Coffee and Conversation

I have always believed that what unites us as human beings is far greater than anything that divides us.  It seems like we are often confronted with our differences and asked to choose between one idea, or belief, or "side" than another.  In this kind of thinking, there are winners and losers; there is acceptance or rejection; there are divides that seem impossible to cross.  Over the past week, I have been thinking about how we are all one people in the world, united by our humanity, and wishing for bridges that could help us reconnect. In a small way, my wish came true last night.

Yesterday evening, our school hosted an event called Coffee and Conversation. This began as a Fed Ex day idea last year (thanks to Euriah Bryant), and it is being carried on this year by Mrs. Jennifer Ball and our students.  At Coffee and Conversation, a diverse group comes together to share a bit of their humanity with each other.  Students from all walks of life and from vastly different peer groups converge on the elementary commons area, and they perform.  Students recited original poetry, played original songs, sang song covers, performed comedy skits, prepared wonderful food, shared their blogs, and exhibited their artwork.  It was a really beautiful thing to see.

As I looked out at the crowd in attendance, I saw looks of love and hope and encouragement and joy on the faces of the audience.  They clapped and cheered, and if they felt like I did, they marveled at the bravery of the kids.  For two hours, we were one people, bound by our hope for these students and their impact on the world.  My heart today is filled with gratitude, as it so often is, for the opportunity to be part of this school community where we are united in service of young people.

Time, Choice, and Good Books

Two of the best things that ever happened to my life as a teacher came right at the start of my career. The first was reading a book called In the Middle by Nancie Atwell.  By some stroke of luck, as an undergrad I landed in a class for writing teachers at USI with this book at our text.  To be honest, I do not remember a thing the professor said in class, but I treasure my well-worn copy of In the Middle. The book describes Atwell's approach to teaching reading and writing to middle school students. Her methods are rooted in deep respect for children and a belief in the power of two things:  time and choice.  As their teacher, she facilitated, modeled, encouraged, and marveled at what they created.  

The second awesome thing happened less than a year after reading Atwell's book.  I began my career teaching Spanish and English at Heritage Hills High School, and I got to work alongside a wonderful teacher, Jacquie Sabelhaus.  She taught me many things, but perhaps the most important was that I needed to read the books that my students were reading.  Jacquie said we have to be experts on young adult fiction and nonfiction--to read it voraciously and to use this knowledge to hook kids on reading, too.  The great news is that young adult literature is really, really good.  In addition to being great stories, they are usually quick reads, which is important to teachers already struggling to keep up with demands on their time.  

Jacquie's lesson hit home again this year as I have watched our teachers so diligently implementing the Calkins Units of Study for Reading.  Having firsthand knowledge of the books that students are reading is a bridge to engaging them in deep, meaningful conversations.  Knowing authors, titles, genres and having an ever-growing list of "hook 'em books" is priceless when kids get stuck or fake read or tell you they hate reading.  Kids do not hate reading.  They just have not found the right book yet.  Matching readers to text is so much more than finding a book on the right "level". It is about finding books that give kids a way to transcend their own circumstances, finding books that inspire hope, and finding books that show kids they are not alone.  When we find those books for kids and see the light in their eyes, it is the best feeling in the world. Those are the moments when we remember why we love this work so much.  

There are so many resources online to help find these books, and we are extremely fortunate to have tons of them in the PC library.  The Perry County Public Library has an amazing children and young adult collection as well.  If you are interested in reading more from Nancie Atwell about time, choice, and good books, she wrote a short blog recently for The Washington Post.  You can access it here. http://wapo.st/1b6M9Ce

September 30th

September 30th will always be a tough day for our family.  On that date in 2013, my sister's husband died of a massive heart attack.  He was 49 years old.  Some of you know my sister, Tammy.  Like most of our family, she is a school person. At the time of Jim's death, Tammy was principal at McGary Middle School in Evansville, Indiana.  Her four kids were ages 23, 20, 13 and 6.  As Tammy said just the other day in a gross understatement, "It sucks."

And it does.  But with humor and grace and toughness and an impressive repertoire of swear words, my sister keeps moving forward.  She just gets up every single day and keeps going, even when all she wants to do is hide inside Jim's oversized Packers jersey and bury her head under the pillow.  Watching Tammy navigate this grief, I have learned so much about the kind of person I want to be, and I have also learned something important about leadership.  In remembrance of Jim and in honor of my sister's strength, I wanted to write about it today.

