Educational Heretic

Learning from others..

2011-09-20T06:29:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I watched someone dear to me receive news which was hard to hear.

She received the news with dignified acceptance, and with warmth towards the news-bearer. That kind of strength of character can only come from a lifetime of responding to each day's challenges with grace-- from building that strength throughout the press of daily details. (In this instance, that would be for more than eighty years!)

That's how I want to live my life--that's how I want to respond to the challenges of teaching, of living: as opportunities to build the kind of strength of character which will enable me to respond to life with dignity, warmth and grace.

...and with gratitude for the gift of knowing others who are already walking that path with style.

Character and education

2011-09-16T22:27:00.001-04:00

"...learning is hard. True, learning is fun, exhilarating and gratifying — but it is also often daunting, exhausting and sometimes discouraging. . . . To help chronically low-performing but intelligent students, educators and parents must first recognize that character is at least as important as intellect.” --Angela Duckworth

Discussing the impact of character on academic (and life!) success, this article is a long but interesting (and thought-provoking) read. Well worth the time, I think.

What do you think? Should schools focus on inculcating character in the emotional and academic development of their students?

Reality Check

2011-09-16T04:41:00.001-04:00

It seems to me that this is all about figuring out what's most important, and pouring focus, energy, commitment, and resources there.

Which means being willing to take a long hard look at what's already actually happening. Not what I believe to be happening, or what I intended, but what's going on right now in my classroom.

The spirit & attitude with which I handle the incredible gift of working with young, creative, active students can help to propel us--my students and myself-- into creative growth or spiral us downward into apathetic flatlining.

For me, at least, it takes an ongoing willingness to choose to grow: to find the resources which help me to sustain energy in the midst of many needs/finite time; to seek out ways to help me to focus on what truly matters and to assess whether that is what I'm actually teaching; to hone my skills and stretch my mind's flexibility in the midst of the daily demands of teaching.

Seth Godin (my favorite business writer) talks about this process as being willing to look at 'the truth just around the corner'. (Read the post here.)

September tends to be a month when the delight, the demands, the responsibilities and the daily realities of teaching are condensed. It helps me to remember, in the midst of all of this, that being able to do this work that I love, within a community that is vibrantly alive, is a tremendous amount of work, an incredible gift, and an opportunity to stretch myself to grow.

We're all students.

Working to make it right

2011-09-05T08:21:00.000-04:00

Seth Godin's take on the structure, function and philosophy of our current education system neatly compacts nearly a century of public school education in a few short paragraphs. He articulates a common understanding of the institution of public education as shaped by the financial needs of our country, rather than the educational needs of our citizens.

I think this is a fairly accurate assessment for much of our public school system--but not for all. Even within a system that is largely failing, there are many schools that are getting it right.

Of course, it should be ALL of the schools that are getting it right.

That would be why we're working so hard to make it right.

What's your opinion? Read the full article here.

Getting to the core (sometimes it's a slow reveal...)

2011-08-31T09:27:00.001-04:00

Exploring the motivation in being a writer, Jennifer Gresham asks, "How many of us choose to follow the crowds instead of obligating ourselves to the things that matter?"

Rainer Maria Rilke's advice was to "Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write.

This most of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple “I must,” then build your life in accordance with this necessity; your whole life, even into its humblest and most indifferent hour, must become a sign and witness to this impulse......A work of art is good if it has arisen out of necessity. That is the only way one can judge it."

Teaching calls to the very center of who I am. The actual experience of teaching, that is. However: teaching, as a profession, is crowded with requirements which seem superfluous, which serve more to draw us away from the 'things that matter' than to strengthen and build the toolkit.

Yet most of us comply. Is that 'following the crowd', or is it simply fulfilling the required but mundane duties of the work?

Kids tend to be most engaged in learning when the teacher functions more as a coach--and as an active learner. Sometimes that means putting aside whatever is currently being touted as the 'next best thing' when we know it conflicts with best practices. But where does that fall, along the spectrum of responsibility to the requirements of the job and to what's most important: responsibility to the creative nurturing of young minds?

I'm not entirely sure yet, but you can bet I'll be thinking about this one for awhile. What do you think?

Resources:

2011-08-31T09:11:00.000-04:00

"If you can create a classroom where kids feel safe to take creative risks, most likely the stress level is lower and they're more available to learn in every way."
--Jan Kirsch, Director of Creative Development: Inner City Arts

"We've got to stop thinking of the students as vessels that get their education poured into them, and instead start thinking of them as drivers of culture. Can we get them deployed as drivers of reform in the school, instead of beneficiaries of it?"
--J.B. Schramm, Founder: College Summit

Intrigued? Want to hear more? Check out the short video, here.

Transforming spaces

2011-08-27T17:18:00.000-04:00

I ran across a great story over at BoingBoing about graffiti artists reclaiming decayed urban spaces with vibrant artwork.

Perhaps I should have saved this link for "Art in our schools" month?

Full story, here.

Resources: Learning to play guitar

2011-08-04T22:59:00.000-04:00

Short and sweet post today: here's a great site for learning how to play guitar.
The information is presented in a well-organized sequence; youtube videos complement the written material. (Sometimes it's nice to learn from a video....you can rewind it as many times as necessary, to practice a tricky spot!)

Interested? Find out more, here.

Daily Life

2011-08-04T11:18:00.002-04:00

While kids were setting up for Summer Jazz Band rehearsal this morning:

Sam* Yeah, so I was hanging out with these people who kept talking about books, and I said, "It's the middle of the summer! Come on already!"

Me Then what happened?

Sam Well, they said that books were better than movies, so I was like, "You guys need to get out more".

(The funny thing is, Sam is a bright kid who loves to read...)

*Sam is, of course, not the real name of this relaxed vacationer...)

Resources: Banjo and Bass videos

2011-07-22T12:18:00.002-04:00

I found these helpful for review & learning new stuff--maybe you will, too:

Banjo:
Examples of different styles of playing (useful if you're just starting and not sure how to do so)

and a good tune, taught here.

Bass-- There's a lot out there! This one is an entire series of short lessons--clear and concise. Covers everything from how to hold the instrument through both styles of bowing and more. Check it out,here.

Last but not least, if you're at all interesting in playing traditional tunes and learning social dances, check out the Fiddle and Dance Camp weeks at Ashokan. Wonderful place and amazing classes. See for yourself, here.

Good luck--and if this was helpful, or if you know of other good teaching videos out there, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

Process and Product

2011-07-19T14:11:00.003-04:00

Which matters more, process or product?

I've been playing upright Bass this summer: for the first time, working to improve simply by playing, rather than through endless hours of drills and theory.

It's working: I can hear progress.

Been thinking about how that process can be applied to the school year. As an educator whose medium is music, the product (concerts & student music journals, mostly) tends to be a primary focus.

What if it weren't? And what if the focus on end results simply leads to what Seth Godin calls 'cul de sacs'?

Immersion in theory and preparation, for me, has sometimes meant that my tools are quite sharp, but lacking in the comfortable usefulness that only experience can bring. Merlin Mann, writing for the site 43 folders, characterizes this particular cul de sac as "tool mastery vs. productivity....– Finding and learning the right tools for your work vs solely dicking around with the options for those tools is just so important, but also so different." (Read the entire article here--heads up, though: sometimes he uses strong language--not for the faint of heart. But a great article nonetheless, with some valuable insights. )

Too much 'hands on learning' leads to lack of foundational knowledge.
Too much 'theory' and talk leads to understanding without functional skills.

Both are needed--but it's not an easy balance, is it? Not in our own learning, not in our classrooms.

I've been mostly happy with leaning towards a classroom full of active musicians, with enough music theory to enable independent progress.

Somehow, though, that's been more difficult to attain in my own learning. Pushing past the comfort zone--in music, in using technology more effectively, whatever--can heighten the desire to postpone 'shipping' in favor of 'preparing'. --Something I'm definitely continuing to work on.

How about you? Where are you, in your classroom or in your own journey of learning?

Resources: TED talks on learning by making mistakes

2011-07-18T19:50:00.004-04:00

Economist Tim Harford proposes a way to explore how to 'actually use a problem-solving technique that works" :'successful complex systems evolve through trial and error".

Harford begins with the insights of Dr. Archie Cochran, who--in the midst of WWII prison camps--found ways to improve the lives of the men under his care. Cochran "all his life, fought against a terrible affliction--he realized it was debilitating to individuals and it was corrosive to societies...he called it the God-complex".

