Category: end of year

aha moment, being a teacher, being me, end of year, teachers

To All the Teachers Who Cared This Year

Pernille Ripp

5 days into kindergarten, my oldest daughter declared that she hated school.  With all of the anger she could muster, which was remarkably quite a bit, she stomped her foot, scrunched up her face and told me that school was not for her after all because her teacher hated her and she was done.  I chalked it up to her being tired.  When on the 6th day, and the 7th, and the 8th, she told me that she still didn’t like school, and on the 9th she told me she had a stomach ache, I knew we had a problem.

It wasn’t that I thought that her school was bad.  It was not that her teacher did hate her but in her mind, her reality, this was the truth she lived.  And once that idea had set in, she was done.  So 3 weeks into the school year of her very first year we open enrolled her in my district and Thea started kindergarten once again.  I swear I have held my breath since then.  Yesterday, she proudly showed me her kindergarten memory book and my breath caught for a moment when I saw what she had written.  Under her most favorite thing she had written “Going to school.”  And then I knew that I had to give thanks.

So to the teacher that loved my little girl so much that she cried on the night before the last day; thank you.  I know how much you tried, I know much you cared.  I know how many hours you worked, and how much time you spent thinking about all of those kids you taught.  I know that there were days where I am sure you wanted to pull your hair out, we all have those days, but I also know that Thea told me that you were always happy.  That no matter what you were happy to see her and she loved you for it.

You may not know, but that smile you put on your face, those little conversations that you had, the stories you told of your own adventures; those are what she told us about every single day.  Those times you got silly, those times you held them to high expectations, she told us about that too.  Every day a new story, every day a new memory.  And so when she told me that she didn’t want any other teacher ever again, I knew that I would never have enough words to tell you how grateful we are.  She hated school.  You changed that.  She faked stomach aches, threw fits, and cried those big fat tears, but you changed that.  That is why great teachers matter.  That is why people like you are so important for all of our kids.

So to all you teachers who cared this year.  From this parent, who happens to be a fellow teacher, thank you.  Thank you for putting in the time.  Thank you for caring.  Thank you for dedicating all of your emotional energy because you cared so very deeply for all of our kids.  Thank you for inventing, for making, for creating.  For giving students voices.  For not giving up.  For hugging.   For listening and for seeing all of the kids for who they are.  For giving hope, and for giving consequences.  For making kids believe that they could achieve, even when the world was against them.

They say it takes a village to raise a kid, but honestly, sometimes it just takes one person.  A person who sees your crazy amazing kid exactly for who they are and doesn’t think that something is wrong with them but instead tells them to be proud of who they are.  So to Mrs. Huenink; the world needs more teachers like you so that more kids like mine can feel that they matter and that school is actually a place for them.  Thank you.

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, classroom management, end of year, life choices

It’s the Very Least We Can Do

Pernille Ripp

The comment keeps showing up on my end of year surveys, slipped in between suggestions, hard truths, and great advice.  It makes me smile every time.  It has been a comment I have heard throughout the year from students in blog posts, in small conversations, and even from parents.  “Mrs. Ripp smiles a lot…” “You always have a smile on your face…” “You smile every day.”  And while it is not true, I don’t think I smile every single day for every minute, this little comment means the world to me because every day I make a choice to smile.  Every day, when I pull up to the parking lot, when I open the days, when the crazy noise of the students coming up our stairs reaches my door, I make sure I have a smile ready to greet them because it is the very least I can do.

As educators, we spend so much time planning meticulous lessons.  We do professional development to continue to be lifelong learners.  We lay awake worrying about kids, about parents, about what we said, what we asked our students to do that day.  We spend so much energy on the big picture stuff that we forget about the easiest thing we can do; smile.  Show all the kids of your school that you really want to be there.  That it matters to you that they are there.  That you are happy to see them.  That their very existence makes your life better.  Even if you don’t totally feel it.  Even if you don’t feel like it.  If you can’t do it for yourself, then do it for the kids.

Our actions speak louder than our words and you wouldn’t believe how much the sight of a smile in a busy hallway can change the mood of a day.  But don’t take my word for it; try it.  Make it a habit.  Smile as if your life depended on it, who knows, whose life it will change?

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, communication, end of year, feedback, hopes, parents, trust

Why You Should Ask For Parent Feedback Even When You Are Afraid of the Answers

Pernille Ripp

I just hit “Send” and for a moment my hand hovered over the “undo” button.  Perhaps I didn’t need to ask these questions, perhaps this year I would skip the annual end of year parent survey.  I don’t know why after 7 years of teaching, asking for feedback is still so excruciatingly tough.  Not from the kids, that I ask for every single day, but from the adults, the parents/guardians, the ones at home that see the effects of the teaching I do every single day.

For a few weeks I have wondered if I even wanted to send it this year.  If anything good would come from it, or if my self-esteem could handle it?  This was my first year teaching 7th grade and in so many ways I have felt like a brand new teacher with all of the flaws, the mishaps, the bad teaching that comes along with the first year title.  So now as the end of the year is in sight, I was compelled to just forget all about the feedback, pretend I don’t want to know, pretend to not care.

