Be Brave #EdChat

I wanted to share a simple post at the start of the school year. This simple post has a very simple message, 

There is so much fear out there for teachers in the classroom. They are afraid to be who they really are. They are afraid to take that risk and do that lesson that they think can make important connections for their students. There is fear to ask admin permission to try something new for the school. The world is a scary place and schools are reflecting that scariness more and more each year. It would be easy to sit and hide for the school year, but standing up and being brave can make a world of difference. Being Brave will look different for everyone. We shouldn't judge the small or large acts of bravery that teachers will show during the course of the year. Instead, we should applaud them for trying. Even if it fails, they got up and tried. I have this quote from Teddy Roosevelt in my room that really sums up my feelings on this, 

Credit: Me Made with Adobe Express

I hope everyone can find the way to Be Brave and do that thing or those things that can make the classroom or school a little better for everyone. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

NP

Breaking A Few Eggs #MakerEd

One of the things that I have always loved about MakerEd is the mistakes that are made along the way. Mistakes are an important part of the learning process, but grades have made them feel way worse than they should be. The best metaphor for this is the egg drop project my 6th graders work on for Innovation and Design. 

Students are given a bag of supplies and are tasked with making a vehicle that can protect an egg from a one story drop from a balcony. Students work to design and build their vehicle and are even given some plastic eggs to use a test dummies for practice drops. However, when it comes time to drop the real egg, some students are scared. They do not want to see a broken egg. Even though they will not receive a bad grade for a broken egg (my class does not have grades) and they will be given a chance to redesign and drop a second egg, some of those students are hesitant to drop because of what failure will physically look like; a destroyed egg. 

Some students love the idea of dropping an egg and seeing a very real success or failure. The binary way of looking at it works for some students. If it broke, they need to figure out how to fix the mistake so the next egg doesn't break. If it is unbroken, they are reassured that their design worked. While not every assignment or project is as clear as this, it is a nice way of looking at work students do in school. 

If the egg breaks, just have another go at it and try to get it right. That approach works for every assignment. I ask students to not be afraid of a broken egg. Just go for it as long as they commit themselves to finding out why the egg broke and work to make sure the same mistakes do not happen again. With that approach, a few broken eggs will be expected and students will not be so hesitant to try. 

Mistakes are how we learn and we want students to be more comfortable with them. Sometimes is takes a few broken eggs for them to see this. 

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A post shared by Nicholas Provenzano (@thenerdyteacher)

#PBL and #MakerEd Anthem

It might seem silly, but I feel like everything has an anthem. A song that represents the essence of that particular thing. It is not the same song for the same thing for everyone, but it is a song that connects a person to that thing in a personal way. There is one song that is my Project Based Learning and MakerEd Anthem that I want to share with you. It is playing on my Instagram post on a project that I finally completed after multiple design and prototype failures. 

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A post shared by Nicholas Provenzano (@thenerdyteacher)

It might seem silly to some people, but this song just gets me going whenever I hear it. Sometimes, I play it in class for the students before a project. The song might be too on the nose about trying and failing, but I still find it inspiring. Do you have a song that you love that is your anthem? Share it on Twitter or in the comments below. 

Sharing Failure #EdChat #MakerEd

As I look back over the course of the year, I flip through my blog posts, my Twitter and Instagram feeds, and think about all of the things I have shared. I have had so much fun sharing the fun things I have been learning as I build various projects on my own or with students. I did notice I was missing something from my feed and it was my biggest project failure of the year. I have been working on this table project on and off for a year and it has become this Frankenstein's Monster of a project. I keep trying to tweak and make it better, but it ends up worse and worse. It is rough and I have not shared it with anyone until now. Here is my first attempts at an epoxy side table.

You might be thinking, "Hey, that doesn't seem so bad" and you would be very wrong. The table isn't flat. The side pieces are not jointed together smoothly. That is my 2nd attempts at an epoxy top using the Atari cartridges and there are still bubbles and inconsistencies in the top. There are hundreds more of errors I can see that drive me crazy. Every time I try to fix them, I make something else worse. To take a lesson from Edison, I did not fail in making a table, I learned about a dozen different ways NOT to make a table. 

We learn from failure and I know that is not a revolutionary idea, but it is important to share those failures once in a while to remind others that we all make mistakes, learn from them, and try again. It's these failures with this table that I was able to create this desk I use at work. 