How do we spot this kind of attitude in our own thinking? Harford says, "no matter how complicated the problem, you have an absolutely overwhelming belief that you are infallibly right in your solution...I see it around me all the time...people who, in the face of an incredibly complicated world, are nevertheless absolutely convinced that they understand the way the world works".

Perhaps this seems obvious: Harford encountered many people who told him so. His response? "I'll admit it's obvious when schools start teaching children that there are some problems that don't have a correct answer. Stop giving them lists of questions, every single one of which as an answer, and there's an authority figure in the corner behind the teacher's desk that knows all the answers--and if you can't find the answers, you must be lazy or stupid".

Relying upon the advice and analysis of so-called 'experts'? Teaching from mass, standardized, commercialized, bland textbooks? I'll stop before this becomes a rant, and end with Harford's suggestion: He calls for us to "try a bunch of stuff", to employ 'systematic way of determining what's working and what's not"....to keep trying, and to work on making mistakes which lead to solutions.

Or, in Daniel Coyle's words (The Talent Code), "Deep practice is built on a paradox: struggling in certain targeted ways--operating at the edges of your ability, where you make mistakes--makes you smarter. Or to put it a slightly different way, experiences where you're forced to slow down, make errors, and correct them...end up making you swift and graceful without your realizing it".

A great pairing with this talk is Diana Laufenberg's discussion on learning from mistakes , which has been featured in this blog before.
Laufenberg's take? "We won't get there with a standardized test and we won't get there with a culture of one correct answer".

Time to go try out a bunch of stuff of my own.

Reality: daily life

2011-06-21T22:21:00.007-04:00

Today, one of the First Grade kids gave me a mug with music notes on it.

I said, "Let's see what this music sounds like", and went over to the piano to play.

She looked at the piano as I was playing, and then at me, and then said, "Are you playing those notes that are written on the mug??"

"Yes."

"Wow!!! That's sooo cool!"

Well, uh, yeah. It kinda is, isn't it.

Resources: Agency

2011-06-16T16:33:00.002-04:00

From one of my favorite books, Matthew Crawford's Shop Class as Soul Craft, talking about agency:

"The idea of agency..is activity directed toward some end that is affirmed as good by the actor...it flows from an apprehension of real features of the world....

In activities that are directed toward some end...the goodness of the end in question isn't simply posited. There is a progressive revelation of why one ought to aim at just this, as well as how one can achieve it.

As you learn your trade, this particular end takes its place in a larger picture that is emerging, a picture of what it means to be a good plumber or a good mechanic. ....

The progressive character of revelation energizes your efforts to become competent--something about the world is coming into clearer view, and it is exciting.

The sense that your judgments are becoming truer is part of the experience of being fully engaged in what you are doing; it is a feeling of joining a world that is independent of yourself, with the help of another who is further along." (pp. 206-207)

It would be hard to find a better description, it seems to me, of what it is to teach--whether the learning is centered on plumbing or music, the incredible exhileration of active engagement in the teaching process arises directly from the experience of agency.

Now, to figure out how to incorporate this awareness, even more, into my classroom....

Reality: Balance

2011-06-04T11:08:00.003-04:00

Well, it's been a while since my last post....lots of stories happening, though!

Here's a First Grade interaction, after playing my fiddle & Bass, then giving each child a turn to play the Bass. (The two instruments had a little 'discussion' about who had the better sound, accompanied by delighted giggling from the students...)

Me What do you think about the instruments?

Kids Well, they're a little bit the same, and a little bit different. Just like us!

Rejuvenation: inspiration

2011-03-07T00:03:00.001-05:00

Today's post is simply a quote I liked and wanted to share:

"We find greatest joy, not in getting, but in expressing what we are...Men do not really live for honors or for pay; their gladness is not the taking and holding, but in doing, the striving, the building, the living.

It is a higher joy to teach than to be taught. It is good to get justice, but better to do it; fun to have things but more to make them.

The happy man is he who lives the life of love, not for the honors it may bring, but for the life itself." -- R. J. Baughan

Resources: Video

2011-02-26T10:22:00.001-05:00

Today's learning link is to a two-minute (or so) video by Alan Watts....just a bit of thoughtful fun for the start of a new work week.

Watch, here.

(Surprisingly, I saw this first, not on youtube, but on a good small personal finance site called The Simple Dollar.)

Resources and Rejuvenation: Tunes

2011-02-07T00:01:00.002-05:00

Some joy from Louis for your Monday morning: "St Louis Blues".

1933 talks to 2011...technology is amazing, sometimes.

Catch it, here.

Reality: daily life

2011-02-04T18:58:00.002-05:00

Second Grade, this afternoon...

Me    Oh, would someone close the door? Matt forgot.

Arthur (another student)   He always forgets. He'll never learn.

Me (and other children)   Arthur! That's not fair. Just because someone made a mistake doesn't mean they'll never learn.

Arthur    Well, he won't.

Me     Hey, wait a minute. Everyone makes mistakes.

Arthur    Not me.

Me (laughing) All right then! In that case, that was your first one---because EVERYONE makes mistakes. Even grownups. It's just part of being human.

Arthur    Nope. Not me. I'm nearly perfect.

Me (smiling incredulously, because he was clearly utterly serious)   Well, good for you. But no one is perfect. That's why we have to give each other some space to learn.

Arthur Well, not me.

*Arthur and Matt are, of course, not these 7 year old students' real names.

Reality: daily life

2011-02-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

From a First Grader, as she walked out of the Music Room door at the end of the line, back to her classroom:

Leslie*    I want a little sister.

Me          Really? Little sisters rock, you know.

Leslie*   Well.....I want Mommy to have another baby, but she said that I'd have to ask Daddy, 'cause he makes all the rules.

*Leslie is, of course, not this hopeful big sister's real name.

Reality: daily life

2011-02-02T17:19:00.001-05:00

From classroom teachers' stories about talking about Martin Luther King, what racism means, and how kids can help to change things:

from the First Grade Classroom....

Teacher    Does anyone have anything they'd like to add?

Francine*    Yes! My Mom shows racism, 'specially during the winter time.

Teacher   What do you mean, Franny? Can you explain that a little more?

Francine*   Oh yes! She's mean to mice, she catches them in a trap, so she shows racism.

and from Fifth Grade:

Teacher   Would anyone like to add anything about the movie and discussion we had today? Did anything confuse or surprise you?

Danny*    Well, I would. I was surprised to hear that Martin Luther King worked to end puberty.

Teacher    Hmmm....he worked to end puberty?

Danny*   Oh. That's not the right word, is it? It starts with 'p'.   Let me think about this for a minute.
Oh! I meant, 'poverty'...

*Danny and Francine are, of course, not these students' real names.

Resources: Music & the Mind

2011-01-28T23:19:00.001-05:00

Yet another instance where science supports the notion that learning about music trains the mind to think more creatively....read more, here.

Reality: daily life

2011-01-26T21:45:00.002-05:00

There are often times when listening, and caring about our students as people first, changes everything.

Here's just such an example, drawn not from the classroom but from real life....a brief vignette which surprised and delighted me, when I read it. Reaffirmed the real need to establish connection first, whether in the classroom or out on the city streets.

Read the rest---or hear the story--here.

Resources: Music

2011-01-24T00:01:00.001-05:00

Yeah! A groovy tune to start your week off right--check it out--Sister Rosetta Tharpe, "Up Above My Head".

Get ready to dance!

Listen here.

Learning Link, 114

2011-01-21T19:51:00.005-05:00

Most of us in the United States have heard the recordings of the "I have a dream" speech enough that the very words carry the cadence and power of Dr. King's voice as we read them. Those words have the power to bring a class of ten year olds to quiet, thoughtful stillness.

The same is true of other works by Dr. King--for older children, for teens, for adults. His "Why I am opposed to the War" speech is one of those works--it carries strength, conviction and stirring truths in equal measure.

I read some thoughtful words for us as educators in a beautiful post, on Paul Overton's Every Day is Awesome blog, about this particular speech of Dr. King's. Paul said King's words were "Sobering, yes. But also hopeful in a strange way. Forty-two years later, a man’s passion for justice still has the power to move us. His words still carry the weight of truth and, most importantly, he is still calling us to action. The fact that this speech is timeless is simultaneously sad and beautiful. I don’t know if he thought we would have reached mountain top by now, but you can bet that he wouldn’t have wanted us to stop trying."

