Teaching, Mental Health, and Stuffing My Face #EdChat

The start of the school year is tough for so many reasons. One of them is the act of getting back into the school routine of your life. I've spent the Summer sleeping in, working out on a regular schedule (for the most part), and using the bathroom whenever I needed. Being back at school changes all of that. 

I have a 40 minute drive to work in the morning and I need to be at school by 7:15ish or else I get stuck in traffic and will never be to school on time for our 7:50 meetings. That means I have to be up and out the door by 6:30ish. Working out has been a huge part of managing my mental health. It sets my brain on the right path for the day and fills me with the good energy. I would need to get up over an hour earlier to get in a good workout and make it to school on time. 

Working out after school is tough. I'm tired and I just want to hang with the family and see how the day went. It is tough to want to do an ab workout after running around school all day chasing 6th graders to make sure they have all of their supplies. I wish there was a simple answer here, but I can't find it. 

Another part of being back to school is adjusting my bladder schedule and my water intake. I can't just down all of the water I want during the day because I will be with students and will only have a 5 minute window every 75 minutes to have my bio break. That can really take its toll on the body the first couple of weeks. 

All of this is going on while I'm trying to come up with new lessons, learn student names, and keep everyone engaged. If I had the time, I would be stuffing my face with food to deal with the anxiety of it all, so I guess that one of the good things to come out of all this. Avoiding the stress eating is a bit easier. 

Taking some time in the morning in my room alone with some meditation helps and, sometimes, if the drive to school was really short and it is nice out, I might take a 20 minute walk outside. Trying to find the little windows of mental and physical health support is the best I can do right now and sometimes, the best you can do right now is the good enough. 

I hope all of you out there are finding these little moments of personal support and know that it is ok that you are doing your best, even if it is not exactly where you want to be.

Hugs and High Fives, 

NP

Focusing on Supporting Growth, Not Deficiencies #EdChat

One of the favorite parts of my life as an educator was when I was a coach. I coached soccer on and off for a few years and it was something I still think of fondly. There is something about students calling me coach that just made me smile. As an instructional coach, I find myself going back to those coaching days and thinking about how I was able to motivate people to change or try a new approach to better serve the teachers I am supporting.

When it comes to coaching, there are coaches that will spend their time focusing on the things the players do not do well and show them why those actions are bad, and by doing them, they make you bad. I never responded to this coaching method. By the end of this, I would usually feel bad at everything and the thought of trying something new was not possible. Sadly, I have seen this approach in schools and I have heard it from presenters/keynotes at conferences.  The "I know everything and you are doing everything wrong approach" is a terrible way to support teachers. Trying to shame them in to changing their practices is not helpful to anyone. Morale sinks and nothing changes as those teachers dig in as an act of self preservation. If we want to support teachers, we need to spend more time on the things they do well and less on why we think they are bad at something.

As a coach, it is important to remember that everyone is on their own journey and not everyone is going to be at the same stage of their trip as others. Some will require more support, while others will pick things up quickly and move ahead. For those teachers that are struggling, focusing on what they are doing wrong all the time is not going to motivate them to change their practice. That is why it is so key to focus on the successes along the way and help them create more successful teaching moments. Here are three simple things that an instructional can do to support another teacher.

Visit

Stop by for a visit and just check in with the teacher. See what they are doing in their classes and how their lessons are going. Spend a little time getting to kn ow the teacher and how they approach teaching. It is so important for any teacher to feel comfortable with someone if they are going to open up about their fears or frustrations with their instruction. Nobody wants to talk to a stranger and tell them they don't know how to do something. Spending the time getting to know a teacher will make it easier to help them down the line.

Observe

Depending on your relationship with the teacher, pop in to observe them in action or email ahead of time and let them know that you'd love to watch their lesson on (blank). DO NOT TAKE NOTES OR BE ON YOUR PHONE DURING THIS OBSERVATION. This is not a formal observation. This is just a peer watching another teacher in action. It is ok to take mental notes, because you are going to need them for the follow up email thanking them for letting you in the room. Identify some of the awesome things you saw and encourage them to keep up the great work. Later on, mention to them you had an idea or you found a cool article or tool that relates to what they did in class and you wanted to share it with them. Then suggest that it could be fun to plan something together to do with the students in class.