I spent hours sanding the top to get it level and worked on the live edge sides to chip away excess bark. This desk has a built in wireless charger so I can just set my phone down while I work and have it charge. I used a beeswax to bring out the color and a a few coats of polly to seal it. It is a cool desk and I used so many different techniques I learned from my failed side table to make it happen. 

This year has been full of success stories and stories of failure. Instead of being too hard on yourself, remember that, while you may have failed, you learned something along the way. Even if it was just how not to do something. 

I hope everyone has a great end of 2020 and prepare to make some amazing things in 2021.

Hugs and High Fives, 

N Provenzano

What Does Failure Look Like? #MakerEd #EdChat

It is almost the halfway point of the school year for me and it has been crazy. I've spent lots of time the past few days thinking about what has worked and what has not. I know that I'm too critical of the things I do, but I still need to look and see where I can be better.

As I have been reflecting, I was thinking that there is still so much to do in the Makerspace and that I am not where I would want to be with student engagement. I have very dedicated students in the Makerspace on a regular basis, some that come in from time to time, and others that have not interest in what is going on. For me, I feel like I have failed to bring in the students I wanted into the space to see them explore and grow. However, I received a couple of recent compliments from teachers saying they have been seeing cool things coming out of the Makerspace. They are excited to see it grow even further in the second half of the year. It really caught me off guard. I thought I was failing at what I was trying to do, but I was succeeding in the eyes of others. So, what is failure then?

If a lesson does not go exactly as plan, but students still learn and are engaged, is the lesson a failure? Just because I did not hit randomly chosen numbers of usage in the Makerspace, does that mean that my efforts have been a failure?

My badging system took off at the start of the year, but it has slowed down a bit. Students have been trying to find time to use the space, but sports and other assigned work has stopped some from fully engaging in the space. I have many kids that want to spend more time, but have conflicting schedules. It's tough for them to get down here. Is that a failure on my part or is it a success that students want to be come down, but they are not able to do for reasons outside of my and their control? Students are still earning badges and the steady trickle is probably what it should be until I'm able to get more resources.

I think I'm just rambling at this point, but that is sort of what reflecting is for me at times. If others view my work as a success, but I think it falls short, is it a failure or a success? If a tree falls in a forest...

Most importantly, not everything is perfect in the Knight's Forge and I still have plenty to learn and understand from others and from the overall Maker Community.

Special thanks to @gravescolleen for getting me thinking about this. She is awesome person to talk/text with when something is rumbling around my skull. 

Failure Fun #MakerEd #EdChat

I've been on a making binge lately. My wife called it my new obsession. She's right. I'm obsessed with taking ideas and using the tools available to make it happen. I've been playing with Raspberry Pi and I have written about playing with it and using for gaming and computing. I ordered a small 7 inch screen for my Pi because I wanted to create a portable device. Here is the screen with the Pi and the controller connected.

I've got a screen, now I just have to design something to hold it and the #raspberrypi plus controller. #MakerEd

A photo posted by Nick Provenzano (@thenerdyteacher) on Jan 16, 2016 at 11:20am PST

It's not practical to walk around with all of this, so I needed to come up with a solution to my problem. I took some measurements, drafted some ideas on paper, slept on the design, thought some more, and finally started to print out pieces I designed on Tinkercad. Here are some shots I posted on Instagram.

My NerdyPi beta design. The screen plugs into the wall and the #RaspberryPi draws power from the screen. Need to work out some design details, but it's a good rough draft. Failing has not been this fun in a while.

A photo posted by Nick Provenzano (@thenerdyteacher) on Jan 18, 2016 at 2:31pm PST

The most important thing I can say about this very rough draft is that I screwed up big time in many different ways with this project. My measurements were not as accurate as I would have liked. I had to print some spacer bard on the front and on the side (The red bars). Trying to print the large part in black in one piece was a mistake and one of the pillars broke off on the front. I used Krazy Glue to bind the pieces together, but it just looks messy.

I've learned so much from this experience. I know where my mistakes were and how to correct them (I think) so the next version will be better. I have a better understanding of Tinkercad and my printer. I even have some better ideas on to improve the design and possibly change it to function like a briefcase so the screen is fully protected if I travel with it.

