Against the Wind

We need more time “flying” days.

2012-01-23T17:59:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a day where you were watching the clock wishing the work day would end? Perhaps you’ve had a few days like that when you teach. On the flip side you’ve probably had days where time seems to “fly.” The “flying” days happen when you and your class are engulfed in what you are doing. There's no boredom, just learning.

The next time you experience a time "flying" day, pay attention as to why. We need more time “flying” days. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have them every day?

OMG WHO THE HELL CARES!

2011-12-29T13:43:00.000-08:00

A lot of what is taught to students bores them because it has no relevancy. If it has no relevancy, the message is lost. Many feel like Peter Griffin.

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An education like this nobody needs. Kids need to learn to think for themselves.

2011-12-28T21:19:00.000-08:00

Another Brick in the Wall

“We don't need no education
We dont need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!”

An education like this nobody needs. Kids need to learn to think for themselves.

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They couldn't be bothered

2011-12-26T15:51:00.000-08:00

I shot these two pictures today while I was shopping. They are signs for two different businesses. My question is simple: Why were these signs allowed to be posted without some editing? I guess they couldn't be bothered.

It does not have to be this way?

2011-12-24T10:06:00.000-08:00

-Shouting teachers

-rows of desks

-tests based on memorization.

-tests

-homework

-flipped classroom

-lack of teacher input on decisions

-lack of student input on decisions

-rewards

-awards

You may agree with some and disagree with others. However, it is good to challenge and question your beliefs regarding education.

What is good PD in 140 characters or less.

2011-12-21T13:39:00.000-08:00

What is good PD? I asked that question using Twitter and received many responses. The responses are posted below. Can you detect any common themes?

@JPPrezz: Good PD is engaging, relevant, and participant-driven

@runfardvs: IMO good PD is aimed at classroom practice, adaptable for each teacher's situation, and has follow-up

@skipvia: A structure for providing your own PD. No institution can provide everything every teacher needs.

@mountainteacher: individualized and convenient with time to apply and reflect

@nathanpitt: interactive activities (have people DO something) and opportunities for "projects" that last beyond time of PD "class."

@erringreg: Good PD is relevant, purposeful, pushes you beyond your comfort zone enough to shift your thinking. My MEd was good PD.

@monicaannebatac: Conversations reign supreme.

@northeagles: Simple: educators spending time together discussing kids/education/professional practice-then setting goals 4improvement

@ShawnMcCusker: good PD helps teachers deliver an improved classroom experience to students.

@sonicgeekette: Good PD is learning from other educators in Twitter!

@christensen143: Brian I think good PD ties in Technology. I'm biased as the Tech Dir but we throw so much tech at teachers with little PD.

@erniec: job embedded, inquiry based, purpose driven

@techyturner: PD that is relevant and timely.

@Michelle_Horst: One that interests and motivates you as a teacher! Perhaps one chosen, and not prescribed? Ask: Will I learn as a result?

Thanks to all who responded!

Guest Post: When you REALLY Reflect Upon Awards by Chris Wejr @MrWejr

2011-12-02T18:16:00.000-08:00

I recently read an excellent blog post by Pernille Ripp @pernilleripp titled, "Awards for All Means Students Still Lose - No Matter How Well Meaning They Are." I read the comments on the post and the comment that most aligned with my thoughts was made by Chris Wejr's @mrwejr. I asked for and received permission from @mrwejr to share his comment as a guest post. He wanted me to do a little "tinkering" so that it would be a partner post. I have added a little but the bulk of this post is his. Thank you Mr. Wejr.

When you REALLY Reflect Upon Awards by Chris Wejr @MrWejr

Awards are always a hot topic. As you know, Kent Elementary School ended our awards ceremony in 2009. When you REALLY reflect upon awards, it is quite silly what we force our kids to sit through. Most awards ceremonies highlight the achievements of a select few (mostly the same students each year) and force others to sit and watch. Those that watch are NOT recognized for their efforts and this further disengages the watching majority.

When we tell people that we have ended our awards and that we honour each child throughout the year, people assume we give awards to everyone. Since when do we need awards to honour? Speaking publicly about or privately to a child about their strengths is what we do.... without tickets, prizes, medals, or trophies.

As soon as you offer an award, the focus goes directly to that. We get parents and students fighting for this honour chosen by teachers. Furthermore, teachers often argue about who should be chosen for said award.

What are we trying to teach kids? To go for an award? ...or... To see the value of working hard to complete a challenging task? Indeed, student achievement is not the same as student learning.

We do not give awards nor do we have a honour roll or student of the month. Our "marks" are still great for those who previously did well... and we still have those who struggle. We have not seen a significant change in academics since the ending of all of this. BUT - we have seen a HUGE shift in school culture where it is ok to take risks. More academic risk taking will create conditions for more learning.

It is far easier to give an award or many awards than it is to honour a child's strengths and challenge them to be better. So if our "top-achievers" (and students that would have won an award) do just as well AND we have improved culture since we ended awards, why would we have them?

In closing, when we praise students we need to make sure that it is meaningful, relevant, and effort-based (growth mindset). Awards most often put the focus on results (fixed mindset). If everyone gets an award, they may not be as harmful in the losing factor but they lose meaning... so again, why have them at all?

Be a child's coach - praise them for their efforts and challenge and support them in areas of their struggle.

November 22, 2011 9:22 PM

First day of school: How do you show your class who you are?

2011-08-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

When you meet your class for the first time, how do show them who you are? Do you outline all of

the things you expect and give the consequences if expectations are not met? Or do you sit and talk to your students and ask for their input for expectations. Both are different ways of doing things and can set very different tones for the year. Which do you prefer?

Are you stuck in 1987?

2011-07-19T19:46:00.000-07:00

It amazes me the new content that is created every day through teacher blogs. Moreover, the connections made through Twitter is equally outstanding. Blogging and Twitter means growth to me. I wonder what teachers were doing in 1987 when these things did not exist? Are some still stuck in 1987?

Four things I would include when interviewing potential teachers and principals.

2011-07-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

1. How do you use your Person Learning Network (PLN) to learn?

2. What are your views on rewards to control classroom behaviour?

3. Share your thoughts on using “punishment” (like detention) in a classroom.

4. Share your views on homework.

No more original ideas?

2011-07-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard people quip that there are no more original ideas. On the surface it might seem so. However, when I saw the movie Flash of Genius starring Greg Kinear I began to think a little differently about the topic. The following clip demonstrates what I mean:

Click here for video! Embedding was disabled.

What’s all this Blogging and Twitter business?

2011-07-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

It’s almost been a year since I started my blog, Against the Wind. I’ve been tweeting for longer than that, about 2 and a half years. Blogs and Twitter were born ready for one another. I use one, Twitter, to “advertise” my blog. Why would I want to “advertise?” Reaching as many

followers as I can is not my goal. Making connections is the point of this. The count does not matter. Those connections not only include people that agree with me, which is great, but also those who do not. The disagreements can lead to changing the way I think about a topic or cement my feelings about my beliefs. Indeed, this business is about connecting which leads to learning.

I prefer reading shorter blog posts; That's just the way it is with me.

2011-06-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

Most of my favourite blog posts are short. Seth Godin and Joe Bower write excellent short posts. I love short posts; Much more so than long posts. Why? I like brevity; I like things to the point; Just tell me what you think. Write it short and I will read it; Write a long post and, unless you are an amazing writer, my mind wanders off. In the end I only skim. I know you don’t want me to skim your post so just give me the juice. That’s just the way it is with me.

Give Me Respect

2011-06-26T18:29:00.000-07:00

I always thought that I would automatically get respect from students when I walked the coridoors of a school because I was a teacher. That was not the case. You have to work hard to get respect. You have to say "hi" and get to know names of kids. You have to pay attention. You have to stop and talk to students during recess or any chance you get. Don't be an authoritarian. Respect will come. Things become easier.

My shortest post on motivation.

2011-06-18T11:43:00.001-07:00

Rewarding students and punishing students can be exhausting and counterproductive. Focus on the intrinsic, not the extrinsic motivators. Building relationships and discovering what motivates students is the best “classroom management” I can think of. Just imagine the growth.

Is teaching all about Control?

2011-06-14T18:40:00.000-07:00

“Do you have control over your class?” “ She does not have control over her class.” “ He does not control his class at all.” “ You need control over your students.” I have heard questions and statements like these a lot in my teaching career. It would appear that teaching is all about control, control, control. It is not. It is about building relationships with students. Learning follows. Get away from the “mind set” of control. Then sit back and watch the results.

For more on this topic see Beyond Discipline: From Compliance to Community, Alfie Kohn, http://amzn.to/kLSQzD as recommended by Scott McLeod below. @mcleod

A Short Conversation With...Greta Sandler @gret

2011-06-14T16:04:00.000-07:00

How long have you been teaching?
I’ve been an English as a second language teacher for about 8 years. I used to teach young adults at the university level and then moved into elementary education. Teaching kids has made a huge difference for me. It’s such a gift to be able to reach out for them and help them flourish!

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?
Yes, a lot! I’ve always believed that connecting with our students was really important to build a safe learning environment in the class. I’ve always thought that teaching was way more than just following a curriculum. However, it wasn’t until I was really able to reach out for a kid that I felt the power of being a teacher for the first time. Since then, I’ve been way more focused on bringing out the best in each of my students.
I also used to think technology wasn’t important in the classroom. To be honest, I was totally clueless about the amazing things we could do with it. The world has changed and it keeps changing. I’ve become aware that we need to connect our students’ learning with the world in which we live in and technology can help us bring the world into the classroom and expand our classroom walls. Thanks to technology, we can recreate the world in our classroom and create meaningful learning opportunities for our students. What’s more, technology can also help us connect with our students in a stronger way and it can help us build a better learning environment.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
Yes! It has! Thanks to Twitter, I’ve built my PLN. My PLN has had an essential role in my professional and personal growth.
I started tweeting actively about a year ago. I was too shy to get involved in conversations at first, so I just lurked. I spent a lot of time reading blogs and I slowly began commenting on them. This led to conversations on twitter and soon after, I began participating on twitter chats such as #elemchat, #ntchat, #edchat and #eltchat. I have also taken part in great online educational conferences and webinars. I always find out about these amazing opportunities on Twitter.
I have learned about the wonderful things we can do with technology in our classrooms, I have connected with incredibly inspiring educators from all over the world and I ended up writing my own blog. What’s more, I got my students blogging and skyping with experts and other classes. Let me tell you, these have been the most amazing experiences in my teaching career.
My PLN keeps challenging and inspiring me to reflect on my teaching. I keep learning and growing thanks to it. I interact with the people in my PLN mostly on Twitter. That’s why I feel Twitter is my staff room; a place where learning takes place 24/7.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?
My first year as an elementary school teacher, I heard a teacher say we should love our students before actually meeting them. To be honest, I didn’t really understand what she meant at first. It was at the end of that school year that I became aware of how powerful what I had heard was. I had a student who had been a victim of sexual abuse and he was about to be kicked out from school. His behavior was really bad and his performance wasn’t exactly the best. All I heard about him were awful comments. That boy became my favorite student right away. When I met him, I felt he had always been my student. I showed him how much I cared and we connected right away. At the end of the year he was a total different kid. Not only did his behavior improve, but also his performance.
Our job is so powerful! I seriously believe we can make a difference for our students and help them flourish. It’s way easier to reach out for our kids, if we have a strong connection with them. The key to a successful connection with our students is to love them before we know them.

Greta Blogs here

Are we just here to bore each other?

2011-06-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

Meetings, presentations, speeches, ceremonies, etc. can be interesting; Most, however, not so much. I know that not everything can be exciting all the time. That is a given. However, I often wonder why we, as humans, continue to bore each other with long ceremonies, drawn out meetings, and uninteresting speeches/presentations. Can we at least question the value of how we do many of these things? Can we change some of these things or are we just here to bore each other?

I'm still here, thinking.

2011-05-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged much lately. However, I did have a very productive blogging period from January to April. I don't have much to say right now but I'm still here, thinking. The end of the year is always busy with exams, paper work, etc. I am tired. We have lots of daylight, too. This always throws off my sleeping habits a little. I am sleepy a lot, as well as my students. But I'm still here.

Having a little fun: I got a Pie in the Face.

2011-05-16T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here is a little fun I had while visiting Montreal recently. Yes, I get a pie in the face.

A Short Conversation With...Shawn Ram @sram_socrates

2011-05-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

Shawn Ram

How long have you been teaching?
I have been teaching for twelve years and have taught all grades and subjects from grade one up to grade eleven.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?
My educational philosophy has grown placing more emphasis on student achievement and understanding, rather than the completion of a set of objectives. In addition I have realized that the use of technology is not to be a novelty that is one used for projects and research, but that technology is a learning tool that helps students in their understanding of concepts. There is also a very large emphasis in my philosophy on relationships, not just relationships with colleagues and with parents, but more importantly relationships with the students in my classroom and in the halls of the school.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
Twitter has been an amazing networking tool and resource, and I would hope it continues to be a significant influence in my evolution as a teacher.
Twitter has allowed me to connect with hundreds of other teachers, whose passions for teaching and technology align with my own. Twitter has also connected me with many colleagues, that although I don't work with and have never met face to face, I could call friends. Twitter has altered my philosophy, that teachers and their classrooms are independent islands. I have seen and come to the conclusion that you can choose to remain an island and disconnected, or you could connect and reap the rewards.
Finally, twitter being the tool that it is and the professional development opportunities that exist with in it have allowed me to grow in one year more than I had in the previous eleven.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?
You are a teacher, but this inherently means you are also a learner. Ask questions; ask for help. Many of us have been there will not see it as a sign of weakness of inability. Join Twitter you increase, because your staffroom will increase from what it is to infinite possibilities. Reflect, not only in your teaching, but in your relationships and other aspects of life. This reflection helps you grow personally. Finally, the most important piece of advice I could give is - BALANCE - learn to balance work life and personal life. It took me a little longer to understand and apply this, but now that I have, I am baffled as to how I lived previously.

Shawn blogs here

A Short Conversation With...Katie Hellerman @theteachinggame

2011-05-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

Katie Hellerman

How long have you been teaching?
About six years if you put it all together. I pretty much have taught all ages: two years high school, one year middle school, two years teaching sustainable design courses to adults, and a whole lot of junior kindergarten through high school substitute teaching in between.
Out of all of those, I think I learned the most being a substitute teacher. As a sub, you have to get really good at thinking on your toes and building trust quickly.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?
I think that if you were to ask me this question when I first started teaching, I probably would have given you a very academic response and quoted Stephen Krashen or Howard Gardner. With time, I’ve become more pragmatic about teaching. I’ve come to really internalize that fact that not every method is going to work for every student. Sometimes you just have to throw your philosophy out the window and do what works for the individual student.

I have also come to understand how important it is to make the effort to really get to know your students. Teaching is not a perfunctory profession. You have to be fully invested to do it well.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
Yes! It took a while for me to build a solid posse. But now I have a great group of people who are really creative, inspiring and supportive. You know how they have fantasy football teams? Well, I have my fantasy faculty team (FFT). If I ever can’t find the inspiration, materials, or support I need in my physical school, my FFT comes in handy.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?
“Only get uptight about issues that you will remember in ten years.” I got this advice from one of my first mentors and it has served me really well. For some reasons, a lot o teachers I know tend to get super worked up about silly things like, bulletin board backgrounds and students borrowing their staplers. Save your emotional energy for the causes that are really important to you.

My advice for new teachers, is to be extremely proactive in finding mentors, observing other teachers and communicating with all your consitutants. Don’t wait or expect anyone to be able to predict your needs or sense what you are going through. Schools are busy places. Admins and other teachers are happy to leave you alone if they don’t hear screams coming from your classroom. It’s less work for them to believe all is well. Building strong networks of support is as important as having a good lesson plan.

Katie Blogs here.

5 Quick Things about...@newfirewithin

2011-04-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Justin Stortz

1. Old -school NES games (along with The Simpsons) are near and dear to my heart. So much of my childhood is buried in that 8-bit contraption. It makes me warm and fuzzy. I still play them on my Android phone. Some of my faves were /are Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda, StarTropics, Contra, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, Mega Man 2, Super Dogde Ball, hmmm. I could probably go on, but I won't.

2. I'm a frustrated drummer. I still play guitar quasi -regularly. But, the drums are difficult to bang around on due to space constraints and many small children running around my house. Here's a video of me and my fake band, Staff Infection, jamming a Guns 'N Roses song for my school. Staff Infection on Vimeo.

3. Photography is another interest of mine, although I pretty much suck at it right now. My wife gave me a great DSLR camera for my birthday last year. I'm reading, watching, and learning, but it's a crapshot anytime I take it off of auto.

