As we conclude our training session, we would like to revisit two brief exercises from Dan Pink's A Whole New Mind coming from his chapter on the sense of Meaning.
Have you ever had a training or meeting where someone used the "parking lot" idea? You probably have. You know, the parking lot is the place where the real meeting happens, outside the actual venue and the earshot of the rest of the participants. That is where the gloves come off and the real questions are asked. "That's all great, but it won't work in my classroom." "I would love to try those ideas, but I don't have X,Y and Z." Whenever a trainer or meeting leader uses the "parking lot" idea, they might provide some method of documenting concerns that cannot be solved by the participants in the time provided. The intention to 1 part increase focus and 1 part decrease complaints. But there's a good deal of merit to the method and to subscribing to that attitude in general.
Pink's exercise is called "But Out." Do you know what would make your teaching more meaningful? Compile a list of some important changes you would like to make in your teaching. What is holding you back? List both and carefully reflect on the legitimatcy of the "But's" (tehe, that's funny) and ways to move past them. You can see Tina Barseghian's post on Mindshift about Will Richardson and Rob Mancabelli's ISTE session, "How to Address Yeah But Objections from Resisters"
Secondly and more importantly, we all need to remember one thing on difficulty days. Why do we teach? What are our goals? Each of us has trying days that leave us angry, saddened and perhaps acting out of character. Pink suggests writing a "One Sentence Vision." Create a one sentence vision statement for next school year. Please prepared to share it to the group. Since it will be composed of only one sentence, you might choose to tweet it as well.
Angela Maiers wrote this post from the students' point of view enummerating what they want from teachers.
Angela Maiers wrote this post from the students' point of view enummerating what they want from teachers.
First off for me I feel like I am the biggest BUT in my teaching. This being that I am afraid of taking the leap into uncharted territory. I admit I can be a big worrier about things that always run its own course. We get used to our comfort zone. I have to get myself in the mind set that it is okay to take the leap and see where it takes me. If I am unable to do this, then how can I encourage my students.
ReplyDeleteWe are all in this together!!! I think will be my vision for this coming school year. It will takes us all, students, parents, staff, and myself to pull off a successful year.
In order to become a more effective, meaningful teacher this year I will...
ReplyDeletePlan each lesson as if it were the first.
Collaborate with other teachers.
Pull from a variety of resources, not just local.
Get students moving.
Utilize technology in a meaningful way.
Reflect daily on the success or failures of the day and how I can make it even better.
I think sometimes we, as educators, are overwhelmed at this great responsibility sitting on our shoulders. We live our job and , at times, that can be mentally exhausting. There are some days where, at the end, I just want to go home and not think about anything. I find myself struggling to find that happy medium to where I don't become burnt out and still carry with me the excitement needed for my classroom. This year I hope to find that happy medium by using less direct instruction and more student-centered projects in the library.
The Yeah Buts for our classrooms might be the amount of computers in our rooms, number of labs in our schools, or the jam-packed schedules proposed to meet the CC curriculum. I feel certain that a center approach can make the most of the resources we have AND that we at the very least have more than we ever have.
ReplyDeleteMy vision for the year would concern my return to the classroom. I've been reflecting a lot on what made me a successful teacher before and perhaps what hindered my students.
Be transparent, but clear.
That should be a great mantra for my year. I think I was always successful with most students because they knew me well and knew I truly cared for them. That was a key foundation in all we did as a family. But, I also realize the limits of my organizational ability and that perhaps sometimes in an effort to offer options and open-ended activities, I did provide enough structure for young students. In that way, I need to be more clear.
http://cougarblues.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteOne Sentence Vision in Six Words or Less... Learning Past, Makes Better Future
ReplyDeleteHigher Thought - Lasts Longer than Semester
"But Out"
More Meaningful - more Student Centered, not just for projects (minimal resources); more time for student engagement with the content rather than just about it (pacing guide); trying to make more students successful (effort), sometimes I feel like I'm the only one exerting the effort; helping them find their niche and moving towards it (time and relationships); higher level thinking skills so we can discuss various philosophy's without having it feel like pulling teeth every step of the way (pacing/levels).
For the first with student centered; problem was minimal resources - the iPads are going to help tremendously, but also making time to get into the computer labs as well and minor projects in the room. Thinking of alternative ways to do things and then doing them (i.e. I wanted students to do an archaeological 'dig', but wasn't about to go buy a sand box so I got boxes before they were recycled and used old quiz papers to make scrunched up paper to equal the sand)
Pacing Guide - combine topics to try and make more time, but also have students become experts on a topic and teach their classmates about that particular content so they are getting in depth knowledge, but also engaging with others. Also, sometimes the pacing will need to take a side seat to have student engaged and learning higher level thinking skills.
Effort - Providing structured opportunities for students to be successful; more engaging curriculum to gain more interest should lead to them exuding more effort, but also creating an environment where failure is alright as long as they keep on trying.
Time and Relationships - having more student centered work I would have more of an opportunity to get to know my students while they are engaging with the curriculum. Also the diversity of the work would show what their strengths and weaknesses are to help them start thinking about after high school... what comes next?
Higher Level Thinking Skills/Pacing - We need to go further in depth on topics that are engaging for the students, while learning from the past. Also, I need to focus on the higher levels of blooms and find a way to balance what is wanted by the state in regards to curriculum, with time allotted, as well as what I want them to get out of the class.