Teacherscribe's Teaching Thoughts
Week 18 Edition
Keep these in mind
Another great reminder
Love this
The World is a Fine Place and Worth Fighting For
Book of the Week - Row the Boat by Jon Gordon and P.J. Fleck
P.J. Fleck (head football coach of the Minnesota Gophers), some love him, some hate him. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground.
Why the divide? I think it comes as a result of his relentless optimism and positivity. I just think that rubs people the wrong way. The concept of 'rowing' the boat is taken from a personal tragedy Coach Fleck endured. This idea has become a metaphor for the Gopher football program and with the help of John Gordon, it is now a metaphor for us all to apply to our lives.
Fleck and Gordon are cut from the same cloth: both choose positivity over negativity and both choose to optimist even in the darkest moments.
To be truthful, I was one of the few who was actually on the fence about Fleck. But listening to him on a podcast with Gordon converted me. I know it's ironic because I'm a diehard optimist, but there was something about Fleck that seemed like he was showboating. Maybe it was how he led his team onto the field. Maybe it was that everything the U of M put out marketing the team featured Fleck front and center.
But then I learned that this was intentional. Early on when building a program, Fleck reasons, is when you are likely to have the most difficulties and least amount of success. That was why he put the emphasis on himself. The players and support staff were shielded from criticism because he was the focus. Then in years 2 and 3, when the people bought in and success is more likely to come (and that happened with Minnesota going to a bowl game and beating Auburn, which just so happened to have beaten one of the top teams that year in Alabama), that was when Fleck stepped back and put his other coaches and players at the forefront. Genius.
With that, I couldn't wait to read this book, even though Gordon's books have long since grown tiresome for me. This one did not, mainly because of its focus on Fleck and his ideas and life.
The core thesis of the metaphor of rowing the boat is this - there are three key parts to rowing the boat (or navigating the difficulties of life) - they are -
1. The oar. This represents your energy and passion. Either your oar is in the water moving you along or it's out of the water allowing you to coast and - worse - get swept away by the current.
2. The boat. This represents the sacrifice we all have to make. The more you help others and the greater purpose you have, the bigger the boat.
3. The compass. This represents our direction. Who casts your vision? Who do let in to your boat or life that shapes your direction? Who inspires you or brings you down?
Only working all three together can you get where you want to go.
A bit cheesy, right? It is. I admit it, but this book is a quick read and inspiring.
Teaching Thoughts
Week 18 (January 10-14)
Teaching Thought #5 - The Three M’s
Last weekend I spoke at a coaching clinic (thanks coach Mumm for getting us in). My topic was turning around a program. One thing I focused on was making our players stronger via the LHS weight room. I didn’t know it at the time, but what I was instituting worked because it hinged on three factors for success anywhere (and in the classroom too).
If you’re looking to institute change - again whether it’s for a team, in your classroom, or in your personal life - remember these three things: 1. Make it measurable. 2. Make it meaningful. 3. Make sure it’s maintainable.
When I reflect on any of the new things I’ve instituted in my classroom (as well as my personal life) that have stuck and have made a difference, it always hinges on these three things.
I’ll give an example - Last year I finally bought in to SSR. It is measurable because I devote the first 15 minutes of class to it. I keep tabs on the books students are reading and the progress they are making each day. My next step is to have my students (and I’ll probably start off with my English 9 students this semester) is to have kids keep a short reading journal to measure their progress.
This is also meaningful as long as I can line students up with books that they enjoy. Two quick illustrations - I lined Nolan in my Sports Lit class first quarter up with a Gary Paulson book because it aligned well with his passions and interests in hunting and the outdoors. After a few weeks as he was finishing the book, he confessed to me, “this was the first school book I ever read at home. I read 20 pages in my room last night.” Then there was Tucker in my English 9 class last year. Mrs. Semanko was looking to test out some of the possible texts for her True Crime class. One of those texts was a graphic novel called My Friend Dahmer. Since I knew Tucker had a passion for true crime, I offered it to him. He dove in during that first SSR time. When he came back the next day, I asked him if we would be reading it again for SSR. He said no. “I finished it last night at home. I couldn’t put it down.” If that isn’t meaningful, I don’t know what is.
Finally, any new change has to be maintainable. And SSR certainly is. Though that doesn’t mean it can’t be tweaked and improved. In some classes - especially if students have other classes that do SSR too - students do get tired of reading. That’s where I developed an alternative SSR assignment. I find interesting articles for students to read. Then they must summarize it, look for bias, and offer a reaction. If they do this, they earn their daily SSR points. I am also thinking of working in grammar lessons from No Red Ink on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students to break up SSR some. I also know it’s maintainable because a vast majority of my students enjoy the time to read anything they want.