4. I almost only read non -fiction. Although I do actually enjoy reading many of the same books my 4th graders like. Fantasy is my favorite kind of fiction.

5. I truly live my Twitter bio. I'm passionate about helping kids read and write better. Jesus is changing me into a better person every day that I let Him. My wife and I were married before we were 20. I love her more than any other person on the face of the Earth. We have four amazing children that leave me breathless every time I stop to think about them. Yeppers.

5 Quick Things about...@debbie_birchett and @MrMacnology

2011-04-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

5 Quick things about...Debbie Birchett

1. I tend to talk excessively and my AD/HD “loves” this chatter! (I really do have AD/HD.) At times I have so much to share and say, excitement takes over and I talk non-stop. All through elementary school my report card stated “if Debbie would spend more time listening and less time talking she would be an excellent student”.

2. I’m a bit of an insomniac - secretly wishing that the days were actually longer so I could have more fun!

3. I wanted to run track professionally! I used to sign my friends’ yearbooks in high school “Debbie - Atlanta ‘96” followed by the Olympic Rings. I could not fulfill this dream due to an injury that honestly baffled doctors on many levels.

4. It took me 13yrs to realize that everything I do involves working with children! I not only teach, but I teach Sunday school, tutor children from various schools, and coach High School and little league sports.

5. I would love to pursue my coaching career and move to the next level (collegiate level)....but I don’t know what I would do if I could not teach young children everyday. Professionally I know I would be equipped, but I think I would miss the joys of teaching children with special needs.

5 Quick things about...Jeremy Macdonald

1. My number one goal in life is to be a good dad.

2. My number two goal in life is to drive 200 mph.

3. My favorite movie is Fletch.

4. I still have the penny I stuck in a socket when I was 4 years old.

5. I’m an Eagle Scout, just like Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver).

Why are we not teaching students to be responsible digital citizens?

2011-04-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

What I write in this post is not original; it is a reminder. Banning Facebook in school is not a solution to anything. If you think banning it will make it go away, you are mistaken. Students are using Facebook, blindly. They are building their online presence, now! Why are we not teaching them to be responsible digital citizens?

A short conversation with...Sean Banville @SeanBanville

2011-04-14T18:35:00.000-07:00

Sean Banville

How long have you been teaching?
I've been teaching for 18 years. I had a few jump-in-at-the-deep-end introductions, which I loved, prior to my deciding to become a teacher. The first was at an orphanage in northern Thailand to do voluntary work. I had no idea what to do. I found a dusty grammar book in the library. I think my first lesson was on abstract and concrete nouns. Probably not the best thing to start with. My next pre-certificate assignment was an 11-week, 7-day-a-week, 10-hour-a-day stint at a language school in Bangkok. The school owner gave me a book on TOEFL and wished me luck. I loved lecturing from the book for 50 minutes non-stop. Definitely not the best method :-0. But, I decided ELT was pretty cool and would help me travel forever. I did my CELTA with the British Council in Izmir, Turkey in 1993 and earned my Master's in TEFL/TESL in 2003. Have spent the past 18 years overseas. Must do the DELTA one day…. and perhaps a PhD.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?
Of course. The CELTA was amazing in showing me in four weeks how much there was to teaching for a beginner teacher, and the importance of the communicative classroom, authentic materials, PPP (presentation, practice, production…) integrated skills, etc. And then joining a school in Japan that relied on the audio-lingual method showed me the importance of drills and controlled practice. And then learning Japanese the Silent Way and introducing the Silent Way into my own teaching showed me the importance of subordinating teaching to learning and trying to understand what each student needs next to move their interlanguage forward. And then working at another school in Japan that gave me total freedom to experiment in class and with lesson preparation showed me how important it is to listen to student needs and create lessons based on the topics they ask for - a great way to increase motivation. And then my Master's showed me the importance of understanding that there really is a scary amount of stuff to know, and how important task-based learning, lexical approaches and project-based learning are in one's classroom arsenal. And not to mention the realization that grammar translation and dictation really can be quite useful and that the use of the L1 in the classroom isn't the big monster I was told it was. Oh yes, let's not forget differentiated learning, teaching unplugged and personalizing the course book - or throwing the damn thing away. And then coming across CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) and realizing the importance of independent learning for students and the power of Web 2.0 and social media. And then if all that wasn’t enough to make me rethink my teaching philosophy for the 958th time, iPhones and iPads came along and I'm now struggling to keep up with how important m-learning (mobile learning) is and will be. Am now wondering what's next - Web 3.0 and the as-yet-not-invented technologies and tools that will further change our classrooms and philosophy. So has my educational philosophy changed since I began teaching? Yes and no. Here's the biggest 'no': I began teaching knowing I had a deep sense of empathy with students who had a desire to learn something that was very important to them and probably quite difficult. I knew each learner was different and that I had to try and focus on the needs of each student. The toughest thing to do as a teacher. That’s still central to my teaching. And here's the biggest 'yes': I thought I knew everything about teaching ESL/EFL after my CELTA in 1993. My first week in the classroom after the course taught me otherwise. Each year, conference attended, journal read, educator talked to, social media site engaged with… since then has changed my thinking on the "how-to" in the classroom and the "what-with". I think empathy and a willingness to experiment and accept change are essential as a teacher. Also, a liberal sprinkling in your lesson plan (that you always deviate from) of the techniques and methods above will inform the permanent and evolving parts of your philosophy.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
Twitter has been the main source of my PD (Professional Development) since June 2009. I knew very little about Web 2.0 before Twitter. I knew very few people in ELT before Twitter. Now I know lots of stuff about teaching using social media, Web 2.0, m-learning, e-learning… I was also invited to speak at conferences (in person and online) and even shared a taxi to the airport with Jeremy Harmer (hope I remembered to tell him his was the first book I read on ELT) and had an evolutionary (for me - I just listened) breakfast with Ken Wilson, Gavin Dudeneye and Lindsay Clandfield - to drop just four names :-)

Twitter has been an endless source of new ideas, links to cool tools, advice from experts and very cool people to share ideas with. I'm sure there are other ways to keep one step beyond being up to date, but Twitter does it for me and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Now all I have to do is keep up to date with applying what I learn and pick up on Twitter in the classroom and on my websites. I'm lucky that there are younger whizzes in my Twitter PLN (Personal Learning Network) for whom incorporating interactive tools and stuff into their online lessons is second nature. I need to learn from them. Some of them are (by Twitter handle) @shellterell @davedodgson @harrisonmike @ozge … and many more.

I have been following your Breaking News English blog for awhile now. I am amazed at the amount of material you have amassed and the swiftness of your posts as events happen. How long does it usually take to make a lesson?
It takes between three to five hours to make a lesson, depending on how well the topic lends itself to quickly generating discussion questions and ranking activities. I have built up a handy array of shortcuts to help me cut the time down. I've made over 3,000 lessons for that site and I still like making them - haven't quite figured out why. I guess that means I'm up for the next 3,000. I hope lesson # 6,000 looks quite different to lesson # 3,000… more tools and interactivity, and... stuff.

Sean Blogs here.

6 things about my school.

2011-04-13T19:27:00.000-07:00

1. We don’t have any cross-town school rivals. We are the only game in town.
If we want to play a sport against another high school, we have to fly to them or they fly to us.

2. We do have buses. Some students, however, choose to use their snowmobiles or 4 wheelers (in the fall) to get to school.

3. We do not get as many snow days as people might think. I think we had 1.5 so far this year.

4. Students call teachers by their first names. They call me Brian, not Mr. Barry. (I love that.)

5. My students’ first language is Inuktitut.

6. The grade nines go on 2 "day" trips a year. The first trip we learn how to build an Igloo; The second trip we go ice fishing. This happens in April.

A short conversation with...myself @nunavut_teacher

2011-04-13T12:44:00.000-07:00

Chris Wejr demanded that I put this up on my blog. It was originally posted on Edna Sackson's blog What Ed Said back in March 2011. Here you go.

Brian Barry

How long have you been teaching?
I am in my 12th year of teaching in Nunavut, Canada. I have taught Grades 4 (4 years), 7 (2 years), 8 (2 years), 9 (4 years).

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?
Yes. It used to be based on extrinsic motivation. I used rewards and punishment to control students. Now it is based on intrinsic motivation. I try to tap into my students natural curiosity. Their motivation now comes from within (intrinsic). They control themselves, not me controlling them.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
Indeed. It has helped me grow by making connections with teachers of like mind. Moreover, I have connected with teachers that have changed my mind on specific topics.

What’s the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?
Teaching is all about students and not subjects. That means it is about relationship building. Get to know your students; ask them plenty of questions about themselves. The rest will follow.

A short conversation with...Jeremy Macdonald @MrMacnology

2011-04-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

Jeremy Macdonald

How long have you been teaching?
This is my 5th year in the classroom. I also had the opportunity to work as an Instructional Technology Coach part time this year, but I am looking forward to going back full-time in the classroom next year.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?
Like a lot of teachers I left college thinking one thing and through my experiences in the classroom I’ve began to shape that one thing, or philosophy, into something more meaningful and much less scripted. The more dramatic changes have come in the last two years of my career. I’ve been able to meet and learn from a lot of great educators that have challenged my thinking and pushed me to rethink my purpose as a teacher in the classroom. Students need more opportunities to create their own learning experiences. I try to be more of a guide through the process than the source of the information. By giving students opportunities to create, problem solve, and investigate, with peers and on their own, I hope to provide them with far more learning opportunities than their text book or my teacher’s manual intends to “teach”.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
The ability to connect and collaborate with thousands of educators blows my mind. Twitter has provided me opportunities as an educator that I don’t think I could have found on my own. The infinite resources and sometimes insightful debate allows me to reflect on my own practices and see what I can do differently to improve the learning experiences of my students. And what I love most is when I get to actually meet and break bread with so many of my PLN. As much as I love Twitter, that human connection is something that will endure.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?
A couple years ago a veteran teacher was moved to our school for his last year of teaching before retiring. He was a gruff man and rather old-fashioned in his thoughts of teaching and learning. He didn’t put up with a whole lot in the classroom and most of his routines were regimented and military-like. I wasn’t a fan of his teaching or management or the way he spoke to students. We taught in the same grade and I worked with him quite a bit. Before the end of the school year, he took me aside and spoke with me for almost a good hour. During that conversation he told me to speak up. Not speak up, like talk louder, but to speak up in front of my peers and stand up for what I believed to be best for our school. It gave me that needed confidence that I had lacked for the first three years of teaching. I wasn’t always sure of myself or of what I was doing in the classroom. As I continue to learn, I feel a need to defend learning in the testing-infested pools we now swim in. I may have not learned much about how to be a teacher from him, but I did learn what it takes to believe in what I do.

Jeremy blogs here.

5 Quick Things about...@4thGrdTeach and @shannoninottawa

2011-04-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

5 Quick things about...Pernille Ripp @4thGrdTeach

1. I am an introvert hidden in an extroverts body, which means most people think I am really outgoing but I am just being loud to cover how shy I am. I am very loud with my students in order to get them excited but among people I sit and listen.

2. When I met Brandon I knew he was my soul mate; it just took me a year to convince him as we worked together (he was a bouncer, I was a bartender). I am romantic to a fault so every year for Mother’s Day he makes something for me. He outdoes himself every time and his last present can be seen here.

3. I have 9 siblings (I think, I always have to stop and count). There are 2 whole siblings, 5 half, and 2 step. They are spread out in the world and 2 of them I have never met.

4. My mother , sister, Thea and I now speak a sort of Danglish to each other. We speak in Danish but when we forget a word or can’t find the right word, we substitute for an English one. Our conversations therefore sound a bit crazy and my daughter, Thea, makes no sense to anyone.

5. My first name is mispronounced by everyone that meets me and I don’t bother to correct them, unless they call me penile (has happened) or Penelope. In Danish it is much prettier than Purrneil; it sounds more like Pair-Nee-Leh

5 Quick things about...Shannon Smith @shannoninottawa

1. I am the daughter of two educators, sister of two more and wife of another. When I was small, people would ask if I was going to teach like mom and dad and I ALWAYS answered an indignant, “NO!”

2. When I was completing my Master of Arts in English Literature, I became fed up with the competitive post-graduate atmosphere and opted for teacher’s college instead of pursuing my PhD.

3. From 2000 - 2005 I took 5 years off from teaching to be home with my kids. During that time I started a business as a certified doula (labour and birth support). This is when I learned how to create a website, which proved to be where 95% of my clients found me.

4. I’m a sucker for poetry. The likes of Bronwen Wallace and Nikky Finney can move me to tears at any given moment.

5. I cannot tolerate wet socks.

5 Quick Things about...@arcticlass and @justintarte

2011-04-10T13:02:00.000-07:00

5 Quick things about...Sharon Somerville @arcticlass

Sharon Somerville

1. I’m coming up for 63, but retirement doesn’t interest me! Not until I know what I want to
be when I grow up.

2. I had a previous career as a social worker; did my teacher training in Scotland where I
lived and worked for 26 years.

3. I love teaching in remote places: Highlands of Scotland; the Cdn Arctic; now moving
on to teach kids on farms in the Falkland Islands.

4. My favourite sweatshirt had a motto: ‘Be Bold! Colour Outside the Lines!’

5. I believe we have to maximize the use of tried, tested and proven technology in the
classroom. My goal: to teach kids how to teach themselves!

5 Quick things about...Justin Tarte @justintarte

Justin Tarte

1. I really enjoying working in the yard. I completed a butterfly garden last summer and I look forward to improving and enhancing its appearance this year. I am also an avid bird watcher.

2. My favorite movies include: 300, all of the Predator movies, Alexander, The Last Samurai, Gladiator, all the Transformers movies, Black Hawk Down and any movie with a Hans Zimmer soundtrack.

3. My wife and I have an almost two year old Yellow Lab named Maddy. My wife was a little hesitant at first about getting a dog, but now she really loves Maddy. I have several pictures of Maddy up in my classroom, and I also have an entire page on my Herr Tarte German blog dedicated to her: Maddy Tarte

4. When I was in college I started to collect coins. I would definitely not call myself a full blown numismatic, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the hobby of coin collecting. About 5 years ago I bought a 1914-D Lincoln Penny for $165.

5. I will be completing my Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership in December. I will be 27 years old when I graduate, and I am extremely proud to have progressed so far with my education in a rather short time.

5 Quick Things about...@Dwight_Carter and @mrwejr

2011-04-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

5 Quick things about...Dwight Carter @Dwight_Carter

Dwight Carter

1. Married for 6 years

2. I’m a twin

3. Yard yard is therapeutic

4. Jostens Renaissance Educator Hall of Fame

5. Two dogs named Lilly and Lola

5 Quick things about... Cris Wejr @MrWejr

Chris Wejr

1. My wife and I met when I was a high school PE teacher - she was a guest hip hop instructor for my PE class, she saw my ‘sweet’ moves and BOOM! it took off from there. Ok, maybe my dance moves weren’t so sweet but the effort was there...

2. In order to impress my future wife (at the time, a new girlfriend), I participated in her Dancing Dads dance group. After that, I couldn’t get out of it and have “danced”in a total of 5 Dads groups as well as played a lead role as Daddy Warbucks in a local production of the musical “Annie”. Videos of dancing dads available upon request ;-).

3. My wife and I welcomed two beautiful baby girls into our lives on December 10, 2010... and have not slept since... and we are loving every minute of it! They have 8, count’em - 8, grandparents. You think they get spoiled?

4. I am a huge sports nut - love the Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, and Chicago Cubs. Have coached volleyball, basketball, hockey, rugby, track and field. I played hockey, baseball, golf, basketball, and volleyball in high school. I continue to golf and play hockey.

5. Nobody has ever pronounced my last name correctly on the first try. It is pronounced Wee-jer. My family is originally from the Czech Republic and the name went from Vejr to Wejr with the move to Canada.

5 Quick Things about...@joe_bower and @Mrs_P_teaches

2011-04-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

5 quick things about Joe Bower @joe_bower

1. I live to play baseball with my brother Jeff. I'm on the mound and he's patrolling second base.

2. I love building Lego with my daughter Kayley

3. I love to see how happy my wife's puppies make her.

4. I'm a goaltender because I’m the one Canadian that can’t skate very well.

5. A cold beer is a beautiful thing.

5 quick things about...Crystal Pelletier @Mrs_P_teaches

1. I am an enthusiastic person! I enjoy helping others & love being a teacher! I really am thriving & loving the instant PD that comes with my new connections on Twitter!

2. My other loves are my husband (he's an engineer, not a teacher)and spoiled dog Zeus. We are from Saskatchewan originally (go Riders! Woohoo!) but Alberta is now home! Love it here!

