I AM Better Off Today Than I Was Four Years Ago

On Thursday, I met President Barack Obama in person. Not just a handshake in a crowd, I was personally introduced, shook hands, received a hug, and exchanged a few words with the president of the United States. It was a moment I will never forget.

I feel like it is time to change the title of my blog from "Sorting It All Out" to "A Series of Fortunate Events".  Yesterday I tried to blog about the experience but kept hitting a wall, unable to explain the impact on my life. I was trying to be political in my statements, but that is not me. I am not a political person. I vote. I educate myself about the issues. I am supportive of the candidates I believe in. But I am not passionate about politics. How then did this meeting with the leader of our nation come to be?

To answer that I have to answer another question that is on everyone's mind these days. Am I better off today than I was four years ago? You bet I am and that fact has nothing to do with who was president or the economy. Four years ago, the fall of 2008, I was a teacher doing my best at my job. By the summer of 2009, when I began this blog, I was a teacher with questions. From that moment until the moment I met President Obama, I lived my life in a way that opened doors, created opportunities, and filled me with joy and fulfillment unlike any I have ever experienced before. You see, it is not up to our government to make us happy or create our success. That ability lies within each of us. There is more to life than material comforts and conveniences. Money and power cannot actually buy what we all need at our core.

I found the explanation for my personal success in a book written by another inspirational person I have had the pleasure of meeting, as a direct result of the same series of events that led me to the president. Educational leader, Angela Maiers, has a new book Classroom Habitudes, explaining seven habits and attitudes that are critical to learning and success. They are written for the classroom, but apply to life in general. As I read the book, I realized that each has played a role in creating the success and opportunity that has played out in my life over the past four years: imagination, curiosity, self-awareness, perseverance, courage, adaptability, and, perhaps most importantly, passion.

As a teacher of small children, I love the message President Obama delivers to students in his annual back to school speeches. He tells them that they are in charge of their own destiny. He urges them to work hard. He tells them to respect and celebrate diversity and to take charge of their future by doing their best even when it is not something they want to do. He celebrates education and the role it plays in hope and the future.

I had the rare opportunity to meet face to face with both presidential candidates over the past few months. My views are based on my personal beliefs and attitudes, but there is no comparison in my mind. Education is one of my passions. One of the candidates is openly working against teachers and public education. (See my blog in the Huffington Post) The other, my choice, President Obama supports both teachers and public education.

I hope that each of you reading this blog will have the curiosity to read, if you have not already done so, the two party platforms on education (or the portion that matters most to you), the courage to speak about what you find, the perseverance to vote based on what you believe, and the passion to create your own series of fortunate events for the future, regardless of who wins the election. Our country will be a better place when we all take charge of our own destiny and be the best we can be in spite of adversity. Stop blaming the government and be the change you want to see. From the words of the wisest: You Matter! Make a difference in your own life today.

Romney in Small Town America: Coal vs. Kids

Yesterday was an historic day in the rural Northwestern community of Craig, Colorado. With a population of less than 10,000 people, it was an unlikely campaign stop for Mitt Romney. But thanks to the hard work and passion of some local residents, to Craig he came, ready to discuss coal and energy concerns. The event was everything a small town could ask for. I could not begin to sum it up better than local newspaper columnist, Janet Sheridan, in her beautiful post Americana in Craig.

I was honored to be asked to participate in a small round table discussion with Governor Romney prior to the community event. The small gathering included local businessmen and representatives from the local energy industry. I would represent education concerns. The opportunity was an honor to me and I put a great deal of effort into researching Romney's education position prior to attending. I also spent a great deal of time carefully selecting the words I would use in the few moments I would have to actually speak to someone who may become the leader of our country. I wanted to make the words count and to reflect what I considered to be the most important issue standing in the way of education in the United States.

I should have realized when his first question was asking which of us was the teacher, that I may not be seen as an ally equal to the energy people in the room, but that did not occur to me until I began my turn to speak. My message was simple:


"Our community has the obvious concerns about funding needs in education. That goes without saying. Class size does matter, especially in the primary grades. But more important to me is the need for our country to change from an emphasis on creating a nation of successful test-takers to building an educational system that inspires problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity.

An overemphasis on standardized testing performance is crippling education and stifling innovation.

