Finding Ways for All Kids to Flourish

Starting the New Year WIth a New Sentence

2012-01-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

With my wonderful PLN on Twitter, I was talking about ways to start the New Year other than the traditional New Year's resolutions. Thanks to a conversation with my friend, Ally, @FlyontheCWall, I decided to be brave and begin a new exercise in 4th grade the first day back from our winter vacation and completed it the following day. As it’s a new year, it’s always a great time to re-examine goals and ideas about who we want to be.
I began by challenging 4th graders to think and brainstorm about who they want to be in 2012. I asked questions like:” What is something you want to be able to say about yourself?” “What is a quality or an action you want to be known for?”

We watched this brief video, based on Daniel Pink’s, “What’s Your Sentence?”

What's Your Sentence?: The Video from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

The next day, students took their brainstorms from the first day and wrote “their sentences”. Below are some photos of the results. Pretty impressive, especially for 4th graders! Such a positive way to begin 2012!

As you start 2012 with your students, how will you inspire them to make choices that lead them to who they want to be?

5 Surprise Gifts on a Sunday Afternoon

2011-12-21T09:32:00.001-08:00

It began with a simple request from my sister in law: "Hey, Joanie, do you want to join us tomorrow singing Christmas carols at a party for the Ambassor of Kenya to the U.N.? Her neighbors go to our church and work with her, and she wants some singing at her party. We don't really know what to expect..but it will be fun to sing as a family."

The "all of us" meant my musical Patitucci family: my brother John, a bass player, his wife, Sachi, an amazing cellist, their musically gifted daughters, Gracie and Bella, my sister Renee, a professional singer, and her family, my sister Mare ( another talented singer) and her family and I, with 12 of us altogether singing. Since my sister, Renee is music director of their church, and John and Sachi are professional musicians, their friends invited them to sing. Even though I do love to sing, I must admit that I get a bit intimidated by my siblings' talent, though I couldn't miss the opportunity.

Fast forward to the Sunday afternoon….

We arrived about 20 minutes early, pulling up to a beautiful house in a neighborhood in Scarsdale. We sat outside around the corner, not wanting to arrive early and inconvenience anyone. We practiced a bit to be sure we all knew each song. This was going to be fun! I had no idea what an inspiring time it would be..

Here are some of the serendipitous gifts of our afternoon:

Ambassador Josephine Ojiambo was a wonderfully gracious host. Although my brother's friend Karen had given us a quick briefing about how to show respect by greeting her with the proper title, we were all a tad nervous. Ambassador Ojiambo insisted that we eat before we sang: delicious Kenyan food. She personally took my niece's plate and gave her a sample of each special dish, explaining what each one was. We learned about white corn being a staple food and chapati, a delicious bread, as well.

Not only did we get to sing carols for Kenyan Ambassador Ojiambo and her family and friends, but also for her friend: Ambassador to the U.N. from Nigeria, Joy Ogwu. We were fortunate to talk with her after we sang; she is quite an inspiring woman: a leader among the female ambassadors to the U.N. as well as a member of the Security Council. She shared that she was about to lead some very important talks about arms this week, and felt so grateful to be at a party, relaxing and recharging for her busy week.

As we sang, I felt overcome with joy. With my brother John next to me, and my sisters in front of me, we shared smiles and tried to hold back spontaneous giggles as we recalled the Christmas carol records of our younger days. Sharing music with my brothers and sisters is something I miss so dearly, as we live across the country from each other. After several encores, Ambassador Ojiambo thanked us; I whispered a message to my brother that we should thank her for the gift that she had given us in her invitation. Tears welled up in all of our eyes as we shared our thanks with her.

After being invited to stay at the party, and meeting many of the friends and family members of Ambassador Ojiambo, we sat by ourselves as they all disappeared upstairs to prepare a song for us. Little did we know that minutes later we would be singing and clapping along to songs from Kenya. They even made a percussion instrument out of the dome from the cake! It was a joyous time of sharing.

As we said our goodbyes, I was touched by the grace and warmth of our host. Ambassador Ojiambo told us that the afternoon far exceeded her expectations. We had made her birthday/Christmas celebration memorable. We left, uplifted by our experience. What was to be an hour of caroling turned into an afternoon of music and sharing. Priceless memories for all of us!

A Christmas Letter I Won't Send

2011-12-20T08:15:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Letter I Won’t Send ( but should?)

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this holiday season finds you joyful and well, basking in the glow of a year of fond memories of time with loved ones, as well as of inspiring moments spent making a difference in this crazy world of ours.

I pray that your family is healthy. I know that many educators like me spend holidays fighting the myriad of germs that threaten to invade our bodies after being around germ-spreading little ones all day. Of course, you know that I wouldn’t trade “my kids” for anything. Despite spending many Christmas eves coughing and sneezing my head off, I still sleep peacefully, knowing that I have lived out my passion by being with these kids each day, often caring more than some of the people who perhaps can’t, due to the daily struggles they face.

So back to that making a difference part. So often it seems as though we believe that it takes a grand act to "make a difference." Maybe you went on that one week mission with your church, posted hundreds of pictures on Facebook, as we all applauded your generous and courageous spirit. I probably even clicked “like” and added an honest, inspired comment. Or maybe you sent in a donation to a local charity. Of course you can celebrate such a gift! I challenge myself, and all of us, to seize opportunities each and every day to share moments of kindness and generosity. You just never know when you may be giving someone exactly the words they need to "keep calm and carry on" in this very trying time.

When those holiday bell ringers seek my spare change on a cold winter’s night, I smile and say that I am a teacher, who devotes myself and my change each and every day through the time, care and my own “change” I spend on supplementing my classroom to make learning joyful. I give of myself all year round, 24 hours a day to this profession, as I spend nights dreaming of lesson ideas, ways to meet challenges with students, and worries about keeping my job. I know thousands of other teachers who similarly give of themselves thanklessly each day.

At this time of year, as many of us send those “family lists of accomplishment” letters, cleverly designed to make us feel like our lives are worth a darn, my heart is peaceful, knowing that despite the many frustrations and barriers in my profession, I am doing exactly what I was meant to do. I hope that as you reflect on your year, you celebrate those gifts you share each day, and also that you are following the call in your heart.

At this time of reflection and new beginnings, may you search your heart and check it twice. Are you on the path that brings you meaning and joy? How are YOU sharing your gifts with the world?

The Gift of Blogging

2011-10-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was invited by my wonderful friend Greta to participate in the #Rockstar Meme - How Blogging Rocked Your World . Her beautiful post, about her journey as a blogger, inspired me to think deeply about the role that blogging has played in developing my voice, both as an educator and as an advocate for kids.

My first response, I must admit, was one of feeling a bit overwhelmed with the task. Being succinct about subjects I am passionate about is not a strong point for me. I decided to write out a mind map and approach this task much in the way I encourage my students to plan out their writing.

As I drew out my concept map, I decided to use the Showme app to talk about my experience, instead of putting my thoughts into paragraph form. I took a picture of my map, inserted it into Showme, and took it from there. I hope you enjoy the results!

As the challenge has requested, my final step is to ask other inspiring bloggers to share their stories. I am tagging these individuals, who have shaped my blogging and thinking in recent months:

Lisa Dabbs @teachingwthsoul

John T. Spencer @johntspencer

Patrick Larkin @bhsprincipal

Tracy Watanabe @tracywatanabe

Linda Yollis @lindayollis

3 Reflections for This School Year

2011-09-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

Every year, I seem to grow more reflective in my practice, which is both a blessing and a curse. Perhaps you can't see why it would be a curse, as we are encouraged as educators to reflect on what we do. Accomplishing tasks like curriculum mapping and lesson planning, however, take more time and brain power now because I require so much brainstorming/processing time before I even get to the part where I can write anything. Hopefully, as I gain more experience as a 4th grade teacher, this process will take less time!

In any case, I have been working on these "big ideas" for myself as a teacher, and as always, I find great benefit in sharing with my wonderful network of educators around the globe.

Students need to reflect! If we value an assignment so much that we allow an extended period of time for its completion, then we need to take the time afterward for students to reflect. Perhaps you already do this with student rubrics or some other method of reflection, but I recently found it very helpful after students read my comments on their work for them to respond with their opinions. Questions I asked included, "Do you think that this piece reflected your best effort?" "What were some of the challenges for you?" "What will you do similarly or differently next time?" I received feedback from both parents and students indicating that they found this process helpful, especially for identifying issues of time management and developing plans for future success.
When integrating technology, it's critical to ask: "Am I just adding more 'stuff' to my curriculum or using technology as a way to let students process and showcase what they are learning?" I am working to synthesize the curriculum that I have with apps like "Showme" where students can use a screencast to demonstrate their process and understanding. Viewing their Showme's later has given me such an incredible window into student process! Isn't this the epitome of formative assessment? So far, in math this has worked out extremely well, and I plan to use it this week for lessons with writing mechanics, beginning with comma use. My plan is to then email the link to the Showme to the student, attach a few comments, and engage in a dialogue about their process. I see great opportunities for metacognition.
When we offer students extra support, we must be careful to send the right messages. I am sure that I have, at times, ( more often than I care to admit!) impacted student efficacy negatively by jumping in too fast to alleviate confusion. Perhaps I have even given the impression that I believed that they "needed my support" to succeed. We must be patient in the messy learning process, pause, and give students the opportunity for the "aha" experience. Of course, this is so tricky when so many other kids are clamoring for our attention, right? We must somehow be present, available, and open for them to discover their own benefit in seeking help and make it part of everyone's learning to need help. I really want students to know that it is a sign of strength to make mistakes, as well as solicit feedback and clarification!

I am thinking of many other topics, of course, but hope to write again soon on those. Intrinsic motivation, behavior management systems, and parental involvement are at the top of the list!

What are some thoughts, reflections, questions on your mind as you get into the school year? Please share!

A New Year: Designing the Learning Environment

2011-08-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

We started school this past Thursday, and I feel like I have been in a whirlwind ever since! Even though we only had 2 days with students, I have lots of planning and organizing to do to set up for the month of September!
These pictures represent the classroom environment, "pre-students, " except for the picture that shows the students' "getting to know you wordles" from an exercise shared by the fabulous Paula Naugle, a teacher in New Orleans.

This table is currently too close to the wall and will need to be moved out a bit before we use it. I plan to work with small groups of students here.
The fun paisley border represents the colorful, unique voices of the writers whose work will adorn this board.

The director's chair is mainly for student presentations. I probably will only sit in that chair when I do a "read-aloud."

On the far wall, I have a global map ready for us to mark our Skype calls with people around the world. I am hoping to connect my students with students, teachers, and experts all around the world. We will be participating in the Mystery State/Country Skype project and have also already scheduled a Skype an Author call.

Our "All about Me Wordles" look fabulous hanging via suction cups on our big windows. I know that I am fortunate to have these big bright windows and beautiful trees outside of them.

Another view of the room, this time with my desk visible in the corner. I have it shoved so far back that I can barely get behind it. The fact is that I so rarely sit at my desk, I am contemplating not having it in the future. One step at at time, though...

Those cabinets are for storage and our desktop computers. I plan to utilize those computers as well as a shared laptop cart and a small number of ipads to integrate technology in meaningful, productive ways.
The purple stability balls on top are awaiting inflation and will be used hopefully this week. Students are so excited to use them!

On our second day of school, students spent some time brainstorming about their ideal classroom. They came up with this list of class agreements and then wrote and illustrated them for our bulletin board.

I look forward to sharing more pictures as I set up the rest of the classroom. I am awaiting a new carpet for a community discussion space, as well as some fun cushions and ottoman type seats for comfy reading spaces.

I would love to hear from others about how they have set up their classrooms for optimal learning. Please leave a link to your blog posts or resources that address this important topic!

Brave New Year: 5 Ideas to Venture Forth

2011-08-13T16:30:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I have written, partially due to taking on a writing job in July that took WAY more time than I anticipated, and partly because I sometimes don't know if the topic in my head is right for this blog or another forum. Although all of my posts somehow relate to bringing out the potential in kids so that they flourish, some of my writing is more specific to the classroom.

Today I am thinking of ways that I plan to venture out with my students, try new things, and model being a learner. Here are some ways I hope to enliven my new class:

1) Leaving some design decisions to the students: I am a little bit conflicted between allowing students the opportunity to "own their learning space" and my personal desire to have things completely organized and ready to go at the beginning of the school year. This year, I will give students more responsibility and ownership. They will determine the class jobs we need, help with some room layout decisions, and be active decision makers. I am excited to see how this change impacts their enthusiasm for school.

2) Diigo for educators: After going to Vicki Davis' workshop, led by Suzie Nesticos at ISTE11, I decided that I should really work with my students to collaborate better on group research. Diigo for educators allows me to create a class group and is an amazing tool for sharing, and a safe way to allow my students to share highlights of resources, annotations, and suggest and bookmark items of value for the entire class. This could be a bit of a risk, since this tool may be new to parents and even to colleagues. I will let you know how it goes!

3) Kidblogs for individual student blogs: Last year my students blogged on a class blog, but I did not see the enthusiasm and ownership in them that I had hoped to see. I can pinpoint several reasons for this: having to write about events from the class and not items completely of their own choice, students not getting to decide the name and appearance of the blog, blogging was a class job for 3 students per week, and more. I think that having a Kidblogs class account where each student will have his/her own page, opening up my blog to comments from the world using #comments for kids, and allowing students to write about their passions will give them a more engaging blogging experience.

4) Connecting globally via Skype: I do believe that Skyping must have an intentional place and not just be an "add-on" cool thing to do. My first experience last December, Skyping with my friend Greta and her class in Argentina was memorable and one I will never forget. I have some ideas to incorporate Skype into my social studies curriculum as well as my language arts curriculum. I am excited about this project, the Skype mystery state project : http://mysterystate.wikispaces.com/

5) Trusting my own judgement: Last year I was a bit nervous because I was new to both 4th grade and to my school. There were times that students reached out to me on google chat when I was checking email, and I wasn't sure if I should respond. What I know, now, a year later, is that those students who reached out to me still want to say hi and consider me a trusted adult to talk to. Many times, students wanted to ask a quick question about homework or invite me to look at their work on a google doc. Since relationships in teaching are SO important, I will be glad for the chance to connect with students via the web.

I am sure that as soon as I hit "publish post" I will think of many other ways I plan to do things differently this year. What do you plan to do to engage and excite your students for a wonderful school year?

The Gift of Mentoring..a Year Later

2011-07-08T14:49:00.000-07:00

It's been a year since my fabulous intern, Nicole, aka "Miss Harrington," and I went our separate ways. At the end of last school year, as she got her credential and wondered how she would ever find a job in this terrible economic climate, I moved on, to a new grade at a new school, hopeful for her and thankful for the wonderful year we spent as intern and mentor.

In August, I was thrilled to get the call that she got hired at my former school, just days before school began, was going to teach in kindergarten in "our" former room, with lots of the goodies I gifted to her as I left for my big move to 4th grade. Many hours of my commute this year were spent listening to her and brainstorming ideas with her about her very young class. Each conversation left me inspired and grateful: not just to know her, but to have learned so much from our time together in the classroom and to continue to learn as we hashed through problems aloud, laughing our way to possible solutions.

Today, as I wandered through my old weebly blog of my kindergarten class (2009-2010) I serendipitously stumbled upon her beautiful portfolio video that she made at the end of our year together. I messaged her immediately, asking if I could share it here. As I've gotten more involved in working with new teachers, with my friend Lisa Dabbs and her awesome work with Edutopia and the New Teacher Boot Camp and chat, I know that stories can inspire, especially when times are tough.

So, sit back, enjoy the video, and think about how you might be able to support and learn with another wonderful young teacher like Miss Harrington. Here's to you, Nicole!

What Happens When You Close the Windows?

2011-07-05T14:31:00.000-07:00

When I close all those browser windows, those tabs of mass distraction on my computer, I am left with me. Just me. Just the random, rambling thoughts and the deep down recurring whispers reminding me that I am supposed to do something meaningful.

Do what? It’s summer time, and I’m supposed to be recovering, rejuvenating, learning, planning for back to school, right? Something inside me shouts, "yes," and then, in a split second, "not so fast!" For years I have been brewing thoughts about the important intersection between positive psychology and education. I've written posts about these ideas here and here. Thanks to my husband, who shares my love for psychology, we have collected, read and discussed books from inspiring writers and researchers like Tal Ben-Shahar, Barbara Fredrickson, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Ed Diener, Ellen Langer , and countless others. Many Saturday mornings have been spent evaluating the ideas of a “meaningful life” “optimal brain functioning and learning” and what it all means to us.

And all of this brings me to a question. Maybe not one you think about..or do you?

Why can’t we learn from psychology mavericks like Martin Seligman, who went from studying what’s wrong with people to what’s right with them? How can we apply this process of “strength and passion finding” to our floundering field of education? I say,“our field” because I am a teacher. I walk into a classroom each day with a grand hope: to instill a love for learning, a passion for self-discovery among my students. In my heart though, perhaps I am still a psychologist. I suppose I can be both, right?

I was never licensed as a therapist, though I finished my M.A. in Clinical Psych and earned my hours doing therapy and social work, for nearly 7 years. I worked in the trenches, got burned out in foster care, as I donned my superhero cape each day, trying to save foster care placements, pleading with families to give the kids another chance. I was almost ready to take the California MFT licensing exam when I decided that I could impact more kids in a deeper way by being with them in the classroom each day. I thought I was throwing in my superhero cape..but wow, I was wrong.

And now, I often feel in the same role as an educator: convincing parents not to give up on their own kids, or reminding other teachers that we need to change our lens: it’s often not what’s wrong with a student but what’s “right with them” that’s in need of discovery. Why is it so hard for others to grasp that the way to get a student interested and excited about learning is through tapping into their strengths and passions?

In this drawn out ramble, there’s a message for me, and perhaps an invitation for you. I need to get some of these ideas down, revisit the numerous notebooks and sketchpads where I have exposed my inner thoughts, and begin to weave together the message and stories I want to share. I need to let go of the perfectionist fears that stifle this creative expression each time the ideas bubble to the surface. What’s the worst thing that can happen if I share my ideas, stories, plans? Do I have to please anyone? Intellectually, I know the answer to that question.

What is that key message I want to share? That what we believe and what we do every day with kids matters, whether our role is teacher, administrator, parent, counselor, or advocate. Yes it matters that we teach them what the curriculum requires, but more importantly, we teach them how to learn about themselves. Creating a belief, " I can do anything I set my mind to,” and facilitating the skills of how to reach out and ask for help are critical. That’s what I want for all kids: self-efficacy, self-regulation, and the social skills that will allow them to follow a path of passion.

Now that I’ve shared mine…what’s your inner voice saying? What is it that calls to you each day when you dare to close those windows and be quiet with your own thoughts?

11 Mistakes I Made At #ISTE11

2011-06-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know that I usually strive to share upbeat, inspiring, positive posts, but I think it's also valuable to share those moments when I goof up. I model this important, "learning from mistakes" business for students all the time, so why not model it for adults I collaborate with. Although I had a fabulous time at #ISTE11, learning so much and meeting so many wonderful people, I made quite a few mistakes, some of which I will share here!

Too polite! Really? Can someone really be "too polite?" Well, there were so many times that I was right by people I wanted to meet and share my gratitude for all the work they do with kids and share with their PLN ( Professional Learning Network) but I didn't talk to them. Why? Well, on several occasions, they were already talking to someone else. Check out how silly I felt this morning when the gracious Sylvia Martinez and the hilarious Steve Dembo set me straight!

These tweets tell the story! I will not be reluctant again!

2. Miss the events prior to the conference, like Edubloggercon. Since I was a newbie to #ISTE11, I did not realize that this event precedes the conference every year. A free conference, open to all who arrive just one day earlier..ugh..a no-brainer! How did I miss out? I was in the midst of the school year when all of the arrangements were made, and I was writing up a grant proposal so that I would get to attend. Anyway, this is a mistake that I will NOT make again. I heard some awesome reports on Edubloggercon so I will definitely be watching any recordings and catching up soon!