3. I am new to using twitter for my PLN & for educational reasons. Only been at this just over 1 month! Started my first blog this week too! (told you I was enthusiastic)I had been using twitter before for personal stuff (see # 5, twitter is used well by UFC!) so I had a little experience before I jumped in!

4.I have completely revamped how I do things in my classroom and have really embraced change this year! We are exploring literacy through the Daily 5 & CAFE framework (from the 2 sisters @gailandjoan).

5. My husband is an avid sports fan. Warching sports with him has sparked my interest too! We both really love MMA (mixed martial arts) and follow UFC and other promotions. I have been to 6 live UFC events and will be attending the first UFC in Ontario at the end of the month! Go GSP!

5 Quick Things about...@MmeVeilleux and @intrepidteacher

2011-04-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

5 Quick things about...Ingrid Veilleux @MmeVeilleux

1. I have an enthusiastic personality so I can get very carried away with projects I work on. One of my mottoes: If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well!

2. I am multi-lingual. I speak English, French and Finnish but mostly teach in French. I am fascinated by how the brain works especially with regard to language acquisition. A favourite quotation: Monolingualism is curable.

3. I am a mathie wannabe. I love to teach math. I love #mathchat. I read math ed research voraciously.

4. In my free time, I go to my community church, have a constant flow of people coming and going from my house, love my mini-Schnauzer, Maggie, and love spending time with my kids and husband.

5. I give a lot of workshops in the Lower Mainland particularly in the areas of literacy, fine arts integration, instructional strategies and dialogue strategies. I current teach pre-service teachers at UBC.

5 Quick things about...Jabiz Raisdana @intrepidteacher

1. I have had three near death experiences. I survived the Tsunami in 2004. Story here. I was in a car crash in Mexico that sent two friend to the hospital. (Writing story as part of my book, and was passed out when two friends drove a car into a tree and seriously damaged it and themselves. (Not in the car, but would have been had I been awake)

2. I have been trying to gain weight since I was 12 years old, but nothing seems to work. One time tin NYC I would eat a pint of Ice Cream and some donuts every night before bed for a few weeks. Nothing.

3. I played football in high school. Every year except my senior year. I was a strong/free safety. I was too small but hit like a truck. I loved the feeling of hitting someone without any fear.

4. I played Clarinet and saxophone as a kid and loved gymnastics. Broke my arm on the high bar in 8th grade. Stopped doing all of that when it wasn’t cool anymore= High School.

5. Vegetarian Sushi and Vegetable tempura Ramen or Udon is my favorite meal. I eat it once a week.

A short conversation with...Karl Fisch @karlfisch

2011-04-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

Karl Fisch

How long have you been teaching?

23 years

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Yes. When I began I taught fairly similarly to the way I was taught, with perhaps a little more humor - but otherwise, pretty similar. I think I was a decent “traditional” math teacher. (And I don’t equate “traditional” with bad necessarily, it’s just the easiest way to describe it.) But when I started teaching was when the NCTM Standards were first gaining traction and I fairly quickly started changing my instruction to a somewhat more constructivist approach. (Note: true constructivist teachers would laugh at how far away I was/am from a constructivist approach, but it was/is at least trending in that direction). I then transitioned into a part time math teacher/part time tech guy, and then went full time technology coordinator in my high school for 14 or so years. Then, due to budget cuts, I picked up one section of Algebra this year (in addition to my tech duties) and I’m trying to implement much of what I’ve learned/thought about over the last 14 years.

How did the video “Did You Know” come about?

You can read through a few blog posts http://shifthappens.wikispaces.com/History+of+the+Presentation to learn more, but the sort-of “short” version is that through some grants I had written we had started some staff development efforts at my building around technology and 21st century learning (before that was a buzzword). We were having some really great conversations in my building, and I was reading many books and blogs that were contributing to my thinking. I then went to two conferences, TIE (which is our statewide ed tech conference in Colorado) and for the first time NECC (now ISTE), where I saw many amazing and motivational speakers.

So by August of 2006 I had a ton of ideas swirling around in my head and my administration asked if I wanted to speak at a faculty meeting at the beginning of the year. This is something I’ve done before where I update folks on the tech in the building, but this time I really wanted to have a conversation around all these ideas. Unfortunately, a faculty meeting - especially one a few days before the kids arrive - is a horrible place to have a conversation, so I almost said no. But instead I asked for the weekend to think about it and then went home and created the original Did You Know? that weekend.

Normally I would say showing a PowerPoint in a faculty meeting, with no discussion, is the worst pedagogical technique known to mankind. But my hope was that it would be thought-provoking enough that the conversations would occur outside of the faculty meeting. Turns out I was right.

Has the popularity of that video series impact your “educational life” in any way?

Well, in some ways yes, in others, no. Certainly it has given me my 15 minutes of fame, and that has led to some opportunities to go to other schools/districts and lead some professional development around all these ideas that we’ve been talking about online. And it’s certainly increased the amount of email I get!

But in other ways, no. In my building I’m still the same guy, and I’m still responsible for the same things, and - at the end of the day - it’s still about trying to meet the needs of our students. As it should be.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

Best? Yikes. I guess two things. First, that it’s not about you (as the teacher) - it’s about the kids. That sounds cliche, but it’s true. We are part of it, certainly, I don’t want to minimize our role, but I fear that too often we make decisions that are best for the adults without realizing their impact on the kids. Second, something I’ve said for a long time but I honestly can’t recall if I heard it from Chris Lehmann first or someone else, but that when I asked what I teach I try not to answer “I teach math” anymore but, instead, say “I teach students” or “I teach students mathematics.” I think the distinction is more than just semantic.

Karl blogs here

Terry Fox: The best example of determination and intrinsic motivation I know.

2011-04-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

If you want to know about intrinsic motivation, just look at Terry Fox. He had an idea: He wanted to raise money for cancer research by running across Canada. He would do it by running a marathon a day. He would do it on one real leg and one artificial leg. He was not paid. All donations went to cancer research. In the end he ran 3339 miles in 143 days and had to stop; His cancer had returned.

He did not have a special skill. He was not a stand out athlete. It was his determination, his intrinsic motivation that inspired a nation. He is a Canadian Hero.

A short conversation with...Nancy Hniedziejko @NancyTeaches

2011-04-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

Nancy Hniedziejko

How long have you been teaching?
I’ve been teaching for 29 years! I’ve taught everything from four year olds through the college level. I’m a teacher that loves to learn.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?
Absolutely! In the beginning I relied on teacher’s guides and I felt I had to follow every prescription. Now, I follow my students’ lead and incorporate as much project based learning and technology as I can.

Has Twitter and #elemchat played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
When I was at my most frustrated point and considered leaving teaching I discovered Twitter. Through my PLN, I was rejuvenated and inspired to learn again. It was as if I were a new teacher again. I am forever grateful to Twitter!

As for #elemchat, with the team of moderators, we founded and continue to moderate the weekly #elemchat. Collaboratively, we help each other (and hopefully others) strive to be the best educators we can be as well as share experiences, techniques and resources. Each week the #elemchat keeps all of us working to continue to grow as educators.

I really enjoy your blog. How do you come up with ideas for posts and does it help you with your teaching?
Twitter led me to blogging. I recently passed my one year anniversary. In this past year I found that blogging helped me grow as a teacher. Slowly, I found my voice and developed more confidence about sharing my passion and opinions about a variety of issues. It is a venue for me to reflect and share my teaching adventures. My posts are usually from a combination of experiences or a specific event that happens during my day. Sometimes when I read another blog, it will inspire me to write. Nothing makes me happier than when someone writes a comment or tweets my post.

(I”m glad you like my blog!)

Nancy Blogs here

Love is Louder - National Bullying Week

2011-04-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

Seth Godin on intrinsic and extrinsic motivators at work

2011-04-05T13:51:00.000-07:00

The following is an excerpt from Seth Godin's book Linchpin.

What's in it for me?

Author Richard Florida polled twenty thousand creative professionals and gave them a choice of thirty-eight factors that motivated them to do their best at work.

The top ten, ranked in order:

1. Challenge and responsibility

2. Flexibility

3. A stable work environment

4. Money

5. Professional development

6. Peer recognition

7. Stimulating colleagues and bosses

8. Exciting job content

9. Organizational culture

10. Location and community

Only one of these is a clearly extrinsic motivator (#4, money). The rest are either things we do for ourselves or things that we value because of who we are.

The interesting thing about money is that there's no easy way for an employee to make it increase, at least not in the short term. Most of the other elements, though, can go through the roof as a result of our behavior, contributions, attitudes, and gifts.

And yet, cynical management acts like a factory, figuring that the only motivators are cash and freedom from scolding.

A short conversation with...Tyler Rice @MrTRice_Science

2011-04-04T16:34:00.000-07:00

Tyler Rice

How long have you been teaching?

6 years

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Yes and no. I’ve always believed in patience, caring and student-centered instruction. I’ve always adhered to the importance of inquiry in all content areas, not just science. I’ve always wanted to integrate technology into my instruction.

I think the biggest change has been the move towards project based learning. Although I had some vague understanding of this concept early on in my career, I still felt like I had to do a lot of those “teacher things” like lecturing and giving big tests.

Another big change has been the evolution of my beliefs and practices about assessment. Early on in my career, I had little idea that there were other options out there besides just giving kids grades and using grades to reward the behaviors I wanted and to punish those that I didn’t. I knew I wanted to move to portfolio based assessment eventually but couldn’t see how that would reconcile with my traditional experiences with evaluation. It wasn’t until the last 2 or 3 years that this really changed for me. I have people like Alfie Kohn, Sir Ken Robinson, Dan Pink and Joe Bower to thank for that.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Absolutely. I have been exposed to so many new ideas and practices through Twitter that it’s hard to remember what I got from Twitter and what I came across via other avenues. Twitter has also led me to outstanding blogs that I have learned a lot from. Finally, Twitter and blogging have given me an outlet for my educational voice. The affirmations that I have received via Twitter and blogging have helped me to become more confident and secure in my educational philosophy. I work in a very small school with mostly very old-school colleagues. I really didn’t realize how many like minded people were out there prior to Twitter.

Can you share a few thoughts about how you use Project Based Learning in your classroom?

My use of Project Based Learning is constantly evolving. That being said, I am confident that I’ve hit on a great model and just need to get better at it. My students experience science via an inquiry based, real world oriented context that I feel is ideal.

In a nutshell, my students learn science content in the context of projects. These projects involve a significant amount of choice and inquiry. Although I teach some lessons and facilitate certain learning experiences (we call them milestones) along the way, the project is theirs. I try to deliver the content that they need when they need it. Ideally, each project culminates with some sort of presentation or performance for an audience. This increases effort and engagement dramatically. After each project, we reflect on the project and they evaluate themselves. Unless I feel the grade they’ve given themselves is way out of line, they get the grade they claim.

Although I think Project Based Learning is absolutely the right way to go, I am still learning how to facilitate it effectively. I feel that I get better at it with each and every project that my students tackle. Three things about Project Based Learning that are important to get across to many teachers are: 1. CONTENT DEPTH OVER BREADTH: there are certain concepts that my students will not be exposed to in my classroom. I’m okay with that. Some teachers are not. 2. STUDENTS WILL LEARN A LOT OF CONTENT within the context of a well designed project - they just won’t all learn the SAME content. 3. YOU HAVE TO DIVE IN AND DO IT! You have to accept that some of your projects will bomb. You have to learn from every project, good or bad, and move on to the next project.

Tyler blogs here

A short conversation with...M.E. Steele-Pierce @steelepierce

2011-04-03T18:18:00.000-07:00

M.E Steele-Pierce

How long have you been teaching?
Since 1984, first teaching teenagers and, later, adults. I believe that good leadership is teaching. One of my favorite quotations is from James MacGregor Burns:
“Leaders shape and alter and elevate the motives and values and goals of followers through the vital teaching role of leadership.”

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?
That’s a wonderful question. When I was teaching high school English I learned that when I was able to give up having to control the class, the best teaching and learning occurred. I didn’t need to be the one driving discussion of a short story or novel, aiming for a pre-determined answer, for the conversation and thinking to be rich. That said, I believe it’s my responsibility to offer some direct instruction with modeling, guidelines, and parameters, then release the responsibility to the learner. (“I do it. We do it. You do it.”)

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
Oh yes. You’ve heard this over and over, I’m sure. I’ve learned more in my 22 months on Twitter—thanks to a robust Learning Network—than in years of other traditional classes and workshops. Social media can really change the shape of learning. I believe that the best adult learning is personal, social, and voluntary.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?
Don’t be embarrassed to “not know.” I’d advise new teachers (all teachers, really) to find an area of passion and follow it and to find a source of connected learning to help build a support network. That can be a Ning like the Educator’s PLN or the English Companion, a great blog like The Daring Librarian, or a social media site like Twitter. Work with a digital-savvy mentor to learn the ins-and-outs of navigating this new kind of knowledge creation.

My 100th Post: My Teacher Checklist

2011-04-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

1. When students ask me for something, am I saying “no” for a good reason or because it is automatic and I don’t question why I say it anymore?

2. Do I ask as many students as I can what they did the night before or what they ate for lunch to help build relationships?

3. Do I ask them in a respectful way when I want them to do something or just give orders?

4. Do I threaten them with a consequence when they don’t do what I ask or do I have a conversation with them to find out the problem?

5. Do I reward them with a treat when they do what I want or do I celebrate with the class unconditionally. (Ex. Having a pizza party with no strings attached)

6. Do I teach them about intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?

7. Do I ask their opinion and accept their input about the physical set up of the class or do I set up the class?

8. Do I offer students a choice on how to meet a learning outcome or does everybody do the same thing?

9. Am I patient?

10. Is my classroom competitive or is it set up for collaboration?

11. Do I know what my students do for fun?

12. Do I know what they are good at outside of school?

13. Do I know how many brothers and sisters they have?

14. Am I meeting the needs of my students every day?-->> Survival, Fun, Freedom, Belonging, Success.

15. Am I recognizing the strength of each student instead of just a few with awards?

16. Am I informing the parents of my students with good news about their child?

Is Twitter and blogging all about narcissism?

2011-04-02T04:37:00.000-07:00

Is Twitter and blogging all about narcissism? I came across a couple of “regular” blogs today that were not education related. I did not know the people. They wrote about their lives and I thought it was boring. I thought it was what people who do not blog or tweet think about these tools: narcissistic. This got me thinking. Is what we (educators) write perceived the same way? I definitely think it is perceived that way by some. I lose about 20 followers a week. However, I gain a little more than I lose. Even if I lost more than I gained I would keep writing what I believed in. We have to put our ideas out there so that we can be challenged and grow. It’s not about popularity but, as Tom Whitby once told me, the value we add to the conversation. Indeed, from the outside it all seems a little narcissistic; However, once you find what you are looking by defining your purpose for blogging and tweeting, those feelings go out the door and the learning happens.

10 pictures of my school: My "10 Picture Tour"

2011-04-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

Cale Birk called on educators to take 10 pictures of their school so that "we will learn a little bit about what your learning environment looks like." Here is my submission.

Inuksuk High School in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada with Frobisher bay in the background.

The Inuksuk and sign at the front of our school.

Front entrance to the open area. Qayaq on the wall.

Our open area. Table Tennis is very popular.

Very old Ski-doo in our open area. Students use it for sitting.

Student art work.

Trophy case.

Library upstairs from vantage point of hall way.

Qamutiq (sled) in shop hallway. It is getting a few repairs.

Pictures of elders.

Soapstone sculpture at front entrance to the open area.

Upstairs Mural

Forget April Fool’s day. Create your own day.

2011-03-31T17:06:00.000-07:00

April Fool’s day is here. Every year someone publishes some crazy story that we wish were true. For a moment we believe the story. We think, “Wow! Great! I love it!” Then we find out we were duped. We are disappointed. But what if we ignore the disappointment and trade it in for something better. What is better? Create your own story. A real story. A story you thought would never be possible. Create something that you were waiting for someone else to do. Forget April Fool’s day. Create your own day.

A short conversation with...Stephen Brander @stephenbrander

2011-03-31T14:39:00.000-07:00

Stephen Brander

Stephen Brander is a good friend of mine. I met Stephen in 1987 at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB. He was back then, and is now, one of the most creative people I know. He does not work at a school, nor is he involved with education. It’s very important to get perspectives from people who work outside of education so I decided to ask Stephen to participate in this interview series.

Stephen is the co-founder of Razor Creative (razorcreative.com) , a boutique design, branding, advertising and marketing firm located in Moncton, New Brunswick. Stephen, along with co-founder Rich Gould, believe that in today’s cluttered and noisy world, in order to get noticed and connect with the intended eyes, ears, minds and hearts of consumers, you have to Cut through™. That is their mission statement, philosophy, and guiding principle in everything they do.

