Highway 30 Through Iowa

Last week I created my own Spring Break and took two days off to spend with my wife who does have a break. We took off early on Thursday morning and traveled to Chicago on a shopping and resting expedition. We had a very nice time, with the exception of VERY loud neighbors at the hotel.

We took a slightly different way home than we have on our other trips and ended up on Highway 30 in Iowa. I started teaching in a town called Lost Nation and another town called Calamus for two different school districts. Calamus is right on Highway 30 and Lost Nation is 14 miles North. While driving through Clinton, I remembered taking coaching authorization classes with a friend and all the laughs we had during those classes. I have 'retired' from coaching, but those memories were so warm and inviting.

Then we drove through DeWitt and I remembered driving there to play racquetball and a lot of fun times there. As we raced down the highway toward the location of my first jobs, the memories were overwhelming and sweet. I told my wife tons of stories about things I remembered...some not so pleasant memories, like the principal who said he didn't care what the concert was like, but it had better not last longer than 60 minutes.

What was most overwhelming though was the sweet and wonderful memories fourteen miles north in Lost Nation. When I moved there, I had NO idea what it was like to be a teacher and I think I had the absolute best place to learn. I was just twenty-two when I moved to town and immediately, I felt like I was part of a family. It seemed most of the families in town had children my age, in addition to school-aged children, so I was taken in on many occasions and was nurtured along the way. The kids would often hug me and the parents thought that was great. I had an amazing accompanist who always gently steered me in the right direction. I remember only getting two angry parent phone call, one had to do with show choir outfits....although the tone was all wrong, the parent was right. The other one was just a crazy swear festival and I learned a valuable lesson....if someone swears, hang up.

Along with the sweet memories came some very disturbing memories. Losing a kid my first year to a drunk driver and losing another one my second year when he took his own life. These two things became the scaffolding of much of my career as a teacher. I spend a LOT of my day trying to help kids with problem solving situations and trying to get grades and choices on the right track. I want to do everything I can to try to keep kids from making destructive decisions, though I know I can only do so much. The two tragedies in that town make me feel forever bound to that group of kids. I am fortunate to have been in contact with several of them after I moved on. Sadly the school closed the year I left and consolidated.

So, this got me to thinking.....What if new teacher induction was more like this? A warm embrace from the community and nudges in the right direction along the way?? No one yelled at me (with the two exceptions above). I wasn't on any 'intensive assistance' plan, but I surely made about every mistake in the world as a new teacher (well, not every mistake, but enough). What I had was a community of people who worked really hard at molding me into a better teacher through their love and gentle nudges. I think they taught me much more than I taught them. I will be forever grateful to those people for helping make me who I am today.

It seems a basic flaw in this plan is that parents aren't always how they were back then. There is growing animosity toward teachers. However, I maintain we are all on the same team and we have the same goal for kids. Right? I know my goals a pure and honest and with the best interest of the student in mind....I think parents have the same goal. We need to find a way to work together and maybe gently nudge each other back on the right path.

Thanks to the people of Lost Nation for the love and the kindness....Twenty-five years later I think of you all fondly.



Photo credit: www.lostnationiowa.com

Digital Fabrication

A few times in my lifetime as a teacher, I felt as if I was standing at the edge of the World and seeing the start of a revolution. For example, I remember the very first time I was on the WWW when it was in its infancy. I ordered music from JW Pepper through an early terminal type program called PNMN. It was all words then, but I could order music and interact with other teachers and I felt the world shift.

A few years later, we were all summoned to the, then new, business lab and shown the graphic-based WWW. I was actually sitting in Iowa, hearing audio from the Netherlands. I remember, vividly everything about that experience. My friend, Jenny, was leading the workshop and it was life-changing.

Now, some years later, I am in a very different place watching that same sort of shift. At ISTE Conference (then NECC) 2009, I was privileged to share the stage with Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns and Glen Bull to discuss projects that would get kids involved in school. I watched the skilled Peggy and Glen impress the crowd with the idea of Digital Fabrication in schools and a little machine that would cut out what a student would design. I remember being very impressed, but not fully understanding the implications.