The best part about these failures is that I get to share them with my students. I've been very open about my work trying new things out and I have a group of students that see me most morning to talk tech and design. Some of them have started their own Pi projects and are excited to see where things are going with my projects as much as I am excited for updates on their projects.

As an educator, I feel it is important to share those failures with students and to let them know that it is just a step in the process. I have learned that my public failures can help me and others see that trying something new can lead to great leaps in learning. I want to lead my example for my students and I'm very lucky to have the chance to do that using these tools.

I'm having the most fun failing in a very long time. It's a love a learning and problem solving that has kept me going. I want to make sure that school is still a place that inspires students the same way.

Hugs and High Fives,

Nick

I've Failed and It's Not OK

As the students work on their projects for 20 Time, my 20 Time project is the 20 Time project if that makes sense. When I look at this year, I feel like I have not done a very good job. I honestly feel like a terrible teacher. I have to go into more detail, but that is just what I feel as I sit here at the computer.

Last year was an amazing year for 20 Time. I felt like I had the perfect collection of students and the enthusiasm of trying something new in the school. Kids were excited and things ended with a TEDx event. At the end of the year, I was burned out and was not sure if I could do 20 Time again because of how much it took out of me. I convinced myself that the next year will be easier because I know how to do everything and I can make adjustments based on the first year experiences. I think that was my first mistake.

My body was trying to tell me something about the amount of work that a project like this takes. For me especially, I give my all to my students. Some do not see it, but I take it to heart when a student is not happy in class or life in general. I carry the weight of their problems around when I know times are tough. I lose sleep because I worry about all of the things they worry about and I want to create the best possible learning environment for all of my students. When I find out that something I said or did has bothered or hurt a student, it sticks with me for weeks. I wear my heart on my sleeve and it is painful at times, but I feel it makes me who I am. Despite the toll 20 Time took on my, I jumped in for this year thinking I could make it better. I did not.

For this year, I was much more hands off. I wanted to give students more freedom in their projects and really see where they go. I see now that this was a big mistake and I feel I have failed my students in a way I can never make up. My job is to guide them and I feel I did not guide them nearly as much as I should have. Supporting students in work is such a fine line. I do not want to be too involved and I do not want to be absent. I thought last year I was too involved and now I realized I might have been involved just the right amount and that is why everything went as well as it did.

This realization does not fill the whole in my gut though. Failing because you are trying something new is one thing. Failing after doing something that went well feels much different. Was I selfish in backing away this year so I would not be so spent at the end of the year? Was I too loose with everything this year because I was confident in how it went last year? Is my ultimate sin Hubris? If it is, I'm so embarrassed.

My school went to the Henry Ford museum for a PD day. One of thing my principle said about Ford was that he was the leader, but he became complacent and others caught up and surpassed. As a school we cannot become complacent with what works. Instituting 20 Time in the first place was a way I tried not to be complacent. However, since it went so well, I think I became complacent and that has lead me here.

People have told me that trying something new and it not working out does not make me a bad teacher. My principal has told me this is an opportunity for growth. I am a believer in the Growth Mindset, but when something blows up in your face, those are just words when you are hurting.

I titled the post "I've Failed and It's Not OK" because I feel the failure was foreseeable and that is why it is not ok. I'm afraid that this failure will keep me from trying new and different things. It really has me questioning my approach all together. I think only time can help me figure this out.

As I close this post, I know it is important to think about the future. What do I do to move forward? Do I bring 20 Time back? Do I change everything? Is this a failure I can come back from? Reflections pieces do not have to have answers. Sometimes asking the right questions can lead to the right answers later on. I just hope I'm asking the right ones.

Hugs and High Fives,

NP

Failing Loud and Proud #EdChat

I've written plenty of times about failure over the years, but I I feel there is always plenty to say since I still fail and learn from that failure.

The other day, I was trying to show students how to submit assignments using Google Classroom. I have not used it before and I am learning how to use it on the fly. I thought I had turning in a assignments figured out and I was wrong. I wasn't just wrong, I was wrong in front of a class of 32 honors students. My students were working in groups to create a Student Declaration of Independence and I wanted them to submit their work to Classroom. I thought anyone in the group could do it, but it turns out it needs to be the owner of the originally shared document that has to submit the work. All of my students looked funny at me as my attempts to have one of them submit the work and it kept failing. I took a minute collected my thoughts and did a quick search and found the solution. I told the kids that this was all still a work in progress and I appreciate them taking the time to learn with me.

