It All Started With a Dot

If you follow me on Twitter or 'friend' me on Facebook, you will often see mention of "International Dot Day". If you are new to following, you might wonder what it is all about. You can find out much more on  the FableVision Learning website. But, really, why the focus on dots?

Peter H. Reynolds wrote a book called "The Dot". The first time I read it, I got tears in my eyes. You see, it is the story of a girl, Vashti, who has an amazing teacher. The basic premise is that the teacher does a relatively small (though fabulously thoughtful) thing that transforms Vashti into a super-creative wonder. I love that idea.

The official FableVision Learning press release says, "One teacher, Terry Shay in Iowa, believed so fully in the power of The Dot that in 2009 he “made his mark” by declaring September 15^th as International Dot Day. To commemorate The Dot’s publication date, he encouraged fellow teachers to read the book and then create their own dots." That's the story...but it was only the beginning. 

The amazing thing is that it started with a Facebook message to Peter H. Reynolds and what I called a 'crazy idea'. (I have a lot of those). I thought it would be fun to create little event where kids could put down their standardized tests and just spend some time being creative. What it has developed into exceeds my wildest dreams. 

The first year was a sweet little celebration with friends around the country. I marveled at the creativity of teachers wearing dot shirts ( <3 Maryann), decorating their school with dots, and I was thrilled to that many people sent me photos commemorating the day. I held an event in my school with fourth graders and the school counselor was there to help. 

Fast forward three years, my good friend, Bill Norris, suggested we come up with some sort of form to find out who was celebrating and where they were. Again, I am a pretty good at dreaming, but I never dreamed 17,000 kids and 1000 adults on six continents would be participating...and those are only the ones who filled out the form. We were helped out a lot last year by dear friends Shannon Miller and John Schumacher, who made a weeks worth of activities and got a lot of new people on board.

Now for something I have never said to anyone. I feel like I should label this section "Dear Diary". . . at least one time per celebration, a tiny negative voice creeps into my brain and says, "really... dots... is that it? No one has ever changed the world by making a dot." Then, fortunately, that little voice is shouted down by a barrage of emails, tweets, and Facebook messages with kids proudly holding their creations. And, as I always say, if there is something better than a kid with a beaming smile, proudly holding their creation, I don't know what it is. I do believe with my whole heart and 99.9% of my brain that this day can be a launching pad for future creative classrooms. I know it has worked for mine. 

Last year, another event made a huge difference to me. The lovely and talented author, Sharon Creech, did a simple act of love and kindness that changed something in me. She sent me a dot on dot day. I am just a teacher in a tiny school in Iowa, and this amazing person who is loved by every single person who has picked up one of her books, is taking part in this special day. That special email launched the next project I am working on, Celebri-dots. In my mind I can picture kids going to that site and seeing famous people creating dots just like they did in school. Again, wildly exceeding my expectations, the creativity on that site has blown me away. Apple pie dot, raspberry juice dot, clay dot....what better example could their be for children than a wide variety of creative responses?

I could go on and on....and I have. I am grateful beyond words for Peter H. Reynolds the author of the Dot and a champion of creativity. I am grateful for friends like Shannon M. Miller and John Schumacher who have taken the dot and run with it. I am honored to have awesome celebrity friends who inspire me every day, following the model of Sharon Creech, whom I adore. 

I dream of taking this day even farther....to 170,000 students, then 170 million . .. to pick up that last continent (because 6 continents is SO last year). I dream of the day that a student will say, 'hey, remember when we celebrated dot day, that launched a journey of unimagined proportions for me' . . because it has done that for me. 

Read about International Dot Day in Publisher's Weekly 

Read about it in the Dedham Patch

Best of all... PARTICIPATE THIS YEAR!! September 15ish.

Celebri-dots!

International Dot Day is a celebration of creativity around the globe which was inspired by Peter H. Reynolds' book, "The Dot." The Dot is a sweet story about a girl who thinks she can't draw and the teacher encourages her to "make a dot and see where it takes you." I personally believe it belongs in every library in the world.

Last year, over 17,000 students and 1,000 adults on six continents 'made their mark' by creating a dot on or around International Dot Day, September 15. Next year we want to have an even bigger and better celebration!

Inspired by a very special dot created by Newbery Award Winning (and all around amazing human being) Sharon Creech last year, I am creating a very special blog for Celebri-dots. I would love for authors, illustrators, and any kind of celebrity to create a dot to be shown in this special online gallery. You may create this using any medium and email it to me. Be sure to 'sign it' like Vashti does in "The Dot".

I think it will be really cool for kids to see a bunch of different awesome people contributing to this. Please help spreading the word. Within the post about your signed dot, I would like to include books you have written, shows you have been on, anything you are willing to share. This is a love-fest!