Yes.

(Read the rest of Paul's post, here.)

Reality: daily life

2011-01-20T06:37:00.002-05:00

It's been a ride, this week has--- fatigue, not enough outdoor time, and general crankiness (hmm....for children and adults!).

In Kindergarten and First Grade....

Me "Um, you guys? Would you please tell the aliens who kidnapped you in the middle of the night and sent me these (sleepy-tops, silly beans, grumpy-heads...) instead, to send me back my kids?"

Kids giggle giggle giggle....

or, just recently: "Oh Ms N, you know, we just got up on the wrong side of the bed."

Me "Uh, yeah, I can see that."

Kids "What does that mean, exactly, anyway?"

:-)

Resources: Creativity

2011-01-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

Great ideas about creating, improvisation, and just plain inspiring listening from two amazingly creative people, Paul Overton (of Dudecraft.com and everydayisawesome.com) and Noah Scalin (of Skull-a-day
and 365:Make Something Every Day).

The bonus? It's really fun to listen to--a good creativity boost for our mid-January days.

More, here.

Resources: TED talk

2011-01-18T00:01:00.002-05:00

Have you heard this TED talk yet? It's intriguing.

Charles Limb is a surgeon and a musician who studies how the brain operates when musicians play. He says that creativity is a neurological process that can be--and will be, even more intensively over the next ten years---studied from a brain-based viewpoint. He uses a special MRI machine that measures blood flow in the brain to track the creative flow while jazz musicians improvise, and while rappers perform. Amazing stuff.

It's totally absorbing. I want to listen to it again...

16 minutes--listen, here.

Resources: Compassion

2011-01-17T00:01:00.004-05:00

Today's Learning Link is to a podcast of the NPR show, Talk of the Nation, which is an interview about compassion, with Karen Armstrong.

Armstrong, winner of a TED award, is a religious historian who chose to use her TED award to further the awareness of the dire need for compassion in our world. She asked TED "to help me create, launch, and propagate a Charter for Compassion that would be written by leading thinkers from a variety of major faiths and would restore compassion to the heart of religious and moral life. The charter would counter the voices of extremism, intolerance, and hatred. At a time when religions are widely assumed to be at loggerheads, it would also show that, despite our significant differences, on this we are all in agreement and that it is indeed possible for the religious to reach across the divide and work together for justice and peace."

In her words: "One of the chief tasks of our time must surely be to build a global community in which all peoples can live together in mutual respect.........The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves.

Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect."

This interview, and her TED talk, are less a presentation of new ideas and more a recognition of the universal application and need for this basic tenet---- a call to action in our daily lives, and in the larger communities in which we live.

As a religious historian and author, Armstrong naturally grounds her work in the language of religions (not one but all), although the discussion is applicable within a secular context, of course, as well.

More, here.

Rejuvenation: food for thought

2011-01-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." --W.B.Yeats

Daily Life, 102

2011-01-13T15:43:00.000-05:00

Today, I was in a second grade classroom during their literacy block--sitting on the floor with small groups of children while we took turns reading aloud.

Max*    Would you please help me to hold this book up? It's pretty big, and my head hurts.

Me   Sure. I'm sorry to hear that you have a headache, Max.

Max*    No, it's not a headache, really. My spine just hurts from the top of my backbone all the way to the bottom.

Me    Ouch!

Max*   Yeah, well....it happened last night when my Dad and me were headbanging to Metallica.

....yikes.....

*Max, of course, is not this young heavy metal music fan's actual name....

Learning Link, 110

2011-01-12T06:04:00.001-05:00

Where do artists find inspiration?

Once they've begun, how do artists nurture their creativity?

How do artists connect their work with their worlds?

NPR/CBC radio interviewers spoke with several well-known creative people in the arts, during the 1970s. The result was a two-hour radio documentary about creativity and the arts--a discussion which both informs and inspires adult artists, even 30+ years later.

Listen, here.

Learning Link, 109

2011-01-11T18:03:00.000-05:00

Great, short post about learning languages, over at ZenHabits. Substitute 'music' and nearly all of it applies...interesting.

More, here.

Learning Link, 108

2011-01-09T11:32:00.001-05:00

Seth Godin, once again, wrote this past week not one but two great posts to think about, for anyone who's concerned about education....the first is about impact, the second, more about the quality of our process and tools. He knows how to provide much food for thought in--generally--less than one page of writing. Great stuff.

Check out the first one here, and the second, here.

Learning Link, 107

2010-12-29T09:59:00.002-05:00

I listened to this TED talk initially, solely in order to hear Viktor Frankl speak--knowing there would be wisdom carried in whatever he said--which is exactly what happened.

"Why to believe in others"--about five minutes of rich thoughts. Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: "Children have a tendency to live up to what you believe of them" (Ladybird Johnson).

Listen, here.

Learning Link, 106

2010-12-28T07:57:00.001-05:00

"Data-driven".....a phrase we hear often while shaping curriculum and 'best practices' in education.

There's no doubt about the efficacy of applying detailed feedback to improve our teaching. It helps to shape our direction and to fine-tune interactions.

Sometimes, that's true.

Sometimes, relying heavily upon test results to inform decisions can result in an educational environment which stunts creativity, growth, and learning.

Walking that line is a challenge---one which Seth Godin writes about, in a business context. Godin supports the use of data to drive growth, when appropriate. He also says, "Data is not information, and confusing numbers with truth can help you make some bad decisions."

Interested? Read more of Godin's work, here.

Learning Link, 105

2010-12-27T08:28:00.001-05:00

There are times when it really helps to have directions....not that we always choose to follow them, mind you. But still--it's often good to have a bit of an overview before starting.

One of the many places to start looking is wikiHow. As the name implies, it's a compendium of articles created by the users, with ideas about activities from fixing bike brakes to writing a good thank you letter (a timely topic!). As with most of these kinds of sites, the information may or may not be totally accurate at every point, but at least it's a good place to start, I think.

Interested? Check it out for yourself, here.

Daily Life, 101

2010-12-24T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today, in First Grade Music class, a child came up to me with his hand outstretched.

Joey*      Here, this is for you.

Me          Wow, this is a cool rock. Thank you! But I'll return the penny to you--kids should keep their own money.

Joey*      OK.   The rock is a genuine crystal!

Me         Mmm, I see that. Very cool--thank you!

At the end of class, the same child came up to me, distraught.

Joey*    I lost my penny! It must've fallen out of my pocket and now I can't find it anywhere.

Me Well, let's look around a bit.

After a few moments of fruitless searching...

Me    Tell you what, Joey, how about if I just give you another penny? Would that work, or was it a special one?

Joey*    Um....I guess that would be OK.

Me    Hmm, there's no pennies in my change jar. How about a nickel?

Joey*    How about a quarter instead?

*Joey is, of course, not this budding young financier's real name.

Learning Link, 104

2010-12-23T00:01:00.003-05:00

A riveting talk about changing educational paradigms, by a master educator: Sir Ken Robinson.

Robinson says, "Our best salvation is to develop this capacity for imagination and to do it systematically through public education and to connect people with their true talents. We simply can't afford this devastation any more."

On the current prevalence of the ADHD diagnosis and the drugs used to medicate the condition: "The arts...and science, and math....especially address the idea of aesthetic experience... one in which your senses are operating at their peak, when you're present in the current moment, when you're resonating with the excitement of this thing that you're experiencing, when you are fully alive. An anesthetic is when you shut your senses off and deaden yourself to what's happening. And a lot of these drugs are that: we're getting our children through education by anesthetizing them, and I think we should be doing the exact opposite---we shouldn't be putting them to sleep, we should be waking them up to what they have inside of themselves."

and "If you're interested in the model of learning, you don't start from this production line mentality....we have to question what we take for granted".

Amazing stuff. Listen to the whole thing, here.

Daily Life, 100

2010-12-22T00:01:00.001-05:00

In Second Grade, several children were having a murmured discussion while taking off their coats before school began.    After a few minutes, one of the kids came over to me.

James*     So, do you believe in Santa Claus or not?

Me           Hmm. Why are you asking me that, James?

James*     Well. Some of the kids are saying he's not real.

Me          Hmmm. What do you think?

