Pernille Ripp's Blog, page 55

What Every Teacher of Reading Should Do

I have watched in amazement day upon day as our 7th graders have fallen into reading.  Have become still.  Have been whisked away to other worlds with their books in their hands and nothing to do but read.  I have listened as they have spoken of books, have handed them to each other, have recommended and requested.  Have been in competition with one another to read the book first, have asked me for that one book that they just can’t seem to find.

I have watched as my 118 learners became readers.  Not that they weren’t before, well some weren’t, but now; books are a part of who they are, at least in the 45 minutes we share.  Readers who were dormant are now awake.  Readers who were resistant are now in a fragile dance with books that entice them to keep reading.  Readers who already read have found bigger challenges to keep themselves engaged.  And I am so grateful.  Because these kids gave me a chance  and I now see the difference as we race toward the end.

So today I asked them; what do you wish every teacher would do for you as a reader and they told me, and then they told me to tell the world.

They loved all the books.  Can you blame them?  It is hard not to want to read when there are books calling your name everywhere you look.  We speak of the need of school libraries and I wholeheartedly agree, but we also need classroom libraries filled with books to reach every reader.  Books that they know can come home with them to be devoured, however long it takes.

They loved all of the book talks.  And not just from me, but from each other.  These 1 to 2 minute talks made all of the difference because they now knew what books they wanted to read next.

They loved their to-be-read list.  Inspired so long ago now it seems by Donalyn Miller, our to-be-read list is a part of who we are.  With us almost every day as we fill it with potential titles to keep us afloat in a sea of choices.  It becomes the one thing I ask them to take with them as they leave so they can keep reading over the summer.

They loved the 10 minutes of reading.  As one child wrote, “I think that the 10 minutes of reading at the beginning of class really helped me slowly enjoy reading throughout the year.”  While I wish I could have given them more, the daily expectation of 10 minutes of reading, meant that they had to find a book that they actually wanted to read.  The routine became the norm as I watched them fold into their books, their minds opened up to the new world awaiting.

They loved the challenge.  Having a goal of 25 books or more meant that they knew the expectation was to read and to read more than they had before.  And so they tried and many reached it, but they all (almost) read more than they had thought they could.  And not just the quantity but the quality of books too.  I read Teri Lesene’s Reading Ladders and it has reverberated through our classroom; how will you challenge yourself to become a better reader?  Over and over they tell me what they are doing because of this conversation.

They loved the abandoning.  We spoke of wild book abandoning and celebrated when we got to know ourselves better.  We tell kids to only read good books but then tell them in our next breath that they must stick with a book once they have started it.  Children should never feel guilty when they stop reading a book that does not work for them, they should feel fine as they search for the next book to fall in love with.  So let them abandon nut have them think of why they are giving it up.  That way they can use it as an opportunity to find out more about themselves as a reader.

They loved the conversations.  Although I went periods of time without conferring, and it is something many requested more of, I am so thankful I came back to it because it made a difference.  Having even 2 or 3 minutes every couple of weeks where a child knew all of my attention was on them and their reading identity meant that they had to start thinking about it more.  And so they did, and we discussed, and together we fine-tuned what they needed, what I could do for them, but more importantly; I got to know them and through relationships books can be shared.  So find the time to speak with your students about the books they are reading.  Hold them accountable and let them know you care.  I am so thankful for all of the moments we shared in our hushed talks.

They loved my book love.  Having a teacher that loves books, who may be a crazy book lady, in fact, did make a difference.  Because they knew it was okay to love something as much as that.  To care about fictional characters.  To cry when you get to that page.  It was okay to get excited when the next installment came out, or to abandon because you knew something else was waiting for you.  Being crazy about books is contagious in the best possible sense.  So share your love, be excited, and get a little crazy; they need you to be that person.

They loved the choice.  We can roll out the research, we can roll out the studies, but we can also just ask the kids.  With choice comes investment and engagement.  With choice comes a chance at creating their own reading identity.  With choice comes discovery.  ANd choice will lead to more reading.

And so as the final books trickle in and my library once again overflows with books waiting to be read, I realize that perhaps we were successful after all.  That while every child may not LOVE reading (yet), they do not hate it more.  That this year, at least, may have made a difference in their journey toward becoming an adult that reads.  I can only hope.