You can email your submissions any time, but would love to have them soon so I can start building. Be BRAVE, you don't have to have the world's best looking dot, just 'make your mark and see where it takes you!"

You can email me at tjshay (at) gmail (dot) com

Peter H. Reynolds has given his blessing for this project.

Thank you in advance!!

Peter H. Reynolds and Carrie Hillman- Conspiring to Inspire

Today I had lunch with my favorite boy, my nine year old great-nephew. He can be pretty shy around other people, so I was shocked when he told me he wanted me to ask Peter H. Reynolds if he would illustrate the book he was writing. I sent Peter a text message and the boy smiled from ear to ear.

I was asked to find the blog post he had written in school on my phone and send that along to Peter to help encourage him to be his illustrator. Yes, a lot of nine year old's have dreams, but in the beginning of this year, this little boy thought blogs were stupid and he hated to write....now he wants to be an author.

Fortunately for me, my favorite boy has the world's best teacher, Mrs. Hillman. Almost every day I wonder what the world would be like if every kid had a teacher like her. She encourages the kids, nudges them to take steps outside of their comfort zone, and loves them into success. I had the good fortune to be able to spend a morning in her classroom and I was just amazed by the way she handled the class.

I am also blessed with a dear friend in Peter H. Reynolds. An inspiring author and illustrator and a great human. My favorite boy has many books signed by Peter and he loves them. I love the gentle nature of the books and how they inspire kids to greatness. His work encourages kids by letting them know they matter, that they are important, that they can make mistakes and move on.

Today, I am overwhelmed with gratitude to these amazing people and the gift they have given children everywhere, and especially my favorite boy. Imagine a world where every kid thinks they can be an author (or painter, astronaut, chemist, etc) and being surrounded by loving caring people who made them think anything was possible.

Dream Big!

Lucky

Sometimes, even on the worst days, something happens to make you feel really lucky to be where you are and doing what you are doing.

Slow Down: Personal Reflection

This morning, I had the 'pleasure' of going in for a blood draw. I admit, it is NOT my favorite thing to do (I can't imagine anyone who enjoys it). I go at 7 a.m. because there is never a line....UNTIL today. I was about the third person in line and I had exactly 30 minutes to get it done and on the road for school. I was NOT a happy camper.

The waiting area is tiny. Really it is ridiculously tiny. I did all the important things in life while I waited, like read the emails that had come in over night and checked Twitter. Some people had come in after me, but I was OH so BUSY to notice. I was shocked into awakening from my Twitterific fog by a voice that had grown louder. I realized that there was an older man behind me and he couldn't sit down because everyone in line was blocking the chairs (I told you the place was small). I moved so he could sit and I apologized.

When it was finally my turn at the window, I had to give my date of birth and address. I signed the form (why is everything still on paper -- one blood draw had to be at least 5 pieces of paper) and moved to the other side of the room. Back to my alternating between staring at the clock, sighing, and looking disapprovingly at the workers who were in a conversation about the cost of stampers and how someone farther up the food chain was angry about the cost. (More sighing and staring here by me.)

I finally got into the little room and there are actually two stations. I sat and was finally 'in the moment' as the person trying to draw my blood poked and poked. Apparently if I am fasting, my blood doesn't work right. I faded again into unconsciousness. The older gentleman had come into the room and was at the other station. I started paying attention when the man used the word 'he' and I was the only other male in the room. It turns out he was paying attention as I gave my birthdate at the counter and we have the same birthday. His was in 1927, but the same day. He beamed as he told me. His bloodgirl (can't spell what they are really called) said something to him in a condescending tone about how he had paved the way (it annoys me how people talk to very small children and old people as if there brain doesn't work).

The older gentleman and I walked out together. I called him my birthday buddy and his smile grew. My smile grew larger...He was going to get some breakfast and I was going to work.

As I drove away and for the first few miles, I was smiling....deeply. Then I became conscious of the fact that I was smiling. (you have NO idea how rare it is at 7:30 in the morning) I wondered how many other encounters I have been 'too busy' or 'self-important' to notice.

Making connections, even momentary ones, is partially why we are here on this earth. Why do we spend so little time valuing them?

It was nice to meet you, birthday buddy, I learned a lot from you in those five minutes.

Characteristics of a Great Teacher (2012)

The most popular post in the history of this blog was called "Qualities of a Great Teacher". In that post, I asked students to list qualities of a great teacher. With all the talk lately about good and bad teachers (and the demoralizing bashing that they receive at the hands of legislators, public figures, and former software giants), I decided to ask again. This time, I added the words 'effective' in my inquiry. What are the qualities of a teacher who kids learn the most from. The current Department of Ed chief and Governor seem to think that a test can be given to help determine who would make an effective teacher. Here is a Wordle I created from the results:

Looking at this, I imagine everyone expected nice, funny, fun to be large. Did you imagine strict would be?? There are a lot of reasons for that locally, but it matches what I have always known: Kids want to have fun and have someone who cares about them, but they also want structure. 

