Building a Bridge

I was once in a parent conference and we were talking about strategies to help this student become for successful in class. I stated on of Covey's 7 Habits: Begin with the end in mind. We talked about where the student was and where we wanted the student to be at the end of the school year. Then we talked about how to build a bridge to get from where we were to where we wanted to be. Your right, it's just a visual for differentiated instruction! Now, if you are playing "Buzz Word Bingo" and you have the words Differentiated Instruction you can go ahead and mark it!

Yes, DI is a "buzzword" but we can make it so much more. Think about it. The teacher(s) from your past whom you remember most fondly, differentiated for you. Now, they may not have called it that; however, we know it was taking the time to know us as individuals and educate each of us that made those teachers stand out in our hearts and minds.

Differentiated Instruction is not some "new idea" that will go away in a year or two. Differentiated Instruction is simply effective teaching. We must meet each student where he/she is and help each student in our classrooms improve. Forgive me if I sound to cliche, but we must do whatever it takes to help each student be successful in our classrooms this year.

Often, we let the dark side prevail and we think about all the reasons that Differentiated Instruction isn't a workable possibility. As we begin this new and exciting school year, I want to clarify a few things regarding Differentiated Instruction.

Myth: Some say that DI is not realistic and it is not fair. Students should be treated equally.
Reality: Being FAIR does not necessarily mean being EQUAL. I repeat: Fair isn't always equal. It is easy to grasp that concept when think about a student who needs glasses to see the board. But we don't think about it when the differentiation is a little less obvious to us. Find out what works with each student and keep a "bag of tricks" handy to reach the various learning styles in your classroom.

Myth: If our students are all expected to take the same standardized assessment, then I am setting them up for failure if I give them different assignments.
Reality: Differentiated Instruction helps students to master the material. Standardized assessments (yes, this could be an entirely new blog topic) measures the mastery. DI helps the students to "get it" and helps improve standardized test scores.

Myth: The "real world" isn't differentiated!
Reality: I hope it is! Think about it. If we were to have surgery, would we not want the surgeon to operate based on our specific need and not the general textbook idea. Exactly! The real world IS differentiated. I will be honest...if the real world were not differentiated, I would be a very unsuccessful citizen!

I know, at this point you are thinking "Great idea lady....but the reality is I have over 35 students, a MASSIVE SCOS, and a principal who expects good EOC scores. This is not happening!" Take a deep breath! It is not as difficult as you think. Many of you are already doing the little things that make the most difference.

If you have ideas, please share! I would love your input!

Happy Teaching:)

Week of August 16

I love the week when teachers return! What excitement and energy! I spent Wednesday and Thursday at Midway High School with new teachers and old friends. I think it took walking past "my" room and seeing another excited teacher sitting in there for this to really sink in. Though I am excited and honored beyond words, I must admit that I am seeing this year with mixed emotion for the first time! A year away from my students who give me energy and away from my coworkers who provide me with inspiration and encouragement. That is a great deal to absorb amongst the hustle and bustle of busy teachers hanging bulletin boards and arranging desks! Yes, I am excited about the numerous opportunities before me this year! Yes, Ms. Hales and Mr. Brewer will love and encourage these juniors to rise to the challenge! Yes, I will return to see my students from last year walk proudly across the stage in June. Yes, I smile inside as I reflect on the past and embrace the future! I am always saying that change is good! I think this year will test if I can practice what I preach!

On Friday, I had the opportunity to go "on tour" with Carol Williams (top photo), Sampson County Schools' Teacher of the Year. We had fun catching up as we drove all over Sampson County! We spoke with the Elementary, Middle and High School teachers during our annual Academy Day. Carol did an excellent job as she spoke about teaching outside the box! Dr. Lenker, our fearless leader and superintendent, spoke about how much we have improved and ways to continue increasing the academic success of our students. I spoke a little about differentiated instruction and helping our students grow intellectually. It was a long day, but I loved every minute of it! Thanks to my Sampson County friends for inviting me to spend the day with you!

How do you like your coffee?

As I was pouring my cup of morning coffee and staring out of my kitchen window I said to myself, "It would be so great if there were a Starbucks Coffee close by my house!" Not only does their coffee taste much superior to mine, but they have so many choices....hot coffee, iced coffee, flavored coffees, and the list goes on! As I daydreamed about Starbucks (clearly longer than I expected) I took another sip of my attempt at coffee. Yuck! Lukewarm coffee is not so great! As I poured another cup of hot coffee, I thought about how coffee preference can be like our teaching. We cannot be lukewarm teachers! We can be hot coffee- on fire and passionate while awakening others and warming souls. We can be iced coffee providing a refreshing break from the norm. But under no circumstances can we be lukewarm!

As many of us are preparing our classrooms and arranging our desks into stations, we must take a moment to evaluate where we are! Are we excited or are we lukewarm? Do we start the year as hot coffee to find that the end of the first grading period leaves us at room temperature? As you begin this new and exciting school year, remember to be hot (warming) or cold (refreshing)....but not lukewarm!

Week of August 9

What an exciting week! I spent Monday with the Beginning Teachers in Alamance/Burlington Schools and Tuesday with the BTs of my home county, Sampson. Beginning Teachers have an indescribable excitement that is as contagious as a smile! What energy they bring to our profession! It is my hope that we veteran teachers help to support these new carriers of this unbridled passion! We want them to have as much energy and enthusiasm at year 15 as they do now!

