Category: being a teacher

advice, aha moment, Be the change, being a teacher, being me, learning, Reading, Student

How to Break the Rules Gently – Creating Experiences that Protect the Love of Learning

Pernille Ripp

In true EdCamp Style, Nerdcamp yesterday was all about the collaborative sessions.  I, alongside Donalyn Miller (!) ended up facilitating one of my all-time favorite sessions ever  “How to Break the Rules Gently –  Creating Experiences that Protect the Love of Reading.”  I tried to tweet as much of the advice shared as I could but thought a follow up post would be in order as well.

Let’s face it, we have all worked within systems that went against our beliefs in some way.  Whether we were told to follow curriculum we didn’t believe in, follow rules that broke our hearts, or even just compromise in a way we never thought were would.  Being an educator often means we are wondering how to protect the love of reading in our classroom, the love of school.  And not because people intentionally set out to destroy either of these things but sometimes decisions are made that have unintended consequences.  So do you work within  a system that has rules or curriculum that you want to change or break?  How do you create change when it’s just you fighting?

You know your research.  One of the quickest ways to keep a teacher quiet is to say something is research-based.  So you have to know your own research says Donalyn Miller.  You have to be willing to ask to see the research, and then counter with your own.  Stay current, stay knowledgable and don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Donalyn recommends the book Creating Lifelong Readers Through Independent Reading by Barbara Moss & Terrell Young as a great place to start.  I ordered it yesterday.  You also don’t say that you are “just” a teacher said Leah Whitford.  You are a teacher, you have power.

You inform parents.  Most parents think that what we choose to do in school is always in the best interest of the child, but this is not necessarily true.  So have a classroom website where you describe what you are doing in class, what students have do, and also the requirements you are faced with.  this is not to complain but rather to inform, because parents cannot speak up if they don’t know what is going on.

You speak kindly.  I used to think change would happen with a sledgehammer approach but ow know that just stops people from listening to you.  It is not that you should be quiet, or not be passionate, but you will get much further with a kind approach where you validate others in the process in furthering real change.

You compromise.  We all think what we are doing is in the best interest of our students, so connect with others and share ideas.  Withhold judgment when you can, but always share what is happening in your room and offer resources.  Don’t claim for it to be the best, but simply share.  Be willing to use others’ ideas as well and compromise on your team.  That doesn’t mean you have given up your ideals, it means you are an adult working with other people.

You find your tribe.  If you cannot find someone in your school that shares your same ideas, look to other schools in  your district, look in your county, and obviously look online.  The Nerdy Book Club is a great place to start.  However, having local connections to keep you sane and invested is a must as well.  It is important that you know you are not alone in your corner of the world, but you have to search these people out.  They may be scared to speak up like you.

You work within the system.  When I was told I had to do reading logs, I had students do them right in class right after independent reading.  I was still doing what I was told but not sending them home.  So find ways to work within the rules that may be imposed on you if you cannot break them completely.

You find your core beliefs.  Figure out what your core beliefs are or values within the classroom, write them up, hang them up and then make every decision based on those.  I think the visual reminder of what you are fighting for will help you pick your battles as well as lead the way.

You are willing to let go.  Sometimes something we love does not fit the purpose anymore, so if you are asking others to change you have to be willing to change yourself.  Even if you spent money on it.  Because money doesn’t equal qulity or great ides or passionate students.

You find out the reason why.  Often when new things are imposed on us, such as leveling a library or doing a reading log, there is a bigger reason behind it.  Find out what that is so that you can try to find other ways to reach that same goal.  So for example if you are told to level your library, if it is for students to be able to self-select “just right” books then explore other ways to achieve that.  Present these ideas and be ready to discuss why these may be a better fit.  As Donalyn said, “Everything we do is a scaffold toward independence – that’s the end game.”

You stop assuming.  We are terribly good at assuming why rules are made or how administrators will react to us.  And yet, often our assumptions are wrong.  So have courageous conversations.  Ask gentle questions and try to broach the subject.  You may be surprised when you find an ally rather than an enemy.