So the next time you have some professional development and are ready to add in a new tech tool or practice, first address how it is going to be measurable, meaningful, and maintainable. Otherwise, odds are the change won’t stick.
Teaching Thought #6 - Take (or maybe you have to ‘Make’) Some Time to Listen
This is now my third year having 9th grade LINC. This year I’ve made a greater effort to slow down with the curriculum and just talk with my dozen freshmen to see how they are doing, what they are struggling with, and what I can possibly help them with.
This often consumes our whole time together.
I felt bad that I wasn’t keeping up with the curriculum, but then I surveyed the students before Christmas break. I asked them several questions, one of them being what is your favorite class and why. I was surprised by how many of them actually listed LINC as their favorite class.
Why?
Each student mentioned that they liked it because they were able to talk and share how they were feeling and what they were going through.
Now, I make time to “check in” with my other classes on a regular basis to. Give it a try. I think you’ll be surprised by how your students respond.
Teaching Thought #7 - Most Skills are . . .
I heard this from a podcast: “Most secrets are just skills, and all skills can be learned.” For some reason that lodged into my brain and reminded me of my classes. I think this is such a great message to remind our students of every day.
I used to marvel at how my high school English teacher, Mr. Sorenson, could break down and analyze poetry in our sophomore English class. The way he picked apart the imagery and symbolism in Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay” or in Dickinson’s “There is No Frigate Like a Book,” blew me away.
Now that I do the same thing with my students, I need to remind them there is no secret to it. It all comes from practice (reading and analyzing tons of poems) and then learning to identify the symbols, imagery, and form of poems.
I recall as a very young (and very bad) teacher trying to impress my sophomores with my analysis of the symbols in A Separate Peace by Jonathan Knowles. I was too caught up in trying to show them how much I knew. What an idiot! I should have been focusing on teaching them the skills of how to do it themselves.
Now, every time students struggle with a concept (whether it’s identifying a symbol, analyzing a theme, or even how to correctly format a paper in MLA), I slow down immediately and remind them there is no secret to it. It’s all about developing skills. Unfortunately, there is nothing really sexy about that. You just have to do the work.
Teaching Thought #8 - Traits of a Good Teacher
I stole this one from Donald Graves’ book Teaching Day by Day. Graves talks about the importance of devising a list of traits that good teachers have. Then cross reference your own skill set versus those. What traits are your strengths? What ones do you lack?
My favorite bit of advice offered by Grave is this: Choose your favorite colleague, and then make two lists. What makes this person a good colleague? What would be on the list this colleague makes about you?
Teaching Thought #9 - Square Pegs
I know it’s a cliche to say, “You can’t fit a square peg in a round hole,” but that still doesn’t make it untrue! This is a talk I have to have with students from time to time.
When I do this, I highlight what the class is about, whether it’s having to read To Kill a Mockingbird, having to write an analysis of a documentary, or something as basic as coming to class regularly or keeping up with the workload. Then I explain - usually with a progress report printed out - how the class is a round hole and how the students’ behavior (not the student themselves) seem to be a square peg.
Then I try to give them some options -
We can try to keep jamming this square peg into the round hole.
I can help them smooth the edges off the peg so that it fits better in the round hole.
This class might not be for you. Nothing good is going to come of this beside the peg being damaged or the whole board breaking due to hopelessly jamming the square peg into the round hole.
It’s not a perfect solution (or metaphor) but this helps make students aware of their situation. I’m not just the bad guy trying to fail them. I’m not just trying to heap the work on them so they will fail. I’m not just trying to get them to drop the class (in fact, even if they do drop the class, odds are they will end up taking it in some fashion again from me since I teach summer school at the ALC).
I know it’s not perfect, but it beats hopelessly trying to get that square peg to fit into a round hole.
Why I Love Teaching
Modeling life long learning
As they are doing this, I get a chance to do the assignment with them! I am going to watch The Social Dilemma and then write an analysis of it. Not just to model the work and process for my students but because this is fun and this is what live love learners do!
That's why when George Couros (or maybe it was Dave Burgess) asked if we'd like to be students in our own classes, I answered, "I am!"