James*      I don't know for sure if he is, or not. But I'm going to keep believing anyway, just in case.
                  I'm not taking any chances!

*James, of course, is not this pragmatic child's real name.

Daily Life, 99

2010-12-21T00:01:00.003-05:00

OK....here's a 'heads up' for any reader who may work with children: today (December 21st) might hold some unusual...some might even call it 'loony'.... behavior or events.

You probably already know why, but just in case: between yesterday and today, there's a convergence of three major events: the winter solstice, a full moon, and a total lunar eclipse.

Just sayin'. If you work with kids, you'll know what I mean.

(And if you don't work with children on a regular basis, let's just say that it's fairly obvious when the full moon occurs each month, or when a big storm is imminent. I laughed, when someone first suggested that connection to me years ago. After twenty years in the classroom, I no longer scoff at the idea...)

Learning Link, 103

2010-12-20T00:01:00.002-05:00

Some thoughts on learning...from Diana Laufenberg, in an interesting TED talk:

"if we continue to look at education as if it's about coming to school to get the information, and not about experiential learning, empowering student voice, and embracing failure, we're missing the mark....we won't get there with a standardized test, and we won't get there with a culture of 'one right answer'. We know how to do this better, and it's time to do it better."

More? Listen, here.

Learning? Link, 102

2010-12-17T15:00:00.001-05:00

OK, so there's not really any learning that's gonna happen here. I just thought this car was too awesome to pass by without comment.

....1930's, meet 2030's...

See for yourself, here.

Learning Link, 101

2010-12-16T21:01:00.001-05:00

We tend to hear about schools that are failing our children...but what about the many educators who are succeeding?

I teach Music in two elementary schools where many of the classrooms are packed with books, vivid learning materials, and lively learning.

Here's a picture of just what that looks like...it doesn't happen to be in either of my schools, but it looks just like our classrooms. (There are other great posts on this "Moving at the Speed of Creativity" blog, as well.)

BTW, if you love reading and would like to have more ideas about teaching literacy, the two books mentioned at the end of this link are great resources.

Check it out, here.

Daily Life, 98

2010-12-15T06:24:00.000-05:00

In First Grade Music class today, in the middle of playing with the Beanie Babies (to write the melodies on their Music Staff House, of course)...

Me    Allie*, honey, why are you crying?

Allie*    I miss my Dad.

Me     Mmm.....

Allie*   He works late into the night time, so I'm already in bed when he comes home. And he's asleep when I leave for school in the morning.

Me     Oh, Allie. I can see how that would be hard.

The rest of the kids were very quiet...the empathy in the room was palpable. The children sitting near Allie patted her shoulder, and one child mentioned that his Dad worked late, too, and it was hard.

Allie*   I guess I'll be OK. I just miss him.

Allie* is, of course, not this tender-hearted daughter's real name.

Learning Link, 100

2010-12-14T20:25:00.001-05:00

11 year old Billy Preston + Nat King Cole, playing "Blueberry Hill"?

Yes, please!

Check it out here.

Learning Link, 99

2010-12-13T20:45:00.001-05:00

Fitting topic for a Monday: the intertwining of complexity and simplicity....and some ideas about both, in a short, excellent TED talk.

More, here.

Daily Life, 97

2010-12-10T16:30:00.002-05:00

We turned our December 'xylophone challenge' into an "inter-galactically filmed TV show!" , so that the Martians and other nebulous beings could watch us take solos....

Part of this, of course, involved commercial breaks, hosted by various kids. Here's a sample...

...in 5th Grade:

Randeh*      OK, folks, let me introduce you to my best friend. He's always here, you know? Hanging right up here on the wall above the computer, he's Duke Ellington. Give him a hand!
Now I ask you, people, what kind of parents name their kid Duke?   I mean, come on! Did they not know he was gonna become famous? And now he's Duke?   I mean, really.   Parents, I'm telling you, check out the Name Change Baby Book next time!

...in 3rd Grade:

Sarah*       OK, everybody, you come on down to the Homework Store! What, your teacher doesn't believe you that your dog ate your homework again? Well come on down--we got us here a vacuum cleaner that definitely will eat your homework and spit out a note to tell your teacher so. Only 10 dollars, it's cheap, come on down!

....in 2nd Grade:

Simon*     So are you having trouble waking up at midnight because your bed's too lumpy? Well come on over and check out our super soft beds! They bounce! They're soft! They'll bounce you to the ceiling if you have some serious trouble getting back to sleep! Yes, they'll even bounce you outside in the middle of the night so you can make some snow angels! Better tell your Mom first though, kids, or you won't be able to get back inside because everyone else is asleep. So come on down! Only 19 dollars and ten cents! Come on down during the daytime because we're closed at night, and buy one for yourself! It's soft!

*Randeh, Sarah and Simon are, of course, not these young marketer's real names...perhaps it's just as well that the products they're hawking aren't real (except in imagination) either....

Daily Life, 96

2010-12-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Today in PreK music, I was introduced to a new student, who just turned four years old.

Me        We're so glad your family moved to our school! Is Jedidiah* your big brother, in 5th grade?

Sanika*    Yes. All the girls love him, you know.

Me         Oh, really?

Sanika*   Yes. It's because he's soooooo handsome.

*Jedidiah and Sanika are, of course, not the real names of this big brother and proud little sister.

Learning Link, 98

2010-12-08T00:01:00.005-05:00

Hehehehe....a fun start for your day: Grover (who lives in the Sesame Street neighborhood, of course) learns one good way to make friends with some mean bully monsters...a minute and a half of smiling, here.

(With thanks to my friend Jonathan for the link!)

Learning Link, 97

2010-12-07T20:00:00.001-05:00

Eight Ways to be more creative.....

Well, the actual link is to a Copyblogger post called "8 ways that crush success and stifle creativity", but the content offers helpful things to consider when looking to increase creativity, in ourselves and in others.

Here's just a taste: being willing to chart and follow your own path to success; keeping an open mind despite nay-sayers; learning to create or evaluate, not both at the same time; having confidence and being willing to tolerate ambiguity when trying out solutions.

Want more? Check it out here.

Daily Life, 95

2010-12-06T19:23:00.001-05:00

Kindergarten students, shuffling down the hall in heavy snowboots, swathed to their earlobes with long scarves, encased in zippered snowsuits, dragging mittens....

Announcement over the loudspeakers:
Attention, staff and students. Due to the extreme wind chill, there will be no outdoor recess today.

One lone, plaintive little Kindergarten voice: You mean we went through all that for nothing??

Learning Link, 96

2010-12-06T00:01:00.003-05:00

Check it out....here's a compelling idea: re-creating our society so that our inherent ability to empathize is allowed to flourish. According to Jeremy Rifkin, author of The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World of Crisis:

"What is required now is nothing less than a leap to global empathic consciousness and in less than a generation if we are to resurrect the global economy and revitalize the biosphere. The question becomes this: what is the mechanism that allows empathic sensitivity to mature and consciousness to expand through history?" (From a Huffington Post article--read more, here.)

Rifkin is the President of the Foundation on Economic Trends, and has been an advisor to government leaders within the European Union and elsewhere. His books about the effects of scientific and technological changes on society are used in universities, corporations and government agencies worldwide.

This particular talk is presented with simultaneous illustrations by RSA Animate, and is ten minutes of absorbing information that's also fun to watch. (Wish my notetaking skills were as well-developed as this!)

Want to listen? Check it out here. (Thanks to my friend Paul--who posted this on his site, EveryDayIsAwesome.....lots of good reading there, if you're interested.)

Reality, Poetry for kids

2010-12-05T16:10:00.004-05:00

OK, fair warning: this poem contains puns. I wrote it a very long time ago.....(no, I'm not implying that I've matured since then into someone who doesn't like puns....!)

At the Zoo

We went to the zoo
to see what was gnu.
We saw a duck-billed platypus
who got extremely mad at us,
and a stone tyrranosaurus
who seemed quite carnivorous.
We passed a group of Anglo-philes
who were staring at the crocodiles.
Next was the cage of the aardvark
who startled us with a loud bark
while feeding on the anopheles--
he didn't seem too hard to please!
Last we passed a large warthog
whose face looked something like a log.
We really enjoyed our trip to the zoo--
didn't ewe?