I have watched the progress of this project over the eighteen months since the first presentation and I have been amazed that all around this concept of digital fabrication. I watched the Fab@School project gain national attention and the inventive Glen Bull post the YouTube videos posted below and been totally amazed at this work.

Knowing the software genius, Dr. Peggy Healy Stearns, has been one of the true joys of my life. In addition to designing what I believe is the most teacher/student-friendly software on the market, she is a kind and amazing human being. She allowed me a sneak peek at the Fab@School software that is being created for the digital fabrication movement and it is, as you would expect from something coming from Peggy, wonderful.

Keep an eye out for the progress on this software and the digital fabrication movement. I am certain that you will be seeing the next classroom revolution. If you haven't checked out Dr. Peggy Healy Stearn's software, be sure to check out Stationery Studio*, Community Construction Kit*, Diorama Designer*, The Graph Club 2.0, Neighborhood Map Machine, among others. 


* indicates software that will have relevancy to the Fab@School project.

Stationery Studio will always be nearest my heart because it introduced me to FableVision!


After you watch the YouTube videos, let me know what amazing things you would invent for your classroom!!!! Be part of the revolution!

Several Unexpected Surprises

Dear Neglected TJOJ Readers:

I apologize for the long absence. When I set to writing this blog, I intended to share tools and experiences...after a few months, it got sort of preachy and so I discontinued. Although I never intend to preach, I am so very passionate about education and the way things are going (or not going) in schools. I am going to try for a better mix in the future. 

The first unexpected surprise this week was when I was observed by someone I did not know from an area college. I am offering Professional Development sessions to my colleagues at school in an after-hours format. They can receive college credit for attending. I didn't know what to expect from this observation, but like a regular classroom observation, with me, what-you-see-is-what-you-get. I was reading the observation report when I came upon this quote,  "It is very evident that technology is a real passion of Terry’s and it shows in his energetic teaching and the way he encourages the use of the applications he is presenting. He is obviously a leader in this area and the go-to guy for the staff." Wow. It might not be surprising to know that I am fairly harsh with myself in terms of school, because I always try to make things better. I also have gone through periods of feeling very unappreciated. This was nice to hear from an outside source.

The second surprise may be the sweetest. I received a handmade card from a student (a class assignment, but regardless) from a VERY quiet freshman boy. It had musical notes on the front and the inside said, "Thank you for being a great teacher. I'm sorry I didn't go out for chorus last year. I think you're my favorite teacher in the whole world." That would be nice from ANY kid, but from a painfully shy kid who is not in my class, it's heaven. It is also affirmation that the heart and soul I have been pouring in to kids has not gone unnoticed. Lately, I have been working extra hard to find roads in with kids that seem to struggle. I imagine the casual onlooker might see it as funny. I walked with a girl in PE one day and challenged her to walk faster than her normal snail pace. Not because I care about her speed, but because I wanted her to know she was noticed. 

Both of the things above make it seem like I am tooting my own horn, or holding myself up as an example. That's not really my point, and if you knew me in real life, you would know that is not me. It just reminded me that sometimes, if you want to make a difference, you have to step outside of the normal. You have to put yourself out there. You have to put yourself in a place where you can lead and let your passion for education shine. You have to challenge what the kids believe about school and teachers. The sweetest part of this job is the times that you see a smile from the girl who walks in gym class, or you get a note out of the blue. I am one lucky guy.

Finally, a great surprise last night... A blogger that I deeply respect as a teacher and as a blogger sent a tweet about the absence of blogging. I was humbled to know someone I respect so greatly had noticed that it had been since November that I blogged here. When I made a silly remark back about being sure that the five people who read this were sad, another comment from someone I respect came through. 

So, I make a parallel with my teaching spirituality...Just because you don't know your voice is getting through, doesn't mean that it isn't. Keep speaking, keep dreaming, keep pushing....maybe there will be some unexpected surprises in your future!!

