Who's fault is it?

As I sit here overwhelmed trying to reflect on everything I need to get done, I am attempting to wrap my brain around one task and complete it. Have I finished anything yet? No. Apparently this is a daunting task for myself and being MIA for the last 9 days due to training, my brain is on overload. However, notes are helpful and as I am reviewing mine, trying to make sense of it all, a statement that I wrote down stuck out to me. I often have a lot of "Ah Ha" moments during training and some relate to the training and most some do not due to a wandering mind.

Are you ready for my moment...

We need to stop blaming others for things we can't control.

(Go back, reread. Roll it around in your mind before reading on.)

Ok, so maybe you are thinking... Uh, duh! However, the more I dig into this and the more I sit and listen in to conversations, I wonder if we really embrace this message. So many times we make the statement "Well I taught it."

But if students didn't learn it, who's fault is it?

So many times we might blame it on the student: their academic level, their attention issues, their ability to sit still issues, their home situation, their parents, or even their siblings. But really, when it all comes down to it and what it means to be a teacher, isn't it our responsibility to make sure all our students learn? 

Now, I am not saying I think all kids are created equal. I am not saying there are not issues that impede a child's ability to learn. What I do know is that kids come in at all levels and to get every student to the same level is impossible, but is that what we are shooting for? Shouldn't the focus be put on growth? Helping each child grow to their own potential? Talk about a need for differentiation! But that is a whole other blog post for another day.

If I can apply this to the classroom, I think about a teacher who was frustrated about several students and their "motivation to be in school". The teacher was stuck on the fact that it was a lost cause and that they needed to just make it through the year, hoping something stuck. Until one day and an impromptu lesson about an underwater science station. Breaking out a jar and plastic tub, the teacher had ALL eyes and ears. The students were asking questions and making predictions about how water and science work. They even volunteered to give up their recess, wanting to continue the lesson.  This lesson sparked an interest in the students. It allowed the students to learn in a new way and develop their own questions and answers. I observed students sharing out with each other and making meaningful connections to many areas of education. When reflecting with the teacher afterwards, one word came to her... fun!

So as we come to a conclusion and think about Who's fault it is, reflect upon yourself to engage your learners the way you would want to be engaged. What makes learning fun for you? Bring that into your classroom and engage your students to discover just how fun learning can be. So when faced with the question of fault... it is all because of you.

The POWER of Writing

I am almost back to the world of teaching. I have finished two days of cognitive coaching, 4 days of Steve Dunn training, 2 days of POWER and am leaving soon for 2 days of the ND Coaches Academy. I can't wait to be back working with teachers.

I was asked to be a guest writer for someone and was very honored at first. Until I actually had to sit down and decide what to write. The topic had to be writing. Our district is using a program from Steve Dunn and I wanted to share some information about that. But what? I had so many thoughts rolling around in my mind, I could not slow down enough to get something out on paper. But through careful reflection and a lot of listening I finally narrowed it down.

After attending 2 days of POWER and getting to hear all the amazing things teachers are doing in their classrooms with writing, I figured it would only be appropriate to point out all those amazing things and how they match with the process of Steve Dunn Writing.

Here is what I wrote...

Be courageous and try to write in a way that scares you a little.

~ Holley Gerth

 

As I sit here and ponder that quote and determine what to write about, I am not sure I could “scare” myself by the end of this. However, I know that teaching can be a scary thing. Constantly asking yourself, “Am I doing it right?” I am pretty new to my job and I think I ask myself that every other minute. However, I came across someone who told me “You are doing what you can with the resources you have. You don’t know what you don’t know.”

 

Pretty powerful right? So with the thought of the unknown and not knowing what everyone knows, I present to you a little bit of Steve Dunn…

 

The importance of turn and talk

As we look into writing and some of the key elements, one that comes to mind is the turn and talk. This is an element that is extremely powerful and can apply to all areas of teaching. The purpose of turn and talk is so kids are able to share their answers out. You as the teacher lean in and move quickly around to listen to student responses. Keep things quick and ask kids to explain their thinking to each other. After observing Mr. Dunn on several different occasions, the length of student discussions was on average 9 seconds. 9 seconds! He also had the students turn and talk on average about every minute. That was powerful. It allowed the students to be part of the learning and kept the lesson moving.

 

Sticking to the Process

We are a system, a system that works and moves together. If something in the system decides to do something different, it affects the outcome of everyone else. Steve Dunn Writing in our district builds a foundation starting at kindergarten and continues all the way through 5^th grade (with it starting to carry over to middle school). The process students learn in kindergarten carries over to the start of first. In first grade, the process they learn carries over and builds to second. This process continues over and over again. The students do not need to learn a whole new writing system each year; they can make massive gains by just adding to the system they already know. Which again, is powerful. We had several teachers comment about kids making their own storyboards or t-charts during the NDSA. YEA!

 

The Importance of Visuals

As we work through the process of writing, whether it is the introduction of new skills or reviewing a previous learned skill, the importance of building anchor charts together as a class is in high demand. An anchor chart is just that, it ANCHORS a student’s learning. When these posters that were created with student language are posted, they are able to recall lessons that were taught because they have access to the visuals. Does that mean you need to clear half your room to fit everything? Of course not. There are many ways of having access to anchor charts. Ask around…

 

Write, Write and Write again

We are starting to hear more and more about the rigor of Common Core and what it is expecting kids to do. We have Writer’s Workshop set up to occur every day. So that means students should have writing time every day. Remember to keep your focus lessons to a minimum. If you don’t cover absolutely everything, that is acceptable. Having a hard time keeping your lessons to a certain time frame? Set a timer, or have a kid help remind you when you need to be done so they have enough impendent work time. Remember to use Tracking the Process to hold kids accountable and keep them on track in the process.

 

Share it out

Remember to have your students share their writing. It could be to a friend, a group or the whole class. This not only strengthens their writing (because they have to know what it says) but also builds communication skills.

 

Questions, comments, concerns?

No problem. Your coaches are always here to support you where you are. Want to see something modeled or know how engaged your students are? We are here for you.

 

And if this writing scared you, remember…

 

“You’re only human. You don’t have to have it together every minute of every day.”

~Anne Hathaway