Category: culture and community

A Different Kind of Practice for this PYP Educator

A Different Kind of Practice for this PYP Educator

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As a Primary Years Programme educator, we often refer to ourselves as “practitioners” not teachers. That’s an interesting choice of words, isn’t it? Does it make you wonder what it is that we practice?

As it is the beginning of a new year, we have an opportunity to reflect on the accomplishments of last year and contemplate the goals of the 365 days that lay before us. Considering how I am fresh from a holiday mindfulness meditation retreat at Thai Plum Village, it’s easy for me to focus on who I want to become, not just what I want to do like “get in better shape” in the new year.  In fact, I have been contemplating what it means to be a practitioner and examining what I want to “practice” more in 2019, not just with the students, but with all the human beings that I am in contact with. There are 3 things that I’d like to become more proficient as a “practitioner”.

Practice #1: Patience

My daughter just turned 9 years old on December 27th. Future (6)During her celebration, I always remember how I actually went into labor on December 25th, Christmas Day, but it took her 2 more days to make her entrance. That pretty much sums up my daughter for you. She likes to take her time. She’s cautious. She saunters. She has a mind of her own. And at times I feel frustrated and eager to “get going”–a phrase I use with her often. Naturally, this sort of tug and pull with time can create tension and frustration between us. So it makes me wonder what other relationships do I need to practice more patience in and in what situations does the need for exercising patience arise?

I think of moments in which I lean into my students, stopping to listen to them fully. This is what often is the fodder for a “teachable moment”. But as I ponder these “Teachable Moments”, they don’t have to be miraculous events in a lesson. I think there are numerous opportunities to allow time for understanding to organically emerge through our interactions.  But I watch the clock, thinking about our schedules all the time. Of course, this is just one dimension of developing patience in daily school lives. What if I tried to do less to accomplish more in our inquiries, instead of trying to march through our “standards” and “learning objectives” so I can take a breath and provide more space for them to share and reflect. I know this will take more skillfulness in asking questions and planning provocations, but if I am patient, if I am deeply listening to students, I know that these skills can naturally develop. I don’t have to read the latest and greatest professional books, I can just pay better attention to my learners. They are my best teachers. They are my professional curriculum.

It also seems obvious, but a pregnant pause during a conversation with colleagues would also genuinely help me to be more attentive to the ideas and concerns of others. I don’t have to rush in and share a thought or opinion. I can be patient and listen. I can also be patient when it comes to email replies or tasks to be ticked off my to-do list. There is really no shortage of opportunities to practice patience in my work-life.

Practice #2: Joy

If you were to ever meet me in person, I often say “Happy Monday.”..or Tuesday…or whatever day it is when I am walking to my classroom in the morning. To me, it’s a pleasure and honor to get to do the work that I do; I don’t HAVE TO do it, I GET TO do it. I wasn’t always like this. I remember there was a time in which I taught High School that I dreaded Monday. I had to cultivate happiness and when you are a curmudgeon, it feels like an effort to see what is right in a situation. Sharing a smile is where I began. I would stand in the doorway, greeting my Integrated Science students, smiling and inviting them into class. If they smiled back at me–SCORE!!–I knew that they were ready to learn. It felt like a genuine accomplishment. It lifted my spirits and eventually transformed my experience of working with adolescents.

When I started working with younger students, especially the Early Years, it was really hard to be grumpy. If you come across grouchy, those kids lose interest in building a relationship with you. And I can’t say I blame them. So I learned quickly that I was better off singing a song powerplant.jpegor playing a game to get them to focus while I explained something. But those outward actions don’t hide the frustration and agitation going on inside. I had to learn how to calm down internally–still am, for that matter–so that I can bathe our classroom community in that calming presence.

A few years ago, I came across Brendon Burchard, a life coach who preaches that you have to “Bring the Joy” to wherever you go. I honestly hadn’t considered that phenomena, and developing that level of energy and enthusiasm is a life skill that I think all of us should master. It sure makes life more fun and interesting. Here is a quick video on this concept if you are keen to learn more:

Nevertheless, I have been working on “generating” joy on demand. If you go to a Zen retreat like I did, it becomes very easy to learn how returning to our breath is an opportunity to find happiness in the present moment. You don’t have to be a Buddhist to stop, breath, and tune into the present moment. I practiced it for a whole week, and I intend to continue practicing it. There is joy in simply being alive when you connect to the present moment, slow down and look deeply into the situation. It’s very hard to transcribe this experience to you so that you can see how beneficial this practice is for you. But any opportunity to learn mindfulness is advised and I would recommend You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh to be a lovely place to start.

Needless to say, becoming more mindful is an opportunity to practice joy in the classroom. Years ago, when I was forcing myself to smile, I had no idea how I was laying down neurological tracks in my brain for peace in my body.

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.

Read more: Thich Nhat Hanh

Smiling literally changes us, sending off a cascade of chemical signals that tell our bodies that indeed there is something to be happy about. And I have noticed that my smile turns into laughter: quiet chuckles and boisterous guffaws. I wish to practice more of this joy-on-demand this year, and, more importantly, teach it to students. Who knows, maybe I will lucky enough to articulate well to adults, who have more fixed ideas and stories around joyfulness.

Practice #3: Understanding

This practice might be the hardest for me. I know in the PYP, we talk about developing empathy and perspective in our students, but as an adult, our judgment and self-righteousness are hard to shake off at times. At least for me, if I am being honest.

But I am beginning to appreciate that I often don’t have enough information in order to form an opinion about something or someone. I need to practice understanding, taking time to ask questions and observe a situation more closely before drawing a conclusion. It doesn’t happen in one conversation, in one meeting. It takes time, and, again, deep listening, in order to develop clarity.

Let me give you a current example. I have a student that I am pretty sure has dyslexia. The statistics are that 1 in 5 students have it. Seeing how I have 18 students in my class, there’s a high probability that at least 1 student in my class has it, so I am biased to be looking for this reading difficulty to start with. This student has many of the features of dyslexia, but I should not be quick to label him. I need more time to observe and reflect on how he sees words, writes letters and numbers, and hear sounds. We’ve already started interventions with him, so we have to continue reflecting on his response to these approaches. In other words, I need to truly understand him in order to teach him since he learns differently than average kids–which is really what this label of “dyslexia” really means. But he is not the only student that deserves this. All students do.

So for me, developing understanding goes beyond examining data, it is an appreciation for the motivations and emotions of each student–and for my colleagues for that matter. Understanding the “why” behind the behavior, including my own, is so important in cultivating enriching interactions. Approaching others with curiosity and a “beginner’s mind” can help renew my relationship with them and cultivate a fresh perspective of situations, providing me with greater awareness and opportunities to explore different approaches.

New Year or Same Year?