EDUBlog Nominations

My Nominations for The 2010 Edublog Awards are:


Best individual blog- Spencer's Scratch Pad http://www.johntspencer.com/
I have just located this blog and it makes me think really deeply about things related to education.


Best individual tweeter- Diane Cordell @dmcordell
I call her "The Great One" because she is nice to everyone, she is willing to help ANYONE out, and is now retired and uses her knowledge to help coach and guide younger teachers.

Best class blog-Lee Kolbert's Class Blog http://weblogs.pbspaces.com/mrskolbert/
Lee's class have excellent blog posts on a wide variety of subjects. There have been many times where I have thought that the kids have a unique perspective on a subject. 

Best resource sharing blog -Free Technology for Teachers http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
Not only the sharing of resources & links, but FTT gives ideas on how the websites might be useful.

Most influential blog post- Rather Painful Reflection http://attheteachersdesk.blogspot.com/2010/11/edcampkc-rather-painful-reflection.html
Wow, this one is relatively new, but I think it resonates the feelings of many teachers. It is one that stuck with me for days!

Best teacher blog- Paul Bogush  Blogush http://blogush.edublogs.org/
Paul is a rebel of sorts because he posts great ideas and things that make me think. He also shows sort of a 'warts and all' sort of perspective in which he opens up about things that are troubling to him and that he is not perfect.

Best School Administrator blog Educational Discourse http://kwhobbes.wordpress.com/
Kelly is another person who is willing to put his thoughts out there and let them fall where they do. It's honest and open and very engaging.

Best educational wiki: Vicki Davis' Westwood http://westwood.wikispaces.com/Web+2.0
Vicki is, in my opinion, the queen of the Wiki. She not only has an amazing set of resources, she also teaches people about how to effectively manage them.

Lifetime achievement- Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher
Vicki is a very dear person who shares a lot about her "Flat Classroom" project and every day teaching. Although she hasn't been 'famous' in edtech circles for years, she is so very knowledgeable and is a practicing teacher. 


http://edublogawards.com/

A Big Lesson....

A few weeks ago I had trouble with a kid in elementary music class. My new plan for the year is to email parents when there is a problem (which has had mixed results). I explain to the parent what problem had occurred and invite them to work with me in getting the child back on track.

I have had a range of responses from a willingness to partner and a lack of response. One parent responded that they would work with me, but had noticed the student and I had a 'personality conflict.' I have to admit I was completely baffled by that comment. I thought perhaps the mother had misunderstood something because I don't have any personality conflicts, I just try to have an orderly classroom.

So, because I am who I am (the overwhelming need to get to the bottom of things), I asked the kid the next time he was in class. I said, "do we have a problem?" The fifth grade looked me in the eye, then stared at the floor, "Yes.....because, you know, we don't like each other." You could have knocked me over with a feather (though cliche, true). My messages about not blurting out and allowing others to talk were transformed in that kid into dislike.

I immediately cleared that up. Although I don't like his behavior, I have nothing but good feelings toward him. I explained that I need to keep the blurting down so that everyone has a chance to learn. He went back on his way to class, and I was left with these questions......How did this happen and how can I make sure this never happens again?

Anyone who has ever talked to me for very long knows that I love teaching and I love the kids....So, I need to find a way to have an orderly classroom and let them know that I care about them (even if I have to correct their behavior). I think I do a pretty good job of that, but there is obviously room for improvement with some kids.

The amazing thing is that now that the student knows I don't hate him, his behavior is vastly improved. This whole emailing parent plan has had at least one good outcome. 

 

Passion Driven

I was honored to be asked by Angela Maiers to contribute to a series she is doing called Passion Driven Conversations. This is my post:

" I think of passion as the human equivalent of gasoline. It is a highly combustible force that can propel you through any situation. Like gas, it’s easy to start a fire with passion when you have the right conditions. 

