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.
education reform

Recipe for An Awful School Year

Pernille Schmidt Ripp
To have an awful school year is actually quite easy – you can cement it already within the first week.  After that it is just maintenance, nothing to worry, it should take care of itself.

You want to start with the first meeting, lay down the law, make sure the kids know you are the boss and that they will follow you blindly because you are indeed the teacher and have the degree to prove it.   Make sure they know where their place is in the classroom.  Give them designated areas where they can spread out – their desk will be just fine and then mark off your own territory, labels and masking tape seem to work well.  Tell them that if they run out of school supplies it is their job to get more, you are after all not a store.  When they ask to go to the bathroom tell them no that they will have to wait until your designated bathroom time.  After all, adults have to learn how to hold it.  They may not have water because it tends to interfere with the bathroom time.  Snacks are for recess, you do not need crumbs on your floor.  Books will be selected by you and will only be a reflection of their reading level.  You do not have the time to  discuss interests with 20 some kids, after all, you are busy teaching.

Homework will be handed in before the first bell, no exceptions, and if not handed in, it will  be given a zero when it does.  There are no chances for re-dos.  After all, life doesn’t give you second chances.  Don’t even bother to ask for extra credit, opportunities for that will be decided by the teacher and will usually involve around an errand or task that the teacher needs done.  Parents should only come in when invited, which means the first day of school, conferences and the last day of school.  They really have no place in your room.  Speaking of conferences, this will be your chance to tell the parents about the awfulness of their child so make sure to tell the children that if they don’t behave you will be telling their parents and hoping they get punished.  In fact, punishment and the discussion of all of your rules will take up a good portion of that first day.  After all we have to get our routines down, our limitations set.  So that means no talking in the halls, whispering at lunch, all eyes on the teacher after I shut off the lights.  You may not sharpen your pencil except for when it is on the schedule and there will absolutely never ever be any gum in the room.  Make no mistake, those kids are merely guests passing through.

You will get started that first day with a test, after all, you need to know where these children have deficits.  Then you can place them into your groups that will not change for the year because who has time to reevaluate.  In fact, that first test will be part of their grade so that it reflects their journey.  You have heard it is good to show growth, even if they had no idea there would be a test.  Surprise!  You like surprises so those pop quizzes you pull out is sure to keep them on their toes.  They have to be alert when they never know what is going to happen and creates an aura around you of mystery.  In fact, the less they know about you, the better.  We are not there to build relationships, we are there to teach, to get them ready for the test.  Think of stories and how longwinded students can be, why would you want to spend time on that?  The children will address you properly, they should not even know your first name if you do it right or any other identifying information; after all, you don’t want them to be able to find you outside of school.

So there you go, the recipe for an awful school year.  I promise you if you do all or most of these things you will see immediate results.  The kids will fear you, hate your classroom and be terrified of school in general – mission accomplished.

education reform, testing

Creating the Anxious Child

Pernille Schmidt Ripp
I never saw a multiple choice test until I decided to become a teacher in America.  Having gone through the Danish school system, of course, there were tests but they happened at the end of the year and were written and oral exams, not just fill in the bubble and the machine will take care of the rest.  The first time I took a multiple choice test was for placement exams for my education degree, at first I thought it was fun, after all, all you had to do was fill in a bubble?  I didn’t have to explain or even comprehend, I could just guess?  Breeze through and forget about it all afterwards.  Throughout college I studied, after all, I am an overachiever and yet whenever I came across the multiple choice test my spirit instantly died.  I was glad that it didn’t affect my  teacher, only myself and my grade, because I would doubt myself so much on some of the answers, meant to be tricky, that often I wouldn’t even know what to put down even though I knew the material.

We forget to think about how it must feel for kids to be solely responsible for teacher’s pay and jobs.  How must it feel for students that if they do poorly on a test it will directly affect the teacher that they love?  Kids are not stupid, they are aware of what is happening around us, how politicians and “reformers” are asking their test scores be part of something bigger.  For this text-anxious child that knowledge would have been the nail in the coffin.  People say that with this knowledge students will do even better because they will want to protect their teacher, to show off what they know.  No child goes into a test trying to deliberately fail, at least not most, and yet placing that pressure of someone else’s livelihood and dream is just too much for children to bear.

What are we doing to the children of America?  What pressure are we placing them under?  How can we force them through more rigorous assessment to get them ready for the future when that could mean that their teachers no longer get to teach.  We worry that America is too anxious, too many kids are being diagnosed with anxiety and panic attacks, depression, and other pill-needing maladies.  And then we wonder what happened?  Why are all these children feeling so pressured?  Why can they not cope with “kid stuff” – well look at our schools and what we do to them.   Education is no longer for the kids, it is for the politicians.  

education reform, voice

We are Part of Something Bigger

Pernille Schmidt Ripp
We are part of something bigger.  Those of us who choose to ask the hard questions, those of us who dare to raise our voice in the face of testing, rewards, and sanctions.

We are part of something larger than us, something that is taking root in America, in the world, and educators are standing up and saying “No more.”  Our children are the ones who suffer under politicians latest ideas.  Our children are the ones we experiment with, hoping that someday we will get it right.  Our children deserve something better than having school done to them.

