An Amazing Moment

I know. I know. It’s been a long time since I have written in this blog. It seems like each year there are more hoops and or initiatives to jump through and less and less time for my own life, let alone a hobby. I am an inveterate writer who has become flooded with work. I think about writing all of the time, but do not have the time to entertain the stories and concepts I want to write about. Today I had several ideas to write about. I became adamant that I was going to write in at least one of my blogs today. Of course, this would be after school hours.

What was the best moment of today? Well, it had been a phenomena that I had heard about: everyone on task, digging deep into a book, a real page turner, but that’s not all: I was able to sit with the students, relax, and chill with them. I looked around several times and thought to myself, is this really happening? I was able to READ with them. No walking around checking to see if they are on task etc. This class was running on autopilot. I had students in reading chairs, students with their legs propped on chairs, and students reading on the floor. I also joined the prop-my-feet up agenda. The kids thanked me for a great class.

Tomorrow we will discuss the book. I did not want to interrupt their new found pleasure. Reading teachers try to get each student hooked on a good book or a good reading series. I saw the fruit of my labor today. I had so many kids appreciate the time given to devour their book that I am going home patting myself on the back!

Attitude Changes Everything

This week has been full of challenges. The mark of a champion teacher is one who can easily roll with and through the punches and do what needs to be done. This means making many adjustments with lesson plans, changing test dates, making MANY parent phone calls, doing an extra review, etc. This also has to be done at the drop of hat. For me, that "hat" could be a phone call, email, student, parent, needing supplies, etc. I seem to notice there are a lot of hats as the years go by and etcs. Hats are hoops I often have to jump through, but sometimes it calls for problem solving creative solutions to make it ALL possible.

One challenge I am facing is dealing with the cuts in my pay and the cuts in the budget. This cut extends to the amount of school supplies I can purchase from the school warehouse each year. In the past four years, it seems that teachers are being asked to take on more of the expense of education themselves. There are being asked to print from their printers less, provide pencils and paper, books for their classroom libraries, rewards, etc. The problem is that many of us, like the rest of country, have had budgets cut down to the bare minimum. There is no extra. A fellow teacher had her car taken away last week. Another friend lost her home. We are feeling it too!

So this year, I decided to do it as cheaply and effectively as possible. I asked each student to bring in three supplies for classroom supplies. And then I gave a huge list of supplies to pick from. I even told them they could be pulled out of closet, 1/2 open packages of lined paper, etc. I did not ask them to buy a bunch of extra stuff for their child: one duotang folder and a compostion book. The two can be purchased at Walmart for under a dollar.

The response from both students and parents has varied. Some argue that their child always brings their own supplies. I do not see this very often. I'd rather help provide for the ones who are also struggling to make it around us; I also do not want to single out students for not coming to class prepared. They may not be prepared because they are living in a garage or car. I'm telling you. Things are really bad! Do we have to rub in their struggle, or can we become part of the solution?

I am also trying to promote a sense of community in my classroom. When students enter, there are supplies are the table and ready for their use. They don't have to worry about borrowing a pencil. I know you are probably thinking that students walk of with these supplies. On the contrary, they are both respectful and grateful. No everyone does not like the way I handle supplies, but my attitude about it changes everything. I am going to focus on what WE CAN do and not on what we can't do. I am willing to look for creative ways to enhance every child's education. I am not going to leave any children behind because of the lack of supplies.

Native American Folktale Presentations

This week we continued to read Native American Folktales in class. The students were given a choice between two folktales to read, analyze, create a script (retelling), and incorporate each person with either a speaking part and or playing some type of instrument or make some type of sound to improve the overall quality of their presentation. We watched a short folktale presentation last week. In short, the students had an idea what an authentic folktale sounded like; they had a clear target!

This activity was another hit in class, but breaking down either "Fox and Coyote and Whale" and "Coyote and Buffalo" proved to be quite a challenge. Though this is not an FCAT preparatory class, I incorporated many reading skills and strategies throughout the lesson. In the end, some students performed a more traditional retelling and others made the folktale more present day.

Blogging Extravaganza & Other Highlights!