As I carefully consider how I might approach being a teacher and a PYP practitioner differently, I know that there will be moments of genuine effort involved in order to create a NEW YEAR. Because if I just continue repeating habits and behaviors of the past, the calendar may say that it’s a new year, but in truth, unless I change, it’s the same year all over again. It is my intention to develop myself emotionally, as well as intellectually, as I embark upon a new dimension of my professional practice.

Perhaps you have begun to consider who you want to be as an educator as well. What do you want to practice more of in the year to come–what emotions or attitudes do you want to cultivate? Feel free to share in the comments below so that others can be inspired by the energy of your commitment.

I wish you a genuinely Happy New Year.

May you be well.

May you be safe.

May you be peaceful.

May you be love.

May you be happy.

What Can Pedagogical Leaders Do to Grease the Wheels of Innovation in Their Schools?

What Can Pedagogical Leaders Do to Grease the Wheels of Innovation in Their Schools?

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When you hear the innovative what does that mean to you as an educator?

I think for a long time we thought if we superimposed the business model upon schools, analyzing and improving our school’s mission, operations, outcomes, and personnel, we’d produce high-performance metrics and fiscal efficiency. Gains in test scores and budget expectations would be innovation in itself, but as we examine the high-stress that the high-stakes initiatives have created, it’s hard to call this improvement in education. In fact, I think this approach has been demonized rather than lauded, and countries like New Zealand are backing off standards-based approaches and beginning to embrace a competency-based model of student achievement, as personalized learning is beginning to become more of a focus. I know there a quite a few schools that question “What is school?” and are moving away from classrooms into “studios” while other schools would be better off calling themselves “resorts” in which the whole school timetable is collapsed, and children are at complete choice. Yet there are other schools such as these in America, that look at this same question, “What is school?” and has defined it differently, expanding it beyond the school campus, and look at how they can connect more to nature and their local community for an authentic experience of learning. I think several of these schools ask a more interesting question, instead of “What is school?”, “What is worth learning?” 

deweyLet me explain a bit: recently I sat down with a Grade 11 student to explain how gene therapy works for her Personal Project on cancer treatments (Previous to teaching, I aspired to get my Ph.D. in Genetics and conducted gene therapy research). But as I was chatting with her, discussing the biological mechanism of the treatment strategies, I really wanted to pull out some literature on epigenetics, an emerging field that demonstrates that we have more control over our genetics than we think–a paradigm that I know has yet to get written into the textbooks. So when I encountered this quote below, it made me think about all of the things we teach as “facts” that have contradictory evidence which would shift perspectives and approaches to solving problems in our future:

A school’s mission is to prepare children for the future by teaching them skills, knowledge, and values, which it can only do by drawing on the past—that is, by teaching them what we know now. Much of the curriculum is fixed or slow-changing (fractions, the meanings of Hamlet, the causes of the American Revolution), and many schools emphasize their commitment to enduring truths and established traditions. Education is a conservator’s work. Good teaching is always creative, but not perpetually innovative, and while it benefits from regular refreshers and occasional overhauls, it doesn’t demand the kind of continuous updating that, say, law or medicine or high technology do. Continuity is a core value in school life.

–Robert Evans, Why A School Doesn’t Run—or Change—Like A Business

With this in mind, I think as schools begin to grapple with defining innovation for their unique context, they need to look at both of these questions: What is school?, perhaps looking at this as the operational side of it, and What is worth learning?, the outcomes that we’d want to be achieved. I’d also say that we need to consider “How do we learn?” as an important question to add to our conversations, as we consider the role of technology and connecting to communities as a component of our school’s mission.

innovationThese questions aren’t answered in a 2-hour meeting, they are inquired into over time, in an institutional self-study, and requires getting teachers voice, choice, and ownership in initiatives. So often lofty goals subtract the perspective of teachers, who are the ones held accountable to many of the suggested changes. Pedagogical leaders choose efficiency over effectiveness, and often side-step the very educators who are laying the foundation of change in their learning institutions. Including teachers in all of these conversations, from the initial inquiry into “What is school?” is not only what is best practice when it comes to leadership, but it is critical to buy-in and sustainable transformation. I can’t help but reiterate this, simply because innovation doesn’t happen in closed-door meetings, it’s a community-driven mission, and it requires all stakeholders. I’ll stop my preaching here, but schools need a collaborative approach to cultivating lasting change that has a true impact on our students.

Needless to say, this is a process of probing a school’s values and traditions and asking if they are truly serving to benefit their students and preparing them for their future. All the research I’ve read suggests that when those foundational questions are asked, then a clear and compelling mission and vision can be the springboard to transforming schools. Once that comes into laser focus, the next layer to innovation, involves reflecting on the following set of questions:

  1. How can we create the conditions for a shared vision and a shared instructional language?
  2. How can we provide resources for research and development for teachers and the time to go along with deepening their understanding?
  3. How can we create conditions for team learning? How can you adopt looking at student work protocols?
  4. How can we create conditions for institutional learning?

Common ground and understanding are what creates a culture of community and self-efficacy that is organic and supportive of school goals. These 4 questions develop the glue that keeps the motivation for innovation intact. If I had to pin a job description on pedagogical leadership, it would be to do just that: to keep moving people forward, together, for the better.

I hope these questions give you a pause for reflection and make you start observing your school’s context in a new light, surveying the current values and traditions within your walls of learning. Moreover, I hope it motivates you to start these conversations and start unpacking WHO YOU ARE as a school and start designing WHO YOU CAN BECOME. In my opinion, if more schools had conversations like these, we’d move away from looking at the 1-dimensional performance metrics and expand our awareness and creativity into new territories for education.

The Only Thing You Need To Do To Develop Student Agency

The Only Thing You Need To Do To Develop Student Agency

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Every school is trying to define and articulate how they are developing “Agency” in their curriculum, but I’m going to tell you the only thing you need to know. I’ve come to realize that it’s not that complicated. First of all, if the term confuses you, change it to “Independence”, because that is what it really means. Don’t overthink this jargon. Now, simplifying this term should help you to realize that you don’t need to create huge innovative initiatives at your school. In fact, I believe it doesn’t begin with our heads, it starts in our hearts. So what is the ONLY thing you need to develop student agency (i.e. independence)?–It’s TRUST. So ask yourself right now, Do I trust my students?

That’s a really important question so sit with it for a minute because our level of trust gets communicated with our words and actions (or inaction) toward our students every day in our classrooms. Have a think about this quote from Peter Johnson, author of Choice Words.

When you figure something out for yourself, there is a certain thrill in the figuring. After a few successful experiences, you might start to think that figuring things out is something that you actually can do. Maybe you are even a figuring out kind of person, encouraging an agentic dimension to identity. When you are told what to do, particularly without asking, it feels different. Being told explicitly what to do and how to do it–over and over again–provides the foundation for a different set of feelings about what you can do and can’t do, and who you are. The interpretation might be that you are the kind of person who cannot figure things out for yourself.