If you are wondering why there seems to be a common thread to so many of my posts as of late, it is because I am working on two separate literacy books.  While the task is daunting and intimidating, it is incredible to once again get to share the phenomenal words of my students as they push me to be a better teacher.  Those books will be published in 2017 hopefully, so until then if you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students.  Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

Filed under: being a teacher, books, Literacy

Small Ideas for a Better Organized Classroom Library

With 12 days left of the school year, they trickle in.  Some worn and tattered, others still as crisp as the day they entered our room.  Found in lockers, backpacks, discovered under beds and pulled after being accidentally shelved on personal bookshelves, our books are coming home.  The shelves of the library filling back up and all of our bins bursting at the seams.  So as I did another round of shelving, I put them back so I can assess our inventory, I realized that the organization of texts needed a little bit of attention.  That some of our categories were simply too large to really be useful.   After some inspiration from Penny Kittle – are you listening to the Book Love Foundation Podcast yet – and also from my colleague awesome Reidun, I had a few ideas for what we needed; goodbye gigantic shelf of one particular genre; hello sub genres.

So what has changed in our library the past few weeks?  (To see what else I do for library organization, go here).

Better picture book organization.  Our collection is vast, I am not sure how many we have, but I do know that it was taking me a good 10 minutes to find the particular book I needed at any given time.  Since I know that the students like to grab and put them back quickly, I devised a simple system; every picture book gets a letter corresponding to the author’s last name on its spine.  That’s it.  Now they are filed by the subgroup of the letter, however not alphabetically within the letter, and finding that one really great book is super easy.

Better non-fiction categories.   My students have not gravitated much toward non-fiction and I am partly to blame.  I read it but do not book talk it much and our non-fiction section was vast but not organized.  I re-arranged the bins, added all of our historical fiction bins to the same area and then introduced the following sub-genres:

True Tales – for all of those crazy but true stories of epic events that do not center around a single person.

Life Stories – for all of the extraordinary stories about unknown people.

Biographies – Different from life stories as they tend to center around famous people.

Learn Something – Want to learn about coding?  Dinosaurs? Sharks?  Archaeology or Atheism?  There is a book in this bin for you.

World War II and War History – I have separate bins for these because they tend to be a popular topic.

Better realistic fiction categories.  Another massive collection of texts, yet there are so many differences in books.  Some of the new sub-categories introduced were:

Death & Dying – A very popular topic in our library; three bins worth to be exact.  The students actually cheered when I told them of this new section – Thank you Ms. Bures for the idea.

The High School Experience – books centered around being a high school student in all of its sometimes glorious messiness.

Personal Struggles – Thank you everyone for all of the great suggestions of names for this category.  These are the books that have to do with eating disorders, suicide, sexual identity and any other struggle that a teen may go through.

Nature & Survival – When nature plays a key part to the plot, the story goes in here.

Other sub categories include Animals and Sports.  I will ask students what else we need.  I debated doing a relationship one, but fear that the label itself will steer some students away from the genre.  I am pondering this one still.

To place by author or not?  While I created a few new author bins, I am now wondering if I should dissolve them.  I have noticed that many of my students will not even glance at an author bin unless they already love that author.  But if all of the author’s books are in a bin by themselves then a student does not come across them unless someone book talks them.  So, perhaps I should not have author bins at all?  I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Next up fantasy and science fiction.  While I already created a Fantasy & Fairy tales bin (because I love Rump and A Tale Dark and Grimm so much), I know I want to add realistic fantasy, dragons, magic, and other sub-categories as well.  Same goes for science fiction, sub categories there will be space adventure, and dystopian texts among others.  My first step though is to ask the students what they would like.

All books are stamped on the inside cover with a genre designation underneath them.  So a book may have RF/D&D written in sharpie in it, meaning that it goes in any of the 3 Death & Dying bin.  I am not worried about which bin since they are all the same category.

While this is not a brilliant new idea, I thought I would share it because I wish I had thought about doing it sooner.  I am excited to continue to go through our library, continuing to make books attractive and easily found by the students, because in the end that is what all of this is about; shelving the books quickly so they can leave our classroom quickly, happily nestled in the hands of an excited potential reader.

If you are wondering why there seems to be a common thread to so many of my posts as of late, it is because I am working on two separate literacy books.  While the task is daunting and intimidating, it is incredible to once again get to share the phenomenal words of my students as they push me to be a better teacher.  Those books will be published in 2017 hopefully, so until then if you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students.  Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

 

 

 

 

Filed under: being a teacher, books, organization, Reading

Dear STAR Test, We Need to Talk

Dear STAR,

We first met two years ago, I was fresh out of a relationship with MAP, that stalwart older brother of yours that had taken up hours of my 5th graders time.  They took their time and the results were ok; sometimes, at least we thought so but we were not sure.  But oh the time MAP and I spent together that could have been used for so many better things.