Students are learning to blog quite well. They are becoming proficient in making posts, commenting, and working with many technologies. We are right inline with Sarasota Schoold District's IFC (Instructional Focus Calendar). This is just a selection of events from this week!

I have been infusing human rights and civil rights content into my blog. We have been working on critical thinking skills, as well as high level activities and questions from WEBBS Levels of Complexity and Blooms Taxonomy. I am learning that when I incorporate technology into my classroom the kids are more engaged. I am including a link though you cannot post a comment unless you are a member of the blog.

It's also been a great week because "Pocket Poem Day" was a success. My fusion classes prepared a Readers Theatre on the Elizabeth Barret Browning's Poem "How Do I Love Thee", otherwise known as "Sonnet 43".

We also worked on choosing which option we felt we would choose to stop genocide. These innovative projects will be done this Monday. Students had many choices to explain their option. They had to use Movie Maker software to illustrate a poem, song, essay, and or rap. They also had to include music in this project! Some kids were so tech savvy that they got this done in one class period!

We also participated in the Day of Silence, supporting Invisible Children in Uganda and the Congo!

Spirit was going on too! All in all, I am very proud of my students!

A Twinkle of Hope

Some encouraging news on the education front! Eric Kleefled reports from TPM: Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi has just blocked -- again -- Gov. Scott Walker's (R-WI) new law curtailing public employee unions, after the state Republican leadership moved last Friday to circumvent her previous order that blocked the law on procedural grounds. But that's not the end of the discussion, as it appears the state will continue to defy the order. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports: "Further implementation of the act is enjoined," said Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi. She noted her original restraining order issued earlier this month was clear in saying that the state should not proceed with implementing the law. The Walker administration did so after the bill was published Friday by a state agency not included in Sumi's earlier temporary restraining order. "Apparently that language was either misunderstood or ignored, but what I said was the further implementation of Act 10 was enjoined. That is what I now want to make crystal clear," she said. But minutes later, outside the court room, Assistant Attorney General Steven Means said the legislation "absolutely" is still in effect. Click on the above link to read more!

FCIR Exposes Hypocrisy in FL's Government: Is this Babylon?

Are Rick Scott's actions (education cuts) unconstitutional? Did Florida legislators turn their heads? What are they doing for our kids and our future? Read this article from FCIR and find out more! A friend posted this on FB last night. Thought you might want to read it, though it is making many of us frustrated. I am committed to getting the word out. Please do the same!

A Recent Update on the Status on HB 61, HB 1331, KC03, HB 255, and Many More Concerns on the Education Front!

Here is where FL is right now with much of what is news. This is a report from FEA Frontline report. It is a PDF file.

Please read and share!

Felonies Later, Gov Rick Scott Wants Taxpayers to Fund His Clinics (reposted from: www.politicususa. and FB)

Another informative article that Florida residents need to read. The good news is that I hear that there is a group of activist moving to put into law the ability to impeach a governor in the state of FL in 2012. This is the target year; I sure hope we can get this going! 14 Felonies Later, Gov Rick Scott Wants Taxpayers to Fund His Clinics www.politicususa.com Rick Scott (R-FLA) transferred 62 million dollars in Solantic stock to his wife and now he’s passing a bill that will enrich Solantic... http://www.politicususa.com/en/rick-scott-taxpayers-clinics

Remember The Alamo; Remember Our Children

Dear Friends,
This blog entry is quite special to me because I have been to the Alamo, I appreciate our country's history, and I hope our education system can be saved! It is no longer about which political party I am aligned with or which education initiative (s) I am mandated to follow. It seems both of these band wagons have slapped stakeholders, mainly teachers, in the face after doing what we have been told do for the past three decades! It's a sign of the times: the Legislature has made a mess of education. They don't know what to do, and now they want to clean up their 30 year mess, while blaming teachers, who are the obvious scapegoats to this political and idiotic agenda. What about the kids? The truth must be told and true to this blog: I am keeping it real!