3. Didn't make specific plans. Although I read several posts with great advice about what to do and not to do at #ISTE11, I did not make specific, "let's do lunch" or coffee plans with times/dates. I did make connections with people, texting and meeting at Bloggers Cafe, but I then got caught up in a flurry meeting others and didn't have time to really talk in depth. In case you are someone I happened to be with and perhaps walked away from, I apologize. I was highly distracted by the excitement of meeting so many people. I am also a shy kid at heart so my anxiety perhaps also kept me not as attentive as I could have been.

4. Sight-seeing: There I was, in historic Philadelphia, and I only took a couple of hours Sunday afternoon to see Independence Hall with the gracious Ronnie Burt escorting a group of folks to a tour. Thanks Ronnie and Edublogs! There were many sights I wanted to see, but didn't want to miss any of the conference. I did manage to do something right and got a few photos!

So lucky to be with my buddy, Nancy, a wonderful 3rd grade teacher I get to work with every day!

Inside the Visitor's center

Thinking of all who sat here! Wow

George Washington really sat here?

George's Sunrise Chair

5. Taking adequate time to choose ticketed sessions carefully : I had a tight deadline at my school and had to choose my ticketed sessions way too quickly. My fault for not taking the time for me! Next time, I will anticipate the early bird registration timeline and read the options more carefully. 2 out of 3 of my ticketed sessions were fabulous, but one really let me down, as it was selling a platform and I didn't really note that as I signed up.

6. Taking "outside" breaks! For two days, I suffered with a sinus/migraine headache that may have been related to so many factors, one being recycled air! Next time, I will invite people I want to talk to on a walk somewhere, out of the unventilated inside air.

7. Eating right: I know what you're thinking. She ate too many Philly cheesesteaks! Actually, I honestly forgot to eat, which only happens when I am deep in learning or creating. When I did remember to eat, I ate very healthy foods, but there were times that I literally forgot to eat. Thanks to my roomie, Nancy, we picked restaurants with yummy healthy food for dinner.

8. Pictures: I did take several pictures of people as I met them, but there were times I was a bit shy about it. Next time, look out!

9. Losing track of ideas inspired by conversation: Some of my conversations generated creative bursts in my head; new apps I want to develop or ways to use a tool. I did take notes and record sessions in an app on my ipad, but I should have just done a quick voice recording each time an idea hit me.

10. Sharing my own work: I never want to be one of those people who pushes their "stuff", but I really should have passed out more of my cool business cards that I made just for the event. I am sure that my publisher would have appreciated a few mentions. Oh well..so I stink at self-promotion!

11. Getting my feelings hurt: Yes, I am one of those people who has been told, "You need to develop thicker skin." Don't worry.. I know this and work on not taking things personally quite often. Anyway, to the point...
There are people I regularly converse with on Twitter, and in the months preceding the conference, I imagined how fun it would be to hang out and talk live with them. Most everyone I met was so gracious and warm, and the experience of that glimmer of mutual recognition upon sharing our Twitter names, followed by a huge hug, was incredible! Unfortunately, when I finally did meet one of these people I thought I "knew", I was not met with a warm welcome. I was taken aback and a bit hurt. I realize that this person's behavior could have been related to so many factors and even tried again later to connect. Once again, I was dismissed. I was sad, but realized that this is one of those parts of social media that we don't talk that much about. People are not always who they "project themselves" to be. I then thought of how kids feel when not one of the, "cool kids."
I also had the experience of introducing myself and telling someone I follow on Twitter how I appreciated what she shared there. She gave me a half-smile, half-blank look and turned away. Wow, I looked at her profile later and saw that she hardly followed anyone, was presenting at ISTE11, but perhaps was too important to talk to someone like me. That's life, I guess. Next time, I will be prepared for that response.

I will definitely be sharing more about what I learned at ISTE11. What mistakes did you learn from at #ISTE11?

I Promised..

2011-06-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

I promised myself and my friends out there who are not here at #ISTE11 that I would blog, tweet, and keep them in the loop with the events, learning, connecting happening at lightning speed here. This is one attempt, as I have been here since Saturday night and have barely had time to capture a coherent thought, never mind convert it to the written word!

Here are a few highlights so far, and I am sure many more posts will enter my conscious mind when I jump on that plane to come home tomorrow night. ( which, now at the time of this edit, is actually tonight.)

First, I've heard others say, "I've learned more in conversations with my PLN than I have in official conference sessions." For the most part, I must say, that's been true for me as well. Although I have attended a few sessions with "new learning," much of the resources I have already become acquainted with through my amazing PLN. Here's a picture of just one example of collaboration happening in the Blogger's Cafe, which is a big open space where people are connecting and sharing.

Kevin Honeycutt leading a great jam session!

My most favorite part of the conference has been meeting people that I have learned with, collaborated with, shared deep conversations with through Twitter, blogging, online conferences and Skype sessions. Here are a few photos of meeting these wonderful folks!

So thrilled to meet Jana @Mollybmom and Jennifer @Saskateach from Canada. They are wonderful ladies who share so much!

The wonderful Karen McMillan or McTeach, as I know her on Twitter, meeting up for the 2nd time ever!

The fun and dynamic, Nick Provenzano, or @thenerdyteacher as I know him on Twitter!

The fabulous Paula Naugle, @plnaugle who is a gift to all of us in our PLN.


The dynamic Angela Maiers, @angelamaiers with George Couros @gcouros and Dean Shareski @shareski

The talented John Spencer, @johntspencer who is such a great guy and fabulous writer!

The very kind and inspiring Ken Shelton, k_shelton, also from California!

So great to meet Cory Plough @mrplough07!

The warm and bubbly Shelly Terrell or @ShellTerrell who inspired me to use Twitter and blog more regularly!

Meeting these friends, and I do consider them real friends, has felt like coming home. After almost 2 years on Twitter, I have come to know people better than I know some of my every day, face to face colleagues. There are so many wonderful folks I have met, and I know I will forget some in this list so forgive me in advance: Karen Janowski, Kyle Pace, Deven Black, Jerylene Nemanich, Paula White, Becky Fisher, Marybeth Hertz, Gerald Aungst, Ann Leaness, Katie Hellerman, Angela Watson, Amanda Dykes, Beth Still, Michelle Baldwin, Shannon Miller, Mike Ritzius, Ken Royal, Shawn Ram, Tom Whitby, Jeremy MacDonald, Jason Schrage, Susie Toso, Ronnie Burt, Kristina Peters, Colette Cassinelli, Jackie Gerstein, JoAnn Jacobs, Kevin Honeycutt, and the fabulous Elana Leoni and Betty Ray from Edutopia.

I was absolutely thrilled to chat with the fabulous administrators and leaders I have connected with on Twitter: Pam Moran, Lyn Hilt, Patrick Larkin, Dave Meister, George Couros, and others I may be forgetting at the moment!

George Couros @gcouros and Patrick Larkin @bhsprincipal

It is difficult to put into words how I feel today after sharing and learning with all of these people from around the world. Energized, inspired, and grateful are the feelings that pop to mind. How about you?

From the Virtual Conference Room to the Live Action: How I'll be Savoring ISTE11

2011-06-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

I remember this time last year so vividly: scanning Twitter and reading all of the messages about the ISTE10 conference in Colorado. I can't forget feeling sorry for myself that I was not there meeting the people I often shared with and chatted with online. I attended sessions and learned lots, discovering resources and new people to follow, but still felt a bit envious of those who were sharing the wonder of meeting face to face for the first time, but feeling like lifelong friends. I don't want to forget that experience, mostly because it will remind me how very fortunate I am to be attending the ISTE11 conference this year.

What will I do to make the most of my Philadelphia learning adventure, or as my Canadian friend, Jen, is calling it her, Techcellent Adventure?

I will be open and present as much as possible. I anticipate, after my experience at ASCD11 this past March, that the convention center will be a bit overstimulating and intimidating at times. I will stay in the moment and enjoy the opportunities to share a conversation, meet a new friend, and learn something to bring back to my practice.
I will let go and have fun! Yes, I am there to learn, and that is what I will be doing, but who says a little "Double Dream Hands" flash mob is going to get in the way! I'm also signed up for the EdTech Karaoke, which will be great fun. Let's see if I get up the nerve to actually sing ;-)
I will tweet and blog my learning: I really appreciated those who were there sharing live, in the moment last year. I have several friends, especially Lisa Dabbs and Greta Sandler, who will be with me in spirit. I want to be someone who gives graciously and shares the learning. We really never know when a tweet will inspire someone else to explore and discover.
I will take care of myself with exercise and sleep! I know that I am one of those people who has a hard time sleeping when I am away from home. There's that little kid part of me who feels like she might, "miss something," if she goes to sleep too early. I doubt I will be going to sleep early but I will make it a point to get enough sleep to be ready to learn and meet new faces. I also plan to walk everywhere and hope, no plan!, to run at least 2 of the days I am there :-) Maybe I will find some #temt folks to run with!
I will spend time brainstorming and debriefing with the 2 fabulous teacher colleagues that will accompany me. We will have a chance to bring ideas back and transform the learning of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at our school. What a gift this will be!

Before I forget, thanks to all of the bloggers who have written helpful posts for us ISTE newbies. I especially appreciated this post by Steve Dembo: What Not to do at ISTE and many others that I am suddenly forgetting due to my excited state!

I can't wait to get to Philadelphia tomorrow. But first, there's a long to-do list waiting...so off I go! How will you make the most of your ISTE11 experience, whether live or in the virtual capacity? Please share :-)

Fan of Someone's Work? Reach Out and Say So!

2011-06-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

This morning I lounged in bed with my coffee while finishing up the book, Play, by Stuart Brown, M.D. on the ipad. I enjoyed the book so much (even reading it actually for the second time) that I wanted to learn more about the non-profit foundation founded by Dr. Brown, The National Institute for Play. One link led to another and I decided to find out if Dr. Brown would be lecturing locally in the near future.

I filled out a form on his website with this message:

Hello,
I am wondering where I can find information about any public speaking engagements for Dr. Brown. I live in Santa Cruz, Ca and work in Menlo Park, CA so anywhere in N. California would be great.
I am a teacher and former therapist/social worker and write a blog : http://allkidscanflourish.blogspot.com
My mission is to help others understand some of the simple changes and choices we can make to help kids thrive and flourish. I am a huge fan of the book Play and all of your work.

Please send me any appearance info that is available! I would love to hear Dr. Brown speak.

Thanks so much,

Joan Young

Needless to say, I was delighted to discover the following email in my inbox, not even a half hour later!

Hi, Joan-thanks for your interest in hearing me speak. I am about to head for a Brain and Learning symposium in Michigan, followed by a DC presentation. My summer is thereafter focused on writing, with my next presentation in Monterey over the Labor Day Weekend. Kristen Cozad schedules my itinerary, and she is currently on vacation , but will be available after July 5. I enjoyed your blog, and wish you well.

Cordially,

Stuart Brown

Sometimes we, (or maybe that should be, I) get intimidated by others' status or think that they won't have any interest in us, regular people doing common, but very important work. I am excited when an "expert" in the field whose mission is so closely related to mine takes the time to respond to my questions. I do hope to meet Dr. Brown and hear him speak in the near future; as you may notice, I have a few past posts here, highlighting my belief in the importance of play.

This is the mission of the National Institute for Play, which, I think, lies at the core of what can so powerfully improve education and society:

The National Institute for Play believes that as play is woven into the fabric of social practices, we will dramatically transform our personal health, our relationships, the education we provide our children and the capacity of our corporations to innovate.

And with that, I ask you: How do you utilize the gift of play to enhance your life and the lives of those you touch every day? Please share your thoughts!

Look Them in the Eyes

2011-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

My kids, all grown up!

**Note: As you read this post, please don't get the impression that I don't understand the importance of cultural differences with regard to eye contact and showing respect. I fully embrace the myriad of different ways that mindful attention can be given between people; as one of my commenters so eloquently reminded me, the point is to remember to be fully and genuinely present to show that you care for others.

Don't get me wrong. I am attached to my tech devices: taking photos, checking email, texting friends and family, but I am growing painfully aware of the costs associated with non-stop information and consumption on our most valuable relationships: missing out on important face to face moments with our students, colleagues, and loved ones.

This year, in my first year teaching 4th grade, I was shocked at how often I would ask students to look at me to show they were listening to me. This was not an outright sign of disrespect from them as much as it was a product of our culture. When I asked if they looked at each other while talking at home, many students exclaimed: "My parents are always looking at their phones!" I encouraged them to say, ever so politely, to their parents: "Please look at me, so I know you are really listening." I fervently checked my email over the following few days, certain that someone would be angry at my lesson to their children, but not one ever arrived. Maybe no one went home and asked..though I hope they did. I continued to request that students look at each other as they shared ideas in the classroom. Eventually, it became a norm...well..at least some of the time!

Of course, I then became aware of my own behavior: when I was not looking at someone talking to me! I often caught myself multi-tasking when others talked to me, cleaning up or writing an email when another teacher came to my room to visit, or picking up papers while a student was asking me a question; I consciously made a point to stop and fully listen. After all, if a huge percentage of communication is non-verbal, what am I missing by not using the incredible sense of vision that allows me to see the person's revealing facial expression and expressive body language?

So, please, especially when interacting with children, look them in the eyes. ( or show them full presence in a way that makes sense in their culture) For that matter, make it a habit with everyone. Let them know you are fully listening. The rewards are certainly worth it!

Reflections on Change: Transition is Tough!

2011-05-15T09:32:00.000-07:00

Here's me in my classroom before school started, looking bright-eyed and ready for the new challenge!

I haven't blogged much this year. I have been busy plodding along on the continuous curve of learning, having made a huge change this year: going from teaching kindergarten at a school where I taught for 5 years and felt like I knew everyone, to teaching 4th grade at a completely different school. Learning a new curriculum, getting up to snuff on the traditions and culture of my new school, TEACHING ( yes, that's my actual real job), and trying to keep up with commitments, such as tutoring kids I've worked with for years, planning a book with a member of my PLN, presenting at 2 conferences and still managing my personal life have been overwhelming at times. And with that I offer a sincere apology to my family and friends as I have not been as present as I wish to be.

Needless to say, although I often feel like I am moving ahead two steps and falling back three, I do believe that I have grown immensely by stepping out of my comfort zone and taking on this new challenge. I must also say, that I have had some of my most satisfying moments of teaching, interacting with wonderful 4th graders at a critical point in their learning journeys.

Here are some reflections about what helped me thrive and what I will do differently in the future!

Keep expectations realistic: I am pretty darn sure that I expected myself to master everything this year: the curriculum, the traditions and culture of my school, the unique challenges of 4th graders, etc. Did I live up to my expectation? Um...no..I simply elevated my blood pressure! Although I am often one to coach others on this topic, I do not follow my own advice. In the future school year, I will have one or two attainable monthly objectives for myself so that I can see progress in key areas, instead of expecting mastery of all.

Don't be afraid to accept opportunities to stretch yourself! In the Fall of 2010, just as I was in the midst of the steepest part of my learning journey, I was off to present at a reading conference in southern California. There I met several of my awesome PLN members and was refueled by connecting with other passionate educators. Around that same time, I was asked by my wonderful friend, Lisa Dabbs to consider presenting with her at the March 2011ASCD conference in SF. Although my first reaction was one of self-doubt, citing that I was "too busy and overwhelmed," I took a few days to think about the opportunity I might be turning down. When else would I be invited to co-present at an international conference? I am so happy that I did! I got to meet even more of my wonderful PLN members as well as experience a boost in confidence and realization that I love connecting and sharing with educators from around the world! Here is a fun interview with Ken Royal, senior editor for Scholastic, that spontaneously happened at the conference.

Savor the moments: Don't get so caught up in the pressures of curriculum, grading, deadlines, that you forget who you are there for: your students. Especially now, at this busy end of the year time, I am going to school each day with a mantra of making the most of each moment by being present. Our relationships with students and how we interact with them make a HUGE difference in their perceptions about themselves as learners.

Make new friends: I must say that though I miss some friends at my old school, I work with a wonderful group of passionate, hard-working educators. I have especially enjoyed having a fellow "new teacher" next door and one downstairs in kindergarten. Somehow the experience of being new to an environment together sets the stage for deep bonds of understanding. I am so fortunate to have such supportive friends.
Finally, a big reminder about what I will do differently: take better care of me! Confession: I have not been as faithful to the goal of eating well and exercising regularly as I should be. Of course I have the endless list of excuses, but I WILL find a better way over the upcoming school year to spend a bit more time on taking care of me. I have had a few health issues creep up this year, and most are probably related to stress! I will reach out to my network of both online and face-to-face friends and get back on the bandwagon. Summer will provide the perfect opportunity to get back on the #TEMT ( Twitter Exercise Motivation Team) train.
I would love to hear your thoughts on how you manage transitions such as these. Please share!

But Wait..There's More! Gratitude for our PLN

2011-03-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

After I posted last night about some of my learning from #ASCD11, I realized that I had not adequately thanked all who so graciously contributed to the presentation, Beyond the Classroom Walls, Connecting in a Globalized World.
First off, a great big thanks to my fabulous co-presenter, Lisa Dabbs, also a wonderful blogger at http://teachingwithsoul.com/, who worked tirelessly on telling our story in a beautiful slideshow. She also spent countless hours preparing a Livebinder resource for folks to utilize after our presentation. Lisa and I live 400 miles away from each other and prepared together in many conversations over Skype! She, however, did most of the work, and I just can't express my gratitude in words. Lisa is one of those people everyone should have in their network.

Second, thank you to all of the folks who so generously took the time to tell their stories of connecting globally: Clive, Greta, Aviva, Jo and Phil, Colin, Alex, and Steve. These inspiring educators graciously spent time creating fabulous snippets of their work to highlight the incredible value of online relationships and learning opportunities.
If you follow me on Twitter, you can find them all there, sharing each day how they enliven their practice with online tools.
Finally, thank you to all of the wonderful members of our personal learning network, who came to our presentation, and/or supported us through tweets and messages of encouragement. It's not easy to stand up in a room of peers and talk for 90 minutes, but all of you helped by sharing the message that Lisa and I set out to convey.
Hopefully, I have not left anyone out here, but if I have, there will surely be more posts on the wonderful learning experience of ASCD11. Who would you like to thank today?

3 Big Ideas from ASCD11

2011-03-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

The Wonderful Co-presenter and Friend: Lisa Dabbs

I love the hearts of SF!

My Very Favorite Session!

Meeting My Fabulous PLN: Lisa, Karen, and Angela!

I just returned from the ASCD11 preconference and conference in San Francisco and, I must say: my head is spinning! Not only did I have the privilege of presenting, Beyond the Classroom Walls, with my good friend, Lisa Dabbs, but I also got to meet, face to face, many of the educators in my PLN, personal learning network.
What were the most inspiring messages that I took back with me to my class today?

Find the bright spots. Chip Heath, the keynote speaker, talked about how we need to find the "bright spots" in any challenging situation such as education and learn from them. Examining and re-examining problems won't lead us to change. We must seek out those who have managed to overcome obstacles and thrive, and then find out how they have blossomed despite hardship. We must also learn how to motivate others through "heart" and emotion, and help "shape the path" so that our analytical brains will accept and see the possibility. Read more here.
Kids are always paying attention, to something but maybe (often?) not to us! Perhaps we haven't cultivated the "need to know" or "need to solve a problem" that we, as humans, all have. It's time that we captured the attention of our students through their brains; we must activate the amygdala through the senses, using novelty, curiosity, and signals that give the brain just the right level of stimulation. Dr. Judy Willis, in her wonderful session with Jay McTighe, showed us that students who were exposed to positive facial expressions on faces performed higher on cognitive/memory tasks than students exposed to angry facial exprssions. When stimulated positively, and not overstimulated through stress, the amygdala's connections to the frontal cortex can facilitate learning and executive functioning.
Relationship is what facilitates the safe environment where kids can think critically and make powerful connections. Over and over, session after session, presenters talked about Carol Dweck's growth mindset, and how an environment that openly embraces and celebrates failure and effort facilitates the learning that leads to success and efficacy. I must say that relationships are also what helps strengthen us as educators. I connected with many of my wonderful online PLN members; it was like meeting old friends! Don't underestimate the synergy of passionate educators.

