Morning, all. Tired. Running behind. Stressed. So, gonna take the easy road this morning and simply wish everyone a wonderful weekend. Be back at it Monday. Sorry.

Happy weekend.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

I imagine we’ve all had him in class. Most of us probably have him right now. I believe I have had him every year of my career, and though he hasn’t changed, I have, and I now perceive and receive him differently.

I used to fight him, and in that struggle, that conflict, it was always about my way or the highway. And I was proud of my power to prevail, to win. To win. “Cringe,” as my kids would say. Proud to win. Ugh. That was me.

Kids come to us in various ways. And though some of those ways are in stark contrast to what we expect and accept, they are nonetheless, the “ways” they are. “He” comes in his way. And though he on some level has to own his way, we on another level have to own it, too, in that kids don’t always choose their ways. They just are, and as they are, they are challenges for themselves as well for us.

I believe there’s a time when most of us come to realize that behavior is communication. As I came to realize that, less-early than I would care to admit, I came to listen better to what they were trying to communicate. I say, “try,” because it’s as hard for them to speak as it is for us to listen. A lot can get lost in translation, especially if we aren’t careful to listen. I am a better, more careful listener now.

And, I have worked hard to listen to him all year. Some days, admittedly, have been harder than others–even impossible–but I have stayed the course, taken the long road to listen, to learn, to understand. And though, we still have a long ways to go, things have changed recently with him. And, I have had to lean in because this new behavior seems to be carrying a new message. So, I want–I need–to understand.

Yesterday, I joked with him about this “new leaf,” wanting him to know that I noticed, that I appreciated this side. I won’t say “new side,” for that suggests I made it happen. And I don’t believe that. If anything, I just let it happen. The “side” was always there. I just had to give him time to reveal it in his own way, time to trust me enough to show it. We had to take the long road. And the road goes on.

Of course, he won’t be my last him. I will get a new one next year. But I will not soon forget this year’s him. He won’t let me.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…engaging in a teacher-directed self-assessment of our latest Learning Check.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

“Uh, so, if I had to take a guess, I’d suggest that we’re not getting this, eh?”

I was met with a sea of agreement as a roomful of nods told me what I already knew. I blew it. The kids were not sufficiently set-up for the task at hand. And it was not their fault. It was mine.

I had rushed into it, believing I could make up for the leap by catching the few who would struggle, over-estimating my ability to support kids on the swim, for as I was scrambling to clarify and support, kids were sinking all around me. And in a last-ditch effort to save our souls as the period was coming to an end, I launched a lifeboat.

“Okay, I messed up. I didn’t sufficiently set you up for this and my attempts to make up for it aren’t working, so we are going to try this again tomorrow. I am sorry.”

Though my intentions were good and I thought well-aimed, I got in over my head. I have been trying all year to use my honors curriculum with my one section of “regular LA,” and though it has gone generally well (proud of my kids), I tanked this one. So, today, I am going to make up for it, not by lowering my expectations but by elevating my support. Kids can do this. They have shown me that all year long as we have worked together to get there. Yesterday, I did a poor job of orchestrating “together,” and today I will seek to do better.

Thank goodness the kids were good sports about it and didn’t mutiny and make me walk the plank. They really were trying despite my steering us into the rocks. Sorry they had to suffer through it. Kids really are the best.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…cultivating community with “Connection Cards.”

…completing (for reals this time) our Learning Check on tone analysis.

…reading for personal purposes.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Wednesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

If education truly valued learning, no child would ever feel dumb. Challenged, yes. Dumb, never. And challenged would, of course, be followed by supported. Anything else isn’t learning.

Learning necessitates challenge. Learning necessitates support. Learning is the spot between the challenged student and the supporting teacher, that place where the learner’s needs give rise to the teacher’s purpose. I believe this is the essence of our existence in education, a shared struggle to learn and grow. And, more, I believe that though the struggle is there, it is never a place nor an existence where a learner would feel inadequate or dumb. But, if one asked most–maybe all–classrooms to raise their hands if they’ve ever been made to feel inadequate or dumb, a mountain of hands would rise. And that is not okay.

It is perhaps one of the greatest wrongs we perpetuate in education, where ranking and sorting seem to take center stage, unfolding a drama that inevitably marks, among a number of things, kids “dumb.” Of course we don’t actually say, “dumb,” but that is what kids come to believe when we sort them. And dumb becomes dangerous. There are signs of this damage throughout our culture. Kids develop fixed mindsets about subjects (sometimes as early as kindergarten). Kids don’t ask questions. Kids don’t take risks. Kids hate school. Kids cheat. Kids hide–in plain sight.