Thus, I am reposting an insightful entry from the Washington Post. It was reposted by Valerie Strauss who came across a up-to-date Remember the Alamo letter written by a "Texas district schools chief" . She writes: "This is an open letter issued by John Kuhn, superintendent of the Perrin-Whitt Consolidated Independent School District. Addressed to Texas legislators, this plea for help is modeled on the famous letter that William Barret Travis sent from the Alamo right before it fell in 1836 (the text of which follows Kuhn's). Kuhn refers to plans by Texas Gov. Rick Perry to cut billions of dollars from public school funding."
Please read the actual letter below and consider clicking on the link below to get more information about this educator advocate.

1. Youtube Video of John Kuhn at a recent rally!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlEM4MGNeTY&feature=player_embedded

2. Interview with John Kuhn from Education Week: Living in Dialogue: - A Teacher Blog
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2011/03/i_am_educator_hear_me_roar_an.html

3. The Alamo Letter reposted by Valerie Strauss.From: John Kuhn, Superintendent, Perrin-Whitt CISD
To: Senator Estes, Representative Hardcastle, Representative Keffer, and Representative King during these grave times:

Gentlemen,
I am besieged, by a hundred or more of the Legislators under Rick Perry. I have sustained a continual Bombardment of increased high-stakes testing and accountability-related bureaucracy and a cannonade of gross underfunding for 10 years at least and have lost several good men and women. The ruling party has demanded another round of pay cuts and furloughs, while the school house be put to the sword and our children's lunch money be taken in order to keep taxes low for big business. I am answering the demand with a (figurative) cannon shot, and the Texas flag still waves proudly from our flag pole. I shall never surrender the fight for the children of Perrin.

Then, I call on you my legislators in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch. The enemy of public schools is declaring that spending on a shiny new high-stakes testing system is "non-negotiable"; that, in essence, we must save the test but not the teachers. The enemy of public schools is saying that Texas lawmakers won't raise 1 penny in taxes in order to save our schools.

If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and fight for the kids in these classrooms like an educator who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his community. Make education a priority!

With all due respect and urgency,

John Kuhn
Superintendent
Perrin-Whitt CISD

Here is the text of the 1836 letter:


Commandancy of the Alamo------

Bejar Fby. 24th 1836

To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world------

Fellow citizens & compatriots------

I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna ----- I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man ----- The enemy has demanded a Surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken ----- I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the wall ----- I shall never Surrender or retreat

Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & every thing dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch ----- The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country ----- Victory or Death

William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. Comdt


P. S. The lord is on our side- When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn--- We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves---

Travis

Please join my blog and forward or send this to others via Twitter, email, and or Facebook!
Let our voices be heard!

Commisoner Smith Resigns Today; His Last Day Will Be on June 10th, 2011

In my attempts to "keep it real" and as things continue to heat up in the education climate, here is the most recent news I was made aware of this afternoon: Commissioner Smith resigned today and his last day will be June 10th, 2011.

The following is a copy of the email I received by JUSTFORTEACHERS-L@LSERV.FLDOE.ORG today. The message below shows the progress Florida's educators have made over the past three years; there are other initiatives that have begun as a result of many peoples' hard work.

One has to wonder why public education is taking so many steps backwards. We worked so hard for so long. Feeling like we have been jumping through hoops that have been delivered down from the House, we have still made strides but we are still faced with the recent changes in legislation. Are more stakeholders going to abandon this ship? Please ponder the implications of his decision though I respect it. I hope it inspires you to stand up and speak up for public education. Sometimes resigning is one way of speaking up and out.
___________________________________________________________
Earlier today, Commissioner Smith informed the public of his resignation effective June 10. I've worked closely with Dr. Smith for many months now and I can say with complete sincerity that he has always appreciated the work of Florida's teachers and the extraordinary job they do for the benefit of students. Please see below for Commissioner Smith's full resignation statement which includes the successes of which he is most proud to have worked with you to accomplish.

This past weekend, I informed the members of the State Board of Education of my intention to resign as Florida’s Commissioner of Education effective June 10, 2011, the last day of this school year. It has been my privilege to serve as Commissioner during a period in which Florida demonstrated bold national leadership in the field of education. The time has come, however, to allow our newly elected Governor to have input through the State Board of Education on the type of leader to pursue his goals for education.

