Is it time yet? What happens on day 1 in your room?

Is it ever too early to think about the first day of school?

Taken this week, last year, the afternoon shower created a spectacular rainbow followed by a matching sunset over Buena Vista Colorado.

Its never too late, or too early, to think about teaching and reaching into the future.

 Day 1

What’s important at the beginning of school?  What are your plans for the first days of school?

Below are topics and routines I addressed in the early part of every course.  These are important to establishing high expectations for the entire year.  These lessons stem from study of Wong, Whitaker, Payne, Lemov, Hattie and others.  As most things in education, they were often modified to fit individual situations. We had procedures for everything and we discussed, learned and reviewed those procedures till they became natural and the way we did things.  Students enjoyed them, although they wanted to appear reluctant at the beginning.  By the end of the year, they were all invited to attend a field trip, five hours away to the big amusement park.  Paragraphs below describe the procedures, their explanations and implementation.

“You are in those seats because I love my wife.”

This was often the very first thing I said to my classes on the first day of any school year.  It always took students by surprise but maybe it made them wonder.  I would pause, then explain their assigned seats were in alphabetical order according to the overhead projector shining on the front board placing them in that position so we could pass in papers. Instructions were to “put your own paper on top!”  This allowed them to be in order when they were passed across the room and not back to front.  Back to front methods encouraged the person in the back to get the attention of the person in front, usually with some physical contact that could escalate. Placing the growing stack of papers on the adjacent desk sorted papers somewhat alphabetically thus diminishing my time spent grading and increasing the time I could spend with my wife.

"Procedures verses Rules"

Rules are “meant to be broken” but procedures are how we do things.  For example, the speed limit sign reads 55 and this “rule”  is often disobeyed.  Few signs are required however to keep drivers to the right side of the road.  The procedure suggests safer travels will be achieved with drivers all agreeing to stay to the right.  This simple example from the road reinforces a few of the outcomes and benefits when a teacher sets up procedures.  First off, it demonstrates to the students the importance of systems, structures and plans.  Later, students will expect routines, plans or other mnemonic devises and look to the teacher to provide those. Finally, the time invested early lays ground work for instructions later, such as field trips, assemblies and those out of the ordinary days that require group instructions  and “on the fly” decision making.

Parenthetic Note:

(Framework for these concepts grew from study into Harry Wong, Todd Whitaker, Ruby Payne, Teach like a Champion, Hattie and others.  Teachers can prepare their rooms as well as their minds for the upcoming school year by reviewing of any of these inspiring summer readings!)

Has a student said, "I have to come to school!"   
     In reality "You choose to come to school, and thank you!"

This is fairly close to the actual first few days I spent setting up my classrooms.  My students were typically reluctant learners dreading school, however a favorite anecdote stems from my principal asking me if a certain student, “Johnny” was “there yesterday.”  I replied with a "Yes, but why do you ask?”  The answer was astounding.  It seems little Johnny skipped every other class that day but showed up for my class alone!  I am not sure if that is good or bad.  I do know, he was there by choice.  

S: I have to come to school.

T: You GET to come to school.

S: My mom will get "locked up for educational neglect if I don't." *

T: So you are really saying, you choose to come school instead of the alternative."

   Pregnant pause while student ponders the options.

T: Thanks for being here.  Now that you understand consequences, let's learn."

 (*Some Students just prefer to say She'll be mad if I skip!)

Define Manners:  Making others around you feel comfortable.

I like to say my wife taught me that definition.  Maybe the real truth is I never really grasped the concept but am still trying to learn how to do that?!  Maybe she was trying to tell me something?  Maybe she was trying to let me down easy?  Maybe I made her uncomfortable?  In the classroom, we talked about manners, respect and being nice.  We were not to use sarcasm, put downs and verbal jabs but instead build each other up. Even Pink Floyd called out teachers using dark sarcasm in the classroom.  There is no room for sarcasm in the classroom.  We will be taking educational risks and nobody wants to be made fun of, or thought about being made fun of for making a mistake.   