A few weeks ago we had a parent meeting, and there was a lovely debate about what was “better” about teaching through inquiry vs. traditional methods. Parents questioned why education was moving in this direction that felt “slow” to them. “What has changed since we grew up?” was the essence of that sentiment. Perhaps you could say that technology has taught us teachers that we are not the beacons of knowledge anymore–but I replied “brain research”. In my opinion that is really the heart of why we are shifting because inquiry-based approaches have been around since the time of Socrates–maybe even longer. This approach isn’t new either, it’s really an ancient technology that is making a comeback, if you will, in education. However, now we have evidence that our brains get wired differently when we have passive vs. active learning experiences. Since these ideas are still under research, not many schools develop metacognition through the use of using neurological terms like synaptogenesis and neural plasticity, but I do think that the term Growth Mindset has become more commonplace which reflects this phenomenon. Having a Growth Mindset is the key to cultivating the confidence that encourages this “agentic dimension to identity”, as Peter Johnson calls it.

So what does trust look like? We’ve filtered it down to 3 things: giving students more choice, voice, and ownership in their learning. And because we are educators, we feel the need to unpack this, create criteria and continuum that demonstrate the growth of these things in our classrooms.  If you are not sure what I am talking about, here’s an example:continuum-voice-web

It’s a great reflection tool for us when we examine the culture of learning in our classrooms and schools, but this is not in and of itself the means by which agency is developed–we are not trying to force kids into action (not that these teachers are suggesting this with this infographic but I know there are some school leaders who may take it that way) just so we can say that we are ticking the box when it comes to “Voice” with student agency. Truthfully, our kids come with lots of “voice” when they first arrive at school–we can just “shush it” out of them. I know, I am an Early Years educator, and there are lots of gentle and not so gentle ways of doing this; it’s a burden to consider how much our classroom culture shapes their identity and confidence level in these formative years.  But their voice is the expression of their thoughts, and when we suppress that, we limit their motivation to think and contribute to problem-solving situations. Furthermore, if we never offer them choices, then there is no practice in making good decisions, which means “ownership” is void. How can you “own” something you never have the privilege of thinking carefully about and solve problems around? I’m sure you can relate to this through your own experience.Future (5).png

In my mind, this quote from Ron Ritchart really summarizes the work we do to not only create “cultures of thinking” but foster agency. When we promote students making connections and the mindset of “I can do this”, it is no longer a question of IF they will take action, it’s just a matter of WHEN. And we have to TRUST that too–that time is on their side.

Recently we had a student-led Performing Arts assembly that was outstanding. It was extraordinary because every element of that assembly was created by students. Our performing arts teacher, Graham Baines (aka PYP Chef), provided the props and structure, but otherwise, it was purely the students. They’ve been working on a personal “dream goal” for months, spending break time, lunchtime and after-school time to practice and perfect the performance that they designed independently or in collaborative groups. Here is one of the fun student performances–an audience favorite:

It was such a stark contrast from previous assemblies which felt awkward, tense (at moments) and contrived, from the teacher written MC scripts to the songs performed to the order of the acts. This one was energizing, fun and inspiring. There is no doubt that other students will be eager to put in the effort and time to improve their “dream goal” and perform for a large crowd just like this. Also, imagine how those students feel with having such wonderful success, which they get to completely own. However, Graham had to completely trust the students and relinquish control of “the show”, even if it meant that his reputation might be diminished as a teacher in our parent and teacher community.  I have high regard and appreciation for that level of vulnerability and visible courage, as he broke the mold when it came to providing this opportunity to students.

So, with that in mind, how can we not only let go of trying to control everything and trusting students but how can we get more of their thinking expressed in general? Because when we give them space, I truly believe that they will exceed our expectations and their own.

Co-Teaching Wisdom: 4 Things That Are Worth Your Jelly Beans

Co-Teaching Wisdom: 4 Things That Are Worth Your Jelly Beans

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Do you believe in coincidence? Sometimes I feel like the universe is conspiring on my behalf as if some unseen force can hear my silent thoughts rattling around in my head, and finding ways to provide me with answers or at least some nudges towards a better version of Me. This epiphany is compliments of one of my teaching teammates, my Grade 1 partner in crime, Pam Daly. It’s the Jellybean Philosophy. If you haven’t heard of it, please watch:

Why this resonates so much for me is that, as someone who has worked in highly collaborative schools, in which co-teaching is the norm, asking: “Is this “worth my jelly bean?” is so vital to developing and sustaining relationships, as well as keeping teams on track. When teams distill what is essential to their learning culture, then so much of the shaft can be removed from the wheat.

With that in mind, I feel that there are 4 critical areas that create a sound foundation for teamwork and collaboration. Spending time on these things are absolutely worth your “jelly beans” when developing strong teacher teams.

  1. Commit to the “We”
  2. Share a common language
  3. Generate unified goals
  4. Listen for the Voice of the Students

Commit to Being a “We”

There’s a great book that I highly recommend pedagogical leaders to read: The Power of Teacher Teams by Vivian Troen and Katherine Boles. It discusses the stages and strategies for building effective teaching teams. I think when teams are made explicitly aware that they’re in a very intimate relationship with one another, and the impact they make won’t be judged by one individual alone but by their combined efforts, I think this is an important perspective that should be made front and center. In the beginning, relationships are tenuous, but the sooner teams commit to getting along and growing strong together, the easier it will be to bring out the best and loving each other, warts and all.phil jackson And I know this sounds odd, but the sooner teams experience conflict or adversity, the better off they will be at developing clear communication and trust.

Although we’d like to be at our best 365 days a year, 7 days a week, the truth is we have difficult moments. We get distressing news, or a bad night of sleep or a toothache–some emotional or physical stress which makes it hard to teach at our highest levels. And when our patience is strained, our ingenuity is diminished, this is when we need to lean on each other; supporting one another through the ups and downs is really the tell-tale sign of a true team. As a team member, you can create an oath or vow to demonstrate a commitment to becoming “WE”. Here’s my really corny one:

I do solemnly swear to not be a jerk on purpose. And if I offend you in some way, please let me know so I can work to improve my communication and develop a caring relationship with you. Likewise, if you do or say something that upsets me, it is my responsiblity to communicate this feeling in a respectful manner so that I do not habor resentment towards you. Our relationship matters to me and most important, to our students.

I think if teams are grounded in a commitment to get along and be strong, assuming positive intention becomes a staple, and then people can approach each other with curiosity vs. judgment.

