Good Grief Charlie Brown Teacher

The first day of school is what sets the tone for the rest of the year. Did it start something like this?

Make It Count

As a kid growing up, I remember those days in the classroom. I can almost picture the spot on my desk where the drool would puddle up, as I "listened" to the teacher explain for twenty-five minutes who she was, what her classroom rules consisted of - all thirty of them  what her expectations were for us, what would happen if we didn't follow them, how all of our assignments counted -some more than others, wah, wah, wah, wah...the crazy thing is those Charlie Brown days are still occurring in today's classrooms.

Those Charlie Brown days can't exist in our classrooms today. I'll be the first to admit, and it's only taken 18 years, that the procedures, the rules, the million things about me can wait. - we only get ONE first day, ONE day to make that first impression and ONE day to show the kid what we are.

Life is Just A Bunch of Jellybeans

This year my first day was not about rules...not about procedures...it was about time. It was about the time we would be spending together, the time we would be doing amazing things, the time we would spend  learning about each other and learning about the world we live in.

Did I know their names? No. Did I know their stories? No. Did they know me or my stories? No. That would all come. Right now, day one, I wanted them to know that I valued them, I valued their time, and I valued what was to come with our time together.

I gave each student a jellybean and told them to eat it. I asked them what they tasted - not the flavor, but the taste. Some mentioned their beans were "sweet", "nasty", "gross", "good", etc. I told them that each of these tastes was really a metaphor (quick review of that for kids who didn't know) - it was a metaphor for the moments they've had before this class. They're gone now - we can't bring them back, but we can still taste them, still remember them.

I talked with them about how we would be making good tasting memories. I shared how excited I was that each of them was here, that they all mattered to this classroom, and that we were going to do some really incredible things this year. We watched The Time You Have and I handed each kid a jellybean and a baggie. They placed the bean in their baggie and I had them put them in their locker. I told them we'd be pulling them out the last week of school. I told them to remember that jellybean was there and to remember who gave it to them.

That jellybean was there as a reminder. If they were having a bad day, all they needed to do was pull out the bean and remember why they were here and that they would always have someone there for them.

Teacher of the Game #MarchMadness

“Young men (and women) need more models, not critics” 

– John Wooden

Buzzer Beaters

I'm a huge fan of basketball - from the high school to college to  the pro level.  I've never played it, but when I was dating the woman I would eventually marry she was a member of a very good Division III team that competed in the Division III National Championship as a freshman. I have many fond memories of watching her play and compete throughout the majority of her college career  - and she even had her picture in Sports Illustrated as she so often points out. Sitting with her grandmother and parents watching her compete is where I began to truly appreciate the game of basketball and what it can offer to people outside of the sport.

My love for the sport continues to grow - watching all three of my kids play and compete I am always learning something new. I couldn't be more proud of what they accomplish on the courts and believe it helps shape how they are off the court. I'm honored to say my oldest son will be playing on an AAU team with ties to Detroit Piston Darrun Hilliard this summer as my daughter begins her AAU season and my youngest son picks up his bat.

My daughter's team (at the time of this post) has a 70-2 record over the last 4 years

My 8th grade son starting on the Freshman team this year.

My 10th grade son's last Varsity game of  the season...gearing up for a grueling AAU season.

Miraculous

I truly believe sports is a microcosm of the world in which we live in. My students know I love sports and it's not because of the valuable lessons learned- of the competitiveness, the teamwork, not quitting...yes, those are important, but what I love the most are the stories. I love sharing stories about athletes with my students and using them as jumping off points for lessons. This works even for the kids who don't like sports. They realize that these athletes are people just like them.

One of the first stories I shared with my classes was the story of Austin Hatch. We were setting goals and the idea of perseverance and achieving your goals was discussed. There weren't many dry eyes in my classroom after this one and I believe it set the tone for the high goals I want my student to achieve with a "no excuses" approach.  I believe this video may have also helped inspire a few kids to root for the Wolverines this season.

We can't control our circumstances, but we can control our reaction and responses to situations. Austin's story demonstrates this and a whole lot more...

Dedication

One of the latest videos I've shared with my students is the incredible story of two young boys. I will not spoil the story for you, but I will tell you this. If you don't think a video can keep a 7th graders attention for 15 minutes, you need to try this. It's the story of a dedication.

 My classes discussed what this meant and we read several from the beginnings of books trying to make sense of them and look for the deeper meanings. I then showed them the above video and we talked more about dedication. We then talked about what was important to them and they wanted to achieve those dreams. 

The "lesson" culminated with the kids writing a "dedication" letter. The parameters were a little vague (on purpose). They were to compose a letter, to be mailed, to someone special in their life and had to dedicate something special to them. They have the option of sharing with me or not. The letters are due tomorrow. I've seen a few already and I felt I couldn't wait to share this with others. 