I have teacher friends in countries around the world. Our educational system is seen as the test-and-punish system.

Educators, parents, and community groups are working hard in Craig to transform our district from the industrial age model to meet the 21^st century learning needs of our young people. Perhaps less top down government regulation and more support for grass roots efforts are worth a try."

I did not actually get to state all of that before he began to respond negatively, telling me that without standardized testing there would be no way to know which were the bad schools. He told me we need to teach the basics of reading, writing, and math and that teaching to the test was not a bad thing because it represented teaching the basics. As I tried to continue to make my points, he offered charter schools as a solution and put down the teacher's union. His exact words at the community rally: "I love great teachers, I love great parents, and I love great kids. I'm going to put our kids first. I want to make sure we have a president that cares more about kids than he does about the teacher's union."

I am not a member of the teacher's union. That is not because I don't value and support its work, but due to the fact that I have not received a cost of living raise for several years, have had my insurance costs increased, and can not afford the high monthly union dues. I do teach reading, writing, and math in my first grade classroom. Those are the very basis of all 21st century skills. In fact, my students' work has been recognized by both the Smithsonian and Microsoft in the past few years. I consider myself to be a great teacher and children are my life. Anyone who knows me, knows I go above and beyond to advocate for my students and their needs.

In the end, I was left speechless, resentful, and plan to cast my vote for anyone other than Mitt Romney. By the way, just before he boarded the bus in downtown Craig, he stopped and shook my hand again and asked which grade I taught. I told him first and second and he said his second grade teacher was the one he remembered most. 

This morning as I took a walk, when I do my best thinking, I reflected on the experience and the role point of view played in the day. I had listened to other people at the round table tell of hardships created by too much government regulation. They told of lost jobs and lost income. He sympathized and asked clarifying questions. They put down Obama and cast him as the cause of all the misery. Romney agreed and said he would be different. When it was my turn, I expected the same respect for my cause, but it did not happen because my cause did not provide an opportunity to sway votes or attack the existing president. No Child Left Behind was created by President Bush. Governor Romney's plan, A Chance For Every Child, is not a new plan. It is more of the same. 

We live in a country where we are blessed to be able to choose our leader and state our opinions freely. I was blessed to have the opportunity to state mine to a powerful person yesterday. I will always be grateful. I can only hope that perhaps Governor Romney has moments of solitude to reflect on the things people say to him. I hope that in one of those moments he realizes that my words were, in fact, in support of great teachers and great kids. Just the fact that I am a teacher does not make me the enemy. Our educational system is burdened by too much government regulation and, as a result, people are losing their jobs, just as they are in the energy industry. Watch the video about coal and imagine it talking about our schools. The issues are very much the same. It is time for politicians to advocate for what is right and what they believe in, not just what will get them elected.

Of Butterflies and Interventions...

The most amazing thing happened recently in our classroom! In the fall we studied the life cycle of butterflies by observing the actual transformation from monarch caterpillar to butterfly. Excited students brought in other caterpillars they found and we watched them change as well. One swallowtail caterpillar, captured on an apple tree, made a chrysalis, but did not emerge as expected within the usual 10 - 14 day period. Assuming it had died, we left it in the container and placed it on a windowsill along with various moth cocoons that we knew would remain until spring.

Imagine our surprise when five months later the most beautiful butterfly we had ever seen appeared in the container! Our surprise quickly turned to concern as we realized that February in Colorado is not a time to release a butterfly outside. We prepared a suitable cage and equipped it with fresh flowers and sliced oranges, trying to make a habitat that would support the survival of our beautiful new friend.

As expected, the butterfly lived only a little more than a week. Its passing was a sad moment for the students, but a real lesson about life for all. I learned another lesson as I reflected on the experience.

Children, like butterflies, come in all shapes and sizes. Most develop as expected, "emerging" from their chrysalises at expected ages and stages of their lives. Some do not. The butterfly that appeared five months late in our classroom was no less magnificent than if it had made its entrance to life in September. It was, in fact, even more special because it surprised us by achieving its potential when we had lost all hope. There was nothing wrong with our butterfly, it only needed more time than others like it. Children are like that sometimes. Each individual child will develop in his or her own time. We must not give up on a child that seems to fall behind.