Share a Common Language

Feeling that there is equity in a relationship is huge, and one thing that can divide or bring a team together is our language. Now I’m not talking about how polite or eloquent we may speak, although that might be helpful, it is having a clear idea of what different pedagogical terms mean to one another. As someone who has worked in a myriad of educational contexts, I NEVER assume that my colleagues and I define terms in the same way because we come from different cultural perspectives and pedagogical backgrounds–even if we all share the same country on our passports! Here are some just a few terms that often need to be checked for shared understanding (no right or wrong here, by the way):

  • best practice
  • play
  • good writing
  • critical thinking
  • rubric
  • running records
  • formative assessment
  • inquiry-based learning
  • transdisciplinary
  • math terminology
  • learning outcomes/learning intentions/learning objectives
  • developmentally appropriate
  • parent communication
  • home learning

I often found that unpacking these commonly used terms helps to develop an appreciation and understanding of our influences and philosophies, helping teams to come into agreement and alignment, paving the way for fruitful collaboration and respectful interactions.

Generate Unified Goals

A couple years ago I read Phil Jackson’s book, Eleven Rings. I’m not a basketball fan, but I was immensely interested in how a coach develops teams with all those egos in one room. And if there is one thing that I took away from the book is that the desire to win can be overwhelming. Although we may not be amazing at layups and scoring 3-pointers, teachers are driven to make a difference and genuinely want to make a positive impact on student outcomes. We want to “win” too. That, in a nutshell, is the goal, right?–it’s what should unite us? So just like Phil Jackson worked to make his players masters at the “triangle offense”, I’d like to quote Todd Henry, teams need to master focus, function, and fire. Here are some suggested goals:

Focus: What needs our collective attention?

Our energy is a finite resource, so asking this question can generate consensus and ensure that we are driving in the same direction. Data always helps to facilitate these conversations.

Function: How can we use our planning time efficiently?

Setting goals for a co-planning session create a sense of purpose and make a big difference to the productivity levels of teams. Having an agenda and defining whose role it is to follow-up or follow-through on something is a highly effective tool to help teams become more collaborative and synergistic.

Fire: Why are we here?

Most of us care very deeply about the impact we make in schools. The “5 Whys” suggested by Simon Sinek can help inspire teams to determine their beliefs and purpose. When we are rooted in our purpose, it’s easy to be more authentic on our teams because our shared connections and values will be revealed. And this context helps us to see beyond our different cultures or training, recognizing that the heart of what we do is ultimately similar.

It also makes it easier to develop our professional growth goals as a team and support one another in becoming our best selves.  As long as we walk in the direction of that goal or goals, we are growing together and our collaboration will naturally deepen.

Listen for the Voice of the Students

Four ears are better than two. And how about six ears or eight ears?-Wow we are bound to hear the ideas and conversations that abound from our students! When we keep our senses on alert, we are bound to capture the understandings that are evolving which can guide decision-making.

collaboration.jpegAfter I spent the weekend with Margaret Maclean, I  have come to a greater appreciation for the need to have a perspective into our classrooms. Using protocols to capture what is happening in the classroom can be highly enlightening and lowers our threat of exposing personal vulnerabilities. There are several websites that offer protocols that can reveal ways that we can engage in deeper analysis of student learning. Using tools like protocols are helpful because it documents and funnels the evidence of student learning into productive discussions. Focusing on student learning is the most worthwhile “jelly bean” there is.

 

Our time is precious. Our time with our students even more so. We have to develop strategies and use tools to help us become effective and productive teaching team–not to mention happy ones. I hope these 4 ideas will help you to sort your “jellybeans” into meaningful moments and develop greater clarity of purpose with your teaching team. Please share below any other ideas that you feel are necessary to have strong teacher collaboration–I would love to hear it!

 

Feedback: The Teacher Kind

Feedback: The Teacher Kind

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I can’t help but chuckle when I walk into the library and see this engraved nameplate with the message Every day I’m hustling on our librarian’s desk.He Said She Said - Everyday I'm Hustlin It’s so true, each of us is busy, doing our best, in the ways we know how to eke out “a’ learning“ in our schools.

One of my colleagues told me recently, “I think you have very high expectations.” I’m still trying to figure out if this was a compliment or a suggestion to ease up a bit. (If you knew me, you’d be laughing out loud). But at least 5 days out of 7,  I wake up and the first thing on my mind is learning. It’s not what I might eat for breakfast or what I may do on the weekend, it’s usually about a provocation or a concern I have about a student or something “Google” since I’ve been working on my Google Trainer Certification. When school is in session, I’m definitely hustling. But does it have to feel like a “hustle”? Like I’m tricking someone into learning?

Every morning, one of the first things I do is take my dog outside and I walk around my garden, listening to a podcast. I feel like I got a partial answer to my queries.

We tend to think of feedback in schools as what teachers say to kids. Traditionally as a kid, I got feedback through what teachers wrote in notes on my papers, or grades that I got. But feedback, the more important kind of feedback, is student to teacher feedback. And John Hattie writes about this in his work, the classrooms where there is student to teacher feedback it correlates well with student achievement.

Carl Anderson, from a Teacher’s Guide to Writing Conference, Heinemann Podcast

As I reflect on his words, I recognize that we are 6 weeks into school already and there hasn’t been a whiff of student-to-teacher feedback. But today that changes.  I sincerely want to know How am I doing as your teacher?

When experiencing failure, remember: This is a Start

I put up an Activity Post on Seesaw to provide our 1st Grade students to tell us their “2 Stars and a Wish”. We told them that this is a secret teacher message and it won’t go up on their journals so they could say whatever they like. The most important thing was they were honest and helpful. (“Helpful” is a loaded term, I know, but it’s a message that we are sending about feedback in general)

Here’s what I learned:

  • “I like playing games with you.”
  • “I like sounding out letters with you”
  • “I like Maths”.
  • “If I work hard, I will be great.”
  • “I want to do more math because it’s fun.”
  • ” I want my friends to be happy.”
  • “I want to use Chinese to count (to 50)”
  • “I want to be a good writer”.
  • “I like it when we play games but I don’t like it when we get dirty outside.”
  • “I want more time writing and making books”
  • “I want more learning choice time”.
  • “I want more literacy time to play Teach Your Monster to Read“.
  • “I want to go for a walk to collect some small moments for writing”.
  • “I wish I can speak better in English”
  • “I wish I could write better.”
  • “I love learning choices.”
  • “I like to draw when I am doing my ‘small moments’.”
  • “I like it when we do maths because it makes me calm.”
  • “I really like the teachers.”
  • “I want to use playdoh and I wish I could read eBooks.”
  • “I want to do more maths with numbers and patterns.”

Although these comments warmed my heart and intrigued me, they didn’t provide the insight into “how I’m doing as your teacher” per se. When I look at this, it tells me a lot about what they are connecting to in our learning community: words, numbers, nature, language, technology, pictures, sensory play, intrapersonal learning, and interpersonal learning. Indeed, this helps to shape a picture of who they are and provides us with more data as teachers to know how to communicate with them but the intent seemed lost on the openness of this question, which I reckon may not be the best approach with children this age (6-7-year-olds), at least for this time of the year.  So I ended up walking away, feeling that I failed to get the desired feedback. But because I believe that all learning–even when we make mistakes–is helpful, I reminded myself that this is a start.

