"Community is a place where the connections felt in our hearts make themselves known in the bonds between people, and where the tuggings and pullings of those bonds keep opening our hearts."
- Parker Palmer
I'm feeling lucky. I work with so many gifted and talented colleagues who keep my heart open. And as we approach Thanksgiving this year I can honestly say they are a large part of what keeps me going in challenging times.
I recently told a colleague that as a teacher I sometimes feel like my cat. I appreciate a kind word about my work with my students from time to time the same way he needs a little love and attention. I guess I was kind of complaining that I never hear anything positive from administrators who are my bosses- thinking they don't value my efforts much. Listening carefully, my friend let me finish and then shared with me some things my tired heart had missed about my administrative team and their reactions to work we all did. Before I knew it, a simple conversation I began as a bit of a gripe session blossomed into an hour and a half of mentoring and sharing work and ideas. It was time spent that I definitely needed.
And I didn't just get some much needed attention from CRL. I have had time recently to talk with many colleagues. I've talked to Joseph and Jess and Liz and everyday with Cass. I've talked some with Wendy and Pat and Kath too. And all of these conversations have done my worn heart good. They've come at a time when I needed them.
Like so many educators, we're constantly in a state of change. We're constantly trying new resources and being asked to tweak and change systems to better serve our students. And it gets overwhelming. The work sometimes makes me feel alone with my struggle to keep up and provide quality lessons for students. I guess that's why I feel like my cat- a little positive attention can go a long way to keep hearts going and purring and happy.
Truthfully, I certainly still have plenty to sing about when it comes to student growth. But when I get tired and worn, I have a hard time singing about it alone. I need the help of others to help me hit the high notes.
We see so much good change happening with our kids. and many of the conversations we're trying to have in our PLC speak to that good growth and to seeing how many students we work with appear to be further ahead than ever. So our work has impact, it does pay off. And yet as teachers we know we can't sit still or we'll lose the momentum. So we keep rebuilding, keep changing, keep thinking, keep doing. We feel like we have to keep practicing to make the melodies magical.
But sometimes we get tired and the music doesn't flow. This year I got tired earlier than usual. I don't generally start feeling worn until mid- winter. So I'm grateful to have found some colleagues this week and to have gotten some of their positive reinforcement and listening ears. It made a huge difference. Conversation matters.
Moving into Thanksgiving break its easy to identify who I'm thankful for at school. I'm grateful for a community of colleagues who share my strongholds and believe in our work. They truly keep my heart open and alive with the kindness and affirmations I needed to help me help students continuously improve and grow (especially when I'm feeling tired).
This week I feel like I'm not singing alone, but as part of a mighty chorus- and I'm grateful.
I am looking forward to Monday. In fact I can't wait to spend more time with my students. I've been enjoying watching them learn so much lately. In fact, they may be a bit on overload, as many of our eighth graders were able to participate as they spent some real time hearing from three different authors last week. And I know the visits had impact.
While I was only responsible for one of those visits and colleagues supplied the time and energy to make the others happen- they were three dynamic experiences. Something we know we need to spend time planning for and executing for our students. Experiences in addition to their regular schooling truly color their world and help spur growth.
Now I want to find out just how much growth- what was the impact of the experience? What can we do with what we learned? Unless we do something as a result of our time spent in experience we aren't setting standards worth reaching. But I feel good about that part- my students are good at setting and reaching for high standards. I've been watching them set and achieve since August when our journey began. This is how growth occurs.
As history/ literacy educators ,we set standards for reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking. These standards, according to Webster's, are described as a level of quality or attainment . In my building we are beginning to label student's achievement as basic, emerging, proficient, and excelling according to descriptors we provide that describe what they should know and be able to do at fixed points in their experience as eighth graders. And as I said, I think my students are pretty good at setting and achieving those standards.
One standard we have been working on is Inquiry standard SS. IC. 6-8
M.C. Communicating Conclusions. The authors of the standard
suggest mastery happens when students can present arguments and explanations
that would appeal to a wide appeal to an audience and venues outside the
classroom using a variety of media. My students see this as learning to tell/ teach history to others in the form of story- based on claims they make from research they have conducted.
Our visit this week was with author and story teller Brain "Fox" Ellis of Bishop Hill, Illinois. Fox worked with each of my classes, first by modeling a couple of good stories (all in all he played a dozen different characters on Friday) and then by eliciting some conversation with students about the process of remembering and telling and teaching. At then end of the day he conducted a more extensive work shop for some additional students who will serve as teachers to their classmates, sharing techniques he taught, so that we can all improve our ability to share story. His work with them was genius. And I know they were learning- it was written all over their faces and reflected in their conversations and the risks they were willing to take. I know there was learning- that's what I'm celebrating and strong holding this morning.
I will never forget how Tina reacted to Walt Whitman's recitation of O Captain, My Captain and subsequent telling of how the death of President Lincoln effected him at the end of the Civil War. I totally enjoyed watching my students learn from an old German woman who was held as a prisoner of war during World War II or an African American woman and slave who told her story of losing her son to the Confederate cause only to find him again. Their experiences with Fox (and friends)literally further opened my students eyes to a whole new way of learning history and teaching history.
I'm so grateful for Fox and his time and his talent- and I can't wait to hear what my students will do with this learning and how they will transfer it to their own performances. For I am sure that they will. That was our intended standard for the day. I am confident my students loved the experience- now they will seize the day and do something with their learning.
"History is a story waiting to be found"... (stories) "remind us how we got here." (Mike)
This week my students learned an awful lot about telling stories. And as a result I have every confidence they will more willingly take on the tasks of digging deeper, reading closer, thinking deeply, writing stronger, and telling wonderful stories. They'll set new standards for themselves because they want to be good at what they do. They will see the challenge and raise the bar for themselves and I can't wait to see it. I always love watching them "learn" standards. Before long they'll all be excelling- for excelling can be contagious- and I that is worth celebrating for sure!
