Category: being me

being me, global, MIEExpert15, mystery skype, student voice

A Few Ideas for Using Skype in the Classroom

Pernille Schmidt Ripp

There are technology tools that come along and make your day easier, that make your day better.  There are technology tools that integrate themselves so seamlessly into your lessons that you soon forget what life was like before.  There are tools that you know you can rely on whenever you need them.  And then there are tools that encompass all that and oh so much more.  Tools that elevate your teaching ideas to places you never thought they could have gone.  That’s how I feel about Skype.  Skype and I have been faithful friends for the past 16 years, ever since I moved to America, but our relationship really deepened 5 years ago when I brought it into the classroom.

So why has Skype been such a central piece of my classroom?  Because it is free, efficient, easy to use, and opens up a world of possibility that I never could physically bring into my classroom, yet through its power and immense network I can.  Skype simply makes what we are doing better.  It gives us audiences, authors, experts.  It connects us with places around the world and gives my students a way to change the world.

So what are some of our best ideas?

Students speak to author Adam Gidwitz
Students speak to author Adam Gidwitz

How about using Skype to do market research?  We did just that in our epic nonfiction picture book project where the students had to write a book catered to a K and 1st grade audience.  So voila, through the magic of Skype we spoke to several classrooms throughout North America and learned what we need to learn to make our books so much better.

How about speaking with an author?  This has always been one of my favorite ways to use Skype since so many authors speak to classrooms either completely free or for very cheap.  It is powerful for students to see the genius behind their most favorite books and only heightens their experience with the book.  Did you know that the incredible Kate Messner has a list of authors who Skype for free?

How about working on geography skills while building community?  That is exactly what playing Mystery Skype has done for my students.  If you have never tried this simple guessing game, please make sure you plan one this year.  They are so easy to plan and incredible to be a part of. This is always one of the most favorite things my students do throughout the year.

How about having students teach others how to do something?  My students have used Skype to teach others how to blog and how to play Mystery Skype.  They have been teachers for other classes and other teachers.  Think of the power in that!

How about using it to share book recommendations?  As summer nears, my students are adding books to their “Plan to read” lists and a great way to get more suggestions is by scheduling Skype calls with other students eager to recommend great books.  This is a great way to get new suggestions both for my students and for my own classroom library and it seems to hold more power when it is a student-to-student recommendation rather than just me book-talking.

How about bringing an audience to you?  It would cost a lot of money for my students to visit an elementary school to perform or speak, but via Skype our audience can come to us.  So whenever the chance exists, I try to bring in a live audience through the camera.  Having the live audience ups my students’ performance and gives us a way to connect with others.

How about learning about other cultures?  I think we often think that every call has to be planned out and structured but sometimes just giving students tim e to  speak to other students can be exciting within itself.  One of my classes spoke to a school in inner-city New York, something I did not think would mean much to them because it was not out of the country, but the experience rattled them.  They could not believe how different their school and community was from theirs.  That call cemented something that I had been telling them all year but that they didn’t quite believe; America is a very diverse nation indeed.

How about to raise awareness?  My students have used Skype calls to raise awareness about the “R” words, bullying, and other issues near and dear to their heart.  Again, by providing them with a platform to spread their message that extends beyond our classroom walls, they see the significance that their words may carry.

And finally, how about to learn something more?  With the massive network of experts that Skype In the Classroom provides it has never been easier to bring in someone who knows more than me to help the students learn.  All I have to do is search for what I need and I can almost always find someone who matches that.  I love showcasing new fields of information to the students, and they love getting to ask even the weirdest questions.

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 ourPassionate Learners community on Facebook and follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

being a teacher, being me, middle school

To the Girl Who Cries At Night

Pernille Schmidt Ripp

To the girl who cries at night,

You may not want to hear my words.   You may not want me to care.  You may think that we adults, we teachers, have no idea what you are going through.  You may think that the world is coming apart, that all of those people you thought you could trust, who cared about you, turned out to be frauds.  You write your poetry, telling your teachers that it is not personal, you speak to us of friends that are having a hard time. You reach out, but you shield yourself in every possible way.  Just so we don’t catch on to the fact that it is not your friends that are hurting, it is you.

And I get it.  Right now, life seems like it is too much and there is no way to dig yourself out.  Like having a concerned teacher will only cause more problems, add to the burden, and so you stay silent, struggling through as best as you can.  You keep putting on the mask, every single day, putting on your brave face so that no one will spy the cracks in your armor.  But at night, when it gets dark and you are alone, that’s when you cry, and you wonder why you keep coming to school, why you keep caring, because no one seems to care about you.

I am here to tell you, we do.  I am here to tell you that we see the cracks, that we see how much you try every single day.  That we see the hurts being thrown your way and we try to shield you in all of our lessons, all of our words.  We try to teach empathy, kindness, and love in the picture books we read.  We speak to you about friendship, tolerance, and acceptance.  We show our human side so that you know we are more than just teachers.  We greet you every day so that you know that someone sees you.  We leave our doors open so that any time you need us, you can come in.  We have arms that will give hugs and shoulders that will carry the burden with you.  We may not have the answers, but we do have the time to listen.

