I was going to write about all of the things we have been doing to try to break down the barriers to poetry in class. All of the eye rolls I have been seeing, the grunts and groans. The many “Roses are red…” poems I have sen in the last few days as I ask them to write me a poem, any poem, just write something. I was going to write about how many of my students hate poetry because of all of the rules we have forced upon them in our pursuit of helpfulness and understanding. I was going to write about how my students are slowly inching further away from a disinterest or total hate to a small interest or even like when it comes to listening to poetry. Writing it is an entirely different battle.
But I decided that this was bigger than that. This moment, in our classrooms, is bigger than that.
It is not that my students are the only ones that hate poetry. In fact, some of them do, some of them don’t.
It is not that my students are the only ones who hate writing. Hate reading. Hate book clubs. Hate English. Some of them do, some of them don’t.
It is not that my students are finally expressing their hatred not to be mean or out of spite, but so we can do something about it.
It is not that my students are different from most students.
It is more that I have had the same conversations every year.
It is more that every kid has something they hate about school because of choices I have made, choices we have made, when we decided to teach a certain way.
It is more that student curiosity seems to have been drowned out by our carefully planned lessons.
That inquiry and critical thinking have been buried by the pursuit of the one right answer.
That we have taught students that school is black and white while life is multicolored.
That we tell them to sit still so much that they forget their own voice.
That we make all of the choices for them and then get frustrated when they cannot create on their own.
That is what I need to write about because that is what I have discussed with my students. That is what teaching poetry has revealed so far. That is what I need to change.
Who knew poetry would be the place my students found their voice.
I am a passionate teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin, USA but originally from Denmark, who has taught 4th, 5th, and 7th grade. Proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day. The second edition of my first book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classrooms Back to Our Students” will be published by Routledge in the fall. Second book“Empowered Schools, Empowered Students – Creating Connected and Invested Learners” is out now from Corwin Press. Join our Passionate Learners community on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.
I didn’t know I was doing personalized learning when I first changed the way I taught. It wasn’t until I wrote about it in a blog post and someone gave me the name and description that it clicked. It made sense really; I wanted students to have a voice, have choice, and to be re-ignited passionate learners within my classroom, all tenets of the personalized learning philosophy. For me it was a no brainer; why not teach in a such a way that students would want to be part of the learning? Why not teach in such a way that students became experts and have a place alongside the teacher? Yet, wherever I go resistance remains for personalized learning. In fact, some educators or districts are quite against it, but for many different reasons. I cannot be alone in seeing this resistance, so I thought a discussion of what those barriers may be and how you can approach a discussion to work around them would be in order.
Barrier: It’s one more thing to do. We are faced with seemingly more tasks every single year as teachers, from major ones forced upon us to the little ones we cannot wait to do because we were inspired. When will we ever find the time to do personalized learning as well?
Discussion Point: Personalized Learning should not be an add-on but a replacement. So if you are already doing something, change it with a lens of personalized learning. Can you add choice into a pre-existing project? Can students show mastery in a multitude of ways? Embrace personalized learning as a way to become a better educator by sharing more control with the students, keep it manageable for you and integrate in a natural way to alleviate the feeling of one more thing being added to the to-do list.
Barrier: It is overwhelming. It is easy to see why personalized learning can be viewed as overwhelming. Often those who discuss its merits have been doing it for years and has framed their whole classroom around it. Their personalized learning initiatives is a long list of to-done’s.
Discussion Point: One small step at a time. When discussing personalized learning focus on how to start, what to do in the beginning, and the small changes that can make a big difference. Certainly keep the end-point in mind, but don’t worry about it yet. Worry about where you are right now and how you will start your journey, not when you are going to get to the end.
Barrier: It will be chaotic. We often envision chaos when we stop doing a one path to the learning format for students and that when students are given choice they will not know what to do.
Discussion Point: Personalized learning does not mean giving up control, but rather that control is shared with the students. It also means multiple paths to mastery, but these are planned out either by yourself or in conjunction with your students. Yet, you know yourself best; what can you give up control of and what can you not. You are also a member of this learning community so if there are certain things that need to stay in order, such as an assignment being done a certain way, or students sitting in a particular way, it is okay to hold onto that. Find the things that you can let go of, invite student input into the process, and grow together.
