being me – Page 23 – Pernille Ripp

Someone’s Beginning

December 19, 2015December 19, 2015 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

You wouldn’t know by looking at me that my body is broken. That for years we tried to have a child, only to fail. That it was not until the doctors intervened that my body finally worked for a little bit, enough to have Theadora. Enough to give us the biggest gift one can get. We thought I was fixed, but I wasn’t. We lost one in between Theadora and the twins; a dream disappeared followed by so many unanswerable questions. For years we hoped, and for every pregnancy I had, sadness, fear, and the unknown seemed to come along.

You wouldn’t know that my youngest daughter, Augustine, really should not be alive. That her conception should not have been possible. That my body did everything it could to get rid of her. That she was born almost 10 weeks early, 2 years ago today. That she was born so fast that the nurse caught her and rushed her away from us. You wouldn’t know that for 6 weeks our breaths were held as she fought to grow in the NICU. That the beeps and the alarms followed us home and I would wake in the middle of the night, wondering if she was breathing. That when we left the NICU with her, she weighed 5 pounds and I thought the doctors had made a mistake; surely something this fragile could not be ok.

But she is. She is strong. She is bright. She is stubborn. She is ok.

When she goes to school, no one will know how fragile her beginning was. When she goes to learn, no one will know that we were told that she may have learning disabilities because my body forced her into this world too early. Nobody will know how many brain scans she had to have to make sure that there had been no damage.

Every child that comes to us has a beginning. A story we do not know. A story that may still shape them to this day. A story that is hidden and yet still plays a part in their life.

Don’t forget the story. You never know how much someone’s beginning plays a part in their now. We do not just teach children for one year, but we teach them for all of their years. Even the years, we did not know them.

Happy birthday, Augustine. May you continue to astonish us with your strength, your spirit. May you continue to be perfectly average, because we never wanted anything more.

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook. We kick off January 10th.

aha moment, being a teacher, being me, Literacy, questions, Reading, student choice

The Questions to Ask When The Kids Aren’t Reading

December 17, 2015December 17, 2017 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

I met my first book abandoner my very first year of teaching. Yet, he was not your average run of the mill book abandoner. No, he was the “look you straight in the eye and ask you what you are going to do about it” kind of abandoner. So I did what I knew best; forced him to read the book and not allow him to abandon it. And he did what he knew best; fake read for a good amount of time, skimmed a few pages, and failed the book report as well as the presentation. Repeat with every book. I don’t think he ever read anything beside Diary of A Wimpy Kid that year, and that was even under the radar.

Everyone has these types of readers. The ones that abandon because they hate to read. The ones that abandon because they cannot find a great book. The ones that abandon because they get bored. Some years we have a lot, others not so many. So how can we heal break the abandonment cycle? How can we help these kids help themselves? Well, there are a few questions we can ask.

Do they have choice? Because if they don’t, then that is the very first place we start. And not limited choice based on levels or lexiles, but real honest-to-goodness choice where they get to pick their reading materials.

Do they have time? If little time is given to reading then we are expecting them to do something they may not like outside of school. The chances of that happening are pretty slim.

Do they have access? We know that students need great books in their hands. We know students need great libraries, but they also need books in our classrooms. And not old, worn out books, but new, enticing, high-interest books that they can check out easily.

Do they have people? Is it cool to not be a reader in their friend group? Who do they have to talk books to? Do they have reading role models that extend beyond the teacher? Get them connected in a meaningful way with others that read.

Do they have reason to read? And by that, I don’t mean because of a prize or a reward. Do they see any kind of gain from reading? Is anything positive connected to the art of reading? Will it actually make their lives better or is it just one more thing to do?

Do they have different ways to read? Reading is not just done with our eyes but also with our ears, so if a child is constantly abandoning books get them hooked on an incredible audio book. This has changed the reading path of several of my students in a profound way.

Are they hiding their true ability? I have taught several students that could ace their reading assessment, mostly because it had been given to them so many times, and yet had a large gap in their skills. So is their book abandonment masking a larger problem such as not actually understanding what they are reading or not having the stamina to stay with the story?

