PBL: The Finishing Touches

Unfortunately I'm home ill today, but the students' work is flowing in via email as they craft public service films for the endangered species projects, and study their math facts using SumDog.  It's amazing how the Internet has changed the sick day routine for teachers.  I can send my plans via email hence no need for my husband to run them in early in the morning, and I can assess students work from home.

So as the movie drafts came in from Animoto this morning, I was reminded that our next focus lesson has to center on the finishing touches of PBL--the essentials when it comes to publishing including:

• Just right, on topic humor (that's a challenging one to judge and guide for 4th graders).
• Proper grammar and spelling (best possible--we all err from time to time).
• Correct capitalization for titles (this requires constant review in 4th grade).
• Thinking of our audience as we edit--how will the audience react to the films, presentations, and displays.  Will we inspire them with words, music and images to help save endangered animals with action?  Do we give them ideas about what they can do to make a difference? 

There's a give and take nature to all learning.  The teacher and/or students prompt an investigation and make a beginning to end plan with backwards design.  We get to work, analyze, and reflect.  The reflection leads to the project meeting and class discussion related to next steps, making the project better, and effect.  We work more, analyze, reflect, and the cycle continues until we get to the final stage, the presentation. This is the wonderful, authentic, real-world movement of PBL--a not to be missed effort for all children and teachers today. Learning choreography that both stays the same and changes with every class, every year, and every learning endeavor.

Treating Teachers with Dignity

On a number of occasions I was treated with dignity lately. That served to uplift my spirit and motivate positive work. I also witnessed the way a group of professionals moved and talked today when treated with dignity, and thought about what a difference that makes.

In old factory model schools and systems, teachers aren't always treated with dignity.  Instead, they are treated as the "doers" rather than "thinkers and doers."  As "doers" their thoughts, needs, and ideas are often not taken seriously or given time, yet as "thinkers and doers" they are treated professionally with dignity and respect.

How can school systems transform so that teachers are treated with dignity?  What systems create that?

Here are a few points to start:

• All voices are welcome and respected.
• Decisions are given time and thoughtful structure.
• Ideas are shared with all and transparency is the mainstay for almost all information (no secrets).
• Communication is clear and inclusive.
• Needs are considered and met with a timely response.
• Lead time is given for all work and decision making.
• Expectations are reasonable and well communicated.
• Roles and responsibilities are understood by all--confusion is minimal.
• Support for collaboration is provided.
• Working spaces are clean, inviting, and support good work.
• Teachers are treated like the well-educated, thoughtful, dedicated professionals they are.
• High expectations are clearly stated and in place for all staff. 

What other conditions can you think of that promote dignity for teachers, and in turn what does dignity for other members of the learning community (families, community members, leaders, support staff) look like?  This is an area I want to think about and develop with greater effect. I look forward to your responses. 

Do Your Actions Match Your Words?

The challenge for everyone who speaks up about his/her beliefs and ideas is to make sure that your actions exemplify your beliefs.

How do you assess that you're living up to your words and advice?

How do you make sure that your actions are louder than the words you speak?

As I move to uplift my work and endeavor, I'll be thinking about these questions.

Crowdshare: The Best Year Ever?

How do we create school so a child has his/her best year ever?

What structure, actions, and attitudes create that kind of year for a child?

Let's crowdshare this question.  Please add your thoughts to this Google doc.

STEAM Share

Today I'm getting the chance to learn with students.  The teacher next door has invited my class to a STEAM (science, teach, engineering, art, math) share.  She and her students will share the many innovative projects they've embarked on over the year. They will also demonstrate the ways that they learn in hands-on, student-directed, investigative ways.

All year I've watched this class create with enthusiasm.  Hence, I'm looking forward to this collective way to learn. While in the room I plan to do a lot of observation and take lots of notes since I plan to replicate this learning event in my own classroom soon.  Then I plan to think more deeply about the tools and strategies I see over the summer so that I can employ similar strategies next year.