I am very proud of the significant accomplishments achieved by the hard work and aspirations of Florida’s students and educators during the past three years. The following are highlights:

• Florida was ranked 5th in the nation in the 2010 Quality Counts report by Education Week up from 31st in 2007, which tracks state policies and performance across key areas of education.
• Florida was one of only four states in the nation to improve significantly in both fourth and eighth grade reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), with significant gains for Florida’s African-American and Hispanic students outpacing their counterparts in the nation.
• Florida’s graduation rate climbed to 79 percent in 2010, a new high for our state, with significant increases for minority students.
• More than 120,000 students entered kindergarten better prepared in 2010 as a result of their participation in our state’s Voluntary PreKindergarten (VPK) program.
• In 2010, the number of AP exams administered to Florida’s public school students increased 19.5 percent and the number of students receiving a passing score on an AP exam jumped 14.5 percent. Because of this achievement Florida has the third highest number of students taking the AP exam compared to the nation and ranks fourth in the nation for the number of students scoring 3 or higher.
• At the same time, participation in Dual Enrollment coursework increased 18.4 percent, with a 12.2 percent increase in the number of students earning college credit in these courses.
• For the eighth year in a row, Community College Week’s 2010 annual top 100 report honored Florida’s state colleges with the top spots in terms of degrees earned.

While these are impressive achievements, over the past three years, we have also developed and have begun to implement the following strategies to drive future progress:

• In August 2010, Florida was named a winner in the Race to the Top competition, securing $700 million in federal funds to revolutionize the state’s education system.
• Last week, the Florida Legislature passed landmark legislation called the Student Success Act that will reform the teaching profession and allow our state to better attract and retain high-quality teachers and remove the low-performing teachers from the classroom.
• The Florida Department of Education took a leadership role nationally, developing Common Core Standards and now serves as the fiscal agent for the national consortium of states to develop assessments that will measure student performance on these standards.
• In 2010, legislation was enacted to require more rigorous graduation requirements to ensure that students leave high school better prepared for college and a career.
• A new high school grading formula was implemented that gives parents a more comprehensive look at their student’s school in terms of college and career readiness.
• Florida integrated federal and state requirements resulting in a reduction in reporting and a solid process was implemented to identify and support the state’s persistently low achieving schools.

The foundations are in place and the expectations are clear that Florida will be number one in education! The future is promising and very exciting for our students.

It has been an honor to serve both the State Board of Education as well as the members of the Florida’s Legislature. These individuals have made incredible efforts to build upon the bold education reforms established by Governor Jeb Bush allowing us to progress both quickly and successfully. It also has been a pleasure to work with the talented individuals in the Department of Education who continue to demonstrate commitment to serving students, parents and teachers of our wonderful state.

I thank the state of Florida for the privilege and honor to have served as its Education Commissioner. There always will be a special place in my family’s heart for this blessed state and its students.

Eric Smith


Kelly Seay
Teacher Liaison
Florida Department of Education
Office of Communications
325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 1524
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400

A Tough Decision Works Out Perfectly!

Today and during my 8th period, I had a student communicate to me about her absence in my class earlier. She was clearly upset. I had given classroom instruction about today’s lesson; thus, students were logged into FCAT Explorer, working, and compiling information for the FCAT Explorer evaluation exit activity at the end of our class. They also knew that if finished, they should read silently.


Well, I needed to talk to this young lady, and I could not do this in front of them. I also needed to listen. I made a decision! I went out in the hall with her, and I shut the door peering through the classroom window every few seconds or so. She poured her heart out to me for at least ten minutes. It felt like an eternity; her heart was broken, but I couldn’t find out why!


What was amazing was that my 8th period class must have understood that sometimes teens need to know that someone cares and is willing to listen. No, it was not the best time for this interruption, but it was necessary. When I walked in, they were all on task. I quickly asked them if I could take a picture of them for my blog! I was so proud of them and thankful. They exclaimed, “Yes!”