What connections do you make as you read this post? Were you there at ASCD and have another view to share?

Play to Flourish

2011-02-12T09:08:00.000-08:00

Although intellectually I know that play is vital to well-being and is a critical motivating factor for students, I sometimes get caught up in the seriousness of "lessons" and "designing the best learning experiences," and forget how important it is to spontaneously engage in play.

This week, I spontaneously chose 3 opportunities to "play" with my students:

While on recess duty, I played four square with students. It was fun to hear their delight in exclaiming to peers, "Hey! Mrs. Young is actually good!" and "I got her out!"
During P.E. when I was there to help supervise with the P.E. teacher, I actually participated on a team in a fun relay game. Once again, not only my class, especially the boys, but also the 5th grade class were a bit surprised to see that I could throw! They came back to class, "all smiles" and not as competitively driven as usual.
During math rotations, instead of "teaching" one of the groups, I "taught" by playing a card game that involved simplifying fractions and comparing them to decimals/percents. This game was a challenge for most students, but the added fun of playing with "the teacher" seemed to make the experience more exciting for them.

Please take some time to watch the wonderful talk below by Stuart Brown and let me know what you think! Also, I would love to know how you use play and fun to support student flourishing.

Stuart Brown says play is more than fun | Video on TED.com

Just the Right Amount of Challenge

2011-01-14T06:49:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking quite a bit about creating just the right amount of challenge and even "stress" for learning as I've been reading a lot about "good stress" in helping kids strive to be their best.
What are your thoughts?

Listen!

10 Important Ways a Positive Climate Can Impact Learning

2011-01-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

I am so excited, and to be honest, completely and utterly nervous, to be presenting on Saturday, January 8, 2011 at the Reform Symposium Worldwide e.conference!

Below you can watch the interview of introduction done a few days ago with my wonderful friend Greta in Argentina. I loved talking to Greta, but I think that in the self-consciousness of being video-interviewed, I missed sharing some ideas about what I hope to discuss in my brief 30 minute presentation!

In any case, here are 10 points I hope to address in next week's interactive discussion in Elluminate. I hope you will join me!

Positive emotions "broaden and build" our capacity to think. For more information, check out one of my favorite researchers, Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, author of Positivity.
We can teach our students the value of positive thought patterns and how to control the downhill slide that happens when stress or anger short circuit our thinking.
Routines and classroom rituals can be mindfully designed to elicit more positive experiences which make school a place kids want to go.
Celebrating mistakes, through modeling and discussion, can go a long way in reducing fear and encouraging students to take risks in learning.
Novelty is a powerful force in awakening parts of the brain involved in memory storage. Why not start a lesson dressed up as a literary character?
Positivity does not mean being happy all of the time. What it means is that by carefully creating an environment that seizes opportunities to promote learning in a fun way, we can then raise the bar and push our students to learn at their highest potential.
Relationships that are built in a safe learning community can handle the necessary self-reflection, constructive criticism, and peer feedback that lead to growth and development.
Test stresses and other issues related to grades and standards can be mitigated through humor. Before our "big" standardized writing test, I took pictures of students peering over privacy screens making the silliest, most terrified faces. The laughter that followed as we looked at the pictures helped us keep the test in perspective.
Celebration Smores: after our big week-long battery of standardized tests, I suprised the students with "celebration smores." They made funny faces out of mini marshmallows and choc chips on their graham crackers. Some students took the opportunity to try and melt their smores in the sunshine!
Students love jobs related to promoting a positive classroom environment. In my class, the weekly environment engineer may share a humorous, fascinating, awe-inspiring video clip, photo or story with the class.

I would love to hear your thoughts and stories about the power of creating a positive learning environment. Care to share?

Optimising Our Potential in Education

2010-12-29T17:37:00.000-08:00

Optimising Our Potential - Education - Browse - Big Ideas - ABC TV
This panel discussion highlights many instrumental factors in inducing well-being in kids at school and at home each day. Watch and listen as Judy Willis, MD and teacher, Arthur Costa, Professor Emeritus in the CSU system, Philip Heath and Dr. Toni Noble discuss with Richard Aedy, of ABC radio Australia how we can maximize brain functioning through utilizing cooperative learning, novelty, and humor in the classroom.
Let me know in the comments section what you think!

Connecting Across the Globe with Song

2010-12-12T09:10:00.000-08:00

I wish I could start by sharing the video of beaming faces and beautiful voices of the students who sang to us and were our audience via Skype on Thursday. The energy and pride of these 5th graders, who took the stage, singing to us in English, and ending with a beautiful song in Spanish, was quite powerful. Unfortunately, because of privacy rules, words will have to describe the exciting 20 minute call between my 4th grade class and Greta's 5th grade students in Argentina on their last day of school before summer vacation. I am positive that the students depict the scene way better than I could, so here is a post from Alex, who went home and blogged even though school was over.
It was priceless to be the first class that these students had ever Skyped with in the U.S. I hope that my students found the experience to be equally memorable.
Thank you Greta and your fantastic students for sharing such a special time with us!

Surrounding Ourselves With Others Who Bring Out Our Best

2010-12-05T10:17:00.000-08:00

As I scan the list of "Best Teacher Blog" nominees on Edublogs, I am honored and humbled to be among teachers I admire, learn so much from, and share with on Twitter. For once in my life, the competitive spirit in me does not seem to be caught up in whether or not I win. In fact, I feel like my blog has been somewhat neglected since school started, due to my other responsibilities, including blogging for my class. I am simply proud to stand among all of these wonderful educators who share stories of challenges, strategies, and successes so selflessly and openly.
My thoughts today center on the importance of surrounding ourselves with inspiring people. My meaningful connections with my real life educator friends, as well as those through Twitter and reading blogs all facilitate my growth and performance as a teacher. By performance, I don't mean an outcome like student test scores on standardized tests. I am speaking of the daily, "stepping onto the stage" in the classroom, in the countless interactions with students, parents, and colleagues. As a teacher, my words, actions and plans are held under the highest scrutiny at times, because of the power I have to influence my students. I consider this power a huge responsibility, made easier by the wonderful teachers I am honored to include in my Personal Learning Network.
I also must add that my loved ones completely understand and support my passion for education. They empathize when a student or parent interaction leaves me unsatisfied or upset. They also encourage me to step up to the plate and take on more challenges. I could not be the teacher I am without them.
How do you surround yourself with others who bring out the best in you? What am I missing in this discussion? I look forward to sharing more with you.

Bullying and Crazy Aggressive Driving: Synonymous?

2010-12-03T19:03:00.000-08:00

I have started recording some of my thoughts on my morning drive. This morning's tangent was about the issue of bullying as related to adult behaviors like tailgating. Let me know what you think!

Listen!

Visual Reminders

2010-11-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

This student is becoming more aware that she needs to slow down and be careful with directions! She often works speedily!

This student understands the need to stay calm for a test!

This student doesn't talk very much in class but would like to more!

As you can see, slowing down is a goal for several students in my class!

Side conversations take away from our learning. Why not share your great observations and thoughts with everyone?

Yes, it's another reminder to work slowly and steadily.

This student is not happy when his/her desk is messy!

This student knows the importance of cooling off when upset.

The picture above refers to a student who wants to go even faster with math facts!

This student wants to remind herself to calm down at times and not get over excited and disruptive.

At the beginning of this week, fresh and energized by their long weekend, students discussed strategies to help them achieve the learning and behavior goals they set for Quarter 2 and beyond. All agreed that a visual reminder of a picture and/or words might direct us to be mindful of “how” to achieve that goal. What’s my goal in this? I want students to become more aware of and actively participate in the actions that lead them to increased engagement and meaningful learning!

The pictures, affixed to their desks and shared above, reveal the keen awareness of our learners. They know “what” they want to work on and are working on “how” to carry it out. I am very impressed by the students in my class!

Was That a Cheer I Heard?

2010-11-02T21:55:00.000-07:00

(note: This post also appears on my school blog which is limited to the school community. I thought it was relevant to share here.)
You may have heard some spirited celebratory cheers coming from the Grade 4 classroom this morning around 9 a.m.. If so, you might have wondered why we were cheering, in a psuedo-sports team huddle, before beginning the writing assessment.

The rationale is plain and simple. We cheered to encourage each other to relax, do our best, and show what we know about being effective writers. Through this 1 minute routine where we vowed to "Rock the WrAP" we changed the atmosphere from a slightly tense, anxious one, to a relaxed and ready environment. As we joked about the magic power of our pristine, new Ticonderoga pencils, freshly sharpened for our important task, students breathed deeply as a hush fell over the room.

Every single student worked diligently for the entire hour of our WrAP test today. Each determined face revealed an understanding that it was an opportunity to demonstrate the effects of our recent efforts in writing. I look forward to tomorrow when I will see faces beaming with pride as students revise and turn in their final drafts after the second and final hour of WrAP testing.

If you're curious about some of the fascinating research in the field of positive emotions and cognition, be sure to check out the work of Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her research lends key support to the importance of a positive, safe classroom environment where students take risks and grow from reflecting on their mistakes.

Thanks for all you do in supporting your child. I hope you hear me cheering for you in appreciation!

A Teachable Moment

2010-10-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

The following post is from my class blog, which is private to protect student confidentiality. When a post seems relevant for a general audience, I will share it here!

This was the scene in our classroom on Friday as we discovered that someone had taken a nail and jabbed it into one of our beloved stability balls. For the rationale behind the use of stability balls in the classroom, stay tuned for a future post!

The conversation that ensued was interesting as students shared thoughts about why someone would have “done such a thing” to a ball that everyone enjoys using! I expressed my disappointment that one of our friends had not thought through their actions far enough to realize that this was a bad idea. I also shared that it would be very important for that person to come and talk with me so that we could make a plan for better decision making! We are really working on thinking through our words and actions before saying or doing something we might later regret.

Inspired by this article I recently read about the process of scientific inquiry, I facilitated a discussion where we hypothesized and came up with possible explanations for this deflated ball. We wrote what we knew in an “evidence bucket”: that the ball had a nail stuck in it, it was now deflated and we would only have 2 left for our use. Students also pointed out that sometimes kids are curious and try things without thinking through the consequences. One of the students also mentioned that the nail had been in our classroom prior to this incident and had made a hole in a bean bag chair. We talked about how lucky we were that no one sat on the nail and how we could have made better decisions about the nail than passing it around the class.

What was the “take way”? Hopefully this incident makes students think about their words and actions before talking or acting in a way they might regret. The other serendipitous result: students learned how to process “evidence” and understand that hypotheses must always be backed up by evidence.
Fortunately, some new stability balls were already headed our way before this unfortuante incident. I encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of making good decisions and respecting classroom property.
Thanks so much for your support.

Setting Up a New Classroom: Got Design Ideas? Part II

2010-09-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

Decided on a U shape for the Benefit of Kids' Presentations

Way back in July, when I was pondering the task of setting up my new classroom, I reached out via Twitter to my amazing network of educators around the world and asked for help. On the Voicethread and in written comments here, many insightful "tweeps" gave me input on how to set up the room.

Here are some pictures that show my room as it is right now, along with the rationale for my set-up.

Our "Best Writing" Display and Small Group Table

As you can see from the pictures, I ended up using a "U-Shape" configuration. When I tried to put desks in groups of four, it was difficult for me to imagine how students could focus on the person talking if they couldn't see that person's face. Before anyone thinks that my rationale for this desk arrangement is so I can be the "Sage on the Stage," rest assured that this is not the reason for my decision! Although it can be tricky to refocus conversation and keep kids following their own rule of "One person talks at a time," this configuration supports my goal for students to be active listeners and "question askers" when they present to each other. This configuration also allows us to come to the carpet for discussions; I am working on getting some cushions or small mats so that the scratchy carpet isn't a problem.

When my students work in small groups and with partners, they have options to work around the room and even just outside the room where there are picnic tables. They aren't sitting in this U-shape configuration for a good portion of the day, but when they are it is very helpful that each student can always look at the person who is talking.

The purple stability balls are working out very well! I got the idea from someone on Twitter; sorry I can't remember who, but they mentioned a Minnesota study where kids actually focused and performed better on classwork when using the balls. Each day, four students have the option of using the ball as their chairs. They love the movement and tilting that the ball allows; of course when the bouncing is a distraction for me or other students, they lose their ball privilege. So far, no one has lost their ball!

The Cabinets Store our Four Computer Workstations and Make Great Display Space!

Finally, in the far corner, which you can almost see in the picture below, I moved one of the bookcases from the opposite end of the room, to make a nice reading area. With four beanbags there, and limited space, you can imagine that the beanbags often migrate to the big space in front of our desks during our D.E.A.R. time!

The window ledge is a great space for supplies and display space for projects. Our "Me Wordles" hang on the windows.

Once again, I send a heartfelt thanks for all who commented and supported me in my big transition to a new school and new grade level. Do you have any comments or questions now? Please share in the comment box below!

The Power of Spontaneity

2010-09-18T10:45:00.000-07:00

Call it spontaneity, or capitalizing on the power of novelty in awakening the brain, I am realizing more each day that seizing and creating playful moments in the classroom builds a positive classroom environment where everyone learns.

Many times these opportunities arise, yet often we use excuses that prevent us from seizing the moment. We cite time constraints and adhering to schedules as reasons to rigidly "stick to the plans." Here's an example of when I jumped right in anyway, knowing that it would take a couple of minutes out of our busy schedule.

Yesterday, just after morning recess, my students were getting ready for a vocabulary quiz. As they noisily went about putting their desk items away and putting up their privacy screens, I exclaimed: "Ooh! I have a great idea!" Heads peeked above the colored cardboard screens as the room fell silent. "What, what?" several exclaimed in unison. I suddenly had all eyes on me, awaiting my announcement. "Michael!" ( not his real name), " Would you grab the camera and take pictures of us looking nervous about our quiz?" I knew that my students would love "hamming it up" for the camera, as they come alive when they get to play act. I had serendipitously discovered this as they had played vocabulary charades for 10 minutes at the end of the prior day. "These will be awesome for our blog this week," Michael shared. After Michael took a few shots, which only took about a minute or two, I told the students to take a deep breath, smile, and think a happy thought, which was easy after the giggles from the posing. We had previously talked about how our facial expressions can impact our feelings and that at times we can help counter negative feelings by changing our thoughts and facial expressions. As the room fell quiet again, the students took their vocabulary quizzes.

Of course, I can't be sure that my spontaneous photo tactic was the reason for the 100% score on all of the quizzes. What I observe is this: students are awake, enthuiastic, and engaged in class. When we lighten the mood with humor and fun, we create a safe and enticing classroom environment. Within this positive space, where the challenges of test stress are acknowledged and dealt with, we can then encourage and empower students to do the tough work of critical thinking and risk-taking. They will work hard, not because they have to, but because they want to and believe they can.

The Learning Curve

2010-09-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

I've been a bit busy in the past month since I started work at my new school on August 9th. As my days rapidly fly by and I go without writing for yet another day, I find myself longing for the release of expressing myself here, sharing ideas with others. Twitter, which kept me learning for a good part of the summer, has been an occasional place to check in and briefly engage in a few thoughtful discussions with other educators.

The path of learning I have been climbing has been intense. Learning a new school culture, new curriculum, mapping program, and grade level has me wondering how kids feel when changes bombard them all at once. This preoccupation with "figuring things out" probably makes me appear unfocused or inattentive to others. I wonder if we judge kids this way when they have lots on their minds: new learning, new teacher, changes at home, new friends. What can we do to help ease transitions like the one I am experiencing?

Here are some ideas I've had to help both my students and I in times of great change and transition:

Keep routines stable: Much as I have been wanting to stay up later to finish work, I have, for the most part, retained my bedtime routines. I have also been preparing my lunch each morning and try to include healthy sources of protein to keep me going!
Get plenty of exercise to boost mood and reduce anxiety: I have been not as consistent as I had hoped but I am working on getting 3-4 workouts minimum each week.
Make to-do lists: prioritize to-do's so that I don't feel overwhelmed by all of the ideas in my head!
Connect with friends and family as much as reasonably possible. Let them know it's a busy time and plan/schedule a time to call and catch up.
Use humor to lighten the mood and build positive emotions. Research by Dr. Barbara Fredrickson at UNC Chapel Hill Pep Lab confirms that inducing positive emotions helps us function better cognitively.
Have reasonable expectations: some things just take time. No one is super-human.

So, what do you think of this idea? Do you think that when kids are on a deep learning curve that we sometimes mistake their deep consuming learning for inattention? How do we help them or ourselves when life throws us multiple new opportunities to learn and grow?

So You've Got a Great Idea? Want to Get it Published?

2010-07-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking lately about the process of getting my book published and wondering if it might be helpful to share that journey with those I connect with around the world. My rationale and motive: to inspire and encourage others to pursue their writing dreams!

I was about to write a post or do a podcast, my new favorite way of communicating, but then realized that I might not talk about what people really want to know. So, then, of course, my tangential mind thought of Voicethread as a way to collect your questions!

Here's how to ask away: either click the voicethread and post a comment there with voice or type, or leave your question here in the comments section. I will read all of the questions and do my best to address them when I record an upcoming podcast.

I look forward to sharing with you. Also, if you are a published author, please chime in and share your experiences! Thanks for visiting!

Are We Challenging Learners Enough?

2010-07-23T11:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of one of my former students who learned that he could be in charge of deciding if his work met his own standards. He gave himself 5 smilies :-) to celebrate his great work!

I am embarking on a new journey of using podcasts to supplement my print posts. If you click the link, "Are We Challenging Enough", at the bottom of this post you can listen to my latest thoughts and reflections about efficacy. Please listen and feel free to comment. Eventually I will figure out how to embed this podcast here, but for now this will take you to another place to hear the very brief audio.
Thanks so much!

Are We Challenging Enough?

If You Give a Teacher Twitter

2010-07-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

If You Give a Teacher Twitter on Prezi

Setting up a New Classroom: Got Design Ideas?

2010-07-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

So today I had a spontaneous idea, born out of my recently frequent dreams and mild panic attacks about teaching a new grade at a new school next year. Since I have connected with so many great educators and thinkers on Twitter, I thought, why not ask for a bit of help in designing the optimal classroom environment. I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say and contributing to a dialogue where other teachers can get ideas for their own classroom makeovers!
Thanks in advance for your great comments. This is a new adventure using voicethread, just click the individual pictures to hear what each person has to add!

Thank You Mr. Kauzer

2010-06-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

Even as adults, decades later, we remember vividly the teachers who scared us, frustrated us, even humiliated us. Unfortunately, all of us can probably remember at least one of those teachers. For every one of those, however, is a teacher who stands out positively in our memory: a teacher who made us want to come to school every day to learn.
Last fall, I found a Facebook page for my former elementary school Twin Creeks, in San Ramon CA. Feeling a bit nostalgic, as I have lost touch with every one of my former classmates due to our family move in 9th grade, I posted an answer to the question: Who was your favorite teacher at Twin Creeks? I wrote excitedly about one of my favorite teachers, Mr. Kauzer, who I was lucky enough to have as my 4th grade teacher and again as my 6th grade teacher. Mr. Kauzer made school fun..he made it a safe place to learn, a cool place to practice guided visualization for relaxation and an autonomous haven where I could work at my own pace in many learning arenas. I think he even let us make forts under our desks! Hey, it was the early 70's after all.
A few months ago I was contacted by a classmate, Karen, who had Mr. Kauzer the following year. She was happy to reminisce as we messaged back and forth about him and other teachers we had at our little school of portable buildings. We talked about our siblings and classmates we might remember!
This week, I was thrilled to see a message on my Facebook message page, from the one and only Mr. Kauzer. I was taken aback by my intensely emotional reaction: "He remembered me!" I thought gleefully to myself, suddenly transformed back to the 12 year old girl who last saw him at the end of 6th grade. I felt a surge of happiness as I read his message. He really did remember me! I was thrilled to discover that he is teaching, still inspiring kids, though now teaching high school math!
It might seem cliche to others, but I am overwhelmed by the incredible power we have as teachers. I will be "over the moon" with joy to reconnect with former students when they are adults! It's been many years, over 30 (but who's counting), since I last saw Mr. Kauzer. I know that one day when we connect in person, I will immediately recognize him by his warmth and unmistakable smile. He thinks it might be fun to visit my 4th grade class when he retires and I am going to hold him to that idea!

