being a teacher – Page 123

being a teacher, reflection, Student-centered

Are the Boys Welcome in Your Room?

December 17, 2013 Pernille Ripp

One thing I love about being hospitalized (the little baby is trying to make her appearance 10 weeks early) is that I get to speak to all of the incredible nurses that take care of me. Once they find out I am a teacher the conversations always get even better and today was no different. We discussed the topic of boys in the elementary classroom, and particularly how female teachers can create boy inviting classrooms. As this is something near and dear to me, I thought I would offer up a few ideas of how to get boys to feel welcome in our classrooms, or any kid really.

Realize the damage of cute. Angela Watson had a great post that started a huge debate on whether classrooms should be cute or not. While I don’t mind cute at all I do try to look at classroom decor from a boy’s perspective. Most boys tend to not love polka dots, pink, cute little animals, and many other cutesy features we spread all over our rooms. We may find it welcoming and others may not want to be seen in it. So consider your entire population, not just what you think will brighten up your room.
Give them room. I think we forget that many boys, and many girls (my own daughter included) need lots of room. Find extra space in your classroom by getting rid of unnecessary clutter.
Give them choice for work space. I swear the moment I let my students pick their work space, I saw their attention shoot through the roof. Why? Many of my students prefer working on the floor or in a chair by themselves not touching anyone else. So give the students room to spread out so they can find their best work space.
Have books for boys. This is huge. Boys need to be able to find themselves in your classroom library. I had never considered this until I looked at how many animal books, pink covered books, and friendship books I had collected versus sports, action, or fantasy. I am not trying to say boys only read these things, but make sure you have books that anyone can gravitate to.
Read aloud books with male protagonists. I change sex of the protagonist every book. So while we started with “Out of My Mind” by Sharon Draper following the courageous Melody, we are now reading “The False Prince” by Jenifer Nielsen, sucked into the heroics of Sage. Keep it balanced for all students to find something to relate to.
Tap into the male energy. I often run my ideas for lesson plans or projects to see if my husband would have wanted it to do it when he was in 5th grade and he never disappoints. I am always reminded to add more options for the kids, to listen to their opinion, and to make it more hands on. Engagement for all seems to go up as the students get more involved.
Realize your own angle. Whether you are a male or female teacher realize that you bring in a view of how you want things to be taught, and then realize that it is not the same for everyone. I fight this every day. I love learning in a certain way bt many of my students do not, so choice, voice, and passion becomes central tangents in our classroom.
Challenge what you know. For every time I think competition will motivate a boy, another boy proves me wrong. For every time I think a quiet contemplation and reflection will motivate a girl, another girl proves me wrong. I may think I know how to appeal to children based on their gender but that’s not it at all. In the end, I realize that it is not that I set up my classroom to be female centered on purpose but it is what I know. We have to create environments where all students are welcome and make sure we don’t create rooms where students feel like guest rather than members.

What other ideas can you add?

being a teacher, being me, reflection

Feels Like Home

December 6, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I was a lonely child. Not quite a loner, but definitely always the awkward not quite sure where she fit in kid hovering in the background. I had friends, in fact, I had many friends, but I had few that got me, few that wanted to get me, and I wasn’t really sure how to make people want to be my friend. I switched schools several times throughout my childhood and every time I kept thinking that maybe this time was the time I would feel like I belonged. That maybe this move would make my personality change and I wouldn’t be quite as dorky, quite as needy, quite as intense. It never happened but my hopes kept my heart aflutter. I made friends along the way, some I still keep as parts of my life, but each friend was one I battled for, one I really tried for, not one that came easy.

When I moved to Wisconsin permanently at the age of 18, I felt truly lost. My parents and little brothers were here, but I had no one. Not a person to call, to meet for coffee, to go to a movie with. And I had no idea where to start. For my first 3 years here I stumbled along a path, meeting people but not quite making friends besides one. Then I met Brandon and I felt like I was found. For the first time, I didn’t feel so lonely. I didn’t feel that dorky, or needy, or intense. I just felt like I was home. And every day I cannot believe that he chooses me to be his wife. That he chooses me to be there for him. That he chooses me. How this lost kid ever found her soulmate, I am not sure but somehow my heart found where I belonged.

I feel that way when I am in my classroom. When I am among my students and some of my colleagues, I feel home. Like I am with my tribe of people that get me and that I get. I know the rules of friendship, community, and how to build trust. I am needed and wanted. I have a purpose and I fulfill it with all of my heart every day. So as I struggle with whether or not I should continue teaching due to finances, I feel as if my heart is breaking.

