Labor Day means a Battle of Emotions for present and former teachers

The last few days, a feeling of having forgotten to do something but not being able to remember what it is has dogged me. Finally, in the middle of last night, I dinged onto the answer. I’m missing the last minute lesson plan finalizing, checking off my Things to Do checklist, i.e. copying handouts, gathering textbooks from storage, making sure my sub folder is complete and keeping my stress level in the reasonable zone. My emotions aren't suffering the roller coaster ride of anticipation and anxiety for a new school year, the fear of the unknown and the joy of working with teenagers that always has accompanied every new school year.

                               https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Keith-Naquin

During lunch with colleagues still leading classrooms, and through discussions with teachers on Facebook and in emails and texts, I have heard concerns about AYP, PLC, standardized tests, required data collection, and, of course, class schedules, and have felt their excitement, as well as their passion for teaching and meeting new students. Do these situations cause a twinge of sadness for what is now my past? Sure, but on its tail is a sigh of relief. It’s their time, now.

Still, my heart and mind echoes with the Battle of Emotions between the armies of Loss and Relief.

·        Loss because I loved watching my children (as a parent) and other parents’ children (as a teacher) grow academically, emotionally and socially into responsible, reliable and respectful adults.

·        Loss because young people challenged my thinking and kept me authentic.

·        Loss because teenagers kept me laughing, and

·        Loss because I fed on the energy that can only come from teachers, students and administrators.

·        Relief because I don't need to worry about whether I am doing right by my students academically, emotionally and socially.

·        Relief because I don't have to wake up before dawn, to tackle a mountain of papers to grade, or to prep for that night's dinner.

·        Relief because I don't have to face a classroom of recalcitrant adolescents who dare me to turn them on to the love of learning, and

·        Relief because I don't have to deal with administrative directives that detract from teaching and learning.

But…but…the itch that refuses to be scratched is: I loved most everything about school-as a teacher and a student- and always will. As a teacher, I loved seeing the "AHA!  I get it!" lights blink on, relished how kids kept me learning by showing me  a side of a character I never noticed, or an idea or a concept that I hadn't occurred to me, and miss those cherished  moments when struggling students began to believe in their value to themselves, their family, their friends, and to society.

As a teacher,

·        did my frustration level soar when I encountered students who felt they were too cool for school or whose sense of apathetic entitlement challenged my patience? Of course.

·        did the petty dictates of a few administrators puffed up with their newly awarded power cause nights of teeth grinding? Of course.

·        did I despise waking to the clanging of my alarm clock at 4:45AM? Of course.

More importantly, though, I prized lively book discussions with my students and celebrated their happiness when they realized that they could express themselves orally and in writing. Their confidence in their newfound skills and abilities not only warmed my heart but also encouraged me to continue to create lessons that dared them-and me- to keep on reaching higher and trying harder. 

That being said, the arrival of September will always spawn tingles of anticipation, shivers of fear and heart rays of joy. This ninth month of the year will forever be more of a New Year to me than January. From both sides of the desk, I will always, always love school.

Happy Labor Day Weekend.

Enjoy a Teach It Now Day Every Day!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Connie

CELEBRATE TEACHERS!

No matter our jobs, careers, titles or the letters at the end of our names-we earned what we are by learning from teachers. Colleagues and friends still leading classrooms, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Every day, but especially during Teacher Appreciation Days, I celebrate you.

Although I have said it before, two of my Teacher Appreciation Day posts share how much I love and support teachers and teaching. In light of all educators do and face, let me reiterate ...

“Teaching creates all other professions,” (Unknown). How true this is! None of us knows how to do everything. That’s why we rely on the knowledge and skills of others.

The air conditioning and heating repairman saves us from sweltering on a sweaty August day or freezing in a single digit December when our home units shudder to a halt.

The chef who creates a sumptuous dinner for us at our favorite restaurant offers us from cooking every night.

The mechanic keeps our cars running.

The doctors and nurses bring us peace of mind and body when we- and those whom we love- are ailing.

Pro-athletes’ knowledge and understanding of their sport thrill us, musicians evoke our emotions and thespians move us from laughter to tears.