So when I heard about you, STAR, and how you would give me 46 reading skills in 11 different domains in  just 30 or so questions, I was intrigued.  After all, 34 timed questions meant that most of my students would spend about 15 or so minutes with you.  You promised me flexibility and adaptation to my students with your fancy language where you said you “…combine computer-adaptive technology with a specialized psychometric test design.”  While I am not totally sure what psychometric means, I was always a sucker for fancy words.   Game on.

With your fast-paced questions, I thought of all the time we would save.  After all, tests should be quick and painless so we can get on with things, right?  Except giving my students only 120 seconds to read a question and answer it correctly meant they got awfully good at skimming, skipping lines, and in general being more worried about timing out than being able to read the whole text.  (Fun fact, a fellow teacher timed out of most of her questions when she took the test in training and still received above 11th grade level).  For vocabulary all they get is 60 seconds because either they know it or they don’t, never mind that some of my kids try to sound words out and double-check their answer all within those precious seconds, just like I have taught them to do.  I watched in horror as students’ anxiety grew.  In fact, your 120 second time limit on reading passages meant that students started to believe that being a great reader was all about speed.  Nevermind that Thomas Newkirk’s research into reading pace tells us that we should strive for a comfortable pace and not a fast one.  So yes, being a slow reader= bad reader.  Thanks STAR.

And yet, maybe it was just my first year with you.  After all, we all have growing pains.  But this year, it didn’t get better, it just got worse.  Students whose scores dropped 4 grade levels and students whose scores jumped 4 grade levels.  Or how about those that made no growth at all.  I didn’t know what to take credit for.  Was it possible that I was the worst teacher ever to have taught 7th grade ELA or perhaps the best?  I know my You confused me, STAR, on so many occasions.  So when students significantly dropped, they sometimes got to re-test, after all, perhaps they were just having a bad day?  And sure, sometimes they went up more than 250 points, all in the span of 24 hours, but other times they dropped that amount as well.  That is a lot of unmotivated or “bad day” students apparently.   And yet, you tell me that your scores are reliable.  Yet, I guess they aren’t always, after all, at the 7th grade reading level you only got a score of .82 retest reliability which you say is really good but to me doesn’t sound that way.  0.82 – shouldn’t it be closer to 1.0?  In fact, when your company compared you to other recognized standardized tests it dropped to 0.70 for 7th grade, but perhaps it was because of the small sampling size, just 3, 924 students?  Who knows? I suppose I could email you to ask for more updated results like it says in the very small footnote.

Yet through all of this, you have dazzled me with your data.  With all of the reports that I could print out and pour over.  Perhaps you were not accurate for all of my students, but certainly you had to be for some.  It wasn’t until a long night spent pondering why some of my students’ scores were so low that I realized that in your 0.81 reliability lies my 0.19 insecurity.  After all, who are those kids whose scores are not reliable?   I could certainly guess but the whole point of having an accurate assessment means that I shouldn’t have to.  So it doesn’t feel like you are keeping up your end of the deal anymore, STAR test.  In fact, I am pretty sure that my own child will never make your acquaintance, at least not if we, her parents, have anything so say about it.

So dear STAR test, I love data as much as the next person.  I love reliable, accurate data that doesn’t stress my students out.  That doesn’t make them really quiet when they realize that perhaps they didn’t make the growth.  I love data that I can rely on and it turns out STAR, I just don’t think you fit that description.  Perhaps I should have realized that sooner when I saw your familial relationship with Accelerated Reader.  Don’t even get me started on that killer of reading joy.  You even mention it yourself in your technical manual that there may be measurements errors.  You said,  Measurement error causes students’ scores to fluctuate around their “true scores”. About half of all observed scores are smaller than the students’ true scores; the result is that some students’ capabilities are underestimated to some extent.”  Granted it wasn’t until page 81.  So you can wow me with all of your data reports.  With all of your breakdowns and your fancy graphs.  You can even try to woo me with your trend scores, your anticipated rate of growth and your national percentile rankings.  But it is not enough, because none of that matters if I can’t count on you to provide me with accurate results. It doesn’t matter if I can’t trust what you tell me about my students.