In this time of high stakes testing, the need to make sure all students achieve within the expected timeframe can cause us to push a bit too hard at times as well. Awhile back, a friend of mine in another city posted a video on Facebook of a butterfly pupa that had not hatched as expected in her classroom. She dissected the pupa for her students, only to discover, much to her surprise, that it was still alive and not fully formed. Although the "teachable moment" was amusing to watch, it was also a bit horrifying and tragic as the tiny creature was pushed into the next stage of life way too soon. It did not survive. Perhaps our students can be pushed too quickly as well. That is not to say we should not provide extra support to help them on their developmental journey, but we need, as educators, to also respect their unique and individual timelines and allow them to develop. To push too hard for results they are not ready to achieve may result in failures they cannot overcome.

One of the most difficult decisions concerning our recent butterfly was whether it would be better to release it outside on a warm afternoon for a few hours of freedom, knowing it would die that night, or to create a safe place where it had the opportunity to live longer in captivity. I don't know which was the correct choice as I have never been a butterfly, but we chose what we thought was best for our tiny friend.

So it is with students at times. We have to make choices about how we will guide their lives at school. Hopefully, we make choices that provide them with opportunities to flourish and grow. As a teacher, the most joyous moments are those in which a struggling student makes a surprise appearance from his or her chrysalis, to achieve something previously thought too difficult. That is why I teach.

Let's Go to Disneyland!

As my first grade students left for their holiday break, I told one of the children to have a wonderful vacation. He sadly looked at me and said, "I'm not going on vacation. I am just staying home." I explained to him that by vacation I meant not coming to school. His reaction made me think about how many students never get to travel and experience the joy of visiting popular vacation destinations. It seems, however, that the answer to that problem was sitting in my room waiting to be unwrapped!

I had recently been given a copy of Kinect Disneyland Adventure. I took it home for my grandchildren to play while visiting for Christmas. The game is an authentic trip to the Magic Kingdom. Players enter Main Street USA, collect autographs from Disney characters in an autograph book, and use a map to select the lands to visit in the park. Pirates of the Caribbean, It's A Small World, and all of the other favorite rides from the actual park are part of the game. It is as close as you can come to an actual visit without traveling there.

My teacher mind kicked into high gear and I am planning a unit around the game for my students! As I looked through the common core standards, I found that there are plenty of language arts, math, and geography skills we can work on as the class takes on the task of vacation planning! Working in small groups, the students will use the internet, brochures, and local travel agents to research the many aspects of going on a vacation to Disneyland:

• which park to visit
• transportation options and costs
• time of year considerations
• lodging options and costs
• food expenses
• admissions
• what to pack
• how long to stay
• what to do while they are there

The students will have the opportunity to research, develop a plan, and collaborate with their peers as they learn to read informational text, evaluate information, and make informed decisions.

Geography and map reading skills will grow as they discover that Disney has parks around the world to chose from. In addition, they will need to read the park map as they plan their days and select attractions to experience.

Math and personal financial literacy skills will grow as the kids learn to use calculators to work with large numbers and realize that vacations require long term goal setting and saving.

When all the plans have been made we will take a field trip to the local airport to check out one transportation option first hand. Then our vacation will be underway as we travel virtually, thanks to Kinect, to Disneyland. Of course, there will be time spent waiting for a turn, not unlike the lines at the actual park! The game will give the kids a chance to experience the joy of a vacation as they move their bodies through the engaging activities and attractions. Of course, the learning will continue as they each keep a diary describing the people, places, and events with relevant details, expressing their ideas and feelings clearly :) Using technology they will create postcards to mail to friends at home.

There are many possibilities for learning from such a project. The Kinect game will be the amazing reward for all of the required hard work for which I will be asking. I have no doubt that the students will be motivated, engaged, and learning! I can't wait to get started!

Why Kinect?