I would have never said that I was born to teach. I think I was born to understand, to connect, and to try to help. Teaching lets me do all of that. teaching lets me be a part of someone’s life and make a difference every single day. I never don’t want to go to work, even if I have slept little, am sick, or there is a snowstorm. My work is my home as well and those kids I get to teach are parts of my family. Those people I get to work with are parts of my family. And yet, the state of teaching as a job that pays the bills is abysmal and I don’t know if can keep letting my heart rule how my family is supported.

So I wonder if my path now leads to a new home? Will this teacher find a new place to belong? Or will I leave teaching and be lost like I was so many years of my childhood? Will I leave my tribe only to be without one or is there another one waiting for me somewhere? I know I am not the only one searching for answers, can we find home again, outside of teaching?

Be the change, being a teacher, being me, reflection, Student-centered, testing

Why I Will Not Refuse to Give the Tests

November 30, 2013November 30, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I was told this week to just refuse to give standardized tests. Just like that. And while the person who told me probably meant well in their statement, I don’t think they realize how big of an action that would be. I have long blogged about how standardized testing such as the WKCE here is Wisconsin is not an accurate measurement of what a student really knows, but rather a snapshot of that very moment they took the test. I have also been vocal in my opposition to what that data sometime is used for and how we end up labeling students, teachers, schools, and entire districts on a meaningless measure that does little to emulate what we really do in our classroom. And sure, I have dreamed of refusing to simple administer it in my room. But that’s it, a dream, because in reality it probably wouldn’t do much for anyone but me.

If I were to refuse administering these state mandated tests, I would get in trouble. That is an absolute guarantee. And while I have never been one to shy away from too much controversy, the kind of trouble this time would be much bigger than a write up. I could even lose my job for failing to do my duties. To some that may not seem like a big deal, after all, I should be standing up for my students and their rights, my own opinions, I should protect those children that I teach from the tests. But my job is vital to my own children. My job is our health insurance. My job gives us just enough money so that we can pay our bills. I wish my husband had a huge paying job, he doesn’t, and so we are a very dependent two income family. So losing my job refusing tests just isn’t something I can rationally do and in a sense, I am not sure I should be the one refusing the tests anyway.

Teachers can try to change education as much as we want. Many do. We write, we speak out, we try things in our own classrooms that we hope will spread to others. We stand up for what we believe in, we spread our message. But in the end we are just the teachers. The real change must come from outside the classroom, from school administration, from school boards, from government, but they will not change until one group speaks out: parents. The real change must come from parents. The real opposition must come from those who entrust their children to us. They are the ones that can decide whether a test is harmful or inaccurate. They are the ones that can choose to opt out. I am not the one that decides whether testing will harm a child or not, I can have my opinions sure, but in the end the decision does not rest with me and as long as parents willingly have their children tested then my job is to test them.

So while I can dream of refusing to test my students it will only stay a dream until the parents whose children I get to teach are the ones that decide that things should change. We may think as teachers that it is only our responsibility to speak up and that if we don’t then no one else will. This is not true anymore. We may be the ones that start the conversation but others have to join the fight. Whatever they believe in. So when I am told I should simply refuse, I hope others see how it is not that easy. How my refusal will do little for my students and only harm to my own family. And while I would sacrifice my life for my students if I ever had to, I will not sacrifice my job in a non-lethal situation. I will not sacrifice the life of my own children for something that many others do not see as a big deal. Would you?

Should I Teach My Students to Be Better Test Takers?

being a teacher, grades, reflection

What the Report Card Doesn’t Tell

November 24, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I am about to start report cards. Being a teacher that doesn’t believe in grades for assessment but would rather do feedback, I always struggle at this time of year. How do I put into words all of the things that I have seen my students do in in the last few months? How do I quantify how they have grown? There just seems to be so many thing a report card doesn’t tell us.

It doesn’t tell the story of the child that has worked so hard every day yet has made little academic progress.

It doesn’t tell the story of the boy who hated to read and now has read two books already.

Or the story of the child who thinks he is the world’s worst writer but did an assignment all on his own.

It doesn’t tell the story of the girl who struggles with self esteem and thus doesn’t want to shine a light on herself even though she should.

Or the child that reads a book a night but is too shy to discuss it.

Or the child who knows everything there is about DNA but doesn’t know his letter sounds.

It doesn’t tell the story of the child who knows more than their mind lets them show.

