being a teacher, learning, students, titles, word choice

The Many Titles We Bestow

Pernille Ripp
Today I told my students they were geologists.  We started studying earth material in science and so my students now become budding geologists along with the other titles we have earned in 4th grade.  When I pointed out that we were no longer astacologists (someone who studies crayfish) they correctly informed me that they were still that but now were just adding another title to themselves.  I stood blissfully corrected.

So why this title endorsement.  Last week I read a book called Choice Words by Peter H. Johnston, in it he discusses the importance of our language when we speak to our students.  He details how we as teachers should not indicate to beginning readers that they must strive to emulate great readers, but rather tell them that they are readers and that all readers do certain things.  This really hit a chord with me.  I often have used the language of what “great writers” or “strong readers” do and have never realized that perhaps I am then boxing students in.  If I do place them outside of the category of being a strong reader through seemingly innocuous language use, then what stigma am I attaching to their reading skills?

So I have consciously broken free of my language.  Yes, it will take time and yes, I will slip up.  But it is worth it.  After all, we all know firsthand how incredible words can be when attached to our persona.  After all, how many of you got chills the first time you were called a teacher (or the 1,000th time for that matter)?  So think of the language with which we address our students.  Think of the power that we can invest in them just through better or more thoughtful word choices.

My students are no longer striving to be “like geologists,” they are geologists.  In fact, as they pointed out to me; they are many things.  My students are writers, poets, readers and illustrators.  They are filmmakers, commentators, scientists, and social study professors.  They are experts, they are learners, and they are teachers.  And there will be many more titles to come for them.

authentic learning, being a teacher, goal, inspiration, students

Dear 4 1/2 Graders

Pernille Ripp

Dear 4 1/2 graders,
Boy, where has the year gone? This last week has given me some time to think about the goals, the learning, the excitement and the end of fourth grade. So as I prepare for our next units, knowing there is half a year left, knowing we have so much learning to do, knowing that we have so much growing to do, I get excited. The path we are on. this year is incredible, the learning journey eventful, and sometimes even a little bit magical. So as we inch closer to fifth grade, I hope we

Slow down to relish the everyday magic. It is ok to get excited when you solve something on your own or do that great work. Let’s share, let’s celebrate, after all, learning is meant to be wondrous.

Struggle together. Let’s look for answers, questions our assumptions, and even question each other (especially the teacher!).

Reach out. The world is our classroom so let’s invite others in and do our share to be global citizens. Think of how rich our lives a now because of our blogging and projects.

Believe! Let’s believe more in our own brains, creativity, problem solving skills, and most of all each other. Ask others for help when needed but don’t forget to ask yourself first.

Create. I am only a teacher, not the inventor of everything interesting. So create learning possibilities for yourself as well as we continue learning in our room.

Set goals – and then exceed them. We must continue to strive for better but also not be satisfied when we reach that goal. Push yourself when it makes sense.

Smile, laugh, giggle and have fun. School is meant to be somewhere fabulous where magical things happen, let’s continue to make learning fun.

I cannot wait to see you on Monday.

Love,
Mrs. Ripp

being a teacher, inspiration, Student-centered

Some Concrete Changes

Pernille Ripp
Every day, I catch myself.  I catch myself before I say “stop,” or “quiet,” or “teacher point.”  Those old habits dies hard, but every day I fight them and I renew my commitment to my students.  It is because of them I stop myself, it is because of them I am changing my ways every single day, ever lesson, every minute.  They deserve more, better, and sometimes even less.

So what have I changed, my big things I have documented, but there are so many little things as well, and they add up:

  • No more stay in your desk.  I used to have designated work time where students could leave their desk, now they can get up and move somewhere closer while I am speaking or while something else is happening.  I have a lot less squinting and fiddling going on now.
  • No more sending kids to the office.  I used to send kids to the office sometimes, feeling frustrated and not quite sure how to handle situations.  While this may also be because of my incredible class, I have had to send one 2 students all year for situations that were bigger than just my classroom.  Now I ask students to take a break, think about their actions and we find the time to talk.  So far so good.
  • No more set projects (well almost anyway).  Now when students ask if they can do a different type of project I always think “Why not?”  Often their ideas are much stronger than what I am coming up with anyway.
  • No more silent in the hallways.  As adults we converse quietly as we walk in the hallways, my students get to do the same.  This doesn’t mean loud voices or out of control behavior.  They use whisper voices and are getting adept at walking like adults do.
  • No more assuming I know why.  I used to assume all of the time, why a student didn’t do something, know something, or did something.  Now I ask instead; their explanations are way better than my assumptions.
  • No more “My classroom and you are just visiting.”  The students take care of the classroom because it is theirs.  Granted my level of orderliness may be a little higher than theirs but they stp up when they need to.
  • No more “My Goal.”  We are learning together and so the goals are all of ours.  We discuss our goals of learning, why they are set and how we can achieve them.  I may be the that knows the direction but we can all steer. 
being a teacher, being me, life, Passion, students

I Am a Teacher

Pernille Ripp
I am a teacher.  I have been ever since I realized that this was my life’s calling, my passion unfolded, my dream in life.  I don’t become a teacher when I show up at school at 7 AM and then turn it off when I leave hours after my contract time ends.  I am a teacher every minute of the day, every day of the year, with every breath I take.