Barrier: My subject matter won’t work. Personalized learning means hands-on and project based; how do you do that in English, Spanish or any other class?
Discussion Point: Personalized learning can be implemented into any classroom, the lens just has to switch. I had a lot easier time giving choice in social studies and science because a lot of our learning was hands-on, project based. So when I switched to just teaching English, I had to change my way of thinking. Personalized Learning in my English class means students have choice in how they show mastery (different project choices), when they show mastery (timeline), and often how they work within the classroom (classroom setup/management).
Barrier: It will be replaced with another idea soon. Education is a long list of new ideas and change is the one constant we have.
Discussion Point:Personalized Learning really just means great teaching and great teaching will not be replaced with a new idea. So while new initiatives are bound to come, the ideas of personalized learning helping you be a better teacher remain because it speaks to student autonomy and re-igniting a passion for learning.
Barrier: I don’t want to integrate more technology or don’t have access. Technology inequity is a real problem. So is technology fear. Some teachers want to feel comfortable with the technology they bring in before students use it, and others will never be able to get the things they wish they could.
Discussion Point: Personalized learning is not about the technology. Personalized learning is about creating an education process that takes into account the needs and desires of each child, while still working through the set curriculum. Technology is a tool that can be used in this process but not a central tenet. I started out with 4 computers in my room for 26 students. We naturally did not incorporate a lot of technology and we didn’t need to. Choices involved the things we did have and students bringing in things from home if they wanted to. We made it work with what we had.
Barrier: I won’t be a good teacher. It is hard to change the way we teach because we may already be teaching really well.
Discussion Point: Change is hard for all of us, but modeling risks for students is instrumental in their learning journey. I am uncomfortable every time I make a big decision about the way I teach or something we will do, but I think the discomfort makes me a more thoughtful practitioner. By sharing and modeling this for students, I am showing them that I take risks and that sometimes those risks pay off and other times they don’t. We have to grow to evolve and sometimes that means even leaving behind things that were just fine. Besides, our students change every year, so should we.
Barrier: I have to do the same as all the other teachers in my subject or grade level. We don’t want students to be a part of an educational lottery where the quality of their education hinges on which teacher they get, so sometimes uniformity and in turn, conformity, is preached above all else.
Discussion Point: Have what other teachers do as one of the choices for students. This brilliant idea was shared at the task force meeting I was a part of in my district. Instead of dismissing what other teachers are doing, simply make it on e of the paths that students can take. That way you are also catering to the myriad of ways that students learn. You may learn best in a hands-on project based environment, whereas others may learn best with a read/reflect/discuss with a test at the end pathway. make room for all of your learners and include the ways of other teachers in your room.
Barrier: Parents/administrators/community will be upset. When we are faced with unknowns our first instinct may be to revolt.
Discussion Point: School should look different than when we were students. Yet communication, understanding and examples are vital when integrating more personalized learning into your classroom our school. Any change is hard for parents who want to try to help their children, so make sure you are communicating the why and the how behind your changes whatever they may be. If administration is wary bring them in to see the change, show them other classrooms, and explain your motivation. Tell them you will do a trial period and you can discuss and evaluate. Just like you are asking others to be open to change, be open to frank discussion yourself.
Moving toward personalized learning has been one of the most significant changes I ever did in my educational journey, but it wasn’t always smooth. I have faced many of these barrier myself but now love being in a district that has it as part of its vision. Wherever you are in your journey, or even if you haven’t started, don’t be discouraged by the barriers that may face you. Reach out, connect with others who are on the same journey, and find the support you need to be successful. I am here to help if you need it.
If you want to see 6 things you can change to start your personalized learning journey, read this.
Yesterday, in a quiet moment of inspiration, as my students were presenting their super hero projects and getting a little droopy eyed, I stopped them and asked for feedback. And not just great postive statements, but things I should change, things I should keep, things thats hould be removed altogether. We started with the positives; they loved how I didn’t make them write a comic book but rather focused it on character and setting. They loved the creative aspect, the shared writing, and all of the exmples. And then I asked what they would change. After one brave student raised their hand and gave me a suggestion of more partner share, then many joined in and added their suggestions. These suggestions were better than my original ideas! I sat there 10 minutes of listening and writing, dumbfounded that I hadn’t done this for every single project.
