Engaging the Students, Changing their World

Program standard 2.2, component 3c highlights the importance of student engagement. If all students can connect with the content in meaningful, demonstrable ways, a teacher is on the right track. Even better if students are so engaged, they continue to follow the trail of their learning into deeper places of discovery, consolidating their learning and making meaning for themselves.

My work this quarter included revisiting some lessons I had written in the past and revising, refining, rethinking, and repurposing them! After editing a poetry lesson I originally drafted last winter, I had a chance to teach it to my husband, who served as an excellent “second grader.” (He knows the population well, since he teaches them every day.)

In the video featured below, you can see my efforts to engage my student throughout a long lesson included lots of eye contact, warm energy, and flexibility when my first questions were proven ineffective. My first question, “Have you heard of alliteration?” was not open-ended, and when I realized how it would yield a dead end for my student, I tried to modify and ask a question that would yield richer discussion, engaging him more meaningfully: “What do you think it means?” It isn’t a perfect question, but it was my first attempt at catching myself in order to help him connect with the content, as I’ve learned is essential through my study of Understanding by Design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005).

Watching the lesson again, which I have done several times now, continues to reveal small ways in which my teaching is both engaging--I work hard to use expressive tone, small gestures of affection, and a big smile--and also still in the early stages of mastery. I need to continue to allow wait time, ask more targeted questions, and generally talk less in my instruction (no small feat). Curating my words seems it might be my greatest challenge as a teacher!

Hopefully, however, my students will develop deeper understanding of the material because of my effort to help them explore and enjoy the curriculum. I hope when I finally get to teach this lesson to children, the chance to scout out alliteration in classroom texts will feel like the ultimate treasure hunt, inspiring them to notice and appreciate this literary tool in all their future reading.

References

Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design. Retrieved from:

https://spu.instructure.com/courses/25259/pages/selecting-instructional-practices-to-

deepen-knowledge-and-skill?module_item_id=148922

Poetry With Purpose: Reflecting on Instructional Practices in Second Grade Literacy

Illustration from Shel Silverstein's A Light in the Attic

Reflecting on this quarter's learning led me to one word: abundance. I have learned from the abundant knowledge of my teachers and peers, appreciated the abundant grace of my advisors, and relished the abundance of resources at my fingertips as I learn to teach in the international setting. What a full 10 weeks! I have gained so much confidence in my own understanding of instructional planning in particular, and I have come to believe my habits now more closely align with Program Standard 2: using research-based instructional practices to meet the needs of all students. I am applying the pedagogy from my studies to teaching that works for a variety of children with a variety of backgrounds. 

In the lesson series I designed for second graders studying poetry, my favorite part is the teaching of alliteration. Shel Silverstein's poem "Bear In There" is a highlight--it illuminates the concept for children through a narrative that is fanciful and hilarious. Any kid would get the giggles when imagining a polar bear with his "seat in the meat." 

A selection from the lesson plan in review

As an informal assessment after the first part of instruction, my plan employs a technique from Doug Lemov's Teach Like a Champion 2.0 called "cold call" (p. 36). The idea is that students are more engaged if they anticipate a teacher's question at any time (leveraging the element of surprise here). By cold calling students for their examples of alliteration from the text, the teacher can get a quick gauge on whether the concept is sinking in and who might need more scaffolding. This is just one example of how my teaching will apply strong practices to support the needs of all students. 

Although I did not teach this lesson "live," I believe it will hold up when I finally get the chance to share it with students of my own because of its purposeful design and use of proven strategies, from the turn and talk to the multi-sensory elements (those tongue twisters as a warm up never get old). In this case, I hope students build an appreciation for poetry as they begin to understand some of its most powerful elements. When I finally get the chance to teach it, I may adjust my plans slightly by playing a recorded version of some of these poems--there is something wonderful about hearing poets read their own poems, and I am sure my students would love to hear Shel recite this one himself. 