So I wish  I could break up with you, but it seems we have been matched for the long run for now.  All I can be thankful for is that I work for a district that sees my students for more than just one test, for more than just their points because does anyone actually know what those points mean?  I can be so thankful that I work in a district that encourages us to use STAR as only one piece of the data puzzle, that chooses to see beyond it so we can actually figure out a child’s needs.   But I know I am lucky, not everyone that is with you has that same environment. So dear STAR, I wish you actually lived up to all of your fancy promises, but from this tired educator to you; it turns out I don’t need you to see if my students are reading better because I can just ask them, watch them, and see them grow as they pick up more and more books.  So that’s what I plan on doing rather than staring at your reports, because in the end, it’s not really you, it’s me.  I am only sorry it took me so long to realize it.

Best,

Pernille

PS:  I am grateful that Renaissance Learning did reach out to me to discuss my post, here is their response:

Renaissance Learning is deeply committed to teacher success in the classroom. I am the STAR Product Marketer and read your blog regarding our product. I welcome the opportunity to talk with you about your concerns and help you get the best experiences with Renaissance!

I captured two primary issues from your blog:

STAR Reading Time Limits
Reliability

STAR Reading Time Limits

I wanted to make sure you know that you can set an extended time preference in the software to help reduce students’ test anxiety and frustration. The instructions for doing so are on page 217 in our STAR Reading software manual.

On page 12 of our STAR Reading technical manual there’s an overview of testing time by grade that illustrates guidance for timing. This information can be used to assess what is the best time limits for your students (based on analysis of testing conducted in the fall of 2011).

Reliability

Reliability is a far more complex topic. There are three things to look at when discussing this topic: Reliability, Validity and Standard Error of Measurement (SEM).

Reliability is the extent to which a test yields consistent results from one test administration to another. Validity is the degree to which it measures what it is intended to measure and is often used to judge a test’s effectiveness. Standard error of measurement (SEM) measures the precision of a test score. It provides a means to gauge the extent to which scores would be expected to fluctuate because of imperfect reliability, which is a characteristic of all educational tests. These elements are described in detail in the Understanding Why STAR Test Scores Fluctuate.

STAR assessments have been independently reviewed and certified by the National Center on Response to Intervention www.rti4success.org and the National Center on Intensive Intervention http://www.intensiveintervention.org  and received high ratings as a screening and progress monitoring tool based on the criteria set forth to meet exceptional standards.

And my response:

Thank you for your response; the time limit is not something decided by me but by my district, but the fact that the product even comes with one should be debated further; what does time have to do with reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge besides the selling point of being able to administer it quickly?

 The next point is the reliability; you seem to have missed the major point of the post, which is that when we do not know which child’s scores are reliable or not, then it becomes very hard to use the test for anything.  While I have read the document you linked again (I had read it before the post) it doesn’t yield any new information.   In fact,  it appears that teachers are expected to either assume it is because of something going on with the child or a measurement error.  The reliability for 7th grade as reported by STAR itself is 0.70 as referenced on page 25 in this manual.  According to the technical manual the SEM reported on page 41 in table 12 it is 71.74 for 7th grade.  That is incredibly high error measurement when it comes to kids’ scores, and yet that wouldn’t cover the fluctuation that we see in many students.

While I appreciate your response, I stand by the post; it is a travesty that teachers are being evaluated based upon tests like this, particularly when they are meant to be a diagnostic tool.  And while scores are probably accurate for some students it is hard to figure out who they are accurate for and who they are not.  My only wish for the future is that the test is either more accurate or somehow allows us to better decide which children’s scores are accurate.
Filed under: assessment, being a teacher, being me, testing

We Carry the Words

Tonight, as I sit quietly processing a moment where a student shared their fragile truth with me.  The moment when a child sat silently watching as I read their words, breath held to see how I would react, and all I could think was how very grateful I was for their trust, their truth, their faith in me as their teacher, as an adult in their life to carry the words they had chosen to share.  I thought of this post, now written 5 years ago and yet ever so true in my heart.  We may feel like we carry our students’ dreams into the world, we may feel we carry their words with us, but it is not just their words we take with us when they leave us.  It is their truth.  We protect it, we support it, and we carry it with us long after their final goodbyes and the summer vreeze settles in.  I am so grateful for the very job that I get to do every single day.