The Struggle Continues: Peer Feedback

Since our staff has been inquiring into student engagement as a part of developing greater student agency with the PYP Enhancements, our professional goals this year are rooted in it. We are taking a very systematic approach to it, using peer coaching to explore where we are in our mission to “challenge, inspire and empower”, using the work of Jim Knight and his Impact Cycle.

Peer to peer feedback is highly valuable, and when done in the spirit of non-judgment, care, and positive intention, then an authentic critical friendship can ensue. I whole-heartedly believe in it. C’mon-Who doesn’t want a true loving fan, sitting on the sidelines, applauding our growth and challenging us to bring our best self into the “game”?? I personally delight in having someone who can discern the subtleties of a lesson and provide me with something that I can reflect upon to improve my practice. Bring it on!

So now I ponder this quote:

If we don’t design lessons and units that will earn students’ commitment to learn, then we can’t expect them to take an active or in-depth approach to learning. In other words, if we fail to take student engagement seriously, then the best we can hope for from our students is superficial learning.

The Eight Cs of Engagement by by Harvey F. Silver & Matthew J. Perini

Before I sit down and watch a recorded video of a lesson, I want to ensure I had clarity of what I am reflecting on. I picked out some of the attributes of engagement, creating a “rubric” that I can score where I saw my students during the learning period captured. It’s my “baseline” if you will, and I want to make sure it is objective and telling. Also, this is my first thinking about how I might assess myself, so I am bound to make amendments to it along the way.  But at least I can examine the video and pick out evidence of where the level of engagement might generally rank on this scale/rubric to give more direction for my goals.  Also, I feel this might be a talking tool for our peer-to-peer dialogue about what they saw, heard and felt was happening in the lesson.

engagement rubric

Next Steps: Fail Again

So I think we need to go back to the drawing board on mining for feedback from students, refining questions so we can penetrate deeper into their perceptions of our teaching and their learning community.

I feel like student feedback is an opportunity to reflect on where we are with respect to developing agency as well. So now I wonder if taking the “temperature” might be a better first approach to gaining an understanding of how students feel about their learning.

I was thinking that I could use Plickers as a tool to take a “snap-shot” of the children’s perspective during a morning meeting. I don’t want to bombard them with a heap of questions, so these are the student questions that might establish a general idea about our learning environment:

  1. Do you usually understand what is expected of you in our classroom?
  2. Do you usually understand the directions given?
  3. Do you think the teacher gives you enough time to think?
  4. Do you think the teacher gives you enough time to write?
  5. Do you think you have a voice in our classroom and that your ideas are valued when you share them?

Of course, I would need to follow up with the No’s, as well as examine recorded videos to see who may be lingering in the far end of the engagement scale, digging a bit deeper with more thoughtful questions for them such as:

  • How do you show your teacher that you are enjoying learning?
  • *Which teacher do you find most helpful?
  • What does this teacher do to help you learn best?
  • What specific advice would you give to help your teacher improve?

(*We are a teaching team, with 6 of us working at any given time with our Grade 1 students. I wanted to add this question to help us think about why and how certain teachers resonate with learners. Maybe we can capitalize on the rapport and connection they feel with us.)

What if…..

Also, I was thinking that if we looked at a videotaped lesson alongside them, a teacher could ask them directly if they were engaged; and why or why not they were engaged-what influenced their interest and concentration during the lesson? Could there have been a missed opportunity to move them into a more active stance in their learning?

I’m a scientist at heart and I LOVE dissecting things, but let’s be honest, this would be a luxurious survey given how limited our time can be. Yet, I reckon that it would be really helpful for those students who don’t generally demonstrate “active compliance”.

Final Thoughts……for Now

So I don’t think I’m going to bring an end to the hustle any time soon, but I feel that an honest and hard look at my practice and the dynamics I have with learners would be a good place to start.

Start.

Yep, that’s where I really am in this process. Perhaps you are too.

But I think if I keep walking in the direction of my original question, Does it have to feel like a “hustle”? Like I’m tricking someone into learning?, then I think I may arrive at some conclusion. It may not be the end, but it could be a step in a new direction.

I think, ultimately, that is where feedback lands us: in a new territory of growth and learning.

 

MindFULLness or Mindfulness?

MindFULLness or Mindfulness?

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Have you ever read the book, Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh? I was recently reminded of something that is quite foundational in creating mindfulness:

If we are not happy, if we are not peaceful, we can’t share peace and happiness with others, even those we love, those who live under the same roof. If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace. Do we need to make a special effort to enjoy the beauty of the blue sky? Do we have to practice to be able to enjoy it? No, we just enjoy it.

Sounds so simple, right. Just stop, take a breath and pay attention to the wonders of our world–the people we get to spend time with, the beauty of nature, the sensations in life like the tickle of tea tree shampoo on our scalp, the chirp of the birds outside your window, or the smell of coffee. These are precious gifts of aliveness.

THICH NHAT HANHBut I read an essay recently by Robert Holden about “Destination Addiction” and it deeply touched me.  He put forth an interesting question–“Do you eat a banana only to get to the end of it?”

That’s a profound question when you deeply examine it. And it made me wonder, what else am I in a rush to get through?  Do I rush to get through the day, through the week, through the semester? Or am I savoring those moments with students? Am I enjoying their laughter, their kindness, their insight? Am I in awe of their desire to grow and learn? And am I extending compassion and appreciation towards those that I fill my days with?–my colleagues, my family, and my friends. Perhaps these relationships need some savoring as well.

So instead of having a mind FULL of my To-Dos, I’d like to fill my days with my To-Be’s: To be present, to be kind, to be thoughtful, to be gentle, to be curious.

I think that everyone needs a reminder to slow down and “eat the banana”, to peel back the deliciousness in life and chew on it with the purpose of enjoying the gift that it is. In this way, we can cultivate mindfulness and more vibrant interactions with each other and the world.

May you be the peace that you seek in the world.

A Crack in My Heart Splits My Mind Open

A Crack in My Heart Splits My Mind Open

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I live in a bubble, I think. I have lived and worked internationally and taught in a PYP (Primary Years Program) school for a decade now and really have no idea what is happening in my home country of America. But this summer, I connected with educators at a training in the States and I was REALLY  surprised by what I saw and what I heard.

First of all, I saw students in summer school, sitting in rows of desks, being taught by a teacher at the head of the classroom. Not just in one classroom, but EVERY classroom that I passed by at the high school and middle school. This was an eye-opener. I really thought the days of desks in rows were over, that this traditional style of teaching and learning was a thing of the past.  But clearly, in these Blue Ribbon Schools, it was still the norm. Ironically, in our teacher training room, we gathered to learn professionally at tables, sharing and collaborating about preparing our learners for the 21st century.