Thank you Mr. Kauzer. Teachers like you have helped me become the teacher I am and the one I'm still striving to be.

Mentoring: The Best Gift of All

2010-06-11T05:42:00.000-07:00

Ever thought of mentoring? After having a student teacher for half the school year last year, and having an intern this full school year, I feel energized and rejuvenated. Having the experience of being with a new teacher as she "learns the ropes" is one of the most amazing and rewarding experiences ever. Here are some things I learned this year from working with the incredible Miss H.

There's a rationale for everything we do and every way we do it when we teach. When you have an intern, you reflect and share about all of your decisions.
We don't have to be perfect, but always reflecting, striving for excellence and remaining committed to what's best for kids.
Humor goes a long way. Being able to look across the room at another adult during a challenging kid moment and find humor in it gives strength and builds experience for a future challenge.
Support is vital. Mutual support is even better. Teaching can be isolating so we must reach out.
Communication is priceless. Open, respectful dialogue creates trust.
We are always learning from each other: experienced teachers, new teachers, school staff parents, kids.
There is no hierarchy of experts: we are all learners.
Everyone is on his/her own path: we must accept people where they are and nurture their strengths so they can flourish.
Relationship is everything.
We are never finished learning, growing, crying, celebrating. Savor, savor, savor each day as an opportunity to grow and learn.

Thank you Miss Harrington for the opportunity to spend a wonderful year together, learning, laughing, crying, and celebrating the joys of our passionate commitment to kids.
If you have ever mentored, either in teaching or another arena, please share what it's done for your growth in the comments section. We learn so much from each other's stories!

Today

2010-06-09T05:23:00.000-07:00

Today my class will proudly stand on stage and sing the songs we have been tirelessly learning for weeks. During rehearsal each day I've caught myself getting teary-eyed as I set my eyes upon my students, reflecting on how far each has come. One of my sweet boys, who often does his "own thing", spinning like a top around the room, dropping a trail of papers under his desk,or eating crayons and other unsavory objects, has learned every word to every song. Yesterday during our rehearsal on the risers, he sang AND proudly performed the hand motions to each song. In his own time, not in the time of the pacing guides, and not demonstrated with a paper and pencil, he has learned. He has blossomed. And he will continue, in his own time and way.
Although today is the celebration of our year in kindergarten, every day can be a day to stop, reflect and admire the growth of our kids. Many will follow a path quite different than the ones we've created for them and that's okay. What matters most is for us to cherish their growth, encourage them to embrace challenges, empower their hearts and minds to strive for the best they can be, today and every day.

The Power we Have

2010-05-29T10:13:00.000-07:00

It's a busy and energized time in kindergarten. We are busily writing the last pages for our memory books/student portfolios and trying to keep routines consistent to reduce anxiety about the end of the school year. I've been caught a bit by surprise at the honesty and articulate comments from my students about the leap to first grade. While completing a page: "First grade will be"... one of my sweet little girls, I'll call "Sophie" wrote: boring and sad. It will be unhappy and bad. Not only did her words reflect her fear and anxiety about the transition to a new class, her picture disturbed me even more as sad faced students hid under desks. Not sure whether I should get into a discussion about this, my intern's presence somehow encouraged me. Sometimes just having a back-up adult gives you confidence to approach tricky topics! We asked Sophie about her picture and writing. After validating her fear, we asked if maybe she could imagine first grade a little differently. Sophie is known for simultaneously getting fixated on ideas but also having a wonderful imagination so this was a serendipitous moment for us. I told her I would write down her reply as she sometimes feels overwhelmed by remembering and writing her big thoughts: "First grade will be happy, first grade will be nice, first grade will be delightful, sugar and spice." I smiled through my misty eyes and she beamed. I asked if she would read her poem to a neighboring teacher across the hall, anxious for her to repeat her words and hopefully begin to believe them. My colleague asked Sophie to write and illustrate her "new version" and asked if she could use it as a sample for her class. Thrilled, Sophie returned to class and wrote about her new vision of first grade. As she drew her new picture, she spoke to herself quietly, "I think first grade will be a lot like kindergarten."
Mission accomplished!

Proud Moments

2010-05-27T05:40:00.000-07:00

I looked up from my small group of students transitioning to the next literacy center. Walking toward me was one of my adorable, often "serious about his work" boys, beaming with pride as he came to show me his paper. My intern, Miss H. provided the context, " **** wanted to show you how he spelled "exciting" all by himself!" His paper was about first grade and he bravely attempted the word, "exsiding". For those not familiar with kindergarten writing, his spelling: perfect!! I smiled, told him to "wait just a moment" while I ran to grab my camera and capture his pride. I'm not sure whose smile was actually bigger, his or mine! I will miss kindergarten.

Give Them Some Space to Create

2010-05-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

It was a pretty typical day in my classroom, except for the recent rise in tattling, mood swings and rollercoaster rides of emotion as my sweet little 5 and 6 year olds reluctantly approach the end of their first school year. We had just returned from lunch, and as is the usual practice, the kids had 30 minutes to complete work from the week, draw a picture, read a book or write a sticker story. In previous years we had "rest time" but in these days of educational accountability the words "rest" or "nap" are banned from our classrooms. We also used to have "playhouse", but fun and play seem to also fall into the disallowed camp of classroom vocabulary words. Of course I quietly rebel and integrate play and fun into our day disguised in lesson plans with playful language, silly music and dancing puppets.
Anyway, most kids understand the routine and were checking their desks for random papers and cleaning it out so that all of their work would be ready to go home in the weekly "Thursday envelopes." I looked over at 2 girls who were not checking their desks. Although my initial impulse was to motion to them to go back to their own desks, I decided to watch for a moment. I am so glad I did. One student B. was measuring around the waist of another student. She was carefully estimating how long she would need to cut her paper strip to fit around the girl. As she measured, her partner in crime gesticulated wildly, giving her advice on how she would use glue to make sure it stayed together. Another student, often ignored by others, hesitantly approached and asked the "designer" if she could be next in line for a belt. Her smile revealed her acceptance. Now often these creative episodes of "making things" result in messes that don't get cleaned up, glue sticks that don't work any more and other "work" not getting completed. Something wise inside of me decided to focus on the benefits:

Teamwork: 3 girls were working together using math skills, such as measurement and estimation, and life skills like perserverance, particulary when the "belt" came apart twice before staying put.
Innovation: How many adults could make a "cool belt" out of recycled paper?
Cooperation and Inclusion: While many times kids exclude a certain little girl who is less mature, often talks in a "whiny" voice and sticks her tongue out at them frequently, they decided to include her in the "design process." She was delighted!

So how do you balance or integrate the required curriculum with opportunities for student-directed learning? Please share so we can learn from each other!

Just Enough Information

2010-05-19T19:18:00.000-07:00

I had been waiting for the right moment, simultaneously knowing that there really wouldn't be a "right moment." Yesterday, I told my students that I would not be teaching at our school next year. Looking out at the group who previously chatted incessantly, suddenly I could hear the sound of my own breathing. Confused little faces looked up at me and silence was broken by questions blurted at me like rapid-fire. "Will we see you again?" "Can you come visit us?" "How will we know where to find you?" I did my best to reassure the bewildered little ones that I would make an effort to come back and visit and would definitely stay in touch by email. One of my students who has a well-earned reputation for speaking his mind, raised his hand. "I am just gonna miss you," he squeaked out before his voice cracked and his eyes began to well up. "Can we just talk about something else now? 'cause C. and I are gonna start cryin'" I agreed and we moved on to another topic. The atmosphere returned to its almost normal lively noise as kids picked a book to take home and packed up for the day. Their big question: "Who is going to take Mr. Monkey?" Our monkey puppet who has graced us by greeting each student during our good morning song, would, of course, need a new home. We decided that our "other teacher", my intern, Miss H. would take him, since she will likely be teaching young kids when she gets a job. I am moving to a new grade, 4th grade in a new school, so my kids somehow did not think Mr. Monkey would be needed there.
I know more questions will come, tears may flow, and I will give my kids the answers they want and support they need when they need it. In times of change, we just need to listen and honor where they are, giving just the right amount of information to instill safety and security and not too much to overwhelm them.

Proud of Your Kids? Let Them Know!

2010-05-18T05:39:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 15, 2010 was a wonderful day. Stefanie, my youngest child and only daughter, graduated with honors from CSU Humboldt with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology. Pictured above with me ( proud mom!) my dad and his wife Lucille, it is evident that Stef is proud. She should be as she worked very hard to accomplish her goal. The fact that my 78 year old dad traveled over 700 miles to let her know that he is also proud made my day. My dad was always there at our milestone events such as graduation, but as we grew up, he didn't necessarily know how to express his joy and pride. My point isn't to criticize, but to remind myself and all of us to stop, savor and let our children know how very proud we are of them. I grew up thinking that we should not share our accomplishments, remain silent, humble and show others through our actions that we are a success. In a way, my parents had it right. Humility is very important. More importantly, though, is to celebrate our children's hard work by highlighting those times that they push themselves and "go for it!" As my kids grew up I wanted them to know that above anything else, if they gave their all to an endeavor, they could hold their heads high with pride. Sounds simple, maybe, but priceless to me.
How do you let your children know you are proud? Please share your stories in the comments section.

Kleenex...

2010-05-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

It's already beginning. This morning, while practicing our songs for the end of the year celebration performance, I looked out at my kids and felt my eyes well up with tears. I looked at them through different eyes today, realizing how little time we have left together. With only 19 school days left, and with me about to embark on a new journey at a different school, I suddenly felt overwhelmed. I realized that while normally I have the wonderful privilege of getting hugs and visits from former students, I won't have that with these adorable little guys. They keep saying how they just want to stay in kindergarten with me, "I don't want to gwaduate, I just want to stay with you," and when I tell them how they will love first grade they then leap to, "Well, we can visit you right?" I somehow nod and realize that I need to tell them soon, but when? and how? Then today, M. randomly asks me, "Mrs. Young, my brother will be in your class when he's in kindergarten, right?" Somehow I mutter a soft "I don't know" and luckily she leaves the topic alone. (Her mother, by the way, already knows the news;the day I told her she told me she would go home and cry for her son.)
So, how do I tell them that I won't be here next year for a high five or a hug on the playground? Surely I can't be that important anyway, right? I know it may seem strange, but in Kindergarten we grow strong attachments as we make our way through milestones like turning 5, losing our first teeth and learning to read!
Today I told their parents about my plans in our weekly newsletter. I mentioned that I would be telling the kids after our assessments are over. I suppose I will need to tell them sooner. I had planned on waiting until there were about 2 weeks of school left, but I don't want to lie about next year. I didn't realize how much they would be planning ahead, thinking of how they will stop by and "surprise me."
I am trying to savor these last moments with them; doing assessments each day and watching their beaming faces as they proudly pass reading levels. I am staying in the moment, recording the funny things they say and celebrating the amazing discoveries they make.
Teaching kindergarten is certainly not for the faint-hearted, and I am surely going to miss it. If you have any thoughts on the best way to share my news with my kids, please leave a comment.

Positive Psychology Meets Education: Who I'd Like to Meet

2010-05-09T18:14:00.000-07:00

I have always been interested in the intersection of psychology and teaching. In fact, I think that our tendency to separate the two into distinct domains lends itself to missing out on insights that could help us empower and motivate our learners.
The names above are all individuals who have made significant contributions to the growing field of positive psychology. What I love about all of them is that the focus of their work is on helping individuals use their strengths to thrive and live more fulfilling lives. The focus of psychology in the education system is still generally stuck in the "medical model" mode of finding out what is "wrong" with kids. I would love to interview each of these wonderful scholars about how to integrate more positive, strengths based psychology into schools!
For more about each one's work and contributions, click on the names below:
Lopez and Snyder
Carol Dweck
Karen Reivich
Tal-Ben Shahar
Jonathan Haidt
Todd Kashdan
Ellen Langer
Barb Fredrickson
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Dacher Keltner
Chris Peterson
Alex Linley
Martin Seligman
Albert Bandura
Robert Emmons

Who would you like to help solve the issues we have in education? Why? Please comment and join the conversation!

Got Kids? Help Them Learn to Self-Regulate!

2010-05-07T05:56:00.000-07:00

I feel like an old lady about to go on a rant about the way it used to be. You know the tone of that voice that screeches, " When I was a kid..kids used to fall down and pick themselves up." "When I was a kid, you ate what you didn't like, and you pretended you liked it!" "When I was a kid..." Ok, ok, I will stop now since I am sure you get the point. So, what is my point exactly? I've been thinking a lot lately about some essential skills kids need to survive, and, more importantly, thrive in kindergarten. No, I don't mean those academic ones, like writing your name, or knowing your letters or even counting to 10. I am thinking more of the ability to get through the day with a smile on your face, not all the time, but at least most of the time.
You see, many kids cannot seem to flow smoothly through the day, handling the moments when life doesn't serve them up their dreams on a silver platter. When asked to do something that is a bit challenging, or something they don't instantaneously love, they simply don't "want to" and feel free to shout it from the rooftops. What is happening to us, adults? Have we lost our way? We have indulged, cajoled, entertained and pleaded with kids to get them to do what we want them to do. We have read books about how to turn their little worlds into places where they don't suffer any disappointment, pain or self-doubt. All this, perhaps, in an effort to protect their self-esteem, which might have been eroded for us in our own childhoods. Did our parents shelter us from the pain of disappointment? Mine surely didn't! And trust me, I have my own childhood skeletons so I am not claiming to be the world's foremost parenting expert. I definitely worked very hard with my own kids to "do parenting" much different than my parents did. I listened to my kids, but I didn't rescue them. ( or at least I tried not to rescue) I empathized when they cried because they didn't get their way, but did I back down and change my mind, no! At least most of the time I tried to be consistent. Was it easy? No!
Here's what happens when kids come to kindergarten, and you can see why they need the skills to manage their moods and attention.
It's 8:00 a.m. and the students in Room 11 have been busy greeting each other and putting their belongings away. In the next five minutes a couple of kids will stroll in late, one of them I will call B.( not his real initial) B is late 9 times out of 10, often because he has delayed the day at home by refusing to eat his breakfast, get dressed or be ready on time. He tries nearly every day to stash toys in his pockets which often become larger than life distractions for him. His parents are wonderful, loving parents who both work full-time. ( I have no bias here, trust me, I worked when my kids were little.. I have always worked!) Usually he walks in fresh with a smile on his face, which remains there until the first encounter when I have to redirect this highly energetic little guy to stay on task. His dad helps him get started on his work, and within 3 minutes, B. is up and around the classroom, socializing and doing, well, frankly whatever he wants to do. He is over at another table group visiting with another boy who would rather suck on his water bottle, shirt sleeve, or anything else he can find rather than get started working. There is a reason that these 2 boys are across the classroom from each other, yet at any opportunity they are like magnets, stuck to each other engaged in a love-hate relationship where at least once a day one of them is in tears or in a huff about something the other one said. With a quick glance over as I take roll, I request for B. to go back to his desk and complete his work, a math page that is usually a fun review with a dot to dot or simple graph of a concept we have been learning. Do the kids think it's fun? Well, most of them somehow do, but B? Not so much. He doesn't really like many tasks that involve a pencil and an attention span of longer than a couple minutes. I get that! Truly I do, but we have many other moments during the day when kids get to learn without pencils.
Fast forward to 8:10 ( wait, that's only 7 minutes later and already there's an issue?) It's time to line up for morning songs and exercises and B. is goofing around in line, clowning and trying to get his pals to respond to his antics. Ok, yes, having fun is allowed at school. I encourage a good sense of humor and give kids many opportunities to shine through their delight in telling stories, jokes, etc. On the other hand, when you have a kid who derives most of his satisfaction from taking others on a wild joy ride of shared diversion when the majority of the kids are engaged in learning, it can be quite frustrating. I gently place my hand on B's shoulder requesting that he turn around, stop talking and sing with the teacher leading the songs. He glares at me as if I am the enemy, folds his arms and decides to sit down on the floor, in the midst of 99 other students who seem to be quite perplexed by B's display.
As all of the kids begin to sing, B. stands up, arms still folded, eyes burning a hole in me as he glares across the room. I smile at him and encourage him to sing along. His friends around him try to cajole him into smiling but he is one stuck little cookie. He does not want to move on, or he is simply not able. For whatever reason, it's wearing on my heart as I truly do not like when a child is unhappy or glaring at me for 20 minutes for that matter.
As we return to the classroom, B. decides to throw his arms around me and melt into a hug. Clearly he is having a difficult time regulating his emotions this morning and my heart goes out to him. I smile and encourage him to focus on a happy thought of something he will do today that he loves. He smiles back and I hope that our day will be on the right track now.
Fast forward 30 minutes to literacy center time. I am in the middle of teaching a reading group and most of the kids know that this is one of our most sacred learning times. Of course, as in any classroom, there are the frequent flyers who take any opportunity to need intervention, usually to stay safe or not cause a major commotion. As B. comes hurtling across the room with a story to tell, I gently hold up my hand in a "wait" and tell him that he can ask a friend for help before coming to me. B. tries to talk to me and I redirect him back to his desk. He blurts out that the girl next to him has stuck her tongue out at him. I ask him to please tell her to stop and direct them both back to work. Precious minutes have disappeared from my instructional reading group time and I feel myself annoyed again though I try so hard to be patient.
B. returns to his table and instead of sitting in his chair, climbs under the table and looks out, as if he is an animal in the cage. Again he burns a hole in me with his stare; I motion for him to get out and return to my teaching. I have learned to ignore the annoying but not dangerous attention seeking behavior. B cannot get past his feeling upset that this girl has stuck her tongue out. Mind you, she does this to almost every student in class, almost every day, so most of the kids just ignore her.
It's time for a center change and B. has come out of his hiding space. He hasn't done any work yet today, but at least he is not bothering anyone else. I announce his name as one of the students coming to my reading table. He smiles and races over, and I sigh in relief. Ok, things are going to get better now, I hope.
B. struggles along with a group about the same level as he is. He loves stories but mostly listening to them and he gets very excited as he gets to predict during the picture walk. As we begin to read and I listen and help each child B. gets frustrated when he can't read a word. I tell him to try once more and I will help him in 20 seconds after I finish with another student. That's not fast enough for him, so he puts his head down on the table and sulks.
Perhaps you are thinking of a million strategies and interventions I can do with B. Trust me, I have tried many and I talk with his parents often who also worry about his resilience and sensitivity. We are working on helping him to develop strategies to deal with moments when things don't go quite the way he wants them to. After he blurted out at home that he "just wants to die", his mom requests to meet with me and talk about how we can help him. Although she is open to counseling, her husband does not want the stigma of admitting his child is struggling.They have had some parental health issues since B. was born, so it's no surprise that he is having a little trouble coping during his first year of school!
Perhaps you are wondering about the rest of the class as I spend all of this time helping B. Although I used B. as an example, he is definitely not the only child in my class requiring a great deal of energy. I have at least 3 other boys who have a great deal of difficulty managing attention and impulses. One, in particular is the oldest of the lot, having turned 6 in early December, but, as his mom puts it, "He has no filter. He just says whatever he is thinking." Just the other day this boy told me, "Hey, Mrs. Young, do you think you can hurry up teaching us? I'm getting tired." ( This comment, mind you, happens because as we go through a discussion the impulsive kids interrupt several times, making the explanation of the activity take longer. Still though they have been sitting not even 5 minutes!) Another boy, whose desk most always looks like a tornado has struck, is a virtual tornado himself, often seen spinning himself across the classroom while the rest of the students try to ignore him and do their tasks. This child has great difficulty managing attention for more than about 3 minutes and does anything he can to avoid tasks involving a pencil. The other boy I mentioned turned 5 just at the cut-off point late November/early December and has no interest in being at school. He comes to the rainbow rug each day with something stashed that he can throw at a peer. He rolls around on the floor or worse, stimulates himself by rubbing on his desk or the floor. He seeks out peer attention and uses his body to communicate instead of his words! Can you say, exhausting?
I also have an adorable little girl on the Autistic spectrum (referred to as having an Asperger's diagnosis) who has a tendency to do off the wall things for attention. Like what? Like taking the fish tank and trying to carry it across the room, or shouting," Mrs. Young, you are a crazy old fool!" as I try to teach a lesson. These behaviors are nothing compared to the beginning of the year scenarios where she lunged across the room announcing her intent to poke her peers or me in the eye with a pencil. We have worked very diligently to keep her and the others safe this year and she never ceases to amaze me with her lively imagination and creative abilities.
This post only describes the first 2 hours of a day in Kindergarten. After recess we ( my student teacher/intern and I) help kids calm down and regulate if they have had peer issues on the playground. We try to provide a positive, consistent routine to keep their spirits upbeat and the learning playful. The kids who benefit most are those who can handle their emotions, get enough rest, and have been taught that life sometimes doesn't serve up exactly what you want, when you want it!
If you have a child about to begin school, think about his/her resilience. A wonderful website with resources for building self-regulation and resilience is Fishfulthinking. If you have other resources to share, please comment below! If any of this sounds familiar to you, please comment as well. All of us together can help kids when we share strategies that work!