 

A post 9-11view of Ground Zero.

"Entering and leaving the room"

What’s the tallest building you were ever in?  There's a lesson in that visit.  When teaching an Elements of Algebra class, a picture of the Twin Towers was in the book for the lesson that day. We looked into our book and there was a picture of them on the page I had planned to teach from that day.  I will always remember where I was on that day.  Tall buildings have elevators that work with buttons directing us to floors 1-55,  56-80, or 81-100.  When boarding the elevator, we have to let the people on the elevator get out of the way, clear the path and make room for new riders.  If there is no room, we just wait for the next car.  Similarly, when entering a room, allow those leaving to exit first, maybe even holding the door open for them (See manners above) and allow them to exit?  Thus preventing a log jam at the door, teaching manners, procedures and making those ready to leave feel comfortable and respected.

Stool Sheet: 2 Truths and a Lie and Attention Getting Mechanisms!

We often have students complete a data card that first day, claiming we need their number in-case "the computer goes down."  Students added a few things to this data card to round out the first day.  Two truths and one lie is a good mixer allowing folks a bit of self-reflection time, showing the importance of out of the box thinking and individuality.  But it was also good for the teacher to read out loud and let the students try and guess the authors.  Other included were other items such as their favorite meal at McDs (always listed as a number) would allow me to take a break, tally their attendance, allow them to talk and regain their attention with the signal of a raised hand.  No screaming, shouting, lights flipping or ruler slapping, but the simple act of raising a hand. They would be expected to get quiet and attentive within 5 seconds, or be kept after the bell for however long it took to get quiet. And after they shared with their neighbor their favorite meal, we would return to work refocused after the brief pause.

Finally, What is your EXPECTED GRADE!
Students often make a list of their course schedule.  Here we added a twist with the EXPECTED GRADE they wanted to earn in that class.  Students were asked up front to begin to think about the outcome, even before any assignments or coursework was done. They were allowed to enter a PASS if they wanted but none were allowed to not submit a grade.  This first step in visualization publicized and made conversations about grades, progress, effort and achievement the first steps in learning.  Students began to see themselves as that type of student.  YES, THEY WERE GOING TO PASS!  That's the beginning of Positive Psycho-Cybernetics. (Thanks Dr Maxwell Maltz) 

These things sometimes seemed basic, immature or even like something students should know when they enter a room.  THEY DO NOT.  We can't progress until students do know these routines. We must discuss, rehearse and reteach over and over again to teach.  One exposure to an idea, process, routine or discipline DOES NOT always ensure it is retained.  Note:  We still have not discussed rules of the class yet.

What important foundational events or procedures take place in your first day of class?
How would you like April and May to be different?  Plan things differently in September and see what happens.

Reference Me helped me assemble this citation page.

Clark, R. (2004) Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator’s Rules for Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child. 1st edn. New York: Hyperion

Hattie, J. A. C. (2008) Visible Learning: A Synthesis of Over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement. London: Routledge

Kagan, S., Rodriguez, C., Kagan, M. and Taylor, B. (1992) Cooperative Learning. United States: Kagan Cooperative Learning

Lemov, D. (2012) Teach like a champion field guide: practical techniques to master the art of teaching. 1st edn. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Lemov, D. and Atkins, N. (2010) Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques That Put Students on the Path to College. 1st edn. San Francisco: Wiley, John & Sons

Payne, R. K. (1998) framework for understanding poverty. Baytown, TX: RFT Pub.

Sommers, W. A. and Payne, K. (2000) Living on a Tightrope: A Survival Handbook for Principals. Highlands, TX: Aha! Process

Urban, H. (2008) Lessons from the classroom: 20 things good teachers do. Redwood City, CA: Great Lessons Press

Whitaker, T. (2003) What Great Teachers Do Differently. Tandem Library

Wong, H. K. (2004) First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher. Tandem Library

Is reteaching just louder and slower?