Of course, I saw that they were working, while I was checking via the window, but I could hear a pin drop when I entered. They were on task the entire time; they could not see me as well as I could see them. This illustrated the level of commitment they had towards their academic instruction too! Also, the amount of respect they gave us was admirable and genuine.


While crying students is a rare occasion where I work, I was so proud that my students understood and let me comfort her. I know that they know that if they are having a bad day, or they need someone to listen to them or talk to them, that I will be there for them. This awesome moment awarded my entire class an honorary class True Blue Award. It also reminded me that making a difference and the role of a teacher is quite demanding, unique, and rewarding!

FCAT Writes, Politics, and Scapegoats: A Dismount is In Order!

FCAT Writes, politics, and scapegoats, OH MY!!!!!! The FCAT Writes is tomorrow! I have been flooded with questions from students today and most any other day that we write. Mind you, this is about EVERY day. Questions like, do we need to pass this test to graduate, do I have to plan, do I have to take this test, does it count for me, what if I blow off the test, what if I choose not to come and test, and so many more. I understand the reason why students are asking these questions; they don’t want to take the test, and they do not see its importance. Many tell me to my face that they don’t care. Folks, I get it. There seems to be a disconnect. Do people really understand the ramifications of these statements and attitudes? They should because they are real! Disenfranchised students fight back in this manner. Is this making things any better? No, it only is perpetuating the theory that most teachers are not doing their jobs. Think about this on a greater scale. Is society saying that colleges are not preparing teachers either? I think not!

Do any other people besides teachers understand that the school grade is calculated on this testing data? What about in the years to come and with the Race to the Top Initiative coming down the pike that will penalize teachers for poor scores; does anyone care that teacher’s pay will be effected and their livelihood? Even worse, what about the teacher who is willfully teaching classes to remediate students in reading and writing that house, more often than not, unmotivated students; should they be penalized for caring for their students or being willing to go into the trenches and work harder than Honors teachers?

So, while the world is sleeping tonight, many teachers are hoping, and I am going to say it, praying that their kids will care and do their best tomorrow on FCAT Writes. I do not see any politician taking a student into their meetings and asking them how this assessment will benefit the students. Isn't that what this about: the student? But I do see a lot of people pointing their fingers at teachers. They can’t all be bad; can they? What about parents and students; do they play a role? Does holding a student back hold them accountable? Not really, it just makes them more at-risk for not graduating or worse yet, ending up in jail. Read the research and get informed.

If Rick Scott was going to fine parents for student absences, missing assignments, homework, and assessments, would parents stand up and fight back? You betcha they would! What if parents were mandated to pay for tutoring if their kids were not passing standardized tests? Do you think they would obey this rule? No, they would revolt!

I have to keep it real tonight. I am a hard working teacher, but I will sleep tonight. I have to believe that God is bigger than all of this. I do my job unto Him first. What else can I do? I can’t strike; I’ll lose my job. So, for now, I’ll do my best and hope that the powers that be will see that teachers are the scapegoats right now. All stakeholders need accountability. This includes parents and students, which for many teachers seem to be the missing link.

Yes, I know that there are some teachers that do not their job, but this can't be all of them. So, why do we continue to make decisions based on the few who do not do their jobs? And while our nation continues to see illiteracy rates increase, when will they decide to get to business? The standardized testing horse is dead; it's time to dismount.

There has to be a better way. Why not try making assessments relevant and authentic? I understand these types of assessments are hard to measure and get data from, but do you really want to find out if students are learning, or do we want data to banter with other countries, states, districts, and real estate agents with to determine the school to send our child to, they best state to live for education, or the best part of the city to purchase a home or rent? For some, they want to brag about their school or district report card, but can anyone tell you what is really involved in calculating these grades? I bet most parents, students, lobbyist, and politicians could not. I am not against students writing essays to illustrate learning or taking a test to demonstrate reading proficiency, but I am against the policies behind the FCAT. These are the hard questions and issues that need to be addressed.

Don't You Love a Story With a Great Twist?