What a Test Score Won't Reveal.. the Story of a Learner

2010-05-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot lately (oh no! run, she's been thinking again, and that usually leads to a long ramble..run while you still can! ) about how much of learning is about student/teacher relationships and other factors that do not get revealed with a #2 pencil on a multiple choice test. Yes, pedagogy and teaching strategies are critical when kids are regularly attending school and participating; they allow us to push students to higher levels of thinking and creating. Without positive student-teacher relationships, however, kids may not even be physically and mentally present enough to learn. As kids get older, do they show up to class or even school if they feel like their teachers don't care or have respect for them? Maybe, but I doubt that they learn much in class. Even younger students "check out" and even "act sick" to avoid school when they feel marginalized or misunderstood.
Ok, so all of this is a no-brainer to those of us committed to empowering and inspiring learners each day. What's my point? The point is that we are being held accountable for a complicated and often messy learning journey where we give our blood sweat and tears to help our students, by a number on a test; a test that takes a snapshot of a blurred brief moment will determine whether we are good teachers. And with tales of impending merit pay schemes, I am worried that basing pay on test scores will be yet another impetus for good teachers to flee education. It will also be another reason for cheating and all kinds of issues that take the focus away from what we want: students who are competent to meet the challenges of a complex world. Although I agree that we can use some help in improving teacher training, both preservice and continued professional development, basing our pay on test scores misses a key point: the impact we make and the learning that takes place in a school year may not make its debut appearance during a stressful session of bubbling in dots on an answer sheet.

Does a single set of standardized test scores truly tell the story of any kid? Does it tell anything meaningful and productive about the current teacher or even those in the grades prior where testing did not occur? Does the score reflect the value of what we have done all year?
Does it reveal:

that Johnny has been homeless and for the first time this year he feels safe only during the day because he trusts his teacher at school?
that for all of kindergarten and 1st grade, the teachers who had that special needs child who didn't "qualify for any help" spent countless hours on their own researching and learning about how to help her, and even more hours keeping her and the class safe and engaged in learning?
that Sean's teacher spent hours each day trying to help him focus as his mom was getting chemo all during his days in kindergarten?
that parents and teachers often come together as partners in kids' education only to be blocked by school policies that necessitate years of failure before kids are deemed "in need" of extra help?
that in one school year a student made more than two years of growth, even though the test shows that he is still below grade level because he was not feeling well that week?

I could go on and on, but that's where I ask you to chime in share your stories. What does a test score leave out of the story? How can we raise our united voices as teachers and stop this nonsensical belief that test scores tell the entire story?

When Your Kids are Smarter than You!

2010-05-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

This picture is from Nick's apartment at MIT. I just thought it was a great pic as it reveals the complexity of what he is working on and his sweet dedication to Trouble and Gillie, his dogs. Nick surpassed me in smarts a long time ago!

Model a Love for Learning: Try Something New!

2010-04-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I decided to take a risk in my classroom. Ok, I can hear you now thinking, "What does she mean, take a risk?" "Don't I have enough to do already?" Don't worry, I also have many things to do and lots of pressure to get my students ready for first grade in these last 7 weeks of school. With all that in mind, I decided to try something new by experimenting with GarageBand, an application on this Mac laptop so graciously loaned to me by my school district. In honor of Earth Day this week, I wanted to record my students talking about how they plan to take care of the Earth. It sounded like a good idea, right? I have only played around at home on Garageband and have never tried recording voices or making any kind of podcast. On top of that lack of experience, I am always a bit apprehensive about using new technology with my students out of fear something won't work; I am also worried about their short supply of patience. The truth is: when an adult models working hard at learning something new, kids are very helpful and patient! Not only did I manage to record the kids voices, I also recorded Miss Harrington and I talking about the interviews (during our lunchtime, of course!) I edited for about 3 hours last night (because I am still learning!) and also added the kids responses to a fun site, Wallwisher, where I posted our class wallwisher . On my class website, in the weekly blog I invited parents to chime in on how they will help the Earth by adding a note to the wallwisher. I also posted the recording of the kids answering the question: "What will you do to help the Earth?"
So, after all that rambling, what's the point of this post? In case you missed it, here it is! Kids need to see adults learning new things, experimenting, and taking risks to create something new. If we want to develop kids who are willing to think critically and work hard, then we must model these behaviors ourselves so that we can facilitate a love for learning.
How do you show kids that you are open and committed to learning new things? Please chime in and share!

An End to Spring Break..

2010-04-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday night, the last night of spring break and I am trying to stop the emergence of stress, the pressure of anticipating a busy back to school day tomorrow. It's not like I don't love my job or my class. Truly, I do! It's just that transitions are difficult for all of us, especially 5 year olds; after nine days of not having to get up early and be on a structured routine, they will be groggy and probably restless as they ease back into the routine. As I write I am brainstorming how I will make the transition easier!
First, I will give lots of "talk and share" time tomorrow for kids to catch up with each other and find out what they did over spring break. I gave them "Spring break Journals" to write in before break and I will let them project their stories on the big screen throughout our day tomorrow.
Next, I think I will take any opportunity to be outside with my class. Perhaps I will take my story time outside as I introduce our new Language Arts theme: Spring is Here. It looks like it will be a beautiful day tomorrow so why not go outside and do some hands on observation of what spring looks and feels like! Maybe the birds will give us a nice song as well. In the afternoon, during math, I am thinking of making a few number lines with sidewalk chalk. I will teach the kids how to use the number line and give them some fun opportunities to learn while practicing addition by jumping across it!
Finally, I will just enjoy "being in the moment" and try to be patient as they adjust to the long school day. I am feeling better already as I remind myself that each school day does not have to be perfect. It's important that kids come to school and experience a safe, stimulating place where they can explore and become excited about their learning!

The Power of Awe, Fascination, and Wonder : Part II

2010-04-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Back in November I wrote a post about The Power of Positive Emotions and Engagement in the classroom. I discussed how I would use a photo each day to inspire awe and wonder in my kindergarten kids, primarily to promote positive emotions in the classroom, which many researchers claim leads to more engaged learning. I also promised to post a picture of the "Inspiration Board, so here it is! ( yes, better late than never!)
I often see kids gazing at this board, conveniently positioned by the sink/drinking fountain, pondering what it would be like to be one of these animals. It's a great positive distraction space when someone is having a tough time letting go of a negative experience on the playground or even a difficult beginning at home that morning.
As a follow-up, I am incorporating this board with the themes we are studying in Language Arts. For example, during our theme "Wheels go Around" I showed kids, via my projector and laptop, pictures of different awe-inspiring vehicles and items with wheels. I did not print these pictures, unfortunately, because I frankly have used tons of ink at home. In the future, for our upcoming "World of Animals" theme, I plan to announce via my class blog that kids are welcome to bring in inspiring pictures to share via the document camera and then for posting to the board. I also plan to have the students write "speech bubbles" or "captions" for the pictures. It will be fun to see what they write in response to pictures they can choose to respond to.
What strategies do you use to inspire awe, fascination and wonder in the classroom? Do you think it's worth the time spent to consciously create a positive classroom environment?

Environment is Key: Keeping it Calm and Positive

2010-03-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

I have long believed that environment is critical in helping kids become their best selves. As a teacher, it is critical that I provide a safe place where kids can take risks, grow socially, academically and emotionally and become independent learners ready for 1st grade!
As I write this, I become even more painfully aware that this environment is in jeopardy each day as more and more cuts impact education. In some school districts, including a district where I previously worked, K-3 classes are going to rise to 34 students and upper grades: 38+ students. My school will go to 24 students in primary classes next year. Now if all kids were coming to school healthy, emotionally regulated and ready and able to learn, perhaps there would be less of a problem.
There seems to be a trend that kids are coming to school with more intense physical and emotional needs; many display challenging behaviors requiring intense individual intervention. From Autism Spectrum Disorders, such as Asperger's to serious food allergies, to asthma to ADHD, not to mention emotional regulation challenges, the average teacher has at least a few students who meet such criteria.
In my class this year, for example, I have at least 5 students who are identified as having asthma. When the weather changes, or after even something as simple as an upper respiratory infection many of those students are given medications which make them absolutely bounce off the walls. I have several highly emotional students whose "meltdowns", particularly in the afternoons when they are tired, are stress-inducing for other students.
Although I am not allowed to diagnose and even further, dislike "labeling" kids, there are at least three students who meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in my class. These students have great difficulty sustaining attention, cannot sit for more than a few minutes, and disrupt those around them who are ready to learn. Three of those students are also in the asthma group. Coincidence?
In addition to those with issues of inattention and constant activity, several of my students have recent life changes that impact their daily emotional stability. Divorce, new babies at home, parents laid off or returning to work, parental long-term illness and other issues seriously impact kids each day. We must arm our kids with tools to deal with their emotions so that they can be in a state of relaxed alertness, ready for learning.
So, what do we do?
First, we must be sure that we give kids strategies to work through emotions. In class today, we discussed what we can do when we are upset, angry or frustrated. The students came up with some ideas: count to 10, breathe deeply, talk to someone, walk around for a few minutes, get a drink of water, and try to not think about it! Not long ago one of my students came up with a helpful strategy for himself; he says that when he gets upset at school he can "walk around it" in his mind and come back to solve that problem later. Of course, what he says isn't necessarily what he does as he can be observed on many occasions when he doesn't get his way yelling, "I guess you just don't love us!" across the classroom. Although these wise 5 year olds can say what they "could do" they surely need practice and adults who regularly model healthy expression of feelings.
Not only must we model and explicitly teach healthy ways of expressing anger and frustration, we must also be cognizant of the media influence on young minds. Kids often use video games, movies, tv, and even music lyrics as both models and excuses for their behavior and outbursts. How do they learn to use such excuses at the tender age of five? Parents may not "allow" their five year olds to play violent video games or watch "mature content" shows, but if someone in the home is doing so with the child walking in and out of the room, the exposure is certainly there.
Providing a calm, emotionally and physically safe environment must be a team effort between parents and school. The experiences in both environments greatly impact the child and his capacity for learning. We must be vigilant to keep kids feeling calm and safe. Only then will we see optimal growth for each child.
How do you keep the environment safe and positive for your kids, at home or at school? Please share so that we can all learn from each other!

This is Why I Teach

2010-03-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

This letter arrived yesterday, from a boy I taught in Kindergarten(2004/05 school year) during my two years of teaching at Shackelford Elementary. ( If you click the picture above you can read the entire letter!) My friend Jen, who still teaches there, mailed it to me (Thanks Jen!) after Miguel made a point to visit her classroom to give her the letter.
This letter made my day, as any contact from former students usually does. The class that I taught that year was my first year in Kindergarten, filled with many little ones completely unprepared for school, and lots of kids like Miguel who would say almost all day long, "I just want to play with the toys!" I can still hear his high-pitched voice ringing in my mind. Miguel was, and is an adorable kid with deep dark eyes and hair he loves to slick or spike up.
I think I like the part where he asks me to come to visit Shackelford, which I hope to do during my spring break. Or maybe my favorite is the part where he says that I am the best teacher in the universe. Looking more closely, I think both the last line: So I guess this is the end of my lovely letter and the P.S. I will always remember you are at the top of my favorites.
When was the last time a former student contacted you? What did he/she say? It inspires me to hear about lasting impact and connections between teachers and students, so please share your stories here!

Helping Parents to be Better Parents

2010-03-06T12:34:00.000-08:00

I have had several conversations this week with parents concerned about social-emotional development. They are concerned and committed to ensuring that their child is growing up strong, resilient, able to self-regulate and able to take risks in learning! I find myself often referring parents to the following resources, so I decided to list them here:

One of the most helpful websites I have found that helps parents understand factors for building emotional resiliency, empowerment, and overall well-being for kids is Fishful thinking, hosted by Dr. Karen Reivich, co-director of the Penn Resiliency Project, http://fishfulthinking.com/ On this website, there are parent questions and answers, videos, activities for kids, and links to a wealth of resources parents can use to become more aware and better able to meet their child's emotional needs.
Another researcher who has impacted and affirmed my beliefs about kids and success is Carol Dweck from Stanford. Her book Mindset and links to her work are in great detail here: http://www.mindsetonline.com/

Both of these websites are filled with a wealth of resources. I often revisit them when an issue with a student leaves me searching for more understanding. I love to find resources to help parents understand and empower their children.
What are your favorite sites to help parents become better parents?

Dr. Seuss In My Head

2010-03-03T05:29:00.000-08:00

Oh what a fun day we had yesterday
As we celebrated Seuss and we learned through word play
Cat in the Hat, The Foot Book, and Green Eggs and Ham
How the kids love those rhymes with that Sam I am!
Little ones will remember
That school can be fun
Not just sitting so quietly
And getting "work done"
They will smile at home with their striped rhyming hats
They will practice word families, like "at sat and cat"
Some will draw funny pictures and then will write more
Silly kids may chant rhymes as they shop in the store
So thank you Dr. Seuss with your love for word play
In Kindergarten we love you on more than one day!

Easier to Blame the Kids Than Reflect: What Happened Today?

2010-03-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

Today was not one of my most favorite days in kindergarten. A multitude of factors influenced the day and I must give them their fair props. Amongst those that stand out in my mind:

I was out of the classroom for an entire week while my intern was doing her solo week. She is wonderful and the kids love her; it's just that having 2 teachers is a lot like having a 2 household situation as in the case of divorced parents.We are consistent, but they still test us!
Before last week was winter break, so it's been 2 entire weeks since the kids have had me with them in class.
It was Monday, a day in general where we have to introduce lots of new information; This means lots of time on the carpet and lots of having to participate and pay attention! Even though we have movement breaks, long stretches on the carpet pose a huge challenge.
I felt stressed after reading the District writing assessment prompt which requires my students to do writing that, at first glance, appears to be much higher than the stage they are at.
My most unique special student normally has some transition challenges on Mondays; so, with me being back and, in addition, a new class helper for her today, things were a bit high energy/anxiety.
The kids talked over whoever was talking at many points in the day; whether it was one of their peers sharing or me speaking, they were interrupting and generally being disrespectful. Do they do this at home? It makes me wonder.
Kids are still adjusting to their new seating arrangement from before winter break. I am still evaluating if I have put the best combinations together. Time will tell.
One of the students has been acting out with attention seeking phrases and today hit an all time high or is it low with his blurt out, "I just wanna die." Of course I am concerned about any child who utters those words and will be following up with his parents.

So now that I reflect, was the day all bad? Well, not really. Did the kids learn their new "word of the week" and letter of the week? Did we introduce the new theme, "Wheels go Around" and share items brought from home? Did we work together in partners to decide which vehicles from our story are most important? Did we celebrate a student's birthday? Did we learn about subtraction and make up stories on our white boards?
Yes, we did all of that. And I think we went home with smiles on our faces. Perhaps everyone, except for maybe me?
I need to remember that teaching is messy, imperfect, and often exhausting. And when I am mindful of that, I can have much better Mondays.

Missing my Kids

2010-02-24T05:28:00.000-08:00

I suppose this title could be confusing: Which kids is she missing? Her real kids (ages 22 and 23) or her 180 days a year kids? I didn't realize that I would be referring to both when I set out to write this, but I am.
My own kids are with me in spirit every day, and often through texting, facebook and phone! though both are way too far away for my liking. I just saw Nick last week and enjoyed spending time with him, Melissa ( his girlfriend) and their two dogs. Stef will be coming in a couple weeks on her way to Southern California and I will be so happy to see her. I recall one time telling her that when I have her and Nick with me I feel like I have all of my limbs attached. I love my kids and have always promoted their autonomy, but I miss them so much. My own life is full of many important meaningful relationships with kids and families, and is made even better with a wonderful loving husband who shares many of my passions and soapboxes.
But this week, on top of that, I am missing my class. It's my intern's solo week and I am out of the classroom. Before you get the wrong idea, this does not mean I am strolling around, drinking coffee and wasting time! I am cleaning out my office, running off things for my Kindergarten team, finishing report cards, attending a day long equity training and presenting on it to staff.. yes, I am busy!
Busy, but missing something. Missing the hugs and stories from my students. Missing the inspiration to write, as their comments and learning "ahas" often inspire me to make connections and reflect on good teaching practice.
I know that they are in wonderful hands. I am confident that they are learning and thriving in my class this week. But selfishly, I miss them. I suppose if I didn't, then, I would worry.

Looking in the Mirror: The Power of Self-Reflection

2010-02-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

Last November I wrote a post about building self efficacy through daily self-reflection. I was on a mission to build independence and teach kids how to reflect on their behavior and learning at school. Yesterday, as my husband and I enjoyed a nice conversation over dinner ( yes, yet again a discussion that came back to kids and school!) we began discussing how these daily self-evaluations are contributing to kids' growth. It struck me that the value of this practice is even greater than I intended.
Here are a few of the "aha's" and reasons why I will continue to have kids think about their respect, responsibility and safety at school and communicate their reflections to their parents each day.

One of the huge benefits of this practice is that each child is reflecting on his day and not looking to the teacher to "report" if he has had a "good" day or "bad" day. I have heard teachers tell parents that "Johnny" had a "bad" day. When I train kids to use this form, we don't use the words "good" and "bad". We talk about how some of the choices they made might have been wise choices or "not the best" choices where they "didn't think" before acting. We talk a lot about how sometimes a decision to act seems like a good choice but on further reflection, it's not such a great idea. Each day is a fresh start, where we know more about ourselves than the day before!
As my students fill out their forms, I welcome them to solicit my input only after they have already thought about how they will rate themselves. Often kids are tougher on themselves than I would be, but their perceptions give me lots of information. It's a great opportunity to point out positive choices they may have overlooked. Sometimes they get stuck on one challenging moment and generalize it to the entire day.
The report is a daily communication with parents and usually bears good news! I have seen the tendency for some teachers to only send reports home that focus on when a child has had difficulties that day.
The kids can fill out the form and know what the icons mean even if they can't yet read the words. The training period was probably about a week and after that, the kids were able to fill them out on their own.
The evaluation generates a conversation between the teacher and the student about how "we" can work together to have success in the classroom. When a child has had some tough times focusing and getting work done, and the evidence is in the unfinished pile of work, we can brainstorm together with the parents about possible strategies to help him/her solve the problem. When kids begin to realize that they need fewer distractions, or that when they are tired they don't work as well, they can begin to take responsibility in the classroom and ask the teacher for a "quiet area" to work in or an earlier bedtime from parents. Believe it or not, I have had kids go home and tell their parents that they need more sleep!

