being a teacher – Page 94

being a teacher, being me, books, Literacy, Passion, student choice

On Hating Reading

August 18, 2015August 18, 2015 Pernille Ripp

I have loved reading as many years as I have lived. Reading wove its threads throughout my life, from my mother reading aloud to me every night, to learning to read English books in the lap of my now-father, biking to our public library with a plastic bag empty waiting for the books that would fill it, and now passing my love on to my own children as they beg for just one more book, every single night.

I have brought my love of reading into the classroom, cementing that in this room we are all readers. We all spend time finding those books that will transform us. Finding those moments where we beg for just one more page, one more minute, and hope that the teacher will give it to us.

I love reading, but I do not ask all of my students to love reading. I do not expect them to fall as madly in love with reading as I have, because if I did then I would ask them to accept the identity I have shaped for myself. I would ask them to sometimes do something impossible.

Instead, I ask them to like it more. To give it another chance, even if their hatred has been cemented in years of torturous reading experiences. I make them promise me to give it a chance, a proper one, to keep their minds open as we grow throughout the year. There are some students who will never love reading. Who will never feel like reading is the one thing they must do every day to sustain their souls. And yes, that makes me sad, but I also need to make sure that our classroom welcomes all students. Even those that identify as reading haters.

So we should carry our torch for the love of reading wherever we go. We should exude passion. We should help each child believe that they are readers. That books are for them. That they too can immerse themselves in something so deeply that they almost forget to breathe. Yet, I must remember, that if I tell a child that they must love reading, some children will rebel simply on principal. Some children will find every reason to hate it more. So I do not assume that all children will love reading. I assume instead that within our short time together, I can make them hate it less. I can change their minds, if even just a little bit. After all, our classrooms are created by the true personalities of our students. We must meet them where they are and help them grow on their journey.

I will never stop loving reading. I will never stop telling my students that they are readers every single day. Even those that don’t believe they are. I will never stop sharing my own love of reading, but I will allow students to figure out where their emotions fall and then help them move from there. I will see my students for who they are, even if they do not love reading. Even if I will never understand how you cannot.

If you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. The 2nd edition and actual book-book (not just e-book!) comes out September 22nd from Routledge.

aha moment, Be the change, being a teacher, new year, students

The Small Changes I Can Make

August 16, 2015 Pernille Ripp

Sometimes our students come to us with stories that we could never imagine. Sometimes we are their refuge. Sometimes, we don’t even know what part we play until years later, and sometimes we will never know. The barriers that sometimes surround our students can be brutal, and yet, the students show up. They try to learn. They try to do their very best. And we need to be the ones that welcome them.

So this will be the year that I try not to create more barriers for my students. This will be the year where I try to make it as easy as possible for them to access the learning . While I cannot control everything, particularly what goes on outside of our classroom, there are so many small things I can control that will make their day easier.

I can hand them pencils. I used to be a tentative pencil-hander-outer. There was usually a lecture involved, a smirk, and some sort of thinly veiled threat as to what would happen if they didn’t get more pencils by the very next day. And I get it. Pencils cost money and we don’t have a lot of that in education. But still, a pencil is the most basic tool that our students need. And yes, they need to bring their supplies. Yes, they need to be responsible. Yes, they need to come prepared. But we all have days where we need a pencil. Not a lecture, not a glare. Just a pencil so we can get to work. If you want it back, write your name on a piece of paper and tape it to it.

I can withhold judgment. Yes, I know better than most of my students. I better, after all, I am more than 20 years older than them. So when they make “stupid” mistakes, when they make a poor decision, I can withhold my own judgment. I can help them find a solution, help them find the light, or even find the humor in a situation. Most students face enough judgment in day, they don’t need more from me.

I can let them leave. There are days when all we need is a walk. A quick two minutes to resettle, to find room to breathe, to calm down even if we seem very calm on the outside. Teaching students to recognize when they need a break is something we should all be doing. If we teach younger students then finding a way for them to take a break safely is also important, even if they cannot leave the classroom on their own.

I can make it easy for them. I can write the date, I can write out homework, I can post my email address on the wall. I can make as many visual reminders as I can fit onto a board so that they can access it without asking. I can also create a website with all of the handouts, resources, and information they need to stay organized outside of school. That doesn’t mean they won’t pay attention in class.

I can welcome them. Even when it is inconvenient, even when I am busy. Just because a child seeks us out does not mean they need us to speak with them. On our team we often have students ask if they can simply work in our room. Yes! Please do, let me know if you need anything. Sometimes all a child needs to be successful is a safe place to work. If we cannot offer up our rooms, we often find another place.

I can ask a follow up question. On our team, we teach more than 120 students. Every day, we stand outside our doors and ask students how they are, how their evening was, how they are feeling. When a child answers, we ask a follow up question because it’s the second question that matters. That’s the one that shows we care, that’s the one that shows we are paying attention. Anyone can ask “How are you?,” but it takes time to say more.

