sad poetry

Saturday, 19 March 2016

#SOL16 Day 19 Is PD a 4 Letter Word?

Professional Development.... PD. Does it fill you with dread at the thought or send a shiver of joy? Something in between?

In March, Two Writing Teachers is focusing on PD in a mini blog series. In a couple of days, I will be posting about PD from the perspective of a classroom teacher. I'm focusing on the rights and responsibilities of teachers who are recipients of PD.

I would love your ideas. If you post in the comments, please know I may quote you or share the idea in my upcoming post on March 21. You could even make this today's Slice if you are out of ideas! Please send me the link if you do that!

-What was your best experience with PD and why?

-What was your worst PD experience and why?

- What are the ingredients or components to an effective PD session?

- What are some rights of classroom teachers when it comes to PD?

- What are some responsibilities when it comes to PD?

-Should all teachers experience the same PD or should it be differentiated based on where teachers are in their understanding and practice?

For me, my best PD experiences have hands-down always been what I self-selected. The Summer Institute with the Long Island Writing Project shines like a beacon of PD. I was there because I wanted to be, with other educators who wanted to be there, too. No negativity. It was in the summer, when a teacher could breathe. We read, wrote, shared, participated in discussions, taught lessons and were part of lessons. We published a piece of writing. There was so much DOING and all of it purposeful with buy in and ownership.

Within my school district, one of my favorite PD experiences was a Superintendent's Conference Day where you could sign up for the workshops you wanted to attend. Administrators, coaches, and certain teachers were invited to present. There were 3 workshop slots and you were able to go to what you found most relevant. Again, choice was a key reason why this was meaningful for me.

In my opinion, the ingredients of effective PD are:

-an enthusiastic, passionate, knowledgeable facilitator who has planned the session thoughtfully

-some element of choice

-time for me to share my current knowledge or understanding about a topic

- resources shared

-movement and activity

-purpose or connection to my beliefs about teaching & learning

-respect given for my knowledge & experience

-next steps or support moving forward (not "one and done" where the topic is never brought up again!)

What about you? Please share your ideas on PD!

Thursday, 17 March 2016

#SOL16 Day 18 Lost

Exhaustion setting in, no ideas for Day 18's Slice, but reading the Classroom SOLSC slices provided inspiration. This post, from Vanissa, a student in the amazing Margaret Simon's class, made me think of my own "lost" story.

My mom, sister, and Great Aunt Sue had gone to the Sunrise Mall to shop and buy an apple pie for my Great Grandmother, Mama. I was about three years old, as the story goes. My sister and Aunt Sue were heading up the escalator to the bakery to find the pie and my mother was with me, in my stroller. Like most little sisters, I wanted to do exactly what my big sister was doing. My mom said to stay with her, and she turned to look in men's shoe store window, I guess looking for new shoes for my dad.

That's when I climbed out of my stroller (no seat belts? This was the early 1980's and I guess strollers didn't have belts then? OR maybe I was smart enough to unbuckle it? Hmmm....must remember to ask my mother). I figured I would catch up with my sister and Aunt Sue, but quickly became disoriented and lost. This must have been one of my first memories, but I do remember it. I recall walking in circles, and looking back, confused as to where the shoe store, my mother and stroller went. I remember crying.

That's when a lady took my hand and started walking with me. My mother, who was in hysterics that I was missing and perhaps stolen, spotted this lady, who was very tall, and small me, holding her hand. We were reunited! My Aunt Sue had been completely convinced that someone kidnapped me because of my cute curly hair and hadn't been much help to my poor mother. I don't know how long this whole ordeal lasted, but as a mother to a three year old now, it must have been the longest moments of my mother's life.

When they brought home the apple pie, Mama took a bite and pronounced it "medicinal." That is always my favorite part of the story, after the reunited part, of course.

Wednesday, 16 March 2016

#SOL16 Day 17 Sing / Canta

"I'm going to take this home to show it to my mom," L said with genuine excitement in her eyes. She was practically hugging the book. My plan to take this recently purchased book back home to my own children vanished.

I discovered this book yesterday at the book fair at my children's preschool. It is that classic song, "Sing!" from Sesame Street, now beautifully illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. The lyrics were written by Joe Raposo, when he was asked to create a bilingual song for Sesame Street. The book contains a note from the songwriter's son, talking about his father felt isolated and stigmatized growing up in the United States in the 1940's. The song was an anthem for self-acceptance and courage and has been translated into 35 languages and sung by many different famous singers through the years. I remembered it well from my own childhood and from my Sesame Street watching years with Alex.

But back to L. When I shared the book with my third graders earlier this morning, I had the song ready to play as I showed the pictures. We spoke about how the song was also written in Spanish and the lyrics were printed in English and Spanish at the back of the book. She couldn't stop looking at the page of Spanish words, proudly telling me she knew all the words and reading it quickly, her voice sounding different as she recited the lyrics.

The song only played in English and she asked me if I could play the Spanish version later. As we got ready for home, I searched Youtube and found Sesame Street in the 70's with Luis playing the guitar and singing "Canta". I noticed several students mouthing the words in Spanish as it played.