When we decide to ask students how they really feel we run the risk of being told that we suck, to use a favorite 5th grade word. We run the risk of being told we are boring, that the project was uninspired, and that they would never do it to another student. (You know a project is bad when it is “done” to you). But we also run the risk of getting better ideas, constructive criticism, and valid points that propel our projects further into student-directed learning, further into deeper knowledge acquisition. My students took ownership of the project as well as their criticism. They didn’t feel the need to apologize for what they were about to say but phrased it specifically and unemotionally. They knew that I knew it wasn’t an attack on me.
So do we dare to ask the students for feedback on all their learning? Do we dare take 10 minutes of our day to ask for suggestions, even if just one in a while? Do we dare to actually do something with those suggestions because any fool can listen but it takes courage and dedication to do. My students showed me yesterday that they trust me enough to share their opinions, they know I will take their words to heart and I will actually change what I did. They know this because I have proved to them what my intentions are. What a huge success in a 5th grade classroom. So ask yourself; have I involved my students? Have I asked for their feedback and opinion? Those that the learning affect the most? Or am I too scared to do it?
Why do we even call it professional development? Being in education is so much more than just being a professional and development happens continually around us. Perhaps we should call it something different like expanding as an educator or how about just growth? Either professional development smacks of something that can only happent at a set time and is just not true, which leads me to my next point.
Why the limitations on what counts as pd? I often learn more spending an hour with my reader or even engaging in a twitter chat. Depending on who you immerse yourself with provocating thoughts abound, as does reflection. Go into a teacher’s lounge and engage in a conversation, I think they have gotten a bad rep unnecessarily.
Who says you have to be an expert to conduct pd? I think there are many people in educations that are experts at something, oftentimes, they just do not know it because nobody gave them the title. Go to an edcamp and see how many experts are there, heck, go to a school and be amazed at all the knowledge. We don’t need a fancy title to have something valuable to share.
Get rid of the limiting agendas. There seems to be a perpetual fear that if administration or whomever is putting on this pd doesn’t set an hour-by-hour or question-by-question agenda that all of the time will be worthless. That the conversation happening will only be moaning and procrastination. Maybe sometimes but not all the time, let those involved set the agenda and then trust them; there is far too little trust in education overall.
Enough with the crazy buzzwords! I don’t feel like listening to someone discuss what a 21st century learner looks like…hmm 5 foot 2, brown hair with a smile? Or even how the flipped classroom is going to save education. Common core standards, differentiation, value-added learning, PBIS and any of the other billions of acronyms hunting us all. Just give me titles I can understand and a discussion worth participating in.
Give me a chance to participate. Much like our students crave the recognition that their voices matter, so do PD participants. How else explain the back channels happening at even the tiniest of conferences? I have been tempted to pass notes even, anything really, to ask my questions, get some feedback and get the discussion started.
Enough with the stories. Educators love great stories and we all have them. Our aha moments, that kid that we stayed teaching for, those parents that challenged out assumptions, yep we all have them so let’s acknowledge that and move on. I love a great story over dinner but not the ones without a point and sometimes at PD sessions they just drain time.
Fair enough if you have something to sell but perhaps keep it to the end. I had the chance to sit through an inspirational speech where the much paid presenter kept starting stories only to never finish them because we could read how it turned out in his book. Seriously. If you are sharing a story make it relevant and tell the whole thing.
Do you really need a Powerpoint? I know it is so cool to bash Powerpoints but I think there is a huge reason for that. If your message is short, sweet and to the point give me some pictures to go with it, have dancers perform it behind you, or skip it altogether. Images behind you are a direct competition to your words so pick wisely.
Keep it short. And not just for my attention span, but also because even the most incredible learning opportunities will lose their luster after the message is repeated over 40 minutes. Shorten your message and open up for conversations, participation or even brainstorming.
Once again my students astounded me. Given the opportunity for a full day to just create and inovate, they showed me that if we truly trust our students, they will be able to manage their time, create an exciting product, and have fun while doing it. On Monday we did our very first Innovation Day, an idea being integrated in other schools around the globe but originating from companies who call it FedEx Day.