These are just a few of the reasons why I will continue to have my kids reflect. Most importantly, so far, is that happy, engaged and independent learners come to school excited and "ready for a challenge" each day.

They Want to Know..About us

2010-02-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I was reminded of an important lesson about working with kids. As I closed down a presentation featuring pictures of my students during recent lessons, a voice cried out from the crowd of 5 year old fans. "Show us that picture! " "That Picture" was a family picture of my visit to my Dad's house at Christmas. I hadn't planned on taking a 5 minute diversion into "my life story" because that wasn't on my lesson plan. But what happened next was indeed, a vivid example of the "teachable moment" and the importance of relationship.
As they giggled at the silver haired man I called, "my dad", questions flew. "Who's that next to him?" "Is that your mom?" Oh great, I thought. Now I have to explain that my mom died 10 years ago and that the woman next to my dad is my stepmom. There was a moment of silence and then more questions. " Do you miss her?" "How did she die?" Then came the spontaneous sharing of empathetic little souls," My grandma died too, and I miss her too." I heard and saw students comforting each other with hugs and kind comments.
The scene reminded me of those moments in the car when my children were small and they asked much braver questions than when we sat face to face, eye to eye. In the dark room, illuminated by the light of the projector, I took the time to ease the curious minds and share with them just a little more about me. I think we all grew a step closer to understanding each other that day. And, of course, I learned more about the nature of relationship: we want to know about each other and we yearn to care.

The Teacher Dog and Pony Show

2010-01-25T05:26:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year, or is it "always" that time of year when your door flies open and suddenly your classroom is filled with strangers, looking for evidence of your incredible teaching prowess. As these moments often bring me considerable stress, I thought I would share my attempt at dealing with it by humor and song. SO, here it is. The song you've been waiting for. Watch out, Weird Al!

Teacher Dog and Pony
(sung to the tune of Hokey Pokey)

You let the big suits in
You send the big suits out
You let the big suits in
And you wish you had some clout
You do the dog and pony
Cause you want to keep your job
That’s what it’s all about!

You hope your kids tune in
You watch your kids tune out
You watch the suits come in
And you want to scream and shout
You do the dog and pony
Cause you want to keep your job
That’s what it’s all about!

You do your best lesson
You try to impress them
You do your best lesson
And you hope the time goes fast
You do the dog and pony
Cause you want to keep your job
That’s what it’s all about!

So just remember then
It’s not about the show
It’s all about the kids
And it’s them who truly know
You do the dog and pony
Cause you want to be with them
That’s what it’s all about!

Preventing Learned Helplessness by Promoting Independence

2010-01-24T21:01:00.000-08:00

It's that critical time of year when kindergartners are becoming more independent. This independence can lead to a strong sense of efficacy with an "I can do it" mentality. Sometimes, though, our actions actually sabotage a child's strides toward autonomy.
The progress toward independence can be tentative during this time as kids become more aware of their growing bodies, abilities and those of peers. At times kids seem to sense that their parents miss their "preschool years" and their precious dependence. It's wonderful to reminisce and share their sweet memories, while also pointing out how great it is that your child is growing stronger and more capable each day.
If you feel the need to jump in and help your child conquer a challenge, please stop for a moment and think: will my help encourage my child to move on and be willing and able to attempt tasks himself? Am I encouraging and modeling that hard work can solve problems? Or will my help give my child the idea that she is not capable of doing the job herself?
The most effective way to support a child in learning a new skill is to scaffold him, support him to take on a task (or even a step of a task) just beyond what he thinks he can do. Have you ever seen the smile of mastery on the face of a child just learning to ride a bike? Yes, we give them training wheels so they can learn to balance first and get the feeling of the bike. We run aside them cheering them on, teaching them to keep going when they get scared. We also must eventually let go and encourage them to try their hardest and be prepared for the inevitable fall. Not only must we teach them to work hard to succeed but to fail well and learn from it.
Yes, we tend to want to protect our children, but we must not hold them back. They deserve to thrive with the right amount of autonomy and independence.

Pass the Microphone Please..

2009-12-22T09:03:00.000-08:00

On our last day of class before our Winter Break, I was challenged to find ways to make the day peacefully memorable for my kindergartners. Teachers were urged by our leadership to keep any and all "holiday celebrations" limited to the brief period after lunch on Friday, the very last day before break.
We had planned a quiet, low-key celebration after lunch: cookie decorating, hot cocoa drinking, gathering all of our projects and a present for our families to take home, and singing some holiday songs with other K classes in our shared "pod" area. As I reviewed the plans, I decided that something was missing: kid voice. I set aside about 20 minutes for a "karaoke" share, passing the microphone around the circle and inviting the kids to share a custom or ritual they do at this holiday time or any time of year. Even my most reluctant and shy speakers seized the opportunity to share about lighting candles, decorating trees and singing songs. Although there is always the challenge of keeping kids engaged and attentive, I think it's important to build the skill of respectful listening, especially to peers. I wish I had taken pictures of the giggles and serious moments. They were highly engaged!
As we lined up to go home, little voices chimed : " two weeks without school! I'll miss you SO much!" "Are you sure we can't come tomowwow?" In a moment of spontaneity, the kids began hugging each other, and then bounced into line for a teacher hug. 20 hugs and a few tears later, the bright eyed munchkins were on their way to two weeks of time with their families. It was a wonderful way to send them off! Happy Holidays Room 11!

Daily Self Reflection: Building Self-Efficacy in Kindergarten

2009-11-21T20:02:00.000-08:00

After much reflection and discussion we have decided to implement a new tool in our Kindergarten class to help students reflect upon and take responsibility for their daily behavior and learning. Each student will decide how well he/she met the goals of being respectful, responsible and safe. Together we will complete and review these mini-forms at the end of each day and each child will take home the form to share with a parent!

Positive Emotions and Engagement

2009-11-21T19:49:00.000-08:00

This week I decided to implement an idea that I thought of some time ago. Now that I have an LCD projector and document camera I have so many possibilities for presentations. Anyway, I decided to try to elicit positive emotions using humor and "awe" to help my students transition from the sometimes stressful time of recess.
As they came back from recess, I let my kids know that I was going to show them a few pictures that would make them smile, laugh or think,"wow!" I was delighted to hear their shrieks of laughter as I showed them photos ( sent to me in various emails from friends) of amazing animals in nature. As we viewed a picture of a fish being carried away by a "big" bird, I asked the kids to share what that fish would be saying if it could talk. I then asked them what the bird might be saying. Their answers were creative, sometimes silly, and definitely those of kids who were engaged in the conversation. I decided that this ritual of "after-recess" viewing, which took only 5 minutes of our day, was definitely worth it. After the photo viewing, we took a minute of "silence" where the students closed their eyes, thought of a beautiful scene/place and breathed slowly in and out. I told them that it was important to relax and focus their minds in order to get the most learning in a day.
As we moved on to the next part of our day, I noticed that the mood was upbeat and calm. A relaxed state of alertness certainly improved the learning environment. There were no tattling tales of kids hitting each other or saying they wouldn't be friends any longer. Students transitioned to the following learning activity with an excitement about learning. Mission accomplished!

Industrious Little People

2009-10-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today was such a great day in our class!! As we always do on Thursdays after lunch, we set out to clean out our desks and complete any remaining work. We had begun a fun book, "Monster Colors," during literacy centers, but this book was definitely a longer project than the allotted 20 minute center time. As a special privilege, because students were following classroom expectations, :-) I allowed the kids to use markers to write the color word and to outline the different colored monsters. They understood and appreciated that outlining with markers provided a nice contrast when they filled them in with colored pencils or crayons. In the background, I played the music from the Curious George soundtrack, particularly focusing on the songs that mentioned sharing and friendship. As many of the kids recognized the songs, I enthusiastically shared how the music makes me feel calm and happy. "It makes me happy too," chimed several little voices. Kids began singing along as they worked, staying focused and on task for much longer than I had ever seen them before. As they found and completed papers in their desks, they energetically popped over to ask me a question or hand me a paper to put in their Thursday envelopes. Each and every student was committed, engaged, and fully present, doing their best to take their time and do their highest quality work. I gave them updates on how much time they had until "calendar time", yet when I announced the ending of our work time, they begged for me to reset the timer so that all of their work could be done and sent home. I smiled to myself as I put 10 more minutes on the timer. Kids were begging to work! Who would have imagined that just a few weeks ago?

Daily Exercise Makes Healthy Happy Engaged Learners

2009-09-26T19:44:00.001-07:00

Daily Exercise Makes Healthy Happy Engaged Learners

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Building a Classroom that Works

2009-08-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

Setting up an engaging classroom environment may sound like one of those tasks akin to rearranging your living room. In some ways, it is remarkably similar, evaluating factors such as lighting, air temperature, traffic flow, physical dimensions of space/fitting in the furniture, noise level, and optimal viewing of any screens. In others ways it can be much more complicated, as a classroom is a relatively small space for 20-30 students to spend 6 hours each day, engaged in learning through listening, speaking, writing, reading and many other activities. This year, many teachers like myself are anticipating an increase in enrolled students and must make accommodations. One of the strategies that helped me most in envisioning the best use of my space was to take before and "in progress" classroom layout photos.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30288470&id=1029677716#/album.php?aid=2017823&id=1029677716
As I reviewed my progress in setting up my classroom, I have decided to change a few things, moving furniture to optimize students' ability to view the teaching walls, moving computer desks up to the wall to increase space for student movement, and hanging signs to clearly label the various activity and curricular areas of the classroom. I am also working on designing some sort of paper holder for student chairs so that I can eliminate my wire racks that have worked well but take up flow/floor space.
What are the key factors that affect your classroom layout? How will you fit in more students (if necessary) without compromising comfort and efficiency?

Using an Interactive Journal to Build Relationship

2009-08-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

As I spent the last 2 days in training for the Teacher Education Collaborative at San Jose State, I realized once again the great importance of the work that we do in education. Over and over presenters reminded faculty associates (mentor teachers) of the importance of transparency. How, I began pondering, can I be sure to involve my intern in my thought processes, sharing the rationale for all that I do in my classroom? One way that we have decided to share our thinking is through an interactive journal, a place where we can both record ideas and respond to each other. Here are a few items I plan to include as we begin the journal together.

Encouragement: I plan to use the journal to validate emotions such as anxiety of being a newcomer to the classroom.
Humor: Sharing funny snippets of observations/kidwatching will surely convey memorable lessons of our time together. Humor broadens the mind, relaxing each person.
Rationale: Giving my intern a forum to ask my rationale for certain procedures, lesson plans, parent communications etc. will make my teaching transparent and comprehensible.
Opportunities: to ask/answer any questions.
Goal Setting: I will use the journal to work with my intern to set SMART goals. I will also convey my own goals and be more accountable for them.
Observations/Insights: We can use the journal to record observations and insights each day. These can provide information for our weekly formal collaborative time.
Building on Strengths: The journal is a perfect opportunity to express appreciation and awareness of each other's strengths.
Increase Clear Communication: Having a dedicated place to jump off and communicate will help both of us remember all of the issues we want to discuss later in person.

I am excited about the challenge and opportunity to mentor my intern this year! How else would you use an interactive journal in a mentoring relationship?

Brain Benefits of Exercise: Applying this Knowledge to the Classroom

2009-07-03T15:27:00.000-07:00

I have long believed in the value and importance of aerobic exercise and strive to maintain a routine of at least 30-40 minutes at least 4 times per week. I have also experienced many of the benefits cited in Dr. John Medina's,Brain Rules as well as Dr. John Ratey's, Spark, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and The Brain. When I exercise, I am calmer, think more clearly, feel more positive and generally experience a much higher level of well-being and peace. I am able to savor and stay in the moment, regulate my emotions, work efficiently and hopefully play better with others. I am now learning that exercise has a key impact on learning; yes, I knew this! Exercise increases attention and reduces impulsivity, both areas of growing concern among teachers. I am quite amazed at the research showing incredible academic gains by students involved in daily aerobic exercise at school. And I am equally dismayed that many teachers, including myself, are often at a loss on how to best accomplish this goal. For an inspiring look at excellent programs producing remarkable gains, click here. ( Don't worry, it's not an ad, just an uplifting video clip!)
Ok.. so what about it? What am I going to do in the upcoming school year to give my students the opportunity to get this essential exercise? I already incorporate "movement breaks" throughout my teaching day, but research seems to call for at least 20, uninterrupted physically challenging minutes of aerobic type exercise. Here are a few ideas I am pondering:

Name each day of the week with a theme for the exercise. Perhaps Monday is a "jump rope" day where we intersperse jumping rope segments of a couple minutes with walking in place to keep the heart rate going. Tuesday could be obstacle course day where I set up a small circuit/course in our kindergarten pod or outside. Wednesday could be "jump, hop, skip day" where our movements are all related to bouncing. We could use the relay lines on the kindergarten playground and incorporate teamwork and social skills with out activity. Thursday could be an indoor "kid aerobic" day where we use a fun kid exercise dvd or a yoga based dvd. Friday would be a perfect day for "free form" exercise where I put on music outside and we dance, bounce, jump rope or any other movement of choice, as long as the students keep moving for the entire 20 minutes! I will have to think more about these ideas and hope others will share as well!
In the past, I have written mini-grants Donorschoose.org and I have had great success in receiving supplies and materials to engage my students in learning. I plan to do some research in their catalogs to find some fitness equipment to plead for! Some ideas I have include: stability balls for interactive exercise work, jump ropes, exercise mats and activity mats by Lakeshore Learning suggested by a fellow teacher tweeter.
I plan to brainstorm with my Kindergarten team;perhaps each member of our team can develop a lesson idea for the day of the week. It would be awesome if we as a grade level could start each day with the exercise that would fuel our brains and prep them for learning. Perhaps we could start an "exercise revolution" at our school!

As my brain ponders the opportunities, I am hoping that folks chime in and tell me what's happening at schools across the globe. How does your school rate? Are your students getting the physically demanding aerobic exercise that John Ratey talks about in Spark? Traditional physical education programs are often not making the cut in terms of keeping the kids in ongoing aerobic movement necessary to obtain the "brain benefits". How can we, as educators, make the changes that will fuel learning? Please share your successes as well as challenges.

Thank you to the Moms who...

2009-05-09T19:50:00.000-07:00

In honor of Mother's Day, I would like to say thank you to the moms:

1) who send their children to school rested, fed and ready for the day ( most days!)
2) who encourage their children to try their best and not be afraid to make mistakes
3) who trust me and believe wholeheartedly that teachers and parents are important teammates
4) who understand that although I would love to give each and every child 1:1 attention, all 6 hours of the school day, I am only human.
5) who take the time to nurture their children; talk with them, read to them, laugh, cry, and just "be" with them.
6) who understand that I am a human being who does her best to provide a safe, nurturing and challenging environment for all students in my class.
7) who keep in touch after Kindergarten to share their child's successes, stories, dreams.
8) who contribute Kleenex to our classroom so that the little germ spreaders don't wipe their noses and hands on their shirts.. or worse, on mine!
9) who believe in the importance of modeling a love of life-long learning.
10) who set consistent guidelines and boundaries so that their children understand that rules and expectations are followed at home and at school.

I have met some incredible moms in my teaching career. I thank them for their support, openness and inspiration. Happy Mothers Day to all!

The Possibility in the Gray

2009-04-28T07:11:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been delving into exploring the power of positive emotions as well as cultivating meaningful experiences to engage kids in learning. Books like The Power of Mindful Learning, by Ellen Langer, Positivity, by Barbara Fredrickson, and Curious, by Todd Kashdan have renewed my interest in reflecting upon and re-framing what I do to help kids flourish in and out of the classroom.
One of the most powerful ideas to come out of this exploration is that being "open" matters.

We can get so much more out of an experience, whether it's learning new information, relating to a partner, or calming down a class of chatty, off-task learners by a simple mind shift. That mind shift involves being able to stay in the gray area, "Maybe I don't really know the answer right now." Often, being the thoughtful human creatures we are, we like to categorize things, act like we have all the answers, or at least believe that an "expert" has the answer when we don't. My question is : What happens if we allow ourselves to sit with the wonder of the gray, instead of resorting to the black and white mindset of : "right answer" vs. "wrong answer"?

We sometimes give our students "think time" and ask them to think before raising their hands to answer a question. Allowing ourselves to ponder different scenarios and come up with the "best answer" for right now can actually lead to a more developed, deeper understanding of a concept or situation. This meaningful reflection might, in turn, give us a variety of solutions and a flexibility in applying those answers in the future. What if what we learned actually might help us the next time we encounter such a situation? Isn't that what we want our learners to be able to do: generalize a critical thinking process to areas besides the specific lesson we just taught?

Well, it may sound quite simple, but reflecting and thoughtful exploration seem to run a bit counter to what many of us do at times, as we react instead of act. A myriad of emotions, such as fear, hurt, worry, or anxiety catapult us toward a path of mindless action, instead of stopping to consider our many options. While we could put ourselves in our partners shoes, we often don't; we assume that we know what they think and feel, attack out of hurt and fear. In this age of "instant thought moving to action", many of us simply get caught up in the moment and feel pressured to act. We live in a world that doesn't seem to want to wait for us. The over-stimulation of our surroundings with the multitude of media threaten to aid in our memory lapse. " I must make a decision now, or I might forget, or not have time later to answer this important question." I must post on my blog, tweet on my twitter, fret on facebook and say something important to make my mark on the world. Are we afraid that someone is going to win the race or take our place?

One common approach, reflected in all three of the books mentioned, is to ask open-ended questions when trying to elicit engagement. Ellen Langer demonstrated with her research that directing people to "notice more" when examining something they weren't previously interested in actually got them to take more time, notice more detail and actually report a higher level of positive experience in learning the new information or skill. Todd Kashdan gives many examples where being an open and "curious explorer" helps people combat the anxiety that often holds them back from attaining their goals and achieving meaningful lives. Barbara Fredrickson talks about the power of positive emotions and how being interested in exploring or even amused by something actually broadens your ability to think more creatively and flexibly.

What if, instead of asking a child why he acted a certain way, you expressed curiosity in what was happening? I often say to my students, "Wow, I am really confused about what is going on here." I express wonder and confusion when I want to get them to stop and think about their actions in the moment. Suddenly, before my eyes, they snap out of the off task behavior and get back to work. Now if that worked all the time, I would be set!

I guess all I'm saying... in a round-about way.. is to give yourself and your students the time to ponder. Don't always make up your mind. There isn't always an easy answer, quick-fix, instant message solution. In fact, the deepest and most profound discoveries come when we acknowledge what we don't know. Share that with your students. The teacher doesn't always have to be right. Teachers are learners too.

