The Power of Other People's Words

The Power of Other People's Words

Rarely do we inspire ourselves
We don't say or write things that
make us want to do better
or be better.

But the power of other people's words
can cause us to stop and pause,
reflecting on parts of our lives
we have long forgot.

The power of other people's words
can inspire us to change our lives
or work to change the lives
of others.

The power of other people's words
can demand we take action
to vocalize our anger, or terror
or dismay.

The power of other people's words
make me want to do better,
to be better.

That is the power of other people's words!

Poem, September 8

What is a life well-lived?
Can a short life measure compare
to a longer one?
What is more valuable, excitement and adventure
or longevity and consistency?
Do you prefer the idea of celebrating
your retirement or others celebrating
at your wake?
Do the dead enjoy memories of a life gone too soon
or of a long-lived life?

Poem, September 7

What will it mean
when I hold my first grandchild?

Will I finally be able to accept I am no longer young,
That my time to be an adult is overdue?

Will I reject the feelings of age, rebelling against societies (or my own)
expectations of what a GRANDPA must necessarily be?

Will I simply quit, for a moment at least, living in my head
and finally enjoy the simple pleasure of holding a new baby?

Poem, September 6

Game Day Ritual

Turn the channel to College Gameday
I need to see what They say about the Hogs.
I wait for the phone call from dad.
The ritual of the phone call every time they play

Except
He won't be calling anymore
That ritual died when he did.

Then
comes the text.
Are you ready for the game?
A new game day ritual starts with my daughter.

Poem, September 5

Nostalgia

You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone meant
nothing to a teenager who had everything
and had lost so little

Amazing how the songs of youth
become the painful triggers of the old

You see, nostalgia isn't about recapturing joy of the past
it is instead a way to escape the painful
memories of the present

Poem, September 4

How much time should a teacher spend
Learning more about the content
Simply to keep alive the love
and excitement
Of learning more about the content?

Poem, July 21

Words

These words are not mine
They were given to me by
all the authors and singers and speakers.
So if I use one of your words please
remember, you taught it to me

Poem, July 20

Frozened

I would love to

comment

and state my opinion but

last time I got castigated

so

now I am

Poem, July 18

Shrinkage

The old don't shrink because of loss of bone density, or muscle mass or even the wearing away of cartilage.

They shrink from the weight pressing on their shoulders from the loved who are no longer there to shore them up.

Poem, July 17

Clothes

Why am I so surprised by the number, and the power of the memories associated with old clothes?

'This was one of my favorites," she smiled as she held up the dress, not bothering to share those memories. 

I rarely am drawn back simply by the sight of old clothes, clothes are simply too utilitarian. 

Jaded Old Farts

"There's nothing worse than a bunch of jaded old farts, and that's a fact."
Robert Plant

Recently a social media friend of mine (lots of convos, no face to face yet), David Theriault posted 14 Reasons Why Pokemon Go Is the Future of Learning. A fun little post leveraging the mania of Pokemon Go. The title may imply more than the post delivers, but how quickly did #eduTwitter jump to the conclusion that this was nothing but click bait that so many of the #edurockstars drive their brand with.

I suggest that many of those who condemned the post simply read the title. I know, you are shocked! The truth is, we have been so inundated with crappy posts promising the moon, the stars and even PerfectStudentEngagment™! David has not been known to post this junk, he has written some very interesting stuff, even if some are couched in pop culture references. Don't we have an obligation to do a little more research before we condemn someone based upon one post (which you probably didn't read anyway...)

This is not a post directed outward, as I have in the past and probably will continue to make way too many assumptions based upon one or two tweets in a conversation. I would just like to remind all of us that maybe we should strive to be a little less jaded, a little less old and a whole lot less farty.

Libraries---->Library Media Centers---->Digital Media Centers---->?

When I started school back in 1975, my school had a very small library. Books were scarce. Students went to the library once a week to check books out and back in. Rarely was there time to teach anything other than the basics of card files and Dewey's Decimals. The high school library was larger in the mid 1980's but there was no scheduled time to attend and definitely no teaching in that space by our librarians.