References 

Lemov, D. (2015). Teach like a champion 2.0. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Brand.

Progress Toward a Standard: How I'm Making Math Meaningful

My first professor from SPU's School of Education once told me, "Your class's behavior will only be as good as your curriculum is engaging." At the end of the day, if what and how we teach isn't cutting it, the students will tell us in the tune-out method du jour--pulling at their desktags, poking their neighbors, chatting instead of listening...Not great if we really want our students to deepen their understanding. This is why Program Standard 4.3: Designing Coherent Instruction in Learning Activities matters so much. 

When I redesigned a straightforward math task (image below) into something richer for first grade students, I looked for ways to open up the activity and make it more meaningful. Marian Small is a pioneer of math education that is relevant to children, engaging in ways that inspire creativity and problem solving over rote memorization--this task is inspired by her work. The standard requires that "learning activities are suitable to students or to the instructional outcomes, and most represent significant cognitive challenge, with some differentiation for different groups of students."

In this activity, students were invited to use colorful manipulatives (buttons) to learn in a playful way, rather than working through a classic set of addition equations on a worksheet. The tactile element makes the task multisensory, and the description requires critical thinking both to understand the task and then develop original ideas in the form of new equations. Because the activity invites students to use a number line and buttons, opportunity for scaffolding is convenient and natural. 

Although I haven't taught this lesson yet, I can picture it being more engaging to my students because of the playfulness of its design and its simplicity. My experience has shown me that sometimes that cleanest, most streamlined activities make for the most popular moments in a day. The hope is that by engaging in more tasks that require creative engagement during math, students will strengthen conceptual understanding and increase flexibility in their relationship to numbers. If I were to tweak this lesson, I might add more specifics in terms of challenge opportunities for learners who need enrichment. 

I'm looking forward to a chance to test this out in real life--my aim was to breathe life and joy into what might otherwise be a ho-hum part of first grade. 

References

Ernst, K., Ryan, S. (2014). Success from the start: Your first years teaching elementary mathematics. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc: Reston, VA.

Small, M. (2010). Beyond one right answer. Educational Leadership, 68(1), p. 28-32.

EDSP 6644: Blog Reflection

As a lifelong student of foreign language (twenty years of Spanish and two in Cantonese and Mandarin), I consider teaching ELL students a tremendous privilege. The hard work of being a good student is one thing, but to tackle a new language while attempting to soak up all the other knowledge is a tall order for a child. Since some ELLs are also working to adapt to life in the United States, it's important to identify and honor the cultural learning curve families face as well. 

All this to say, planning a lesson for ELL kindergarteners helped me reflect on all the ways this is such sacred work. In my lesson I planned for lots of visuals, which is essential for improving communication as children acquire English. In an act of new-teacher eagerness, I would design and print the plural/singular picture card activity myself using fun and colorful illustrations. (This might be overkill, but I will maintain my earnest hopefulness until further notice!) I'm enjoying the process of imagining how to serve these students, and I think that is the biggest takeaway from this assignment for me. 

I also picked a book, Pete the Cat, that is as delightful as it is useful. I firmly believe the literature used in early childhood programs should be well-written and fun to read--not only age or reading-level appropriate. Pete the Cat meets all these standards, and the accompanying song will help kids remember the point of the entire lesson: Add an "s" to a word when there is more than one of something. 

Planning this lesson, reading about exceptional students every week, writing my peer-review paper, and discussing it all along the way with my teaching husband has deepened my understanding of how to properly support students with special needs in my classroom. I look forward to applying my knowledge and continuing to grow as an educator as I work to help them learn. 

Inspired by Buzzfeed: How to Move Beyond Survival Mode as a First Year Teacher

It's common knowledge that first-year teachers face an enormous learning curve as they begin careers in education. Even though every teacher had a first year once, it can be hard for newcomers to feel successful when surrounded by more experienced veterans in the field. There are, however, plenty of ways to cope with the challenges as a first-year teacher. In fact, it is possible for new teachers to avoid some pitfalls and truly flourish...or at least experience something beyond plain old survival mode. Here's how. 