Co-Teach

Co-teaching is an excellent way to work with teachers and help them build upon the great things they already do in the classroom. Working with another teacher can be so much fun. Sharing a shared passion for something and creating a lesson or project to present to students is a blast. It is during the co-teaching planning time that you want to introduce new elements to the teacher, but you don't force them do go it alone. By being their as a co-teacher, you can help rollout the new tool or instructional approach. Fear of failure is something that drives teachers to avoid trying new things, but if they have a partner to fail with, they are more likely to give it a try. With a successfully implemented and co-taught lesson, reflect on what worked, what needs work, and encourage them to keep doing awesome things. It usually only takes one positive experience with a tool or instructional approach to get a teacher hooked. Co-teaching is an excellent way to get that process started.

While it is easy to sit back and criticize all the teachers that are not teaching the "right way", getting off the stage or from behind the desk to help those teachers who need it is much harder, but far more valuable and effective. All teachers need to be willing to support one another if we want to see change in our educational system. We all need to feel comfortable telling our peers that we do not know how to do something or we don't know the answer to the problem we are facing. Instructional coaches are a perfect way to support teachers who need the help. However, they need to be focused on growth, and not just a teacher's deficiencies. 

Finding A Teacher/Maker Balance #MakerEd #EdChat

Feeling pretty good today. Another moment to sit and think about stuff. I know, super specific right? I've been thinking about my Maker journey lately. I've been so busy with teaching, grading, and travel, I have not had time to dive into some Maker projects that have been sitting in my workspace for a few weeks. It can be a bit frustrating not working on things you are excited to Make, but that is part of the full-time teacher deal.

I'm still getting tons of great feedback from people all over the world who have purchased my book. It is very humbling to hear from someone from the UK that has loved my book and it has inspired them to create a space for their students. However, I feel like a bit of a fraud when I have not had much time to support more own making our the Makerspace because of papers to grade, projects to assess, etc. I get stressed when I do not have the time I want to commit to helping every student that wants help. I'm not sure if this is a normal feeling for others, but I also do not know how many other educators are full time HS teachers trying to balance an awesome learning environment in the classroom for 150 students and an environment for Making in a high school of over 1600.

I feel the obligation for the students that sit in my class, but I also built a Makerspace for students to connect and pursue things that matter to them. Have I failed because I can't do both at the level I feel is needed? Is this just a normal part of being a teacher that does as much as they can to support learning? It's frustrating.

Life is about balance and I'm committed to finding the balance that will allow me to support the Making culture in the school and the learning environment in my classroom. It's a lofty goal, but I feel like it is a worthy one because of the positive impact it can have on students.

Hugs and High Fives,

Nick

Make Waves, But Teach People To Surf #EdChat

As the school year starts for teachers and students around the country, new ideas are running through the heads of passionate educators. They have spent the Summer learning new things and they want to share them with their classes. Sometimes, a school is not excited about new ideas or changing the way things have always been done. This can be frustrating to an excited teacher who is looking to change things up to support students in a new way.

Wave makers need to be willing to go the extra step to see the change take place. People do not like waves because they do not know how to handle them. New ideas can be scary and frustrating for those without the skills to traverse them. That is why the wave maker also needs to be the surf instructor.

Providing support to those that are nervous about change is a great way to make sure that those waves are not scary and can actually become fun for everyone. Surfers actually like bigger waves because they know how to handle them. The more experienced the surfer, the bigger the waves they look for when they go out into the water.

The same is true for educators and students. If you want to change things up and make some waves, be prepared to teach the students and staff how to surf so they can have fun with your new ideas. 

Having The Tough Conversations in Class #EdChat

This Summer has seen some important events in our nation's history. Primaries, conventions, Supreme Court rulings, anger, hate speech, violence, death, and so much more. Now, there have been great things that happen every day in this great country, but how we cope and understand the worst that happens is how we grow as a nation. Tough conversations need to happen in the classroom. 

That is where teachers need to step in and step up. 

As a literature teacher, one of my many jobs is to connect our current events to the literature of the past. Asking students to make these connections is how I can drive the conversation and let them explore the value of reading these texts. As I sat and watched the conventions, I was thinking about the readings we will do in my American Literature class and I was drawn to a speech by Jonathan Edwards, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". This sermon used fear to bring people back into the fold of church. It used tremendous imagery to scare believers into coming back to the church. 

"The devil stands ready to fall upon them, and seize them as his own, at what moment God shall permit him."

"And you children that are unconverted, don’t you know that you are going down to hell to bear the dreadful wrath of that God that is now angry with you every day and every night?"