When I came back to my hometown school to teach in the late 1990's the library was still small, books still pretty scarce but the librarians would teach students lots of different things, usually revolving around books and research. The library also had videos for teachers to check out.

At some point, due to the state's requirements and an emphasis on reading in our building, the number of books in the library grew much larger. Books became much less scarce. Computers have been added to the library, allowing students to have access to sites on the internet and for content creation.

At some point in the future, hopefully soon, students will have internet capable devices that allow them to access digital media.  The library as a place for students to access content will be much less necessary than before. This will also mean the need for the computers will be minimized as well. So, what will be the purpose of the library then?

Are You Addicted To Ed Conferences? I Can Help!

Although conferences go on all year long, it seems as though there are a large number of them in the summer. It seems my Twitter feed is loaded with conference information or excitement. Or, it could be that I just have time to notice when I am on summer break.

Do you find yourself addicted to conferences? Do you spend an unusual amount of time driving to EdCamps, Teachmeets and/or named conferences? Do you keep an eye on your social media feeds to see what conferences others are attending and spend way too much time reading their posts? If you think you have a problem, I am here to help! Here are seven ways to help you break out of your addiction:

1) Don't get into meaningful conversations at the conferences. The most addicting part of conference attendance is the rush of adrenaline you get when you have deep, meaningful conversations that stimulate your thinking and drive you to explore and innovate.

2) Only attend sessions that are titled '10 Best _________'. These sessions emphasize tools or methods that are easily found online without help. We all like to walk out of 'professional development' with something we can use immediately in the classroom. After all, it is these tools that keep our students engaged!

3) Eat by yourself, don't make eye contact. Break times, hallway times, and lunch times are very dangerous for the conference addict. If you try really hard you may be able to continue to be alone throughout these times and thereby avoid number 1. This may be hard for those of you who are extroverts, but in the end the effort is worth breaking that addiction!

4) Complain loudly and often about the quantity and quality of the freebies available. If you work at it hard enough, you might even be able to convince yourself that this is the real reason you attend the conferences. I mean, is it really a successful conference if all you get is to take home is a lanyard and some stickers?

5) Make sure you spend your session times reading email, checking Facebook or Twitter and surfing the net (maybe throw in some shopping on Amazon while you are at it!) These are wonderful ways to keep your brain from engaging in the session topic. Paying attention may lead to engagement which will only fuel your addiction!

6) Don't go to keynotes. Keynotes are typically made to get people emotionally ready to learn and share (both of which we identify as fueling the addiction.) You would be much better off sleeping in for that morning keynote or leaving early to go to the outlet malls during the afternoon one. That way you will beat the rush of people leaving the parking lot as well!

7) Don't go to the sessions. Your room has HBO so catch up on Game of Thrones. Head to the pool and work on your tan. Get an even earlier start on those outlet malls. Visit the local points of interest. Do anything that will keep you from the temptation of engaging at the conference.

If you have any other tips or tricks that you use to keep from enjoying and engaging at education conferences please leave them below. Remember, teachers deserve it!

What If? Reading Journals

I have been writing a daily journal since November.

Dean Shareski recently wrote in favor of schools giving students the opportunity to do Hour of Code, which is an introduction to coding. He argued, "The promise of K-12 education has always been to provide children with a broad liberal arts experience that prepares them for life."

If this is really what we believe, perhaps it is time for us to re-examine book journaling. I have read the stories of kids 'hating' reading because they have to record what they are reading and when they are reading it (book logs). I totally understand how when a 'want to' becomes a 'have to' it can suck all the joy out of it. I also understand that sometimes we 'have to' make students do what they would prefer not to do, specifically to become better community members. Is there compromise that can be reached?

Book journaling is a thing that many adults do. You can even buy specialty journals created just for that purpose. Surely it is something we wouldn't mind our students growing up to do. So, what if we have students book journal instead of just log? I realize the same arguments that I put forth before are just as valid here. I do think it could be done in the short term to introduce the concept, like the Hour of Code, but without becoming a year long, onerous task for everyone involved. 

First, start by explaining the concept of journaling, which typically is to write down what we have experienced. Then explain that for a short time, say a month to six weeks, the students will be creating their own journals specifically over what they are reading. You could then set up your guidelines (post daily, twice a week, etc) and ask them to really try to do a good job. After they have written their first entries, read a few aloud. Have the students ask questions from the writer about the book. Identify what worked well and what might have been done better. Then at the end of the time, stop.

