students – Page 33 – Pernille Ripp

being a teacher, college, Lesson Planning, lessons learned, new teacher, questions, students

Veering Off the Chosen Lesson Path – or Why You Should Take a New Route

December 11, 2010 Pernille Ripp

As college students when taught the craft of becoming a teacher, one thing is hammered into us again and again; the necessity of lesson plans. We are given graphic organizers to ensure that we account for every single possible thing; special needs, types of learing, beginning, goal, standards and on and on. I slaved over my mine, creating perfect fictitious classrooms that would need my supposed expertise to reach the goal. It would always be me as the fierce director bringing students into learning, the keeper of the flame.

As a first year teacher, I continued my meticulous planning, always knowing the end goal and more importantly the exact path that I would take to go there. Students were forced down my chute of learning so that they could reach their glorious destination, often not having time to take a different direction, a different approach. I had curriculum to get through and by golly I would!

And then I realized what I was really doing. By glossing over student questions, by forcing my path on the students, I was losing them. I was losing their inquisitiveness, their creativity, their sense of learning style and most sadly, I was losing their trust in me as a teacher. Why would they open up when I barely ever slowed down to listen to them? It wasn’t that I wasn’t a decent teacher, I was, but that was it, decent. No room for individuality, no room for new discoveries, just here is the goal, let’s reach it.

Learning is always happening in any classroom you walk into. But notice the different types of learning. Is there room for student exploration? For veering off the path? For taking a totally different route altogether? How stringent is the teacher with their lesson plan, is it followed minutely or used as a guide for the ultimate goal? How loud are the students? How engaged? I was once asked by my principal what my goal for a particularly disastrous lesson plan was and I couldn’t tell him, what I could tell him was the path I was going to take. What a wake up call that was – thanks Mr. Rykal -know your goal, think of a path but then don’t be afraid to go another route, to listen to the students, let them shape the learning. I promise, you will see the difference in excitement, in caring, and in learning. Do you dare to take anther route?

being a teacher, students, testing

I Wasn’t Born a Test Taker

December 8, 2010 Pernille Ripp

I wasn’t born a test taker; instead I himmed and hawed over every single possibility of multiple choice answer, overanalyzing the test makers intent, knowing that there often was more than one correct answer. In Denmark, essays were the way we were judged, and yet, I knew that somehow I had to conform myself to whatever someone had decided was the proper way to analyze, summarize or infer. Whatever the method, the result was always the same, never as good as I wanted even though I had done all of the supposed right things to score high.

Now with the release of the new test results once again labeling the US as “average” at best, I wonder, how this will affect my students; our future. What new initiative will be developed in a hurry to push, push, push our students harder. Perhaps Saturday’s will become school days after all so that we can study for the test. This obsession with testing and labeling, always ranking, as if those tests had something to do with the future success of these children. They don’t and I tell my students that. Testing is just a snapshot of where you were at that moment in time, how well-rested you were, how focused, happy, engaged. Not a true view of what you really know, what you are capable of. Testing does not determine your future job, spouse, creativity or happiness.

I don’t want to teach to the test. I don’t want to make students into test takers. I want to help them become better, more creative, engaged, discover their talents, hone them, support them, inspire them. I want them to discover many possible ways to answer questions, not just conform to the one chosen by someone else. I want them to question. I wasn’t born a test taker but I became one. I hope to spare that fate for my students.

classroom expectations, conferences, grades, letter to Jeremy, students

Why Top Down isn’t Always Bad

December 6, 2010 Pernille Ripp

This letter is part of a series of letters taking place between Jeremy Macdonald @MrMacnology, a 5th grade teacher in Oregon, and Pernille Ripp @4thgrdteacher, 4th grade teacher in Wisconsin; two educators who for the first time are attempting a no grades classroom, as well as limited homework. We share our thoughts and struggles with creating the best learning environment for our students so that others may learn something as well. To see the other letters, please visit us here or here.

Hello again,

Initially I was going to start out with more questions in reply to your post, and yes, it is a total reflection of my personality, and then I thought why not reflect a little and then bombard you with questions later?