We trust that police forces will protect us and fire personnel will save our homes from severe damage.

We rely on those in the intelligence and counterintelligence fields to keep criminals and terrorism at bay.

The military is full of men and women who ensure our country’s safety and keep us strong.

Lifeguards prevent us from downing in bodies of water while pilots and air traffic controllers make guarantee that we don’t fall from the sky.

Those in the field of finance safeguard our money and farmers’ and ranchers’ products fill our larders while writers and artists in all fields creative nourish our minds and spirits.

The list of those who give our lives substance and value is endless, dependant on our wants and needs. How did all of these people learn their craft?  Teachers taught them what they needed to know.

In appreciation for all that teachers can do and choose to do, and do, and do, here is an alphabetic listing of just a few of the people who enable us to enjoy  lives that are healthier, happier, safer and enriched.

Athletes; Air conditioning and Heating service people; Air Traffic Controllers; Artists; Architects; Accountants; Administrative Assistants; Auto Mechanics

Bookeepers; Bakers; Butchers

Chefs; Caterers; Counselors; Clergy; Computer engineers, analysts an programmers; Curriculum designers; Construction managers and workers; Chauffeurs

Doctors; Dentists; Dairy farmers; Dieticians; Database administrators

Engineers; Electricians; Estheticians; Epidemiologists; Exterminators (insects and rodents)

Fire personnel; Financial advisors; Farmers

Geologists; Gynecologists; Geneticists;

Historians; Home designers; House decorators; Hair stylists; Human resources specialist;

Intelligence and counter-intelligence personnel; Internists; Information Security Analysts; Insurance agents

Judges; Journalists; Janitors; Jewelers; Jockeys

Keyboard operators;  Kiln builders and operators; Kitchen supervisors

Lifeguards; Lawyers; Laboratory technicians

Musicians; Military men and women; Mathematicians; Meteorologists; Marketing researchers and analysts; Manicurists; Maintenance workers 

Nurses; Nutritionists

Obstetricians; Ophthalmologists; Opticians; Occupational Therapists

Pilots; Police; Professors; Physicists; Psychologists, Psychiatrists; Physical Therapists; Physician Assistants; Pharmacists; Plumber; Paramedics; Principals

Quality Control personnel; Quilters

Ranchers; Respiratory Therapists; Real Estate agents; Receptionists; Restaurant servers

Software developers; Scientists; Social Workers; Statisticians; Speech Therapists

Thespians; Teachers; Technology specialists; Taxi drivers

Urologists; Underwriters; Upholsters; Utility workers

Veterinarians; Vacuum Cleaner service people; Van drivers

Writers; Web developers

X-Ray Technicians

Yacht designers and builders

Zoologists

And the list goes on, and on and on.

What do all of these professions and careers have in common?  They include people who do what they do because teachers taught them how to read, write, add and subtract, think, analyze, and do.

Jacques Barzun, a French-born American historian, educator and teacher trainer said, “Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.”

Teachers Appreciation  celebrations –be they a Day or a Week-remind us to thank teachers for all that they can do, and all that they choose to do, so that we can successfully do what we do. What a terrific tradition. 

Without educators, we all might as well be living under rocks, grubbing for our food, fending off our enemies in games of Who Has the Biggest Stick, and waiting for some smarter person to discover fire while we die young.

During my school days, my peers and I always understood, even if we didn’t always like the journey or the guide, that our teachers would lead us down the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City.  Our treasure, and theirs, was the light in our eyes when we got it.

Teachers, 

• You create your magic every time you share your knowledge, abilities and skills with your students and peers.
• You create joyful, inspiring and safe classrooms for all of your charges - especially for those who might not experience such pleasures in their personal worlds.
• You teach us to live up to our potentials, to follow our dreams, and to strive to make this world a better place.

We need your magic- and we always will.

In your honor, Teachers pay Teachers is holding a Teacher Appreciation Sale on May 3rd-4th. Stop in and browse. Give yourself the gift of time with a few lessons and activities.

Thank you, teachers! 