I had to admit, finding ways to weave in other students' cultures sometimes feels like an impossible and unrealistic expectation in the "highly effective" slot in the Danielson rubric. When I already need to cover all subject areas, differentiate for diverse abilities, purposefully integrate technology, communicate with parents, how can I add multicultural influences into my lessons too?

Today, I got it. Why it's so important to find ways to weave in students' cultural backgrounds into the classroom. Seeing L. absolutely delight in reading and listening to a song in Spanish, knowing she had to hold that book and bring it home to show her parents, I finally, really, understood.

Tuesday, 15 March 2016

#SOL16 Day 16 To Be Known

"Students want to know they are known."

-Barry Lane (via Twitter, 3/5/16)

I was standing outside my daughter Megan's classroom, waiting for her nursery school class to return from their downstairs dance class. It was Megan's third birthday, and I was there to read a story to her class and share a treat. My son, Alex, is in the same preschool, in the upstairs classroom with the "big kids" who are off to kindergarten next year. Later in the day, I would be coming back to the school to read to Alex's class and share a snack, using my day off from work to the fullest.

One of Alex's teachers came down the stairs and stopped to chat with me for a minute. She had the kindest things to say. She told me how Alex always makes her laugh, and says the most clever things, and has such a warm heart. She said she's seen a lot of children in 15 years and there is something very special about him. She spoke so genuinely, with a smile, about my little boy and how much she appreciates him, how he adds so much to the class.

My heart just filled.

Tomorrow, I go back to work, with my teacher hat back on. It's report card time and there is important information to impart to parents. For some, I will need to mention self-control and focus, others effort, others academic difficulties, struggles to keep up with the third grade curriculum. With a standards based report card, there are many components to evaluate. Letters or numbers written in a box to say exceeding expectations, on track, approaching, or needs improvement.

The comments will be my chance to show parents that I know their child, know the good inside, know there are many things to celebrate even if some other aspects of school are a struggle. Barry Lane tweeted, "Students want to be known they are known" and I would add, "Parents want to know you know their children." It makes all the difference.

#SOL16 Day 15 The Drop-Off Mom

Today I get to be the drop-off mom, the mom who doesn't rush out the door with work bags and lunch bags a good hour and a half before her kids leave for their little red schoolhouse. Today I get to make them pancakes (ok, microwave the ones my mom made for them) and make sure their teeth are brushed and put them in their carseats and drop them off at school. Today I get to smile at their teachers and see their little friends and explain that the book fair money is in the backpack.

Most days, I am already teaching a good forty minutes by the time this drop-off routine happens. It's been this way for years. I was sometimes the drop-off mom when my son Alex was in daycare, but many times my husband did the drop-off so I could get to work a little earlier. Life changed, as it does, and now my mom comes with the sun every morning to our house, to help get Alex and Megan ready for their respective days. It's a gift to not have to get my son to daycare by 7:30am, to let him sleep more and wake up with a later school start time. I'm grateful for my mom and this new routine. She's the drop-off Naya (our name for Grandma) and I'm so glad she is, but sometimes I wish I could be the drop-off mom.

Today is Megan's 3rd birthday and I've taken the day so I can bring treats to Megan's class and read them a story. I'm also going to read to Alex's class in the afternoon and bring treats to them, too. Today I am the story-reading, treat-toting mom.

It's going to be a great day.

#SOL16 Day 13 Meanness Always Surprises Me

Meanness always surprises me, like an ice cold rude wave slapping your face when least expected.

When I was in the 8th grade, I regularly read a comic strip called "For Better or Worse." It followed a family's life and I enjoyed reading each day, sometimes finding connections with the sister Lizzie. The cartoonist decided to write about a familiar character, Lawrence, telling his parents he was gay. He was the kindest character, but his dad responded by throwing him out of the house. (I think he was 14 at the time.) It bothered me so much as did the backlash the cartoonist got for writing about this topic in the comics. I wrote a letter to the editor of Newsday, supporting the comic. It was published, along with my name.

Later that night, the phone rang and I answered.

"Is this Kathleen?" a voice politely inquired.

I said it was, and then a string of disgusting profanity started. I stood in shock, then hung up the phone and burst into tears. I told my parents. I was frightened that the caller would try to find me. So much hatred, simply because I supported the cartoonist for raising awareness and empathy around homosexuality. I could not believe a person would take the time to look up the number of a 13 year old girl and then be so cruel.

I expect fairness, kindness, goodness. Perhaps naively, but I do. I am always taken aback and caught off guard when unkindness finds me.

Meanness always surprises me.

Sunday, 13 March 2016

#SOL16 Day 14 Pi-ku for Pi Day

Today is 3.14 and Math Nerds, er Fans, are delighting in all things related to Pi! I read about a form of poetry called a pi-ku, created to celebrate Pi Day. The formula is:
First line- 3 syllables
Second line- 1 syllable
Third line- 4 syllables

I decided to try this out, creating pi-kus for pictures taken at my daughter Megan's 3rd Birthday party.