Here's the thing.  Tammy has not survived by denying the pain or acting like everything is okay.  She has talked about it and written about it and let people in.  Not long after Jim's death, in Tammy's weekly newsletter to her teachers, she wrote about how she was feeling and helped the staff understand what she needed from them and what they could expect from her.  She was real with them.  She let them see her at her weakest point, and what guts and strength it took.

For me, the lesson here is that it is okay to let those you lead see who you are--to let them see your heart.  It can bridge divides and build community and remind us that we are all human.  For teachers, sharing your heart with students is just as powerful.  Our students need us to be strong and steady for them, but strength and emotion are not mutually exclusive.  Showing students how we manage our own emotions and find ways to keep moving forward is a powerful model for their own lives.

So today, I will share with you that I am sad about my brother-in-law, Jim Dexter, even though it is hard and scary to share something so personal.  Today, my heart and mind are with Tammy, Elizabeth, Everett, Jordan and Jake.  My thoughts are with Jim's mother and his brothers and sisters, who remind me so much of our own family.  Today, my parents, my brother and I will all call Tammy and check on her, and we will swallow the lump in our throats and try not to cry.  Like my sweet, sassy, strong sister, Tammy LaGrange Dexter, we will keep moving forward. That's what she taught us to do.

What Will Your Verse Be?

My friend, Jacquie, once told me that she was not talking to me again until I had watched the movie, Moulin Rouge.  Convinced that no one should walk the earth without having seen this film, she hounded me until I watched it, and I became a believer.  That is just how I feel about the movie Dead Poet's Society. It combines several things I love:  teachers, students, poetry, and Robin Williams.  When I am feeling discouraged and allow cynicism to creep in, this movie is medicine.  To steal a line from the script, it fills my soul.

There are all of these moments in the film where Mr. Keating, played by Robin Williams, builds a relationship with his students and inspires them to risk failure and to dare greatly. My fellow Dead Poet people will instantly connect when reminded of the opening scene in Keating's English class. As the high school boys gaze at old photographs of students from long ago, Keating reminds them how quickly time passes.  He whispers, "Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary." (I just got cold chills writing that, but then we established last week that I have nerdish tendencies.) From the very first day of class, he finds a way to make his message relevant to kids' lives. 

In the film, Keating uses poetry and words to connect with his students--to push them to be brave, to swim against the stream, and to find their voice.  In our school, I see teachers doing this for their students every day in diverse ways.  I was in a classroom today, and on the door the teacher had posted a letter to her students.  "I trust you," it said.  "I believe in you..."  And the teacher's actions matched her words--she interacted with students lovingly and respectfully, and they returned that respect. It was something to see.  The same thing happened in movie-land with Mr. Keating.  He listened to his students, and he challenged them to be their best selves.  Keating's lines from the movie that follow (my favorites) provide a challenge for us all.

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering-- these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love... these are what we stay alive for! To quote from Whitman, 'O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless... of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?' Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.

"What will your verse be?"

We Love Lucy

Warning:  geeky, gushing English/reading teacher talk follows. #hopeyoustillreadit

It is safe to say that Perry Central Elementary could form a fan club for Lucy Calkins and her work in teaching students to read and write. We are #ruos and #tcrwp stalkers on Twitter.  We call her by her first name as if we are old friends.  The thing about Lucy is that her work does not just teach kids to be literate--that is a drastic oversimplification of what she does.  She treats students as if they are capable of contributing something valuable to the classroom and to the world.  And they do.  In this balanced literacy model, students think deeply about text and about their own writing because they believe that their voices matter.  Perhaps it is because the approach aligns with our philosophy of relationships being the foundation for learning that Lucy Calkins's work has resonated with us. 

Many of our elementary teachers have been implementing the Lucy Calkins Units of Study for Reading since the start of school.  These units are written for K-5, and they pair well with the Units of Study for Writing that she also developed.  The units require a tremendous commitment because they are not cookie-cutter, simple lesson plans with cute, quick activities.  They are robust lessons that teachers are reading and re-reading prior to implementation.  That does not mean teachers check their brains at the door, rather they use the lessons as a guide and springboard for reading and writing in their classrooms.  

It makes me smile to see teachers' Lucy books with dog-eared pages and post-it notes sticking out in all directions and color-coded highlights.  It makes me smile to listen to the questions teachers and students are posing, to see the light in kids' eyes and watch how they lean in as the teacher reads aloud.  It is not that the Units of Study alone are responsible for this--we have built a strong reading curriculum over the years, and we have talented, dedicated teachers who are constantly looking to get better.  That is what these units are helping us to do--become stronger, more thoughtful practitioners.  Beautiful things are happening in classrooms in little Leopold, Indiana, and it is a joy to behold.  