Questions I might ask students:

How does Edwards use fear in his sermon? 

Is it helpful in making his case?

Do speech writers still use this tactic? Can you find an example?

I also think about Patrick Henry's Speech at the Virginia Convention as well. Trying to convince a group of people that it was time to make the difficult choice and openly rebel against the Crown. 

"Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it."

Questions I might ask students:

What is the "painful truth" Henry is speaking about?

Who might give this speech today? Support your answer with text similar to this. 

I think about these passages and questions and I hope my students can make the connections to the world around them. It might take a little poking, but it is important to let the student get to where they are going on their own. 

The value of classroom conversations is when the teacher sets them up and backs away to let the student think out the connections and share their thoughts. 

To do this, it is important to establish a safe environment for all students to share their opinions. This has taken me time to master, but my students know that they can speak their mind in our class as long as they are respectful of others. 

This year, think about how you can create an environment for your students to talk about important events in our nation. 

We Are All Models

The thought of me walking the catwalk in my fabulous mesh tank top is the last thing you want to envision, but that is not the type of modeling I am talking about.

As educators, one of the things we need to constantly remember is that we need to do much more showing than we do telling.

Teachers

There are many ways for us to show our students how to do something instead of just telling them. I've done it in many different ways.

For blogging, I made sure I was comfortable with my blogging skills before I had students do it. For one year, I actually completed all of the blog posts I assigned to my students so I could show them what I was looking for in a completed blog post.

When we read plays in class, I'm the first person to stand up and take the silly voice and run with it. I want my students to feel comfortable to be silly and have fun, so I make sure I can be silly and that I have fun.

If I want students to feel comfortable failing and not knowing something, I make sure to never hide my failures and admit when I'm stumped. I will never ask something of my students that I'm not willing to do my self.

Administrators 

Modeling is key for admins. If you want teachers to do things, model it for them. Give them an example to follow. Show them instead of just telling them.

If you want to see teachers use more technology in the classroom, use more technology in staff PD. If you want to see more student centered classes and engaging lessons, show that in meetings.

Last year, we had PD days designed that got us up and moving. We took trips downtown and to a local historical museum. We used our mobile devices to engage in questions and enhance/facilitate discussion. This was an excellent example of modeling.

Another part of these PD days was that there were teachers involved in the planning of the days. The teacher voice was present to help make it meaningful to everyone involved. How often do we give students a voice before or after a lesson?

Final Thoughts

Students watch us like a hawk. They take our lead every day. If we come into class with big smiles and high fives, they will mirror that enthusiasm. If admins walk in to a meeting with a rain cloud over their head, the teachers will prepare for the worst. We all need to model the best for our students and staff. This is the strategy that will support a culture of learning and growth as a person. 

Put on your best "Blue Steel" impression and get out there. 

Hugs and high fives,

Nick

Opinions are like... #EdChat

...smiles. Everyone has one.

:-)

Wait, is that it?

Anyway, I wanted to share a thought on student voice today. This past week, I started to dive into class discussion with my students and one of the things I tell my classes is that I want them to have a loud voice in class. I want them to discuss, engage, push back, and argue with me when they believe in something. The looks on their faces was very interesting. I could tell that some of them had never considered arguing with a teacher in class.

When it comes to my classroom, I encourage students to share their thoughts and help guide them on how to do it in a respectful manner. Even if you disagree with someone, it is key to listen and then share your opinion. It doesn't mean you have to convince them, it just nice to allow others to share their thoughts. We need to make sure that we express this to our students and remind them throughout the year. Student opinions matter and we need to make sure they understand that their views are valuable and an important part of class and the overall learning experience for everyone in the classroom.

As you go deeper into the school year, please remind your students that their opinions matter in class and that your room is safe place to share those opinions. If we want to create a society that values different opinions, we need to start in the classroom.

Have a great day!

Nick

The Little Things #EdChat

The school year is starting for some and just around the corner for others. As I get closer to having students in my classroom, I start to reflect on the different things I can do to make my class an environment that supports learning. These are some of the simple things I have done over the years that can make a difference in the classroom this year.

1. Greeting at the door - I used to use the passing time between classes as a catch up time at my desk. My head buried in papers as kids got themselves situated. I have found that greeting students at the door with a smile, wave, or a high five is a great way to start a class with positivity Another bonus of this was the students in the hallway that I did not teach that would stop in and say hello with their friends. They felt welcomed into my classroom even though I was not their teacher. That is really a true sign of creating a comfortable environment.