Earlier this week I attended a presentation by the Colorado Department of Education supporting the transition to the new Colorado Academic Standards. The presenters outlined working toward "deep change" in education as we gradually achieve transformation, changing teaching and learning. The transformation will require new ways of thinking and acting. I was particularly interested in the definition given for mastery. To truly achieve mastery, students must be able to apply and transfer knowledge to new and different situations. Those are lofty and worthwhile goals for the state and I hope to teach long enough to see that transformation take place for our children. In the meantime I am exploring new ways for young children, in the first and second grade, to build knowledge and demonstrate mastery. One extremely engaging tool I am trying is Xbox 360 Kinect. At first glance it may appear that using the system in a classroom is simply playing games, but if you observe young children closely when playing, it becomes quickly apparent that the games often require children to think critically and use problem solving skills. Gaining mastery over their motor skills while making decisions and following directions is a complicated task for six and seven year olds. The games provide many excellent situations for the application and transfer of knowledge. Check out the lesson ideas at Kinect in Education for ideas and watch for many more activities to be posted soon. Simply learning and feeding back information will not be enough in the years ahead. Students will need to make connections and demonstrate the ability to apply what they learn in the real world. Little kids can venture into virtual worlds easily through the use of Kinect games providing delightful and safe environments to try out their learning and growing thinking skills. Even better, the games allow the children to experience collaboration as they work together to play the games and achieve success. Our world is changing at a rapid pace and keeping up with that change in a classroom is challenging. Kinect is an affordable and easily used tool to transform the learning experiences of children. Why Kinect? Why not?

How time changes everything...

Imagine being a teacher sitting at a table with five other passionate educators from around the globe that you have just met, some of whom do not speak English, and being given the task of developing a learning project for students about the global issue of water. That is an opportunity for collaboration and knowledge building at its best and exactly the situation I found myself in over the past week.
Two years ago I began this blog to reflect on the use of changing technology in the classroom. I was "sorting it all out" and looking for direction. Today as I reflect on the experiences of attending the Microsoft Partners In Learning Global Forum in Washington, DC, I realize that I have moved in a new direction entirely. Technology has found its place in my teaching, not as the focus and purpose for lessons, but as the tool set that enables learning not otherwise available to my students. My new focus is the need to provide my students with rich opportunities to build knowledge from student directed, globally connected, meaningful learning activities. Without technology, that would be nearly impossible, but at the center of such learning there will always be people.

Living in a rural area far from a big city, there are few chances for my students to meet face to face with people from other regions of the globe. Although they will likely never meet the educators I planned with last week, they will definitely meet their students online as they share learning that I cannot alone provide. I found myself in situations this week that opened my eyes to the power of allowing students to build knowledge from experiences and reflection rather than lecture and feedback of facts.

Yesterday I had a chance to reflect on the powerful information I had gathered in eventful days at the forum. I had a few hours to fill before my flight and could have gone to Arlington Cemetery to observe the Veteran's Day Ceremony, but instead I chose to walk across the National Mall to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. It was in that museum that all the pieces began to fall into place for me. As I listened to the peaceful flute

music playing in the exhibits and read the beautiful thought provoking quotes in the displays I suddenly found meaning in all that was pounding in my head.

The topic of water was intensely important to all of the people I was working with. We revealed vast differences, not in the way water is used by each of us in our regions of the earth, but in how it is obtained. The teachers from Brazil told of water from the Amazon River and an abundance of rain. In Taiwan we learned of rainwater collection. Our friend from Saudi Arabia told of great factories desalinating water from the sea as there are no rivers and little rain. In India we learned of a shortage of freshwater for drinking. I, of course, told of water from our river that we often take for granted. We heard about the growing concern for water shortages that may lead to war as a lack of clean water becomes life threatening.

It was on the flight home that I began to make sense of all that I heard and learned from my new friends. I was looking out the window at the darkness and lights dotting the land of my country below when I recalled the daytime visions from my flight to the forum days earlier. It had been one of those beautifully clear days with few clouds. For several hours I flew over land that looked like a patchwork quilt. Each block of the quilt belongs to someone. I thought of the land so long ago that was inhabited by our native people. Their words of honor, respect, and gratitude to the earth came back to me. It is my sense that long ago they did not think of owning the land, but rather considered themselves to be part of nature and understood their place in the great balance that kept them alive, providing for their needs as they shared with all living creatures. The earth today is visibly divided. Every inch belongs to someone. We have claimed our places and built our fences to protect what belongs to us. Our needs are no longer met by nature around us, but by goods and services that are brought to us from far away places. Rather than sharing the responsibility and recognizing the needs of all, it would seem to me that we are more concerned with making sure that we protect our property and that we get what we need from others. We have lost the reality of being part of nature and protecting the delicate balance. We have become so wrapped up in maintaining our fences that we lose sight of our responsibility to all the people and creatures of this great planet. Meeting them in person, however, made me realize that we all have the same hopes and dreams. I made friends that I am certain I will have for the rest of my life. I am missing them today. I listened to teachers from Europe tell of change in their nations as people from other regions are immigrating to make new homes in their countries. They talked of losing the sense of nation that once existed as they become more diverse in populations. We can all be friends and should be. We can share the land and resources once again.