My grade level colleagues and I have started thinking about new ways to share our strengths and teaching strategies; we hope to get into each other's rooms more often next year to observe and share.  We've built a strong level of collegial trust and common vision which makes this possible. I'm excited about the learning to come as I know this will help us to teach children well.

Guided PBL: A Journey of Unexpected Twists and Turns

How loose?
How tight?
How many choices?
How many materials?
Time for edits?
Time for coaching?
Keeping peace through the highs and lows?
PBL Adventure.

Our class is in the tough stretch of PBL.  The easy facts are completed, but the difficult questions are left unanswered.  The design plan is created, but the actual creation is meeting challenge--how do I really make that diorama, paper sculpture, biome scene, puzzle, or movie?  The projects are ready for edit and review, but the ratio essentially remains 25:1, student to teacher so while I edit with one, 24 are working independently and it's rare that 24 students work with consistent quiet, enough quiet for a good edit.

Hence, the challenging week of PBL.

I planned the challenging week for two weeks prior to the end share.  That means that once we get through with the scatter this week brings, we'll move into the joyful creative week of designing backgrounds, exhibits, and the final touches on the films.

Then a couple of days until the Endangered Species Multimedia Museum Premiere for parents and friends.

How much to push?
When is good, good enough?
When to stop, and when to keep going?
What are just right expectations for each child?

PBL, like any creative, thoughtful endeavor, is essentially a path with a somewhat predictable start and finish, but the journey itself is set with many unknown twists and turns. No two classes ever pace the path the same. The key is for teachers and students to travel the journey with thoughtful intent, care, and our best work. Onward. Stay tuned.

Dillon's Great Questions

Dr. Robert Dillon posted "The Questions That Won't Go Away" on Connected Principals.  His questions prompt us to think about the year ahead with depth. I answered Dillon's questions briefly from my point of view as a classroom teacher.  I wonder how my colleagues and leaders would answer the same questions. 

What is going to be fundamentally different about your school next year?

This is a tough question for a teacher to answer alone, but I know that those in my school, including me, are implementing new technology and strategies to teach children well. We are having our scope and sequence meetings in the spring which will give all educators time over the summer to plan for, and study upcoming units. Also, our schools will embark on the planning for a potential restructure.  I hope the restructure choice will help us to continue to move our schools forward with structure, curriculum, and approach. 

What huge risk for kids are you dreaming about implementing?

This is a challenging questions. For my own part, I want to increase our STEAM exploration and innovation times throughout the year.  As far as a "huge risk" I'd like to see our school tackle the issue of students who struggle with physical fitness issues. 

Do you truly still believe in incremental change?

I imagine you mean here change that happens over months or years.  I think that kind of change is too slow given the way the world is changing.  I think we need to increase the pacing with which we make important change, but I do think change needs to be thought out, and planned for. 

With what school in the country are you most impressed because of the way that they serve kids?

Presently there's no one school that impresses me alone, but there are multiple practices and efforts shared from all over the world that impress me.  I look forward to reading this good news about education from leaders and educators near and far. Hence, I hope educators continue to share the wonderful work they are doing. 

Are you a disruptive force for your school and education as a whole?

I'll let the readers of the blog and my colleagues answer that.

Do you have enough courage to do this position?

In my current position, yes. 

What is your best example of how you model excellent learning for kids?

I am a learner with students.  I embark on similar explorations.  We meet to share ideas and questions.  I teach my students and they teach me. 

What fuel do you have in the system to promote students innovation and creativity?

We have some amazing tools and amazing, innovative teachers who are pushing new strategies and endeavor to promote innovation and creativity.  I have been keenly watching and listening to those teachers.  This week one of those teachers is going to host my class for a STEAM afternoon--I know I'll learn a lot.

Are your college-ready kids truly life ready?

I think the opportunities exist in our community and school to make students life-ready, greater access to those opportunities for all will serve to increase this effort.

Is your school a joyous place?

Yes, our students are happy.  People remark that our students "skip down the hall" and if you visit our school, you'll notice that. 

Are you dreaming big enough?

This is a great question for me--there are some dreams I've yet to consider. I see this question as a positive challenge.