Are we making them do things that kill their love of reading? When students abandon books a lot, it is a sure sign that we need to reflect on our own practices. And not just skim over that reflection and pretend that everything must be ok. Are reading logs killing their love of reading? Are programs liked Accelerated Reader or LLI? Are we constantly asking them to do things with their reading?

Have we asked them? This is the biggest because too often we try to figure out why a child is abandoning books and we never ask them why. Not beyond the “What didn’t you like about it?” So instead we must give the students a chance to discuss or reflect and really start to study their own habits. What patterns do they see? What types of books might they like to read? What can they do to change their habits? Students need to feel empowered in their self-reflection because otherwise, their pattern won’t change. They also need to set goals and then be able to honestly assess their own progress.

Do they see themselves in the books? Such an important question asked by Dr. Jenn Davis Bowman. Because we need diverse books for all of our kids and if students cannot connect with what we have in our library then they will not read.

If you like what you read here, consider reading my newest book, Passionate Readers – The Art of Reaching and Engaging Every Child, out August 2017. This book focuses on the five keys we can implement into any reading community to strengthen student reading experiences, even within the 45 minute English block. If you are looking for solutions and ideas for how to re-engage all of your students consider reading my very first book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

aha moment, being a teacher, being me, books, Literacy, Reading

On Reading Logs

December 13, 2015November 3, 2018 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

I write this post not to shun, not to rage, and not to put down. I write this post not to say what is right or wrong, but instead to add a little tiny piece to the ongoing discussion of where reading logs may or may not fit into our classrooms. Of the damage and the usefulness of reading logs. This is not a post with absolutes, or at least, I don’t think it will be. Instead, it is a post meant for discussion.

I have written before on my complicated relationship with reading logs; from being a teacher who demanded all students fill them out, to a teacher who threw them out, to a teacher who was asked to use them as part of their teaching, to a teacher whose students asked them to stop, to a parent who has signed them. I have written about what to do instead of a reading log. But I have never written about how to use them better. Because I don’t like reading logs, there I said it, but at the same time, there are so many teachers that do, great teachers that care about children’s love of reading, and there are even teachers that have to use them. And I don’t feel that shaming others will further the conversations.

My biggest issue with reading logs comes from the inherent lack of trust that they communicate; we do not trust you to read every night, we do not trust you to read long enough, we do not trust you to grow as a reader, so fill out this paper instead. And while I could write a whole post on that, I think Jessica Lifshitz did a much better job on it than I ever will.

And yet, I also see the value in getting a window into the reading lives of a student. I see the value of having students understand their own reading habits so they can figure out how to grow. To mine their own data so to speak in order for them to discover new patterns and new goals. So what can we do, if we have to use reading logs (or we want to) to make them better for students?

Ask the students. Ask the students their feelings on reading logs and consider their feedback carefully. If most of your students think this tool will help them become stronger readers then work one out with them. For those that are opposed to them, figure something else out. If we truly want students to fully embrace the opportunities that we say can be found within a reading log then we need to make sure they have buy in as well. Create reading logs that are meaningful to the students, which means that they will probably look different from year to year, based on the students we teach.

Ask the parents. I will flat out tell you that I will sign whatever I have to from school. I will not count the minutes, I hate writing down titles because we read a lot, and I do not see much value in her logging her reading every night. If you want proof, ask me in an email or in conversations, but do not make me sign a piece of paper. If some parents like reading logs then by all means work out a system with them, but exempt the other parents since more than likely they will probably not be invested anyway.

Differentiate. For the kids that do want a reading log, find out what it is they would like to gain from it. I have a few students that love coming in every Monday and writing down the titles of the books they read or abandoned over the weekend (that is all they keep track of plus a rating). For those kids their record keeping is a way for them to remember what they have read and whether they liked it or not. They do not keep track of minutes or anything like that, we discuss that in our written reading reflections that we do once in a while or face to face. So find out what it is that the students like about logging their reading, if it is the reward that is attached to it then that should be a huge warning sign.

Keep it in class. When I had to do a reading log in my former district, we kept it in class. Students were asked to write down title and for how long they were focused on the book right after independent reading. That way, organization and parent follow up were removed from the equation and all kids (and me) were following the district expectation.