But, if, as I said above, we truly valued learning in education, this should never happen. Why would a kid in a learning environment in the care of a supportive teacher ever feel dumb? Maybe we don’t value learning as much as we profess or pretend. Maybe we need to re-center ourselves around the noble charge of helping kids grow rather than the dangerous practice of sorting students.

And though I am not entirely sure how we right this monumental, institutional wrong, I think we make strides when we acknowledge and begin to amend.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…completing a Learning Check on Tone Analysis.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Tuesday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Morning, all. Overslept a bit. Sorry. All that fresh, outside air made me sleep better I guess. Anyway, didn’t get enough–any–school work done this weekend, so I am scrambling a little this morning. Back on schedule tomorrow.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…reconnecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…reading and annotating a text for tomorrow’s rhetorical analysis.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Monday, everyone. It’s March!

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Morning, all. I want to share a poem that one of my readers emailed yesterday. He is an elementary art teacher from Oklahoma. He wrote in response to his frustration with the system as a new-ish teacher. I think a lot of us old-ish teachers will find that his frustrations reflect many of our own. He offered it to me as a thank you, and I was moved, so I asked him if I could share it.

“In my frustration, I wrote this poem, and reflecting on it, I thought of you. You are an inspiration. I hope that you take this as a thank-you for publishing your story – both the ups and the downs.”

Thank you for letting me share your sentiments this morning. Keep teaching for yourself and the kids.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…connecting through Smiles and Frowns.

…tying up some loose ends.

…cultivating connections with Community Circle.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Friday, all. Have a wonderful weekend.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Morning, all. Well, they didn’t boo me outta the room yesterday, so I think it went okay. I want to thank the AWSL (Greg Barker, James Layman, Joe Fenbert) for trusting me with my message to the young, prospective educators with whom I was lucky enough to share an experience. A separate, huge thank you to James Layman for turning a Twitter connection into a real life opportunity to connect some dots from our separate but same journeys as we strive to boost the lives of “these days’ kids” to their next levels. Thank you, my friend. Honored to now know you.

It was a great day. But for the little I gave, I took far more. Selfishly, I used the day to restore my resolve, to power my passion, to capture my courage for cultivating connections in the classroom. I will make it my life’s work. I know that sounds grandiose–even more so than usual, perhaps–but I am serious. Yesterday, was an awakening for me. I feel like a giant woke in me. And though I have a lot to consider regarding next steps and next levels for this work, I am resolute in this pursuit. Feel like I am starting a whole new journey, and all it took was talking with the future of our profession. Can’t wait to get started, to find the giant within so I can face the giant without.

Today’s Trail

Weird day today. Kids will be registering for next year during my class. Funny that I am not worried about lost instructional time. I am worried about lost connection time. Kills me that we won’t be able to do Smiles and Frowns today. Trying to devise a way to still connect. I’ll think of something.

Happy Thursday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Well, ready or not, here it is. Been up since 4:00 refining my presentation (once I figured out the hotel wi-fi), trying to get it just right, trying to find the sweet spot between enough but not too much. Eventually, I will just run out of time, and I will just have to go with it. It. But what is it?

Funny in these moments how one feels, how I feel. I’m sure it’s just doubt seeping in, maybe some signs of impostor syndrome, but I am struck by the “who-am-I-to-say?” conundrum of it. Why is my work worthy? What do I have to say that they want to hear? Who am I a but a teacher from Cheney, Washington? The questions continue, the doubts hover, but I guess I should know that’s all a part of it. It happens. And when it does, we just have to go with it; we just have to let it happen. So, I’ll just let it happen. All I can do.

Happy Wednesday, all. I will let you know how “it” goes tomorrow.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Morning, all. Short posts the next two days. Sorry. A little stressed and preoccupied with presenting tomorrow. A bit of a Nervous Ned, I tend to find myself singularly focused on these occasions. And since I am also the Prince of Procrastination, I truly find myself needing the last minutes, and at the moment, I am finding my minutes short, so I am going to deal with my manic mountain. Sorry.

Will check in briefly from my hotel room in the morning. Happy Tuesday.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.

Happy Monday, all. Wanted to share a connection I made with a teacher from Edmonton, Alberta in Canada last week.

Started with a tweet, sharing what one of my students cleverly did with our “words to watch” from last semester.

As promised, Omoyemwen delivered.

What started as a fun share on Twitter turned into an international collaboration. Thank you, Omoyemwen for connecting. Cool that miles don’t really matter. Excited to share this with my kids today.

Today’s Trail

Along today’s trail we will experience…

…reconnecting with Smiles and Frowns.

…growing with grammar.

…completing our listening for tone activity.

…hearing a Sappy Sy Rhyme.

Happy Monday, all.

Do. Reflect. Do Better.