You involve your students.  The biggest advocates for independent reading time in my 7th grade classroom are my student, hands down.  So offer them ways such as on blogs, vide, Twitter, newsletters or whatever else you can think of to spread the message about the things they love in your classroom.  If you want parents onboard, get their kid excited about school!

You work together.  Invite others in to see the classroom environment you have created.  Ask other teachers to come in and observe if they want, admin even though you don’t have, get the special ed teacher to be a part of the movement or any other special teacher you can.  Involve your librarian, they are a reading warrior if I ever met one.  Bring in parents, have family nights.  Find a way to spread the positive image of your class so that others will fight for it as well.

You stay persistent and passionate.  Don’t confuse passion with anger, although it is okay to get angry sometimes.  But stay passionate and persistent in your goal to protect students, stay on top of your reasons for doing things, stay up-to-date on research, and stay down to earth.  No one wants to listen to anyone who thinks they are better than others.  Don’t give up, real change can take a long time, but we must stay at it.  Even if it seems like you are totally alone and no one is listening.  As Jen Vincent said; “You never know what will come of a conversation you have.”

advice, aha moment, being a teacher, being me, Reading

Enough – My Nerdtalk for #NerdCampMi

Pernille Ripp

Yesterday I had the incredible honor of declaring myself a reading warrior along with hundreds of other passionate nerdcampers.  Thanks to the awesome Erin Klein,this Ignite/Nerdtalk from Nerdcamp 2015 is below.    If you have never experienced Nerdcamp, you need to put a huge “X” in your calendar for next year.  It was absolutely incredible to be surrounded by people who are as passionate about literacy as I am.  We will change literacy instruction if we band together!  Thank you to Colby, Alaina, Suzanne and all of the other incredible people that put this event together.

PS:  Due to the slides not working you will see me filling 3 minutes of awkward silence with my stand up routine – luckily I think I am better teacher than stand up.

I am a passionate teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin, USA but originally from Denmark,  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.  The second edition of my first book “Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students” is available for pre-order now.   Second book“Empowered Schools, Empowered Students – Creating Connected and Invested Learners” is out now from Corwin Press.  Join our Passionate Learners community on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

aha moment, Be the change, being a teacher, being me, MIEExpert15, Passion, student voice

This Is For the Kids

Pernille Ripp

This is for the kids who made me cry.  Who wore me out, who tore me down.  This is for the kids who wondered why.   Who dared to speak, who dared to question.  This is for the kids that didn’t give up, that saw something in me I would have never seen myself.  Who questioned persistently, who had the audacity to say they were bored.  And who never ever thought that school should be about the teachers and not about the kids.

Those kids that may be “hard” to teach.  Those kids that are definitely hard to reach.  Those kids with their chips, their baggage, their grudges.  Who couldn’t think that this was what school was meant to be, who didn’t believe that it couldn’t get better.  Who pushed me and pulled me, who got angry at times.  This is for you kids, and I hope you know who you are, because without your courage to speak up, I wouldn’t write.  I wouldn’t speak, and I wouldn’t be a better teacher.

So this is for the kids who dared to dream that being a student in our schools could be more than it was.  Who through their defiance shattered my illusion that I was a good teacher and drove me to become better.  This is for you, for all of you, who instead of giving up, got angry, who instead of fitting in, stuck out.  You gave me the reason to change.  Thank you for being those kids to me.

I am a passionate teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin, USA but originally from Denmark,  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.  The second edition of my first book “Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students” is available for pre-order now.   Second book“Empowered Schools, Empowered Students – Creating Connected and Invested Learners” is out now from Corwin Press.  Join our Passionate Learners community on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

aha moment, Be the change, being a teacher, ideas, Passion, student voice

How Dare You Teach Our Students to Speak Up?!

Pernille Ripp

I used to be afraid of what the next year’s teachers thought.  Of how I would be judged.  Of how they would roll their eyes when I spoke of the dreams I had for my students, of the voice I was trying to give them.  Of how they questioned everything I did.  I still remember the day I was told that I was not helping students, but hurting them instead, and how dared I tell students to question the every education we were providing.