Don’t you love a story with a good twist? The answer is yes! I thought my students would think the same thing too. Thus, I shared the short story: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson with them. I told them this story was guaranteed to blow their minds! We began by talking about the lottery and what we think of when we hear the word: lottery. As a teacher assessing prior knowledge is important, but getting your students interested in the text is equally important! The students said things like money, tickets, the balls drop, etc. Thus, we started reading the text, but as we read on, I began to ask them questions to clarify their understanding. The tension was building; the questions increased. “Who is going to win?” they asked.


I hate to spoil it for you, but in the end, the lottery is actual a bad thing. One person in the town of 300 will be stoned to death on June 27th every year. They find out that this has been a tradition for more than 70 years; however, not all towns follow this ritual anymore. These facts evoked a tremendous amount of discussion about cultures that still practice stoning, to follow or not to follow tradition, and should one do something if it goes against human rights. They were intrigued and engaged!


I decided to take it deeper and make it more relevant; I came up with the authentic assessment of a trial in North Port. I told the students that Tessie Hutchinson was murdered in North Port yesterday. Mr. Summers was being tried for murder; is he innocent or guilty? They read their text again and took notes on a t-chart labeling it innocent and the other guilty. They then formed an opinion about both sides. I put the kids into groups. They chose a leader, and the leader picked the side they would defend. In my Reading classes, we participated in a Kagan logic lineup. They defended one side, but I didn’t stop there. I made them argue the other side and take an opposing view point. I taught them to formulate their opinions, as well as how to debate them.

I took this a step further in my English classes; I put them in two teams. Lawyers and paralegals met to come up with a defense for each side. The jury, my absent students, heard the case and closing arguments; they deliberated and delivered the verdict. We learned about the legal system too. I was excited that one of my students said the activity was relevant. Also, several students said they had fun. Yes, this made me happy, but what really made me swell with joy was all the learning that took place. Analysis, critical thinking, and debating was the application that occurred as a result of our text, and they enjoyed it. Folks this took some work on my part putting it all together, but that is the life of a teacher who wants to engage their students and have them learn something, as well as walk away with something that was memorable and relevant. I am sharing this story as one of the solutions to the demands of high stakes testing, which requires students to use critical thinking skills. So, they learned to go beyond the text and think critically; I can pat myself on the back because I took them from the knowledge and understanding level to the highest level of Blooms Taxonomy: evaluation. They reached, they succeeded, and they loved it!

Praise Keeps Me From Quitting! What About You?

Teachers think about quitting; it's a job many love, but is laborious. They need to be inspired to keep going too. In fact, inspiration is contagious, and it is necessary for all human beings. I am encouraged by teachers around me, and from-time-to-time, students inspire me to keep going. This week was amazing because two of my students, who shall remain anonymous, communicated that I inspire them. The first student told me that he was inspired by my Keeping It Real: Education Blog. He found it interesting and that writing is easier because he now writes every day. It was great to be privy to this information! I don’t live for these moments, when they come, I am grateful!

I also got an email from another student who gave me laud on the same day. My heart swelled with excitement and joy; two genuine praises in one day. The pool of thank yous was drained, empty, and it had a hole in it. Of course, I am in education to make a difference and not for the money! It’s takes all that I have and whatever else I can muster up to push my students. They need to get on grade level too. It’s difficult some days because of the stress that is attached to standardized testing and tyring to motivate unmotivated students who need a tremendous amount of prodding and encouragement. All in all, it’s nice to get an encouraging letter, email, and or note from time-to-time. I have a wall in my closet at school where I post notes and letters from parents, staff, and students. On a bad day, I go there. Then I am reminded of some lives I have touched.

Another thing that keeps me going is Jacqueline Anderson-Moore, an inspirational teacher at North Port High School. She shares her education ideas, and she points out when I am doing well. I am mentioning her because I was reminded of her today. she recently told me about her classroom success with one minute writes. She confirmed the same thing my student said who wrote about our class in his blog. Thus, writing every day helps. When a student learns to think about ideas on a daily basis and they are accustomed to many topics; they are getting practice with timed writing, as well as the pressure that goes along with it! They are learning to think on demand! Most importantly, I am improving and growing because of her. Sure there are others things, such as teacher websites, parents, and students, but it takes many things.