In developing countries, I expect to see this in their public schools. Updating their classrooms are expensive and not many schools have the opportunity to do this. But in the developed countries like America, this is inexcusable. However, it doesn’t take thousands of dollars to push those desks together–get rid of those rows! If you can’t afford to make physical improvements, then make pedagogical ones! Why do classrooms look like the 1960s? I was appalled.

classroom_layout_-_what_does_the_research_say_855_513_48

Then as we planned to take our learning back, making action plans, our conversations turned to our realities at our schools. These educators I gathered with were NOT working at inner-city schools, but some of their stories made me feel incredibly concerned and worried for those educators who do. But there was one technology “specialist” (I put that in brackets because her district and school were really wasting her talent–no offense to her, but anyone could have done her job) whose sole purpose was to teach keyboarding skills so that the students could be better test takers on the new digital state exams. Doesn’t that bother you? And how authentic and reliable are those test results when they depend upon students being able to type out answers? Furthermore, what about schools that can’t afford this “specialist”–how might this impact their funding? This is wrong on so many levels.

I don’t know if I am more mad or sad by this glimpse of reality for educators in America. And it makes me realize how my little bubble is probably an exception rather than a norm for so many educators around the world. Considering this has put a little crack in my heart. I really hope that educators, despite their schools or districts challenges, really start to question the little stuff and move away from these traditional structures.  Not to be trendy but because it is necessary and critical to preparing our students for their ever-changing world. As I think forward about this upcoming school year, it’s certainly has made me question what of the “old ways” I cling to–maybe not the desks in rows, but if I dare to look “under the rug”, I bet I’d find some dust as I reflect. Perhaps this is the greatest thing I can do as my summer rolls to an end: reflect and review.

Hopes and Concerns-The Power of Conversations with Parents and Caregivers

Hopes and Concerns-The Power of Conversations with Parents and Caregivers

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No one wants to be known as being at the worst school in the worst district in the country, but that was what Staton Elementary was known for a long period of a time. Back in 2005, the school district decided to “reconstitute” it because test scores were so pitiful, less than 20% proficiency in both literacy and math. They basically replaced all the administration and teaching staff to get a fresh start, so it was only the students and their parents that remained the constant. The new principal, Caroline Fisherow was really stunned by what she saw, with the level of behavioral issues and truancy. She pleaded to become a pilot school for a program that had been successful in Sacramento, California. It was designed by educational consultants from the  Flamboyan Foundation whose primary focus is to increase family engagement because they believe that “people solve problems” and schools NEEDED parents to be involved in their children’s education to overcome obstacles in learning. Flamboyan slideAt the heart of the effort were home visits, in which teachers would go to see parents before the next school year to talk about their children. Home visits aren’t uncommon in schools but what surprised me was the intention behind the visit–it wasn’t to demand support or provide information, it was just a list of simple questions that teachers asked parents, with parents doing most of the talking. Here they are:

Tell me about your child’s experience at school.

Tell me about yours.

Tell me your hopes and dreams for your child’s future.

What do you want your child to be someday?

What do I need to do to help your child learn more effectively?

Can you imagine how those parents felt? Can you imagine the instant connection and care they must have felt towards that teacher? Someone cared about their “baby”! Someone cared about their dreams for their child!

And can you imagine how that teacher felt? They were armed with a sketch of that child’s support at home, and also could understand the heart of that parent!

What a profound effect that had! Those home visits started those children on a path to success, with familiarity and trust with their teacher already established before the school year even began. Even more surprising was that there was a shift that was instant and dramatic in the school dynamic: behavior issues and truancy were seriously diminished, school events became standing-room-only, and proficiency scores that saw a significant increase (Math went from 9% to 28%, nearly tripling in the first year!). And what gives me goosebumps and watery eyes is that that the power of the home visit is sustainable; in fact, test scores and parent involvement continued to improve.

But I don’t think you need to be a “turn around” school to do this!  I think to have these types of conversations with parents BEFORE school starts should be a common fixture at schools. It’s too powerful- we shouldn’t neglect the voice of the caregiver.

I know at our school, we do a “Hopes and Concerns” meeting a day or two before the school year kicks off. Our parents do come to school–it’s not a home visit- but the intention is the same. It’s my favorite parent meeting. The questions are quite similar and the meeting lasts around 15 minutes. Before I begin the meeting I explain that I am here to listen and take notes. Parents are always eager to share stories and anecdotes about their child. The interaction is warm and friendly, and, as a parent myself, I often relate to their struggles and desires with their child. I can attest to the bonding that forms between parent and teacher, and I walk away from that day feeling confident that my parents are partners. It’s going to be a good school year.

So I hope this gorgeous story about Stanton Elementary inspires you to consider how you might connect with parents before school. I don’t know if there are any studies done between home visits vs. school meetings and their level of impact, but I firmly believe the place where the conversation takes place is less important than the quality of the conversations. However, I’m sure that developing parents as partners is MORE important than any other initiative out there.  In my opinion, because I see parents are the child’s first and longest-lasting teacher, the impact and influence those parents have on their child override mine any day of the week! Open communication with parents makes a world of difference and making it a priority on Day 0 of the school year ultimately creates a positive projection for those students.

 

The Role of the #PYP Coordinator: 3 Things that No One Wants to Learn the Hard Way

The Role of the #PYP Coordinator: 3 Things that No One Wants to Learn the Hard Way

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About a month ago, I sat having wonderful discussions with PYP coordinators from all over the world in the Hague about the Enhanced PYP. Aside from curriculum, it got me thinking about other aspects of the leadership role of the Curriculum Coordinator. It’s not an easy position to be in and no 3-Day Workshop or online course can provide adequate training for your school’s special challenges.

As coordinators, we have the responsibility for The 3Cs: Climate, Curriculum, and Culture. It’s hard to say which one of the 3Cs comes first as a priority as they are critical to the success and impact you can make at your school.  You often have to juggle them and it’s hard to keep those balls up in the air but they have to stay in motion. The impact they have on the community can help to create a contagion of positivity and goodwill if done well. Most of our professional development comes from the context of those 3Cs and they take time to develop. And no coordinator can be successful alone–they need a team, and teams develop through relationships.  I think having empathy and coming from the perspective of “the teacher” is particularly important as it relates to developing staff relationships, and there are few things that I wish someone would have advised me on when it came to the role.

People Before Paperwork

We are human beings, not human doings.  You’ve got to consider people over paperwork because people are our job–whether it’s the little people in our classrooms or the big people that make up our staff. paperworkI know we have our checklists of paperwork that we have to stay on top of, but at the end of the day, I’d rather have teachers focused on making sure the kids have engaging, authentic and impactful learning and I have rarely found that paperwork inspires them to create that. This is especially true at PYP schools in which we have to reflect often on our students’ learning so that we can determine the next steps in their inquiries

I had one coordinator who used to come in nearly weekly and, during our meetings, he would put our conversations about learning into the PYP planner or onto our scope and sequence documents so that the ideas were documented (ticked the box) and the teachers could engage in more creative thinking during collaboration time. Also, I had more time to communicate with families, look at data and plan more thoughtful provocations.