Karla, 1980s

Learning Link, 95

2010-12-03T19:12:00.001-05:00

WOW! Birke Baehr is an 11 year old who wanted to be an NFL football player "awhile back", but
decided he wants to become an organic farmer instead--because he'll have more impact on the world.
He also wants us to know that some kids will actually like baked kale chips, and that more kids would eat vegetables and fruit if they knew more about how their food is grown.

It's an inspiring, funny and informative five minute NextGeneration TED talk---listen for yourself, here.

Daily Life, 94

2010-12-02T00:01:00.001-05:00

Kindergarten Music class....

Me      Hey, everybody, we're going to learn a new singing game. It's in Spanish!

Kids     Yay!

I sang the song and explained the game, then taught the kids their part.   After they'd sung it...

Jamie*    Hey, this is like a whole different language!

Samantha*    Yeah! It's like another English!

*Jamie and Samantha are, of course, not these budding linguist's actual names.

Daily Life, 93

2010-12-01T15:52:00.004-05:00

Today at 1:15pm, in First Grade Music:

Kids   Ms N! Ms N! Look outside! It's snowing now!

Me    Wow! It changed from rain to snow! How cool is that?

Kids Look! It's like a blanket that's all white!

Me    Why are we sitting here? Let's go look out the window.

So we hastened to the windows, pressed our noses flat against the glass, and ooh'd and ahh'd.

Dancy* (in a shy, quiet whisper, with her hand on my arm, looking up at me with those big sweet eyes)   Look, Ms N, it's even covering the wood chips. (in the playground under the swings)

Brian*    Man! It's piling up on the swing seats! Look at that!

Marisa*      If Frosty really did come alive like that, I would have runned away.

Me          Why?

Marisa* I'd be scared of some big snowman who talked to me!

Brian* If he was a bad one, I'd just sit on him and squish him.

Chantel* Not me! I'd jump on his back and make him be a sled.

.....no matter how many years it happens, it's always magical if the first snowfall of the year is also when we're in school....and being with the little kids when the first snow happens is the best of all. What a treat!

*Dancy, Brian, Marisa and Chantel are, of course, not these excited First Graders' real names. (But their excitement was real enough to charge the air with lots of joy!)

Learning Link, 94

2010-11-30T21:50:00.001-05:00

Today's link is to a post that I found stirred my thinking around a bit. Reflecting on goals and projects--not to mention daily choices--might already be a habit, but sometimes it's helpful to see how others frame their thinking. Granted, this particular post might perhaps be a bit prescriptive for my taste--or yours---but it's worth a look.

Check out "Twenty Questions" .....here.

Learning Link, 93

2010-11-29T00:01:00.004-05:00

Emily Pilloton, who wrote Design Revolution, presents a compelling case for using design in re-shaping both the spaces in which education takes place and the shape of education itself.

Pilloton's talk is based on her work in a 'rural ghetto'--the poorest county in N.C. The work her group is doing, at the intersection of design and education, uses three different approaches:

1. Design for education: "the physical construction of improved spaces and materials and experiences for teachers and students" --renovating mobile classroom trailers, closed-in classrooms which limit mobility, co-creating outdoor 'landscapes for learning'. (That's all the detail I'm going to give, because there are great pictures and more information in her talk.)
2. Re-designing education itself: 'a systems-level look at how education is administered, at what is being offered, and to whom...not so much about making change as creating the conditions under which change is possible, and the incentive to want to make change"....asking the community to grow, but also asking the "school system to envision how it might become a catalyst for a more connected community...to reach outside of the school walls, to play a role in the community's development...connect the classroom and home and extend learning beyond the school day'.

3. Design as education: teaching design "Community-focused design curricula and shop class renaissance"....an antidote to verbal instruction, this hands-on learning 'allows kids to apply the core class learning in real ways'.

Pilloton also talks about bringing back shop class but infused with a 'more critical and design-thinking curricula' with actual projects...elderly house improvement, farmers' markets, and more.

Pilloton is hoping that Studio H, this project, will serve as a pilot project in engaging students, schools and community in real learning, community building, and a 'way to develop skills' so that students can 'give back in a meaningful way'.

Yeah!

Check it out--the TED talk is here.

Reality, Poetry for Kids

2010-11-28T17:52:00.003-05:00

Every once in a while, I'm posting one of the poems I've written---ones I think children might like.
(Don't worry though---you'll always know it's coming, because 'poetry' will appear in the title.)

Here's today's poem...(.written when I was also a very young kid.)

Memories

Alive, yet dead.
Tucked away in bed.
Sad and sweet,
folded neat.
In the back of your mind,
they're not hard to find.
They linger yet, not willing to go---
they're memories of things
you used to know.

Karla, 1970s

Learning Link, 92

2010-11-25T10:12:00.000-05:00

Well: this isn't a learning link, directly, about education.

But it is connected to how we affect others throughout our daily lives, often without even knowing it.

And besides: it's beautifully written, funny, and a pleasure to read.

Here's the link to "The Only Letter You'll Get on Thanksgiving", by Paul Overton--read it here.

and thanks to Paul for writing such beautiful stuff--his site is packed full of great things to read.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T08:06:00.000-05:00

Adult "What do you say when someone gives you something?"

Child (in a singsong voice) "Thank you!"

We teach our children on an ongoing basis, to say thank you for all kinds of small everyday gifts and services.....and sometimes I, at least, forget to practice what I teach.

So just in case you didn't know: I'm grateful that you take the time to stop by here, and visit awhile.
Thank you for reading--and to all of you who've given me kind comments in person, about what I write: thank you.

It's an amazing thing to be able to do what makes your heart sing inside, for a living, each day. That's what teaching is for me: being around kids---- working to learn from them, with them, and for them----being around adults who care about both children and education---having a small spot in the long pathway through time, of teachers and learners.

I'm grateful for all of that, and I'm grateful that you share it a bit with me by reading (and sometimes commenting!) here.

Thank you----Happy Thanksgiving!

Daily Life, 92

2010-11-24T10:01:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I dropped by the cafeteria to talk with C, our great Afterschool program director. She was, as usual, hanging out with kids--in this case, a smart & savvy 5th grader.

C       Jack*, why are you sniffing that bowl?

Jack*    It smells like chicken broth.

C       It is.

Jack*    That would be why it smells that way, then.

C     You're very alert for 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Jack.

Jack    What's 'alert'?

Me    It's a good thing.   It means you're awake and aware of what's going on around you.

Jack*     Oh.   Why didn't you just say that?

Me      Wait, don't you like new words?

C (chuckling)    Yesterday, I called him a cantankerous cuss.

Jack*    That was because I didn't want to do one single thing that anyone else wanted to do.

Me      Hmm.   Yep, that sounds pretty curmudgeonly to me!

Jack*   (yanking on his hair and laughing)   You guys! Wouldja stop calling me words that I have to go look up in the dictionary??   (...followed by laughter all around...)

*Jack, of course, is not this good-natured kid's real name. ....and he's not, actually, a curmudgeonly, cantanerous cuss--he's a great kid. :-)

Learning Link, 91

2010-11-19T22:22:00.001-05:00

Seth Godin's daily blog posts generally provide thoughts to mull over. Good stuff, that, for daily consumption.

Some of his thoughts, though, seem to stick around and become a pivotal part of shaping thinking. (For me, anyway.)

Like this, for instance:

"Someone who gets better whenever he fails will always outperform someone who responds to failure by getting worse. This isn't something in your DNA, it's something you can learn or unlearn.
The appropriate response is not to try harder, to bear down and grind it out. The response that works is to understand the nature of the cycle and to change it from the start. You must not fight the cycle, you must transform it into a different cycle altogether. It's a lot of work, but less work than failing." --Seth Godin

Like to read the rest of the post? Check it out here.

Daily Life, 91

2010-11-17T00:01:00.001-05:00

Today in Grade Two Music, we were discussing the further adventures of Harold (our imaginary friend).

It seems that poor Harold went scuba-diving with his girlfriend, FiFi, when he accidentally--not looking where he was going, of course---he does tend to do that a lot---well, he swam into a Very Dangerous Place.

Kids     Where did he go? What happened? Is he OK? Did you get a letter from him?

Me      Well, he went right into the mouth of a very big fish.

Kids    A whale? A killer whale?

Sam*    I saw a killer whale once. It was in the zoo.

Jodi*   Aw, that's not true. They don't have whales in zoos, right?

Carli*    I think he must have been very frightened.