1. Why did you start your own company?
I had been working at a large agency and felt I had grown about as much as I could within the organization. I was looking for new creative and other challenges in my life. I was tired of the bureaucracy of the organization and felt I could be more creative and do better work out on own own, dealing directly with the customer. The wrong structure can kill creativity.

2. I once described your company as an Ad Agency and you corrected me. You said, “we are in the business of ideas.” Can you expand on that?

Ad agency tends to be a bit of a catch all term that people understand. While we fit the mould somewhat, really clients come to us for the most part for our thinking. You can hire lots of different organizations to design a logo, create a website or write some radio spots, but if you want to truly cut through the media clutter, it requires a deeper understanding and brain power to create something never seen before and that will resonate with the target audience.

3. Can you share a few thoughts on the role creativity should play in public schooling?

I have two young children in the public school system with a third starting in September and I really don’t see much creativity at all. Just the opposite in fact. I think the thing that strikes me is the “good enough” attitude that I see.

That’s “good enough” to pass ... you know the work “good enough” ...the effort put forward is “good enough”. A “good enough” mentality for students and teachers create outcomes that unfortunately are not “good enough”. How does that prepare students for anything?

Students should be encouraged to go beyond expectations and be taught that there is more than one way to solve problems. I think students should be applauded for trying new ways to solve problems... to use more creative thinking. Being able to assess a problem and think of different ways to solve it is way more important a skill than knowing an answer. No one has ever changed the world (or their world) by doing things the way they have always been done.

Creativity in the class room can inspire, motivate and engage students. It seems like young people are wildly creative, but once they go to school it is slowly drained from them. That is sad.

The beauty of creativity is that it does not cost a thing. It can be as simple as thinking about things a little different. Instead of saying “write about the book you just read” ... say: “How would a man from Mars perceive this book”, or “write the review as if you were Justin Bieber, Steve Jobs, Oprah, their mother, a cave man...”

Creativity introduces fun into a process and stretches the mind. There is too much “colouring between” the lines at schools. How about practice your multiplication by talking like a pirate, have students create a code -- and then use that code to answer questions.

Silly? Maybe. Memorable. Absolutely. As a parent I’d love for my children to come home and tell me a creative way they learned something. After all, the best way to learn is not to realize you are being taught.

4. Who has had the biggest influence on you as an “idea man?”

Alfred E. Newman.

I tried it-->>Every blog has a silver lining - Blog Challenge

2011-03-30T18:18:00.000-07:00

Inspired by DavidD's blog post Every blog has a silver lining - A mini challenge, I decided to make a word cloud of my recent posts. Very cool idea David!

A few of my favorite Sir Ken Robinson Videos

2011-03-29T20:19:00.000-07:00

A short conversation with...Alec Couros @courosa

2011-03-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

Alec Couros

How long have you been teaching?

I’ve been teaching since 1993. While I was initially trained to become a high school English & History teacher, I ended up teaching just about every subject there is from grades 6 through 12. Beyond my high school & middle school experience, I spent several years as a teacher/therapist in a youth correctional centre. I’ve also taught in technical institutes, but I’ve spent the majority of my teaching career as a professor and ICT coordinator in a teacher education program.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

There were so many clichés that I bought into in my early years. Myths like ‘be hard on the kids at first, and then gently let go of the reigns’ - that whole classroom management myth. Or, the idea that the teacher is the expert in the classroom, the person with all of the answers - some sort of superhuman. So much of my philosophy has since been replaced with a focus on student engagement, continuous experimentation, and messiness. If you’ve watched me run one of my open courses, while things may seem very ordered and planned, in reality, it is as spontaneous and chaotic as it gets. While I follow the official syllabus in the course calendar, day-to-day planning gives way to student interests, serendipitous connections, and unplanned generosity.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

In my first year of teaching, I had one of the most difficult Grade 8 classes imaginable. I co-taught this group of students with another teacher who happened to be a First Nations elder. When students got loud, I got louder. When they became angry, I became angrier. I felt I really hadn’t been prepared for anything like this, and I became emotional and ineffectual as a teacher. My colleague taught me how to listen to students. I cannot describe how she taught me this. It may have been the softness of her voice. Her gentle nature. The way students came to her for advice. The love she showed for them, even when they weren’t on their best behaviour. But I do remember how she listened to our students. How she focused on each, looked at them in the eye, and how she made them realize how important their voice was to her. Since then, this has always been the most important to me - focusing on that relationship. Listening, rather than always telling.

Can you share a few thoughts about your TEDx talk experience?

It was a great experience. What I loved the most was that I got to listen to voices that I would normally not have heard. Often, as educators, we listen to mostly other educators, and I feel that in general, we need to be more diverse in our influences. As for my own presentation, I know it could have been much improved. The format is difficult, and I am sure that I didn’t prepare well enough for it. Additionally, there was a technical glitch with the clock so I actually ended up rushing through part of my presentation when in actuality, I had plenty of time. I wish I had a retry. :-)

Overall though, I think it’s a format that we need to focus on with our students (or perhaps something like a shorter Pecha Kucha format). If students can do this format, and do it well, they would be at a great advantage, not only for such presentations, but a whole range of genre, including literary and multimedia forms.

Alec Blogs here.

What does recess look like at your school?

2011-03-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

A George Couros @gcouros inspired post:

What does recess look like at your school? Do you see teachers speaking
respectfully to students, interacting, asking questions about a student's day?
Or are the interactions between teacher and student rigid, bossy, threatening?

Where are the teachers? Are they in the staff room during recess leaving the duty to the ones assigned? Or are they interacting in positive ways with students even if not assigned to duty?

I have presented you with different scenarios. Some build relationships, others sever or hinder them. What do you see in your school? What do you do?

A short conversation with...Dave Meister @phsprincipal

2011-03-27T19:32:00.000-07:00

Dave Meister

How long have you been teaching?

I have been an educator for 22 years. I began my career by teaching U.S. History, World History, European History and Psychology at the high school level for nine years. During that time I worked as the Social Studies Department chairperson for three years. After leaving the classroom I served for three years as an elementary principal, eight years as a high school principal and as the director of a high school cooperative the last two years.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

The one constant in my teaching philosophy is that I love being around kids. There is nothing better than a little playful banter between myself and a group of students. At the beginning of my teaching career I was very content oriented. I believed that my mission was to promote citizenship and awareness mankind’s story over time. I was very much the sage on the stage and believed I had to “perform” to engage and teach my students. I taught like my favorite history teachers and simply knew of no other way to do it. As I matured as a teacher I began to realize that most students did not gain much from the way I taught, if fact most just practiced memorizing information and writing back to me using the same words I lectured them with. After this epiphany, I began to use more of a project based approach in my classroom. I let the student be responsible for getting the information and during class time we worked together to construct meaning and create new understanding. In short, when I started I believed classroom activity revolved around the teacher, today I believe everything needs to revolve around the learner.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Twitter has become a very important tool for me as an educator. I really have benefited from the constant stream of ideas, resources, and intriguing dialog about teaching and learning. I will state that the use of Twitter has fundamentally changed my practice as an educator in that it is is always there/on, challenging me to think about what I do.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

Be able to look in the mirror and say to yourself “I did the right thing(s) for my students today.”

Dave blogs here.

lnspirational Blue Jays Commercial, "I'm Coming Home."

2011-03-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

It's almost opening day. I am a Red Sox fan but this commercial was just too good to pass up for a blog post. Excellent music and scenes. Enjoy!

When Community Comes Together

2011-03-26T04:47:00.000-07:00

On the morning of March 24 at approximately 1:30 AM building 4100 was burning in Iqaluit. The 29 apartments in the building housed approximately 60 residents. Even though the building burned completely, everyone got out safely!

The next day a call went out to the residents of Iqaluit to donate goods to the 60 residents who were left homeless. People were asked to bring donations to the place of my work, Inuksuk High School.

On Thursday, March 24, 2011, after the bell went at 3, I walked down to our cafeteria where donations were being dropped off. What I saw overwhelmed me. I was so impressed by the residents of my community. The amount of goods dropped off for the displaced tenants was staggering. Chills went through my body. It truly is great when people come together to help others in distress. It makes me proud to live in Iqaluit, Nunavut!

Pictures of the burning building courtesy of Aaron Watson. (Thanks Aaron)

Fire starts on the left side of the building.

Fire full force now.

The building is gone, save the foundation. You see its sister building in the background.

The following photos of the donations were taken by me on March 24 and 25.

Are you learning?

2011-03-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

I recently asked if what we were doing as teachers was best for creating lifelong learners. After reading my post JoAnn Jacobs @JoAnnJ68 tweeted this to me, “Brian, I like asking tchrs who want life-long learners where are they in their personal life-long process.” That sums it up. If we want our students to be lifelong learners, should we not be lifelong learners too? The answer is obvious. Moreover, if you are learning, are you demonstrating your learning to your students? It might make all the difference to demonstrate this to your students.

Photo courtesy of Mark Brannan

To create life-long learners

2011-03-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

I would say that most schools include this as part of their mission statement: To create life-long learners. Are we creating life-long learners by controlling students through rewards and punishment? By getting temporary compliance through external control? Are we just getting in the way of students full potential using rewards and punishment? Are we giving our students choice to meet outcomes? Or do we have to bribe them or punish them for not doing what we ask? Are we turning them off from school and learning through bribes and punishment? Are we creating life-long learners? It’s extrinsic motivation vs intrinsic motivation. What do you do?

What do you mean by "best practices?"

2011-03-22T17:26:00.000-07:00

What do you mean by "best practices?" Do you mean doing something to get more of the same? Is that what you really want? Or do you want something different? If you want something different, should you really be using the term “best practices?”

Why won’t you tweet?

2011-03-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

I can’t make you tweet, nor should I. I can’t make you share your thoughts, nor should I. I can’t make you share resources, nor should I. I can, however, share with you. I can show you how I learn from my amazing PLN that is Twitter. That’s all I can do. It’s your move now. What will you do? What are you waiting for?

A short conversation with...Alfonso Gonzalez @educatoral

2011-03-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

Alfonso Gonzalez

How long have you been teaching?

This is my 20th year as a classroom teacher. I started my career teaching 4th and 5th grade bilingual classes in South Central Los Angeles. Back when I was considering becoming a teacher I tried the traditional college route at Cal State University at Northridge (CSUN) but was disappointed by their teacher certification program. Luckily I found out about a new program the Los Angeles Unified School District was offering to get Spanish speaking teachers into the classroom. They called it an Intern Program. What that meant was that I was put into a classroom after a weekend orientation training with follow up classes every Thursday and Saturday! Now THAT was a learning experience! Currently I teach middle school, mainly 6th and 8th grade, and mainly Science, and in a school that with predominately Caucasian. Quite a change!

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Oh yeah, when I started teaching my goal was to teach kids. That’s it. I thought that all I needed to do was teach them and they would learn. I tried different things, I incorporated lessons I learned through the Los Angeles Unified School District Intern Program. It was a great program and I used everything I learned as soon as I learned it because it was all I had! The trainings were taught by classroom teachers so the courses were low on pedagogy and heavy on how to work with kids! Very helpful.

Every single year since I started teaching back in 1991 I have taken any opportunity that came my way to learn. I attended every training and conference that I could and I was lucky enough to find great ones that were not only free, but they paid me! I appreciated that :)

When I moved to Washington State I began working in middle school. I like that age group. It was in WA where I got my Masters in Teaching. One thing that I had to do was develop my mission as a teacher. Every now and then I read it again and much of it is still true today! Here’s what I wrote years ago. I crossed out the parts that I would change today and added some of my newest philosophies in italics:

“My mission is to help my students become independent, self-directed learners and lifelong learners. I plan to facilitate this process by helping my students enjoy learning. I want my students to feel safe enough to take risks and to be able to use and learn in all four learning styles and using all seven or eight intelligences. My students will be involved in constructivist activities in the form of long-term, research projects where they will have access to the latest technologies. Students will learn how to effectively work in cooperative groups and will be taught strategies for problem solving and getting along. Students will learn to use technology to work on their performance tasks and students will be assessed according to rubrics that they help create often. I will also use other forms of assessment such as paper and pencil tests, essays, and portfolios to help students understand how they are performing, and to show them their growth. My use of assessments will be mostly formative while only summative when necessary. I will not use summative assessments to reduce student learning to a score or letter grade. By using different forms of assessment and learning, all students, including special needs students and highly capable students will be able to learn and succeed. To help students in all these endeavors, parents will be included in all aspects of their child's education. Parent involvement is essential in helping students become self-directed and lifelong learners. I will help educate parents about all that we are doing.

In order to keep myself up to date and effective to fulfill my mission, I will continue to read the current research and to conduct my own research to improve my program. I will collaborate with my colleagues and I will continue to write grants to keep my classroom equipped. I plan to participate in curriculum development in my building so that I can ensure that my classroom remains a 21st century classroom.”

Pretty cool, I think. So it looks like I’ve made my original teaching philosophy more complicated! Maybe so, but those are the things I think I need to keep in my awareness to best meet the needs of all my students. And I’m still learning! I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of how to do my job.

Could you share a few thoughts about how you handle grading in your class?

After 19 and a half years of struggling with grades I learned that there was another way. I mean a way different than all the tweaks I had tried throughout the years. See I was trying to tweak a flawed and useless system. I don’t even know if it ever occurred to me to just do away with the whole thing. Nothing else I did worked and I didn’t know not grading was even possible. But then I started using Twitter. Through Twitter I followed teachers who were doing things that blew my mind. There were teachers who were doing things like going grade-less or using standards-based grading! I didn’t even know that was possible. I started reading Alfie Kohn and knew the change I was looking for was to abolish grades completely. I am fortunate to work for a principal who is progressive enough that when I approached her with my idea, backed with the research I had read and samples of teachers who had paved the way for those of us making the change, her response was, “Sure, sounds like you’re doing something great for our kids.” So on a day to day basis, I do not grade my students at all. I assess them formally and informally but without any grading. No marks, no numbers, no percentages, no letters, no stars, no rewards. I give them feedback about how they are doing. I give them feedback about how they can get to their next step. Sometimes my feedback is verbal as I help different students and sometimes I write their feedback on their blog or a paper. When it comes to reporting for my school I tell students that for learning they will each get a pass for Science. If they want a letter grade I give them a form where they can choose what letter they want and explain to me what they learned to get that grade. I do this for the families who still want a letter grade. A pass does nothing for a GPA and since I’m the only teacher at my school who doesn’t grade I still have students who are obsessed with grades and their GPA.

At my school we are also required to send home progress reports for midterm and end of term. To provide progress reports I have been working with standards-based grading. The grading software Easy Grade Pro is awesome and has a standards-based grading section that makes this a piece of cake. While I list the standards addressed by what my students are learning I don’t use numbers or letters to reduce the information students and parents need. If a student shows understanding of a standard, that it exactly what it says on the progress report. If I don’t have enough evidence of a student’s understanding of a particular standard, that is what it says on the progress report. I’m trying to get my students and parents to see that such information is not as valuable as looking at samples of the child’s work and the child’s explanation of the work and what he or she learned but I still provide the progress report with standards. Anything we look at is just a snap shot of one moment in that kid’s learning and my point of view is only one view. I’d rather the parents see their child’s work and hear their child describe it and what he or she learned from it. In our school all students keep portfolios of their work and every March they do a student-led conference for their families. I love watching those because I have just about no part in it aside from hosting them for my advisory students and observing them. What a great experience. This year most of the work my students have done is available on all of their blogs so we are almost completely paperless. Their blogs are the electronic component of their portfolios at http://mrgonzalez.org/.

It’s all still a work in progress and changes depending on the group of students I am working with at the time.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

Never stop learning and always be willing to change and try something new. And remember, you can’t, shouldn't and don’t have to do this alone! One other thing I’ve found useful is, “don’t ask permission, apologize later.”
Alfonso blogs here.

One of my favorite Seth Godin posts of all time!

2011-03-20T18:11:00.000-07:00

On January 24, 2011 Seth Godin posted the following post on his blog. It would be great if more educators could read this. There is something to be learned here. Setting up a classroom based on collaboration, and not competition is key. Moreover, allow for more student choice. Indeed, if we want our students to be problem solvers and life-long learners the ideas Seth Godin poses here can help. --Brian

Here is the post:

Three ways to help people get things done

A friend sent me a copy of a new book about basketball coach Don Meyer. Don was one of the most successful college basketball coaches of all time, apparently. It's quite a sad book—sad because of his tragic accident, but also sad because it's a vivid story about a misguided management technique.

