Pernille Ripp

I am in a conference trying to figure out why a child seems less engaged, less into it, and just not all that excited about school. So far the conversation has been rather one-sided, meaning me speaking and being met with lsilence. Finally I ask, “Are you bored?” And the student looks up and says, “Yeah.”

I think that has happened to most teachers, a bored student, but what may not have happened to many is for that student to have the guts to tell you. I know I was incredibly bored throughout many classes in my school days but I never did tell a teacher since I figured nothing good would come of it. And I may have been right because my gut reaction the moment I was told was to get frustrated. How can you be bored in my room? We do so many exciting things! And yet, I bite my tongue, nod, and go home with a head full of questions.

I have a classroom full of noise, ideas, and engagement. It is something I work incredibly hard for and I am very very proud of and yet, it can also be boring. There are times when the base needs to be built for our further exploration and I have to talk. I try to make it engaging, I try to make is student-centered, and yet sometimes I can’t. It gets better every year but still; but yes I can be boring. So these thoughts follow me home and I ask my husband what I should he do since he acutely suffered from school boredom.

His thoughts stopped me; “Maybe it isn’t you? Maybe you do everything you can and that child needs to step up too. Maybe boredom is a two way street and you can only make it so exciting but if the student is not ready or wanting to be engaged then it doesn’t matter what you do.” I immediately started to defend the child and lament that it must be me until I realized he may be on to something; perhaps we as educators can only do so much. Perhaps we can only engage and excite until a certain point and then the student has to invest as well. Perhaps we cannot change every student’s perception of school no matter how many things we pull out to do. Perhaps, we are not the only ones with control in our classroom?

So I turn to you; what do we do when students are bored? After we have changed the curriculum, the approach and the task? What do we do when a student-centered learning environment is not enough? Do we dare tell the student that they too have to invest? That they have to make an effort to be interested or else school will be infinitely boring no matter what we do? Do we dare put some of the responsibility for school engagement back on their shoulders? Or is that taking the easy way out?

being a teacher, being me, smartboards, Student-centered

Stop Telling Me Technology Engages

March 21, 2012 Pernille Ripp

Image from here

Not too long ago when I brought up my dislike for the cost of Smartboards working in a budget crunched district, I was told that there was no way I could dismiss the improvement of student engagement that it has created in my classroom. I met that statement with raised eyebrows and then shook my head. The Smartboard or whatever technology tool I may be using is not what increases engagement in my students; the content is. The tool does not engage; the learning does. Because if the tool is the only thing that engages then I would say we are in serious trouble. If the tool is the only thing we use to keep those kids tuned in and invested then we need to do some serious re-thinking of our curriculum and delivery.

So while districts can flaunt all of the technology tools they so happily purchase with or without teacher input, we cannot tout that our engagement level goes up just because of that purchase. We cannot say we are now 21st century districts, since in all sincerity this is the 21st century no matter what tools we have. Sure kids may be looking at the board or screen more when we have more technology, but how much of that is training or simple politeness; a feigned interest or hope that something engaging will show up on that screen? How much of that is because all of them are facing the board rather than in pods? How many of them long for getting out of their seats and do something rather than watch one person direct the learning?

So don’t tell me that putting a Smartboard in my room increases student engagement, in fact, please run any technology purchase by me so that I can investigate and dissect it. Don’t tell me that my students are eagerly anticipating their turn to click the magic board, that wears off after the first couple of days. Tell me instead that the curriculum we teach is worthwhile, that the learning that we DO is engaging, that my students are engaged because they choose to be and I put enough thought into what I am teaching to realize that. Tell me that and I will agree; the tool does not create the engagement, we do.

being a teacher, being me, student driven

Some Celebrate Test Scores – I Celebrate the Students

March 20, 2012July 24, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Once in a while the celebratory emails go out detailing how we are beating our districts’ average in test scores, how our school has grown as measured by these tests, how our students are progressing. And sure, those are reasons to celebrate but I prefer to celebrate for other reasons.

I celebrate that student that raises their hand with a differing opinion because more participation is their goal.