So I get the time restraint when it came to sharing student grades with them before report cards went home. I send mine home tomorrow and getting to all 25 students last week was a stretch but I am so glad I did. Each child was asked to reflect on their own grades – I have to give letter grades – and then meet with me. The scale is simple A = Secure, B = developing and C = Beginning. You know how I feel about students failing in 4th grade so that simply is not an option for a grade. And besides, aren’t we so vigorously trying to push our students further away from equating learning with a grade? Anyway, this format turned out to be informative and wonderful. Most students rated their knowledge level at the same point as I would have, some were way too harsh on themselves leading to in-depth conversations about self-esteem and math, in particular. Some, of course, were not even quite sure what the grades meant and had therefore thought A’s looked pretty good. There were tougher conversations but in the end I felt good and I think the kids did too. See, there will be no ugly surprises tomorrow. No hiding report cards from parents. Or pretending to not care about that stupid thing anyway. I remember feeling like I betrayed the kids on their report cards in earlier years; where was their warning before this had to be taken home? Instead, the students feel that they know why they are getting the grade they are getting and also that they have the responsibility for that grade. No longer is the grade the final product of the trimester but rather the beginning of the next one. What do we know and where do we need to go with it? Relief…

Ok, I get the learning is learning and we must be excited about all of it. But can’t we just admit to ourselves that bringing technology into the room does appear more exciting than just plain old paper and pencil? Of course, this is a broad generalization fore there are times when paper and pen are best, but come on, let’s be honest here; those kids light up when they can incorporate anything tech into the lesson. Perhaps in 20 years, paper and pencil will be the novel thing to do and will reclaim some of its lost glory.

My final point about setting students up for disappointment leads me to another falsehood that we as teachers love to repeat to ourselves when we worry about passing students on the following year. “All students will adapt and grow to love that classroom and learning environment!” We pacify ourselves with that statement enough to where we can find ourselves repeating it when having discussions about different learning environments. I think it is bogus. I remember years that I hated going to school simply because the learning environment was stodgy and boring and nothing like what I was used to. Of course, students are adaptable and flexible and all that, but shouldn’t we have some sort of technology consensus or minimum of integration at a school at least? And yes I am dreaming for I know what I am up against but sometimes top-down decisions can prove to be a blessing in disguise. Now who to persuade on that?

And hey, Macdonald,”Ripp” is what one of my favoritest students on the spectrum calls me. No titles, no formalities, just a name. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

being a teacher, classroom expectations, inspiration, our classroom, students

The Perfect Classroom

December 5, 2010 Pernille Ripp

Did you see those students? How focused and engaged they were? Did you see that quiet classroom, that looks to be the perfect classroom. My insides cringe. Quiet = learning, since when?

I used to be a believer in quiet. After all, if the students were not quiet how could they listen to all of my wisdom? After all, I was the one with the degree, the answers, the path, the years, and mostly the responsibility for any and all learning. I was a trained professional and they were just students, empty vessels ready to be filled.

And then I thought about all that energy put into saying “shhh….” into asking for silence, not to speak with partners, face me, me, me, me. But it wasn’t about me and it never should have been. It is about the students and them finding their voice, the knowledge, the confidence to believe in themselves and their brains.

So my perfect classroom now: a little messy, (after all learning is kind if messy), student-owned, pods, choices and that wonderful noise of learning. There are still guidelines, we are not crazy, but there is life, excitement and joy. So if you walk by my room and think we are a little bit loud, hey, that just shows there is learning going on.

being a teacher, blogging, community, students

A Ghost Child says Hello

November 30, 2010July 24, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Image from here

I call them ghost children, those students who pop up in our classroom for weeks or months only to vanish again as quickly as they appeared. One student, let’s call him Tom, showed up a couple of weeks into the school year ready to learn. Hailing from Chicago, he was so excited about having art, gym, and regular teachers rather than subs. At his old school they didn’t have such luxuries I quickly discovered. I spoke to his mom several times on the phone, asking if there was anything we could do to help her find a home, a job, etc. Her main concern was always Tom and his education, particularly getting him out of trouble and into learning.

Every day, Tom greeted me with the biggest smile. He was ready to learn, no matter the obstacles and just couldn’t believe all of the “amazing” things we were doing. Blogging, in particular, was something he loved to do, writing stories that made little sense and never quite fulfilling the task at hand. But he wanted to learn, to connect, to be a part of something.

And then, one day he was gone. We called home and got no answer. The weekend came and another couple of days passed by and his seat continued to be empty. I reached out, once getting a family member on the phone stating he would be back the next day. Days passed and I got more people involved, trying to find my student, worrying where he had gone’ and why his stuff hadn’t gone with him.

More than 2 weeks has passed and this morning I opened up our kidblog. There was a new post waiting for my approval:

hay ever one this is Tom what up i am likening my new school sorry miss ripp i had to transfer but i will talk to you and the class ever day tell Nathan Erick Hannah Lewis well ever body i miss them by

There he was, letting me know everything was alright, reaching out. Maybe this blogging thing makes a difference after all.