Meyer's belief was that he could become an external compass and taskmaster to his players. By yelling louder, pushing harder and relentlessly riding his players, his plan was to generate excellence by bullying them. The hope was that over time, people would start pushing themselves, incorporating Don's voice inside their head, but in fact, this often turns out to be untrue. People can be pushed, but the minute you stop, they stop. If the habit you've taught is to achieve in order to avoid getting chewed out, once the chewing out stops, so does the achievement.

It might win basketball games, but it doesn't scale and it doesn't last. When Don left the room (or the players graduated), the team stopped winning.

A second way to manage people is to create competition. Pit people against one another and many of them will respond. Post all the grades on a test, with names, and watch people try to outdo each other next time. Promise a group of six managers that one of them will get promoted in six months and watch the energy level rise. Want to see little league players raise their game? Just let them know the playoffs are in two weeks and they're one game out of contention.

Again, there's human nature at work here, and this can work in the short run. The problem, of course, is that in every competition most competitors lose. Some people use that losing to try harder next time, but others merely give up. Worse, it's hard to create the cooperative environment that fosters creativity when everyone in the room knows that someone else is out to defeat them.

Both the first message (the bully with the heart of gold) and the second (creating scarce prizes) are based on a factory model, one of scarcity. It's my factory, my basketball, my gallery and I'm going to manipulate whatever I need to do to get the results I need. If there's only room for one winner, it seems these approaches make sense.

The third method, the one that I prefer, is to open the door. Give people a platform, not a ceiling. Set expectations, not to manipulate but to encourage. And then get out of the way, helping when asked but not yelling from the back of the bus.

When people learn to embrace achievement, they get hooked on it. Take a look at the incredible achievements the alumni of some organizations achieve after they move on. When adults (and kids) see the power of self-direction and realize the benefits of mutual support, they tend to seek it out over and over again.

In a non-factory mindset, one where many people have the opportunity to use the platform (I count the web and most of the arts in this category), there are always achievers eager to take the opportunity. No, most people can't manage themselves well enough to excel in the way you need them to, certainly not immediately. But those that can (or those that can learn to) are able to produce amazing results, far better than we ever could have bullied them into. They turn into linchpins, solving problems you didn't even realize you had. A new generation of leaders is created...

And it lasts a lifetime.

Seth Godin

A short conversation with...Edna Sackson @whatedsaid

2011-03-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

Edna Sackson

How long have you been teaching?

30 years. This is my first non-teaching year, in my new role as Teaching and Learning Coordinator and I plan to get back into classrooms as much as possible.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Constantly. For one thing, I used to focus on teaching and now I focus on learning. Articulating our school’s beliefs about learning and then basing the learning experiences on those beliefs has meant a fundamental shift in practice. I often reflect on how my thinking has changed over time. (See this post for examples http://whatedsaid.wordpress.com/2010/07/27/10-ways-my-thinking-has-changed/)

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Undoubtedly. I have learned a huge amount through interacting with educators around the world, sharing resources, engaging with new ideas, creating global collaborations... I’ve probably learned more via Twitter in the past couple of years than anywhere else over the preceding years.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

I’d advise new (and old teachers) :
Focus more on learning than on teaching.
Don’t try to be the ‘boss of learning’ in your room, allow the learners to take ownership of their own learning.
Create a culture where learners feel safe to take risks and express their ideas.
Treat your students with respect and they will respect you in return.
Understand that ‘one size not fit all’ and every student learns in a different way.
Encourage your students to think!

Edna blogs here.

A short conversation with...Kyle B. Pace @kylepace

2011-03-19T06:07:00.000-07:00

Kyle B. Pace

How long have you been teaching?

Next year will be my 12th year in education. I taught 3rd and 4th grades before becoming an Instructional Technology Specialist.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

It’s definitely changed. How could it not? Our whole view of learning is going to have to change to allow students to learn what they’re passionate about and how we assess that learning. I learned to teach the exact same way that teachers taught me when I went through my K-12 schooling. I began my teaching career thinking this was the way to teach. The last few years in particular I have learned so much about teaching. It’s come in so many forms, formal and informal. We have to focus on the learning and meeting students where they are at. From a technology standpoint that means more devices in students’ hands (school owned or not) during the school day, more blended learning opportunities outside of the bell schedule and outside the physical walls of our classrooms and schools. We are doing children a disservice if we don’t begin more of this now.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

I am connected to so many great minds in the education world. Through their tweets, blog posts, webinars, etc. I am able to learn so much. For free! Some of these people are very well known education consultants that travel around the globe speaking to educators. But even more (and this is what makes it more awesome) are teachers like me that know the ins and outs of best practices because they’re with students every single day. It’s these teacher leaders that help me constantly be better at what I do. If I’m helping teachers get blogging going with their students, I can send out a tweet asking for tips and strategies from people like Bill Chamberlain or Becky Goerend who I know have done lots of this with their own students. Twitter allows for a type of networking that was not around when I was just starting (which wasn’t that long ago). I wish I would have had it. We’re better together and Twitter proves that every day.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

The best advice I have ever received as a teacher would probably be the importance of the relationship and trust that must be built with students and parents. No matter if the learning experiences involve tech/social media or not, we need support at home just as much as at school. From an instructional technology standpoint I think the same definitely holds true. We could be talking about allowing students to bring their own devices to use at school (which we should be making more accommodations for) and we have to keep the lines of communication open (frequently) if we want to garner parent support for future improvements and upgrades to what we’re doing now.

Kyle blogs here.

Here comes the sun.

2011-03-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

This commercial always makes me feel good. I lived in a community for 6 years that lost the sun for 2 months/year. This would have been cool to see. Moreover, the song only adds to the quality of the commercial.

A short conversation with...Cale Birk @birklearns

2011-03-18T05:07:00.000-07:00

Cale Birk

How long have you been teaching?

This is my fifteenth year in education. I began teaching in the South Okanagan region of British Columbia at Osoyoos Secondary. I taught Junior Science, Senior Biology, and PE for five years and loved every minute of it! OSS was a great school to start my career, and we had a fantastic Principal who inspired me to get into administration. I then moved to Prince George to become a Vice-Principal for three years, and then became a Principal. After two years of being a Principal in PG, I moved to Kamloops in 2006 to become the Principal of South Kamloops Secondary. I have been there ever since!

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Absolutely. In my first year, I thought the most important thing in a classroom was control. I thought that classroom management came through keeping students busy with piles of trivial work, and through rewards and punishment. I docked marks for late assignments. At parent teacher interviews, I used to say meaningless things like “Your child struggles on tests”. I would give students ridiculous marks like 4% as a final grade.

Fortunately, I had a revelation very early in my teaching career. On the second to last day of that first year, I had a reluctant learner turn in about a dozen assignments. They were all late. They were all of substandard quality. And all I could think was that something inside of this student motivated them do all of this work at the end of the year for my class. How could I not mark it? I also looked critically at the work this student had done, not for what they had done, but for what I had assigned. It was crap, and I was ashamed. From that moment on, I never docked another late mark. And I vowed that I would never assign crap just to keep students busy, but rather that I would try to make my lessons so engaging that students were always busy learning rather than ‘regurgitating’ meaningless minutia like ‘questions 1-4 at the end of the chapter’.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?
I have only been tweeting for a few months, but without equivocation, it is the best perennial Professional Development that I have ever taken part in. I have never felt more invigorated as an administrator to learn, and I make time every day to get on to Twitter and connect with educators all over the planet. It is pleasantly overwhelming to discover all of the great things that others are doing in their schools and districts, and to feel as though you are truly part of a global learning community. My only regret is that I did not get on to Twitter sooner!

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

I think it is important for a teacher to have a sincere and insatiable curiosity about their students. To be curious about what their interests are, where they have come from, what they already know, how they learn, and what experiences they bring to the classroom. By truly being curious about these things, students will know that the teacher cares about them, that they care about making that class meaningful, and that they care about discovering what each student knows. My first Principal told me “Create the class that you would like to learn in, and that you would like your children to learn in.” and I think that still applies today.

Cale's Blog

A short conversation with...Seth Godin

2011-03-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

1.What is the purpose of schools (K-12) in the 21st Century?

To train students to do difficult work and to answer questions that haven't been asked before.

2. What about "if u could change 2-3 things about the education system immediately, what would they be?

a. attendance based
b. regurgitation based
and
c. do the lectures at night (via world class video) and do homework during the day.

A short conversation with...David Wees @davidwees

2011-03-16T20:07:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered a website named Teachmeet New Jersey: Fresh Ideas for Education. The site introduces educators to its readers by conducting short interviews. I really like that idea so I asked a few people from my PLN to answer a few questions about education. Enjoy.

David Wees

How long have you been teaching?

I’m currently in my 9th year teaching. I spent 3 years working in Brooklyn, NY, 2 years in London, England, another 2 years in Bangkok, Thailand, and the last 2 years in Vancouver, Canada.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

I think that my core philosophy has not changed much, but my understanding of this core philosophy has changed quite a bit. I believed initially that if you engage the learner in meaningful and interesting activities, that you can “get them to learn anything.” This is kind of like covering the ugly learning medicine with some sweet honey. It goes down sweet, but still leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Now I’m becoming convinced that this approach is unnecessary. I think you can select activities, especially if you give students choice in the selection, which appeal to the learner and have the ability to inspire and motivate them, and which are themselves interesting learning. Learning doesn’t have to be something you disguise with a sweetener.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Twitter has opened my mind to the field of education in a way that neither of my degrees has done. First, I am exposed to a much wider world of possibilities. I cannot imagine finding the works of Gatto, Holt, Hern, Freire, Meier, and Ravitch without Twitter. I think it could easily have been years before I learned about unschooling, homeschooling, and other forms of alternate education which are so interesting to me now.

I’ve been fascinated by the adoption of technology, and have enjoyed learning about both the phases of technology adoption, and the types of technology out there to use. I’m constantly impressed by the innovative practices I see, while still skeptical of other practices which have been aptly named pseudo-teaching.

I have the opportunity to discuss these ideas, and debate them with people from all over the world. I learn about resources, trouble-shoot, brain-storm, and chat about all sorts of different topics. I’ve met people who are doing amazing things, and am helping to lead some small changes in BC education as well. The ability to get a group of people together and be inspired to try out a completely different professional development model is super cool, and our planning of Edcamp Vancouver has been a terrific learning experience for all of us who have been involved.

The most important lesson I have taken away from Twitter is that I am not alone, there are many other people who think the way I do.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

Try something new in your teaching everyday, and do your best to remember what worked about you tried, and what didn’t work. You cannot become an exceptional educator without a willingness to experiment, and an ability to be reflective and analyze your practice. Most of your initial lessons you create will be awful, you will be lucky to have 1 in 5 work. Recognize this, don’t take it personally, and move onto the next day when you can try something else.

Watch other teachers do what they do. Make sure to go and observe the practices of everyone in your building if you can. During my first 3 years of teaching I made sure to at least informally observe every single teacher in my school.

Watch children while they are learning, regardless of the context. If your objective is to improve as an educator, you must recognize that education is not so much about the procedures you do, as the outcomes of what you start (or support) in your classroom, specifically students learning.

David's Blog

A short conversation with...Chris Kennedy @chrkennedy

2011-03-16T04:18:00.000-07:00

Chris Kennedy

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for fifteen years. I have had the chance to teach in Richmond, Coquitlam and now West Vancouver. I am one of those teachers who has two parents who were also teachers, so it often feels like I have been in public education my entire life.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

In my first year I taught Math 8 and Math 9 as part of my assignment (my background is Social Studies and English). I remember being so concerned about being right and having all the answers. I had a really hard time admitting I didn’t know something. I thought the teacher was the person with all the answers.

I have become much more comfortable with not knowing the answers.

That said, a lot hasn’t changed for me - I still think teaching is more than a job, it is a way of life and is the greatest job in the world.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Absolutely - it helped get me my job - http://cultureofyes.ca/2010/10/13/sharing-revolutio/

I am about four years in to using Twitter and was actually an early adopter. I was one of those people who was having conversations about what we were having for lunch. It has been over the last two years that I have really found the power of Twitter. It is absolutely the best professional development. I love how roles and geography don’t matter - it is about ideas. I find I will often go to Twitter before e-mail and I now only check-in on Facebook once or twice a week.

Twitter has exposed me to ideas that have pushed my thinking and helped me stay current. I think my job is absolutely about knowing what is around the corner and Twitter helps me to see what is coming.

I also just love connecting face-to-face and continuing relationships on Twitter, and also with those I have met through Twitter building on these relationships face to face. I am participating in several projects now that are a direct result of Twitter relationships.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

My best advice for new teachers is to not believe the advice that you should just focus on your teaching and not get involved in the school. Getting involved - whether it is running a club, coaching a team, helping with a musical, organizing a talent show or anything else outside the classroom helps you know students in a different way, and helps students know you in a different way and it will create memories for you and them.

Chris Blogs Here

A few favorite tweets, lately.

2011-03-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

Eric Sheninger @NMHS_Principal: A merit study where teachers were given $15,000 over 3 yrs found no increase in scores via @DianeRavitch #nassp2011

Chris Wejr @mrwejr:@SheilaSpeaking @Nunavut_Teacher responsibility is key. But we don't get responsible people by rewarding them to comply

Chris Wejr @mrwejr: @SheilaSpeaking @Nunavut_Teacher I want students to understand there are natural consequences for their choices. Feedback better than prizes

Chris Wejr @mrwejr: @Nunavut_Teacher @SheilaSpeaking punishments and rewards only create desired outcome when the reward/punishment is present

Brian Barry @nunavut_teacher: BOOM! The real lesson on finance http://bit.ly/hUX1mY by @d_martin05

Mike @mikekaechele:Just got around to watching @DianeRavitch on the Daily show http://bit.ly/fDxDSv

Alfonso Gonzalez @educatoral Twitter-It's Not Just What's For Breakfast... http://j.mp/ffqTPr @web20classroom

Robert Dewinetz rwd01 RT @alfiekohn: 4 quick responses to “But I have to assign homework! Look at all I have to cover!”: http://bit.ly/gdrjL4

Pernille Ripp @4thGrdTeach:Slideshow from the massive protest in Madison, WI yesterday #wiunion http://ow.ly/4dzVK

A short conversation with...Justin Stortz @newfirewithin

2011-03-15T04:40:00.000-07:00

Justin Stortz

How long have you been teaching?

I’m in my seventh year. I’ve taught Kindergarteners, 1st graders, and now 4th graders.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Good gravy, yes! How could it not? I don’t think anyone teaching with a clear mind and an open heart can have a static educational philosophy.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

I’ve had two major shifts in my thinking. Both were gradual and came about by observing and reflecting on my students.

The first was a shift from equal to fair. College was all about teaching me equality- all children get an equal chance and equal opportunities in education, etc. Some of that thinking began to shape my classroom interactions. In my first years, I wouldn’t let one student do something unless I was prepared to let everyone do it. So if a student finished early and wanted to go to the library, I’d often say no because other students didn’t have an equal opportunity to go. I felt the need treat all children equally. But, experience taught me that equality comes in varying degrees of fairness.

How dare I treat all children equally? What a colossal disservice to the children put in my charge. Some students need more; some students need less. Some don’t need it all.

Now I try to do what’s best for the individual student, and that’s obviously going to look different for each one. I am committed to treating children fairly, though. Each child is a one-of-a-kind unique creation and deserves to be treated with the same dignity and respect as anyone else in my class.

The second shift was from a mindset of control to one of release. It’s really the shift from a teacher centered classroom to a student centered classroom. I used to be big on my rules and dishing out the consequences. I used to do the behavior chart, treasure chest on Friday for those good enough, and many other types of rewards and punishments. I felt the need to micro manage student behavior and interactions.

Now I’m much more laid back. I believe students will rise to the responsibility given to them. I’m much more about an open classroom community of trust and respect. We create, we collaborate, we define- together. I’m still the authority figure in the room. That’s part of my responsibility. But, it’s not about me being in control, it’s about releasing and trusting the students to do their very best.

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

Never be afraid to apologize. You are a fallible human just like your students. Don’t play it off when you’re wrong or you lose your temper. Students, even very young ones, can smell a fake a mile away. Be real and authentic. You will reap tremendously more than you sow. And forget that “don’t smile until Christmas” junk too. Smile the first day, everyday.

Justin's Blog

A short conversation with...Dwight Carter @Dwight_Carter

2011-03-14T04:47:00.000-07:00

Dwight Carter

How long have you been teaching?

