Author: Pernille Schmidt Ripp

Since 2010, I have lived my teaching life outloud, writing, speaking, and sharing the great, the okay, and the sometimes not so great. Starting as a 4th grade teacher in Middleton, Wisconsin, then heading to the middle school for many years, in 2022 I moved back home to Denmark to try teaching primary grades. Because why not? But I also started the Global Read Aloud in 2010, a global literacy project that has connected millions of children across the world. I also write books trying to help others co-create sustainable student-centered learning spaces, and I share my life on Instagram, in both English and Danish.

Interview, new teacher

More Tips for Landing that Teacher Job

June 20, 2012 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

I swear every summer without fail I end up on an interview committee, and this summer proved to be no different. I do it out of pleasure, out of passion, out of wanting to find that perfect person who is going to make our school stronger, make us all better, teach us all something. I do it so that I stay fresh in what my own responses would be, to be part of the process, to see all the amazing candidates out there. And I know it isn’t easy. I know how hard it is to even get on the phone with a principal, let alone make it to the final round. When I interviewed for my job I beat out more than 450 candidates; 450! And that number steadily climbs every year, so with today fresh in my mind, as well as all of the other experiences, here are just a couple of hints to help you land that job.

Be enthusiastic but stay true to your personality. If you are a naturally chipper person, let it shine through. Don’t pretend you are something other than you, believe me, that type of charade gets cumbersome to uphold.
Know your programs and abbreviations and admit when you don’t. You cannot fake your way through a discussion of Everyday Math if you don’t actually know the program, admit it, and then talk about how you are going to learn more about it and ultimately implement it.
Be passionate, but don’t scare me. Sometimes you can want something so bad that your passion just turns into something frightening. Scale back a little, go for the goal, but don’t overwhelm the team. As teachers we wonder how you will be with students when that happens and not in a positive way.
Elaborate just enough. Know when to add details, such as your own personal examples and then say just enough. Since knowing when to speak and when not to is a huge teacher quality and something we correlate to your classroom performance, proving in the interview that you can master it is a huge benefit.
Even if you are brand new believe you have something to add to the team. Discuss how you will overcome your obstacles, how you will be a part of the team and then also what you can add. You must have learned something in your education, life, and student teaching – share it.
Don’t use buzz words if you cannot explain them. This is a common trap I think many of us make; we use lingo without fully understanding what it entails. Just don’t. Know your stuff, do your research, but also know your limitations.
Know how to integrate technology. And this is not because I love my technology, even though I do, but I have sat through too many answers where the “integration” piece is projecting images on a SmartBoard or using netbooks for research. That is not integration, that is merely using the tools given to you. I can guarantee that something like that will pop up in most interview questions, it is a sign of the times after all, so do your research and be inventive. Reach out and see what others do, ask other teachers how they would answer the question.

So there you have it, just a few more tips that will hopefully help others get a step closer to their dream job. Being a teacher is a passion, so be passionate about it, bring your personality, and let t your enthusiasm shine through. Know your materials, do your research, but for goodness sake, don’t scare me.

advice, assumptions, Dream, students

A Child Reveals His Ambition and I Snort

June 18, 2012 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

Basketball (Photo credit: mvongrue)

“…Awe but Mrs. Ripp, I won’t need to know how to do this because I am going to be a famous basketball player…”

I hold back a snort. Really? A famous basketball player? In my head, the statistics of this ever coming true run through at lightning speed, I am about to say something, and then I stop. Who am I to squash a dream, even if in my eyes it is an unrealistic one?

So I take a different approach. “Did you know that even famous basketball players have to go to high school, have to learn, have to go to college?” The boy stares at me. “Did you know that this will directly lead into more math that we are going to do and I have a feeling you are going think it is really fun? Did you know that to be a true role model you shouldn’t just be great at basketball but you should also show the world just how smart you are?” The boy nods, still unsure of what I am saying, but I walk away, dreams still in place, not squashed by this teacher.

As a teacher, I used to be the biggest realist I knew. I was quick to tell students what they could or could not do, the odds of something happening to them. I felt it was part of my job to set them up for “real life” with real expectations and real failure coming their way. Now I know better, there is no sense in destroying dreams, even if we know it may not happen. There is no sense in taking hope away from children. What we can do, though, is to show them everything else that is important; how an education fits into their dreams. How an education may be the ticket to get them where they need to be. Hoa an education is not a waste of their time, so don’t make it a waste of their time. Make it something they want to have, make school a place they want to go to. A lofty goal perhaps, but a necessary one.

being a teacher, blogging, connections, journey, reflecting

Not All Teachers Have to Blog or Even Be On Twitter

June 14, 2012 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

Image representing Twitter as depicted in Crun...

Image via CrunchBase

I see a lot of posts and discussion about how we wish all teachers would get on Twitter or how all teacher should start a blog, and at first, I was a believer. I know how much I have benefitted, in fact, how much my life has changed, because of blogging and Twitter. And yet, now I falter on the belief of blogging and tweeting for all.

Blogging for me opens up a conversation that I don’t have the time for to have face to face some times. It opens up debates, new ideas, and inspiration that I often cannot find in my every day doings. However, it also removes me from seeking out those opportunities to have those same discussions “live.” That doesn’t mean everyone responds that way, but I think many of us do. Blogging is a tool for deep reflection, even though it is a public one, it is a time for me to put myself out there and to sort through what it is I really mean. And that doesn’t work for everyone, and why would it? We all have different comfort levels in how we share ourselves.