The shuffled movement, the slight look possibly from the left, a small gesture to be noticed. “Ummm, Mrs. Ripp can I have lunch with you?” Oh shoot, there goes that extra prep, but yes, absolutely yes, let’s have lunch. Over food the words come tumbling like a bottle with it’s cork pulled. Didn’t even have to ask a question, they just spill out and out, away from this student, this trusting student that needs someone to carry the weight of the world with them. It is not new, not shocking, but every day life, every day fears, every day needs of wanting bigger, better, more. And yet here, it means the world.

We carry those words.

Another morning, a moment, a need for a hug and then a drawing shown. “Do you think I can make it, Mrs. Ripp?” “Of course, you can, just dream and work toward it,” is what I say but what I think tells more… Work hard, little child, don’t believe those people who will try to steal your dream. Don’t believe those people that tell you you are not smart, that you will not amount to anything. Don’t listen when they make you angry, or when they make you cry. Dream, dream on, dream strong.

We carry those dreams.

At the end of the day, a mad rush, backpacks on, cubbies emptied, and one last, “Thank you for coming.” I mean it too, thank you for being here, for sharing your day with me. For sticking with me when my voice got tired, or my explanation made no sense. For listening when I should have been quiet, for raising your hand patiently and waiting your turn even though you were really, really excited. Thank you for laughing, for thinking, for creating, and trying. Thank you for believing and caring, for trusting and loving, because that’s what it is; trust and love and hope and hard work, every single day.

And within the words they share.  Within the dreams they hold.  Within the hushed conversations and quiet moments, I realize that it is not just me that carries something, or even just the other adults.  But all fo us as we protect the fragile relationship that exists within  our 4 walls.  And when they leave us on the last day of the year all we can do is hope that we have given them enough strength to keep on, to still dream, to still trust.  And in the end, we were not the only ones that carried, fore they carried us too.

If you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students.  Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

Filed under: being a student, being a teacher, being me, end of year, Student dreams

Dear STAR Test, We Need to Talk

Dear STAR,

We first met two years ago, I was fresh out of a relationship with MAP, that stalwart older brother of yours that had taken up hours of my 5th graders time.  They took their time and the results were ok; sometimes, at least we thought so but we were not sure.  But oh the time MAP and I spent together that could have been used for so many better things.

So when I heard about you, STAR, and how you would give me 46 reading skills in 11 different domains in  just 30 or so questions, I was intrigued.  After all, 34 timed questions meant that most of my students would spend about 15 or so minutes with you.  You promised me flexibility and adaptation to my students with your fancy language where you said you “…combine computer-adaptive technology with a specialized psychometric test design.”  While I am not totally sure what psychometric means, I was always a sucker for fancy words.   Game on.

With your fast-paced questions, I thought of all the time we would save.  After all, tests should be quick and painless so we can get on with things, right?  Except giving my students only 120 seconds to read a question and answer it correctly meant they got awfully good at skimming, skipping lines, and in general being more worried about timing out than being able to read the whole text.  (Fun fact, a fellow teacher timed out of most of her questions when she took the test in training and still received above 11th grade level).  For vocabulary all they get is 60 seconds because either they know it or they don’t, never mind that some of my kids try to sound words out and double-check their answer all within those precious seconds, just like I have taught them to do.  I watched in horror as students’ anxiety grew.  In fact, your 120 second time limit on reading passages meant that students started to believe that being a great reader was all about speed.  Nevermind that Thomas Newkirk’s research into reading pace tells us that we should strive for a comfortable pace and not a fast one.  So yes, being a slow reader= bad reader.  Thanks STAR.

And yet, maybe it was just my first year with you.  After all, we all have growing pains.  But this year, it didn’t get better, it just got worse.  Students whose scores dropped 4 grade levels and students whose scores jumped 4 grade levels.  Or how about those that made no growth at all.  I didn’t know what to take credit for.  Was it possible that I was the worst teacher ever to have taught 7th grade ELA or perhaps the best?  You confused me, STAR, on so many occasions.  So when students significantly dropped, they sometimes got to re-test, after all, perhaps they were just having a bad day?  And sure, sometimes they went up more than 250 points, all in the span of 24 hours, but other times they dropped that amount as well.  That is a lot of unmotivated or “bad day” students apparently.   And yet, you tell me that your scores are reliable.  Yet, I guess they aren’t always, after all, at the 7th grade reading level you only got a score of .82 retest reliability which you say is really good but to me doesn’t sound that way.  0.82 – shouldn’t it be closer to 1.0?  In fact, when your company compared you to other recognized standardized tests it dropped to 0.70 for 7th grade, but perhaps it was because of the small sampling size, just 3, 924 students?  Who knows? I suppose I could email you to ask for more updated results like it says in the very small footnote.