Get organized. Meredith Nourie's manifesto on her biggest mistakes as a new teacher highlights one very fixable problem: the sin of being disorganized (2011). There are plenty of things beyond your control as a teacher--you cannot control a student's relationship with his parents, or a difficult class dynamic during third period. You can control whether you are prepared to teach, so getting sorted with materials and lessons plans matters. Even the least perceptive student can see fear in the eyes of a scrambling teacher--don't let this happen to you (more than you can help). Ask your fellow teachers what their strategies are for anything and everything, since part of this challenge is knowing where to begin. Borrow systems from people you trust and see how they work for you.

Show some humility.  Researchers at the University of Nebraska at Kearney found that hiring officials value candidates who are self-starters, have a passion for teaching, and feel "willing to reflect on their teaching methods and adjust their philosophy if necessary" (Ziebarth-Bovill, Kritzer, and Bovill, 2012). So you have a huge passion for Reggio-inspired environments, your team has used Rubbermaid storage bins for decades, and there is no budget for the hallowed wooden storage box? You are the newcomer. Do your best to pick your battles in your new school, even if it means adjusting your expectations. After you prove yourself as a valued, flexible team player, then you can start to pioneer some new ideas. Arrive with criticism, and you're borrowing trouble.

Be real about your privilege. Odds are, teaching will connect you with students and families who are different than you, no matter who you are. But particularly if you are a person with a whole lot of privilege, then you have some work to do in shifting any deficit thinking you may have toward your students. A perspective of "color blindness" ultimately marginalizes students of color by denying their problems exist, which many preservice teacher end up doing (McDonough, 2009). Do your part in gaining cultural competency by learning about the community where you teach. If parents are not native English speakers, learn how to greet them in their first language as a gesture of kindness and respect. Is a child's name difficult for you to pronounce? Spend time getting it exactly right, no excuses. Name and claim the areas you need to grow, and don't be shy about it. 

Keep your time in check. The social narrative on Millennial work ethic is not always flattering. If you expect to leave your classroom at 4:15 p.m. every day, you are going to fulfill bad stereotypes and you're also not going to get your job done. On the other hand, if you don't leave until 10 p.m. three nights a week, misery is inevitable. Do your best to stay balanced while drinking from the newbie firehose. If you find yourself working so much your relationships, sleep, and/or health are suffering, ask for help from your administration or fellow teachers.

Be a connector. Principals hire self-starters "who can develop positive relationships within the teaching community" (Ziebarth-Bovill, et al., 2012). Be proactive by inviting people in for observations and by asking to visit other classrooms in your school. How does that third grade teacher manage such slick transitions? How can you tighten your teaching during literacy block? Don't be shy about asking for help, because you'll build trust and find friendship by risking a little vulnerability. 

Make lavish communication a priority. Research shows that "just about all families care about their children, want them to succeed, and are eager to obtain better information from schools and communities so as to remain good partners in their children's education" (Epstein, 2010). So give the parents what they want, and what they need to be a partner with you: regular, professional, personalized updates on how their kids are doing in school. Quick anecdotal emails can establish rapport early, and by building trust in the beginning, a foundation is set if and when more serious conversations need to happen about behavior or academic concerns. Joyce Epstein's research also supports the value of in-person conferences and emphasizing the need for open communication flowing both directions--not just teacher to family (2010).

The truth is your first year of teaching will likely leave you with some battle scars, but there are ways to set yourself up for success on many fronts. Try to apply the good pedagogy and practical wisdom you learned during training, and keep the perspective that "this too shall pass." Don't forget that the education of these students falls on many shoulders--you cannot take all the credit and you cannot take all the blame. Educational researchers Henderson and Mapp, of the National Center for Family & Community, sum it up this way: "The responsibility for children's educational development is a collaborative enterprise among parents, school staff, and community members" (2002). It takes a village, and you are only a first-year villager once. 