The child that steps back and lets other take on a leadership role even though they know just how they would do it.

The kids that know when to laugh, when to care, when to try, and when to do it all at the same time.

I celebrate the shy boy that becomes a leader with a new tool and stands behind his discovery, eager to show others how to do things.

I celebrate the class that continues to work, unfazed, even if I step out of the classroom to take care of something.

Those kids that groan when school is over and cheer when they hear the plans for the next day.

The student that asks if they can pose a blogging challenge because they know they have a really good one.

I celebrate those kids that look their parents in the eyes and tell them how much they have grown but that they are not there yet but they have a plan to reach their goal.

Those kids that tell me when they mess because they would rather tell me the truth even if they get into trouble over it.

The students that notice when someone is absent and wonder where they are.

I celebrate the community, the challenges, and the growth that I see every day, every week, and every year. As middle school sneaks into our futures, I celebrate these kids that have so much to give, so much to offer, and so much courage to keep trying.

being a teacher, classroom expectations, classroom management

The One Word that Defines Us

March 16, 2012July 24, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Image from here

If there is one word that sums up my classroom management it is “Represent.” It is the word I leave hanging in the air behind me if I have to leave early. It is the word I write on the board if there is a sub the next day. It is a word we discuss, we make our own, and in some ways it ends up defining us as a group. It is not indoctrinated, neither are my students punished if they fail to live up to it. It just becomes a hole system, without us even being aware of it. No rules posted, no heavy-handed discussions, just the word and all of the meaning it has.

According to the dictionary one of the many meanings of the words is To stand for; symbolize and that is exactly what it means for us. When my students are on their own they still represent the community we have created, they are carriers of the message we have chosen to nourish; tolerance, respect, politeness, and engagement. When we go anywhere we represent our community, our school’s values and those of our parents. We symbolize what we strive to be, we stand for being upright citizens, humans beings with empathy who know how to act.

Yesterday, a teacher paid me the biggest compliment I could get, “Your students just seem to get it, when they are asked to clean up they do it right away and they do it as a group.” I couldn’t be prouder. They do it as a group, they take care of where they are, even when I am not there. I don’t force the word, it comes up naturally throughout the year and we never define it formally, but it us and it is who we choose to be when we are engaged in school. It s what we choose to do whether spoken or not. I could not be prouder of these kids.

being a teacher, new teacher, students

Getting Ready to Student Teach; Just a Little Advice

March 15, 2012 Pernille Ripp

I am one of the lucky few that got a job at the school I student-taught at, something that I had hoped and wished for over several years. My desire to be at this school was multi-faceted; excellent staff, a dedicated district, and a diverse student population. So the day I received the phone call that, indeed, a 4th grade job was mine, I was over the moon. And yet, this didn’t just happen purely because I was lucky, I had put in a lot of work to put myself in this dream position so I want to share a bit of advice for those new student teachers or those soon to be.