It is time to listen to the passionate teachers that actually have ideas for change.  It is time for us to raise up and join together, reclaim what is ours, education,  and let our voices be heard.  It is time.

So join the discussion, write your editor, blog, speak up, discuss with anyone you can.  We are not failing as educators, changes need to be made but they need to come from us, not from the politicians.

blogging, reform symposium, Student-centered, voice

Meaningful Student Blogging – My RSCON Presentation

Pernille Schmidt Ripp

Last night, I had the privilege of presenting at the Reform Symposium on something I am very passionate about – giving students a voice through blogging.  In fact, I find whenever you can give students a voice in your classroom leads to a much more engaged learning environment.  While the archives will not be up for another week or so I did want to share the slides I used for my message.

goodbye

Saying Goodbye

Pernille Schmidt Ripp
How do you say goodbye to someone that has been there for you for 13 years?  How do you let them go, peacefully, and still let them know that you are there no matter what?  That you will never forget all of those years, all of those times spent together.  About an hour ago in the middle of an #RSCON3 presentation, my cat Bailey fell over and started crying.  She has been sick her whole life, I picked the runt of the litter, the one that farted and sneezed when I picked her up.  And yet, I knew that this time it was more than.  This time something was seriously wrong.  And the vet agreed, there was no coming back from this one and so the decision was made and she drifted off peacefully, more at peace than I have seen her in months, off to a better place.

And so I sit here in an empty house picking up the pieces.  Picking up our memories and remembering them for what they were; unforgettable and ours.  Bailey picked me as much as I picked her and she loved life.  She would purr and wiggle in urging you to pet her, give her attention, until her belly was raw from all of the stroking.  If you tried to sleep on the couch you knew she would be right there, cuddled up by your ear, not willing to move even when you had to get up.  Naps simply were another excuse for her to be close to us because that is where she felt she belonged.  And I agreed.   For many years she would sleep right on my head and all night I would battle with her over the pillow.  I would listen to her snore and wheeze due to the chronic respiratory infection she had gotten from her mother.  And yet having her right there, sometimes right on my head, meant a certain comfort, of being home and being with someone, even if Brandon was out of town and the house was too quiet.

I found Bailey 6 months into me moving from Denmark to America.   Practically alone, unless you count the one boyfriend I had, until I found her.  She was 9 months old when I stumbled upon her, already having been rejected by one family as being too mean and too sick.  For me it just felt right.  Her and I could do anything together.  Through breaks ups, lonely night and finally finding my soulmate she was there, always ready to cuddle, always ready to be together, running to the door whenever I came home.   When I moved she came with me every time, always finding peace as long as I was there.  Her illness would go through cycles and we thought we would lose her more than once.  But she always pulled through.  The joke in my family was that she would outlive us all.  When she was 7 she was viciously attacked by a stray dog and we thought at first that this was it.  She proved us all wrong.  And when the doctor said that her back leg would have to get amputated, she proved us wrong again, regaining the use of it within a couple of months.  Through all the years of trying to have a child, she was there when I needed her.  With every failed atte,pt and all of those tears, she sat patently on my lap reminding me that she was there and she understood that it was sad but that life would move on as it always did.  When we found out Thea was coming and my belly grew, Bailey would climb on top of it, having found a new place to snuggle up to – even if it kicked her at times.  She just knew when I needed her to just curl and be.

So I write this post as a tribute.  Some may think I am a crazy cat lady and that is alright.  For this crazy cat, I am.  In an hour I present at the Reform Symposium, and Matt, my co-presenter, always the gentleman, graciously told me that he could handle it all.  I declined, I will be there because that is what we do as teachers.  We pull through and we get the job done.  No matter what is happening in our personal life our jobs move us on and the demands continue.  We know that what we are committed to is important and we don’t back away from that commitment.

I am not sure why I write this post but I had to.  I had to say thank you to the tiniest little cat who always just was.  We found each other when we both wanted so desperately to be loved.  Thank you for loving me so unconditionally and teaching me that quiet time can be the best time of the day.  Thank you for just being there.  For putting your faith in us to treat you right, for naps, and car rides, and all those moments where you jumped up on my lap reminding me that life is about love and showing those that love you that they mean the world to you.  The house is too quiet without you.

reform symposium

How Does One Pick – Some Must See’s at #RSCON3

Pernille Schmidt Ripp
I swear my life this weekend will be difficult for my family.  I may be absent most of the weekend, definitely distracted but very engaged.  (Just not with those in my house).  Reform Symposium 3 is here and I am thrilled to not just be presenting twice but also to be learning alongside with educators from all around the world.  So as I sift through the schedule I decided to pick a couple of don’t misses for me that fit my learning journey.  This was very hard as there are many presentations happening simultaneously so thank goodness for the archives.

Here in time order are the presentations I am hoping to catch:

And this is only Friday and Saturday.  I do not think I will be able to catch many presentations on Sunday due to family time but I will also be trying to grab some keynotes as well as panel discussions.  As you can see, there is so much to choose from!  So whether you go to one presentation or go to many, I know the learning will be deep and you are guaranteed to be inspired.  Don’t miss out on this amazing FREE professional development opportunity.
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