References

Epstein, J. (1995). School/family/community partnerships: caring for the children we

share. Phi Delta Kappan, 76(9), 701-712. Retrieved from: file:///Users/holizhar/Downloads/Epstein%202010%20(1).pdf

Henderson, A. & Mapp, K. A new wave of evidence: the impact of school, family, and

community connections on student achievement. (2002). Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. Retrieved from: file:///Users/holizhar/Downloads/Henderson%202002.pdf

McDonough, K. (2009). Pathways to critical consciousness: a first-year teacher’s

engagement with issues of race and equity. Journal of Teacher Education, (60)5, 528-537.

Nourie, M.C. (2011). A first-year teacher’s top 10 mistakes. Clearing House, 84(6), 231-

232.

Ziebarth-Bovill, J., Kritzer, J,. & Bovill, R. (2012). The essential criteria for hiring first

year teacher candidates. Education, 133(1), 125-138.

Where to Go From Here: Reflection on EDU 6134 Professional Issues in Education

New teachers: Keep a sense of humor at all times. 

Program standard 8.2 aims to prepare new teachers so they "exemplify an understanding of professional responsibilities and policies" as they grow and develop in their field. Aspiring educators come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from young people who have wanted to teach since childhood to working adults who pursue a career change after years in another field. They do share common ground in one primary area, however: facing the steep learning curve of actually teaching for the very first time, and learning how to act professional as they face these challenges. 

I find myself in the second camp, career-changers, and as I reflect on the professional issues presented in our course, I appreciate the information provided regarding appropriate behavior, abuse prevention, the value of parent partnerships, and the important (albeit illusive) task of teacher collaboration, among other topics. But most of all, I continue to think about the common struggles new teachers face, wondering which areas will feel most difficult for me when I begin next fall, and how I might seek solutions so I don’t burn out too quickly. 

Dan Brown says, "Part of persevering in this profession involves carrying a high threshold for bureaucratic blunders, miscarriages of justice, untimely copy machine malfunctions, misguided policies, betrayals of trust, and other epic travesties—as well as one’s own mistakes" (2012, p. 27). I loved this wisdom when I read it two months ago, and it continues to be my favorite treasure from this quarter. Adjusting our expectations and the image we have of ourselves (bleeding-heart superheroes) makes space for the realities of teaching: We will have some hard days. We will have some terrible days. This is not the end of the world, this needn’t take us by surprise, and this doesn’t mean our students cannot learn from us.

What separates a flailing new teacher from a professional is the understanding that our teaching will not be perfect no matter how hard we work. By soulfully expecting perfection, new teachers are inevitably crushed by the weight of dismissive parents, unhelpful colleagues, and disinterested students. The opportunity lies in applying the tools gained in a course such as this one: Find a better way to communicate with difficult parents (Is a language barrier making emails less effective, perhaps?). Reach out to the colleagues who can be supportive (and avoid the negative naysayers). Maintain healthy boundaries with students. Seek the advice of a teaching coach to make boring curriculum come to life for kids, and keep trying when the disillusionment hits hard come Christmas break (Moir, 2011).

Although I have not yet faced the first-year teacher blues, I am trying to translate some of the pressure I feel as a parent of two children (one preschooler, one newborn), with a spouse also in graduate school, living in a foreign country, into coping strategies that will be useful when I finally start to teach. I am seeking support from current teachers by asking questions about early learning and the importance of play. I have sought training on phonological awareness and grapho-motor development so as to build partnerships with teachers in the community ahead of time. I'm trying to peel back the cultural onion of families in Hong Kong through play ground chats, so I can relate to parents in my future school better. 

