being a teacher – Page 111

When Was the Last Time You Stopped Talking?

November 23, 2014 Pernille Ripp

I didn’t know how much expertise I needed to stop talking until I switched districts. Having to start over again, being brand new and friendless, I started listening better, quieting myself, and tuning in. I started asking for help, recognizing that not only was I in a new district, but also in a new school, in a new grade level, on a new team. Amazing what changes does to your listening skills.

What I heard was astounding; it is quite remarkable when you stop talking about your own ideas and listening to those of others, what you learn. I couldn’t believe the varied experience of people, the things they knew, the ideas they had. Sure, I knew I had been surrounded by greatness before but I hadn’t paid much attention to it, I was usually too busy forging my own path, sharing my own thoughts, touting my own expertise, when I should have been listening.

In fact, now that I think about it, I wonder when I stopped listening to others as much. When did I become the supposed veteran or expert in the room? When did I start to feel that I had more to teach than to learn? I feel like all of those labels that people so graciously bestow upon me due to this blog has sometimes plugged my ears. But not anymore. Thank you 7th grade!

So my challenge this year is to stop talking so much. To start listening more. To actively learn from others. Not just those that I adore online, but those I get to call colleagues every day. Teaching shouldn’t just be about teaching others, it should be about our own learning journeys. hOw we are listening to the genius that surrounds us. I know we all have amazing things to share, but for a moment, allow others in so they can share. So ask yourself; who are you learning from tomorrow? Who are you listening to? If it is yourself, then you’re probably doing it wrong, just like I was.

I am a passionate teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin, USA, 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. First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classrooms Back to Our Students” can be purchased now from Powerful Learning Press. Second book“Empowered Schools, Empowered Students – Creating Connected and Invested Learners” is out now from Corwin Press. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

aha moment, behavior, being a teacher, students

I Was Ready With THE Speech

November 20, 2014 Pernille Ripp

I was ready with THE speech. Had been since about 5 AM when I woke up and knew exactly what I needed to do. All day I was waiting for that class to come in, to tell them that there was a new sheriff in town, and yes, we have been having fun, but we are wasting too much time and it is time to get serious. Ugh, sometimes I hate serious but my meager 45 minutes doesn’t allow me much breathing room.

There they came, eager as always, happy to be in our room, not so much because of me but because of all their friends and the discussions we might have. I was ready. Counting down the seconds until their usual raucous nature would erupt. Almost holding my breath, running the words I had rehearsed through my head. “…there will be no more of this….the time is being wasted….serious….pay attention….things to learn….” I was ready.

Except, they didn’t start. I started teaching and showed them our deadline. I showed them how big of a time crunch we were in. I told them I was serious, that I meant it, and that the world would practically fall on our heads if we didn’t make this timeline. Ok…So they got to work, they started speaking to each other a little, so I figured now was the time. I started my speech, ready to be asked hard questions, ready to be challenged, or even interrupted. Instead they just looked at me…and then kept working.

It wasn’t perfect today. It never is. But for a moment I had forgotten that we have bad days and good days. That sometimes our bad days seem to last much longer than they really do. And sometimes our good days don’t even count because they must have been a fluke, right? And sure, there was talking, and sure there are consequences, but they were not the ones from my head. They were not the ones I was ready to dole out. Kids change. Sometimes from day to day. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but I am hoping for a good day.

being a teacher, conferences, ideas, parents

3 Ideas For More Meaningful 5 Minute Parent/Teacher Conferences

November 15, 2014 Pernille Ripp

This week I had my first experience with the 5 minute drive-by conference. You know the one; all the teachers in the lunchroom at their own table, parents waiting in line, and once the timer starts, off we go for non-stop talking, the only caveat being you only get 5 minutes. Not exactly my cozy student-led conferences that I love so much. Why the change? Besides that this is how we do it at my new school, I also have 113 students. I don’t even know how I could possibly give them a longer student-led conference at the moment without spending weeks on it. And still, I wanted my students to be a part of it. I still wanted it to be worth the time for the parents, I wanted it to be meaningful. I therefore did this:

The students reflected beforehand. As always I had my students reflect on what their grades should be, what they were proud of and what they accomplished. I invited all of my students to come to their conference but knew that few of them would, but their voice needs to be present. This sheet allowed me to have the conference focus on their learning journey, not just what my thoughts were.

