Be the change – Page 51

Be the change, being me, reflection, Student-centered

What Do You Wish I Would Notice?

September 26, 2013January 15, 2016 Pernille Ripp

I wish Mrs. Ripp would notice how funny I am.

I wish Mrs. Ripp would notice how much I struggle with math.

I wish Mrs. Ripp would notice that I am running out of books to read.

I wish Mrs. Ripp would notice how hard I am working.

All statements taken from my September reflection sheet that I asked students to do today. All statements that made me pause and think, reflect, and know that although I feel I do notice these things, I am not communicating it well enough to students. See often I take note of many great things that they do every day but we get so busy with all that we need to do that I forget to tell them. I forget to show them. So I get home and I tell my husband about something and then realize that I didn’t say thanks, good job, or how can I help? I didn’t beam or praise, I just smiled and moved on.

So on this sheet today, what was meant to be a reflection for the students to share with their parents, once again turned into a reflection of how I am doing as a teacher. Even how I am doing as a person in their lives. And I know I can do more, I know I can do better, I only have to notice and then do something about it. Try it, ask you students the same question and let me know what you learn. I cannot wait to get back tomorrow and notice all of these things and more. I cannot wait to tell them I notice. I cannot wait to show them I notice. I cannot wait.

I am a passionate (female) 5th grade teacher in Wisconsin, USA, 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. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students Starting Today” will be released this fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

Be the change, classroom management, student voice, Student-centered

Why Don’t You Challenge Them Instead?

September 17, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I raise my hand, 5 fingers in the air and I wait. I wait for them to notice, I wait for them to focus, I wait for them to settle in and be ready to listen. I tell them, “Every night I go home and tell Brandon just how kind you are, how fun you are, how creative you are. Every morning, my team mates and I talk about how we love our groups, how we love the energy, how we love the dynamics and how proud we are of you. So today my heart sank a little bit…”

I now have 27 sets of eyes on me.

“I was told that this grade level is the rudest in the lunch line and the messiest in the lunchroom…”

The kids hold their breath waiting for me to yell. Waiting for me to punish. Waiting for me to tell them they know better and how dare they.

“My heart sank because I don’t think that’s who you are…”

Confused looks.

“So rather than try to figure out who did what. Rather than try to figure out who is being rude or how messy you are, I am going to ask you to prove these people wrong. I am going to ask you to leave this school as the 5th grade to beat, as the kids to be like, as the kids that everybody is sad to see go. Can we do that?

Head nods.

“Can you prove them wrong?”

Shouts of yes.

“Thank you…”

Sometimes when we think we need to punish or to rein in even tighter, we should challenge our kids instead. Challenge them to make us proud, challenge them to be better, challenge them to prove others wrong. These kids didn’t need more yelling, they needed someone to tell them they are good kids that can do better. I am proud of these kids and they need to know that even when they mess up, I still have their back. Even when others say that they are “those kids” again I see more than that. I see them for the kids they can be, the kids they are most of the time, not the kids they used to be.

Be the change, Reading

Why Reading Sucks and It’s Ok to Talk About It

September 14, 2013September 16, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I try to help my students be passionate readers. To be the type of reader that sneaks reading in whenever they can, that bring books with them wherever they go, to be the kind of reader that cannot wait to read the next book they have on their list. I try to be a role model for this but to do this I have realized that we must discuss why reading sucks.

I ask my students their thoughts on reading as part of one of our very first mini lessons. While many of them share such wonderful things about their love of reading, there is usually one brave enough that finally just says that reading is just not their thing. This year was no different when a child told me that “Reading sucks” and then waited for my reaction. I am not sure what the child expected, but instead of dismissing their notion as crazy, I created a poster asking them to list why reading sucks. As one child blurted out, “I don’t think a teacher has ever asked me that.”

And it’s true, I tend to not ask this question, but since it presented itself, I figured it had to be dealt with head on. The kids were cautious at first, perhaps they felt I was trying to trick them, and then they quickly raised their hands and we created the poster shown here.

Those are valid reasons why reading may not be the best thing for a child. Some children hate sitting still, others find it boring, time consuming, hate that they are forced to read certain books or at a certain time, perhaps they feel pressured, perhaps they feel they are a bad reader. What it all adds up to is a miserable reading experience. And that is what we have to fight.

In the end I thanked the kids for their honesty, I then asked them for their solutions, and at first they didn’t quite have one. Then one child raised their hand and said, “Can we pick our own books?” “Yes.” “Do we have to read a certain amount of minutes and log it?” “No,” “I said, I expect you to read every night and you only log it in here.” “Do we have to finish every book we start?” “No.” With each question and answer, relief seemed to spread throughout the room. Perhaps reading would not suck as much as it had in the past, perhaps they would not hate it this year. Perhaps….and that is all I need. The seed that reading may not suck after all.

So if we don’t ask the question and face this reading demon, then we can’t have the conversations that we need to have with these specific kids. Yes, most students will tell us that reading is amazing whether they believe it or not. I hail the kids that have the strength to tell me how they really feel. How else will I ever change their minds?

I am a passionate 5th grade teacher in Wisconsin, USA, 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. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students Starting Today” will be released this fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

Be the change

What Are You Teaching the World? A Video to Show Your Students Tomorrow

September 12, 2013September 16, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I have a penchant for Kid President and have loved many of his videos, but this one is one of his best. Dedicated to teachers and students everywhere I cannot wait to show it to my students tomorrow

Be the change, new year, Student-centered

My Students’ Classroom Vision

September 9, 2013September 9, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Every year I ask my students to come up with their vision for 5th grade. This year I wanted to somehow use the song “Brave” by Sara Bareilles since it not only has an incredible message to all of us but also a very catchy beat. Here is what my students came up with this year, I am so proud of them.

Be the change, new year

Change Becomes Habit

September 1, 2013September 1, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I used to think I was crazy changing all of the things I had traditionally been doing. I am sure I was not the only one. I used to think that I would grow out of it, get so frustrated I would quit, realize that the traditional ways were here for a reason and that’s why I should go back to them. Go back to hours of homework, go back to percentages and letter grades, punish some students while rewarding others, test them at every chance, and definitely be the boss of them all. I used to think change was hard.

Then a day passed, months, and finally years. Now as I get ready for my 6th year in the classroom and my 4th year of giving the classroom back to my students, I realize how natural it is. I have replaced my old toxic habits with these new ones and they no longer seem radical or even hard to implement. They are who I am as a teacher and it is just the way I know how to teach. It doesn’t mean it is perfect or that some people still don’t think I am crazy, but it does mean that I feel a sense of power in what I am doing and I have the results of student engagement to back it all up.

Changing how one teaches is terrifying, I know. Sticking to the change is frustrating, hard work, and sometimes so unappreciated that it leads to tears or angry words. But changes stop being changes after awhile and become habits instead. And habits just aren’t so scary to most. Habits become second nature and one day you realize that you are teaching the way you wanted to from the beginning. That you would be a student in your own classroom. That anyone can change, all it takes is the first step. Even if people think you are crazy.