Put Yourself Out There

2009-04-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I did a presentation of my "Silly Songs for Sight Words" at a reading conference down the road in Asilomar, near Monterey. I have always loved going to this conference, as the grounds are right on the coast, with many of the presentation rooms overlooking the beautiful Pacific ocean. Deer walk by on occasion and raccoons entertain folks at night with their scavenging antics. There's nothing like presenting to teachers who are enjoying the fresh ocean breeze and walks on the beach in between sessions. It's always been a wonderfully uplifting experience!
On the day of this conference, however, I was sick, tired and entirely not in the mood to be up on a Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m., driving an hour, schlepping ( is that even a real word?!) all my presentation stuff to find an audience of 6 people. Yep, that's right! 6 teachers were in my session. Thanks to the economy, and budget cuts, the attendance at the conference was down considerably. I was losing my voice, trying to get pumped up for my session, and thoroughly disheartened that hardly anyone was there. I tried to rev myself up and did the best I could. Although people were polite and participated by singing, offering comments and asking questions, I felt somehow as if I had failed to fulfill my purpose. Perhaps my ego had gotten in the way as I thought, "guess no one finds value in my work or they would have come" I had expected to feel good about my idea to give away my cd instead of charging the usual $15. Not even the usual good will feeling budged my mood. I left the conference, exhausted, thinking, "What a waste of time!"
Just yesterday, I received the attendee evaluations in the mail. The memories of the day flooded back and I hesitated before opening the envelope. Nothing "bad" had happened , but I certainly didn't feel like I had given my best performance. To my surprise, all of the feedback was positive, with gushing comments about how useful and innovative my songs and ideas are. I realized then, that if I had reached and inspired each teacher to try just one song or one activity that engaged a learner in their class.. my effort was definitely worthwhile.
Sometimes it may seem that your uphill efforts are far more laborious than rewarding. Don't lose sight of your overall mission. If you have something to share, put yourself out there! Think of the lives you will touch by being an inspiration.

Whose Job is It Anyway?

2009-04-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

I am a firm believer in teamwork between caring individuals in a child's life. I can especially attest to success in this arena as I have raised 2 wonderful kids while being on a team with my ex-husband and his wife. As a teacher, I have countless opportunities to work with wonderful parents who are willing to do whatever is necessary to help their children become responsible, respectful, engaged learners. I really appreciate those parents.

This week, one of my kindergarten colleagues was appalled when her students were discovered standing around one of their peers who had been kicked to the ground. She was shocked to hear another teacher (who had been on yard duty) report that her students were kicking him and talking about "teaching him a lesson." As a very caring and competent teacher, she was nevertheless shocked and speechless as her class entered the room after recess. Later that day she asked what I would do if I were her.

"Wow," I thought. "What would I do if this had happened with my students?" I felt the helplessness of my coworker and first became sad that kids could actually do this to each other. 5 year old children were "ganging up" and attacking another student, using the words, "Let's teach him a lesson."
I agreed with my colleague who decided to call each of the parents and inform them of the episode. The following day, one of the students came to school with a letter of apology for the student. Although it was very difficult for him to admit that he had been wrong, his dad stood by him as he apologized to the student. I heartily applaud that parent, as he had used this event as an important teachable moment for his son.

So many times, it seems, parents and teachers point fingers of responsibility about what should be taught at home and at school. It's ALL of our jobs to teach civility and kindness. And it's quite a huge job considering the fact that we live in a society where some people would rather read and be engrossed by the glamorous, "hyped up" lives of celebrities than sit down with their children and learn about their day. ( Oops.. I think I just accidentally stood on my soapbox for a moment!)

It takes all of us caring adults to join together, preparing these young ones for life's challenges. Let's consider it a shared responsibility and move to shared solutions.

Lower the Pressure, Raise the Bar

2009-03-26T21:37:00.000-07:00

It was an interesting experiment today. I was to meet with my lowest guided reading group and anticipated a bit of frustration all around. I had a cute book, "Frog" that seemed possibly "too hard" but I was going to do an experiment of sorts. What if I did a picture walk of the book and engaged the students in playful conversation about this frog who ventured out of his pond into the city? Would their amusement and curiosity about the story propel them into making an effort to read?
The answer: a resounding yes!
I am learning more and more that a positive classroom climate, filled with curiosity, fascination and humor enables kids to take risks in learning. Many kids, even at 5, have learned that it's sometimes easier to remain quiet than answer a question and be wrong. I don't let them remain quiet; I ask them to make a guess based on what they know. Because they have been with me for 132 days of school, they trust me. And they know I believe in them.
We need to keep expectations high, but find ways to lower the stress and anxiety that often cripples kids in their learning. A trusting student-teacher relationship is a great place to start.

Development is a Continuum

2009-03-14T19:20:00.000-07:00

After a particularly challenging week in the world of teaching Kindergarten, I feel very strongly about discussing the subject of development: academic, social, and emotional development. Sometimes kids need time to work through their own particular kinks in order to show their full potential in school. This is not to say we leave them on their own to work through these challenges. I am simply saying that it's often not helpful to compare a child to his/her peers and decide that something is wrong in the intellectual or cognitive realm, especially at the young age of 5.
I know a girl who is five years old and has been in multiple foster homes during these very critical early years. She is adorable, quirky, and trying to make friends in a class that she joined 6 weeks after the school year began. Only with her new family, foster/adoptive parents, for the last 5 months, she has had a multitude of adjustments to make. Just last week, she got glasses! So, you might be thinking, what's the problem?
Well the problem is not with her. The problem is that the team of people who want to "help" this little girl are underestimating the huge impact of trauma, neglect, emotional abuse and loss on her ability to focus and learn. It seems that some are on a mission to prove that this child has a learning disability because she seems to have difficulty with memory, particularly in remembering numbers and words from short term memory. When in a small group of peers, and the attitude is more "playful" and less pressured, this child performs much better in restating what she just learned. She has shown growth in many areas since starting school in mid-October. In fact, she scored partially proficient in several areas!
Although the team of school professionals believe that this child needs more time before we subject her to the battery of tests that can only be performed once every 3 years, the parents and social workers are demanding the tests, now. The sad part of all of this is that she is getting re-traumatized by well-meaning individuals who are grilling her as she does her work: "What's that number? Come on! What is that number? " Each morning her foster mom comes into the class to help with her morning work, and I hear her asking her over and over. I want to tell her about the impact of stress and trauma on memory and tell her that she is only making matters worse. Unfortunately, that is the role of others: social worker, therapist etc. This parent thinks that I am trying to minimize this child's problems. I just think that she needs a nurturing, supportive yet still challenging environment where she feels safe to take chances and express herself. All children develop at their own time, and I simply believe that she needs more time and supportive work at home and at school.
I hope that the IEP meeting scheduled next month will be the opportunity to come together as a team of professionals to discuss a plan that will help this little girl.

Involve Kids in Changes

2009-02-24T04:40:00.001-08:00

In the spirit of the theme of change today I am using a different font! After a long and harrowing first day back from winter break, complete with pouring rain and no recess all day, I thought I would share about one thing that seemed to work well.
Yesterday, I bravely changed the seating chart in my classroom. I know.. "So what!" "Is that such a big deal?" Well, trust me. In Kindergarten, change can be a very big deal.
I decided to try something new. Normally when I rearrange kids' seating, I do it myself, telling students beforehand and introducing them to their new spots the next day as they arrive. This time, I decided, with the assistance of my awesome student teacher Meredith, to let the kids be a part of the process. I wondered if they would adjust better if they actually physically moved their own "stuff" to their new desks.
We had our new chart ready, gave them some time to clean out their desks, ( ooh and that was fun!) and had them bring their "stuff" to the rainbow carpet. Table group by table group, ( there are 5 colored groups in the classroom to match the rainbow carpet) I called them back to their new spots. Students put away their things, greeted their new neighbors and looked around. "Look around, take a picture in your brain of where you sit now." "Ch ch, click", and all sorts of pretend camera sounds filled the air. I celebrated the moment with real pictures of each new table group and will post them today to help the transition.
As the day progressed, I noticed that in contrast to past changes in seating ( in former classes),
everyone seemed to be adjusting well. No one forgot their seat after recess or after lunch. No one really seemed disoriented or confused. Success!
It might seem minor, but this slight change in my approach highlights a trust in myself as a teacher to follow my intuition. I believe, deep down, that kids have the capacity to thrive when we can give them just the right amount of responsibility.
As we were talking about the difference between being at home all week on vacation and being back to school with 22 of us crowded together in one classroom, a five year old wise girl remarked, " Yeah, we have to be much more responsible!" And she is so right. :-)

Beautiful Heart Girl Turns 21

2009-02-18T01:43:00.001-08:00

As I have mentioned, my kids are the greatest bearers of joy to my life. They probably wouldn't like to hear me say this next part, but I must. If I died tomorrow, I would know that my life's purpose was complete; my kids have blossomed into beautifully loving and giving individuals who are pursuing lives based on meaning and strengths. Yes, they are flourishing! Stefanie, pictured here smiling as she enjoys the beauty of nature, is about to turn 21, and has the world at her feet. She is working hard at college, studying, writing papers, taking exams, hiking to beautiful places in between! and trying to decipher the path she will take to find, as Tal Ben Shahar writes about in "Happier", the intersection of meaning, pleasure and strengths.
Much of what I have read lately about flourishing and well-being points to an important factor in my kids' development. Although I have often felt guilty that sometimes my choices as a single parent did not necessarily reflect the desires of my kids, I do know that their life experiences have made them stronger and more resilient. Surely they must have had fantasies of a happy family reunion, where their father and I would reunite and all would live happily ever after. They were babies when we divorced, and only knew that they had two loving places to call home. We did our best to parent as a team, though we had our different styles, for sure. My kids and I moved many times in the early years, trying to find the most affordable safe place to live. This was not exactly easy in Orange County, CA. I tried to keep consistency by not changing their schools,when possible, which seemed to help a bit too.
The bottom line, I suppose, is that I did not, and could not, spare my children from experiencing hardships. I surrounded them with loving extended family members, worked hard as a cashier in a supermarket for 15 years as I returned to school for my M.A. , encouraged them to openly share their feelings, and fostered their strengths and interests as best I could.
Today, I admire the results in my beautiful daughter: ( you can read bout my son in a prior post) creative, insightful, smart, kind and committed to making this world a better place. She cares about issues and causes I have only just learned about. We talk several times a week, typing frantically to each other online as our ideas bounce back and forth, pondering life and the complex dilemmas facing our world. Stefanie is evolved and genuinely interested in finding her place in addressing the complicated future we face.
Yes, I am undeniably proud of her and filled with hope that she will lead a rewarding, fulfilling life. I love her beyond what words can adequately express.

Encourage Kids to Rate Their Effort and Outcome

2009-02-15T08:30:00.001-08:00

As a teacher, all day I am approached by enthusiastic kids parading their papers in front of me, seeking my approval for their work. I humorously refer to it as "the paper parade." One day, in a flash of genius ( haha..sometimes in the teaching world, we call those moments genius!!) I told a student to ask himself how he thought his work rated. I modeled the questions I wanted him to ask. I held the paper up, gazed curiously at it, and asked these questions of myself, pretending to be a student.
Is this my best effort?
Does my paper look like the sample paper? ( can be adjusted to rubric in older grades)
Did I write my name?
Is there anything I can do to make this even better?
How many smilies does my paper deserve?
I encourage my young students to self-evaluate and begin to recognize the difference between work done with effort and work completed carelessly. They are thrilled to determine the number of smilies and write their rating on their paper, with special markers reserved for this process.

Teach a New Skill Through Meaningful Content

2009-02-15T03:27:00.000-08:00

Through my tutoring/coaching work with older kids, I have often encountered a resistance to using new ways to study and master understanding of new material. Some of this resistance arises out of a time crunch; kids feel pressured by the voluminous demands of homework. Many kids use the same old method of reading and re-reading to study for a test and don't think they have time to learn a new skill.
A recent encounter comes to mind. As I worked with a student, N. on note-taking last week, I encouraged him to use a mind map or graphic organizer to complement his natural visual style of learning. Of course my enthusiasm didn't mean much, as N's goal was to get his notes done in the least time possible so that he could continue his other homework. As he worked, outlining and defining the key words ( bolded in the text) as his guide, N. seemed to be writing verbatim from the book. He was receptive, however, to my suggestion of using some note-taking symbols like @ for at and w/ for with. I asked him the purpose for the notes and was surprised to hear that he can use them during the test. Ah, even more reason to use my strategy, I thought. So I went in.. for the sell.
As N. worked on his outline of terms, I mapped out the chapter in a mind map format, linking key ideas together and condensing definitions. I expected N. to be interested in my solution as I saw how it would be easier for him to use on the test. He glanced at my organizer, mumbled politely, "oh, that's interesting" and announced that he was "done with his notes." N. had absolutely no interest in learning a new tool. And knowing what I know about him, it was not the right time to press my agenda.
It was then time for me to quiz him on the material, an activity I hoped would illustrate the benefits of my note-taking strategy. N. did fairly well answering about the key ideas. Where he broke down, not surprisingly, was in how the ideas linked together to form the main idea of the chapter. He needed to refer back to the chapter for such answers and here was my opportunity to show him the benefit of different strategies. My student was less than thrilled as I demonstrated how my mind map gave me a more solid big picture of the information. I realized in that moment that he "wasn't thrilled" for a big reason. He didn't really care about the content information he was taking notes on.
As I look back with hindsight, I now know that I will need to teach the mind-map strategy using a subject that this student finds interesting. If I teach him how to mind map a story of a science project he has done, or a historical account in his life, or an interesting chapter of a book he is reading, I may hook him on the technique. Just as advertisers must convince consumers that a product will change their lives for the better, a teacher must show students how utilizing a new strategy will make his life easier, especially by shortening study time and increasing test scores.
Not only does using meaningful content help in engaging the student, so does using a strategy that incorporates and highlights their learning strengths. Each learner is unique, so we must not adopt a cookie cutter approach to study skills and strategies.
Teaching is surely a work in progress.

Individualize and Nurture the Passions

2009-02-10T05:31:00.000-08:00

It's not always easy to help kids figure out their paths to success in this complicated world. I think back to my own kids, pictured here 17 years ago, and wonder how "what I know now" could have helped them then. I suppose I instinctively encouraged their strengths somehow in allowing my son Nick the space to explore his "creative" interests, even though it often led to inadvertent property damage as something was ground into the carpet, or propelled into walls. Nick loved to build: legos, Knex and just about anything else he could get his hands on. As he grew older I recall his changing voice beckoning to me, "Mom... can we go to Radio Shack? I just need a couple parts.. it will only be a couple dollars!" Of course, wanting to encourage his scientific exploration, off we went to Radio Shack where, yes, the transistors, resistors, whatever they were called! cost me only a couple of dollars. Of course then there was the negotiation for larger, more expensive items, and Nick worked his magic on me. He is the only kid I know who could negotiate a proposal for a birthday/Christmas gift months before the event. "Come on Mom... then you won't have to buy me anything for my birthday.. "
Nick also loved music as he grew up, and at times, loved to sit at the piano, playing by ear. His musical gift comes from both sides of the family, and brings him joy, even now though it is mostly only expressed through his "guitar hero" playing down at UCLA.
Nick has discovered his passions in life, and at 22, is more highly evolved than his mother for sure! Today he awaits his acceptance into the top engineering graduate schools in the nation. He will be the first PhD in our family. And the coolest thing of all, at least for me, is when he says, 'Hey Mom! Why don't you go to school with me? We could get our doctorates at the same time!"
Yes, I am a proud mom.
P.S. And yes, I am equally proud of my beautiful bright daughter Stefanie as well, and will dedicate a future post to her and her quest for discovery. ( with her permission, of course :-) )

Capture the Moment

2009-02-03T22:22:00.000-08:00

I had a great lesson today in seizing the teachable moment! I was teaching my students the sight word, "she" and we had just sung the song with my Silly Songs for Sight Words CD. Since last week we had marched to our word of the week, this morning as I drove to work I had a brainstorm. I thought it would be fun to do a conga line with our "she" pointers. The students cut out their she's and made their pointers, eager to get in line with me. We chanted together "S" "h" "e" , "SHE!" and repeated it as we did the conga line chanting and dancing with our pointers all around the room.
The best part was when we came back to sit on the carpet. I asked the students why we use these activities to learn. One girl raised her hand, " So we can have fun and learn?" I told them all that fun leads to remembering and so they could help themselves learn by being interested and playful with learning. Someone even said, " so we will like to learn?" and another asked, " so our brains are awake?"
Someone's been listening to my soapbox :-) Even 5 year olds can learn about how to learn.

Fascination

2009-01-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

Fascination is one of the positive emotions that seems to flow naturally when students are truly engaged in learning. I decided to teach my students this word today, using my new "Cognitive Content Dictionary", a strategy I learned in GLAD ( Guided Language Acquisition Development) training a couple weeks ago. I was floored when I heard a student use this word spontaneously, only 10 minutes before I was to teach the lesson. He found it "fascinating" that Miss Brown, our new student teacher, had used such "cool" things to make her 100th day of school collage. Groups of 10: bottle caps, marbles, beads, pennies and other fun items studded the 100 outline and my student was "fascinated." And so was I, fascinated that this 5 year old had spontaneously used this word in my classroom while joyfully exclaiming that the collection was, so cool!
As we talked about fascination, I watched the little faces light up as they shared something they were excited to learn about. The energy seemed to take us, effortlessly, into the rest of our learning day.
Later in the morning, I had a brainstorm, perhaps fueled by the mindful time I had spent pondering my students' interest in the word fascination. I decided to give each child a small notebook with the words, "My Fascination Journal" on the front. I told them that they could write about anything they are fascinated about, whenever they have free time or have finished their work. The response was a group cheer, "Awesome!" One boy drew pictures of planets and copied the words "outer space" above. He wrote " I am fascination by..outer space!" It was adorable.
Fascination fuels discovery and work in a classroom. Kids were looking at picture dictionaries to write about space, bugs, tractors and more, and I promised that we would do some "research" to find facts for their new journals.
I am excited to explore more ways to bring positivity and engagement to my classroom. And I am fascinated by the simplicity in implementing strategies to fuel and harness the power of these emotions.

Putting Positivity into Practice

2009-01-29T14:33:00.000-08:00

I am so excited that Barbara Fredrickson's book, Positivity, http://www.positivityratio.com/book.php is out! It is on it's way from Amazon and will be here in a few days. I took the online quiz, available free on the book's companion website, http://www.positivityratio.com/, and registered to keep track of my daily positive ratios. There are wonderful tools to help learn more about the process of increasing well-being through positive emotions.
Today, as I thought about the range of positive emotions that can be elicited and built upon in the classroom, I decided to focus in on occasions where kids were amused, curious, silly, fascinated, playful and downright cute! As I purposefully savored those moments, I overheard one little girl say to her neighbor, "Are you kidding me?" in the most adult tone that a 5 year old could muster. As I grinned and noticed her watching me, a warmth flowed through my body and a calmness seemed to fall upon the room. I was reminded that kids watch my face often, looking for signs of my reactions, and I need to be mindful of that power. As easily as I can elicit a giggle, it is far easier to elicit a negative emotion or expression.
As I joined my class in singing our regular good morning song with the puppet we so fondly call, Mr. Monkey, I watched the students' faces as Mr. Monkey tried to sing in my ear, or hang from my chair. Whereas in the past I would not have dared to make my kids "silly" for fear of losing classroom control, I now know that eliciting that joy and silliness gives them a safety and a calmness that increases ability to solve problems as they arise during the day.
When a student interrupted, or wanted to tell me a story that we didn't have time for, instead of reminding him to be quiet, I told him how wonderful it would be for him to share that story at snack time. The look of satisfaction on his face was priceless.
I wondered if I could keep up this positivity as recess approached. Thursday is my yard duty day, a day I normally dread. I decided to intentionally strike up conversation with students who were looking a bit lonely, or seemed to need a chat, instead of my normal tendency to look for students getting into trouble. I hugged former students who came to visit, helped a few kids find classmates to play with, and before I knew it, the bell was ringing and recess was over. I couldn't believe how I calm I felt.
After recess and before lunch, I set out to give the district writing assessment to my kindergarten class. Where normally I can help students as they attempt the very difficult task of writing, I was mandated to remain quiet after verbally administering the writing prompt. I knew this would be a stressful endeavor, so I decided to try an experiment. I decided to use manila folders as dividers between students to reduce distractions and eliminate the possibility of cheating. This technique is hardly original, but my adaptation may have been. I asked my new and wonderful student teacher to draw a big smilie face on the side of the folder that the student would be facing while writing. I told my students that this smilie was to remind them to just do their best and that would be just great! As I suspected, the folder reduced the temptation to talk, and also seemed to calm the students. Perhaps it was just serendipitous, but my students performed better than prior classes had performed on a writing assessment at this time of year. And most importantly, no one was stressed out!
Thursday continued on with its positivity and I am reflecting with gratitude as I write. I can't wait for my book to arrive, and I hope that I one day have the chance to meet the author, Barbara Fredrickson, in person and tell her how grateful I am for her research on positive emotions.

