being a teacher – Page 124

What the Report Card Doesn’t Tell

November 24, 2013 Pernille Schmidt 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 Schmidt 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 Schmidt 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.

being a teacher, being me

Oh the Great Things I Get to Do

November 12, 2013November 12, 2013 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

I am so lucky when others ask me to join their webcast, blogs, or podcasts and the last few weeks were no different. My incredible friend, Katie Hellerman, interviewed me for her blog The Teaching Game on how I balance family and school (spoiler: I don’t!). That really made me think.

Then I got to moderate the culminating event for one of our books in the GRA; a live webcast with Sharon Draper! She had never done one before so I was super nervous, thankfully Sharon was as incredible as her book and even said she had a great time.

Then I also had the wonderful pleasure of being a guest on the EduAllStar webcast and much fun was had. I always get terribly nervous when I have no idea what we are going to discus, but Todd and Chris made it a great experience. My husband, Brandon, always says I do my best when I am candid, so judge for yourself.

One of my all-time favorite authors Kirby Larson (have you read Hattie Big Sky?- if not please do!) asked me to guest blog for her. Um yes! So Tuesday I got to give thanks to all of the authors that have paved the way for the Global Read Aloud. What an incredible honor that was.

And finally, EdCampMadWI – which stands for Edcamp Madison, WI is opening up for registration this Thursday! It will take place on January 25th, 2014 at the amazing Sun Prairie High School and I would love to see you there! So join me please, for an incredible day of learning and sharing, free food and fun goodies.

And while I have a nagging feeling there is something else, that is ll my pregnancy tired brain can remember for right now. So check it out if you want to see what I have been up to.

Be the change, being a teacher, Student-centered

I Am the Quiet

November 9, 2013 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

I never used to be quiet. My classroom was filled with noise from the moment the students arrived until they left. Whether it was me lecturing, me giving out directions, me keeping them on track, or even a soundtrack of music to keep them motivated, we just didn’t do quiet. We were loud, we were active, and there was always chatter.

One night, as I yelled at my husband to turn off his music so that I could concentrate on writing, it finally dawned on me. Perhaps my students didn’t need more noise, perhaps they needed more quiet. Perhaps I needed to stop talking, perhaps I needed to stop playing the music. Perhaps I needed to embrace the quiet and let it speak for itself. Perhaps I needed to be quiet so my students could start speaking.

Now, we are quiet when we need to be. During reading, you will hear hushed conversations, during writing it is almost silent. I keep my discussions short. I try to pull my voice out of the conversation so that my students can figure it out among themselves. When a child faces me with a problem I sit quietly and think with them, trying to come up with a solution. When a child is the most unruly and angry, my lower voice and quiet words often diffuse the situation better than any punishment ever could.

Sure there are words, but the quiet now emphasizes them. No longer do I feel the need to constantly yell over the noise (unless we are doing science!). No longer do I feel the need to bark out orders. Sure there are instructions being given, but there is also quiet so they can figure it out. Quiet so they can think. Quiet so they can just be.

being a teacher, being me, reflection

Even Females Can Change the World

October 24, 2013October 24, 2013 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

I didn’t set out to be loud or to have people pay attention to my words. I didn’t set out to find an audience to a blog, or to spark conversation. I set out to reflect, to push myself, and to keep myself honest. But in the process I also figured that while I may have an opinion, because I am female, I tend to veil it in niceties.

My post, “Where Are All the Female Connected Educators?” has sparked an incredible discussion and I think it has highlighted some truths that we cannot dismiss any more. We women, can be our very own worst enemies. We are quick to dismiss our own talents. We are quick to dismiss praise. We are good at being quiet. We are good at apologizing for our beliefs before we state them. We are magnificent at disclaimers and watered down versions of what we really want to say.

Whether we do it to keep the peace or to avoid the labels that come with being outspoken, that come with having an opinion, having convictions, I am not sure. Some of us are softer, sure, but some of us are tough as nails and yet many of us still act as if our opinion is an afterthought, and not a force to be reckoned with.

I don’t know why we tear ourselves down. I don’t know why we tear each other down. I don’t know why we shy away from praise or compliments. Often women can be more brutal toward other women than men could ever be to us. But I do think it is time to stop the tear downs, to stop being our own worst enemies and that of other females. Education as a whole has enough opponents or people looking for us to screw up. So I urge you tonight to join together – enough of this us versus them debate. Enough with tearing other teachers down. We must be our own biggest fans before we expect others to take us seriously. Reach out to another educator, female or not. Praise others for their ideas, for their courage, for their ideas. Praising someone else does not take anything away from your ow power as an educator. Keep your head held high even if others disagree. Let criticism roll off your back. Believe in yourself and know that it is ok. It is ok to be proud of yourself. It is ok to have an opinion. It is ok to think that you can change the world, even if you are a female.