Why stop at the end, especially if it is working? Because you said it would stop. That doesn't mean you can't continue to read the journals of those who continue to write, or even share them with the class. That just means stop the 'have to' expectation. Let them know that you both true to your word and that anything they do in class, especially stuff they don't like will have an end point. It is easier to stick it out if you know it will end. 

Finally, encourage them to journal around something they are interested in. Are any interested in writing about the video games they play? the movies they watch? the YouTube channels they love? Allow them to share those entries as well, just don't make it a 'have to', not all kids will be enamored by the idea of writing stuff down (and that is just fine!)

Again, More Hard Questions

Ooh, stopWith your feet on the air And your head on the groundTry this trick and spin it, yeahYour head'll collapse And there's nothing in it

Where Is My Mind? The Pixies

Twitter is not what it used to be (whatever that means to you.) If you are not new to Twitter then you probably lament the days past when interesting conversations abounded without the inundation of pic quotes, avalanches of links, and attacks by trolls who can't seem to understand context. So, that leads to the first question:

1. What amazing, classroom changing conversation have you had in the last year on Twitter? Do you remember any?

Over testing has become a problem, not because of the high stakes test we see this time of year but because of all the testing required through the year to gather the data. Of course after those tests are given you are required to go through the scores and glean information that can help you make decisions about what to do next. Typically, the high stakes tests scores don't get back in time for this to happen during the end of the school year and that leads to question number two:

2. Do you secretly enjoy the high stakes testing because you can slack off on your lesson plans, have a few (or many) periods when the kids are unusually quiet, and know that you won't be meeting with other teachers in the next few days to data crunch?

You have hopped from one education fad to another. In the last few years you have flipped your classroom, gotten rid of all your desks, gone wild with clickers and had kids break into boxes. While not all fads are bad, they do seem to come and go pretty regularly. This leads to question number 3:

3. Which, if any, education fad has been so valuable to your students that you will continue to implement it when it is no longer in?

Time is getting shorter, the days are getting longer and the countdown to summer vacation is on. It is hard not to get excited about the opportunity to sleep in, travel and have conversations with others much closer to your age. So:

4. Have you spent more time in the last few weeks planning for your summer vacation and travel than for your students lessons?

There is no expectation for you to share your answers in the comment section of this post, but if you  do that would be alright by me ;) 

A (Mostly) True Tale of Homework and Rigor

This was originally posted on #OklaeD Chat Blog

Peeking into my senior daughter's bedroom, "Minden, what are you up to?"

"Working on homework, as usual," she replied with resignation. She didn't even look up from the 28 pound American Government textbook. "I have at least two hours of work to do tonight."

"What the heck?" I exploded. "This is the third night this week you have been camped out in your room with homework. What exactly do you do in class? There is no way you can be working on your work if you have this much left!"

Minden looked up at me with a flash of anger in her eyes. "Seriously? In our block we spend all 100 minutes taking notes and listening to lecture. Then just before it is time to leave we get hammered with this work."

"Does he not get that he isn't the only teacher at school?" I groan. "Does he think you are only taking one class this year?"

"Because this is an advanced placement class, he says that he has to teach it like a college class. He said it has to be more rigorous because it is an upper level class." She explains. "He also says that if he doesn't cram all of this in, we won't be able to pass the advanced placement test."

"That guy has a real problem, doesn't he realize that in that same college class you would only be in his room for three hours a week tops, not four to six like you have at the high school?" I responded. "Of course you need to spend more time working outside of the classroom. When I was taking classes I was only in class fifteen to twenty hours a week. That left plenty of time for the homework. Does he think 'rigor' means hours of homework after an long lecture with PowerPoints?"

Minden grimaced, "Actually I think that is exactly what he thinks the word means."

"This is ridiculous, why don't you get out of this class and take the regular government class? Trust me, you will find the college class will be much easier to pass." I continued. "You are having to spend way too much time on this stuff. You're a senior, you should be enjoying the year and not be a slave to all of this crappy homework."

