Fearlessly "Teching" Out!

Today was a special day. I attended the South Carolina Midlands Technical Summit hosted by my school district. This is year four of the event that draws participants from all over the country, and I have to say, this one has been the best one I have experienced so far. I listened to some amazing people talk about cool things they are doing in their classrooms and their districts. I saw nifty gadgets that make me want to go beg my administration for money. Most of all, I was among passionate people. There were leaders in education such as George Couros who, in my opinion, inspires people every time he opens his mouth.  There were experts in many kinds of technology eager to share their skills and insight. There were teachers using their own personal time to learn more about how to engage and motivate their students using technology. There were administrators using their time to learn about new technologies and tools for their teachers and schools to consider using in the future. What struck me most about all of these people is their deep passion for students. They came to learn and to share. Being passionate helps you be fearless. I saw people sign up for and use Twitter for the first time, encouraged by the passionate "techies" around them. Many were stepping out of their comfort zones; being fearless, maybe for the first time. I realized that passion drives fearlessness. Passionate teaching requires that we ask more of ourselves in order to meet the changing needs of our students, especially when it comes to technology. We have to meet that challenge with a "Yes, and..." mindset, as Shaelynn Farnsworth said in her design thinking session.

"There's no money...", Yes, and...
"It's hard!" Yes, and...
"I've never done it before!" Yes, and...

You see how negativity takes a back seat?

One other thing I learned today:  there are an awful lot of us passionate people out there. So, be fearless  and embrace something new in technology. You are not alone!

Fearlessly Reaching Out to Some of our Neediest Students

 I saw this blog article on Mindshift  over the long weekend and kind of put it on the back burner to think about later. But recent events at my own school caused me to reflect over the course of my teaching career, thinking about the students I know who needed mental health services and what we could have done for those children. Two questions guided my rereading of this awesome article.  What can the education community do to help those students who suffer with mental health issues? What needs to change at the state, district and school level to offer more support for those kids before they do something desperate to themselves or to others?  I wish the answers were simple. The suggestions are good.  Are they feasible for every school, every district, across the state. I don't know. I just know it is a conversation we must have among teachers, administrators, counselors, and mental health experts if we want to effect change for these students. Here are some links I found that might spark conversation. What do you like?  What do you disagree with?  Please feel free to share your comments. At least, talking is a start.

Mind/Shift Blog by Linda Flanagan

http://www.schoolmentalhealth.org/

http://time.com/3479351/mental-health-schools/

Genius Hour

I heard about genius hour last summer when I attended my first ISTE conference. I was intrigued by the idea of giving up class time to give some autonomy and voice to my students, and I found Chris Kesler to be amazing! I want them to let their passions drive their creativity and innovation. The students become fearless learners!  This school year, I've pondered and processed this whole idea of genius hour, but I confess, I have not really implemented it. I was not fearless. So, next school year, we are going to give it a try. I will complete the FREE online course on the website below and truly take the first fearless step!  Who's with me? 

Genius Hour, the website

Fearlessly Teaching Middle School Students

We are finishing out a year of school with only 2 weeks to go. My colleagues and I are ready for summer, and I don't have to tell you how excited the students are. I've noticed over the last couple of weeks that they are less patient with each other, with their teachers, and with themselves. The teachers (me included!) have to consciously add an extra dose of patience in our interactions with our students. We tell the students,"Just hang on, it's almost over" and "Remember to THINK before you speak or act." Middle School students are special. This is the time in their lives when they are no longer little, but not grown enough for the "grownup privileges" they crave. These are the kids that will tell you in one breath, loudly, that they are NOT A CHILD! and in the next breath ask you for a band aid for the bruise they got when their locker door hit their arm. They are hormone magnets with emotional ups and downs that rival a roller coaster. I admit, I worry about them every day. Students come with baggage, and for a middle schooler, sometimes the baggage can hurt more. They are becoming more aware of the world around them and the space they occupy in it. So not only are they dealing with issues but they are aware of how those issues affect them and their families. Awareness of your environment and all the implications that entails is a hallmark of growing up. And sometimes it hurts. It hurts because the middle schooler is not grown up enough to cope with often very adult problems. They know something is happening and they feel powerless to deal with it. The laughing bubbly student we see in the hallway may have problems we aren't even aware of. She fights battles we can't conceive and maybe don't even want to contemplate.  But we do. We middle school teachers deal with each child, giving out extra doses of patience, extra time, extra attention. That's what we do. Even in the last two weeks of school.
Middle school teachers are special. So, when you see a middle school teacher, give them a smile and maybe a hug. They deserve it.