2. First 5 minutes - I like to spend the first 5 minutes talking to my class. This is not a set time limit, but it is around 5 minutes. I go from table to table and just talk to the kids about their day, sports, video games, or anything else that is not class related. I learn so much about them during this time. I get to engage with them in normal conversation and set a very relaxed tone. When student know that you care about them outside of the papers you need to grade, they are more at ease in the classroom and are far more likely to participate. Spending a few minutes at the start of class can buy the teacher a full year of student investment in the classroom.

3. Remind them - When I first heard of Remind, I was not interested. I really did not want to send my kids text messages. They should be able to remember things on their own. I decided to give it a try with one class and I haven't gone back. Just a text reminder here and there has really helped my students stay on task. Some of those students that do not have a great track record of doing their work or bringing in paperwork can not get a text message to remind them.

4. Take in a game or a show - Finding the time to attend student events is something that all teachers should try to do. There is always a great big smile waiting for the teacher who shows up at a student event. Kids like to know that teachers are invested in them. Parents also love to see teachers at these events as well. Freeing up a couple of hours once a month to see your students play a game or perform on stage can really make a difference for your students. If you have done this once, you know what I'm talking about.

I know these 4 things are not revolutionary ideas and many of you do some or all of these things, but I think it is good to remember these ideas and share them with others.

Please share your ideas in the comments section below.

Hugs and high fives,

Nick

The Power of "I Don't Know..."

In the Fall, I will be taking over a class called "Digital Seminar". I've never taught this class. As a matter of fact, nobody in my building has every taught this class. It has run successfully at the other high school for a few years as a pilot and I was asked to start the class at my school.

It is always stressful to start any school year, but starting a school year with a class that you have never taught is an extra layer of stress most could do without. I'm confident in my skills to support students as we explore the digital realm and I have some fun ideas for projects and creations, but there are going to be times where I do not know something. It is bound to happen. It's how I respond to not knowing that makes all the difference.

At the High School level, students know if you are full of it. They just do. If I try to give a BS answer to something I am not sure about, a couple of things will happen.

1. The students will fact check me on their phone and possibly call me out. I encourage kids to fact check me all the time. I would rather be wrong and have students get the correct info than  be "right" in their eyes and fail them by not giving the correct information.

2. Students will not respect a teacher that cannot swallow their pride and admit they do not know something or that they were wrong. Respect is very important in the classroom. Kids need to know that you respect them. Admitting you are wrong or that you do not have the answer earns respect.

Just saying, "I don't know" is not enough. It is easy to say that and move on. However, we would not accept that response from our students and we should not accept that from ourselves. "I don't know" should always be followed by "but let's look that up".

We have the ability to have the correct answer in front of us in an instant. Use the technology to be correct, learn something, and then move on to the next thing. Modeling to the students what to do when you do not know something will show them what is expected of them when they do not know the answer to something.

We need to guide our students through the educational world. Not knowing something is the foundation of learning. Teachers need to be more comfortable letting their students know when they do not have the answer so they can see that learning doesn't stop when they graduate. Life long learning means admitting that there are always things we do not know. Show that to the kids and they will be better in the long run.

Let's Experiment #edchat

Parenting is full of awesome new adventures every single day. My son is three and has decided that every answer I give has the complete and total possibility of being wrong. "Maybe it is" is his response when I tell him something g is not the way he thinks it is or something is not possible. He constantly questions and suggests that my answer might not be correct. For some, this could be maddening, but I've learned to turn it into something fun for us.

I taught Leo the word Experiment. Sometimes I tell him we will do an experiment to see which one if us is correct. Yesterday at the park had a perfect example. Here was the exchange,

Leo: Daddy, to down the slide with me.

Dad: I'm too big for the slide. I will get stuck.

Leo: Maybe you won't. Do a 'speriment. 

Dad: OK, let's see. (Fearfully goes down the slide, but thankfully does not get stuck.)

Leo: I told you! You didn't get stuck! (Gleefully runs around enjoying his moment of rightness.)

I look at this moments and the other moments where he tried out ideas of his own and learned the answer and it makes me excited. Even when his idea did not work out, he sometimes still questioned my answer and tried to think of other alternatives. Other times he accepted the new knowledge and moved to the next shiny object that got his attention. This is what learning is all about. Where has this yearning for knowledge and understanding gone in our students and our teachers?