Teaching for all? Teaching for any? Teaching for some?

This Map describes exactly how to get from one point to another.  Just travel down this road for this many miles, then travel that road for that many miles and finally the other road for the other amount of miles!  Only if teaching was as easy!  Only if all we had to do was mix in the right ingredients, still, add salt to taste, then wait while it reached 150 degrees!  

All students can learn...

Some students will learn...

Most students can learn...**

 

Back in the Day...

The biggest issue of the 70s was the impending ice age, the results of our conspicuous consumption of fossil fuels.  Now green house emissions from our conspicuous consumption of fossil fuels affects global warming. Interesting!

Now on facebook...

In recent history, a story circulated through teaching groups about a businessman who tried to impose his efficient methods and techniques upon the educational world.  He suggested we impose standards, streamline our methods and operations, begin an assembly line approach to education, adhere to zero tolerances and thereby guarantee outcomes!  This sounded great, till a veteran teacher replied with a simple query.  She asked what would happen with substandard raw material that was delivered to his business and of course he replied "We would reject it!"  Here is where we diverge. Students are not raw material.  They are not static of fixed.  Students are people, our clients, paying our salaries to acquire an education and we have a moral imperative if not a contractual obligation to teach EACH PERSON.  We don't return, reject, or turn away any student.  We are teachers!  Our roles are to teach, not reject, label as failures or limit their opportunities but to open avenues for grow, improve and stretch beyond expected limits.  In short, we take them all, grow them as farther than they think they can go, then send them on.  This is education.

Accurate Metaphors?

A current and recent metaphor tries to overlay a farming metaphor on the educational industry.  With the development of GMO seeds, virtually guaranteed to grow regardless of many conditions, there must be an application.  Droughts and pestilence are ENGINEERED out of the equation yet a farmer does not cause the growth!  A farmer is a passive, yet necessary agent for success but once his seed is in the ground, his interventions shift. He buys crop insurance (maybe), waits for rain, fertilizes, treats for weeds and hopes for the best.  Teachers engage daily with their "crop." Every plant brings it's own set of concerns and strengths.  The master teacher understands this variety and uses the students own assets and talents to actively foster growth and development.

Farmers, Businesses or Classrooms?

Here, it seems both these metaphors contain interesting features but still fall short in describing a true learning environment!  Teaching is not farming, nor is it a business! Teaching is taking another person from one level to another, either through force and coercion against their will or with cooperation and enthusiasm in the quest for knowledge.  To describe a master teacher will take more than a simple parable or story.  There is so much in a teacher's daily planning; determining what to teach students, planning lessons, gathering materials, presenting the lesson, assessing for understanding, collaborating about the results, re-teaching if necessary while providing engagement for those already comprehending and maintaining records throughout the entire process.  We address only three below!

What to teach?

How does a teacher determine what to teach? Does she start at page one in the text book or does she look at her students?  Does she ascertain their current knowledge or just begin and try to keep the bored ones in line? Does she assess and determine a benchmark looking for learning gaps, or plow through the worksheets racing to the test? The master considers the students and curriculum together.

Presenting the lessons!

Lesson delivery contains a few components necessary for maximum student engagement and retention. Teacher passion fosters a connection student, building relevance and developing the material.  Without understanding the audience, teacher delivery is dry or canned at best, attention wanes and behavior issues arise, because the student "can't sit still."  Masters connect, assess, deliver, then re-assess.  Relevance stems from the relationship a teacher develops with the audience causing the activity to attract and engage each in the topic.  A back to school quote: Children who are loved at home, come to school to learn.  Those who are not, come to school to be loved! Teachers take each to their next level, loving the unloved and growing the rest!

After the lesson!