I am also working hard to laugh about the things that simply do not go perfectly—letting go of the ideal of homemade baby food may be perfect preparation for disappointing bulletin boards. I know the season of my imperfect but best-I-can studenthood will ultimately benefit my future kindergarten students. They will see a human being who works hard to maintain professional standards as an educator, imparting a love of reading, writing, and all kinds of learning, calling any perfectly trimmed bulletin boards icing on the cake.

References

Brown, D. (2012). Now that I know. Educational Leadership, May 2012, 24-48.
Moir, E. (2011). Phases of first year teaching. Retrieved     from: file:///Users/holizhar/Downloads/Moir%202011.pdf

Where to Go From Here: Reflection on EDU 6134 Professional Issues in Education

New teachers: Keep a sense of humor at all times. 

Program standard 8.2 aims to prepare new teachers so they "exemplify an understanding of professional responsibilities and policies" as they grow and develop in their field. Aspiring educators come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from young people who have wanted to teach since childhood to working adults who pursue a career change after years in another field. They do share common ground in one primary area, however: facing the steep learning curve of actually teaching for the very first time, and learning how to act professional as they face these challenges. 

I find myself in the second camp, career-changers, and as I reflect on the professional issues presented in our course, I appreciate the information provided regarding appropriate behavior, abuse prevention, the value of parent partnerships, and the important (albeit illusive) task of teacher collaboration, among other topics. But most of all, I continue to think about the common struggles new teachers face, wondering which areas will feel most difficult for me when I begin next fall, and how I might seek solutions so I don’t burn out too quickly. 

Dan Brown says, "Part of persevering in this profession involves carrying a high threshold for bureaucratic blunders, miscarriages of justice, untimely copy machine malfunctions, misguided policies, betrayals of trust, and other epic travesties—as well as one’s own mistakes" (2012, p. 27). I loved this wisdom when I read it two months ago, and it continues to be my favorite treasure from this quarter. Adjusting our expectations and the image we have of ourselves (bleeding-heart superheroes) makes space for the realities of teaching: We will have some hard days. We will have some terrible days. This is not the end of the world, this needn’t take us by surprise, and this doesn’t mean our students cannot learn from us.

What separates a flailing new teacher from a professional is the understanding that our teaching will not be perfect no matter how hard we work. By soulfully expecting perfection, new teachers are inevitably crushed by the weight of dismissive parents, unhelpful colleagues, and disinterested students. The opportunity lies in applying the tools gained in a course such as this one: Find a better way to communicate with difficult parents (Is a language barrier making emails less effective, perhaps?). Reach out to the colleagues who can be supportive (and avoid the negative naysayers). Maintain healthy boundaries with students. Seek the advice of a teaching coach to make boring curriculum come to life for kids, and keep trying when the disillusionment hits hard come Christmas break (Moir, 2011).

Although I have not yet faced the first-year teacher blues, I am trying to translate some of the pressure I feel as a parent of two children (one preschooler, one newborn), with a spouse also in graduate school, living in a foreign country, into coping strategies that will be useful when I finally start to teach. I am seeking support from current teachers by asking questions about early learning and the importance of play. I have sought training on phonological awareness and grapho-motor development so as to build partnerships with teachers in the community ahead of time. I'm trying to peel back the cultural onion of families in Hong Kong through play ground chats, so I can relate to parents in my future school better. 

I am also working hard to laugh about the things that simply do not go perfectly—letting go of the ideal of homemade baby food may be perfect preparation for disappointing bulletin boards. I know the season of my imperfect but best-I-can studenthood will ultimately benefit my future kindergarten students. They will see a human being who works hard to maintain professional standards as an educator, imparting a love of reading, writing, and all kinds of learning, calling any perfectly trimmed bulletin boards icing on the cake.

References

Brown, D. (2012). Now that I know. Educational Leadership, May 2012, 24-48.
Moir, E. (2011). Phases of first year teaching. Retrieved     from: file:///Users/holizhar/Downloads/Moir%202011.pdf