Or even the story of a teacher who tries every day to get these kids to believe in themselves and their ability to change the world. which grade do I assign all of that?

Be the change, being a teacher, motivation, principals, reflection

Dear Administrators, Please Rescue the Staff Meeting

November 18, 2013November 20, 2013 Pernille Ripp

There are few things that induce quite as visceral reaction as bringing up staff meetings to teachers. (If in doubt check all the someecards that have been made discussing it!) It is not that teachers are opposed to meetings, after all most meetings mean collaboration, the reaction is more to what we think happens at staff meetings: you sit and get information and then you leave. Not exactly the most inspiring use of anyone’s time.

But it doesn’t need to be like this anymore. Technology has provided us with the tools to communicate what we need without people being present to hear it thus removing most of the time usage at most traditional staff meetings. Now I am not here to say we shouldn’t have meetings, I love meetings, I am here to say they should be a better use of everyone’s time. So why not reclaim the traditional staff meeting and make it something every teacher looks forward to?

How about skipping all of the information giving? Send out on email instead and then expect people to read it. Most email services have a function where you can see whether someone read it or not. Make it part of the job and if it isn’t read then those people can attend a special meeting where the same information is presented.
Make it hands on professional development. With all of the new roll outs facing all of us, I would love work time to try things, discuss things and attack something as a staff. Staff meeting time would be perfect for this.
How about making it collaboration time when possible? One of our staff meetings a month was made into collaboration time several years ago and it has been incredible. To be given the gift of time to either meet in an action team or with your grade level is truly one of the best things we can do for staff.
Make it in the morning. After school I usually have 5 fires to put out before I go home, or it feels that way anyway. I get that contract time starts at different times, but I would rather have a short 25 minute meeting before school than a long 45 one after school. When there is a bell deadline there is a sense of urgency that simply is not present in the afternoon when we are all distracted. However, if staff meetings become awesome then perhaps we would all be more focused during them.
Spread the responsibility. Whoever decided that principals should be the only one in charge of meetings didn’t consider all of the teacher leaders that can exist at a school or even the immense work load carried by all principals I have ever met. If you want to make it professional development, put others in charge. Let teachers teach teachers and let us work on something, not just sit and get.
Bring in parents and students. Too often these stakeholders are left out of a school’s professional discourse. I would love to hear from parents and students how they would like to be taught something or the ideas they may have. Also, I wonder how many experts do we have among our parents that could teach us something? How often is this part of our population left out of decisions and discussions?
Teach us something. I would to leave each staff meeting knowing something new or armed with a new idea to try in my room. But we need time to share those ideas, we need time to try new things and figure them out. Why not make the staff meeting a central component of what we should be learning?

What did I miss?

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, being a teacher, being me, reflection

Just Tell Me the Truth But Tell it Kindly

November 15, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I didn’t expect to be so nervous, after all, Thea is 4 years old, how much bad stuff could a teacher possibly tell me? And yet, I have seem some 4 year olds tear apart a classroom, hit other children, destroy and conquer at their whim. Surely not my own kid, right?

As I sat down next to her teacher in the tiny little 4K chair, I wasn’t sure what to do now. She had welcomed us, Thea was proudly showing off her classroom to her younger siblings, and so I waited for the information to start. “She is a such a sweet girl…” were the first words we heard, and my heart that had been residing in my throat up until then started to slow down and slide down. Everything would be ok.

I have been doing parent-techer conferences for 6 years now and the past 3 years have been student-led. I thought I knew what it meant to be the parent walking into my room. I thought I knew how to put them at ease. And yet, it wasn’t until the other night that I truly got it. I want to hear that my child tries. I want to hear that my kid is ok and if they aren’t then how are we going to help them. I want to hear the concerns. I want an honest discussion led from wanting to help, not wanting to punish. I want the truth and I want to know what I can do.

As teachers, we have the power to devastate a parent. Sure, there are truths that sometimes are hard to say, but it is in how we say that that the difference lies. I am not there to ruin a child’s night, but I am there to be truthful in what they need to conquer to be successful students, or even kids, sometimes. I am there to say what I see but in such a way that it is seen as fixable, not determined. As workable and not as too late to do anything about.

As we left, Brandon turned to me and said, “She has empathy, that means a lot to me.” Never mind the letters she doesn’t recognize or the fact that she always counts 11, 12, 13, 16… – but our kid is empathetic. She will be ok after all, her teacher told me so, even if there are things to work on.