So to the girl who cries at night, you are not alone.  Even when it feels like there is no one left to care about you, that there is no one left to notice whether you are here or not, we do.   Every single day, we look for you, every single day we try to reach out.  We try to convince you that it gets better.  That when you think that life will always be like this, it won’t.  Yes, middle school may seem like a cruel place at times, but there are so many people who care.  Who want to create the best experience for you, and not just the academic one, but the emotional one.

So to you, the one with the brave face, who fights her way through her year, just so you can say you did it; I see you.  I am here for you.  And I am going to tell you, I know how you feel sometimes, because I was the girl who cried at night.  Who thought that life would never get better.  Who got up every single morning eager for the day to be over, just so one more day would have been lived.  Who thought at times it was too much and that no one cared whether I existed or not.  I was wrong, and you are too.  You may not know how many people care right now, but they do, and we do.  So keep coming to school, keep letting us in.  Open up and let us help.  You don’t have to be alone.

Love,

Mrs. Ripp

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, being a teacher, being me, Passion

What We Teachers Know

Pernille Schmidt Ripp

I keep seeing the articles and posts stemming from the “What I Wish My Teacher Knew” movement, the latest one being an article where someone asked adults what they wished their teachers had known and how that possibly could have changed their lives.  I am filled up by it.  I get it, there are so many things that we wish others knew about us that may make our lives easier but here’s what seems to be missing from the stories; we teachers know a lot.  And we carry that knowledge with us every single day.  We carry the hearts and the dreams for all of our students, and sometimes that load gets really heavy, and yet we soldier on because that is our job.  That is what we signed up for.

What we teachers know is that we can only control what happens within our walls.  That as much as we wish we could adopt a child, feed a family, find a job, or even teach every single child every single thing they need, that the moment a child leaves our schools we lose much of our power. That the time we have is measured in school days not life times.  Yet that doesn’t stop us from trying.  I know teachers whose homes have become refuges for students misplaced by their lives, I know teachers who have a cabinet full of food in their classroom, so that no child will go hungry.  I know teachers that stay up every night trying to figure out how to reach every single kid, how to create a positive learning and life experience for every student, ignoring the sleep they need until they feel they at least have an idea.  A new thing that may just be the one thing that makes all of the difference.

Because what we teachers know is that every single second of our day matters.  That every time a child speaks we should give them our full attention.  We know that our students deserve nothing but the very best every single day, no matter what is happening in our own lives.  We know that every child has their own unique struggles and we wish we could help fix every single one of them.  And so we try, and we give everything we have, and we try to lighten the burden for the students, and even though we get so tired, so overwhelmed at time by the injustice of some children’s lives, we go back to school every single day so that at least they can see we care.

So before more people assume that teachers don’t know a lot, think of the good teachers you know.  Think of everything that goes into their day, how they speak of their students, how they care for each child they teach.   Think of that teacher that made a difference for you because they did know.  Don’t forget that a teacher is only one person; human and with only so much power.   We are the ones that beat ourselves up when we haven’t reached a child, helped them the way they needed, or somehow failed them.  We try, we know, and we wish we could do more.   Trust 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, being me, believe, middle school, Passion, students

What I Have Learned Being a Middle School Teacher

Pernille Schmidt Ripp
image from icanread

I thought I would be a great 7th grade teacher until I became one.  Smothered in my own nervousness and excitement about so much change, I never quite fully realized what I was getting into.  Luckily so because I am not sure, I would have said yes, if I had known just what this would hold.  Yet through all of the ups and downs, the moments of sadness, the moments of frustration, the moments where I felt sure that I must be insane for going to school that day, there they were.  Those crazy 7th graders with all of their emotions, all of their thoughts, all of their stuff that seemed to shroud them in mystery.  Always there, always watching.  Always poking away at the sense of security I had felt in my teaching skills.  And I am so grateful that they did.

This year, and its not over yet, has taught me so much.  When I tell people that 7th grade has been my biggest challenge yet, I am not joking, nor exaggerating.  With their moods, and their doubt, and their sense of fairness, they have held my feet to the fire every single day, exhausting every teaching cell in my body.  Yet, along with that exhaustion comes a few hard-earned lessons, for which I am forever grateful.

I have learned that when they say they don’t care is actually when they care the most.  They wait for your reaction to see how to categorize you.  They wait to see how their lackadaisical attitude will sit with you; will you be rattled or can you handle it?

I have learned that on the toughest days they will put on the bravest face, and only people who pay really close attention will be able to notice the subtlest of differences in their demeanor.

I have learned that when you think they are not paying attention, they actually are.  That when you think they don’t care that you are there, they do.  That when you think you have hit your lowest point as a teacher there is always a better moment coming your way, usually courtesy of something they just said or did.