Me*     He sure was.

Dinitra*    How in the world did he fit into the whale's mouth?

Me*     Well, you see, the whale just happened to be in the middle of a big old yawn. So Harold just thought it was a cave or something, and swam right in.   He's been trying to get out ever since.

Charles*    Man. I'm gonna pray for that boy.

(At this point, we all laughed and started singing out next song....)

*Sam, Jodi, Carli, Dinitra and Charles are not, of course, the real names of these highly imaginative youngsters.

Learning Link, 90

2010-11-16T18:19:00.001-05:00

"A Wrinkle in Time" comes true..... Check this out, from a post on BoingBoing about physicists, invisibility cloaks, and a space-time invisibility cloak. How cool would this be? (One more reason to have studied my science lessons more carefully in Elementary School...)

"Lasers would be used to control the fibres' refractive indices, opening and closing the temporal void. The fibre-optic cloak could hide events only from observers standing directly ahead of the oncoming light waves, and it could not fully block all reflections from light travelling through the cloak while it is turned on, so some light might bleed out. A distant observer looking down the optical fibre would not spot the hidden event, but they would notice the background light getting brighter and dimmer. McCall hopes that a fibre-optic cloak creating a space–time void around 30 centimetres long, to hide actions taking place over a few nanoseconds, could be built within the next year." (BoingBoing)

I want one of those in a user-friendly pocket-pack, please....

Read the rest of the post, here.

2010-11-13T10:36:00.001-05:00

In a good conversation recently about creativity and ways of making sense of the world, we were discussing how the arts can serve as a lens---one which is cleared and put into focus through music and art and dance and creative writing.   A lens which enriches the lives of people whose primary way of seeing the world comes through other channels, but which is vital for those of us in the arts.

This is a way of knowing about life which will be far less present in our children's lives--in the early formal education of young people--as arts programs are ever more stringently excised from the curriculum. As arts programs are increasingly expected to abide by the kinds of data-driven tests which quantify concrete skills and value the accumulation of discrete pieces of knowledge---as though aggregation of information were equivalent to nurturing and expressing creativity.

There's a genuine need for all of us, as creative beings, to have excellent tools in our boxes, yes.   Tools which are then put into the play of creation and expression.

The state tests---which increasingly dictate every move within the education system--measure aptitude and knowledge accurately, but only for those people whose primary intelligence is best expressed with paper and pen.

That excludes many people. It assumes that other forms of knowing-- knowledge--experience-- awareness--- are not equally valid.

All of which is not news. All of which troubles me, and others like me.

In our discussion, C (a graphic designer-turned-elementary-art teacher) and I wondered aloud about implementing data-driven observations as a way of justifying the inclusion of the arts in education, expressed in a form which the policy instituters can understand.

I'd rather use any gathering of data as an engine to inform my own awareness of the efficacy of my teaching. Sometimes it works best to simply close my classroom door on the dominant methods of teaching-and-testing, and to work with the children who are right in front of me. We work to give them our best, as individual teachers.

As an educational system? The goal is present: strong learning, excellent students. However, I think our national testing-crazed beaureacracy is on the wrong track .   In a way, the state educational system is a rusting behemoth, an engine being driven by the needs of other eras. Packed with good drivers? Perhaps.   But in an economy where careers which involve data-entry are being outsourced as quickly as possible, the need for creative thinkers--for people whose minds have been trained to observe, analyze and respond--is strong, and growing.

That would be where education in the arts shines.

Poetry for Kids, 2

2010-11-07T09:00:00.007-05:00

OK....here's the thing: I write poetry. (I know, many people do.) I'd like to be able to share my poems with other people...so every once in a while, I'm going to post one of my poems.

Never fear: you'll know it's coming, by the post title.

But for those who may just possibly enjoy it, here goes.

Words

I like the sound of words.
I like the crunch and crackle
as they chuckle in my cheeks.
I like their golden glimmer
and their bouncy, bopping beat.
I like the boldness of brave Bee
and the peppery popping of palpitating Pea.
I like the slithery slippery sliding
of Ssss, sneaking softly to silence.
I like the way words wet and gray
drip with rain on a sunny day.
I like their snazzy, jazzy walk.
I like the cuddly cooing of baby-talk.
I like the sound of words.

(Karla, 1980)

Daily Life, 90

2010-11-06T07:30:00.000-04:00

Well.

I spilled hot tea on my computer the other day. Luckily, these things are built to take life's daily loads....after some rest & time to dry, it appears to be in hearty working order.

I've been thinking about something a speaker said at a workshop yesterday.

"Nonviolence is about surfacing the tension that's already there." --Barry Durfel

The discussion was about closing the gap in groups of students, building community, learning to talk about our differences and learning to find our commonalities. Celebrating both.

Even just starting on that path will take some courageous discussions and the willingness to extend ourselves beyond what feels comfortable.

I'm hoping to learn what's missing from my own teaching practice...perhaps that should be, from the way I've chosen to live my life....and to start filling in the gaps, as much as I'm able to do so.

Good stuff. Hard to do. Hard to talk about. But oh....so vital to keeping our communities alive.

Daily Life, 89

2010-11-05T17:22:00.002-04:00

Our district held a day-long staff workshop today, which centered around exploring the implementation of the ideas in Chaos or Community ( a book which was just re-published, written by Dr. King).

It's a challenge to write about Martin Luther King's ideas, on a teeny educational blog....so much that's incredibly valuable has already been written....and there's just so much there.

On the other hand, sometimes it's only when we talk about the ideas in books, as individuals, each relating it to our own experiences, that the books come alive.

Here's what had the most impact on me, while reading: King's comment, towards the end of the book, that people often mistake the intention for the deed. That we hear the melodious phrases, we watch from afar as equity is translated into laws and signed into the legal code, we see media depictions of lifestyles and communities which appear prosperous....and we then are lulled into believing that all of the work is done.

King's view in the late 1960s, when he wrote this book? We're not done, we've only begun.

From the discussions and the first-hand views and experiences of many of our 1000+ staff, that still holds true today. There's still much work to be done.

Now I think, for me at least, I'd like to take a good hard look to see just what that means, worked out through daily life right here.

Daily Life, 88

2010-11-03T19:43:00.000-04:00

Our Principal arranged for us to be able to watch an early showing of the new documentary, "Waiting for Superman".

Discussions in the media have already been underway, with some holding that this movie will be provocative enough to cause systemic change, once it's taken hold of the general public.

I'm not so sure.   Not because there weren't good points: there were. It's true, the educational system in our country is a bureaucratic behemoth: cranky, ill-suited to serve the needs of most of our children.

It's also true that giving our children the best that we possibly can give them is vital to their wellbeing--and to ours.

But those are facts that are already well-established.....and that's what I think this movie does: it simply presents the impact of those realities, as evidenced in the lives of several individual children.

It's true, there was some emotion-yanking going down. It's also true that there was a sustained, underlying diatribe against teacher unions---neither of which is actually helpful in forwarding a discussion which should have an intense focus on solutions.

As to that, there were also some solutions proposed....arising from interviews and a bit of data on individual schools and on systemic school programs* where the emphasis is on individual responsibility for learning.

What were the core ideas?
    --Responsibility, for everyone in the process.
    --Holding everyone (adults as well as children) to high standards.
    --Expecting all children--regardless of socio-economic backgrounds--to be successful academically.
    --Allocating sufficient resources in terms of time, funds and staffing--to accomplish the goals.

Not surprising nor new ideas.   But good ones, nonetheless.   Is it a movie worth seeing? Probably, if you're someone who's interested in education.   Just don't expect miracles.

Those are what happen on a daily basis in many classrooms across the country, despite the system.

*One of the school programs I found intriguing was the KIP school system. KIP stands for Knowledge Is Power.    I'll check it out and post about it at some point soon.

Daily Life, 87

2010-11-02T23:10:00.000-04:00

Watching "Peter and the Wolf" with First Grade musicians...

Anna*    Is Peter real?

Me    Do you mean, is he a real person?

Anna* Yes. Is he for real?

Me    No. It's a story. But I agree with you, it does seem as though he's real.

Sam*    Well, he could be. There are real Peters for real, in the world. I mean, like Peter Pan!

*Anna and Sam are, of course, not these thoughtful First Graders' real names.