Coordinators should always look for opportunities to free up time so that teachers don’t have to be bogged down so much with paperwork and instead shift their focus to making learning impactful.

Professional Relationships: You get people ON the bus when you don’t put people UNDER the bus

A common mistake that coordinators make is that they complain to teachers about the administrators as a bid for connections. Don’t throw administration under the bus in front of teachers. As a new or aspiring leader, choosing to throw someone under the bus is one of the telling signs of your leadership capabilities.

[bctt tweet=”When you blame somebody else for something that you should be taking some responsibility for, you are communicating weakness and not strength” username=”judyimamudeen”] In most situations, you can be a change agent so you should be seeking solutions and not be projecting your frustrations onto the staff.  I know it may help you to “feel” that can connect more with the teacher’s perspective but it’s unprofessional and you will develop a culture of complaint and gossip. Who really wants that?

evalutionAnd it’s poor form to throw teachers under the bus in front of teachers. Trust is so important in your work so if you undermine others, expect staff to lose their confidence in you.

It’s the Law of Karma-what is said aloud, goes aloud. So Watch your mouth! The minute you walk away, that teacher you complained to is wondering “hmmm… I wonder what my coordinator tells others about me?” If you feel that a teacher isn’t working up to their potential, talk TO them directly (not ABOUT them) and in a non-threatening way, and seek out a mentor for them. Also, how you say what you say matters. Under your breath, if you must, repeat the mantra: Stay professional. Stay Professional. Stay Professional.

I’m not going to lie here. I have suffered from bouts of “Insert Foot into Mouth Disease” and, goodness knows, that I have had to go back to a staff member to apologize for saying something in a wrong way.  But, for me, it’s more important to have peace and understanding than lose face. However, I once worked with a vice-principal who NEVER ONCE said an unkind word about anyone. EVER. He had plenty of opportunities to humor me with grievances but he never did. Bless him. I thought of him as a saint. And if he asked me to jump, I was like “How high?” and “Would you like sprinkles with that?” He is still my inspiration today because he was always compassionate, generous, thoughtful and caring.  Now, if we all could aspire to that level of professionalism, imagine what a peaceful and productive school we’d have.

Communication: The Human Touch 

Have you ever played a game but you didn’t know the rules? You read the rule book (if there was one) but you just didn’t get the gist of the game. It was frustrating, wasn’t it? You felt like you could never win.

Often that happens with procedures and policies at school. Admin sends them policy manuals and handbooks (if you have them) and tells them to read it. And through osmosis, they are expected them to “get it” and feel successful in managing the systems and practices of your school community. New teachers need explicit explanations of the rules and norms of this “game” called At Our School We Do….. Sometimes coordinators do this through an induction program that is spread out over time. I know that I have dedicated a period of weeks to this and I found it highly successful. My staff feedback was that it mitigated the overwhelm of their transition and helped develop our personal relationship.

Another coordinator I know has staff meetings “end” early during key times in the year (like the 1st 3-way conference, or report writing time, etc..) so that she can have a Q and A sessions with teachers about expectations and protocols for important events. The staff members who already know these procedures and processes feel happy because they can “be released” to do other work, meanwhile, the teachers (mainly new teachers) who need some support can stay behind and get their needs met as well. Later, she sends a follow-up email documenting the expectations that help these teachers to remember those conversations.

Speaking of Emails vs. Meetings

emailsCall me Old Fashion, but I prefer the personal touch of staff meetings over email any day. I like connecting with colleagues and having a common understanding of the events in our community and our school’s pedagogical approaches. Also, consider the fact that if teachers are more concerned with keeping up with emails, rushing to read them then they are not examining students’ work or reflecting on the discussions they had, then the focus isn’t on improving learning. We want teachers to be spending their cognitive power on making learning for students awesome rather than your 18-bullet email about professional development goals. Let that one sink in a bit. It’s good to have a weekly newsletter to communicate important things but if you find that your staff emails began as a couple of sentences and now is evolving paragraphs, then it needs a face to face. A quick and dirty chat will be more impactful than a back and forth conversation over the internet.

And one last point about “the human touch”-Do you go into classrooms? Or do teachers have to come to you? Are you “The Boss” or are you “a colleague and mentor”? How you present and project yourself weighs heavily on the level of trust and compliance you will develop with your team.  Kindness and connection are vital to the work we do in schools. It’s how you build trust and loyalty.  Talk to you teachers-You don’t have to be charismatic and bubbly but you do have to have sincere enthusiasm for the work they are doing in classrooms. We all need encouragement sometimes and when you say it to their face, it is always more meaningful and authentic than an email blast. It’s great to give them recognition amongst their peers but to take the time to tell them in person is really powerful. Don’t underestimate the value and meaning of your words.

Perhaps you might relate to these challenges. As humans, we are all a bit flawed (except for that saintly vice-principal) and when you are in leadership your flaws are even more obvious. So I am wondering what other ideas and perspectives you might share that would help develop more positive staff relationships as we engage in their role in the curriculum. Tips and tricks welcomed in the comments below!

Spoil the Rod and Spare the Children: #Discipline in the 21st Century, from Managing to #Mindfulness in the Classroom

Spoil the Rod and Spare the Children: #Discipline in the 21st Century, from Managing to #Mindfulness in the Classroom

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My husband’s family converted from Hinduism to Christianity years ago and are active in the Pentecostal church. Whenever we go to Guyana, a visit to church and/or a “revival” ends up being just as much of a cultural experience as it is a spiritual experience. We listened to a message focused on Father’s Day, and the pastor asked fathers to be leaders, disciplinarians, and teachers to their children. Overall his message was inspiring and positive. But his definition of discipline, as you might imagine, was along the lines of “spare the rod, spoil the child”, doing what is necessary to demand obeisance. It was strange to hear that this form of parenting “technology” is still encouraged and it hurt my heart a bit to look around at the beautiful children in the church and realize that they would be given “lashes” and “licks” because a man of God instructed their families to do so. If you as a parent came to such a point of anger that you felt like strong condemnation and a physical consequence was warranted, then you have to wonder what opportunities you missed to alter the child’s behavior in a more gentle and kind way.  As I see it, whether it is from a secular point of view or from a spiritual point of view, violence towards another, whether in deed or in word, may give you short-term submission but never sustainable love and trust.