The following are some links to RUOS resources in case you are not from PC and happen to read this blog.  If you are already using them, you might find something to keep pushing you forward. If you have been reluctant to try the units or worrying about how to "fit it all in", then maybe these resources will help you take the leap.  

Videos by Lucy Calkins for each grade level:  http://readingandwritingproject.org/resources/units-of-study-in-reading

Videos and samples of student work (reading and writing):  http://readingandwritingproject.org/resources/student-work

Book Lists:  http://readingandwritingproject.org/resources/book-lists

School Spirit

Last week, we entered a competition about school spirit, and our students and staff did a great job of demonstrating it last Friday with the sea of green attire and hallway decorations.  The whole thing got me thinking about school spirit and how it is part of what makes Perry Central a special place.

The Perry Central Commodores grew from the consolidation of many small schools that had to give up a bit of their identity to become part of something greater.  It took courage and vision to bring together this school community back then, and we are grateful for those who led the charge.  We take pride in Perry Central, and most of us who have grown up amid the rolling hills of rural Perry County (or landed here by some stroke of luck) identify ourselves by our school.  We are Commodores; we bleed green.  One needs only attend a Perry Central athletic event to see this in action.  No matter how good or bad our team, our community shows up to support it.  That is pretty special.  

That said, true school spirit, to me, is a balance of pride and humility.  Sure, we want to win, and we celebrate when we do.  But what makes me really proud is when I see our students and community stand and clap during the other team's starting line up.  What makes me proud is when we stand and applaud for an opposing team's injured player as she leaves the court. What makes me proud is when our students cheer for their team, rather than against the other team. That is school spirit, but more, it is an outward demonstration of who we want to be--the kind of people who treat others right, regardless of whether that kindness is returned.  While we have all seen a moment here and there where we failed in this endeavor, the vast majority of the time, Commodore Spirit shines as an outward symbol of who we are at heart.  For all my fellow Commodores out there, thanks for being part of that tradition.  And as Mr. Edd Ransom would say, "Go Big Green!"  

More Twitterverse Talk

The Perry Central school community is getting really good at this Twitter thing!  It is so exciting!  Twitter and Facebook are becoming vehicles for connection and learning and praise and building positive relationships.  I wanted to take a moment in this blog to say thanks to all who have jumped on board and to share with you some highlights of the land of social media from just this week (in case you missed it) and how they served different purposes.

Twitter/Facebook to Build Community
There is nothing that means more to me than when someone says something kind about one of my children or shares a story about something they said or did.  Those of us who work at school are fortunate to get to see our kids from time to time and to interact with their teachers, but many parents seldom get that opportunity.  Social media is a channel for sharing kids' school lives with their families.  For you Tweeters out there, if you have your Twitter account connected to Facebook, it would be awesome if you would share the Facebook post to the Perry Central Facebook page.  Many of our parents are on FB but not Twitter, yet.  Here are some examples from this week.

Twitter to Connect with Educators
Using hashtags is a great way to connect with other educators who are working on the same things. Our K-5 teachers are implementing a new reading approach, using Lucy Calkins's Reading Units of Study, which are awesome!  The #ruos hashtag connects them with other teachers across the country who are also using the units.  We have discovered related chats and a new RUOS Facebook page by reading the hashtag.

Kris Walsh connected with the Project Lead the Way community with this Tweet.

Twitter and Facebook to Spread Your Message
Others will build their perception of you and our school based on your tweets.  I loved this tweet from Perry Central volleyball this week...what a powerful message!

Twitter for Learning

It is amazing how much great learning can spring from a quick scroll through the Twitter feed.  Share your finds with your PLN!  Phil and Jody shared these resources this week.

So thanks to all of you for jumping on board!  We are planning social media help sessions next week on Wednesday and Thursday. We'll email the details soon.  Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Let the Light In

I love our school's annual themes, but I have to admit that last year's "Be Brave" is my all-time favorite (so far).  I think it is because I see so many acts of bravery every day at Perry Central.  Maybe part of it is also the Sara Bareilles song that became an anthem for the year.   I am a sucker for good lyrics, and the following lines from the song give me cold chills every single time I hear them.

Everybody's been there, everybody's been stared down by the enemy,

Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing,

Bowed down to the mighty.

Don't run; just stop holding your tongue.

Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live;

Maybe one of these days, you can let the light in.

Show me...how big your brave is.