I feel that some teachers are too resistant to making mistakes in front of students. Teachers are not perfect beings and we need to stop presenting ourselves to students (and other teachers) as being perfect people with no examples of failure. We want to push our students to take chances, but we might not be willing to take the same chance in front of students. I'm not saying that teachers should be unprepared for class and do things on the fly. I'm saying that teachers should own their mistakes in front of the class, show how it is a moment for us to learn, and encourage kids to take the same chances.

Students need to feel comfortable making mistakes and trying something new. Teachers need to model this behavior and own mistakes proudly. I will need to remind myself of this and not let the embarrassment of failure be the guiding force in my lesson plans or day to day interaction with students and staff.

How have you failed in class lately? 

Am I a Failure? #edchat

Today is the last day of school. I've packed up my things and I've entered all of my grades. I watched an amazing group of students graduate yesterday and I'm sitting at my desk wondering whether or not this year was a success.

I took the time to read all of my student reflection pieces on my class and 20 Time. There were plenty of kids that told me how much they loved the class and how blogging actually helped them become better writers. Others said 20 Time helped them find what mattered to them and they think all students should have do 20 Time at some points. They offered great suggestions to fine tune 20 Time for future students and wanted to see it continue. These comments were very nice and they made me smile. However, they were not all positive.

There were students that were very honest about how much they did not like 20 Time. They thought that the entire project was nice in theory, but just a tremendous waste of time. They would have rather spent their time doing more reading, analysis and other literature related lessons to better prepare them for their AP Lang class next year. A couple even said they felt unprepared for next year. These comments shook me to the core.

I strive to make sure that I reach every student and that every single one of them feel like they are in an environment that supports them in learning. For me, 20 Time was the best project for that because it gave the students the power to control what they wanted to explore. How could I fail at giving students the choice to explore their interests? In implementing 20 Time I had to make cuts in the curriculum. I trimmed fat that was not required and cut out assignments that I felt were nice, but redundant. By doing this, did I hurt my students for next year?

I understand that the perfect lesson is my white whale. In a group of 90, is it acceptable to have 15 that did not like the lesson at all be the deciding factor as to whether or not I bring a lesson back? How valuable is student feedback? I know it is important, but how much weight should it have in making decisions like this?

Some will tell me that 20 Time was a huge success and hosting a TEDx event is a great accomplishment. I'm very proud of TEDxGPSHS and the work my students did for 20 Time, but it bothers me to think that there are students that left my class feeling like I did not do my job. Maybe I need some more time removed from these year defining events and think more about what 20 Time, not only meant for my students, but meant for me. I'm just left with one question that will keep me busy this summer,

By not reaching all of my students, am I a failure?

Here is one thing that made me feel like a winner. 

This is a present from a graduating student. She made this as a thank you for being supportive of her art and her academic pursuits during her time at school. 

Smiling As My Students Fail #edchat

I love the smell of failure in the morning. I think that is how the line goes from that famous movie.

To the untrained eye, I might seem like a terrible teacher, but I argue that teachers that do not let their students fail from time to time are doing them a major disservice. 

One of the things I have learned as I have gained more experience in the classroom that it is more than just ok to let students struggle, it is often a good thing. Our students learn more when they have to strive to accomplish something instead of having it spoon fed to them or when they have the teacher hold their hand during the entire process. 

Some of my fondest memories of school were those times I triumphed over adversity. Studying for the math test and earning that C was a huge accomplishment. I earned that grade and felt good about it because it was not easy. I struggled, I stressed and I overcame. That is how I learned and I want my students to have the same experiences in class. 

What I am not saying is that teachers should leave students on their own to figure everything out and sit back and watch them fail on exams or essays. Teachers still need to guide their students and let them explore learning, but you have to let them try new things and learn through trial and error. The error part is the thing people are starting to forget. In the rush to get through content, it's easier to give students the answers instead of letting them discover them on their own through hard work. 

As you work in your class this year, try to take a step back when a student fails the first time. Assure them they can come up with the right answer on their own if they try a couple of times. Offer them strategies on how to approach problems in different ways to get new outcomes. Fight the urge to solve the problem for them. Finally, sit back and watch them accomplish the task on their own and see the biggest smile of the day come across their face as they realize that they finally did it. Then, you can smile at their failure knowing it has given the students much more than just the right answer.