On Wednesday, I was in Raleigh at my first NC Public Schools Forum meetings. I am fortunate to be part of a study group that is looking at quality teacher recruitment and retention. We spent time looking at our system of leadership in schools and the impact of leadership on quality teaching. I am excited to be a part of this dedicated group of professionals invested in the improvement of the public schools of North Carolina.

If you have questions, comments or suggestions regarding quality teacher recruitment and retention, please email me or comment below! I would love your input!

As we prepare for the return of teachers to school next week, I challenge each of you to remember the idealism and passion for teaching that you held in your first year of teaching. We are in a profession with enormous impact! Keep the spark!

State Board of Education

You know that feeling you have the night before school starts? Your mind is racing, butterflies flutter in your tummy,and you ask yourself a hundred times...did I do this? Did I check on that? Well that, my friends, was the same feeling I had on the night before my first "official" North Carolina State Board of Education Meeting. What an amazing opportunity! Jessica Garner, 2009-2010 NC Teacher of the Year, said one of the best parts of this experience is truly seeing the big picture of education. So true. I will strive to do my best to represent the voice of educators in my new role. I encourage you to email me with your thoughts, comments, questions and suggestions. Highlights from each month's NC Board of Education meeting can be accessed through the link to the right.

In addition to meeting each of the very dedicated members of the State Board of Education, I also met with my new partner in crime, Jan King. Jan was named the 2010-2011 Wachovia NC Principal of the Year. She is amazing and so inspiring! What a fortunate school Glenn Marlow Elementary is to have her as its fearless leader! I am looking forward to working with her this year.

I learned so much and I am ready to embrace the challenges of this new role!

A Global Conversation About Student Learning

I was at a Meredith College dinner and I was sitting next to David Husia, Dean of the Bilingual program at the FuHsing School in Taipeai, Taiwan. We were having a great conversation about global education and various means of assessing student proficiency. Of course our conversation soon became one about standardized testing. For years we have heard about how the U.S. is falling behind and how our students are not performing as well as their counterparts in other parts of the world. I knew David's students went to school far more hours than my students in the United States. Many of my former summer students from FuHsing have talked about the hours they spend on school work and the limited time they have to explore new hobbies. Over the past two years, I formed the opinion that this test combined with an array of other standardized high school assessments was the primary focus for both students and teachers. I was surprised (but very excited) when David said to me "I get so frustrated. The real world will expect our students to do more than color circles." How true! We talked about the true value of assessment and accountability, but we shared the same frustration that so many of our teachers (both in Taiwan and NC) spend more time teaching "the test" than teaching the thinking skills that will help students pass the test AND be successful in venues beyond high school. As our conversation continued, I was (I guess) amazed at how similar our view of true student learning was. Don't get me wrong, I realize there is a value in accountability and that measuring student performance in vital. Rick DuFour says it best, "What gets measured gets done." But what if we decided to teach our students to think, analyze and problem solve first? David and I began to talk about the challenges of moving our colleagues away from teaching to the test and toward our role as facilitators. Think about how much better our students would perform in the long run if teachers became facilitators of learning rather than dispensers of fact. Are we really teaching what's important? Although our students can carefully select the answer and make a dark mark that completely fills the circle, will they be thoughtful and productive citizens?

I was talking with an administrator from another state. We seemed to have the same conversation that David and I had. She was sharing a story about being seated next to a businessman on plane. When he discovered that she was in public education, he expressed his frustration. He said that we were not graduating students with the necessary skills to function in the real world. He wants to hire problem solvers, analyzers, and independent thinkers. Again I ask, are we teaching what is important?

At this point I realize I have evoked either an "Amen" or an "Oh-me" from you! Is assessment important? Absolutely! Is a data-driven classroom a necessity? Absolutely! Is teaching fact with no rigor or relevance going to make citizens of whom we can be proud? Absolutely NOT! Can we be facilitators of student learning while continuing to see improvement in our standardized test scores? Absolutely! As we prepare to begin the new school year, I challenge you to create a classroom that embraces true student learning!

Stargirl with a side of Glee

I was reading a novel by Jerry Spinelli entitled Stargirl. It is a wonderful coming of age story about a young non-conformist who forever changes the people of small town Mica. Leo loves Stargirl; however, he is more concerned about fitting in and ends his relationship with her. As my small group of students began an amazing dialogue about the key themes of the book, it was no surprise that conformity was a topic of conversation. They talked about school uniforms, expected dress and even the expected work ethic at their school. No one was different at this school for fear of not being accepted. (At this point I will clarify that these students are not students in the US and this course was part of a global exchange through Meredith College. I was fortunate to have a small role in facilitating this class.) I then showed a brief clip from Glee where the Glee Club embraces their inner Gaga and performs Bad Romance. As we began to discuss the classic theme of conformity, I began to think about teachers I have encountered over the years. There will always be the idealistic Mr. Schuesters of the classroom and the cynical (and often very humorous) Coach Sylvesters. There are wise teachers like Archie (from Stargirl). But in many schools there are a few too many Charlie Brown kind of teachers.....the same old thing in the same old voice. Are we too comfortable with being regular old teachers? Are we, like the students of Glee and of Mica High, afraid to be different? What would happen if we were all a little more willing to teach outside of the box or be a little Gaga? Certainly I don't mean we should all show up in very theatrical costumes to teach class, but I sometimes wonder if we are all a little too comfortable being the monotone voice of Charlie Brown's teacher? Are we afraid of what our co-workers would think? Are we afraid that learning can't be "different"? What exactly makes us afraid to be different in our classrooms?