"I can't Dad, it is too late to switch and if I pass the test I won't have to take it in college," Minden sighed.

"I hate homework," I mutter as I push close her door.

While this is not a verbatim conversation I had with my daughter Minden last year, it is an honest amalgam of conversations that I had over her last two years of high school. 

Efficiency Is Not Always the Goal

Technology in the classroom brings about efficiency in teaching, learning and reporting on learning. Although I contend that doing anything online takes longer to do than we expect, eventually the familiarity with the tools can make that moot. It would be impossible to argue that the use of a device connected to the internet is the best way to individualize instruction and there are so many tech tools that allow students to share their learning. But, I want you to think if the goal of your classroom is efficiency.

What is the real purpose of efficiency? I think we are efficient because we want to get the most done with the least amount of effort. I can see the draw of this in our pressure packed classrooms where covering content is the key to scoring well on standardized tests. Surely we don't still need to have conversations centered around the value of teaching to the test anymore. So, if we can put aside the testing, what real value does efficiency hold for the classroom? Do we, when we choose to learn something that we are passionate about strive for efficient learning? I don't think I do. I want to wallow in my passion, follow tangents and share enthusiastically even when those who I am sharing with don't give a damn about it. Efficiency does not feed passion.

I want my students to have at least some time to learn passionately and not to worry about efficiency. I want them to share obnoxiously. I want them to wallow. Hell, I want to wallow with them.

What Is a Connected Classroom? It May Not Be What You Think

I recently attended a session at METC that had the topic of connected schools/classrooms. There was an awful lot of conversation around how teachers/admin could get information out to communities, both local and distant. In fact, I think the conversation was too focused on the sharing of information.

The real value of the internet, in fact of technology in general in the classroom, is not in sharing information or in students having digital tools. The real value is the ability students now have to connect with others outside of their local community. These connections require conversations that are two way (or more.) Posting information does not make your classroom connected. There is nothing wrong with posting information, just don't confuse that with connecting. 

All Learning Doesn't Have Equal Value

Goulet Pens, where I buy and where I learn.

My newest hobby is journaling with fountain pens. I jumped in pretty heavily last fall and have bought several pens and different inks to use. I have watched weeks worth of videos, and that is not hyperbole! I bought a few journals and have been writing about my day for over a month and  half (and even bought a Fuji instant camera to take teeny instant pictures I can put in my journal.)

I don't know if this hobby will last for years, but I am really enjoying it now. That's the thing about stuff we in education label 'passion projects', they are very important while we are passionate but the love may not last a lifetime. I acknowledge that even as I pay both money and mental capital into it. But, what do I get from this learning? It makes me happy.

As an educator my business is understanding learning. While being a teacher implies the transfer of specific content knowledge from us to students, I prefer to think of it on a more basic level. We help kids learn things they otherwise might not choose to learn. Kids can (and do) learn at a high level when they want to learn. (Sometimes I wonder if educators forget this.) There is very little transferable content area learning that is taking place with my new hobby. I suspect that would mean many educators would see this hobby as relatively valueless in my classroom. I won't argue that point, because it isn't relevant.

Simply put, the fact that I am learning is enough. When I choose to share what I am learning with my students, and you know it happens because no one can keep something they are passionate about private (unless it is a taboo subject), my students see me excited about something other than the curriculum I teach. There is no real, intrinsic value to them in watching me share in terms of picking up new content knowledge. They won't become better geographers or historians because I let them borrow my fountain pens to write with. Heck, they probably are more interested in how the pens write than what they are putting on the page so it might even keep them from learning a fact or two. I guess that means that my hobby could in fact be keeping them from gaining as much content knowledge. So, some might say that my hobby is less than valueless, that it inhibits learning.

The real problem here is not that kids are not learning the content schools require of them, it isn't even that they reject learning what we teach passionately (because it is our thing!) The real problem is we make a value judgement that what they want to learn is less valuable than what we want to teach them. The thing is, in our culture that might be a very true statement. There is specific content knowledge, specific skills, and specific levels of competency based upon certifications. When it comes to jobs, all learning does not have equal value.

Of course, one does have to make the assumption that ultimate goal of learning is getting a good job and not living happily.