If We Nourish, Kids Will Flourish

2009-01-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

So the big question in my mind these days is: What are the necessary ingredients for kids to flourish? I came up with a rhyme ( hey! I teach Kindergarten, I can't help it) and I think that it's relevant and appropriate. If we nourish, kids will flourish. Sounds pretty basic, and definitely attainable until we realize the immense complexities and domains in which we must nourish kids.

The job description seems daunting at times. If you look at any elementary classroom, you will find a group of kids whose basic needs, such as adequate food, medical and dental care, weather-appropriate clothing, and shelter needs are met. In contrast, you will find kids who come to school each day, hurting because they have never been to the dentist, cold, hot or otherwise uncomfortable because of inappropriate clothing. They may be tired, because they aren't falling asleep at night, or irritable, because they ran out of hot water that morning and had a cold shower as they woke from their night's rest. On any given day you might have a child having a meltdown outside the classroom door because, for some reason, that morning has not gone well due to a bad dream, argument with a parent or sibling, or some other emotional interaction. Many people think that a teacher's responsibility is to teach right? A teacher should be able to walk in , lessons ready and teach. But the real job description, perhaps part of the reason for high teacher turnover, is immense. We are to care for a child across all domains: intellectual, emotional, social, physical and psychological. This sounds like the job of a superhero. And perhaps at times, teachers are.

I have begun many of my days at school trying to help a child regulate emotions. Although the moment that child hits my door I am required to be teaching them the standards, I first must recognize the child's emotional state and its impact on their learning( and everyone around them for that matter). Countless mornings I have been mother, caretaker, counselor, and nurse as kids come to school disoriented, upset and not especially ready to learn.

A recent episode comes to mind.

Susie, ( not her real name of course) is outside the classroom with her older sister. Susie does not want to come into the classroom and is clinging to her sister, making her sister late for class. Although my job is to make sure all 20 students are beginning their morning work after completing the routines of putting their things away, I must stop and take care of Susie. I spend at least 10 minutes coaxing Susie into the classroom talking to her about her "bad morning" as she describes it. I hear about how she had a bad dream last night as she clings to me saying, " I just want to stay with you." She tells me about the dream where mosquitoes were eating her. I help walk her through the process of understanding that dreams are not real and that we can tell ourselves to change our thoughts when we get stuck thinking of something unpleasant. I tell her to think of something she "wants" to think of, something that calms her and makes her feel happy. I see a calm come over her as she realizes she can say "stop" to her upsetting thoughts. After 5 more minutes of trailing me around the classroom, clinging to my side, Susie is ready to get to work and I can leave her at her table. Meanwhile 19 other children need me.

Ironically, Susie is from an upper middle class family who seems to have the means to care for their children, at least materially. Susie falls asleep each night to her television and is often banished to her room for misbehavior. She has older siblings she describes as "mean to her" and a parent who thinks that as a teacher I need to "focus less on her." Although I have attempted to enlist the support of her parents, I am on my own in helping this child. Her parent cannot handle the beacon of truth that I shed on the situation. So I must keep on, doing what I can, without the support that could make all the difference. I am doing my best to help Susie flourish by nourishing her the best I can.

I am not a superhero, but a teacher whose mission is to instill a love for learning and a belief that a child can achieve anything he or she sets out to accomplish. I love the wonderful year of Kindergarten. Sometimes the task seems overwhelming, but the rewards are immense. Now only if I had superpowers.

All This Talk About Hope: What does it Mean to You?

2009-01-25T09:23:00.000-08:00

Surgeon and writer Sherwin Nuland meditates on the idea of hope -- the desire to become our better selves and make a better world. In a thoughtful 12 minutes, he explores the connection between "hope" and "change" (TedTalks2003)
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/441

What does hope mean to me? Although this TedTalk by Sherwin Nuland was recorded several years ago, (2003), I listened to it today and found it to be a great inspiration and validation of my advocacy and work for the kids I teach and coach.

So what does hope mean to me?

Hope means that people will work together to solve the current problems and crises in our world: economic, environmental, social, global.
Hope means that the children in my Kindergarten classroom will leave my class in June with a belief that they can achieve anything they set out to do.
Hope means that we can imagine and act intentionally to create a better future by taking action, collaborating with others of like minds and working peacefully to resolve conflicts with those of different minds.
Hope means that we speak out, in belief that others can "handle it" when we stand up for what we know deep in our hearts and souls to be true.
Hope means that we endeavor to act authentically, with a strength and conviction that the human spirit can take us where we need to go.
Hope means that I can inspire a student who struggles with any number of learning challenges, to keep working hard, seek out their strengths and find a way to contribute his/her gift of excellence to the world.
Hope means building efficacy in kids; building the belief that they can achieve a goal, work hard to be excellent at the pursuit they choose.
And finally, hope means that I somehow always seem to know in my heart that any hardship I experience in my life as I strive to make a difference, will make sense later. Life is not always easy; in fact, it rarely is.

How are we all going to continue to fuel hope?

Reference

Nuland, Sherwin (2003,February). A Meditation on Hope. Retrieved January 25, 2009, from Ted Talks Web site: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/sherwin_nuland_on_hope.html

Savor the Treasures

2009-01-25T08:42:00.000-08:00

Today I searched through some of my prior unfinished drafts and serendipitously happened upon this picture and blog entry title: "Savor the Treasures." I decided to reflect for a moment on how often I savor the positives in my classroom. It's all too easy to get caught up in the challenges of classroom/ behavior management each day and forget the sweet treasures my students create and share. This picture from one of my students last year, says her name, my name and then the words "My Friendship". ( Note that we are drawn on a ship surrounded by love!) It is still posted in my classroom as it reminds me not only of her, a very special little girl, but also of the huge importance of relationship with students. We are "in it together" for 180-185 days a year, through tough hours, beautifully inspiring moments and everything in between. It can be incredibly difficult to remember that each word we utter matters and that our actions influence those of our students. As I reflect upon ways to improve individual responsibility as well as classroom cooperation, I will keep in mind this drawing which represents the mutual care that must be present in the classroom. If students don't feel care and respect, they will most certainly be distracted, disruptive or disengaged. My mission this week is to connect with each child in my class in a new way, discussing a new daily reflection mini-page where they will rate themselves on how respectfully, responsibly and safely they behaved each day. Most of all, I will savor the smiles.

I love Wordle! It's a Great Creative Expression for Kids of all Ages!

2009-01-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

In my wandering tonight, mining the internet for gems of inspiration, I came across Wordle, http://www.wordle.net/ which is a great way to make word clouds and designs. ( Thank you to fellow blogger, Ed Shepherd !) http://learningtocollaborate.blogspot.com/

You can have kids brainstorm all words related to a particular theme or academic subject. You can get started making your clouds from your blog page or any list of words your creative child's mind can imagine.

You can let kids write or dictate to you all of the things and people they appreciate too. It's a great gratitude collage!

You decide things like font, color, size, shape and you hit the button and Magic!! It's great fun to explore how you can enhance meaning through color and other artistic elements.

Your design is created and you can play around and change it, create an image of it to use as a poster or even a mug or t-shirt!

I love to play with words and images, so you can imagine what I will be showing my students and all my friends!

Taking Care of Ourselves: A look at Positive Emotion Research

2009-01-22T04:46:00.000-08:00

The writing below is one of my favorite inspirational passages, posted on the University of Carolina Chapel Hill Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab website. I am a huge fan of Barbara Fredrickson and her Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotions.

http://www.unc.edu/peplab/purpose.html

You have -- within you -- the fuel to thrive and to flourish,
and to leave this world in better shape than you found it.
Sometimes you tap into this fuel – other times you don’t.
But the sad fact is that most people have no idea
how to tap into this fuel or even recognize it when they do.
Where is this fuel within you?

You tap into it whenever you feel energized and excited by new ideas.
You tap into it whenever you feel at one with your surroundings, at peace.
You tap into it whenever you feel playful, creative, or silly.
You tap into it whenever you feel your soul stirred by the sheer beauty of existence.
You tap into it whenever you feel connected to others and loved.
In short, you tap into it whenever positive emotions resonate within you

The Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill exists to answer a single question: 'What good is it to feel good?' Our purpose is to understand and to share the full significance of positive emotions.

We have three core ideals:
• To do high-quality science
• To answer questions that matter to humanity, and
• To have fun and feel good about doing it.

Our goal is to uncover the universal recipe for human flourishing and to give this recipe as a gift to the world. Our science to date tells us that genuine positive emotions may in fact be the single most important active ingredient in this recipe for flourishing. When this ingredient is lacking, or in poor supply – people get stuck. They lose their freedom of choice. They become stagnant and painfully predictable. But when this ingredient is in ample supply – people take off. They become generative, creative, resilient, ripe with possibility and beautifully unpredictable.
Our research team is working to show how it is that being moved by positive emotions can move you forward, and not only lift you to your higher ground, but also create a world that is worth giving to our children.
I think that the ideas expressed above are key to providing an opportunity for children to flourish. We must take action to create opportunities for ourselves to grow and thrive so that we have something to give to our children.
Here are some ways I have incorporated these ideas:
I have experienced the power of playfulness with my Kindergarten class as I sing the good morning song with my monkey puppet, Mr. Monkey.
I have witnessed the way children feel loved and connected when I use the puppet to give them a good morning hug as we sing together.
I try to pursue my creative outlets anytime I can! I spent countless hours making cards for the holidays, making big messes and letting my creative soul wander.
I play games with my own college kids when they come to visit: we play Scattergories and laugh about how hard it is to come up with different answers when you are of "like minds".
I teach sight words in my classroom with "Silly Songs for Sight Words." I encourage my students to come up with their own silly lyrics!
I stop my car along the ocean each morning as I begin my journey to work. I listen to the beautiful roar and watch the waves, savoring the magnificence of nature.
I share my passions, soapboxes and ideas with anyone who will listen!
I feel incredibly blessed and at peace as I write this, knowing that despite the fact that the rain woke me during the night, I have fueled myself in a positive direction by writing and releasing my creative energy.

Relationships Are the Key

2009-01-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

On this historic day when we put our hope and faith into a new president, I can't help but return to my never-ending idealist belief that relationships are truly the key to leading a fulfilling life. I often tell people that one of my greatest dreams in life was to raise my kids to be hardworking, kind, and enlightened individuals who were not afraid to take the challenges of this world head on. And I have seen that dream come true.

My relationship with my kids is one of candor and honesty, trust and communication. We engage in thoughtful philosophical conversations about our world and what we can do to be a part of a positive change. Of course in raising them I surely made mistakes, especially as a single parent, much of the time floundering to find myself, finish my education, and pursue a career with meaning. I do believe that one of the reasons my kids blossomed and flourished is that they had many trusting relationships, with aunts, uncles, grandparents and others. They also had teachers who looked out for them, gave them a safe place to explore and learn, and let them know when they weren't quite working as hard as they could be. I appreciated the honesty of all who cared for my children. And I hope that as we build relationships with teachers, coaches, neighbors and relatives who work with us in caring for our children, that we can communicate honestly and openly for the benefit of us all.

Hope for The Future Generation

2009-01-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

What an exciting day as we watched the inauguration of our 44th president. I was thrilled to be able to talk to my class about how we were "watching history." They were engaged and interested to watch the ceremony on the big screen, full of questions later on about where the president will live and what he will do.
As I watched the contagious excitement of those present at the inauguration and listened to the amazingly coherent, moving speech of President Obama, I couldn't help but feel hope for the kids watching him today, perhaps the first president they will remember later in their lives. I feel moved to work with others to achieve common goals to help kids flourish. I feel excited that people will have a trust and hopefully hear the call to action that our new President has sent out.
It's a time of change, yes. It's also a time to take our freedom as a responsibility to do our part in turning this country around. We can start right now, by taking care of the young people in our lives, nourishing them and watching them flourish into hopeful, motivated young adults who will make their marks on the world.

Savor The Moments and The Memories

2009-01-19T14:55:00.000-08:00

My beautiful bright daughter Stefanie, pictured at left about 17 years ago with my also amazing son, Nick, just left today after a wonderful visit, and is on her trek back to college for the new semester. I always get a bit reflective when my kids come to visit, and inevitably in the silence that follows their departure I find myself staring wistfully at pictures, wishing I had savored more of the simple, yet special moments as they were growing up. I don't have regrets; my mind doesn't really work that way. I just wish I could go back and feel the excitement with my young children as they prepared to go trick or treating. On that particular evening, pictured at left,I was probably off to my job as a cashier in a supermarket. Their dad, also doing his best as a single parent, had the pleasure of taking them trick or treating that Halloween. My work was a necessity and I did the best I could. But I definitely missed out on some of the priceless moments.
Stefanie reminisced about the year we had an annual pass to Disneyland; how I would pick her and her brother up from school and announce, "We're going to Disneyland," on cloudy winter afternoons. We lived close enough to go just for a few hours and giddily sped through the turnstiles to go on ride after ride with no waiting in line. It was fun to surprise my kids with these fun outings.
Stefanie and I also remembered fondly the many summer days spent on the beach in Laguna and Dana Point, with both kids boogie boarding, body surfing and building sand castles until I had to go work at night at the store. They would entertain each other for hours and I would rest up for my night at work. I can remember playing frisbee and throwing the football around too after a little voice would whisper, "Hey, Mom! Want to play?" Although I am quite certain that I must have made a lot of mistakes as a parent, the one thing that makes me happy is that my kids have grown into amazing, resilient, giving individuals who learned how to be in happy, healthy relationships at about the same time I had mastered that milestone as a mid-life adult.
Stefanie has grown into a thoughtful, sensitive, aware young woman who wants to make a difference in the world. We had several conversations during our visit about the value in savoring experiences, whether it is the delicious blueberry waffles we concocted for breakfast, or the beautiful hike through a state park we ventured to yesterday. I am so happy that she has learned the amazing power of savoring and enjoying the beautiful things in life, from cooking with lots of garlic, "Come on , Mom, it's good for you!" to photographing heart-shaped rocks on her trip to Joshua Tree. Somehow she inherited my passion for all things hearts. And I love that!
Although I am sad to see her leave, I am savoring the memory of her visit. I always tell her that when she is here, I feel like I have all the parts of me and that when she is away, I am somehow missing a limb. I am happy and filled with gratitude for her independence and success but looking forward to the time when I will have her living close-by again. So, all you parents who read this, savor those moments, and don't forget to savor the memories too.

Connect with Your Kids

2009-01-16T05:18:00.000-08:00

I often hear people saying, " I ask my kids how their day was, or what they learned in school and all I get is a shrug of the shoulders and a " I don't know." I think it's very helpful to realize that right after school, many kids are tired. Emotionally tired from interacting with others all day, physically tired from thinking and playing all day, and just plain tired! Kids do want to tell us about their lives; just come into Kindergarten for an hour and count how many times a child wants to tell me a story about something going on in his or her life.

I think that having regular modes of fun communication with your child can help bridge this gap between what you want to know and what they tell you! Here are some ideas to make communicating and connecting with your child fun and meaningful.

Interactive Journal: If you are a teacher, you can probably talk about the wonderful benefits to literacy when kids write to you in an interactive journal. At home parents and kids can write in a journal as a way of connecting without talking aloud. You could draw a picture, doodle a message, tell a funny joke, or ask a fun question like, " What was one exciting or interesting thing that happened today?" Your child will have a chance to respond to you, ( without you reading over his/her shoulder) with a written answer, a picture, or simply a question back to you. The goal is to continue a conversation, and the conversation is about your child's world. It's not a place to correct spelling, but a place to celebrate the wonderful relationship you have with this amazing thoughtful young person.
Model the Way: Model how to share important events of the day by sharing with your spouse or another adult in your child's presence. Many times we don't talk about ourselves with other adults in front of our children because we think they are too young or aren't interested in our stories. Of course it is important to share stories that are appropriate, but the key is that if you want kids to learn to share, you must model the way :-)

Magic Message: Kids love magic and fun! At the beach, write a message to your child in the sand. Let him answer and then continue the conversation. At home, write a message with kid shower gel/foam on the bathtub wall. Kids love to write in shaving cream, supervised of course!
Family Gratitude Board: Hang a dry erase or bulletin board where everyone will see it at some point each day. It could be a small board in the laundry room, kitchen, even bathroom! Each member of the family writes about something they appreciate about someone in the family. Parents can model their appreciation for each other as well to show children that sometimes people can have a conflict, but still appreciate and thank each other. Let each child choose his color to write with. The key is: be consistent and demonstrate the power of gratitude. Many studies prove that expressing gratitude makes people experience well-being.
Surprise them with Sticky Notes: Kids of all ages enjoy notes cheering them on or supporting them through a new challenge. Help your child take on a new challenge by celebrating their little wins. Communicate that you are so thankful to have them in your family. Writing is a powerful way of communicating that leaves something behind for the child to read, again and again. Give them sticky notes to write their own for you :-)
There are many ways to connect and build a trusting relationship with your child. Stay tuned for more in our next episode!

Follow Your Heart

2009-01-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Sunset in Santa Cruz
I have been thinking a lot about my decision to move to Santa Cruz about 2 years ago. Although I have to leave very early in the morning to make my commute less stressful, I must say that I did the right thing to live where I feel peaceful. Each morning as I drive along the cliff, I remind myself to stop for at least a minute or 2, roll down the windows, and listen to the ocean, sometimes a roar, and sometimes a quiet swish. As I feel deeply the gratitude for living in such a beautiful place, I prepare myself for my day, and build a confidence that no matter what happens, I can handle it! I live alone currently as I await my new husband's VISA so I have been working 2 jobs to afford my place. I was afraid that I would not be able to afford to live here and can remember those closest to me telling me that a place where I feel peaceful and free will inspire me to be the best I can be. And they were so right.
Since I moved to Santa Cruz, I have explored my love for writing, and recently signed a contract with Scholastic for my "Silly Songs for Sight Words". I have dabbled in creative card-making, hiked to beautiful waterfalls in Big Basin State Park, and have run on the beach at sunset every chance I get get!

Courage to be the Best You Can be

2009-01-12T20:22:00.001-08:00

This morning as I drove to work I was bombarded by thoughts of this blogging and new writing kick I have been on. I began to think about how what we really need to do in this world is to have the courage to be the best we can be. I remembered using the analogy of "swimming in the deep end of the pool," when talking with a friend who was frustrated by another friend's willingness to settle for mediocrity in his marriage and his life. In our eventual analysis, we described this person as playing it safe by "staying in the shallow end", occasionally venturing bravely into the deep end of the pool but then hanging onto the side for dear life. He was fairly content to either stay in the shallow end for the duration. To my friend, who cared deeply about him, this option did not make sense.
I'm not sure why today I thought of this analogy. Perhaps I return to it when I step out of my comfort zone. This week I do a presentation at the California Kindergarten Conference, which is a bit challenging! Perhaps I return to it sometimes when I stick my toe into the deep end, wanting desperately to dive in, but afraid that I can't handle it's challenge. This posting on Squidoo, and working on this blog have put me out there for people to evaluate, to judge, to see. I do believe I am up for the challenge. I am diving in.. um.. yeah.. after I get my feet wet.

I think Nelson Mandela's speech, originally written by Marianne Williamson says it all.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."