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.
Here on Long Island, the Belmont Stakes is a "happening". While I usually do not attend the race since the crowds are huge and the traffic endless, I do celebrate with family and friends. Last week, my family attended the 22nd Annual Belmont Festival on Seventh Street in Garden City. The street was filled with vendors, two musical groups, and restaurants opened for street-goers. We strolled down the street, dodging beach balls that were being thrown by fast-moving middle schoolers, and listened to the rock music.
The next day, there was anticipation for the Belmont Stakes race. I watched the pre-show talking about the history of the race and the biography of Justify's jockey, Michael Smith and the trainer, Bob Baffert. I waited to see the fashion worn, especially the fascinators and the traditional wide-brimmed hats. Then, we went off to a Belmont Stakes dinner party at a friend's house to immerse ourselves in the pre-race activities. Guests crowded into the family room awaiting the race. My iPhone camera was ready to capture the action.
The excitement mounted as the horses paraded out.
Justify, the clear favorite, was beautifully groomed, calm, and impressive in his stature
He was ready for the race of his lifetime.
Stamina and the guidance of his jockey were clearly needed to win the Triple Crown.
Looking back on the weekend and thinking ahead to the end of the school year, the hashtag #finishstrong comes to mind. I'd like to end this post with a comparison of the race to the Triple Crown with students' path to lifelong learning, a goal that educators prize at the end of the year.
Justify finished strong with the ongoing caregiving of his training team, the guidance of his jockey, stamina training, and the vigorous cheering of the crowd. Just like in racing, educators need to encourage students to finish strong by passionately engaging them in active learning activities up to the last day, provide caregiving in ecosystems of trust and positivity, guide their learners, and be champions of hope to help students attain educational victories. Students, in turn, need to build stamina, persevere in the face of difficulty, and strive to become lifelong learners.
"A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning." -Pat Riley
Are we ready to take on the challenge of finishing strong? Let's build positive momentum leading our students onward. Here is a found poem created from thoughts culled from a short video of Justify's race to the Triple Crown. Perhaps, it will inspire educators and students to finish strong like Justify did.
Within the dim lit room a peace settled; a celebration brewed. Participants came together as a community. The yoga teacher took her position guiding, modeling moves, and providing support, and so it began - a two hour yoga celebration of joy.
Flor Villazan at Come Together Yoga Studio
Prior to entering the room, I wondered if I had the stamina to make it through two hours. My muscles ached from the return to yoga after vacationing but I was willing to try. With determination, I engaged in each move in the best way I could. I monitored my speed, listened to the cues my body was giving, and did not hesitate to keep trying.
For a brief moment, as I moved in and out of poses, my mind interrupted the flow. The word stamina surfaced. It was the prompt word for DigiLit Sunday and I was planning on writing about it. Realizing that it was stamina that I needed, I took in a fresh breath and continued. The energy in the room and the passion of the teacher provided the stimuli to finish strong and celebrate along with the others.
Come Together Yoga Studio, Long Island
Today, I reflect upon the two-hour experience and relate it to teaching.
What does it take to build a culture of trust and engagement? You need an air of positivity, care for humanity, choices, and belief in the human spirit. In the yoga studio a positive environment was established, community honored, choices provided, and the teacher believed in each participant's ability.
What does it take to sustain a task? For learners, it takes confidence, determination, support, and stamina.
How do we encourage learners to engage in tasks that may be difficult?Teachers full of passion are the guides on the journey. They enter the learning space with enthusiasm and provide the support needed. As in yoga, teachers instruct, model, release responsibility to the learner, guide, and support. Learners respond to the varied moves in a culture of trust and sharing because they are honored as unique individuals with individual needs.
Why should we celebrate the difficulties and frustrations of learning?Learning is a celebration of moves that lead to accomplishment. Whether the success is small or great, learners should be applauded for their contributions within the learning space.
Today, I join Margaret Simon and the DigiLit Sunday writing community on the topic of stamina. My takeaways from the yoga session (where I clearly needed stamina) are: to succeed as a learner, determination, persistence, and practice are needed. Understanding that practice is a step toward progress, not perfection allows each learner to become an active participant in a non-judgmental atmosphere.