Yet through all of this, you have dazzled me with your data.  With all of the reports that I could print out and pour over.  Perhaps you were not accurate for all of my students, but certainly you had to be for some.  It wasn’t until a long night spent pondering why some of my students’ scores were so low that I realized that in your 0.81 reliability lies my 0.19 insecurity.  After all, who are those kids whose scores are not reliable?   I could certainly guess but the whole point of having an accurate assessment means that I shouldn’t have to.  So it doesn’t feel like you are keeping up your end of the deal anymore, STAR test.  In fact, I am pretty sure that my own child will never make your acquaintance, at least not if we, her parents, have anything so say about it.

So dear STAR test, I love data as much as the next person.  I love reliable, accurate data that doesn’t stress my students out.  That doesn’t make them really quiet when they realize that perhaps they didn’t make the growth.  I love data that I can rely on and it turns out STAR, I just don’t think you fit that description.  Perhaps I should have realized that sooner when I saw your familial relationship with Accelerated Reader.  Don’t even get me started on that killer of reading joy.  You even mention it yourself in your technical manual that there may be measurements errors.  You said,  Measurement error causes students’ scores to fluctuate around their “true scores”. About half of all observed scores are smaller than the students’ true scores; the result is that some students’ capabilities are underestimated to some extent.”  Granted it wasn’t until page 81.  So you can wow me with all of your data reports.  With all of your breakdowns and your fancy graphs.  You can even try to woo me with your trend scores, your anticipated rate of growth and your national percentile rankings.  But it is not enough, because none of that matters if I can’t count on you to provide me with accurate results. It doesn’t matter if I can’t trust what you tell me about my students.

So I wish  I could break up with you, but it seems we have been matched for the long run for now.  All I can be thankful for is that I work for a district that sees my students for more than just one test, for more than just their points because does anyone actually know what those points mean?  I can be so thankful that I work in a district that encourages us to use STAR as only one piece of the data puzzle, that chooses to see beyond it so we can actually figure out a child’s needs.   But I know I am lucky, not everyone that is with you has that same environment. So dear STAR, I wish you actually lived up to all of your fancy promises, but from this tired educator to you; it turns out I don’t need you to see if my students are reading better because I can just ask them, watch them, and see them grow as they pick up more and more books.  So that’s what I plan on doing rather than staring at your reports, because in the end, it’s not really you, it’s me.  I am only sorry it took me so long to realize it.

Best,

Pernille

 

Filed under: assessment, being a teacher, being me, testing

This is the Time

This is the time where I don’t feel I am enough.  I am not fun enough.  I am not smart enough.  What we do is not making a difference, nor is it engaging.  Where the test scores come in (thanks STAR) and I disagree with the stupid computer that clearly has no idea just how much our students have grown.

This is the time where I look forward, hoping next year will be better, while still trying to squeeze out every last drop of this year.  Where I look around and realize that the students are counting down, the books are still missing, and the time for settling down stretches out before us.

I am not alone.  How many right now feel like they didn’t do enough?  They weren’t enough?  That they still have so much to do?

But this is the time where I see a kid buried in a book who asks for just one more page and please don’t make me stop.

Where a child shows me their to-be-read list and tells me that they cannot believe how big it is.

This is the time where a child gazes at the book shelves, pulling out bin after bin until another child hands them a book and tells them they must read it because it quite possibly is the best book ever.

Where a child who has fought all year actually does something the first time it is requested.

This is the time where a child tells me they are ready to share their truths with the classroom, that they want to make sure that others see them for they are and not just who they think they are.

This is the time where I forget just how much they have grown.  That they have learned.  That they have changed.  That they didn’t hate English, nor me.  That I cannot be everything for everyone, but that I don’t have to because I am not alone.  A team stands behind me.  A team that cares about all of the kids.  A team that sees all of the kids.

This is the time where I hold my breath as the end barrels toward us and I cannot believe that we made it another year.  That I hope that the fragile seeds of reading that have been planted will blossom over the summer and stay strong until September.

This is the time where I know that every day I tried and so did the students.  That what we had did matter.  That they have changed and so have I.

This is the time to be thankful.