My students are amazing. I'm touched by what they are writing and what they are willing to dedicate to others. When we're finished I will post updates about what they've written (with their permission as these are very personal letters). 

I am also going to be creating a dedication tile. I will be adding the names of students to a tile in the ceiling. Underneath their name will be the name of the person they are dedicating something to. This will serve as a reminder to me about my dedication to them and to my future students in helping their dreams come true.

My baby just-a wrote me a letter...

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. 

Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” 

– Scott Adams

Love letter left in a book for a random stranger.

That's Amore

There are a few things 7th graders do not want to hear a few days before Valentine's Day. This may be near the top of a 13 year old's list... "Tomorrow we will be writing love letters and I'm picking who you're writing to."

More Than Words

My daily warm-ups come from an awesome resource created by Luke Neff. I use his writing prompts, or variation of them, each day as my students enter the room. The prompts are very engaging and often very thought-provoking. As students entered my room I had Love Letters in The Sand by Pat Boone playing and this prompt on the board:

I started with this idea and looked into it a bit further. I discovered this awesome TED talk by Hannah Brencher and this site detailing how to write love letters to strangers.

That's The Way Love Goes

As a college student in the '90s I used to check my mailbox weekly looking for a letter from home. I recently came across letters that my grandmother had written me and it was amazing the flood of emotions that came back to me after reading her letters written in a beautiful cursive writing. It was as if I could hear her talking to me. I shared this with my class as I told them they would be writing their letters by hand. 

I gave the class somewhat vague directions in hopes that I would get some really creative and clever approaches to this task. They were to write about a struggle that they've gone through and to explain how they overcame it and got through it. They were to offer words of encouragement. They were also to remain completely anonymous.When they finished writing, they were to address the envelope and seal it. I told my class they could share their responses with me if they chose. Kids were excited by this and some even asked if they could write for the person reading their letter to write a letter to someone (aka. Pay It Forward). Some of my students chose to share what they wrote with me and I was beyond words when I read their letters. My kids never cease to amaze me - I was humbled and inspired by my kids.

February Love

Early in the morning I posted a message to my classroom Facebook page looking for parent volunteers and the response was overwhelming. 

The parents who volunteered, along with their child, would be secretly leaving the letters at various locations around town over the Valentine's Day Weekend. I asked them to be sure to leave the letters in locations that people would find them - supermarkets, coffee-shops, library, car windshields, etc.

One of my students leaving a "love letter" in the bean section of the supermarket.

Ain't Got Time to Take a Fast Train...

It's a fast paced world with instant connections and contact with our friends and loved ones anytime we want it. This may sound odd coming from a teacher who loves social media and instant feedback, but some days I want things to just slow down. I want my kids to realize it's good to do this. That's why we took a day in February, slowed down, and wrote love letters to strangers.

Our fast paced world needs more small acts of kindness like this. My kids will never know who they helped or how they helped them, but I hope that their letters will make others feel like their "lonely days are gone".

Paint By The Numbers

"You can't be creative unless you are acting with high intelligence."

-Sir Ken Robinson

Does education allow our kids to paint outside the lines or does it encourage teachers to have the kids paint by the numbers?

One of the greatest joys I find in teaching is challenging my students to be creative and "paint outside the lines".

One of the greatest challenges I find in teaching is being allowed to challenge my students to be creative and "paint outside the lines".

How does a teacher help foster creativity with their students when they're told they think too far out of the box or outside of the lines? How does a teacher motivate their students when they're told they should try to do some more traditional lessons or keep their kids painting by the numbers? Does thinking like this prepare our kids for what they need NOW?

Like Sir Ken Robinson points out in this talk here, human beings possess one of the greatest qualities necessary to move forward and make great strides in education...our imagination. Robinson points this out in 2008! Why is it that seven years later teachers are still being questioned on making kids think imaginatively and creatively? Why do administrators, teachers, and communities continue to stifle it?

Robinson encouraged us to no think of  "reforming" our education system, but to think of "transforming" it. Has the education system been transformed yet?

I have roughly 180 days with my students. Every one of the those days I need to challenge their thinking and encourage them to look at their learning a bit differently and "transform" their thinking. I want my students creating their own paintings.

Robinson believes creativity is as important as literacy and numeracy. Why do we continue to not promote this with teachers and students? What can teachers do NOW for our kids?

What do our students need NOW?

Our students need to...
...have creativity as a centerpiece to their learning
...know that they are valued
...know they can make a difference
...think creatively
...have teachers that will encourage them to think outside the box
...understand all "courses" have value to their life
...be given opportunities daily to develop their creativity
...understand that they are all creative


What else do you believe our students need right NOW?
What kind of paintings are your students creating?