However, the whole notion of children having “rights” is actually a rather new one in our human history and it has taken years to shift the public opinion of many countries. Think about it,  UN’s Rights of a Child wasn’t drafted until the 1990s and even so countries like America have yet to ratify it due to the ground of religious tolerance, even though most states in the US have laws against child abuse and neglect. So it wasn’t that long ago corporal punishment was in use in schools and is still common in some places today. I remember a 7th-grade boy in middle school who got paddled for speaking up to a teacher. He said it didn’t hurt, but I’m sure the sting of that humiliation never quite leaves you.

Yet, the alternative to beatings, let’s call it Discipline 2.0 wasn’t really all that much better. As I reflect on the work of Alfie Kohn and his book, Beyond Discipline, From Compliance to Community, he challenged the whole idea of controlling students. As a teacher brought up in those traditional schools, that book made me stop dead in my tracks and take a good look at my classroom management techniques. classroom Early in my teaching career, I taught in some tough schools with some really challenging students—students who had difficult home lives and had very little motivation or structure in their lives. I remember that my school district gave all new teachers the book, The First Days of School by Harry Wong. I remember how disappointed I felt when students didn’t just whip up their hands when I said: “Give me Five”.   Goodness knows I tried just about everything under the sun to “manage” them. I thought that is what I needed to do.  I remember one time making those “traffic lights” cards for my class: green=good, yellow=caution, red=time out of class. Oh lord, what a stupid idea that was—I spent more time changing those cards than I did teaching. That was a turning point for me but it wasn’t until I had made a study of Non-Violent Communication (based on the principles of Gandhi and Martin Luther King), which spoke to the importance of understanding the why behind the child’s “no” and using non-judgmental language when talking with children, that I shifted my mindset from an autocratic one to one of openness and curiosity.

Recently I had my “classroom management” skills tested and, moreover, my beliefs about the role of the teacher. In an effort to be more collaborative, my new school had the grade level classroom walls torn down, which created an acoustical nightmare and made for a very stressful learning environment until the class got settled. My grade level teaching partner lost her voice early in the year and went on short-term sick leave.  I was faced with the challenge of setting up 2 first grade classrooms. I haven’t taught a class of 38 first graders and I felt nervous creating routines for a class that wasn’t “mine”. When I saw children running in the hallways and climbing trees, I felt that my approaches might be deemed too traditional in my new school. Our students are quite free here, although I don’t think our school is as unstructured as the New Zealand school without rules. With that in mind, I felt a bit alone and helpless since I had neither established rapport with students or guidance from staff to draw a line in the sand and cultivate classroom routines. Eventually I stopped caring whether I was “doing the right thing” and would be accepted at my new school,  but for a period of time I felt like I was on the verge of becoming one of those textbook examples of Kohn’s, using my voice more than I wanted to and inches away from a marble jar or sticker chart. Feeling a burden of responsibility for a group of students that size, I was incredibly frustrated, but thank goodness for Mindfulness (and a wonderful temporary co-teacher who snapped me out of my limbo state). My personal mindfulness practice saved me and introducing it as a part of the Who We Are unit to the students was vital to creating a culture of kindness and self-awareness. Our school counselors also came in and did lessons from the Mindful Schools curriculum a couple times a week.   I really can testify to its benefits and encourage all educators to use in their classrooms. It created calm out of chaos and students made positive choices and naturally became self-disciplined, as our community of learning took shape.

Let me just say that cultivating a culture of mindfulness is NOT a quick fix. It is a practice and subtle changes are like compounded interest, multiplying over time until things become second-nature. These are the 5 practices that we implemented in our community of learning:

  1. Stop, Breath and Think

We spent a lot of time talking about our breath, counting our breaths and watching our breath during morning meetings. We talked about our brains and learned about “flipping our lids” when we experience stress. We made glitter jars to help us go from “crazy brain” to “calm brain”.  We purposefully got ourselves in a high emotional state and then used the technique of Stop, Breath and Think. Next year I think I will introduce this sooner and practice it more often because this is the heart of mindfulness—creating space before you respond to situations.

2. Cultivating Compassion for others and yourself

We had 2 of our grade level team members who got very sick early in the year. Sending well-wishes to them and others (who the children selected) was a daily event during their absence. The children never got tired of listening to the mindfulness bell and repeating the phrases: May you be healthy, May you be Safe, May you be Happy May you be Peaceful, May you be Loved. They also thought it was fun to send themselves well-wishes because they admitted that there are times when they feel sick or gloomy and it felt refreshing to send care to themselves. Next year, I’d like to add “Well-Wisher” to our list of classroom jobs so students lead more of these activities, other than ringing the bell.

3. Notice and name emotions

What emotion is it that you feel? Where do you feel this emotion? Are you holding more than 1 emotion in your body? This was easy to do in our group lessons and write in our journals but not easy for students to do in the “heat” of a moment. However, even as adults, how rarely do we stop and ask ourselves “How am I feeling?”, so developing this practice takes more of a conscious effort.

4.  Consider the choices you have

This practice didn’t really take shape until we introduced Kelso’s Choices. That provided a good framework for having the Kelso Wheel of Choices up as a cue. Students could then Stop, Breath and Think and have something to “think” about—which choice can I make at this moment? But I think next year we might need to spend more time examining how we “talk it out”.

5. Giving Appreciation

We talked about how our hearts are like balloons and we can blow up our balloons with kind words. We can also deflate our balloons with unkind words. Later in the year, we brought in the book, How Full is Your Bucket, which also provided another perspective on how our words add or take away someone’s self-esteem. We explicitly taught students how to give sincere compliments, which later evolved into providing meaningful feedback. Students would contribute to an Appreciation Jar, writing down an expression of thanks for friends that helped them in small and big ways. Next year, I’d like to develop more of a routine around the Appreciation Jar because when the class becomes more positively focused, less conflict tends to arise.

One practice that I didn’t implement this year that I want to make more of an effort to instill next year is that of cultivating equanimity by using curiosity as a stance. I haven’t really seen this in programs for mindfulness in schools yet, but curiosity is a powerful tool to help distance yourself from emotions and develop empathy for others.

Personally, as hard as that 1st term was, I am infinitely grateful for these “hard lessons” in “classroom management” and the deep introspection that it created. The truth was, I was really never really alone. I had 38 little persons who wanted to help create a wonderful learning community. I should have cared more about the ideas and opinions of those beautiful children in our classroom to begin with, rather than looking to other adults for answers.

As I reflect on the parents and teachers out there who are struggling with traditions that are based on hierarchal power structures, I know that eventually, they will turn these structures on their heads.  And if you are in a position in which your discipline measures are not working, then reach out to experience the practice of mindfulness. First for yourself, so you can know the benefits first hand and then guide the children.  This year was my first go at using it, and I look forward to building upon the lessons I learned and deepening my practice alongside the children. In my opinion, these sorts of approaches are the next evolution in education and “classroom management” is more about developing authentic relationships with students and less about trying to “discipline” them.

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