Stop rewarding. If reading logs really are meant as a way to investigate ones’ own reading habits then stop tying in rewards with them. The reward is in the reading, not the ticket, not the pizza, not the trinket. Ever.

Make it an experiment. If you like using reading log to find out student habits, then do it as a 2 week experiment with all students. Have them for 2 weeks keep track of when, where, what, and how much they read and then have daily or weekly conversations and reflections on what they discover. Set tangible goals from that. Do it periodically throughout the year if you really want this to be seen as a learning opportunity, that way students can see a value in tracking their reading life this way. If you have them do it all year, most students lose interest and will not see it as an opportunity to grow but just as one more thing to do.

Leave time for reflection. Rather than log, we reflect. My students set monthly reading goals and then at the end of the month they reflect on how they did. The students and I will meet and discuss formally and informally and this is what I use for my vantage point into their reading life. I ask them to tell me what they are working on and they do.

Don’t forget the purpose of reading logs. If the purpose is to help students grow as readers then make sure that the very act of filling out a reading log, with or without parent signature, is not damaging that purpose. It is often when we set up more processes for students in order to help them read better that we lose them as readers. When kids spend more time doing things attached to reading, rather than the act of reading we have a problem.

In the end, in our pursuit to establish classrooms filled with passionate readers, we must make sure that the things we do, even little parts of our day like reading logs, do not do more harm than good. That we fit our processes around our students, rather than the other way around. That we continue to debate, question, and consider as we decide what to invest our time in. And that we always, and I mean always, ask the students what they think. Even the little ones, they have a voice that matters too.

For all my ramblings on reading logs, here is where to start.

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook. We kick off January 10th.

Be the change, being a teacher, being me

This Is For the Ones

December 11, 2015 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

This is for the mothers that worry about their children and how they will do in school. This is for the fathers that lay awake hoping that their children will be loved. For the grandparents that believe. For the families that see the good every day, every moment, even when we know we are sometimes fooling ourselves.

This is for all of us that hope every night that tomorrow our child will have the best of days. That tomorrow their day will be filled with moments where they feel cared for. Where they feel loved. Where they feel they belong. Where they feel that even if they screw up, they will be forgiven. That even if they fail, they will have room to try again.

That their past mistakes will not chart the path of their future.

That their moments of poor decisions will not define who they are.

That others will see the good like we see the good.

This is for the teachers that ask us parents how they can help rather than judge.

For the teachers who call, not because they want to scold, but because they want to know more.

For the teachers who reach out. For the teachers who ask. For the teachers that see every day as a new beginning rather than a continuation of poor past behavior.

This is for you. For all of you. For those who refuse to have the outside world shape the narrative of their child. For those that help us be better so that our kids can be better.

For those who believe that while we cannot change the teachers our children have, we can change the narrative that surrounds our children. That our words carry power. That our words are a shield. That when we speak the truth, even when its ugly, we let others see the beauty that we see in our children, even when they screw up, even when they are less than perfect.

This is for all those former bad kids, whose label preceded them in school.

We have power. Our words have power. Let’s never forget that. Let’s never let our children forget.

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook. We kick off January 10th.

being a teacher, being me, Dream

Before I Set Out to Change the World

December 6, 2015 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

I never set out to be more than a teacher , to be a speaker, an author, as someone who people ask for advice. In fact, I still find the whole thing confounding, dumbfounded over how in the world I got so lucky to get to be inspired by so many others. To get to teach teachers, to learn with others, and to bring those things back to the incredible students I teach at the school I call home. And yet within this awestruck notion of being more is the truth of me; I may be many things, but the one thing I am first is the teacher to my own students.

So before I set out to change the world, I must first change the very classroom that I teach in. I must make sure that what I say I hold so dear is not just a stepping stone for bigger things.

Before I set out to change the world, I must make sure that the very thing that has given me the courage to speak up is still the very thing that gets the best of me. That the students, whose dreams I am trying to protect, are still the most important part.