Yep, cold chills right now.  These lines resonate because for some kids, we can almost see the bars of their cages.  Their cages are made of poverty or violent homes or sexual abuse or hunger or loneliness or obesity or simply not fitting in with their peers.  These cages should make learning, which is our fundamental purpose as a school, a long shot.  Yet learn they do.  Our kids amaze us all the time.  

Just this morning I saw a student (a struggling reader) raise his hand to answer the teacher's question about what a character's actions could tell us about theme.  The young man started out a bit tentatively; then the teacher gave him a nod and smile, and he said the smartest thing.  He said the character showed that it is important to never give up hope.  And he was right about the theme, and he understood the message.  The teacher has created a classroom culture that shines light and opens cages.  And out comes bravery!  I was lucky to see one act of bravery among the hundreds that surely happened today.  Please forgive my sappiness, but the staff and students here are, quite simply, an inspiration.  That gives me cold chills, too.  I am going to have to get a sweater.

What's All the Fuss About Twitter?

At the risk of seeming like a George Couros groupie, I feel compelled to blog once again about something he said on our first day of school.  After showing us the Perry Central hashtag, #pccsk12, and suggesting that we tweet to it often, Mr. Couros said this.  "If you don't know what any of this means (Twitter, tweeting, hashtags) or what I am talking about, you are in danger of becoming illiterate in the world today."

That is a bold statement, and it really made me think.  Literacy is an important word to me--it conjures the ideas of freedom and opportunity and connection and relationships.  I think of literacy as more of a basic human right than a skill.  Without it, how can one survive?  And I think about vehicles for literacy and how those have changed over time--from stone tablets to paper to typewriters to little handheld computers we can slip in our pockets.  What are the vehicles for literacy in 2015?

For our students, a big part of literacy is sharing their reading, writing, videos, and snapshots through a medium that reaches the audience most important to them--their peers.  And for many of them, that means Twitter or Instagram, or (heaven forbid) Snapchat.  If I were not an educator or a parent, it is possible that I could remain literate in 2015 without ever learning how to navigate Twitter.  I could continue to roll my eyes, pronounce it "Tweeter" and log onto Facebook like a normal 40-something.  But I am an educator and a parent, and that means I have to follow the kids where they go, lest I lose wonderful, meaningful ways to communicate with them.

My dad always said that teachers had to "meet kids where they are and then take them as far as possible."  As scary as it seems, the place where kids are is in the land of social media.  And we must meet them there in order to take them as far as they can go.  Let's jump in together.  Come on...it'll be fun.

  

George Couros's Challenge

This is my first ever blog post, and I am scared to death.  To me, writing is personal, and putting it out on the web seems so permanent.  What I think today is likely to change by tomorrow, but today I put it in print, for the love of heaven!  So I am scared, just so you know.  But I am going to do it anyway because last Monday, George Couros issued me a challenge.  "If the only reason you are using the Internet is for research, you are missing the point," he said.  "If you want your school embracing these ideas, you have to model it," he said.  Okay fine, George, if you say so.  Here I go.

Last Monday was what we call "teacher day" -- it was the first day back to school for teachers, and students came back the next day.  We typically allow teachers a lot of time in their classrooms on this day, but this year we brought in a speaker--George Couros--to kick off our year.  I was nervous that people would be upset about losing that precious time in their classrooms and hesitant to hear the message, but I underestimated Couros's charisma!  And his message was pretty awesome, too.  By day's end, we had laughed and cried and learned, and a lot of people entered the world of Twitter.  We learned about the necessity to embrace technology as a powerful tool for learning, but we also heard that all learning grows from the foundation of positive relationships with students and with each other.

Seven days have passed since George's visit, and I am worried the message has started to fade.  There is always so much to do!  How can we tweet to the hashtag (#pccsk12 by the way) and greet students at the door each morning and prepare the lessons and grade the papers and fix supper and make it to the church meeting and, and, and...?  I do not have the answer to that.  Frankly, I am amazed at how much teachers get done every day of their lives with smiles and humor and grace.  The only thing I know to do is set a goal.  Each morning when I take my daughter to her classroom, I am going to greet students with a smile.  Once a day, I am going to tweet to the hashtag, and once a week, I am going to write this blog.  There, I said it.  In writing.  And I am still scared, but also motivated and excited.

I wonder which of George's messages stuck with others.  Are they greeting students at the door each day with a smile or hug or high five?  Are they developing a PLN on Twitter?  Have they used video to show what kids are learning?  My challenge to all of us is to just try something--start somewhere. Let's live out our theme for the year...Relate. Innovate. Create.  And as always, be brave.