Daily Life, 86

2010-11-01T22:25:00.000-04:00

OK, one more Halloween story...last evening, one of my first trick or treaters was a teeny two year old.
He stood on my porch with his bag open, looking up at me expectantly.

Child's Mother (in background):   What do you say, honey?

Child (with a big happy smile): Happy Thanksgiving!

oh, yes....

Speaking of Halloween, we had people   who didn't need costumes to be their characters, at school today...the Energizer Bunny (chocolate for breakfast), many zombies (chocolate for dinner, snack, breakfast and lunch), and several of the Seven Dwarves: Sleepy, Sneezey, Dopey and Grumpy.

Make that lots of Grumpies.

And that was just the adults...

Early morning Saturday thoughts...

2010-10-30T07:39:00.000-04:00

Been thinking about all of those mature words---like responsibility, steadiness, deliberate optimism, dignity.

Been thinking about how much it affects me for the good, when those words are a regular part of my day. When they are words I spend time thinking about and working towards.

Also been thinking about that other, utterly mature word: play.

And that wonderful word: balance.

Doing lots of thinking. Gonna work on some doing, today.

Daily Life

2010-10-29T23:20:00.000-04:00

No number on this slice of daily life, because it's from my entire life.

I've been spending quite a bit of time with my (nearly-82-year-old) Mom lately....and remembering how wonderful it was, to grow up as her child.

She's always had an amazing gift for putting things in a way that made us, as kids, practically salivate to do whatever she was suggesting. Always seeing it sincerely, but from an angle that most adults don't see. ("Oh, honey, I think you do such a beautiful job of making your room look inviting. It's like magic, how you get it so neat and pretty even though it was just all messy all over the place with your toys. You know what to do!" etc)

Any good thing I have when it comes to interacting with children comes directly from my Mom....so the way she approaches life has had an impact, through me, to literally thousands of children ( I've been teaching a long time, and I teach several hundred children each year).

Makes for some musing about how many people we each have an effect upon, often without even knowing it.

Just sayin'.

Daily Life, 85

2010-10-28T18:09:00.001-04:00

These snippets of conversation come not from elementary age students, but from the college students whom I passed while walking on campus this week....

"My Dad died when I was 12. In theory, I guess I should've been told, but my Mom never told me..."

"Well, the purple shirt and green tie, that was enough--but the fact that he was also wearing white pants..."

Makes you wish you could hear the rest, doesn't it?

Living by the Rules

2010-10-27T20:55:00.003-04:00

"What....rules are you unnecessarily living by?"

This intriguing question is posed by "Kim and Jason", creators/hosts of the blog "Kim and Jason escape adulthood: adultitis ends here".

Now, before you start even the faintest of thoughts that this blog is about living life as a responsibility-free person---it's not. It's just a funny compendium of posts which question some of the things we do as adults, solely because we're "supposed to"....things which can get in the way of living life with gusto and enthusiasm.

I particularly liked the post "Rule #6: Thou Shall Not Eat Dessert First". (It's here.)

What does this have to do with education? ----Everything. Education for life: asking questions about the way we live, about why we do what we do, about how we can do it better.

Not just in the classroom, but everywhere.

From the blog: " .... "Adultitis" can trick you into missing out on the best parts of life and cause you to take yourself WAY too seriously. We believe that life is meant to be lived to the fullest, and that your life should be bursting with big dreams, oodles of passion, and an enthusiastic playfulness. We believe in curiosity, delighting in the little things, and a faith that knows things always work out for the best. We believe that a life that embraces a childlike spirit is a life that is less stressful and way more fun."
(from http://kimandjason.com/blog/about-kim-jason)

This was just the tonic I needed in this pre-Halloween week at an elementary school....perhaps it will be of interest to you, dear reader, as well.

Happy reading.

Daily Life, 84

2010-10-26T20:12:00.000-04:00

In First Grade Music class today, doing vocal exploration work using a big poster of a decrepit house, complete with ragged black curtains and scary-ish pictures of the 'homeowners' standing at each window.
(Imagine the Adams Family, diluted to grammar school scariness levels...)

Me    Wow, you all sound just like the ghost. I'm getting scared!

Kids   Really? You're a scaredy-cat!

Me Sometimes.

Kids I'm afraid to sleep in the dark...I sleep with the hallway light on....I'm afraid of monsters under the bed...I think there are big alligators in my closet, hiding behind the blanket pile....I hear scary noises when I wake up in the middle of the night and have to run to my Mom and Dad's room....

Me    Hmmm.....what do you do,when you're scared?

Katie*     Well, I smile at the darkness. If it thinks I'm not scared, it will probably go bother someone else.

Wow.

*Katie is, of course, not this intrepid, wise young child's real name.

Learning Link, 89

2010-10-25T19:34:00.001-04:00

Wow! Interested in learning more about art?

I am---that's one of the (many) areas I wish I'd studied more while in college.

So imagine my delight at finding this site, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art: many articles, with pictures (naturally), covering a wide variety of arts topics.

Interested? Check it out, here.

Learning Link, 88

2010-10-24T15:20:00.000-04:00

Seth Godin commented about change in one of his recent blog posts.

We're tackling this at the moment, in our Elementary school, working on creating a calmer, more respectful atmosphere in which to learn.

The interesting thing to me is that Godin's point--that some people resist change loudly, and some wait quietly to see what will happen--applies equally well to both adults and children.

No question about it, we all know: change is hard.

Refusing to change-- when conditions cry out for such action--seems to me to lead to situations that are even harder.

Read Godin's post here.

Daily Life, 83

2010-10-23T12:34:00.000-04:00

All of my third, fourth and fifth grade students are in the process of writing pen pal letters back and forth from a small school in Zimbabwe to here. (A friend is facilitating this process, at the other school.)
Here's a sample.....

Dear Anneta*,

How are you? I am just fine. Thank you for your letter, I liked hearing about your favorite food.
I have 6 cats, 2 dogs and a hamster. The hamster's name is Petey.

When I grow up, I want to be a doctor. I also want to have a farm and to have 16 kids.

Do you like candy? I like candy corn, sweeties, and Tootsie Rolls. I'm either going to be a scientist or a princess ballerina for Halloween.

How about you?

your friend,

Shana*

*Shana and Anneta are not, of course, these young writers' real names.

Daily Life, 82

2010-10-22T19:28:00.002-04:00

Kindergarten music class today...during which, btw, we did not mention dinosaurs in either conversation or songs....

Laney* Ms. N, I have to tell you something really important. Really, really important.

Me OK. What?

Laney* Dinosaurs do NOT live in zoos.

Me Oh? Where do they live?

Laney* In Heaven, silly!

*Laney is, of course, not this budding scientist's real name.

Learning Link, 37

2010-10-21T21:35:00.002-04:00

Today's link is to a blog that my friend Paul just launched....filled with short, thoughtful essays on bringing ourselves fully awake to this amazing thing we all call 'life'.

....and how could you not want to read more, when the subheading is: 'because cynicism is exhausting'??

Check it out for yourself, here.

Daily Life, 81

2010-10-20T20:28:00.001-04:00

We're working with our school community to help children become enthusiastic learners and responsible citizens....to help them learn how to negotiate tough social situations with clarity and kindness towards each other and towards themselves.

(Tough social situations? In elementary school? ....oh, yes....think back to what it was really like, to be a grammar school age child....remember?)

The same principles and questions that we ask children could well be asked of ourselves---driving in early rush hour traffic, waiting in line at the grocery store while someone fumbles with their checkbook and 25 coupons, applying our entire focus to our work each day....

What does it look like ....to be responsible? to do our work to our best ability--and then stretch for more? to act with kindness? with integrity?

What does it sound like.....to treat others as we'd like to be treated? to be honest and straightforward? to challenge what we see as wrong and actively support what we see as right?

The children aren't the only ones who benefit from remembering to ask themselves questions....

Learning Link, 36

2010-10-19T19:30:00.001-04:00

Looking for Swing Music charts?

Here's a site that I've found helpful as a starting point....access to a select list of charts, provided in any key you choose, for free. Nice.

Check it out further, here.

Learning Link, 35

2010-10-18T22:26:00.000-04:00

How to learn something new every day for the next 40 Days...

Over at the blog "Marc and Angel Hack Life", there's a great post: "Top 40 Useful Sites to Learn New things".

Have I gone to every one of the sites mentioned? No way. It hasn't been 40 days yet!

