We Both Won!

Every Monday morning during the school year I do a Monday morning message vodcast for our students.  I will highlight an area or topic that I think might be important for our 265 students, K-5 to think about or hear.  Many of my messages have an underlying values-driven lesson to them.  I am always pleased when a student makes a comment acknowledging they heard me and liked what they heard.

I also have made a personal pledge to try and give back to my PLN by offering some thoughts on a weekly blog.  I have learned so much from folks in my PLN, I feel a sense of  responsibility to give something back.  I don’t really have enough followers to making a large impact.  But if my thoughts can help others, or give reason to pause and think about an idea, I guess I will be making a small contribution.

This week, I am going to merge my Monday Morning message with my weekly blog post.  Thanks to all who share daily and make me a better educator and person.

Both Teams Won!

This year I have the great pleasure of coaching my grandson’s 1^st/2^nd Grade basketball team.  I love the sport and have thoroughly enjoyed teaching my grandson and his schoolmates some of the nuances and fundamentals of the game.  Each week we have two practices (some more productive than others) to learn to dribble, pass, and shoot.  Our work during the week helps us prepare for the games on Saturday.

We talk about working hard, having fun, and getting  better and we have indeed been doing that.  We also talk about our lifeskills.  This Saturday as I was teaching and coaching their game, they taught me a valuable lesson.  As the game ended, the score read 12-12.  Our kids raced back to me and exclaimed with enthusiasm, “Hey coach, both teams won!”  I wish I could take credit for this, but what a great attitude about competing!

Indeed, everyone is a winner when both teams work hard, have fun, and get better.  We should feel this way in our classrooms.  When one of our classmates has success or gets better, we should cheer and celebrate with enthusiasm.  When any one of us gets better, we all get better!

Out of the mouths of babes comes some of our greatest wisdom.  Their innocence can provide profound reason and perspective.  Coaching these kids has been a great experience.  Thank you, Spring Valley Tigers for helping me get better and wiser.  Continue to work hard, have fun, and help us all get better.

Teach to the Test--NOT!

Yesterday I particpated in Classroom 2.0’s (Steve Hargadon) weekly learning experience.  I have grown to look forward to this opportunity every Saturday morning.  Amazing professionals show up each weekend to share what is good about teaching  and learning and to inspire others in our quest to do what’s right for our kids.

Barbara Bray was the guest yesterday and she gave an excellent presentation!  One of her thought-provoking  concepts was about student engagement.  Bray reminded us, “There should be laughter and joy at school.”  We should strive for “flow” where students’ skill level and their challenge level are so well connected, students are energized in their learning and feel  success.

You talk with any educator and you would get little argument with this philosophy.  Teachers dream of achieving this state of connectedness and engagement with their students.  Despite knowing this and wanting this, too many teachers and administrators (guilty-here) take another approach.  Teach to the Test!

In our K-5 school, I beg teachers to take risks and make their students’ learning rich and inspiring.  We have many instances where incredible learning projects are taking place.  I encourage our staff to take the path of those we admire, the Debbie Millers,  Reading with Meaning or the Donalyn Millers, The   Book Whisperer.  Focus on students developing a passion for reading and learning and they will be very successful on testing.  We know that’s right and yet we are too fearful to trust we can have success without doing an hour or two of test prep weekly.

How do we break out of the Teaching to the Test prison in which we find ourselves?  I would like to suggest we develop a site where teachers can pool their accomplishments and examples of how they have bucked thetest prep trend.  Show us and tell us of examples where you have really minimized test prep, yet your kids have tested well.  This concept, backed by some of our most respected stakeholders (insert names hereJ) could push the pendulum back in the direction it belongs.

Can American Students Develop Sisu Like the Finns?

Do students in America have the sisu to rise up to a crisis?  Do they have the fortitude to compete internationally?  Do they even know they are in a fight for their lives as we know it?  I find myself losing sleep over questions like this as we trudge forward trying to gain an additional 4 points on our state tests to make AYP.

How long will we aim at a target that has very little to do with preparing our students for a 21st century world?  Who will be responsible for stepping up and changing the target?  Who will help our students understand The World is Flat and our eyes should be squarely placed on how we fit into this global community?  Isn't it time for another Sputnik movement?  Aren't we in the same spot as we were in the 1950s?

What will it take for us to turn in the proper direction?  Could a national curriculum be designed to open our eyes and stare at the global issues that should be a vital part of our students' education today?  Could we find a way to assess students that shows their abilities to think with rigor without it being a paper and pencil (now computerized) test?

My belief is that we can rise to the challenge.  We can get it right and change the targets.  We can redevelop sisu.  But we better do it soon.