I summarized the information in this way: Students want a positive, caring and fun teacher that can reteach things that are confusing students and can control the classroom. Isn't that what YOU want too? I admit as I read through the list and tabulated the results, I wondered which of the words would describe me and which ones would not.

With the exception of "Knows what they are talking about", NONE of the things on the kids' list could be measured on a test. Remember I asked them who they learned the most from, not who they liked.

Here is the actual list. Items with numbers behind them is how many other people had that same comment:

Takes time to make sure each person understands what’s going on

Being strict at times, though they can be very easy going if we listen and do as told.

Has humor-1

Cares -1

Hands on

Finds unique ways to teach-1

Explains things thoroughly -2

Not too smart

Listens to students

Has structure/rules

Positive all the time 2

Happy person 3

Fun to be in class with

Teacher you lessons you use later in life

Fun - 4

Obey the rules but aren’t strict

Do repetitive activities

Nice 12

They do fun stuff with us -1

They show many ways of solving a problem

Helpful

Does activities-1

Caring-4

Trusting

Always willing to help

I like a teacher that gives many examples so I can learn them better

A teacher that knows how to have fun-3

Funny-8

Happy all the time

Confidence-2

Know your lesson

Isn’t afraid to break things down

Let us talk-1

Intelligent

Good speaker

Helpful

Discipline 2

Let us work in groups

Doesn’t get mad at students

Positive-3

Puts in extra time with you

A person that is willing to teach it to you

Tough but reasonable

Doesn’t yell-1

Is kind to all kids-2

Doesn’t judge

Treats you like a student and sometimes a friend

Someone you can joke with

Someone that keeps order in the classroom

Passionate about their work

Cheerful

Doesn’t hate children

Likes what they teach

Always outgoing

Willing to listen to my thoughts

Appropriate

Puts their best effort into their teaching

Knows what he/she is doing/talking about-2

Not strict

Can be stern at times-1

Must be willing to help a student

Good grading scale

Professional but friendly

Smart

Bonds with students

Not really old

Likes sports

Relates to students

Engages in classroom activities

Takes student feedback and tries to adjust to it within reason

Teaches the lessons with analogies that don’t relate to the subject

Relaxed yet strict environment

Helps you out when you need it and makes sure you understand it before you continue

Doesn’t ignore any student

Doesn’t pick favorites-3

Helps you one on one

Not always serious

Relate things to life experiences

Supportive

Creative

Easy going and a little strict at times-1

Doesn’t bring personal problems in the class

Treats people as equal

Makes things fun

Has an orderly classroom with structure

A teacher that understands me-4

Appropriate-1

Cares for/about students-1

Loving

Determined

A good taste in shoes

Wears a nice pair of slacks

Has a good haircut

Teachers who go back and reteach criteria if students don’t understand

Teacher that wants the kids to learn. A lot of teachers just give you a book and expect you to know and won’t answer questions

Cares about student grades

A teacher who tells it like it is

Trustworthy

Someone that knows how to discipline enough that we’re still having fun

Willing to listen

Someone who doesn’t just talk all the time

Doesn’t leave people out

Good sense of humor-2

Teaches in a fun way while still keeping it all appropriate

Isn’t afraid to laugh or sound stupid

Is a good example

Knows how to tell a joke about they they’re teaching

Keeps class interesting

Can keep control of the class

Words things so we can understand them

After "The Dot"

On September 15, my school and other schools around the World celebrated International Dot Day. Dot Day is a fantastic way to start a creativity movement in your school. You can read more about Dot Day here and here. More than 17000 students and 1000 adults participated in Dot Day this year.

As I was reading through the tweets and Facebook messages, I was struck by two great quotes: @MrSchuReads "Quote of the day: 'Every day should be #dotday.' -2nd grader" and @karacornejo "One dot can launch the journey."


One dot can launch a journey and every day should be dot day....so why isn't it? Both quotes and the whole idea of dot day got me thinking of ways I could add more creativity to my classroom (it has been a creative place....but why not add more?). So, in high school chorus we have done a few artsy type projects. 

We were singing a song called "The Heavenly Road" so, one option for an activity was to draw HIS/HER Heavenly Road. . . What would it look like, what would be on it?

They could also capture a scene from other songs....

like "Winter Song"

It was exciting to see the words of the songs creativity captured in art. It was even more exciting to have the students deeply involved in the words to the song!

Dot Day is a great start to a journey!

How are you going to ramp up creativity in your classroom??