For teachers, how often do we choose not to try something new because others have said it will not work? How often have we told students not to do something because we thought it might not work? 

20 Time has allowed my students to try things and fail. I saw it first hand and it was glorious. What about teachers though? How often are they willing to experiment and try new things? How will they learn if they never try and fail? 

I encourage all teachers out there to try and experiment this new school year. Take the ideas you have always wanted to try and the ideas others have said would fail and experiment. Make the attempt and do not be out off by failure. Learn from each experiment and grow as a teacher. Each failure will only bring you closer to a huge success later. 

All Teachers Should Play Dungeons and Dragons Before Entering A Classroom #edchat

Hello, my name is Nick and I played Dungeons and Dragons growing up. 

If only there was a guide like this for teaching. 

I look back on those few years fondly. It was a silly time where my imagination ran wild and characters I created could do amazing things. Sadly, I do not quest anymore and rely on Skyrim and other video games to fill the void, but it’s not the same. The more I think about it, all teachers should play D&D before they are allowed in the classroom.

There is a level of creativity in D&D that is unparalleled anywhere else in education. Playing a game that essentially involves paper and 12 sided die requires a tremendous amount of imagination. The Dungeon Master would weave amazing stories that required the gamers to “see” the mythical world around them. When it came time for one of to be the DM, it was an opportunity to show the level of creativity we had gained by playing the game. Creating a world by writing an adventure that people had to participate in is not an easy task. Especially when your friends are counting on you to give them the best experience for the short time you had them. The adventure needs to be tailored to the strengths and weaknesses of everyone involved to ensure a great time for everyone. This is no easy feat, but it needs to be done. There is also nothing better than watching the group overcome all of the obstacles you put in place and come out a little bit better. Creating a successful quest is a bit of rush that I have only duplicated in one other place. Lesson planning.

How is this any different the preparing lessons for the classroom? I’m tasked with creating a learning environment where all of my students attempt to master the content I have given them in a way that engages them and excites them. There needs to be creativity in every lesson that is created and given to the students. The boring lessons stand out and cause problems in the class as the students get restless. Imagination is something that needs to be in the classroom and needs to be imparted to the students. While some teachers might actually feel like Dungeon Masters, it is their job to create a wonderful world of learning for their students.

I always loved surprises when I played D&D. The DM would throw something at us that was unexpected, but could be handled if we thought it though. Critical thinking was a must when gaming. The easiest answer wasn’t always the right one and that forced us to think about situations differently. Evaluating problems, looking at resources and coming to a group consensus were part the game. The feeling of overcoming an obstacle as a group was an amazing feeling. We all knew that the DM didn’t give us something we were not ready for and that is what made certain DMs better than others.

As a teacher, I try to give my kids challenges. I want them to be stumped at first, struggle to find the answer and be stoked when the overcome the obstacle. I feel like that is my job. Kids need to be prepared to face tough challenges and work to solve them. Playing a game that is not challenging is really not fun in the long run. School is no different. Kids might say they don’t like to be challenged, but deep down they want teachers to push them. Providing problems that can be solved with a little effort will have a lasting impact on students and they will be thankful for it in the end.

The group dynamic of Dungeons and Dragons is always interesting. Each member of the group needs to create a character they will use for their adventures. However, an entire group of wizards only will never get very far. Same goes with groups of warriors only or healers only. As a group, a decision needs to be made about the distinct roles everyone needs to play so the team can be successful. Once that hurdle is jumped, group decision need to be made on the different paths the team will make as it attempts to meet the goal of the quest they have undertaken. This is an ongoing part of the game and it does get heated at times. Despite the stress, the team that works together best will always be successful.

The teachers that are the strongest are the ones that work well with others. When teachers get together, they all need to take specific roles and work to their strengths. Collaboration is a skill that does not come naturally to most people. There will be times things get testy, but the goal needs to remain the focus. That goal is helping our students. We have to trust that the people around us are on the same team and want the same things. As a school we are going to be faced with many different obstacles. We have to work together to solve these problems with as little damage as possible. Teamwork is how we can be successful in helping all of our students.

I have learned so much from Dungeons and Dragons. There are some people that avoided this post like it was a Tarrasque. It’s sad that a game that encourages all of these important skills is relegated to the realm of “nerdery”. I owe some of my teaching style and strengths to what I developed during those few years questing. Maybe all teachers should spend a couple of years gaming before they get into the classroom.

Thanks for the time you spent reading this post. I’m off to find my Monster Manual.