I’ve been an educator for 17 years: 3 years as a middle school American History teacher, 5 years teaching 9th grade Global Studies and 11th grade American History, 3 years as a HS Assistant Principal, 3 years and a MS Principal, and now into my 3rd year as HS Principal where I taught and was an Assistant Principal. All my years have been in the same district. Also coached football, MS boys and girls track, and HS girls track before my years in administration.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

My core philosophy has been developed since I began teaching, which is to positively change lives and impact futures. What has changed is how to do that. Establishing positive relationships have always been foundational; however, I have to work much harder at it now as an administrator, especially with the students. My philosophy is focused on serving those I lead, which has challenged me to really focus on people first, programs second. I am not always successful as this yet I have some close colleagues that let me know when I’ve dropped the ball!

What's the best advice you have received as a teacher (or can give to a new teacher)?

The best advice I received as I teacher was in my first education class at Wittenberg University in the fall of 1990: “No significant learning takes place without a significant relationship.”-Dr. James Comer. This was posted on the wall and it immediately resonated with me. I give this same advice to a new teacher, but would also add to stay relevant by taking responsibility for ones own professional development. Use social media to share ideas, find solutions to problems you are facing, and contribute to whatever grade level team, department, or PLC you’re a part of.

Dwight, can you share a few thoughts on your No Office Day experience? Will there be another No Office Day?

My “No Office Day” experience was definitely one of the days I’ve had as an educator! I felt connected to the teachers in my building, I was energized by their passion, expertise, energy, and level of student engagement. I still vividly remember the interactions between the students and teachers. The bottom line is that is was simply FUN! It reminded me of one of the key points of the FISH philosophy, which is to have fun at work. Also, Kevin Carrol (@KevinCarrollKatalyst) reminds us to keep play alive in our lives. For me, the No Office Day was a way to have fun and play while meeting a personal goal to be visible. I have fallen way short of this goal, but I now have a point of reference to rely on and people that hold me accountable to be more visible.

What has struck me is the number of positive feedback I’ve received since the “No Office Day” post. However, what’s sad about this is that it’s the norm for building principals to be chained to our desks. None of us were moved to go into administration to stay in the office. This is something we have to intentionally plan for and follow through on a regular basis. Honestly, I now often ask myself, “When will it be the norm for you to not be in the office so much?”

I do plan to have more “No Office Days” so that I can make more connections, recognize and celebrate the number of great things going on in our building, and be a part of where the front line leaders are: in the classroom with our students. I have one scheduled this Friday!

Be Great,

Dwight

Dwight's Blog

What is stopping you?

2011-03-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

A Seth Godin Inspired Post:

What do you want to do? Do you want to try something new? Do you have new ideas you want to try in your classroom? Do you want to make a change? Have you started a blog? When was the last time you wrote a new post? Is there someone you want to talk to but have been putting it off? Just one last question: What is stopping you?

A short conversation with...Diane Ravitch @DianeRavitch

2011-03-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank Dr. Diane Ravitch for taking the time to answer my questions for this interview series. Dr. Ravitch's work has not only influenced me as an educator, but countless other educators as well.

Diane Ravitch

1. The idea that the government can “incentivize” teachers to do a better job by paying more money is held by many. Can you share a few thoughts on Merit Pay, paying teachers based on the performance of their students?

Merit pay has never worked. According to W. Edwards Deming, it doesn't work in the business world either. It destroys teamwork and collaboration. It encourages people to think only of themselves, not of the goals of the organization. It promotes short-term thinking (me!), rather than what's best for everyone. The most rigorous evaluation of merit pay was conducted by the National Center for Performance Incentives and published last fall. It found that merit pay did not produce any effect on student scores. Is it odd, isn't it, to think that students will work harder if their teachers get bonuses? This is the idea that never works and never dies.

2. Given the emphasis on standardized testing for students, can a teacher still conduct a class where creativity can flourish?

Certainly the No Child Left Behind law has put an emphasis on standardized test scores, to the exclusion of everything else. Now, states are passing laws stating that teachers will be evaluated by their students' test scores, and their tenure and salary and job will depend on those scores. Under these circumstances, there is no support or encouragement for creativity, innovation, or imagination. Students who exhibit these characteristics will likely choose the wrong bubble on the test.

3. In some places I’ve noticed that student course choice is becoming more restrictive in order to meet high school graduation requirements. What are your thoughts on further limiting student course selection choice?

My view is that all students should have a rich and balanced curriculum, one that includes the arts, science, history, mathematics, geography, civics, foreign language, and physical education. Any graduation requirements that get in the way of this kind of education should be changed.

Diane Ravitch Blogs here.

A short conversation with...Joe Bower @joe_bower

2011-03-12T17:13:00.000-08:00

Joe Bower

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for 10 years. Most of my career has been spent teaching grades 6-8. My current teaching assignment has me teaching in the local hospital where we provide short term crisis stabilization and inpatient assessment to children under the age of 18 who present with a wide range of mental health related difficulties. Essentially it's a one-room school house for students ranging from elementary to high school.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

When I started teaching I was very focused on power and control. I assigned loads of homework, dished out huge penalties for late assignments, assigned punishments for rule breaking behavior and averaged my marks to get a final grade. I did some of these things because I was trained to do so in university. However, most of these teaching strategies were being done mindlessly, and like a lot of teachers, I was simply teaching the way I was taught.

Today, I embrace the idea that learners construct their understanding from the inside while interacting with their environment, rather than by internalizing directly from the outside. I provide learning environments that are in a context and for a purpose, and in doing so, I work with students (rather than doing things to them) so they experience their successes and failures not as reward and punishment but as information.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

In November 2004, I was ready to walk away from teaching. I was desperate for something better, and that's when I came across Alfie Kohn's article The Costs of Overemphasizing Achievement. After that, I dedicated myself to challenging traditional schooling while exploring more progressive forms of education. For me the change was indeed quite fast; I experienced a pedagogical revolution. The day after I read Kohn's article, I returned my students' essays without a grade. And, as they say, the rest is history. But I do try and share my stories on my blog: for the love of learning.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

My most fundamental pedagogical changes took place in 2004 which was well before joining Twitter in 2009. Initially, I only joined because I saw that Alfie Kohn had joined, and was using Twitter as a way to share. Like a lot of people, I joined Twitter without even realizing what it was good for. I played with it for a few days and quit. Months later, I gave it another shot, and got 'it'.

For me, Twitter has been a way to find like-minded educators. The laws of probability tell us that we have a better chance of finding like-minded professionals when we broaden our search past just those we work with in the physical world. Twitter has provided me with the opportunity to find my tribe.

Joe's Blog

11 reasons why I blog.

2011-03-11T15:17:00.000-08:00

1 I blog to discover a deeper understanding of why I feel the way I do about a topic.

2. I blog to challenge the way I feel about a topic.

3. I blog to get feedback from others.

4. I blog to keep thinking and reflecting about education.

5. I blog to fight the resistance- My lizard brain.

6. I blog to be heard.

7. I blog so that I can share with others.

8. I blog to get to know others.

9. I blog to connect with the world.

10. I blog so that I can share posts with students. They get a deeper understanding of why I teach the way I do, why I conduct the class the way I do, why I do what I do.

11. I blog because I can.

A short conversation with...Tom Hierck @UMAKADIFF

2011-03-10T19:23:00.000-08:00

Tom Hierck

How long have you been teaching?

This is my 28th year in a career that started as a high school science teacher and flowed through being a special education instructor, vice-principal, principal, president of the BCPVPA, project manager for the Ministry of Education, and to my current role as Assistant Superintendent. I always think of myself as a teacher but do note that my classroom has changed considerably.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Interesting question as I was reviewing this just recently. Here is part of what I wrote some time ago and that still resonates with me today. My philosophy of education is summarized by this belief: every student is a success story waiting to be told. All of us in the education system have a responsibility to help them tell that story. The role of the school in society is an ever-changing one. We live in a time where change is rapid. Schools are charged with the responsibility to meet the demands of this society. Within the least restrictive environment possible, schools must provide opportunities for all students to enjoy success. Every student who enters our classrooms in September will be different in June. How they change rests, in part, with the experiences they have during the school year. School needs to be a place where students want to go and where they feel they are accomplishing something of value.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

As I said above, it wasn’t so much a change as a reaffirmation. I think I may have lost my way a bit as a teacher when I was building my career and the different vantage point I had moving into an administrative role highlighted for me again the absolute necessity to create positive relationships in order to add educational value to the lives of others.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Late to get started but thoroughly enjoying the insights shared by others. It’s a great tool that augments other aspects of the work I do. As a presenter and authour I’m always looking for others’ reaction to events or changes in our environment. I’ve seen some brilliant things come across the twittersphere in the short time I’ve been a part of the community.

Tom's Blog

Competition in the classroom: "There's only competitor out there, yourself."

2011-03-10T04:32:00.000-08:00

I try to ensure my classroom is set up for collaboration, not competition. Most competitions in a class are never fair and stifle collaboration. Moreover, stressing personal best and not THE best is what matters.

I recently discovered these Sportchek commercials that note we should compete against ourselves. Please enjoy.

A short conversation with...Justin Tarte @justintarte

2011-03-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

Justin Tarte

How long have you been teaching?

I am in my 6th year of teaching German 2 and German 3. As much as I love teaching and the classroom interactions with kids, I am actively pursuing an administrative position in an effort to positively affect the lives of not just my students, but rather an entire student body.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Yes. When I first started teaching I was very focused on what I was doing as the teacher. I would go home and evaluate the resources I was using in class...I would think about ways I could make better and more effective assessments...I was spending way too much time thinking about what I was doing, rather than focusing on how the students were performing and responding to what I was doing. My educational philosophy has shifted from me, the educator, to the students with whom I am interacting. I am not saying self-reflection is not important, but I have definitely seen an improvement with my instructional practices as I have focused more on what my students are doing, rather than what I am doing.

Additionally, I have really started to empower and encourage my students to take control of their learning. By providing my students the autonomy and the opportunities to explore, discover, and learn on their own, they are able to follow their interests and passions. Similarly to my first point, my focus has shifted from what I want my students to learn, to allowing them to learn what they are interested in.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

This change has been a gradual change, and by no means is the change finished. I am continually evolving as an educator, and I think it is crucial that we are continuously evaluating our philosophy of education. One of my favorite quotes by Bruce Barton says it perfectly; “When you are through changing, you are through.”

If I could narrow this change to one specific event I would say it was when I decided I wanted to be an administrator. Administrators by nature are required to think on a much broader scale, and as such it requires more reflection and more time spent recognizing how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together. This bigger picture thinking has enhanced my growth and development as an educator.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Twitter has played a tremendous role in my growth and development as an educator. I am a huge proponent of professional development, and through the use of Twitter I have been able to expand traditional PD from something that happens a few times a year, to something that happens 24/7. Twitter has also connected me with great educators from around the world, which has given me a much broader perspective when it comes to sharing and collaborating with others. In my short 6 years as an educator, Twitter has been the most influential to my growth and development.

Justin's Blog

A short conversation with...Alfie Kohn @alfiekohn

2011-03-08T17:08:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank Alfie Kohn for taking the time to answer my questions for this interview series. Dr. Kohn's work has influenced me the most as an educator. Thank you very much, Dr. Kohn.

Alfie Kohn

1.What would you say to a teacher that says, "rewards work in my
classroom?"

I’d ask two questions: What do you mean by “work”? And at what cost? Rewards, like punishments, can sometimes be effective at eliciting temporary compliance. What they can never do is help people to develop a commitment to whatever behavior they engaged in. You can’t bribe kids into thinking deeply, enjoying the learning itself, or becoming responsible or caring people. In fact, the reliance on rewards -- what one pair of researchers calls “control through seduction” -- is more likely to be counterproductive rather than merely ineffective. It tends to undermine students’ interest in whatever they were rewarded for doing, which means they become less likely to want to read (or to help other people, or whatever) than they were earlier. Treating kids like pets -- giving them the equivalent of a doggie biscuit for doing whatever the person with the power happens to want -- is not only disrespectful; it’s virtually guaranteed to backfire. It’s a way of doing things to kids, and ultimately there’s no substitute for working with kids if we want them to become proficient learners and decent people.

2.Alfie, could you please share a few thoughts on year end awards
ceremonies where only a few are chosen to receive an award?

The problem with awards is twofold: First, they’re extrinsic inducements, so, as I say, they’re likely to reduce kids’ intrinsic motivation to do whatever we’ve recognized them for having accomplished. Second, what distinguishes an award from a reward is that the former is set up as a competition: The recognition is made artificially scarce so that if I get an award, that reduces or even eliminates the chance that you will.

Here’s the dilemma: Either the awards ceremony is a joke to kids, or it's taken seriously. If it's a joke, why do it? But if it's taken seriously, it can do real harm. It's not hard to see how resentful and demoralized the losers often become. (Definition of an awards assembly: an event that instantly turns most people present into losers.) But perceptive people can see that even the winners lose: They come to see themselves as worthy only to the extent they’ve defeated others (a recipe for neurosis), they come to see everyone else as obstacles to their own success (which destroys any possibility of creating a sense of community and caring in the school), and they come to see the learning as just a prerequisite for getting that public pat on the head.

3. Many teachers have been known to say the following, "This class is
not a democracy; it is a dictatorship." How can this attitude hurt
the learning of students?

Dictatorships never benefit anyone other than the dictator. Psychologically speaking, people thrive when they participate in making decisions about the things that affect them. Morally speaking, I believe people have a right to participate to the extent it’s practical to do so -- which is to say, a right not to be subject to unnecessary control. This is even more important in the case of children, since we want them to learn to be responsible decision-makers. And you learn to make good decisions by making decisions, not by following directions.

That doesn’t mean kids can do whatever they want, or that their status is equivalent to that of the teacher, or that children have the same capacity to choose responsibly at age 6 that they do at age 16. But just because a pure democracy may be impractical in a classroom doesn’t justify a dictatorship; it obliges us to see how close we can get to the democratic end of the continuum. When teachers write this off as “impractical” or “utopian,” they may think they’re telling us about the inability of kids to handle choices but I’d argue they’re really telling us about their own need for control.

Alfie Kohn's Homepage

A short conversation with...Josh Stumpenhorst @stumpteacher

2011-03-08T09:31:00.000-08:00

Josh Stumpenhorst

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching 6th grade Social Science and Language Arts for 8 years. I am still working towards my approval by the Jedi council.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

When I first started teaching I was more concerned with “getting through the day” as I think is very common for new teachers. As I have become more confident in my content I am now more focused and dedicated to finding better ways to engage students and push their learning. My philosophies on grading, homework, and even classroom management have changed.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

A big piece of this change has happened in recent years through conversations with colleagues and attending conferences with other educators. Through these conversations, I have been able to expand my perspective and evolve my perspective on education. It is through this collaboration that I have been exposed to other ideas and have been willing to try new things in my classroom in an effort to constantly improve the learning of my students.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Twitter has accelerated my evolution at a staggering pace. I have only been active on Twitter for about five months now and am blown away daily by the connections I have made and the learning I have experienced. A few examples would be some of the “chats” I have participated in that have changed my philosophies as well as instruction. One specific example was a conversation I had with the #ecosys folks about Dr. Mitra’s Hole in the Wall Theories of education.

Twitter has allowed me to connect with educators that I never even knew existed and would certainly never had contact with. It has given me access to conferences, conversations, and collaborative opportunities that are constantly evolving my teaching and in turn my student’s learning. I now have taken the number of teachers that I can share with and get resources from to an exponential figure.

As I recently tweeted, “Anyone else feel like they took Morpheus’s Red Pill since they started using Twitter and Blogging?” This is so true as it has opened a world of learning and collaboration that I never thought possible nor existed.

Josh's Blog

A short conversation with...Daniel Pink @danielpink

2011-03-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

I am delighted to post my interview with Daniel Pink. As many of you know, I am a fan of Mr. Pink's work. A special thanks to Dan for participating in my short conversation series! Enjoy!

Daniel Pink

1. What started your interest in human motivation?

After I wrote A WHOLE NEW MIND -- about the shift from metaphorically "left-brain" abilities to "right-brain" ones -- lots of people asked me about how to motivate people to do this sort of work. I didn't have a clue. So I began looking at what turned out to be an absolute treasure trove of research on human motivation. And the answers I found were surprising. Very surprising.

2. Can you recommend a couple of things teachers could be doing in order to better tap into their students’ motivation?

There are lots of things teachers can do -- and many of them are doing these things already. What's missing is a way for teachers around the world to share best practices. That said, here are a few ideas that come from the research I've done.