I am passionate about teaching.  I spend hours every day at home thinking of how I can reach my children better (the students are all my children), how I can make their day better, how I can enrichen their lives.  I discuss, reflect, and I dream bigger, better, and more every day.  I lead, I comfort, I support, and I dare to believe in all of my students and what they can offer to the world.

I love my students.  I ride with them through their journeys in life; when they celebrate I cheer with them, when they grieve, I cry with them.  But more importantly, I teach them.  Every day they show up to school and even if they don’t, I always continue teaching.  I see my job as an honor, as something only a select few do really well.  My job is not just a job, it is who I am.

Teachers are not made in college, they become them in the classroom.  Teachers reach out to anyone that enters their worlds, and they impact every single aspect of this American life.  Support them, cherish them, and right now, fight for them and their rights.  We are here to help America succeed and grow, not to take the blame.

being a teacher, boring, inspiration, Lesson Planning, lessons learned

Today I was Boring

Pernille Ripp
I love Mondays.  They are loud, a little bit crazy, and always exciting.  My students are tapping their feet, their are sharpening their pencils and asking a million questions about what we are doing this week and when are we going to get to do this really cool thing?  The noise can be kind of intimidating to cut through but then you realize that it is excitement, not just chatter, and it becomes a different beast to maneuver altogether.

Today, I was boring, though.  I had my lessons planned, even with discussion questions, extra surprises and movie clips.  And yet, I fell flat.  During social studies, where I was teaching the writing of the Constitution, I yawned.  And you know if the teacher is bored, then imagine what the students feel.  So I stopped.  I put the book down that I was reading aloud and then asked them what questions they had.  A little bit of perking up.  Then I asked them to write on the board everything they knew about the office of the president, some motion and activity.  Then I started to drone on again – moment lost.

I don’t know what it was today.  I had a long night with my daughter with croup, my mind is heavy with the scary legislation vote looming over us, and I didn’t take the time to think this morning.  I have a pretty set morning routine where I get in 1 hour and 15 min early, turn on my music, jam to that while I clean, pull out, discuss, give hugs to colleagues and just focus.  Today I had no music, ran around, got visited by students early, stopped by a great Valentines Day breakfast and just spoke a lot of politics  By the time the bell rang, I was ready physically not mentally.

And what a difference that makes!  All day I played catch up, tried to find my brain – it must be around somewhere – and just made it through.  That is not what teaching is supposed to be like; surviving.  So I wonder; what do others do when the lesson isn’t working?  Do you throw it out?  Stop and do something else entirely or just lumber through it?  I felt I robbed a great moment in history from my students today, something that I cannot get back.  So when your brain disappears and the day just seems to happen to you, what do you do to put it back on track?

I, for one, am going to bed early, charging my Ipod, getting my red shirt ready (all union workers are wearing red to show unity this week) and packing chocolate in my lunch tomorrow.  I will not let my students down like this again.

being a teacher, education reform, government

Dear Scott Walker

Pernille Ripp
I can’t afford to be a teacher anymore, at least not if what is proposed here in Wisconsin gets passed.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not a teacher because of the money, I am not a fool after all, but if I lose 17% of my already insanely low salary, I cannot afford to remain a teacher.

I cringe at saying those words aloud, but the facts remain, if I want my child to go to daycare so that my husband and I can work to pay for our bills, then teaching does not let me do that.  We speak of wanting another child, yet know that on my salary today, it would be a far stretch with extra hours picked up wherever possible.  If my salary is cut, there will be no second child, no house mortgage and certainly nothing extra.

So the debate within me begins; can I give up what I so passionately believe that I was meant to do?  Do I even have a choice anymore if my salary is reduced and frozen?  I have been willing to sacrifice almost all of my social life to dedicate myself to the craft of teaching, but at some point, the realization hits that it will not just be time I am sacrificing but the ability to pay our bills.

So dear governor of Wisconsin, you may think that you are solving the problems, but who will you get to teach the children?  Who will have the luxury of being a teacher when they cannot afford to anymore? You speak of us as if we are using the system, stealing money from children who need health insurance, while you cut taxes for businesses.  Who will educate the future workers of Wisconsin?  Who will buy the goods of all those companies you lure to our state at the promise of less money taken from them?  Who will want to raise their children here when we slash funding and stifle the voice of teachers.  We do not have a lot, but what we have, you want to take away.

So that is where I stand.  Blamed for the deficit, blamed for why we cannot beat China in test scores, and blamed for why America is slipping in its world rankings.  One teacher with all the blame at her feet.  I wonder what will happen when the teachers cannot be blamed anymore, who will be next?