I reflected and wrote down beforehand. I knew it would take a long time for me to write strengths and goals for all of my students, but I knew it was worth it. In the week preceding conferences I spent every evening thinking about each child, writing down what I knew I wanted to share (beside their grades). I didn’t want the conference to be focused on the grades, I wanted it to be focused on the child. I was then able to share what my thoughts were after we looked at the student’s reflection.

I asked the parents how they felt and what they thought. My gut reaction was to not ask any questions and just run it as a fast monologue. After all, with only 5 minutes I have a lot to cover, but that is not the point of these conferences. No matter the time limit, parents/guardians/students should always have the time to speak, even if you feel like it may eat up too much valuable time.

Always find something good and end with that. Ok, so this is the fourth idea which I wrote about yesterday. In every conference I made sure to end with something good. I remember how it was as a kid to have your parents go to conferences without you; that nervous feeling, that growing sense of dread. As a teacher I want to make sure my students know that I am in their corner, even if there are things to work on. Often the last thing we say is the one that leaves the freshest impression, so make it something good.

Other small ideas include:

Be wiling to set up separate conferences. I knew that some of my students needed more time for discussion so rater than wait for parents to contact me, I sent out a blanket email offering every child a longer conference at a different time in our classroom. A few responded and there were even a few surprises of who wanted a longer one. You never know until you ask.

Bring out the picture books. I send all student work home so instead of having their to display, I will have some awesome picture books out. That way, parents can at least read some awesome stories while they wait.

Just listening. Often parents know exactly what their child needs to work on or they have simply heard it before, so stop talking and listen. Ask them questions and see how much they cover that you would have covered as well. Parents know their kids, sometimes we seem to forget that (myself included).

Treat ever conference as if it is your first of the day. Every parent deserves the best of you, so keep smiling, keep the energy up. Yes, I know it is like running a marathon to be your very best self for 4 or more hours, but that is what you should be. I had water and peppermints to help me keep up the spirit. We owe it those waiting to meet with us.

being a teacher, conferences, Student

There Is Always Something Good

November 14, 2014November 14, 2014 Pernille Ripp

I am exhausted. Eyes feel like cotton balls, my head is spinning. The boots on my feet feel like they weigh 20 pounds each. Welcome to the day after parent-teacher conferences; a marathon of 5 minute conferences in a 4 hour span that leaves me feeling like I am not quite sure who I am or what I said. And still…

I may have rushed through every conversation. I may have not said everything I wanted to say. I may not have fulfilled every hope, that happens when you are held to a 5 minute time limit (middle school conferences at their best). I am not sure I was enough , the time definitely wasn’t, but I kn I know one thing for sure. I know that in every conference I brought up something good. I brought up something unique. Something that the child brings to our classroom, brings to my life. Every single child had something good mentioned. Every single child was worth celebrating.

Yes, there are goals and challenges, ups and downs that need to be discussed. Those pesky habits we are trying to break, those strong skills we are trying to teach. The strides we have to make, the plans we have to lay. But there is also good. And goodness in every child. Every child has something positive worth sharing. Every child is worth us smiling about. So even if the academics are in shambles, and who knew where those behaviors are coming from, look for the good, perhaps dig really deep, but remember, that these are children we get to talk about. Children who are learning what it means to be successful. Children who are learning from their mistakes. Children whose parents send us their very best child every day. Parents who need to hear that we see something worth believing in.

There is always something good to share, it is our job to uncover it. Just like our students uncover it in us every day. Just like parents believe in us every day. So dig deep if you must, but don’t give up. Uncover the goodness in each child. Uncover your belief that they can be good.

PS: I cannot wait to do student-led conferences in the spring…

aha moment, assessment, assumptions, Be the change, being a teacher

You Can’t Just Do It To Them

November 8, 2014 Pernille Ripp

“Remember, whatever I ask you to do, I ask myself to do too.”