Still, what I've seen thus far has been pretty useful. Check it out for yourself, here.

See you tomorrow.

--K

Learning Link, 34

2010-10-17T15:45:00.000-04:00

Today's link is to a talk by Dr. Tony Wagner, co-director of Harvard's Change Leadership Group.

"Seven Skills Students Need for their future"....skills we all need, as lifelong learners...from critical thinking/problem solving to initiative and an entrepreneurial spirit, this is a lively and engaging talk--peppered with salient examples.

Great stuff. Hear more, here.

See you tomorrow.

--K

More books

2010-10-16T16:14:00.000-04:00

..."What do people really want?.....Educating people is important but not enough--far too many of our most educated people are operating at quarter-speed, unsure of their place in the world, contributing too little to the productive engine of modern civilization, still feeling like observers, like they haven't come close to living up to their potential....We need to encourage people to find their sweet spot. Productivity explodes when people love what they do." --Po Bronson, What Should I do with my life?

This is an interested book, packed with stories of people who've either switched professions or who've explored many different careers before finding their 'sweet spot': the work which calls forth all they have to give. Stories of lawyers-turned-truckers, writers rejecting 'easy money', people in business and athletes at work....Bronson combines clear interviews with thoughtful commentary.

Even if you, like me, are already doing work that you utterly love, this is a worthwhile and absorbing book to read.

Great for a rainy weekend afternoon....

See you tomorrow.

--K

Daily Life, 80

2010-10-14T21:10:00.000-04:00

Just one small comment today....four of my student musicians at my new school told me yesterday that they now owned their own ukuleles, as a result of learning how to play ukes in my Music classes.

I was stunned....pleased, of course, but---it's kind of an amazing gift to receive, to know that others are sharing in the sheer joy of music-making--as a direct result of being in my class.

Right. You're thinking, "Well, isn't that one of the reasons you're a teacher, to affect children's lives for the better?"

Yes. But, well, you know---it actually happened. Wow. I'm grateful for that.

See you tomorrow.

--K

Daily Life, 79

2010-10-13T22:10:00.000-04:00

Fourth Grade Music class today, talking about Halloween stories, sound effects, and scary songs...

Anna*    I love, love, love Halloween!
Kids       Me, too! Me, too!
Susanna*   Not me.
Anna*     How come?
Susanna*   I know myself too well. I can't take any kind of scary anything.

Wow....imagine knowing yourself well enough---before you've even reached your double digits, too--to realize where your boundaries are.   Amazing.

See you tomorrow.

--K

*Anna and Susanna are, of course, not these astute youngster's real names.

Learning Link, 33

2010-10-12T21:47:00.001-04:00

Sound Effects

Julian Treasure has a great little 5 minute TED talk about sound affects us.....inside and out.

Find out more here.

See you tomorrow.

--K

Learning Link, 32

2010-10-11T00:02:00.000-04:00

How to re-frame a habit of procrastinating

Now, don't get me wrong here: I don't procrastinate about everthing. Just about some things.

For years, that's been a source of confusion and frustration for me. "Why am I not doing this, when I know it needs to be finished?" "I wish I'd started this sooner..."

Well, Jason Fitzpatrick has a good post on Lifehacker on just this topic. He's reviewing Neil Fiore's groundbreaking book, The Now Habit--and adding to the conversation some pertinent comments of his own.

Think you're just being lazy when you procrastinate? Fiore, a psychologist, has other ways of viewing the habit. He also has some helpful ideas for changing your ways, if you're so inclined.

It looks great to me....interested in knowing more? Check out Fitzpatrick's Lifehacker post here.

hmmm....perhaps, after we go get a cup of coffee or something.

See you tomorrow.

--K

Daily Life, 78 and Learning Link, 32

2010-10-10T09:50:00.001-04:00

Thinking this morning about time, space and quiet.

Crucial to our well-being--even more crucial to being able to think clearly and to learn.

And yet...and yet, our school days are crammed past full, squeezed into small classroom spaces with one teeny opportunity at recess, to be out under the expansive sky....and of all things, school is not quiet.

Relatively quiet, yes. Not deeply quiet. Not the kind of quiet that extends long enough to allow for long periods of what Mihaly Csikszentmihaly calls 'flow'---and musicians call 'the groove' or 'the pocket': utter focus on the creative activity at hand. (Read more about Csikzentmihaly's work here.)

Just sayin'.

See you tomorrow.

--K

Learning Link, 31

2010-10-09T19:43:00.000-04:00

Simple ways to become a leader....

...with or without the title.

Trent Hamm, over at The Simple Dollar blog, has some good ideas for how to start (or continue) becoming a linchpin....a leader.

I agree with most of his points except for his comment about dealing with negative talk about others: he says, " My tactic is to usually be quiet when people are being disparaged, but speak up quite a bit when the conversation is more positive".

I don't agree. For me, being quiet implies agreement with what's being said. Instead, I'd rather either say, "That's how you see this, but it's not the way that I do" and/or directly offer a counter-balancing viewpoint, preferably with concrete examples for support.

That said, everything else he had to say was pretty helpful. Check out the entire article here.

See you tomorrow.

--K

Learning Link, 30

2010-10-08T22:05:00.002-04:00

How to play the uke in 5 minutes

Well. Perhaps that should read: how to start playing the uke in 5 minutes.

In any case, Ukulele Underground has many great features on its site, not the least of which is this 'crash course' tutorial--there really is enough information there to get you started.

And of course, playing the uke is so much fun that once you're started....well, who knows where you'll go?

Interested? Check out the site, and the tutorial, here.

Learning Link, 29

2010-10-07T00:03:00.004-04:00

Eat Your Crayons

OK, so it's no secret that many educators deal with stressful situations and 'stressed-out' kids each day.

The designers over at Imprint have an unusual solution: coloring for grownups. From edible crayons to 'pouring colored lights' (you'll have to watch the video clip at the end to see that particular piece of utter coolness) to coloring books for the elderly, they've got a new take on one of the delights of childhood: expressing our creative selves with color (and crayons!). Take in the fun, here.

Check out another post on the same site for a pretty fascinating history of the color wheel. (Thanks to my friend Paul from Dudecraft for referencing this article on his eponymous blog.) Those two color history posts are here.

Some fascinating reading to fit this color-saturated season....see you later--I'm off to go color.

--K

Learning Link, 28

2010-10-06T00:03:00.001-04:00

How to get more from a practice session

An interesting post over at Lifehacker about combining passive listening (i.e., headphones) with practice time. Applicable to music sessions and other learning experiences. Worth a try!

Want more info? Check it out here.

See you tomorrow.

--K

Learning Link, 27

2010-10-05T00:05:00.001-04:00

How to make things happen

Have you ever heard of 'mirror neurons'? Apparently, they're part of the explanation for why it can sometimes be satisfying to read about doing something---so satisfying, in fact, that our motivation to actually do the activity is reduced.

Hmm....interesting concept, explored further here. (---and a post from The Simple Dollar exploring how this plays out in daily life, here.)

See you tomorrow.

--K

Learning Link, 26

2010-10-04T00:05:00.007-04:00

How to help kids love to read and to write

Mem Fox cares deeply about people reading aloud to children (see post from Saturday, 10/2/10, for more info) as a way of fostering the love of reading.

826 National cares deeply about helping children to discover the joys of reading and writing, through 1:1 tutoring in an 8-city network of non-profit learning centers. It's an amazing and vibrant organization--one which yields results.

We (in the public school system) could learn much from the philosophy and methods of 826 National...and perhaps even be inspired to teach, as they inspire kids to read and to write.

Interested to know more about this great organization? I learned about it from Paul Overton, over at
Dudecraft. ( His site is featuring a direct link to 826 National as well as an in-depth post about the organization.) Great stuff all around!

See you tomorrow.

--K

Daily Life, 77

2010-10-03T09:48:00.001-04:00

Thinking, this morning, about dreaming.

Busy school days---packed with transitions and the myriad details inherent to a smooth operating system when there are hundreds of people involved--understandably busy, but not conducive to providing space and time for children to dream.

Busy afterschool hours, too: music lessons and team practice and dance rehearsals and tutoring and chores and and and......

Just wondering where, in all of that noise, a child could find even a small expanse of quiet space to dream....and wondering what the impact will be, later in life.

Not criticizing, just wondering....

See you tomorrow.

--K