If you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students.  Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

 

Filed under: being a teacher, being me, end of year

I Used to Be a Fun Teacher

I used to be the fun teacher. The one that had the crazy ideas, the noisy classroom, the one where kids couldn’t wait to see what they would do next.  I wasn’t the only one, by any means. Being a 5th grade teacher meant there was a lot of laughing.  A lot of crazy moments that kept us coming back and moving forward.  A fun teacher, yeah, that used to be me.

Now it seems I am the hard teacher.  The one with the crazy expectations, the one that makes you sit and write or read.  The one that keeps telling you to try again, to give me more, to explain further, to revise, to edit, to think harder.  The one that talks too much, asks for too much.  It seems somewhere in my transition from 5th to 7th I forgot what teaching needs to also be about; joy.  Not just learning or expectations.  Not just growth and gains.  But smiles, laughter, crazy moments.  It seems so long ago that I used to think I was a good teacher.

So I can blame the system.  The 45 minute time constraint certainly creates pressure.  The standards.  The whole idea of building a literacy foundation so that kids can succeed everywhere else.  The pressure of knowing that every moment counts and that when you decide to do something that perhaps doesn’t tie in completely with the learning, you need to make up for it elsewhere.  Or I can blame myself.  7th grade has apparently turned me quite serious.  Like every minute matters more somehow than it did in 5th.  That because they are 2 years older, my mission of reaching them, reaching them is so more urgent.  That because I still feel like an outsider at times, that I try to be everything for everyone.  And I just can’t keep it up.

So tonight, I don’t have answers or any bright ideas of how to make English Language Arts in 7th grade more joyful.  More about the community, the experience, and not just about the learning.  Because this age group deserves joy.  Deserves the very best teachers they can have.  Deserves so much than what I feel like I am.  In the past, when I felt like I wasn’t a good teacher, I changed.  I wonder how I will change this time?  I wonder what lies ahead…

Filed under: being a teacher

I Used to be a Fun Teacher

I used to be the fun teacher. The one that had the crazy ideas, the noisy classroom, the one where kids couldn’t wait to see what they would do next.  I wasn’t the only one, by any means. Being a 5th grade teacher meant there was a lot of laughing.  A lot of crazy moments that kept us coming back and moving forward.  A fun teacher, yeah, that used to be me.

Now it seems I am the hard teacher.  The one with the crazy expectations, the one that makes you sit and write or read.  The one that keeps telling you to try again, to give me more, to explain further, to revise, to edit, to think harder.  The one that talks too much, asks for too much.  It seems somewhere in my transition from 5th to 7th I forgot what teaching needs to also be about; joy.  Not just learning or expectations.  Not just growth and gains.  But smiles, laughter, crazy moments.  It seems so long ago that I used to think I was a good teacher.

So I can blame the system.  The 45 minute time constraint certainly creates pressure.  The standards.  The whole idea of building a literacy foundation so that kids can succeed everywhere else.  The pressure of knowing that every moment counts and that when you decide to do something that perhaps doesn’t tie in completely with the learning, you need to make up for it elsewhere.  Or I can blame myself.  7th grade has apparently turned me quite serious.  Like every minute matters more somehow than it did in 5th.  That because they are 2 years older, my mission of reaching them, reaching them is so more urgent.  That because I still feel like an outsider at times, that I try to be everything for everyone.  And I just can’t keep it up.

So tonight, I don’t have answers or any bright ideas of how to make English Language Arts in 7th grade more joyful.  More about the community, the experience, and not just about the learning.  Because this age group deserves joy.  Deserves the very best teachers they can have.  Deserves so much than what I feel like I am.  In the past, when I felt like I wasn’t a good teacher, I changed.  I wonder how I will change this time?  I wonder what lies ahead…

 

 

 

 

 

Filed under: being a teacher

Thank You to All the Teachers Who

Dear Educators,

I write this post not as an educator, but as a parent of 4 young children.  4 young children that despite our insistence are all growing up.  4 young children that have hopes and dreams bursting out of them and none of them involve sitting still.  4 young children that will all have teachers that will shape them into the future of our country.

So to all those teachers that have or will have our 4 children; thank you.  Because teaching can be a lonely job.  Teaching can be exhausting.  Teaching can make you cry and lose your faith.  Teaching can make you fight so hard for something that may or may not make a difference and yet you keep on fighting because there is a chance that it just might.  You keep on fighting even though the kids you call “your kids” are not really yours and may not even remember you when they are adults.

To all those teachers that will take the time it takes to really know our children, thank you.  For the time you will spend pondering what will make our child learn better, fit in, be happy, and love school.  For the time you will spend planning lessons that will protect their curiosity and their personality.  For the time you will spend meeting with others to discuss the needs of my children so that school will work for them.  For all of the little things you will do that they may never notice, just because you think it might make their day better.