This is how almost any assignment is handed out in my classes. Not to make the students feel better. Not to make them embrace the assignment more quickly. No, it is really quite simple; I have done the assignment already. I have spent time doing the exact same thing, following the same directions, looked at the assessment and pondered how I would do. Not when I was their age, not when I was in college, not even last year. No the assignment I am asking them to do, I have done in the past few days as well as I prepared.

Why is this important? Because every day we ask students to spend their time, whether in class or after school, doing work for us to show their mastery, to practice their skills, to help them grow. Yet often these assignments are ones that we have never experienced ourselves. Ones that we may have used to much success before. Or ones that we got from an amazing source. Yet, we don’t know what it feels to actually do it. And that creates a problem based on assumptions. We assume we know how much time it will take. We assume we know how hard it is. We assume our directions are clear. We assume the assessment is fair. All of those assumptions add up to nothing good.

I started doing my own assignments a few years back. I didn’t get why my students groaned so much when a new project was handed out. I didn’t get why I would get emails from parents stating how many hours their children had spent. Whether it was book report dioramas, grammar packets, or even just outside reading, I assumed I knew what it was like to do them because I had gone to school once too. On a whim one night, after a particular groan-filled day, I did one of my grammar packets. 9 pages, front to back copied, neatly stapled to teach me all about proper nouns versus common nouns. 45 minutes later, I threw it in the trash. How many times could I write the same answer over and over or be asked the same thing? Yikes. The next day I apologized to my students and we found other ways to do grammar.

So now, I live by a simple rule. Whatever I ask my students to do I have to do as well. So if they have to write an assignment, I write it too. If they have to read outside of school every night, I do too. I discuss my struggles and problems that I encounter hoping they will feel more confident to try something new. I tell them when I stop reading and I recommit in front of them, I tell them when I don’t feel like doing any work but now I have to. My students will not learn from having a perfect teacher, they need someone that they can relate to, even if our years push us apart.

I know that I am not 12 years old and that I have an easier time doing their work. That only cements my resolve to do every assignment. If it takes me 30 minutes to write a great constructed response, then imagine how long it can take for a student?

We cannot keep forcing our ideas on kids without experiencing them ourselves. So commit; whatever your students have to do, make yourself go through it. Trust me, the things you will change will surprise you. Be a learner, just like them, and tell them that you know what it feels like. But don’t just say it, do it and mean it.

aha moment, Be the change, being a teacher, change, inspiration

You Don’t Have to Throw Everything Out to Be Innovative

November 4, 2014 Pernille Ripp

I almost felt guilty walking to the cabinet. I almost felt as if I would get busted, as if someone would burst through the door wagging their finger and raising an eyebrow. Touting me as a phony because am I not “one of those” educators that are supposed to be innovative? One of those that is constantly trying something new and crazy? One of those that tells everyone to just take a chance and make a change? Well I am (sometimes), but I am also human. And on this day I went to the cabinet to fetch an old lesson, something I knew would work, something that I could use again. Something that I would probably tweak to fit my new students, but not majorly overhaul, and honestly I felt relieved.

We often confuse great teaching with constant innovation. We think that to reach all of our students in the best way possible, we must constantly change. we must never rest. We must never reuse. Yet, we forget that we are dealing with children that crave routine. Children that yes can be creative and curious but at the same time also need some predictability. Children that can get exhausted when we are constantly trying new things and asking them to discard the old to embrace the new.

And let’s not forget about ourselves. The job we have is demanding, and we must constantly search for new solutions, yet we forget to give ourselves a break. There is nothing wrong with using something that has worked before, as long as we make it better each time we use it. There is nothing wrong with trying something we have tried before. There is nothing wrong with pulling out old lessons. Innovation should not be confused with discarding every thing we have tried. There is beauty in the old, in the tried. There is beauty when a teacher has experience. Allow yourself that moment.

So do embrace the old when it works. Fly the flag of your past lessons that have soared. Don’t get stuck, but allow yourself to rest in familiarity as well. Great things come from ideas we have tried on before. Don’t think you have to constantly change to be a change-maker.