Before I ask others to listen to the voice of their students, I must give my own students a place to speak up, to be heard, and plenty of time for them to find the words they need to share.

Before I ask others to change, I must change myself. Reflect on my own mistakes and become better. Reflect so I can grow and not pretend that I have all of the answers or all of the power.

Before I set out to change the world, I must make sure that the words I speak are the truth. That what my students and I do really is making a difference for the better. That what we say we do is really what we do and not just what we hope to do.

Before I tell others how to teach better, I must make sure I am a better teacher. That my teaching is not a point on the to-do list, but is the thing that challenges me in the very best kind of way. That my teaching really allows my students to be empowered, be engaged, be passionate.

Before I give others all of me, I must make sure that I have something to give to my students. That I take the time to get their lessons right. That I take the time to make it work for them before I share. That I take the time to make the time to be present when I teach and not think of the world that lies beyond. Because in our room, room 235D, I am not the teacher of the world. I am not an author. I am not a speaker. I am not the creator of the Global Read Aloud. I am the teacher of those 7th grade students that show up to English every day at Oregon Middle School. And that is the very best thing for me.

If you like what you read here, consider reading my book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

administration, aha moment, being a teacher, being me, principals

Dear Administrators – After the Observation

December 3, 2015 Pernille Schmidt Ripp

For many years, I have been told that I am a great teacher. In fact, the first time I was told that was my second observation as a brand-new teacher. Ironic considering I did not feel great at all. I was told that I knew what I was doing, that it seemed like I was on the right path. And while it certainly made me happy to have gone through my observation unscathed and even with a compliment, it also confused me. How could I be a great teacher if I was so new? How could I not have things to work on in the classroom? How could this be the epitome of great?

So for years, I always hoped for feedback that I could use. For questions that would make me grow. Sometimes ideas were shared, most of the time they were not as administrators were overwhelmed with even more things to do. And so I found my own professional development. I tore myself apart trying to figure out what I needed to work on. I reached out to others so that I could grow. But I always hoped that one day I would work for an administrator that would push me as well.

Last year, was my first year as a 7th grade teacher, and my first observation left me sleepless and nauseated. After all, it was pretty clear to me (and the world) that 7th grade was so far out of my comfort zone and was my biggest challenge yet, and there was so much for me to still learn. I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know what would be observed that I may have missed, I didn’t know what would be said after.

So it was with great anticipation I went to my post-observation meeting with my principal. Anticipation because I longed to be given advice, to be pushed to reflect, to not just be told the good things but to find a path to grow. And I was not disappointed. While my principal pointed out the great, she also asked me to reflect. She gave me ideas that I could try for things she had seen that I had not. She left me articles and emailed me blog posts as she tried to support my growth. That was the first time in 7 years that someone had done that for me. That was the first time that someone said; yes, you have room to grow, even if you are good, and here are some ideas.

So to all of you incredible administrators out there, to all of you who observe. Please push us. Please guide us. Please tell us the great, but then also please tell us the things we need to improve on. Give us articles that may help, blog posts, videos, take the time to help us reflect and grow. Make it as big of a deal for you as it is for us.

Stay current yourself so that you can pass on the information to others. If you have never taught a grade level or subject that you have to observe, please learn about it. Do not assume that your experience will be enough. Please become knowledgeable so that we can use you as a mentor. Be a role model when it comes to learning and growth and share your knowledge freely. My principal, Shannon Anderson, is the epitome of lifelong learning. She is not afraid to admit when she does not know something, but she will always jump right in with you to find out. And she is not alone, I know others like her, but I also know some that are not.

I know I am asking a lot. I know that administrators have so much to do already, and yet, the role of observer and mentor is one to be cherished, one to be nurtured. To have the ability to influence someone else’s professional growth is not something that should be shoved to the bottom of a much too long to-do list. Instead, make it your passion, realize the potential influence you can exert and use that power for good.

Being told what to work on was not a slap in the face, not when done correctly, instead it was a chance for me to re-evaluate practices that I had forgotten about. To reexamine some things I thought I had figured out. It was a chance for me to learn. A chance to grow. A chance to not just be great but be better. And better is what I strive for every day.