Time has changed the earth, time has changed my understanding and teaching, and time will hopefully change our world for the better as we become a global nation of friends.

I have twenty small children in my classroom that deserve a chance to learn in the way I did this week. I could go back to class and simply tell them what I learned, but few would actually internalize and find meaning in that. I will instead use technology to connect them to children in faraway places so that they might also find friendship, respect, and understanding. I will pose questions to them and allow them time to find their own answers and build knowledge that will undoubtedly stick with them for life. I am so excited to begin the project planned with my new friends from around the world and I can't wait to share that excitement with my kids! We will truly become partners in learning!

Kinect Reflections After 30 Days

Tomorrow will be our 30th day of school. My first graders are engaged in learning and growing. One of the highlights so far has been the inclusion of Xbox 360 Kinect games in our lessons. The children loved that from the minute they saw it, but, for me, it has been a learning process for the teacher. Using new technology tools in the classroom involves extra time and thought during implementation. The payoffs, however, can be quite rewarding. That has been the case with using Kinect.

Equipped with the TV, Xbox360, Kinect sensor, and a wide selection of games, I began the year with many ideas and expectations for inspiring learning in my students. Two obstacles presented themselves right away. The first was, and always is in the classroom, time. The second was how to manage 21 students and one gaming system. Loving a challenge, I jumped in and began to experiment.

The time issue dissolved as I moved past the need to use the games just because they were there. When any technology tool becomes a natural part of the learning process (no different than using a pencil and paper), it becomes powerful and incorporated where it will do the most good. Rather than planning times for Kinect, I am now considering the wide variety of possibilities (check out the growing list of ideas from Kinect in Education) to enhance our lessons. As with all learning tools, you start with the learning objective, then select the methods, tools, and materials that best achieve the desired results. Used in that way, Xbox 360 Kinect, or any video gaming system can become a part of learning without creating a time problem.

Management is another common issue in the classroom. Engagement has never been a problem as my students are mesmerized by the Kinect games. I could tell right away that if I could direct their enthusiasm, we were sitting on a gold mine of learning possibilities. The difficulty was that only one student could actually "play" the game at a time. The other students were cheering and enjoying the process, but there was not enough active learning participation to suit me. The game Body and Brain Connections helped me solve the problem. That particular game is full of activities that reinforce math concepts I teach. We are working on addition to 10 and learning a variety of ways to make each number. One game is called Perfect Tens (facts for 10 are an important skill to master). The player has to use his or her hands to mark two numbers with a sum of 10 before the timer runs out. We discovered that the Kinect sensor focuses in on a narrow enough area, that while one student was actually controlling the game, all the other students could participate from behind and beside the player. The results were delightful and obviously productive:

I added to the lesson, recording sheets for each child to keep track of his or her score. The children can see their own growth and are motivated to improve their score as in any video game setting. They are learning the facts for 10 more quickly than I could have imagined and they think they are playing!! (The scores will soon become another lesson as we use arrow cards to learn about place value and how to read big numbers.)

Of course, learning the facts for 10 is just one of the many skills we will inspire with our gaming system. The possibilities are endless. Patience is the key. Rather than forcing the games into lessons, I will find the natural applications as they arise. Group participation is the next key as managing the use of the tool becomes no different than passing out paper for spelling practice.

The final advantage and payoff for using Kinect in the classroom is the addition of activity to stimulate both the body and the brain! The first brain rule (Brain Rules by John Medina) is that exercise boosts brain power. Children naturally want to move so why not channel that movement into the learning process! Everyone wins!

After just 30 days of learning with Xbox 360 Kinect, I am convinced that it holds tremendous potential for education. A little time spent working out the bugs and exploring the possibilities will reap great benefits for children!