The idea is simple: the students get to pick a project to work on for a full day and it has to be done within that day. the requirements were minimal: They have to learn something, they have to produce something, and they have to be able to present it the following day. We decided as a class too that it would be best if no more than 2 students worked together.
Two weeks prior to the day students were given a brainstorming sheet, supplied by Josh Stumpenhorst and modified for 4th grade. Immediately the excitement grew. “A whole day where we get to decide? That’s not what you do in school!” Some students knew right away what they wanted to study such as Aidan and Erik who were keen to build and research a Celtic castle due to their heritage. Other students changed their minds almost overcome with the idea that they could do anything they wanted to. After some conversation even the most excited were able to choose. They had to outline their process more detailed as the day grew closer and we spoke of how they would proceed Monday morning, finally, they were ready.
Monday morning I was as excited as my students: would they be able to pull it off? Watching them walking super fast down the hallway told me they were as anxious to get started as I was. Indeed, right after announcements we jumped into it. The room quickly erupted in noise and paper, which can be seen right away in our video. I stepped out of the way and let them work. As the teacher, the hardest bit of this day was to truly get out of their way! Instead of me solving problems, they were solving their own, using all of the resources that we have discussed throughout the year. It was incredible to watch them work together and other own. Throughout the day students would show me their progress, parents would pop in as well as other teachers. I live tweeted the event and even some videos. The kids were so into it they asked to skip recess and lunch. As the clock wound down and students started mellowing out; I knew that this was a must do event!
That trusting your students to create will result in magical things happening.
That students will use the resources they are taught to use.
That innovation and creativity is alive and thriving, the problem solving that occurred in my room that day was just incredible.
And that some students do need help when picking a project to ensure it is enough for the whole day, although that was remedied by adding research components to it.
As the year comes to a close and these incredible 4th graders look more and more like 5th graders, I am thankful that we had this opportunity to learn together. The students showed me how much they are capable of, how much learning can transform them, and how school should indeed be fun.
My students made a video trying to convince other teachers to do Innovation Day, I think they say it best.
It appears that when colleges panic or run out of ideas of how to teach, they take their cue straight from Dora the Explorer when it comes to teaching people how to teach. I reached this conclusion at about 5:30 AM this morning as my daughter insisted on watching another episode. You see, bear with me here, but Dora asks her audience for participation – my daughter does not participate, so silence fills the void. Dora then asks for affirmation in her answer, still silence, sometimes “right” squeaks from my two-year old. Classic call and response. Isn’t this the same approach we are first taught in college when we learn how to be effective teachers; ask a question, then reaffirm the answer? So what’s the problem, after all, Dora is successful? Well, when you ask a very simple question, you receive simple answers. And sure many colleges flaunt Blooms Taxonomy and points to it for inspiration, but day-to-day how many of us really reach deeper level thinking?
Instead we ask the simple questions, not quite yes or no, but close, and then when we perhaps do receive an answer we reaffirm by restating, and then we feel great. Look at how much they are learning! Now Dora can be excused in this matter, after all her target audience is 2 to 3 year olds who are just learning the language. We cannot. We are meant to ask questions that do not always appear straightforward; clear yes, but not always with an easy answer. One of my biggest challenges has been to kick myself out of easy question land and and instead answer most questions with another question. Dora never does that, she waits patiently the appropriate wait time (2 seconds roughly) and then squeaks “right?” My daughter patiently waits for the action to continue, she is trained to know that at some point Dora will speak again. Our students know that we too will fill the silence, if they stay quiet or passive long enough, we will take over and give them all of the answers.
If we do not heighten our questioning skills in the classroom, we create an audience of learners. One child may be brave enough to answer our question, yet the others remain passive, knowing that either way, the answer will be given to them. What if we didn’t provide the answer? What if we stopped talking? Instead offering up deeper-level questions and when we don’t have any, turn the table. Which questions do the students have? Could we move our classrooms away from call-and-response, reaffirmation, or even just mere audience participation? Could we make our students engage by simply changing our own engagement?
Pernille Ripp 