Fearlessly Teaching STEM to ALL

The other day, my friend took this picture of her daughter and posted it on facebook. I asked her if I could put it on my blog because I think it captures the essence of what 21st century girls are all about. As part of my work in building the STEM Institute of Design and Innovation magnet program, I read and study research about current practices in STEM education and the importance of possessing those  science, technology, engineering and math skills for the future. If you could boil down all of the data and facts and charts and graphs into one simple thing, it could be this picture right here.  Look at how intent she is. She is determined to get inside that object. She is unafraid to use the tool she needs to accomplish her goal, even if it is big and cumbersome and maybe new to her. She is fearless. And not only that,  she rocks it in her pink tutu! We say, "Oh how cute!" and "Isn't she sweet!", and of course those are all absolutely true statements. But it is more than that. Recently I saw a news article that stated that the graduating classes of engineers were still predominantly made up of men. Interest in engineering drops significantly for girls by the time they reach college and decide on a major. If we want to keep up with the roaring tide of technical jobs that are being created almost faster than I can type this blog, we need to impress upon our girls that they can do those jobs too.  We need to help them discover what they like to do and what they are passionate about. Once they discover their passion, then they can begin to determine their purpose. Somewhere out in the world, their future awaits. They can do anything they want to do . They can do MANY things...and they can wear pink tutus if they want to. 

Fearlessly Opening the Door, Part 2

Earlier this summer, the 6th grade math and science teachers in my STEM magnet program came to me, excited about their plans for the new school year. They were going to be teaching right next to each other. While they are used to collaborating on interdisciplinary units of study, they were talking on this day about the interdisciplinary use of space. The math teacher pointed out the floor space in front of their classrooms. She said, "We can have our doors open, and the students can flow from room to room and out into the halls to work on projects." She and the science teacher were super excited about this idea of free-flowing learning space and the learning possibilities it opened up.  You know how when the bell rings in a middle school or a high school, there are a few minutes of chaos, then usually, serious quiet?  I really hate that! I don't like hallways that are silent. What if the doors were open? What if students were encouraged to go out into the hallways and non-traditional learning spaces in their schools and work alone or collaboratively to solve problems or create something to show what they have learned? Maybe they would get the message that a learning space doesn't have to have four walls and a board. What if classrooms of different disciplines were open simultaneously so that students could go into the classroom that might have the resources they need to learn in order to complete the project or assignment they had, and they had the freedom to go from room to room to take advantage of those resources? Maybe kids would get the point that the world doesn't compartmentalize. Problems usually have many facets that need to be understood before they can be solved. Taking it up a notch, what if schedules were flexible enough to allow this kind of free-flowing learning to take place; flexible in such a way that students could have the time they needed to work on bigger projects that require deeper learning for a particular class or interdisciplinary project? Administrators and who ever does the master schedule might literally freak out! I am blessed to have teachers in my program who try to find new ways to use their learning spaces and time. With all the technology we have available now, and especially in a 1 to 1 environment, there is no reason to tie students to the room. They can carry the tools with them!  I intend to explore the idea of free flowing learning space and flexible scheduling this year. Here are some resources I have been looking at to get started. Please feel free to add links and ideas in the comments if this interests you as well. Let's help our students fearlessly open the doors to their learning!

Designing Learning Spaces
Scheduling

Fearlessly Opening the Door

The classroom door is a big part of the teacher's realm. We decorate it. We use the space for a welcome message, a character building message, or an encouraging message.  We stand by it to greet students everyday and we close it once the bell rings. In fact, sometimes the closing of the door is the signal for students to be seated and ready to begin instruction. I hate closing my door. In fact, I tend to leave it open. A former assistant principal even told me once, "I always know when you are teaching, Mrs. Jones. I can hear you clear down in my office!"  I am okay with that. I will sing,chant, rap, sway, make big messes, and dance with my kids, anything to help them learn the content I am trying to teach. I know there are others who feel the same way I do. I do not mind if another teacher peeks in to see what I am doing. Sometimes they do!  They ask me later what I had been doing with my kids, and I share. I wish that I could spend more time peeking in other teachers' classes. With the technology we have now, our doors are open in more ways than one. We can see into the classes of others!  Join a PLN (personal learning network) or VLN (virtual learning network). Get involved with social media as a professional educator. If you are a new teacher, or one who has been at it a while like me, there's a group out there for you!  I love this infographic on An Ethical Island , a blog by Mia MacMeekins. Maybe one of these suggestions will appeal to you.
If you are passionate about teaching and learning, it is even more important that you collaborate with other educators and share the neat activities that are working with your students. We have the opportunity now that teachers didn't have in the past. We must fearlessly open the doors of our classrooms and let others in. Just as importantly, we must open the doors and step out!  Try it. Leave your door open...let them see you dance with your students!