Take some time right now and send an email, write a letter, or make a call. Tell someone they have inspired you and that they have made a difference. There are teachers everywhere and not just in the classroom. Who keeps you going? Do you have a life coach, fitness trainer, and friend that sticks by you no matter what? You never know how much they may need it right at that moment.

The following is an excerpt from the blog and the email I mentioned above:

“Oh yea and the people in the 1st and 2nd hour class have gotten to be the most interesting people ever! The teacher may push me to work but i feel as if it is really helping me!And as of rite now i cant wait for PT (physical training) in JROTC and getting home to eat… Because i am starving! According to Ileana Reich, “Don’t you just love when your kids come home and answer the question: “What did you learn today?” with the word: nothing? I remember those days. Of course, our children and students are learning new skills every day, but were they meaningful enough to be valued and saved in their heads?” The quote above is from my 1st and 2nd hour teacher. This came from her education blog (can be found at http://keepingitrealeducationalileanareich.blogspot.com) Well that's about every beginning of the school day!” (Blog Entry)

Dear Mrs. Reich,

Thank you so much for pushing me to do my best. Without the pushing, i don't think i would have been able to do the work. I'm the type of person that doesn't like doing homework. I've never been the type to actually come home and do homework, but I'm going to start and be that person. Thank you for inspiring me to do better. Your an awesome teacher :) Thank you for your time, (Email)

The Missing Ingredient

Today, I am exhausted! On top of planning activities that are relevant, meaningful, rigorous, and offer choice, I also try to use technology to engage my students. This is time consuming, but doable! The real problem is that there is a missing ingredient in most students sitting in their desks.

I am not talking about my students per say; I am talking about their behavior and or the way they have been trained by past teachers and parents who have overused extrinsic motivation strategies. As a parent, I learned quickly that my son would go “number two” if he got a new Thomas the Tank Engine piece. Well, I ran out of trains and moved to cases and other Thomas the Tank Engine items. I became broke, and he stopped going “number two” in the potty!

This pattern continued through his K-12 education. There was the reward for good behavior in kindergarten, the reward for completing homework in 4th grade, the 7th grade sticker chart for writing in his planner, and in high school, we tried to get him to use his agenda and stay organized. These are just a few! Yet, what I did not understand was that as he got older, it was not important to him, I had run out of rewards I could offer that he would like, or I just could not afford them. In some cases, we were trying to motivate him to work for better grades and other times for keeping his room clean or doing his chores. I missed the point all those years. He never felt motivated to do any of those things for the reward of doing them. This makes me think of my husband. When he works on redoing a flowerbed, he often stops and admires his work. He does this because he feels a sense of accomplishment. This was the “missing ingredient” in my son’s life.

I believe in using extrinsic motivation strategies in the classroom and with parenting, but children should experience intrinsic rewards for the sense of accomplishment at some time in their lives. Think about it. We have a large portion of society that does not want to go to work. They see no reward in a paycheck. My son used to be that way too, but now he enjoys his job and goes because he is motivated to work and grow with his company.

This should be the same reality in schools. Students should enter classrooms that ignite their interests. They should find teachers who are willing to allow them to have choice in some of their work, both homework and classwork, as well as allow them to be creative in their assessments. There should be a correlation between effort and grades. None of the above things are easy for a teacher to do because they take time. However, teachers see their students growing, and this makes it worth it. They don’t get paid anymore than the teacher who goes home at the bell everyday, but that is an entirely new topic. In short, teachers feel an intrinsic reward for their instructional efforts because they see their students learning and growing.

Since I am one of those teachers who puts 150% into their classroom, I get disappointed when so many of my students do not do the things they made a choice to do. I don’t understandt. It takes so much effort to get students to do their classwork and homework. I can’t take it personally because it is the norm. This does not mean that I will lower my standards.

By 10th grade, one would think that they would be responsible enough to do their work most of the time. This is not the case. I write this in worry because most high school teachers do not schedule many conferences, call home, send progress reports, and mail letters of concern. The thought is that they are ready for the responsibility. Most parents do not call and check on their children. The kids are getting lost in the system. The district keeps cutting the amount of planning time for teachers due to budget cuts etc. Yet, I still keep sending paperwork home and making calls. These are done well after the day is over. I have my home number and cell number on my website. I am available for my parents and students. Then there are the after school help dates, tutoring, and detentions aftter school.

