How do you get a roomful of kids to face their fears? You trick them.

Few are not afraid. Few do it unless they have to. So you have to trick them.

Yesterday, I tricked my kids. And before they knew it, they were up in front of the class, practicing public speaking. And today, the trickery will continue.

At the end of the month, the kids will deliver their “Be a Voice” speeches. As you can imagine, they–like most the rest of the world–are not thrilled to speak publicly. It is among the top fear for most people, and they at this age are no different. So, to help make the experience less awful, I strive to get them up and practicing presentation skills, facing their fears.

To begin, I asked them to write a “sappy-student” rhyme about our classroom community. I, then, asked them to deliver their poems to the class. A few were ready to go yesterday, so we started. Their poems are below. Today, we will finish up.

Beyond just reading their poems, I am asking them to consider and practice two specific presenting skills from our PVLEGS approach. Poise and voice. Of course, in the end, they won’t leave my class Ted-Talk ready, but my hope is that they leave my class better aware of the necessary skills for presenting effectively, and, too, maybe–just maybe–a little less afraid of public speaking.

Poise

Voice

Life

Eye Contact

Gestures

Speed

I am so proud of what the kids created and shared yesterday. It warms my heart that they have come to value what we have worked so hard to create this year: community. Means everything to me. And it was no accident. No accident at all. It was the plan all along. Special group of kids, these. Special.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns

…celebrate community and practice public speaking.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

I am not enough.

I want to be.

I strive to be.

But I cannot be.

There are times

when the job

is bigger than I

When the road’s

too long

When the mountain’s

too high.

When my wings

won’t lift.

When my wings

won’t fly.

But I try.

I try.

Even when

my wings

won’t fly.

I try.

I am not enough.

Humbling thoughts for me on another sleepy, slept-in-again Wednesday morning. Yesterday was a rough day. The mountain was too high. My kids’ seen and unseen needs too great, and I felt not enough. I felt a fraud, facing a reality that contradicts the ideal I daily present in room 211. And I want you to know.

I want you to know my struggles beneath the shine. I want you to know that the “road to better” is less than the idyllic peaks that frame the front page of my blog. The sun does not always shine. The snow does not always glow. No. It is often covered in clouds of doubt. And the snow slows, numbing my senses, restricting my resolve. And I fail. And I despair. And yet…

I try. And as I try, I again find the sun peaking through, and I face another day. And today will be better. But better takes a toll. It exacts a price, and some days the cost is greater than I. But I try.

I wanted you to know.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns

…engage in a fun, get-out-of-your-comfort-zone activity where the kids will compose their own “sappy rhymes” about our community and share them with the class in an effort to practice presenting. Cannot wait. I will share details tomorrow.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Wednesday, all. Thanks for being here to know. The good. The bad. And the ugly. It helps that you know. Thank you.

Do. Reflect. Do Better

 

As the days dwindle and motivation wanes, I try to find ways to keep my kids engaged. Not a power broker, I have to turn to inspiration and influence as my means to keep my kids moving, to keep my kids learning this time of year. But even inspiration requires some practical measures along the way. It is not always enough to give a rousing reach-for-the-stars, share-your-truth speech. For many, it also requires a modicum of accountability. So, I oblige. To be fair, my kids are pretty dang motivated most of the time, but they are human, and sometimes humans need a nudge now and again to get things done. So, yesterday, I presented this simple approach to keep things focused and moving. It’s nothing fancy, just a simple record of productivity and progress.

On a sheet of paper, I just had my kids record the following.

Today, I…

Tomorrow, I will…

Productivity Rating: 5 4 3 2 1 (most to least)

They will complete this at the end of each class. I will collect and distribute each day. I am not going to read them away from the kids. I am not checking up–or beating up–on them every day. I am not assigning any points. It is not for me. It is for them. I am not the one with a “Be-A-Voice” speech or debate and a Passion Paper due at the end of the month. They are. But I am the one with a 128 kids who need my help crossing the finish line at the end of the month. And since my help comes in the form of conferencing with kids on their writing, I need to be able to give my full attention to each, which means I only have time to share in the “ownership” of one kid’s learning at a time; the rest need to fully own theirs the rest of the time. So, as such, I am asking them to hold themselves accountable via the “progress record.”

Yesterday, I dubbed May “you MAY work” month. The kids know what they have to do. I am giving them time and help to get there. But that is not enough. They have to take the responsibility for their ownership. It is not my learning. It is theirs. So, I am asking them to track it, to adjust and modify it as necessary. So, come June, when they have to present and share, they are ready to shine. And they will.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will…

…begin with Smiles and Frowns.

…make progress with our writing projects.

…reflect on and record progress.

…end with a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Tuesday, all. It was so great to be back learning with the kids yesterday. Lovely beings, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.