First, try a FedEx Day. This idea comes from the Australian company Atlassian. One a quarter on Thursday afternoons, the company tells its software developers to work on whatever they want, so long as it's not part of their regular job, for the next 24 hours. The only requirement is that they have to show what they've created on Friday afternoons in a fun, freewheeling meeting. (They call these FedEx Days because you have to deliver something overnight.) This one day of autonomy has produced a whole array of ideas for new products, improvements on existing products, and so forth that had otherwise never emerged. Schools could do something similar with students or even with teachers.

Second, spend a little more time on why. The research on motivation shows pretty clearly that people do better when they know the purpose of what they're doing. So when doling out homework, for instance, explain why you're assigning this particular homework and how it contributes to students' learning. When beginning a unit, spend a few minutes discussing why you're covering this topic and how it relates to the real world.

Third, let students do their own report cards. At the beginning of a term, ask students to lay out what they want to learn. Then have them self-assess several times along the way to see whether they're making progress. Then at the end of the term, ask them to give themselves a grade. These aren't replacements for traditional report cards, but supplements -- and they can begin to teach the habits of goal-setting and self-assessment that are hugely valuable in high performance in any sphere.

3. Have you noticed a big interest in your work from people involved in education?

Somewhat. I write mostly about business -- but good teachers and administrators always want fresh, smart ideas no matter their source.

Daniel Pink's Blog

A few of my favorite Seth Godin posts, Part 2.

2011-03-06T12:52:00.000-08:00

Cliches

Quote: "You can't be offbeat in all ways, because then we won't understand you and we'll reject you. Some of the elements you use should be perfectly aligned with what we're used to."

"The others... Not a little off. A lot off."

Demonstrating strength

Quote: "Apologize; Defer to others; Avoid shortcuts; Tell the truth; Offer kindness; Seek alliances."

The forces of mediocrity

Quote: "Remarkable visions and genuine insight are always met with resistance."

Make something happen

Quote: "Make something happen today, before you go home, before the end of the week."

It's easier to teach compliance than initiative

Quote: "Schools like teaching compliance. They're pretty good at it."

A short conversation with...Rob Genaille @rvgenaille

2011-03-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

Rob Genaille

How long have you been teaching?

Including ToC time, I have been a teacher for approximately eight years. One of those years was spent as a First Nations Support Worker, and three were as a classroom teacher at the secondary level.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

This isn’t an easy question to answer. I became a teacher because I saw too many Aboriginal youth falling through the cracks and dropping out. My perception was that they were not well- treated in school and that they were very bright individuals that were being tagged under an umbrella category. I thought that, more than anything, coming into the school, I could share my experience and strengths with them, offer the opportunity of seeing someone who had been in the exact same position as they were finding themselves. In addition, I hoped to show non-Aboriginal students that the myths and misconceptions that many in the education system, and society, had about Aboriginal people were wrong. As an educational philosophy, I believe that the education of the child means the whole child, socially, emotionally as well as academically. In this regard, I am not worried if we meet all the Prescribed learning outcomes on a given day, particularly if we need to consider the challenges faced by the child at home, or in school. Sometimes ensuring that the student is feeling safe and secure, respected, is more important than whether he or she finished their homework assignment or understands the connection between Rome’s 12 Tables and the modern Canadian legal system. The learning will come when the student is feeling that he or she can learn.

Has that changed? A little bit, but I try to maintain the need to build a relationship of respect and trust with the student.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

As stated above, I try to maintain it as much as possible but the realities of the modern education system make it difficult to work. Class sizes make it difficult to connect with every student, particularly when you have thirty or more per block, the amount of curriculum expected to be covered, in our provincially examinable senior courses, doesn’t allow you the time to stop and explore an issue that interests you or the students. And then there are students that don’t want to have anything to do with you as a teacher, or the focus on the needs of the student grinds everything to a halt.

The challenge is finding a way to balance the different aspects of the needs of the student, the parent and the education system. Learning to remember that I am their teacher and while I am offering them trust and respect, I am not their friend, and I am responsible for preparing them to face the greater society as adults. It is easier to find that balance in the smaller schools I have worked in, because the one on one aspect of learning and teaching is important in every respect.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

I am still working that part out. I initially went on Twitter to publicize the work I am doing outside of education (you may notice that from time to time), and only came to be a part of an exchange with other educators recently. It has been an excellent starting point to see different avenues and approaches being explored by teachers and seeing the different research being shared, but I have not engaged completely as yet. I joke that Twitter is what forced me to start my blog, and for that I am grateful, as it has allowed me to start to address larger issues in Aboriginal education, or to comment or questions I see arising.

Rob's Blog

BOOM! A short conversation with...Chris Wejr @mrwejr

2011-02-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

Chris Wejr

How long have you been teaching?

This is my 12th year of teaching. I began as a secondary school physical education/math/science teacher and then moved into elementary administration 4 years ago. As an administrator, I believe it is important to continue to teach; this year, I teach grade 3 reading.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

My philosophies have significantly changed. When I first began teaching, relationships with students were very important but I was someone who taught like I was taught and just blended in with the system. I punished and rewarded students for academics and behaviours (using grades, prizes, detentions, late marks, etc), desks were often in rows, homework was always given, assessment was mainly summative, and most of my teaching was standardized (not differentiated). Why did I teach this way? That is how I was taught, how my practicum sponsor teachers taught, and how many of my colleagues taught.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

After I started to gain confidence as a teacher, I began to reflect on how to best motivate kids. I noticed that what I was doing as a volleyball coach was working and began to bring those strategies into the classroom. More descriptive feedback, less focus on results, more collaborative activities, and less reliance on rewards and punishment. At that point I was taking baby steps; significant changes happened through educational conversations that took place during my Master’s of Education coursework. Through this program, I became much more reflective and began to question my pedagogy as well as the structures of our education system. People like Nel Noddings, Maxine Greene, Michel Foucault, Alfie Kohn, Kieren Egan, and Sir Ken Robinson filled my mind with reflective questions about the way we teach our kids. When I became a vice principal, I had the privilege of working with a principal that had a strength-based leadership style that encouraged me to focus on intrinsic motivation. She continually challenged me to see the positive attributes in people and focus on their strengths, rather than their deficits. So this has been a gradual process over the past 5 years that has lead me to have a strength-based, passion-driven philosophy of education.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

When I completed my Master’s program in 2008, those reflective educational conversations with peers and professors were lacking in my life. A friend (@kyegrace), who is a leader in social marketing, encouraged me to try Twitter and blogging to try to develop connections with other reflective educators. Two years later, I have seen my passion fueled by educators around the world who continually challenge and support me in my views on education. To be completely honest, without the support of my PLN on Twitter, I would not be the educator I am today. These connections have helped to develop both professional and personal relationships that make every day that much better! My educational mentors are now not only educators in my district but also parents, teachers, and admin from around the globe.

Chris' Blog

My shortest post, ever: On teaching and just about everything else.

2011-02-27T08:27:00.000-08:00

Think, challenge, and question how you do it. Get it?

"'Against the Wind' by Bob Seger"

2011-02-26T16:53:00.000-08:00

I've always identified with the song Against the Wind, the namesake of my blog. This song by Bob Seger is, indeed, one of my favorite. As noted in the side bar of this blog, I chose the title Against the Wind to symbolize the struggle I have within myself. That struggle is simply challenging the way I thought a teacher should be. Indeed, "The biggest obstacle to school change is our memories."

I have never posted this beautiful song on my blog. I found this great cover today on youtube of Seger's classic song. Here it is-- Enjoy.

A short conversation with...Yoon Soo Lim @DoremiGirl

2011-02-25T17:34:00.000-08:00

Yoon Soo Lim

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching music for 10 years.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Yes! As a young new teacher, I was very sure about how to teach kids and what kids needed to be “taught”. Since then I’ve been learning to strip away those agendas. I’ve learned to see that my mission is to love the kids who have been entrusted to me and to put their interest and passion at the center. I’m learning that I need to learn as much much more than I require my students everyday.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

I don’t think it was a specific person or an event that changed me, but rather, positive influences of great teachers, their enthusiasm and belief that transforms me. I think I will continue to change as I learn. What I will continue to do is to do my part in reaching the next generation to think and learn with great joy and become stewards of their world.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Since joining Twitter (September, 2009), my view of the world has changed. I have come to know great teachers from all over the world who share their daily learning with me. They share amazing resources, blog their thoughts and engage in conversations with other teachers about learning and teaching. I have collaborated with many teachers, helping to connect our worlds for our students. My network - teachers who have also become my friends - has helped me to find joys in daily learning-sharing (I think I just created a new word). So I pay it forward by learning-sharing with new teachers on Twitter and non-tweeting teachers everywhere else!

Twitter: @DoremiGirl
Blog: http://singimagination.wordpress.com

A Short Conversation with...Eric Sheninger @NMHS_Principal

2011-02-24T16:45:00.000-08:00

Eric Sheninger

How long have you been teaching?

I have been in education for 11 years of which I spent 5 as a teacher of science (Biology, Chemistry, Marine Biology, Ecology) and 6 as an Administrators (Director of Athletics, Vice Principal, Principal).

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

When I began teaching in 2000 I was a firm believer that an effective learning environment emphasized traditional methodologies such as direct instruction, cooperative learning, and sound classroom management techniques. As far as science instruction went I found it paramount that learning activities were hands-on, relevant, and fostered critical thinking skills. Control was a central theme in my classroom as I thought that this was imperative in order to create a learning environment that met the needs of all of my learners.

Anyone that knows me now can attest to the fact that my philosophy has evolved in connection with changes in society, learners, and best practices. As a principal who focuses on instruction I feel that teachers need to be willing to give up control at times in order to unleash the creative juices of their students. The role of a teacher it that of a facilitator of learning as opposed to just a disseminator of content. Lessons and learning environments should be student-centered, flexible, effectively integrate technology, contain an authentic context, address multiple learning styles, and assess students in a variety of ways. Early on in my career I felt that failure was not an option and that by doing so I was letting my students down. This translated in a lack of risk taking on my behalf to pursue innovative ideas. I now feel that taking risks to improve student achievement and spur innovation are essential if we are to change educational systems for the better. Failing is inherit in this process, but it is ok if we learn from it.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

I would say that this change has been a gradual process as I have grown as an educator. If I could pinpoint a specific turning point it would have to be March of 2009. It was at this time that I decided to give Twitter a try as a way to communicate with stakeholders in my District. After lurking and learning for a while I discovered this vibrant community of passionate educators committed to a student-first philosophy. I think the rest is history.

Eric's Blog

How Twitter changed everything for me.

2011-02-23T19:38:00.000-08:00

Pre-twitter: I felt isolated because at times no peer could relate to specific teaching issues.
With Twitter I find people with similar teaching issues. I feel isolated no more.

Pre-Twitter: I might be the only one with a specific mind-set on an issue.
With Twitter I seek out those with a similar mind-set.

Pre-Twitter: My educational relationships were built within the building I worked.
With Twitter I build relationships not only within my building but with educators worldwide.

Pre-Twitter: At times I found it difficult to find answers to specific questions.
With Twitter I can ask and have several answers almost immediately.

Pre-Twitter: My PD was done on specific days of the year.
With Twitter PD happens daily.

Pre-Twitter: My education mind-set was slow to change.
With Twitter my thinking is challenged and pushed constantly. (Thanks to Jabiz Raisdana @intrepidteacher and Justin Stortz@newfirewithin for pointing this out.)

A Short Conversation with...Jerrid Kruse @jerridkruse

2011-02-23T17:23:00.000-08:00

Jerrid Kruse

How long have you been teaching?

The answer depends on what you consider “teaching”. I first started working as a laboratory assistant in 2000 at my undergraduate institution. I also did some tutoring of high school students in chemistry during this time. When I graduated from undergrad in 2002, I started in a PhD program in Chemistry. During the 2 years I spent in this program I was a laboratory instructor and a recitation (kind of a mini-lecture) instructor. Then I switched to a Master of Teaching (MAT) degree and continued to serve as a lab instructor in the Chemistry Department. This was a great opportunity because I was able to try out all the things I was learning in my methods courses in real time. I didn’t have to wait until student teaching to put the ideas into practice, I usually tried new ideas the next week in lab or recitation. After graduating with my MAT, I became a middle/high school teacher in an affluent, medium sized, midwestern town. In this first position I taught 7th grade general science, 9th grade physical science and 12th grade advanced chemistry. I was then offered to return to graduate school to work on a grant and pursue my PhD in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in science education. I spent a year on campus taking class and collecting data for my dissertation. Importantly, I also was teaching and assisting classes for preservice teachers. After this year, I found a teaching position at a school that was very different on paper from my first school. This second school’s students were culturally and economically diverse. My two years at this second k-12 position allowed me to really grow as an educator. Now I am in my first year as a university professor teaching preservice teachers in the school of education and even one laboratory section in the Chemistry Department. So, if you add it all up, I have been teaching others for almost 11 years.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Absolutely! People always told me I should be a teacher because I was good at explaining things to others. My first teaching (before my MAT) was mostly my attempt to come up with better and better explanations for things. During my MAT, I came to understand that really good teaching is about helping others explain things. Good teachers don’t give great explanations, they help others construct the explanations. This notion hasn’t changed much, but continues to be refined. I constantly ask myself how I might better help my students think more deeply.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

I somewhat alluded to this in my last response. Yet, my preservice program was excellent. Good teaching was consistently modeled in this program. Had I not witnessed this good teaching, I am unsure I would have become the teacher I am today. For this reason, I work to consistently model good teaching in my own methods courses.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Yes and no. Twitter has not affected my philosophy of education much, but I don’t want to dismiss the power of my twitter interactions. I think where twitter has helped me is when I want to do X, I can ask people how to do X and I get some really good ideas and resources.

Jerrid's Blog

A Short Conversation with...Shannon Smith @shannoninottawa

2011-02-22T17:38:00.000-08:00

Shannon Smith

How long have you been teaching?

I began teaching in 1998. I taught high school English and Special Education in Ottawa and Toronto and then took an extended leave to be home with my two children until they entered Kindergarten. I have been back in school for 4 years -- 1 1/2 of which were as a special education teacher and 2 1/2 as a vice principal in the elementary panel.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Yes. My educational philosophy has evolved over the years as I have been exposed to diverse experiences. While a deep commitment to students remains the foundation in which my educational philosophy is grounded, it is constantly being refined as I reflect on experiences, asking myself, “What did I learn today?”

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

There are many specific events and people who who have had a tremendous impact on my philosophy. Any struggle provides plentiful learning opportunities, so it would be accurate to say that students, staff and parents who challenged me the most, helped me grow and refine my philosophy. I approach situations from an appreciative inquiry perspective, always looking for the best of situations and people. I have the following quote from Michelangelo hanging above the door of my office, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free”. Each time I leave my office, I am reminded that it is my work to create a school climate where everyone can be at their best.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

The tool through which I reflect and refine my philosophy is my blog, shannoninottawa.com. Through Twitter, I have connected to educators across the globe. My PLN includes a variety of stakeholders in education - teachers, parents, trustees, superintendents, principals, instructional coaches and others - who share my passion for learning, but whose experiences and philosophies are diverse. As well as engaging in conversations via twitter, members of my PLN drop by my blog to leave comments, many of which push my thinking on issues and ask me to continue growing and learning.

As well, I make time to visit the blogs where members of my PLN share their thoughts on a wide cross-section of issues around education. Reading what others have to say and joining in the conversations via the comments provides yet another opportunity for me to engage in learning on an ongoing basis.

Finally, the intermediate level students at my school publish their writing to our blog - thewritingisonthewall.edublogs.org. When my students post to the blog, I often send out a tweet using the hashtag #comments4kids to ask members of my PLN to visit the blog and encourage these young writers by leaving a comment. I believe that connecting my students to a global community of knowledge and experiences is one of my main responsibilities as a lead learner in my school community.

Shannon's Blog

10 Things I Wish I had Never Learned about Teaching

2011-02-21T19:24:00.000-08:00

Inspired by 10 Things You Wish You Had Never Learned, I decided to make a similar list for teaching. A little change of the title and a new list and here you go:

10 Things I Wish I Never Learned about teaching:

1. I wish I had never learned that the class must always be quiet.

2. I wish I had never learned that a student’s learning and understanding was based on his/her test scores.

3. I wish I had never learned that rewards and punishments have to be used in class to control students.

4. I wish I had never learned that a “good” teacher controls his/her students.

5. I wish I had never learned that the teacher never admits when he/she is wrong.

6. I wish I had never learned that a teacher never smiles before Christmas.

7. I wish I had never learned that a teacher lectures at the front of the class.

8. I wish I had never learned that a student should always stay in his/her seat.

9. I wish I had never learned that school was not a place for fun.

10. I wish I had never learned that, “this class is not a democracy; It is a dictatorship.”

A Short Conversation with...Richard Byrne @rmbyrne

2011-02-21T16:20:00.000-08:00

Richard Byrne

How long have you been teaching?