Passion will keep you going in the face of people who try to drain your tank. Passion-stealers can attempt to syphon some off with energy draining comments and negative energy, but if you keep moving and focused, you can avoid that. Even if you feel like you are sometimes running on fumes, you can still make it to the next station.

Being around people who fill up your tank easily refuels your passion supply. Fortunately, unlike gasoline, the supply is endless. Sometimes the passion stations have the same brand of gas you do and are passionate about the same thing. Other times, they are so passionate about their own thing, that you get refueled just being near them. It’s very important to find those people and surround yourself with them. 

Being in education, passion is a necessity. Sometimes you work with people who are disimpassioned, or worse, want to dampen your fire. Add to that, lawmakers, filmmakers, the media, and even former computer company executives who don’t understand education and what good teaching looks like, so they want to diminish you. Passion for learning and the kids that you teach plus the desire to make the world a better place will allow you to speed by those people. The future of education relies on the passion of educators who commit to creating change."

Which Are You? Transmitter or Transformer? Light or Dark?

I just returned from the Iowa Technology and Education Connection Conference in Coralville, IA (ITEC10)! I honestly have so many thoughts in my head that I am going to need a bigger head, but I wanted to share the biggest epiphany I had on the way home.

This probably started in earlier blog posts, but I feel such a strong connection to this material. While watching a keynote by Vicki Davis (of Cool Cat Teacher Blog fame), I was struck by the concept she shared from Zig Ziglar about transmitters and transformers. Transmitters are people who transmit out negative thoughts and feelings. Transformers are people who transform the negative things in life and share them positively. Wow....great thought.

Then, before I left Coralville, I glanced at Facebook and saw this message posted by someone I consider a prophet, Patti Digh, which I assumed she quoted a friend:

‎"Tonight I'll be celebrating for all of the Chilean miners and their families, and for
everyone who has had a long, dark stuck period in their life--only to
be pulled to the surface at the last minute." -Amy McCracken

So, with thoughts swirling, I started home. On the way, I snapped the above picture with my Blackberry...and I thought of all the rays of light in my life....and let me tell you, there are a lot. I have a beautiful and loving wife, PR, great students, great former students, great friends, Fable friends, just to mention a few. I have some superstar lights like Peter H. Reynolds and Peggy Healy Stearns, who literally "pulled [me] to the surface at the last minute" (in terms of educational perspective). 

Then, the thought that almost made me pull to the side of the road, "so, which are you, the dark clouds or the rays of streaming light?" The answer was a bit startling. I am both and it depends on the people I am around. . . I very much want to be the ray of light...but sometimes slip into the transmitter. To most kids, I pray I am a ray of light. My focus in life is kids, and I deeply want to be that. I want kids in my classroom to look back on our time together and realize my hope was to raise them up....to help them shine.

Here is a thought, write it down. Blog it. Do whatever it takes to get yourself on track. A funny thing happened when I started blogging. One of the things I would like to leave this earth being known for is the thought that I tried to see the KID and not just their behavior. Last year I had the absolute most trying kid I had ever had in 24 years. I wanted to run screaming from the room at times because the kids behavior was SO far out of the norm, no teacher should be expected to deal with that. Then, just as I was about to absolutely come unglued at the kid, I thought to myself, "Hey, Mr. See-the-kid-and-not-just-behavior, how hypocritical are you going to get today?" Then, I would reach down deeper and try to find MORE compassion. There was obviously something going on in that kid that I couldn't 'fix' but I KNEW yelling at him wasn't going to be a tool to aid the repair. 

Ways to be the light:

• Surround yourself with good people who shed light
• Find ways to deal positively with a negative situation
• Have zero time for people who aren't looking for something positive
• LOVE the people in your life who build you up and make you strong...and for crying out loud, tell them you love them (it shouldn't be a mystery)
• If you are down in a dark place, tunnel out, don't just hang out down there...find people (PLN) to help you build a tunnel.
• You have as much potential for light as you do darkness (and probably more) . . . BE the light

So, which are you..... The dark rain cloud, or the light?