So instead of syaing that all teachers should blog we should hope that all teachers reflect. Whether it is through a blog, throguh a conversation, through a journal; the reflection is what matters. The reaching out to others and having those courageous conversations, putting yourself and your ideals out therefor debate, that is what matters. Not whether you blog or not.

The same goes for Twitter. I love Twitter because I can connect with others, easily, on my time. Yet you can connect in other ways. Twitter is not the only way you can learn something and again here I think it is the act of connecting that makes us herald Twitter as the best PD for teachers. It is not Twitter that does the professional development for us; it is the way we use it.

So no, I don’t think all teachers should have a blog. I don’t think all teachers should be on Twitter. But they should all be reflecting and connecting somehow, somewhere, with someone.

being me, inspiration, mistakes

What My Dreams Tell Me Is Not Pretty

June 13, 2012 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

Image from icanread

“Peter, Peter…” I wait until that child, and the whole class, is staring at me…”Get to work!” I am 10 feet from the child and he just shakes his head. I keep on doing what I was doing, satisfied that I have set him back on his path. Except I have done more than that, I have also pointed out to the whole class that Peter (all names changed for obvious reasons) is once again not doing what he is supposed to and now they can follow along in his progress as well. Yikes.

“George, you didn’t blog, what are you going to do about it?” I am once again asking George to stay in for recess, except I am clever, I am not telling him he has to, he has to come to that conclusion himself. I know he doesn’t have the time at home and he doesn’t spend time very effectively in class, so recess it has to be, in fact, I point that out to him when his first answer is hat he will do it when he gets home. Yikes.

“Thomas, sit up and start participating…” Once again I am on the warpath because that child has decided that math is too hard and has therefore put his head down refusing to participate. I’ve seen it before, all they need is a stern talking to and their math confidence will come right back, right? Yikes.

My dreams have been kind enough to point out all of the mistakes I made in the past year. Those missed moments of communication, those missed opportunities for leaving a kid be, giving them some space and then reaching out when they are ready. Now those moments show up at night, except they are exaggerated versions, all to show me just what I did wrong. And I am grateful because although I cringe and get mad at myself, I see where I diverged from my road. Where it went wrong. My patience was stretched more, my mind was always too busy. So as I think of next year I reclaim my focus, my inner peace and remind myself to bring it into school. To slow down and evaluate the situation, not just shoot my mouth. I learn from my mistakes just as I ask my students to do.

being a teacher, control, education reform

Forced Education is Not Cruel and Unusual Punishment

June 12, 2012 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

Image from here

An interesting debate has been sparked in the comments section of my post “Not Grading is Awful” on the Cooperative Catalyst, with some people stating that forced school is inhumane. I have been pondering this for a bit and I must say I disagree; having an educational system that is mandatory is not inhumane, not having one would be. And neither is forcing courses on students, it all comes down how those courses are taught, which incidentally is something we do have a bit of control over.

Now I know that we are tied to standards and district regulations, the politicians are breathing down our neck to raise test scores and there are, indeed, major flaws within our educational system, and yet…There are many things we can change within the public school setting. I did. But back to the original point that forced courses or mandatory education is cruel and unusual punishment and that students should have a free reign instead over what they study and how. I disagree. I think students should be expected to take certain classes simply because education is what rounds us out at human beings. Particularly in the primary grades. I loved climbing trees as a child and could have spent most of my days outside roaming around with my knife, and yes because of school I couldn’t pursue that all day, however, that childhood passion would certainly not have led me down the path of teaching. Instead going through school and having a foundation to do further studies on led me to where I am. Children may have the curiosity to explore, and that should never be stifled, however, we must support that curiosity with basic common knowledge and a well-rounded worldview.

So some may argue that there is no point in knowing historical facts that do not directly relate to whatever we end up pursuing as a career. Some may argue that much of math is arbitrary for most people who simply do not end up using it. Some even say that grammar and how to write an essay is superfluous knowledge that does us no good. I disagree. I think all of these lead us to where we end up. I think knowledge as a whole is needed to be a citizen, to be a knowledgeable member of society, to be respected and accepted. So I may not remember all of the days of grammar drilling, or spelling lines, or even math facts, but I see the result of them; me teaching it to my students but trying to make it more interesting.

I think we sometimes mistake the whole notion of education for all as flawed, where instead we should be focusing in on the parts that are. Drill and kill, sometimes that is a necessary component. Teacher talking, yep that too. However, how we teach becomes just as important as what we teach. And that is something we all have control over in this endless debate of education policy.

Uncategorized

Have Something to Say? Here’s Your Chance

June 11, 2012 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

As many people know we are in the final countdown before the arrival of our twins; Ida and Oskar. These two little miracles should be joining their big sister, Thea, some time in July, which means writing is going to have to take a back seat for a bit. So although I might not be blogging as much as I usually do, I still want the conversation to keep going. I am therefore hoping that others that have something valuable to add to the conversations here want to guest blog.

I am looking for personal stories of the changes you have made in your classroom/educational philosophy, posts on giving student voice and giving them more control, dealing with moving away from homework, grades, punishment etc, or anything that you think will fit this blog. While I wish I could pay you, I can’t, but you can link your own blog to the post and hopefully have an increase in traffic because of it or at the very least a fun experience.

So all I am asking from you is to submit your idea to me via email at psripp at gmail dot com, a couple of sentences will do unless you already have the post written up. Thanks for considering being a voice on this blog.