I can give all of this time and effort, but I cannot make anyone embrace their education. Motivating students by tickets, prizes, passes, extra credit, candy, snacks, and parties have become the norm. They do not appreciate the education they receive. They do not know what it feels like to have a sense of accomplishment for doing a task at hand. Some days it feels like the extrinisc reward syndrome is taking over and few are motivated, but I don’t stop fighting for what I believe in, which is showing kids that feeling a sense of accomplishment over a job well done feels good. This feeling can be repeated and is linked to success.

Standardized Testing vs Real World Preperation: It's a Tug-of-War!

The link below is from the October 17th, 2005 NPHS Bobcat Sentinel newspaper. Students reported about the new 10th grade graduation requirements. I was interviewed for this article. However, this test was given once and removed. There was talk about moving it to 11th grade and or that it was returning. It is 2011, and it is not back. It has not resurfaced in another grade level either. Yet, educators watch the testing forecast because the need to be cognizant of the educational climate and new standards that are always lurking over over and around us.

I am sharing this article because it illustrates some of the uncertainties educators face when tests are being changed and developed. A tremendous amount of time and money was spent on researching benchmark test specifications for this test. A group of teachers actually worked on mapping the curriculum to align both 9th and 10th grade instruction to the standards covered in the FCAT Writing Plus exam. This is great, but when the test was omitted, did teachers stop teaching grammar and punctuation? Some did!

The other concern that I have always had is why standardized tests seem to influence what is being taught. Students need to learn how to write whether there is a test for it or not. The basics and critical thinking should be taught; instruction should be explicit and vertically aligned. If not, one could learn about the government for three years in a row in elementary school and get no new information. Worse yet, they could become bored hearing the same things over and over. I have no problem with teaching government, but each year there should be a progression of what is being taught and when. Teachers cannot teach just because they like a certain part of their subject area. It would be like me teaching poetry all year because that is what I love the most. Why that would be an injustice to our students. Do important basic skills like speaking get put aside to make room for more FCAT instruction time? For many, it has. What about public speaking? It is one of the four modes of Language Arts that has been put on the back burner. Though it is not tested on the FCAT, many teachers do not teach public speaking skills because there is not enough time. This is a problem because students need to be prepared to speak at interviews, meetings, trainings, and even in social settings. Isn't education supposed to be about creating active citizens and not just good test takers?

Another laborious problem that teachers face is that they need to follow how various tests will change; they need to know what is coming up too! In short, so many teachers focus on what is being tested; yet, this is exhausting but necessary. If one is not careful, it can steal the joy right out of teaching. It's a walk of balance. My friend, past mentor, and colleague, Vicky Harris, once told me to "remember that the education pendulum is always swinging. It will swing this way and then back. Just do your best." This is great advice that I try to follow everyday. After all, it's really about my students. What do they need?

When it is all said and done, the real tightrope dance is learning to teach what needs to be taught according to both state and national standards while helping kids excel on state and district tests. This has to be done without taking the joy out of teaching and learning. Passing tests does not mean real world success, and an excellent teacher motivates his or her students with relevant topics and activities while integrating standards and test taking skills. So for now, I continue to follow the testing weather forecast and the educational political climate, but I remember the importance of getting kids ready for the real world.

It might appear that I am against standardized testing, but I am not. I do think that students should be able to find the main idea, compare and contrast, infer, analyze, find cause and effect relationships, and be able to use context clues. They should have a basic understanding of the language semantics. They need to be able to read web pages and evaluate them. In short, these are all part of the 9th and 10th grade FCAT Reading test. I may not agree with some of the educational reforms such as NCLB (No Child Left Behind) or the new "Race to the Top" educational initiative coming down the pike, but I do believe in educating and motivating kids to look to their future!

http://www.sarasota.k12.fl.us/nphs/npnews/NewFiles/2005%20Oct.%20Web%20Sentinel.pdf