Trusting Yourself as a Learner

In the late evening hours long after the last tweet came across the screen, I sat perplexed. #NYEDChat's return to Twitter was a successful #StartStrong chat. Many new educators came on board ready to listen to the wisdom of the dynamic duo of Kassandra Minor and Cornelius Minor. The topic, Bringing "All Students Can Learn" To Life Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and Anti-Racist Teaching, was timely and important for a back-to-school conversation.

While everything with the #NYEDChat went well, I clumsily stumbled my way through the steps for making a transcript of the conversation. No matter how many attempts I tried, I kept getting stuck.

Then, I thought of students who also sit perplexed in our classrooms. Without support, they flounder. Luckily for me, I happened to have a Tweet pass by from Brian R. Smith, Sr., "Keep smiling. Let me know if I can help." I did need help and Brian quickly responded with a video on how to easily create an accurate transcript with all the tweets posted. Brian's words gave me the boost I needed.

Knowing that I was out of my comfort zone led to many frustrating moments and a feeling of inadequacy but I plugged along.  It did take me many tries to accomplish what I set out to do but when I finished creating the transcript, I felt pleased with myself. I persevered , took a deep breath, and then continued to ponder on what I needed during the process:

• A guide to help me navigate my way through the struggle ( that is what a teacher does)

• A model to work from (being a visual learner the video provided the steps I needed  to accomplish my goal)

• Time and perseverance to muddle through the mess toward finding a solution

Recently, I listened to Julie James' interview with actress Sabine Fontana on Broadway Names. The idea of trusting yourself came up. I kept the thought, "You got to trust yourself," close to me during the days before the chat.  

With the #StartStrong mantra and that Fontana's quote in mind, I created a wish for all classrooms-offer each student the opportunity to notice, wonder, and be engaged in the productive struggle. A passionate teacher is needed as the guide in a culture of trust where all abilities are honored, all voices nurtured, and student agency fostered. NOW is the time to build the foundation for successful learning for ALL.

Tuesday's Slice of Life

Timeless Words

Last week, I had the privilege of teaching an ELA Summer Institute for graduate students at Molloy College. During the four days, we engaged in discourse on student-centered learning, created an interactive digital notebook, and filled it with wonderings.  Words became our tool to power up conversations and activate new pathways to learning.

I take the time now to reflect on the power of words, the foundation of conversations, the conduits for our actions. They can be inspirational or destructive. They can lead to bonding with others or entanglements. Words are the superpower of educators. With positivity, they encourage students to collaborate, think critically, and ultimately to create as learners.  

An early morning Twitter conversation among global friends inspired me to reflect upon an important quote from an inspirational leader, Martin Luther King, Jr. 'With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair the stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood."  In a post that I wrote last year,  I used MLK's words as a call to action question. "Are we ready to hold the stone of hope in our hands, open the doors to positive discourse, unite as a brotherhood of peace, and never lose infinite hope?"  I revisit this question again considering the timely events in history. 

As educators, are we ready to have courageous conversations? My class discussed this topic last week as their call to action. It is my thinking that words should be used to promote inspired thinking and create plans that encourage students to collaborate as a harmonious group of learners. We must listen intently to others and be mindful of the words we use to express our thoughts. Let's model this.

Are you ready to use words as your positive superpower?

Thank you Steve Kelley, for starting the conversation with a tweet this morning.

It's Slice of Life Tuesday, so I am joining the Two Writing Teachers' community of writers to exchange words that encourage positive conversations.

Celebrate the Words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The words of Martin Luther King, Jr. still ring true even though decades have passed. On this day of tribute, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a nation pays tribute to a man who held peace and hope in his heart and provided us with many inspirational thoughts. 

"With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair the stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood."

-Dr. Martin Luther King from Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution

Are we ready to hold that stone of hope in our hands, open the doors to positive discourse, unite as a brotherhood of peace, and never lose infinite hope? Are we ready to be change agents and messengers of kindness. Beside paying tribute to a great man of peace and non-violent interactions, we need to consider random acts of kindness this week as an alternative to "me" thinking.

I am sending the Kindness Dove out around the globe to share the love of giving. Kindness leads to additional kindness. Let's stand in the shadows of Dr. Martin King, Jr., firm in our commitment, and quick in our conviction to be kind. I #choosekind! Do you?

Celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. tonight!

Importance of Voice

As I sit at my desk after #NYEDChat's convo on being the digital change, I realize how important voice is. Tonight participants from across the states joined in to discuss the topic, "Be the Digital Change". A chorus of voices rocked the Twittersphere as I hoped. While tweeting with Marialice Curran, co-founder of Dig Cit Summit and Dig Cit Summit UK, and her 3rd grader son about this, I realized that educators have a challenge. It is our duty to provide students with writing and speaking opportunities for their voices to rise beyond their classrooms. Teaching them to do so with respectful and responsible behavior is a necessity. 

I think how apropos it was to have this conversation on Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. As an important figure in history, King's powerful voice proclaimed his beliefs despite challenges faced. His words still ring true today. 

Intelligence plus character define what a digital citizen is in this Information Age. During the era that King lived the words digital citizen were an unknown thought but if King were alive today, he would be an ideal model-a powerful, ethical voice speaking out on freedom across social media.

I look back on a post that I wrote two years ago, honoring his words. The image below was an ending thought on my blog. King posed this question that is still a most urgent one decades later.

How often do we stop to think how we are affecting and impacting the lives of others, especially our students' learning lives? How often do we stop to teach our students what it means to have a responsible and ethical voice? Having intelligence plus character is what makes a digital citizen a voice to be heard. I am moved tonight to ponder King's question and ask my readers to do the same as a call to action. 

Each Tuesday Two Writing Teachers offer space for teachers and writers to offer their Slice of Life. Please visit the site here to read other slices.