Research your school. The school you student-teach at should be a school that you would like to work at. Do you homework, meet the teachers and figure out the school’s presence in the community. I had known for several years that West Middleton was where I really wanted to be so I also did practicums here, thus establishing a relationship 2 years before student-teaching started. It was through the relationships that I found my mentor teacher and classroom I would be in for 6 months.
Get to know your teacher before you start. I met with my incredible mentor, Kathy, before my placement was settled to make sure we would mesh. I wanted to really be in a community of learning that I would grow and be challenged in and also with someone who I would form a relationship with. While you certainly don’t have to be become life-long friends, you do have to like each other otherwise the kids will notice and learning will be disrupted.
Treat it with respect. The first time I met Kathy I called her Ms. Hiteman; we were not friends and I did not feel that I had earned the right to call her by her first name. This means something, so even if your initial contact is through email, use their last name and title, then when they tell you to use your first name you know they feel ok with that. This goes for anyone you meet, take a cue from those around you and treat them with respect. You never know who will be your next boss, interviewer or team mate.
Be passionate. Being a student-teacher is hard work but you have to be excited. These are the big leagues; you finally get to do what you have been training for and hopefully in a setting that suits you. Be excited to come to school and it spreads to others, trust me people notice when you bring passion to the table and even new ideas.
Clear your schedule as much as possible. Student-teaching needs to be your job, and yes this is coming from someone who worked full-time with an 18 credit load through college. I still worked during student-teaching but it was on the weekends. You may not be getting paid to student-teach but you should treat it like a job; this is an investment in your future and you need to be available for all of the extra work that teachers do even during summer if you student-teach in the fall.
Have a personality but don’t let it overtake you. Don’t be bland, be nice, speak your mind, but do it with respect. You do not know the school as well those who work here so bring your personality in but know when to put a lid on it.
Be invested. Take the time to get to know the students, treat them like they are yours, because they are, and grow with them. The mark of a great teacher is someone who forms a connection, so be great. And this isn’t limited to just the students; get to know everyone, they will also be the ones deciding whether or not you fit into their school and believe me , word travels fast.
Reach out to others. You may just be with one teacher through your whole process but establish relationships with others in the building, ask them if you can go to their room to observe, volunteer for committees, and establish a relationship with the principal. I was able to get a written recommendation form mine because I reached out and asked him to observe me.
Take initiative. When I student-taught I took initiative to create new math reviews, graph data for assessment purposes and learn more abut the math resource position. All of this ultimately led me to land a maternity leave position as a math resource teacher which then led me to my classroom job. Had I been a wallflower and not done these extra things none of that would have happened.
Be yourself. While this is a long job interview you cannot fake your personality. Stay out of drama, again be nice to everyone, and be deeply interested in the school. If your personality does not fit with the school culture at least now you know. Be critical of what you bring to the table and know when to look inward rather than out.
Listen to the advice you are given and then actually use it. I was not a great teacher when I student-taught and I knew it. Be humble and take the advice that others so diligently give you; this is your chance to really grow. Know when to ask for help and know when to change something. Listen when someone speaks and know that it is not easy for them to point out flaws, but this is how you will grow. Ultimately knowing how to listen and take criticism is a life-skill you will need the rest of your career as well.

Be the change, being me, challenge, life choices

I Must Apologize Beforehand – A Serial Apologizer Apologizes

March 10, 2012July 24, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Image from here

I have to start out by saying I am sorry for what I am about to post. It may offend, it may irk you a little, so thus the apology beforehand. See there now you are disarmed and perhaps it wont really be so bad, after all, the apology has already been given.

I am serial apologizer. Not for my life really but for the way I teach. I don’t flash the way I work in my classroom, which sounds ludicrous since I blog about it, but if you catch me in conversation, I am not one to tell you that what my kids do is pretty spectacular. That the kind of community I am part sometimes makes me deliriously happy. That I am so proud of all the work my students do, of the risks we take, and the mountains we climb. I don’t flaunt it because that would be too offensive.

And yet, for every time I hide what I do. For every time I don’t stand by the choices I have made in case I may offend someone, I chip away at my own desire as a teacher to be a world changer. My own world, the world of my students, and perhaps even the greater world outside of my room. For every time I wrap my teaching philosophy in apologies a little bit of it gets duller, less fantastic, until I wonder what I will be left with.

So why is it I feel the need to apologize? Because I am different? Because I have opinions? Because I vehemently believe that the focus has to be on the needs of the students and not that of the teacher? Because I believe in honest communication and not veiled lingo? Because I believe that you have to fight for change from within in any way you can and give your students that voice? Because I believe that we have to get the students involved in their own education so we don’t lose them, after all education should not be done to them but with them?

I am not sure, I am sorry, I really don’t know But it is making me think that I need to stop. I am starting to think that I need to stand by what I do a little taller, a little prouder and not diminish the choices I have made. The choice to be different in an otherwise cookie-cutter educational system because it is what I believe in. The choice to throw away punishment, lecturing, homework and grades as much as I can and instead focus on knowledge, exploration and the need to fail over and over again. The choice to change, the choice to not do it the way I was taught, and the choice to take risks. After all, it is working, I am sorry, but it is true.