The weekend before Thanksgiving 7000 educators traveled to Atlanta not to break bread but to be nourished at the table of learning. I was one of them. What awaited for us was a neon-colored surprise. NCTE celebrated a rebranding of its logo and a technicolor explosion of voices advocating for enhanced learning experiences.
Arrival to Atlanta was smooth and check-in not a problem until my colleague, Michele Haiken, and I entered our room to be faced with a strong odor, a not so appealing mix of deodorizer pumping in from the vent. We called the front desk and had the hotel come up with options while we went back to the convention center for the Secondary Get Together with my friend, Kwame Alexander. Between the power of Kwame's presence, the news of his first YA book to be released, and the Mac and Cheese fest, I almost forgot the hotel incident.
Staying positive, we returned to the hotel and our patience was rewarded with a new room that overlooked the CNN Center.
When I closely notice what is around me, learning never ceases to amaze me. From the arrival in Atlanta to registration at the Georgia Congress Convention Center, to a magnificent sunset at the end of the day, my noticings led to wonder, new learnings, and the realization that the table of learning is a marvelous space for all in the field of literacy to be nourished. While in Atlanta, I met many slicers I write alongside weekly. Please visit Two Writing Teachers where Slice of Life Tuesday has been populated with many savory posts.
#NCTE16 Convention fever is spreading as many of us across the country are anticipating the flight to Atlanta on Thursday. Last minute conversations via Twitter, email, and GHO are happening. Badges are arriving and materials for presentations are being loaded into Google Drive and computers. Needless to say, I am excited. Since I am moderating #NYEDChat on Twitter tonight and we are speaking about "Thankfulness", I am recycling my gratitude-for-conference learning digital.
My badge finally arrived at 4:30 pm today. My husband hand-delivered my mailer from NCTE since he knew I was eagerly anticipating its arrival. I quickly included my Twitter handle since I missed the directions to have it listed on the badge. Then, I printed my Twitter profile photo and included it along with my Long Island hometown on the badge.
It's Official!
As I check off my countdown-to-conference list, I am reminded of John Denver's song, Leaving on a Jet Plane. While my bags are not packed and there are still many tasks to accomplish before Thursday, I am ready to learn alongside others, meet up with colleagues, present with my teams, and enjoy four days of educational bliss.
I thank #nctechat for providing a high energy convo last night. There was excitement in the Twitter air, educator friends I know virtually, those I have met face-to-face, and new faces all excited to attend #NCTE16 in Atlanta, Georgia. We even had time to announce our presentations. You can find me at the following:
I.27 1:15 pm 11/20/16 Authentic Voice in a Digital World: Using Technology in Our Literate Lives B215 How can teachers be digital change agents, transforming reading and writing lives in K– college classrooms? Join a panel of authors and educators from varied backgrounds (Michele Haiken, Paul W. Hankins, Holly Mueller, Laura Purdie Salas, Margaret Simon, Carol Varsalona) to explore technology innovation in student-centered learning spaces where choice leads to increased voice.
K.14 4:15 11/20/16 The Power of Wonder and Inquiry in the Classroom and at Home A404 Wonder and inquiry help develop the will to learn and cultivate curiosity, which leads students to exploration and discovery. How can teachers foster wonder and inquiry while maintaining rigor and meeting standards? Our panelists will share strategies to incorporate wonder and inquiry both inside and outside the classroom! Participants: Brittany Howell, Louise Borden, Georgia Heard, Kristin Ziemke, & Wonder Lead Ambassadors: Jen McDonough, Carol Varsalona
I look forward to meeting my Slicer friends at #NCTE16 but unfortunately cannot attend their presentation since it is the same time as the K.14 that I am involved in as a Wonder Lead Ambassador.
Tomorrow is Slice of Life Tuesday at Two Writing Teachers, so join me in reading other slicers postshere.