I got my first full-time teaching position in January 2004 teaching a ninth grade language arts class (a job I felt under qualified to do, but I was willing to try). In January 2005 I took a semester position as a computer lab/ writing lab instructor. In August 2005 I started the social studies teaching position I have now. Prior to working in public schools I worked for FedEx for seven years in various management roles including training coordinator.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Yes.

When I started teaching I had a very teacher-centric mindset. I was convinced that if I made what I thought were good lesson plans, the students would learn what I was trying to teach them. There was a lot of “sage on the stage” lesson plans when I started. The classroom was very quiet.

Now there are very few times when my lesson plan calls for a “sage on stage.” I now layout for students the essential questions as dictated by district administration and work with students to acquire knowledge they can use to address those questions. In some cases my “lesson plan” for the day might be as simple as discussing with students their research findings or working with them to develop mind maps or webs. If you walk by my classroom today, it’s often full of chatter from student groups working together.

The other thing I’ve learned and that no one told me when I was taking my certification courses is that some of my students come to class hungry, tired, feeling neglected (even if they don’t articulate it that way) or unsure of where they will be sleeping that night. In those cases, if I don’t help them deal with those issues first, I will have a really hard time addressing the curriculum standards with them. In other words, I’ve learned that I teach students first, not social studies first.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

The changes outlined above occurred gradually. I didn’t even realize it was happening until I was asked to reflect upon it in the fall of 2007.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Yes, Twitter has played a role in my evolution as a teacher. How much? That changes based on how much I’ve been on Twitter at the time I’m asked. Most of the people (for a while I auto-followed everyone that followed me) I follow on Twitter provide me with food for thought. I have some lists of people who are always politely pushing new conversations forward. If you check my Twitter lists you can find the people I interact with the most.

Richard's Blog

A Short Conversation with...Debbie Birchett @debbie_birchett

2011-02-20T17:17:00.000-08:00

Debbie Birchett

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for 13yrs. I received my Bachelors in Special Education in 1997. My first placement was outside of Washington, DC and this placement has impacted my life as a teacher tremendously. I had the greatest mentor and the strongest administration any new teacher could have asked for; my students were diverse, had a variety of disabilities and their needs helped me to build my skill set.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Absolutely! I believe that if you have been teaching for a number of years and your philosophy hasn’t changed, you are not truly open to being a learner as a teacher. My philosophy was a bit vague; it was based on my innocence and fresh ideas. I believe I’m more realistic now and use my experiences to evolve my philosophy. My fresh ideas will never go away though!

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

I’d like to say that it has been ever growing and adapting to what I have learned as a teacher and a student. I have had the opportunity to spend my years teaching in three different districts. These experiences have all been very different and each one has modified, not only my ideas, but my teaching style as well. I think the event that had the greatest impact was moving from the Washington, DC area to North Carolina. Not only the cultural differences, but I have had the opportunity to teach in a one-to-one learning environment. Teaching in a 21st century learning environment has greatly impacted my educational philosophy. The district has been adamant that every child has the ability to access a 21st century education; from laptop insurance scholarships to having loaners for students who have damaged equipment. This regard to equity among all students has had a tremendous impact.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Twitter has played a tremendous role in my evolution as a teacher. It has allowed me to share with educators I would not have even had the opportunity to share information and strategies with otherwise. Networking with teachers globally allows me to “practice what I teach” with my students in regards to accessing information and sharing the learning that occurs around the world. Twitter allows educators to be 21st century learners and teachers!

Adding tabs and pages to Blogger

2011-02-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

Recently it became necessary to add other pages to my blog in order organize similar themed posts. I came across this article by Quick Online Tips and decided to share it in a post. I have made a few changes to the original because their suggestions had a few kinks for me. Enjoy.

How to Create Pages and Tabs in Blogger

How can you create pages in Google Blogger blogging platform? Well Blogger introduced the ability to create pages in Blogger recently and now all bloggers can easily create pages.

Pages are a key way to highlight important information pages on your blog and are not published in the blog timeline. WordPress has long had pages and Blogger was lacking in this essential feature for a long time.

On your Blogger dashboard, go to Posting > Edit Pages > New Page

Note: Once you add a page don't forget to press Publish Post.

Create Blogger Pages

Unlike unlimited pages that you can create in WordPress, Blogger still lets you create only 10 pages, so you need to chose clearly which pages you want. Then if you need to insert pages in the layout, they have created a new gadget which you can use.

Go to Design > Add a Gadget under Navbar> Search for Pages Gadget

Add the gadget to the top of your page. You can change the order of links too. Note: If there is no Add a Gadget under the navbar available, try adding the Gadget to the sidebar instead.

A Short Conversation with...Jana Scott Lindsay @Mollybmom

2011-02-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

Jana Scott Lindsay

How long have you been teaching?

This spring marks 18 years in the profession. In many ways, it feels like only yesterday that I convocated and began my journey as an educator.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

Absolutely! I think the entire philosophy almost hinges on a constant evolution of learning and best practice. Each new year brings with it an new sets of challenges, opportunities, and obstacles to learn and grow from as an educator.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

I feel fortunate that I have had so many varied teaching experiences and opportunities to learn from mentors, colleagues,and most importantly, my students over the years. Being a life long learner is a necessity when it comes to modelling a love of learning in the classroom. In a more current blog post I mentioned that “ some of the best learning I have ever been a part of has been when I have had the good sense to give up the driver's seat,” and that holds true for me even to today.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Collaborating globally with my professional learning community has had a dynamic and inspirational impact on myself as an teacher, not to mention as an individual Connecting with like minded educators everyday has given me permission to spread my wings. I am supported, challenged, and encouraged to be a risk-taker, a facilitator of authentic learning, a collaborator, a co-inquirer, and a questioner.

In taking time to ponder this last year in my life I feel empowered. For me it is about connectedness and knowing that I am a part of a community that will support me when the chips are down, and will celebrate wholeheartedly in my success. Amazing experiences have shaped my learning... amazing individuals, amazing endeavours.

Jana's Blog

Is what you are doing getting you what you want? 11 Questions (Far Side Comic Included)

2011-02-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

1.Do you listen to your students?

2.Do you let them question decisions that you made without getting angry?

3.Were those decisions made without their input?

4.Were they made with student input?

5.Do you allow student input?

6.Do they follow you blindly without questioning?

7.Do you use coercion (threats or rewards)to get students to do what you want them to do?

8.Do you want your students to be like sheep?

9.Do you want them to stand up and think for themselves and become responsible learners?

10.Which sheep do you want them to become in the Far Side comic.

11.Is it really necessary to ask question 10?

A Short Conversation with...Jesse McLean @jmclean77

2011-02-18T18:04:00.000-08:00

Jesse McLean

How long have you been teaching?

8 years (9 if you count my practicum, which was a full year practicum)

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

In reviewing my educational philosophy as written on my resume, the first ⅔ of it has not changed... at all. I was surprised to see that it hadn’t, but I have always felt a strong commitment to honesty in my teaching. What I think is funny is that when I wrote my educational philosophy coming out of University I wrote about a need for commitment to the utilization of technology, I wrote about a need for differentiated instruction, I wrote about varied assessment, and I wrote about education occurring anywhere and any time. What I visualized then and what I see now when it comes to these areas are of course very different.

In the last ⅓ of my philosophy I wrote an additional statement that I introduce with,

“In addition, from my four years in alternate education...”

This ⅓ of my philosophy represents a huge change in my teaching that has had a lasting effect on me.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

The change that came from teaching in an alternate environment wasn’t immediate due to a specific event, but it wasn’t all that gradual either. It happened over the course of my first year in alternate education and I would say was cemented by January or February that school year. Here is the statement from my resume:

Every student deserves the right to be treated with respect and given the chance to succeed. Too often students are labeled and discarded without us asking ourselves
“What is holding this student back? Why is this student acting out? Has anyone taken
the time to talk to this student and answer these questions?” Every effort should be
made to provide those challenged students with the support and modeling they require
to regain their direction. We can do this by taking the time to treat them with respect and provide them with stability and mentoring every school day.

Teaching in that setting with those students definitely changed more than my educational philosophy, it changed me as a person. I am a better communicator, a more compassionate educator, more resilient, more understanding and definitely more appreciative of all the wonderful people in my life.

Teaching in that situation and seeing what a student with very few positive interactions in their life is capable of when given a chance reminds me that our job as educators is an important one and we are blessed to have the opportunity. Now as an educator I know my job is to support our teachers and “clear the path” so that they are able to do the amazing work they do.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Well, as an administrator and teacher, yes. I only started using twitter in August and had just started my first year as an assistant principal. Twitter for me has opened my eyes to

a) 24 hour a day Professional development opportunities.

b) a community of educators to connect and share with.

c) a place for immediate support or answers to a question or for a resource when I need it.

In the honor of shameless self promotion I wrote about how twitter helps us continually learn and share the way we did in university in my blog post “That University Feeling”

http://jmclean77.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/that-university-feeling/

Here is the quote that applies to this question

“Well it was late this last August that George Couros, a man many of you know of quite well now because of things like blogs and Twitter, introduced ME to blogs and Twitter. It was that conversation and the subsequent 2 months of experiment, connection and collaboration that has once again brought me back to that “University Feeling”. I connect with so many passionate educators on a daily basis, discussing issues, sharing resources and stories, all because of this new-found connection to Social Media. I may not share a cup of coffee or University class with these people, but I do have the opportunity to hear their stories and ideas, to offer them mine, and together we share, we learn and we grow. I feel alive again, I feel I am once again learning and growing, and it energizes me as I go each day and ask the same from my students.”

I think that sums it up fairly well, any other questions just let me know.

Jesse's Blog

A Short Conversation with...George Couros @gcouros

2011-02-17T18:09:00.000-08:00

George Couros

How long have you been teaching?

I have been in education for 12 years. This is my fourth year as a school administrator and second as a principal.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

I have always been focused on relationships since I began teaching. I knew they were important but it was not until the last few years that I realized why they are important. The environment that you create in the classroom with your students is essential to them developing as learners. I really believe that when we start out as teachers we need to focus on these relationships as we gain experience.

The teachers that gain and learn from their experience while they still focus on relationships as the focal point are the ones that have the opportunity to become master teachers.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

I actually had lost my passion for teaching about five years ago. I decided to try a new school and a change of scenery. I had an administrator that showed she believed in me and it meant everything. That belief led to me believing that I could do great things in school. My goal as an administrator is to continuously do the same thing for my students and staff.

This is not about false optimism, but it is about finding the gifts people bring and helping them share them with the world.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

It has played a huge role. I have been exposed to some of the best ideas in education from all over the world and have had the opportunity to share these ideas with staff or use them myself. Although the ideas are greatly important, it is the connections that I have made with people that have mattered most. Meeting passionate educators from all over the world has inspired me to do better and has helped me to build more of a “tribe”. It is amazing to connect and learn from so many fantastic and passionate educators.

George's Blog

A Short Conversation with...Larry Ferlazzo @larryferlazzo

2011-02-16T18:56:00.000-08:00

Larry Ferlazzo

How long have you been teaching?

This is my seventh year teaching -- all of it at Luther Burbank, Sacramento’s largest inner-city high school. We have about 2,000 students, and the school is divided into seven Small Learning Communities (SLC’s). Three hundred students stay together with the same twenty teachers during their high school career, and each SLC is physically located together. It’s a great place where we emphasize the importance of developing relationships and developing life-long learners.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

I had a twenty-year career as a community organizer prior to becoming a teacher, and I think I’ve become more and more sophisticated in applying what I learned during that period to my work in the classroom. Helping people motivate themselves, being more of an “agitator” (challenging people to act on what they say they want) as opposed to being an “irritator” (challenging people to act on what I say they should want), and being intentional about building relationships are just three “cross-over” strategies that I’ve had to apply somewhat differently.

Also, I think I was a pretty patient person prior to becoming a teacher. But I think I’ve become even more so now. It makes classroom management a lot less stressful.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

Every year I think I’ve become a better teacher through working hard and learning from both my mistakes and successes. In organizing, we have a saying that it’s all about going out and making mistakes, coming back to reflect on them, and then going out and making bigger and more creative mistakes. I’d like to think I’ve had more hits than misses, but that philosophy encapsulates my perspective on life in general.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Twitter has certainly been a useful tool to connect with educators around the world, and I’ve learned, and will continue to learn, from many of them.

Larry's Blog

A Short Conversation with...Jabiz Raisdana -- aka @intrepidteacher

2011-02-15T18:08:00.000-08:00

Jabiz Raisdana

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching since 1999; although I am not so sure you can call the first four years teaching. I was young and sill learning. I started my career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mozambique, Africa. Filled with an unrealistic idealism and passion I had very few skills when it came to helping students learn. After Africa, I was thrown into a high needs school in The Bronx and once again found myself searching for a voice to guide me through. Looking back, however, it was those first four years that really helped me become the teacher I am today. It was a sink or swim situation and I think I swam my way out pretty well.

Since then I have been honing my skills at various international schools worldwide. I have taught in Malaysia, Qatar, and now Indonesia. I have taught English, Social Studies, Geography, History, Humanities, Journalism, Drama, ESL and Global Issues from Kindergarten to twelfth grade. At heart, I would say I am an eight grade English teacher.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

At its core I would say that no, my philosophy has not changed much. I got into teaching because I want to help young people feel comfortable in their skin. I want to empower students and help them find their voice. I want to help create a cadre of young people who are confident, talented and educated who can help build a more sustainable, caring and peaceful world.

I believe in building communities of learners. I believe in free human dialogue and the wanderings of agile minds. I believe in trust and inspiring students and providing them with the academic and social skills that will enable them to fulfill their human potential as responsible global citizens. You can read more of my philosophy here.

Has my philosophy changed since I started. I hope so. It is impossible not to evolve as teachers or as human beings.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

I think experience has helped me grow. I have taught in different environments, subjects and age groups, each with their own successes and challenges. I hope that my philosophy of education will continue to remain malleable and forever influx. I think once you become too comfortable with one way of thinking you either need to be open to a new direction or enhancement, or get out of the game.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Yes of course! Twitter has helped connected me with like-minded educators from around the world. This community has helped me by giving me feedback, pushing back against ideas I may not have thought through or by simply giving me support and validation when I need it. In addition, I am able to connect with their journeys and see what they can teach me. Twitter is the single most important tool I use to connect and learn from educators throughout the world. It has helped me create some of the most important personal and professional relationships in my life.

If you are reading this, come find me- @intrepidteacher or www.jabizraisdana.com and let’s move forward together.

A Short Conversation with Steven W. Anderson-- aka @web20classroom

2011-02-14T18:23:00.000-08:00

Steven W. Anderson

How long have you been teaching?

I have been in education for 9 years. I began as a Middle School Math/Science Teacher. After 5 years I left the classroom and was head of Instructional Technology for a local district. Recently I returned to the district I started my teaching to be a District Instructional Technologist where I take care of our Superintendent, Asst. Superintendent, Senior Leadership and all School-Based Administrators on their technology integration needs.

Has your educational philosophy changed since you began teaching?

I would say it has. I have always believed that if educators are not coming to school each for the purpose of doing everything possible for kids then they are in the wrong business. I have shifted my belief in leadership. At one time I thought that the only ones who could lead in a school were the administration or teachers who had been around for a while. What I have found is that there is leadership potential in everyone (including students). The key is to have those around us who are willing to take risks and put people in leadership positions where they can flourish.

If so, what led to this change? Was it a gradual process or a specific event?

When I started teaching I had no desire to have anything to do with leadership. I wanted to stay in my classroom and teach my kids. I had an administrator that saw things differently and felt that I had the potential to be better than I was. She put me in positions where I had to lead and worked with me over time to develop the leadership skills I was lacking. I credit my current position and success all back to her because without that person in my career to help me along my leadership journey I will still be stuck in my old ways of thinking.

Has Twitter played a role in your evolution as a teacher? If so, how?

Twitter definitely has had an impact on my evolution. When I started, I was looking for a simple way to share resources with my teachers who were spread across a very rural district. From there it grew to where I am today but through this sharing I have meet and worked with from all over the world. Sure, if I had not been exposed to Twitter I could do some of the same things I have done. However, social media has made it easier to connect and work with people. I have also gotten to do lots of traveling and talking to people that might have never been possible had I not used Twitter. But I think the most important thing is that through listening to and following lots of different people and keeping my blog I have been able to refine some of my ideas and work through many of my thoughts about education and teaching that might not have been possible. Twitter is the amazing medium through which I have the chance to meet and work with some of the most amazing minds and educators on the planet.

Steven's Blog