I have learned that when I thought there was no way I would ever make a difference in their lives, they surprise me with their knowledge, with their passion, and with what they remember.

I have learned that relationships are above anything else, that it does not matter how engaging a lesson is, how fun a project may be, how much time you spent making sure everything was to their liking; if you don’t care about them, they do not care about you, or your lesson, or your project.

I have learned that it is ok to not be sure of yourself, to still put yourself out there, to get excited over picture books, to dance to ABBA in the middle of class, and to always, always, always have a smile on your face no matter how much you don’t want to.  That’s what my incredible 7th graders have taught me; that I was not a good teacher until I taught them, and I still have a long way to go, but they believe in me, so it is time I start believing in myself.

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.

Awards, being me, global read aloud

ISTE to Recognize the Global Read Aloud

Pernille Schmidt Ripp

Cross-posted on the Global Read Aloud website

The story of the Global Read Aloud is a very simple one indeed.  What started as a summer night’s conversation and a “What if…” moment spoken aloud, has turned into a global event that somehow grows, changes, adapts, yet perseveres year after year.  As new people join our family, as new incredible books are selected, as new technology is incorporated, the mission does not change; one book to connect the world.  One book to read aloud.  When I look back at the rise of the GRA, I don’t quite know how it happened, only that I am so grateful that it has.

Yet, this project is not just mine, it belongs to all of the educator, children, parents, and administrators that have seen value in it.  That have believed in it and made it their own.  It belongs to the world, as any global project should do, and yet, it is still my baby.  Something that takes up so much time but is so rewarding.

I am therefore incredibly humbled, yet so very excited, to announce that I have been selected for the first annual ISTE Innovation in Global Collaboration award for the creation of the Global Read Aloud.   I have wanted to share the news for a while officially on this blog but it feels terribly odd to tout your own accomplishments.  But I am proud, it is hard work, and yet, this isn’t really about me.  This recognition is about all of us.  All of the people that make the Global Read Aloud what it is.  It is about all of the kids that believe they can make the world better by taking action and reaching out.  It is about all of the teachers that take the leap of faith every year and sign up, not quite knowing what to expect, and still making it their own.  It is about all of the authors that write such incredible stories that have to be shared with others.  It is about all of you, I just get to represent us all , and for that I am so very grateful.

So if you happen to be at ISTE this summer, and you happen to be around Monday morning, there is some form of breakfast, a recognition of some sort.  And while I haven’t gotten many details, I would like to invite all of you to come celebrate this award with me somehow.  If you can meet up with me, please come tell me your story.  Find me and please celebrate with me.

This award may have my name on it, but that is only because there isn’t enough room for all of yours.  Thank you so much for spending your time with the Global Read Aloud.  Thank you so much for believing in 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, assessment, being a teacher, being me, MIEExpert15, Passion, Personalized Learning, student choice, student voice, testing

So It Turns Out I Am a Terrible Teacher

Pernille Schmidt Ripp

It turns out I owe everyone an apology.  Or at least a great big “I am sorry” to all of the people who have ever been inspired by this blog to change the way they teach.  It turns out I don’t know what I am doing, at least not if you look at our test scores.  You see, my students took our district standardized test, the one they take three times a year, and it turns out that at least for some all of my crazy ideas have apparently ruined their English skills.  It wasn’t that their scores dropped just a touch, no, some lost hundreds of points in their comprehension skills; whole grade level disseminated by this terrible teacher.  And there is no one to blame but me, after all, I am the one responsible for all of the teaching.

These tests are a funny thing really, they have a way of messing with even the most stoic of teachers.  We say we don’t care what the test scores are and yet we cannot help but feel fully responsible for the negative scores.   The positive ones, the ones that gained hundreds of points since January; those cannot possible be my doing, because I am teaching all of these kids.  And not all of these kids are improving by leaps and bounds.  So those great scores, they have to be a fluke, but those kids with the big fat minus next to their number, yup, I did that.

As I wrestle with my own feelings of ineptitude tonight, I have realized that who ever thought that teachers could be evaluated by scores that change so dramatically over a year, has never been a teacher.  I could re-test my students tomorrow and guarantee you that all of them would have different scores.  How a test like that can help me plan instruction is beyond me.  How a test like that can be used to evaluate teachers in some states is even further out of my understanding.  And yet it does, and we take it ever so personal because we care.  We think if we had just tried a little harder, worked a little more then maybe we could have reached all of our kids, and not just the “easy” ones.

So I am sorry for ever thinking I could help change education from within.  I am sorry that I have told others to give the classroom back to students, to create passionate learning environments where students not only have a choice, but they also have a voice.  The test told me today that I am doing something wrong for these kids, because there is no way a 34 question test can be wrong, right?  All I can say is that I am thankful to work in an incredible district with an amazing administration that sees beyond the test scores.  That has faith in us and in all we do.  That knows we are bigger than the test scores our students get, because if I didn’t, according to this test, I don’t have any business teaching some of them, or blogging about what I do.

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.