Learning is messy is a thought vocalized by many educators, including myself. While this sounds like a negative, it has a positive connotation when speaking about the student's journey as a learner. Imagine a classroom of young writers immersed in a digital literacy project. Some are using pen and paper to create their draft, others are constructing a digital composition on their iPads and laptops. There's a great deal of buzz, flutter of papers, and tapping of pencils. Computer clicks are heard rapidly firing. Then, from a corner of the room, there are the groans, the stuck sounds, the disappointing comments followed by the pause.
-Forward steps, followed by backsteps are observed.-
From the sidelines comes the coach/faciitator guiding and gently nudging those who need support. Words like "I can't do this" are turned into "I think I can" as the teacher coach huddles the team with a positive chat. With a positive attitude, the community of learners come back onto the field of active learning to finish the challenge.
The messiness of the struggle is realized, identified, and overcome as teachers guide learners to discover new paths. From the apparent cluttered chaos of creation, grit and perseverance prevail to bring students one step closer to success, despite any missteps because dreaming big is inherent in the learning process.
Today is Slice of Life Tuesday so please visit Two Writing Teachers here to read additional slices.
Leaning into learning is a practice I engage in as a teacher learner to hone my craft and extend my learning. This past week, I was privileged to lean into learning at the Wonder Lead Ambassadors Retreat in Louisville, Kentucky.
The creative teams of Wonderopolis and Brains on Firefacilitated the Retreat with a motivational program that lit inspirational sparks. Through a series of gamestorm activities and conversation, a sense of connectedness filled the conference room each day, allowing a team of new acquaintances to become a tribe. By the end of the retreat, bonds were formed and a call to action evolved.
In a Ted Talk-like presio, Geno Church from Brains On Fire challenged us to:
Raise our telescopes up (as Galileo did centuries ago).
Examine our values and beliefs.
Walk the path of the unknown.
Embrace our fears
and scale old walls to move on.
Fired up to engage in our mission, I left the retreat motivated to turnkey my new learning, continue to engage others in the act of wondering to learn, elevate my voice, and encourage others to do the same to be part of the digital change revolution.
Please take a moment to watch some highlights of the retreat.
On the airplane ride home, I continued to wonder as the clouds rolled by. The following digital composition started as an original photo taken from airplane. When I returned home I digitalized the #imagepoem to give it a new perspective on the impact of noticing and wondering.
I celebrate the learning from the Wonderopolis three-day retreat in Louisville. I celebrate being a Wonder Lead Ambassador who continues a journey of noticing and wondering started as a child with a pencil, a notebook, and an immense curiosity of the world. In addition, I celebrate life and the wonders of it.
Please continue to read how others celebrate their week by visiting Ruth Ayres' blogging community, Celebrate This Week, that is built on the positives of weekly life.
This post can also be seen on the Wonderopolis Wonder Ground, entitled Wonder To Learn. Be a wonderologist and bring the wonders of Wonderopolisand Camp Wonderopolisto learners.
Today is Day 25 of Laura Shovan's 2016 Found Object Poem Project. Everyday during the month of February the challenge has been to create one poem per day based on a picture prompt. You can access the project here.
As connected educators, we often gather together in various professional development forums to discuss universal topics. Collegial circles, Twitter conversations, edcamps, voxers, Google hangouts, Skype, and Google docs are some of the platforms used to grow learning. It is through these different forms of professional development that we effectively connect with one another, despite the busyness of our personal and professional lives.
We connect, share, and grow as connected educators in cultures of trust where we honor the learning that evolves.
For more than a decade, thought leaders like Richard DuFour have discussed the importance of professional learning communities (PLCs) as a way to "achieve a collective purpose of learning for all." Across the nation, professional learning communities grew to meet the needs of educators. From schools to districts to state and global Twitter forums, educators are now engaged in asynchronous professional development beyond traditional PD opportunities. They are part of growing professional learning networks (PLNs) involved in intellectual labor to further their base of knowledge. Connections are made in active learning spaces and friendships cemented asynchronously beyond the school day and school week.
Yesterday, I was fortunate to be involved with a couple of different forms of professional development. During the day, I facilitated a traditional form of PD on transforming writing lives. Through a series of collaborative protocols and conversations I led a group of engaged K-12 educators to create a culture of trust leading to the development of a small PLN. Eduinspirations were designed and inspiration flowed.
