first graders is their willingness to take a risk. If they fail, most often they dust themselves off and try again. Some students “get it“ the first time they try, while others need several tries, and still others need more guidance. It’s time we make that shift in teaching and learning, challenge our perceptions of what a classroom should look like, and focus on our learners. Give them what they need and allow them some voice in how they work toward their goals.

“Our methods can and should move flexibly from direct teaching to collaborative …approaches based on the needs of the learners and the desired goals. -KatieM Martin