The barriers we create in our rooms are often ones that we don’t even notice, yet it is within the smallest details of our days that students learn the most about us as people. It is when we take time to do the little things that we can make a huge difference. What are the small changes you will make?

aha moment, being a teacher, being me, ideas, new teacher, new year

The One Great Idea Promise

August 13, 2015 Pernille Ripp

School is nearly starting here in Wisconsin. Less than three weeks until we say hello. For some of my friends, it has already started and for others this is not the beginning of a new year. We are surrounded by the buzz of excitement that comes from starting anew. We are surrounded by the energy that will lift us up and carry us forward, led by dreams. We are surrounded by the myriad of ideas we have concocted, come across, and considered as we inch nearer to that first magical day.

But what do you do with an idea? to quote one of my favorite picture books. Because we have all of these ideas that we cannot wait to try. We have all of these ideas that will change the way we teach, change our students’ lives, and hopefully inspire change overall. We have so many ideas that we often overwhelm ourselves before we even begin.

So I give you the one great idea promise; promise yourself that you will hold on to just one idea and pursue it with every thing you’ve got. Find your essence, find your core, and hold on to that with every planning step you take. Write it out, hang it up, and keep it in the forefront whenever you plan. This is where your energy should go. That doesn’t mean to dismiss all of the other ideas you have, but to let them slide in when they fit. Write them down because you will forget them, but circle the one that will set apart this year from last. Find your one great idea and love it with all of your might.

We say we want to change the world, but sometimes we need to just change one thing. So find your thing and do it. Don’t give up because you didn’t do them all. The students don’t need you to do all things, they need you to do just one; love them and your job. The students await.

being a teacher, new teacher, parents

A Few Ideas for Parent Engagement

August 12, 2015 Pernille Ripp

Parent engagement is a natural component of the elementary experience, after all, with class parties, whole school events, and weekly newsletter, parents have an easy time becoming involved in their child’s education. Not only is parent involvement invited, it is expected and so schools and individual teachers create plenty of opportunities for parents to be involved.

Yet, with the gradual release of responsibility as students age, parent involvement becomes less and less of a focus. We expect them to still be involved but not nearly as present. Not nearly as informed. After all, their children should be growing into responsible teens, which I agree with, however, not all children are ready to be left to their own devices. So rather than an expectation of parent involvement in the upper grades, how about an invitation instead? Here are a few ideas to do just that.

The beginning of year parent survey. Parents know their children best so we need to tap into that goldmine at every age. It doesn’t have to be long, mine this year is 5 questions, but at least it gives parents a chance to communicate with us as we start the year.

The weekly newsletter. This bastion of elementary classrooms does have a place in our older classes, but keep it short and to the point. My team does a bullet point version of things parents can ask their child about and also an update on upcoming deadlines and projects. If parents would like more information, they can access our website.

A beyond-the-homework website. We have a website that yes lists homework, but it also gives team information, school announcements, helpful tips, as well as has a Google calendar where everything we are aware of for school is listed. Parents can subscribe to it and get the news delivered via email.

Morning/Evening events. This year I will be inviting parents along with their children in for literacy mornings or evenings where we will discuss books, view book trailers and such. Perhaps none will show up but I want to create the opportunity either way.

The positive notes or phone calls. It is hard to reach out to 120+ parents so split it up as a team if possible. Keep a master list of who has had positive news about their child shared with them via email, phone call, or post card.

Go beyond the twice a year conference. Every few months I invite parents to set up meetings with me to discuss the progress and goals of their child. Not many take me up on it, however, they have the opportunity to come in if they would like. And yes, that is me spending my time outside of hours to meet with parents but it is completely worth it in the end.

Weekly emails. I send home a weekly email or so to parents discussing all things English, I keep it short and sweet and I post it on our blog too. Parents can choose to delete it if they would like, I would rather have parents feel over-informed than under-informed.

Learn their names. This is a not an event but a process. I have a hard time keeping track of all of the names but I think it speaks volumes to know who it is I am speaking to. When I don’t know I simply ask, I would rather admit it then pretend to know.

Keep learning transparent. I try to post pictures and video from our classroom as much as possible so that parents can see what we are doing. This year I plan on doing more of this as I feel more secure as a 7th grade teacher. Again, they don’t have to view it, but at least it is there.

Open door policy. I know that most parents are too busy to stop by but the point is; they can if they want to. While I cannot stop teaching and speak to them, they can at least get a glimpse of what we are doing and how engaged their child is.

Staying connected and nice. I know that we teach many students, I am up to 120 some I think, yet, for a parent you are only teaching their child. So stay humble, stay nice, stay inviting, and if you mess up; admit it. Having a teacher that truly cares about their child is on the wish list of every parent, even as they age.

What other ideas do you have?

being a teacher, community, parents

It Is Not Just Student Relationship We Should Worry About

August 11, 2015August 11, 2015 Pernille Ripp

Today our incoming 7th graders found out which teachers they will have. I hope they are happy. I hope they are excited. I hope they have heard wonderful things about our team. I know we can’t wait. Today was also the day that Thea, my now 1st grader, found out her teacher, a moment that was exciting yet filled with questions as well. Will her teacher “get” her? Will she love school? Will this be another incredible school year for her? What will my role be as a parent of a 1st grader?