Does a tree falling in the woods make a sound?  If a teacher teaches but nobody learns, did he really teach?  If all the students in the class fail, has the teacher really taught?  What if most fail? What if none fail? Where is that line?  How many is the right amount to fail?  Can they all pass?  I used to ask my students these question to help students know the responsibility for their learning rested with each of us.   They thought it was just the student's responsibility.  In fact it is everyone's, but the teacher is the point person, the catalyst, the educational lubricant.  If one student gets it, but others do not, do we look to point blame, or focus energy on helping those that have not mastered it yet reach their next level?  Could maybe one who has mastered it help explain it to the class under the observing eye of the teacher? A master teacher that never struggled with learning prevents their ease of understanding from distracting a young pupil working to grasp basic comprehension.  Maybe the teacher should just say it louder and slower?  :)

This year, as we all go to another level, what will we keep?  What will we tune?  What will we strive to make better for our students?  Are we changing everything or just a few?

  

** I heard at one school the wrong response automatically put teachers on a PIP!

Is reteaching just going slower and louder?

 

The Vacation of a Life Time...

Convergence and a Vanishing Point!

Mt Princeton in the center, the tracks fading into a vanishing point, virga not hitting the surface and the road parallel all represent educational struggles, choices and dilemmas!  What is in store for this school year? 

Story

A principal called the teacher to the office.  The dialogue went like this: 

Principal: Are you sure that Little Johnny was in class yesterday?  

Teacher: Yes, Why?

Principal: He did not go to any other classes all day long skipping every one but coming to yours!

Teacher: I am honored, flattered and saddened, all at the same time!

Does this really happen?  Are our classrooms safer, more secure, nicer, and better than any other place in our student's lives?  SOMETIMES!

Parallel Tracks
The road here travels right along side the rail road tracks.  They are parallel for this short distance, traveling north out of Salida Colorado towards Buena Vista.  The left and right track of the railroad are parallel the entire time! We look down the track here and we see things that begin as separate begin to converge on a common spot.  This example of a vanishing point demonstrates relevance in content.  The tracks look like they come together but the highway on the left seems to join in as well.  In the classroom, let's consider success the vanishing point and the multiple methods of reaching that place can come from various paths.  We could force students.  We could bribe them.  We could beg.  We could even scare or threaten them into submission.  Or we could connect with them, build a relationship and they would play along besause they wanted to!  Extrinsic to Intrinsic Motivation!  Think Daniel Pink and Drive! What is the best way to get somebody to do something?  Teachers seem to know it is more than just saying so!

Another Choice 

Although not apparent or obvious, our students have choice.  They do not have to come to school.  The law mandates students attend till they are 16, 17 or 18, depending on the state, but, they still have a choice.  They could skip!  They could avoid us.  They could cut classes.  Of course, this would leave to other consequences along the truancy path and educational neglect but they still have a choice.  Is our quest to kindle desire, passion and curiosity in their minds so they would rather be in our class and no place else, or are we just trying to get them in class?  Often times, it seems their baggage is not classroom appropriate!  Who is supposed to teach them manners, how to behave or what not to do?!  Too late!?!  We are.   (see story above)
Define VIRGA

Not the medicinal term but the term for rain that never reaches the ground!  Is this what happens when we teach?  Our lessons never really connect?  Our activities, methods or delivery is so dry the moisture of learning or seed of understanding is never wet by the message?  Is it too dry to learn?  Does our distance from our students prevent us from reaching our mark?  How far away are we from our students?  Connect, get to know, reach into their lives and see how hard they work, regardless of their age! What do we have to loose?

Mount Princeton

In the Chaffee County Colorado range of The Collegiate Peaks, there are mountains named after colleges. Many peaks are over 14,000 feet above sea level. Mount Princeton is one of those.  Denver is only 5,200 feet above sea level yet St Louis is only 700 feet above sea level.  To take a risk, travel to the top of this mountain and explore the territory is not unlike learning!  Risk is involved!  The potential for failure is close at hand but resuming and continuing are also expected. Struggle is mandatory when reaching for an extreme.  If it was easy, the reward would not be worthwhile.  Learning, repetition, reaching new heights, pushing limits and trying something beyond our expectations are components of climbing a mountain and learning new content.  How do we encourage, support and foster out student's quest for learning?