And so I stopped.  For a few days any way as I licked my wounds and cried at home.  Because how I had become that teacher that instigated, disrupted, and told students that if their education was not working for them then they had to speak up.  How had I become a teacher who told students to question?

But my students didn’t.  They still questioned me, stopping me and asking what the purpose of something was, asking if they could do it in a different way, if they could change, break, create, or even skip.  And in their fight for a better education I realized that no matter what the next year’s teachers had thought, I had to support that fight.  That my students had the right to create a ruckus when the education being given to them was not working,

So instead of telling them to just speak up and question, I taught them to do it kindly but persistently.  That there were ways they could ask their questions without being seen as dissenters. at all times  That they had a right to ask and that they needed to involve themselves in the education that was happening to them.  They had a right to an education that would work for them.

And within the courage of my students, I found my own courage.  Reclaimed it and held my head up high again.  Because the question should not have been why I dared to have students question their own education, but instead how I dared being an educator that didn’t…  Where is your courage?

PS:  In my district now this does not happen, next year’s teachers are some of the biggest supporters of student voice that I have ever met.

I am a passionate teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin, USA but originally from Denmark,  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.  The second edition of my first book “Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students” is available for pre-order now.   Second book“Empowered Schools, Empowered Students – Creating Connected and Invested Learners” is out now from Corwin Press.  Join our Passionate Learners community on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

being a teacher, being me

Passionate Learners – My ISTE 2015 Ignite

Pernille Ripp

On Sunday, I had the incredible privilege to give an Ignite speech at ISTE 2015.  An Ignite is a 5 minute speech with 20 slides where they automatically advance every 20 seconds.  I have never been to ISTE and I have never given one of these before, so I took a chance and spoke about what it means to break the rules a little…

If you are wondering how you can break the rules to create a classroom full of passionate learners, the 2nd edition of my book Passionate Learners is being released on September 22nd!

I am a passionate teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin, USA but originally from Denmark,  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.  The second edition of my first book “Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students” is available for pre-order now.   Second book“Empowered Schools, Empowered Students – Creating Connected and Invested Learners” is out now from Corwin Press.  Join our Passionate Learners community on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

being a teacher, Passion, teachers

Before You Give Up On “Those” Teachers

Pernille Ripp

We have all heard of them; those teachers.  Those teachers with their negativity.  Those teachers with their fixed mindset.  Those teachers that don’t like children, that don’t like change, that will always, always be the one who says no.  Those teachers are at every school, often with the strongest voices, often with the most power.  And we cannot wait for them to quit.

Yet, before we give up on those teachers, before we push them out, write them off, and definitely talk behind their back, stop for just a minute.  Because those teachers had a dream once.  Those teachers came into this profession wanting to inspire, to change, to create.  They didn’t come to be the naysayers or the ones that brought us down.  They came into this profession wanting to be the very best teachers they could be.  To reach every kid and truly make a difference.  To be the type of teacher that kids don’t forget, that leave their door open,and that try to and try and try.  And yet, along the way something happened.  And that something changed them at their very core.  Changed their dreams and their optimism.  Changed them to become something they never thought thy would be.

And here’s the thing.  We will never know what that something is for a person.  We will never know how many times they stood up and fought until to be broken down.  We will never know how many times they were told to find their place, stay quiet, and keep their dreams to themselves.  We will never know what path they walked to take them where they are now.

So before you give up on those teachers take a moment and ask; why did you become a teacher?  What was your dream?  What happened and what can I do?

Because those teachers are just like us, they just got a little lost.  They don’t need to be pushed out, they need to be re-found.  So do your share, don’t give up, because just like we continue to find new ways to reach all students, we need to find ways to reach all teachers.

I am a passionate teacher in Oregon, Wisconsin, USA but originally from Denmark,  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.  The second edition of my first book “Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students” is available for pre-order now.   Second book“Empowered Schools, Empowered Students – Creating Connected and Invested Learners” is out now from Corwin Press.  Join our Passionate Learners community on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.