For years I have tried to create a welcoming environment for all the people that are attached to our classroom. For years I have tried, along with my team, to create spaces where parents/guardians can feel like they have a voice, are welcome, and also can engage in tough dialogue with us when needed. It is something that we pride ourselves on because it has not just happened, we have had to work at it knowing that parent/guardian relationship is vital to a child’s success. So I was dumbfounded when I came across an article titled “Ten Types of Parents that Teachers Secretly Hate.” I read it (I won’t link it here because I don’t feel like giving it traffic) and I was so disappointed in it. Is this really what we as educators want to tell parents? That we secretly hate them when they are involved in their child’s education? That if they don’t follow our rules for engagement then we will complain about them behind their backs? Is this even what we want to be told as parents? That teachers secretly label us and hate some of us?

Yet, it wasn’t just the labeling of the various types of parents that upset me, it was the complete disregard for the cause behind this behavior. There was no discussion of why a parent might be over-involved, might be absent, might be going straight to the principal rather than us. There was no acknowledgement of what can lead to these types of parental behavior that we “secretly hate.” No discussion of what a poor school experience can do to future relationships.

I have worked alongside many types of parents and guardians. Some have been wonderful interactions, others have been tough. Some led me to tears while others led to great moments of joy. I am thankful for every single interaction I have had, even if it was a hard one, because each one has made me grow as a teacher. And sometimes the hardest ones have been the ones I have grown the most from.

So before we assume that parents are a certain way to annoy us, to discount us, to somehow make our workdays harder, how about we assume that all parents/guardians want what is best for their child? How about we assume that the reason they approach us in a certain way is because that is what they have had to do in the past? How about we assume that they may be absent because circumstance is keeping them from our schools, not choices? How about we afford them the benefit of the doubt and try to get o know them before we label them as being a certain way.

Much like we try to uncover the past of our students to find out how it affects them now, we should also be trying to uncover the pasts of the adults attached to them. I am sure I will meet many of the archetypes of parents listed in the article in the coming year, but what I won’t do is assume that I know why. What I won’t do is hate them. What good will ever come from that?

We all know relationships matter most when it comes to a successful school year, so why not actively build a relationship with adults as well? It starts now, not when something comes up, not when it is too late. What will you do to reach out to them before they reach out to you?

PS: I posted my welcome parent survey today, I cannot wait to read their answers.

advice, aha moment, being a teacher, new teacher, new year

6 Things New Teachers Remind Me to Do Every Year

August 6, 2015 Pernille Ripp

You can usually spot a new teacher a mile away. There is just something about the way they talk about the upcoming year, how they hold themselves, and even the very air that surrounds them. So much joy, so much enthusiasm, mixed with a certain air of fear. Right now seems to be the time where people start talking about all the mistakes new teachers make their first year and pass on advice to them whether they need it or not. Yet, every year I learn so much from the new teachers I meet. Every year they teach lessons to me.

Be enthusiastic. The joy that comes with teaching your very first year is one we should chase after every year. We should love teaching, not take it for granted, not get caught up in the misery of all of the outside things that make teaching difficult. Let’s all be excited that we have a job and that we will get to do what we love so much for another year.
Ask questions. New teachers know that they don’t have all of the answers so they ask a lot of questions. As a veteran teacher, I sometimes think that I should know all of the answer so I feel stupid asking many questions. Yet teaching is about learning and we stop learning when we stop asking questions. Ask away and don’t be embarresed if you don’t know something, embrace that you are learning.
Know their students names. My first year of teaching I spent hours memorizing names with faces so that on the first day of school I knew all of my students by name. This small gesture of respect went a long way in building classroom community. As a middle school teacher, I have a lot more names to memorize – I think I am up to 136 students this year – and yet I have started looking at their pictures already. I want to know all of their names by the end of the first week, no later.
Say”Why not?” a lot. First year teachers tend to question many things we see as established norms, and sometimes I think veteran teachers, myself included, can get a little bit offended when something we hold near and dear is questioned. Yet it is in this questioning that we start to discuss new ideas, we find inspiration, and we change the way we teach. we should all be asking “Why not?” a lot more than we are.
Stay true to our noble intentions. I became a teacher to help students become better people, yet within my first few years, I lost sight of that. New teachers joining our profession may seem idealistic or delusional to some, yet within their dreams is something we should all be chasing; the belief that what we do matters. The belief that we can make a difference. That we can create schools that students actually want to be a part of.
Make connections. As a new teacher you don’t know that many people so all year you are trying to find your tribe. yet, often, we settle into our patterns of who we speak to and shut ourselves off from the rest of our community when instead we should be continuing to make connections as often as possible. why can’t you know all of the people in your school? Why not reach out across your district? While it is nice to have people that know you well, make sure you make connections with new people as well. You never know who will become a part of your tribe.

If you are a new teacher reading this, welcome, this is truly the best job in the world. May you love it this much or more each year you teach. And if you are a veteran like me; I hope your year is filled with wonder, with laughs, and with joy. We are lucky to be teachers, even if the world sometimes seems to be against us.