Virga

Good teaching fosters hope!

GOOD TEACHING FOSTERS HOPE

Sunrises (MLK Day 2014) offer hope for a new day, better day and a second chance.

 

Discipline, Management, Control, Influence and Engagement

Doug Lemov gathers these five terms together in Chapter Five of his book TEACH LIKE A CHAMPION and elaborates on a teacher's application in the classroom. The pages describing these terms succinctly and clearly.  An examination of these terms is substantially more thorough then the simple question or comment about good classroom management!  We often say about teachers things like, "she has great classroom management," or conversely, "he struggles with control."  However, these terms are not mutually exclusive but inter-reliant as well as dynamic.   Changing over the short term and developing in a teachers career, we see teachers developing a skill set necessary for the classroom. Many teachers began careers applying the phrase "don't smile to Christmas."  Does that still hold true, or have they adapted, developed and matured, maybe even improving along the way?

     This essay will attempt to start from the broad and narrow the focus to the more specific while articulating simple nuances of each. From specific to broad would yield similar thoughts but motivations might vary.  Issues  in the personal interpretation of each of these words and the overlap of applications making the lines between each vague yet still existent.  Regardless, their similarities and differences play an important role in the behavior of a teacher, if not the belief as well.

1.     CONTROL: AS IN "CONTROL THAT CLASS."

In a broad sense, teachers are paid to control the physical environment of their rooms.  If some thing happens, we always get a report about the incident of infraction.  Control is no longer present and something needs to happen to regain that status.

 2.   ENGAGEMENT: A BEHAVIOR USED TO TEACH.

The teacher might engage and attempt a re teaching activity or abort and remove the pupil from the situation.  However this reactionary posture is typically NOT the norm.  The expected norm is for the teacher to engage the students actively in lessons, conversations, instruction or many other modes, all designed to help teach or get a student to learn.  (Here is where a brief parenthetical note on extrinsic motivation shifting towards a more desire able intrinsic motivation is our highest outcome.  We expect our students to eventually develop and mature into fine contributing citizens in our society, and not a burden.) 3. MANAGEMENT:  PROCEDURES TO RUN A CLASSROOM Procedures, efficiency and norms fit here on thus continuum.  A popular quote claims "management is doing things right but leadership is doing the right thing!"  We get the idea of an optimal or effective or good way to run a classroom.  Respectful, considerate and responsible members of a classroom, akin to a mini population, produce more effectively, waste less time and learn more about the content as well as each other and ultimately uncover truths about themselves.  A secure environment is the best breeding ground for this growth.  Creating safety for students to take risks of all kinds builds them up and encourages their growth with minimal setback.  Students who feel safe take risks.  Social, physical and educational, including mental risks are all fluent in a truly learning environment.  Teachers play a vital role in modeling these behaviors till they become a belief on the student and the student owns their education! Students without this security fall victim to unhealthy discipline, for we know good discipline does NOT diminish hope.

4. DISCIPLINE: TEACHER GUIDING BEHAVIOR OF OTHERS

Good discipline encourages hope.  Discipline is what we use to aid students in their own overdo do control.  When the student can not control or manage, we MUST step alongside and guide and redirect (ZS) to help them.  If we opt out of this discipline and send the student away, the student gets what they were after, an escape from the pressure.  Good discipline seamlessly controls the class through engagement and managing behaviors in order to influence our students.

5.  INFLUENCE:  RESULTS OF PRIOR FOUR TRAITS ON THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS

The ultimate goal, purpose and intent of our society; an educated population.  Through the daily influence of teachers, parents and other substantial forces, students learn!  They learn what they live.  They learn what they see and they learn what they are taught!

Control is established, engagement initiated, management articulated, discipline pressure exerted and the results are our influence on others, maybe!

What are we teaching our wards?  What are they learning?  Are we good with that?

 

"Good discipline does NOT diminish hope."

@douglemov  Teach Like a Champion 2010 Jossey-Bass