But that’s not the truth.  Because I do care.  Sometimes probably too much.  I know that I have screwed up.  I know that I could have been better at reaching every kid and teaching them what they needed.  I know I have failed some times, and I know some of my feedback will say that.  Some will probably crack my facade and make me feel pretty terrible.

And yet, if I don’t ask, I can’t grow.

So I let it go, and I now I wait, hoping for the best.  I hope there are some that will see how hard I tried to reach every kid.  I hope there are some that will see the thought, effort, and diligence that went into this year.  But I also hope there are some that will take a moment to give me advice, to tell me how I can grow.  Because I know I need to, and that is the bottom-line.  This is not about me, it is about the students.  And while I may have an idea of what I need to work on (and boy, do I ever), there is nothing like the perspective of a parent/guardian to show you things you never even thought of.  If we truly mean that we are in this for the kids, then we have to include those at home.  We have to ask the tough questions, even if the answers may sting.

If you would like to see my parent survey this year, here you are.  Student surveys will be done in class next week.

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, end of year, reflection

Do You Ask For Their Opinion?

Pernille Ripp
image from icanread

I went 4 years without asking those who matter most what they thought of my teaching.  I went 4 years without asking the tough questions, 4 years without opening up a final line of communication, 4 years afraid of what I might hear.  2 years ago I finally created the end of year parent and student survey, I remember it well.  I made it, took a deep breath, and then hit send.  I didn’t know what I would hear, what parents would tell me, but I knew I needed to ask.  The students were just as hard, the kids we teach are so good at telling us what they think we want to hear.  They are so good at not hurting our feelings, yet to grow as a teacher and person I had to get their honest opinion.  So I started asking them as well.

Now, even though this is my 3rd year asking, I am still afraid.  I work so hard all year trying to make the year the very best year for a child, yet I know I am human.  I know I mess up.  I know that I still have room to grow and things to work on.  And so, I continue to hit publish on my end of year survey.  I continue to send it out to parents and ask them to please help me grow.  I continue to read their answers, take them to heart and learn from them.  Even the tough answers, even the ones where I wish I had known earlier, where I wish I could change the past.  I read those too.  And the students with all of their feelings, their opinions, their advice; I read it, I reflect on it, and in the end I grow.  Even if it hurts, even if it reminds me that I am not perfect.

Do you ask for their opinion at the end of the year?  Do you make sure that those we make the biggest difference to have a way to help you grow?  Don’t be afraid, take the leap, and open up the discussion.

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 Classrooms Back to Our Students Starting Today” can be purchased now from Powerful Learning Press.   Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

being me, end of year

Make Each Day Count

Pernille Ripp
image from icanread

36

The number of days I have left with my students.  That doesn’t subtract the days where I am not teaching because we are doing special events making the number even smaller.  It is the total number of days that I have left to make a difference.  Left to teach.  Left to help.

I used to do the countdown in my head, not because summer beckoned me, but because I felt a growing sense of dread.  Did I do enough to teach them?  Did I reach every child?  Did I actually teach them anything?  Was 5th grade worth it to my students?

Now, I do my silent count down as a reminder to make every moment count.  As a way to say that yes, summer may come and steal you away, but until then we are still together and we are still on a learning journey.  We still have things to explore.  We still have things to mess with.  Our brain still has mysteries to ponder.

So while I may know how few days we have left together, I will not cling to it for celebration, but rather to push our purpose.  To focus even more on the learning.  To grow even bigger together.  I will never be able to do all of the things I had hoped for but I will keep trying until the very end.

36 more days to go, make each one count.

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” can be pre-bought now from Powerful Learning Press.   Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

Be the change, being a teacher, end of year, students

Stop the Hurry

Pernille Ripp
image from icanread

“Look at this, mom!”

Thea is jumping from stone to stone on the pavement next to me as I am walking in my straight line sticking to the sidewalk like a proper adult trying to get where we are going as fast as possible.  Never mind that it is a Saturday, never mind that it is beautiful weather, never mind that we have the time.  I want to get there fast just because we can.

At first, I think to tell her to hurry up, to come walk by me so we can get there faster.  I go to reach for her, but her expressions stops me; pure joy.  She is not just getting somewhere, she is exploring, balancing, laughing  – she is on an adventure.  And the extra  2 minutes it takes us to get to our destination are quickly forgotten as I watch her leap.

How often do we tell students to hurry up in our rooms?  How often do we tell them to stick to the path, to get to the destination with an eye on the end and never taking the time to expand the journey?  How often do we stop to explore, to “jump from rock to rock” within a topic simply because we are curious?  Simply because it might be an adventure?

Every year I try to find time for the self-driven exploration within my room but every year by about April I feel like we have to quicken the pace.  Like we need to walk faster to get to our end destination.  But not this year.  This year I want to enjoy my final weeks with my kids, my final weeks as a 5th grade teacher.  I want to not just watch the kids explore, but explore right along with them.  We will still get to our destination, we always do, but we will take the path they want as much as possible.  We will find the time to try, we will make the time to laugh.   I want to see them love learning as much as I do.  And that won’t happen if I keep telling them to hurry up.

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” can be pre-bought now from Powerful Learning Press.   Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.