To all those teachers who fight behind closed doors or out loud as they see the injustice happening in our public school system.  To all of those teachers who dare to speak up.  To all those teachers who cannot stay quiet when the love of learning may be damaged, when the love of reading may be killed.  To all of you; thank you, because without you there would be no promise of a better day.  No promise of a better way.

So when you feel worn out.  When you feel it doesn’t matter.  When you feel like you have the most thankless job in the world; remember this…  That kid you helped that day.  That student that you stood up for.  That colleague you helped give courage to.  You made a difference in their day.  You made a difference in their life.  So thank you for loving your job.  For making our oldest daughter believe that teaching is the very best job there is because “You get to have fun every single day, mom.”  For making this terrified parent believe even more in the power of all teachers to help all children, even the toughest ones.  I see it, we see it, and we are so grateful.

Thank you for making our oldest daughter believe she is a reader, that she is a writer, an artist, a person whose opinion matters.  For helping her see her learning preferences not as obstacles but as opportunities.  For letting us know how we could best help her and for having a world of patience with her when she got frustrated.  Thank you for simply seeing her as a whole person rather than the labels we can so easily attach.

So this teacher appreciation week, I hope others will reach out as well and not just say thanks for the big things, but thanks for all of the small ones too.  Being a teacher is not just about the time you stand in the classroom, but the life you live, the choices you make.  So thank you for seeing more than what the data shows and the test says. For being more than we could ever hope for.

Best,

Pernille

 

 

 

 

Filed under: being a teacher

You Cannot Buy Your Way to Personalized Learning

When I decided to change the way I taught, I didn’t have a system.  I had a lot of ideas, a lot of thoughts, a lot of failures to push me forward in my quest to be a better teacher.  I had kids who hoped that school would be about them again.  I had parents that hoped that their kids would like school when their year with me was done.  I had dreams of something different, but I didn’t have a clear path, I didn’t have a curriculum to follow.  If I would have, I don’t know where I would have ended up.

You see, when you choose to make learning more personal to the students, it is not about buying a curriculum.  It is not about buying a solution.  Or even reading a book and following the step-by-step directions to make it more personal.  It is not about finding the new tool so that you can adapt and make it fit all of your learners.  In fact, it may be just the opposite. It is about getting to know your students, getting to know yourself, and then finding as much inspiration you can to become a better teacher for all of your kids.  So when I wrote my book, Passionate Learners, it wasn’t so that others could teach like me, but instead so others could start to question their own teaching as well.  I didn’t want to give directions, but just ideas, questions, and things to reflect on.  Because making learning about the kids again means that we have to be the ones to figure it out.  Because they are our kids, in our schools, and no one can tell us better than what they need than them.

Personalized learning is not about a system.  It is not about a box.  It is not about a computer where students can self-pace as they work through a set curriculum.  It is not about a checklist, nor learning in isolation.  Personalizing learning is about what is right for the kid that is in front of you at that very moment.  About helping them get to a place where they can figure out what they need and what they would like to accomplish.   And yes, sometimes that kid doesn’t know what they need and then it becomes our job to help them figure it out.   It is not about what you can do for the students to take control of their learning, it is about what they can do.  Personalizing learning is indeed what great teaching is all about; knowing the students and helping them find ways to make all learning worth doing again. 

So if someone tries to sell you or your school a  personalized learning system, a personalized learning curriculum, or even a technology solution so that all students can work at their own pace, I would stop and think about that for a moment.  How can they possibly promise you personalized when it is far from personal?  How can someone who does not know your students, your school, your needs, deliver something that will fit all of those things?

Education is a business and we should never forget that.  As much as we may think that every person who creates something for the education market is in it for the right reasons, we would be fools if we truly believed that.  Much like every other educational buzzword, personalized learning will become the new cash cow until a new buzzword overtakes it.  Don’t let companies ruin what kids need.  Don’t fall for the sales pitches.  Personalizing learning for students means the emphasis is on the personal and for the personal to happen, we have to know our kids and we have to listen to our kids.  Not a company.  Not a sales pitch.  But the voices of the very students we teach.  And that is free.

If you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students.  Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

 

 

Filed under: Be the change, being a student, being a teacher, being me, Personalized Learning, student choice, Student dreams, student driven, Student Engagement, student voice