Learning is Winning




PITTSBURGH, PA - AUGUST 06: Andrew McCutchen #22
makes a diving catch. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

In the top of the 7^th during the 8/6/2013 baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Miami Marlins, centerfielder Andrew McCutchen threw his whole body into an outstanding catch. As a line drive headed toward a gap in left-center field, McCutchen, after an all-out sprint, dove, levitating his body horizontally with the field. With his left arm stretched forward as far as physically possible, and his eyes never, ever leaving the ball, he turned his gloved hand outward and caught the speeding ball, stopping one, if not two runners from crossing Home Plate.  I turned to my husband and chortled, “That man is hungry for the Series!” as inwardly I winced for McCutchen. Ooh, the pain from his landing must have been intense!

As a parent and former teacher, I couldn’t help but wonder, “With one month until school begins, are students as hungry to learn as McCutchen is to win? After all, in my world and, I assume, that of parents, teachers and concerned adults country-wide, Learning is Winning.

Although our Kim and Matt are adults with school-related sugar (and a few sour) plums occasionally

dancing in their memories, I can still remember the anxiety, the stress, the concerns surrounding their academic challenges.  Were they trying hard enough?  Did they really, really care about Train A and Train B hurtling toward each other at varied speeds, especially since early on in their educations, they  both fully realized that any form of math would never become a crucial element to their future success?  Did they understand that it was the higher level thinking skills, not those doggone trains that were important? Did they care enough to throw their whole bodies into their learning?
When I was a classroom teacher, as the dog days of summer edged toward the more temperate days of September, the same stresses began their annual build up in my brain. Although high school kids are too cool to show their love of learning too openly, this year, would the scheduling genie bless me with more inspired students who found English challenging but fun than “apathetic, entitled adolescents” as one senior drawlingly called his peers and himself?  Immediately prior to Josh’s laconic comment, exasperation and frustration had laced my Lecture #267 about the students’  all too prevalent impacted wisdom teeth behavior as I handed out job applications to fast-food franchises.

In these days of instant gratification for food, friends and financial gain, young people consider education a long-term reward, not a pleasure they can enjoy in the here and now.

To them:

Education is that P.S.A.T test in October, the S.AT  the first Saturday of most months, and that state standardized test and A.P. exam next spring, not the word music of Markus Zusak in I Am The Messenger that they are currently studying.

Education is the seven-letter word- COLLEGE-hovering over their far-off horizons, not the possibilities of space-time they are learning about in science class.

Education is the, “…job that will support you and your family,” somewhere way down that road to adulthood, not the support of your BFF after the painful break-up with your significant other.

To them, Education is Then-Not the Now.

How can we entice students and make their minds growl with the hunger pangs for Learning, NOW?

How can we lead them to the Waterfalls of Learning and make them want to leap into current instead of just dipping in their toes?

How can we show young people that Education/Learning is the spring training to their major league- a life worth living?

As teachers, parents, mentors and guides we should:

• Relate the material under school study as well as lessons outside of the classroom to children’s lives as often as possible. Although this might be difficult on an academic level, adults can reel in young people by baiting their teachable moments with emotional and social hooks. After all, whether they are 5 or 18, who is the center of young peoples’ interest?  Themselves.
• Offer challenges- in classes, with home chores and with community sports and activities where there are winners and competitors.  Anyone who has been around kids for any length of time knows that children fully realize and accept the fact that they will not always be winners, but neither are they always losers. Sooner or later those in the lower end of the win/loss column will want to rise higher.

A Middle School SPED/English teacher told me of a situation where he offered a Warm-Up activity every day to his students. At the start of class, he would write a few words on the board, such as Pittsburgh Steelers Rule, and challenge his students to create as many words as possible from those letters in ten minutes.  The winner received a prize- a granola bar, a piece of candy, the first in line to go to lunch, etc. After a few weeks, a young man came to him and said, “I am tired of losing! I have been practicing at home every day.”

The teacher shook the young man’s hand, handed him a snack-sized Twix, and announced to the class, “He is a winner because he cared enough to work hard to be one.”