This program was followed by a step back in time where I attended an annual fall gathering at the district from which I retired as an administrator. I am happy to say that the Reflective Pathway Collegial Circle that I created in June 2003 with the support of my administrative team and committed educators is still thriving. The asynchronous professional development program now under the leadership of Lisa Granieri and her team of facilitators is a credit to the resiliency of learners who believe in collaborative learning.
Yesterday's theme for the annual fall gathering was gratitude, a fitting one for November. Some facts on gratitude from the University of Pennsylvania shared by Lisa are important thoughts for all educators at this busy time of year.
When participants delivered a heartfelt thank you letter they actual felt happier for a full month after.
Writing down three positive events each for a week kept happiness levels high for up to six months.
In her address, Lisa further noted that educators deserve gratitude and appreciation.
Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. ~William Arthur Ward
We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. ~Cynthia Ozick
Gratitude is Lisa's new attitude, as it is for so many connected educators who are grateful for the learning they share with each other. I raise my glass to the Reflective Pathway for continuing a journey of hopeful trust in the benefits of collaborative learning.
If inclined, join the Twitter initiative to celebrate November 9-15 as Gratitude Week. You may also be interested in marking tweets with the hashtag #gratitude when thanking colleagues for notifications or mentions.
Please visit Slice of Life sponsored by Two Writing Teachers where learning grows weekly in the online community of educator bloggers.
Back-to-school time brings the startup of the educational twitter chats. With hopes for a positive school year of learning, energized teachers and leaders are excited about moving forward with ideas that have been on their summer draft board. The state and global Twitter chats are also gearing up for another year of shared ideas, advice, and inspiration to impact teaching and learning. Tonight NYEDChat, as the Twitter Voice of New York State educators, is ready to open its doors to another year of conversations.
Imagine this: a group of tweachers, teachers on Twitter, leaders, parents, and people from outside the educational world coming together at 8:00 pm to voice their opinion on the topic of the night: Students as Partners and Change Agents in Learning and Teaching. This will not happen face-to-face but through a virtual portal, #NYEDChat. From this committed group, a chorus of voices floating through the Twittersphere will brainstorm new directions, share successes, and connect and reconnect with those around New York and beyond. Our Aussie friends and educators from around the globe have been invited to discuss the topic. The outcomes of this virtual think tank will showcase the beginning-of-the-school year efforts of the difference makers of our educational system.
As part of the nine-member moderating team of #NYEDChat, I will co-moderate the first chat of the year with Dan McCabe. The above flyers, reminders, and the question document have been sent out via Twitter to many state educational chat groups, individual thought leaders, connected educators, and colleagues.
Invitation
NYEDChat opens its door to learning tonight,
September 21, 2015 at 8:00 pm EST.
You are cordially invited to join the conversation
that will engage in a positive exchange of ideas
and a showcasing of small successes and eduinspirations.
********************
Digital conversations take place daily on Twitter and blogging communities discuss opportunities for student growth. If you visit DigiLit Sunday hosted by Margaret Simon, you will find interesting ideas that will showcase students who are finding their voice and becoming partners in learning.
Follow-up:
When a Twitter chat has many followers and participants it start to trend on Twitter. Tonight #NYEDChat rocked the Twittersphere with its kick-off chat. The power of the PLN is a strong bond.
As I was reading this morning, I found a wonderful Edutopia article, The Heart of Teaching: What It means to be a Great Teacher, by a Twitter colleague, Rusul Airubail. Rusul starts off her piece by saying that "great teacher should be much more than credentials, experience and intelligence." This is so true. In my long career in literacy education, I have discovered the essence of teaching rests in the heart of many an educator. Inward passion inspires educators to take a stance of positivity to impact teaching and learning daily. Dr. Rita Pierson was one such inspiring educator who championed the child. You can read my tribute to her and every teacher here.
Because we are nearing National Poetry Month, I decided to take Rusul's words and compose a Tagxedo word cloud and then, a poem titled, Getting to the Heart of Great Teaching.
Today is nearing the end of the March of Life Story Challenge. It is Day 30 out of 31. Please visit Two Writing Teachers to read other slices from a variety of writers.