• Show students (don’t tell-telling turns kids off) through examples from the worlds of sports , music, entertainment, politics, medicine, finance, education, etc. how people who  understand that learning is the key to success- be it monetary or personal pride and everything in between- will push their minds farther, will try harder and will challenge themselves to overcome any hurdle to reach their goals.
• Share a love for learning by walking the walk as well as talking the talk…every day, no matter how difficult that may be.
• Parents need to live a love for learning and show their respect for the educational system their taxes support.  After all, as parents we are our children’s first and most important teachers. Young peoples’ attitudes toward school and learning have taken root by the time they start school.

After over 30 years as a teacher and 40 years as a parent, I can attest to the fact that positive attitudes create inquisitiveness, an eagerness to step up to the plate and accept challenges, and a “Teach me, more, please,” chorus.  Negative attitudes breed lethargic responses to learning, behavior issues and a “What’s this have to do with my life?” chorus.

Learning is the be-all end-all to a life worth living.

Learning will foster proficient (and higher…often much higher) test scores.

Learning will lead to college and post high school educational acceptances.

Learning will lead to that all-important First Job.

Learning is Winning.

What a wonderful world it would be to hear cries of, “That young person is hungry for Learning!” echoing from schools, homes and newspaper headlines.

Until the next time,

Connie

With K.I.S.S in mind, planning's no grind

Although summer is in high swelter mode, many teachers continue to create daily plans. During these lazy, hazy days, that has to be incredibly difficult- a feat that I was never tough enough to attempt. I salute you, my colleagues who accept this mission incredible.

Lately, though, social media status reports reveal that some teachers who chose to close their classroom doors in May/June, literally and figuratively, are being plagued by itches they just are not yet ready to scratch. What's causing this rash? The Lesson Plan Troll, bored and thirsty for attention, is tickling their brains.

My mind has fallen into a state of lethargy this week, resulting in brain freeze. Not coordinated enough to surf, even if I did live near an ocean, I decided to ride the waves of the Internet in an attempt to ignite my procrastinating writing muse. After a few clicks, I landed on a discussion posted in a LinkedIn group, The Teacher's Lounge.  The question,  "What are the top challenges teachers face when preparing for class?" hooked my yawning attention.

As I read the responses, I wondered, could I, clearly and concisely, put my planning philosophy into words? Clearly and concisely are the key components for this challenge, because although my book, The House of Comprehension- http://www.teachitwrite.com/-does showcase the approach that I utilize-it's a book, not a blog post, a venue where should conserve my words.

After playing around with my basic ideas, I created this mnemonic device: Know Investigate Synthesize Submit.  Based on the widely-used Keep It Simple, Silly concept ( I detest the word, Stupid, which is usually used...but that's a whole other post), here is Connie's Planning Policy:

from The House of Comprehension (29)

First of all, with each and every lesson idea, PowerPoint and activity that I create, I must consider:
WHO I am teaching (visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners as well as specific student needs,
WHAT I am teaching (the material),
WHEN (time of year and following what specific lessons),
WHY (Objectives/goals: Common Core, Bloom's Taxonomy or other), and
HOW (Step by step plans: student-centered and teacher-directed).

All of these criteria fit into my K.I.S.S plan:
Know (Research, Explain, Apply, Discuss)-READ
Investigate (Discuss, Evaluate, Analyze, Rate)-DEAR
Synthesize  (Create, Hypothesize, Originate, Imagine,          Compose, Envision)-CHOICE
Submit  (Propose, Offer, Present)-POP

My goal is to inspire students to want READing to become DEAR to them so they will have CHOICES and their lives (in school and in the outside world) will POP.

These terms do not only apply just to what I want students to demonstrate through their writing, projects, tests, presentations, etc. during and at the end of a lesson or unit.  While composing a lesson, I must perform each action of the Verbs in the parentheses, too.

Why? To me, teaching is a road, one my students and I must travel together, with all of us moving in the same direction. If I want my students to fuel their brains with  K.I.S.S,  then I must energize my plans with High-Octane doses of it, too.

"What are the top challenges teachers face when preparing for class?"  I would love to read your ideas. Please share them here.

Happy Teaching,