Podcast of the Week - Frickin' Packets
In fact, that is one of my goals for second semester, find new ways to inject creativity back into my classes. For the past two years, so much of what I did at work was just about getting through the lesson (not to mention keep track of what day it was - blue, white, or gold when we were hybrid or making sure everyone was actually logged on and "present" for the Zoom lesson when we were distance learning and then even when we were back in person last year it was trying to get everyone up to the same speed from the disaster that was distance learning) that being creative was not even on my horizon.
But it needs to get back there. And this podcast is a great reminder of the difference between busy work and meaningful work. To be clear, not all worksheets are bad. What the author of the podcast, Jennifer Gonzalez, reveals is that sometimes the thought process and intention behind worksheets are what is so nefarious. If it's about learning, it's not busy work or 'frickin' packets.' If it's about simply completing something (and trust me, a whole lost of the last two years was all about just completing things), well that needs to change.
And that is what I'm all about now. I hope you are too.
Video of the week - Be a Mr. Jensen
Amazing.
And what a rallying cry - "Be a Mr. Jensen!" Remember, "A single moment in can change a person's life." These might not come by all that often, but when they do, be a Mr. Jensen. Don't miss a chance to make an impact.
Thoughts from Twitter
Give this a try in your classroom . . .
Animoto
1. Create a how to tutorial for a process.
2. Use Animoto to illustrate a concept.
3. Illustrate and annotate the progress of a draft from first draft to final draft.
4. Use images and music to summarize a story from class.
5. Illustrate a day in your life (or a day in the life of a character).
6. Use Animoto to illustrate a personal passion.
The example I created - which illustrates our motto from football this year, E + R = O, is linked below. Seriously, this took me ten minutes to create, if that long.
Article of Interest - What to do about late work?
Next to CRT, this is probably one of the most controversial topics in education right now. Punitive grading boils down to this - if a student submits late work, it's worth half credit or maybe even zero credit.
Those who are in favor of this (and I have been in this camp myself) argue that if kids don't do the work, why should they get any credit at all? This is where the old mantra of, if I don't do anything at work for a week, I won't get half my paycheck! comes in. And that is true. To an extent. I am not sure it's a perfect analogy for high school work, though.
Those who are in favor of giving partial credit to students for late work argue that if you give students zeroes or even half credit for late work, it might bury them so deeply that they can never get caught back up and, thus, quit trying all together in the class. This only compounds the problem. I have been in this camp too.
This article is written in response to a group of teachers who pushed back against their district's "proposal to remove point penalties for work that students turn in late, to discontinue the practice of grading homework assignments and to allow students multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery on tests and quizzes."
I see their concerns. I have tried giving numerous opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery on tests, quizzes, and projects. I once wrote a whole research paper and planned out curriculum based off Williams Glasser's The Quality School, back in college. Glasser's point is that students should get as many chances as needed to demonstrate mastery. In theory, that is 100% correct. In reality, though, it doesn't work quite the way Glasser says it does. At least in my experience.
This article makes some great points against punishing students with reduced scores for late or partially completed work - by greatly reducing a student's score early in the learning process (say in math class for example) can severely hamper their chance at ever mastering the overall concept (perhaps this is why I never excelled at math?). Another argument against punitive grading is that missing work isn't a reflect of disrespect for the teacher or apathy toward the subject. Maybe it's indicative of larger issues with a child.
Personally, for most of my classes, if work comes in late, it doesn't earn a zero . . . as long as the work is submitted. That is the key detail for many teachers. They just can't see the rationale for giving partial credit for something that is never completed and submitted. They reason, what sense does it make to have a student show up, do nothing, submit nothing, and still earn a 59% in my class? Yes, that is a failing grade, but they have done 0% of the work! Why should they earn a 59% for nothing?
I see that as a very valid point. But then again, how many students would actually show up every day and never turn in anything? I hope that would be an incredibly tiny minority of students.
On the other hand, if handing out zeroes as punishment for late or incomplete assignments actually worked, wouldn't it change the behavior and motivate students to complete their work? That too is clearly not the case in the real world of the classroom?
What are you tips and tricks for dealing with late or incomplete work? I'd love to hear them.
Bonus content of the week - Post Reading Activities
The "Designer" and "Lexicographer" and "Disc Jockey" activities would so have been my jam back in the day with Mrs. Christianson (9th grade English), Mr. Sorenson (10th grade English), and Mrs. Matzke (11th and 12 th grade English).
In case you missed the previous Teaching Thoughts newsletter -
Chief Inspiration Officer of Room 205
I am married to the most amazing person in the world, Kristie. It was love at first sight. At least for me. And it still is.
We have four wonderful children, Casey, Koko, Kenzie, and Cash. And now we have been blessed with five grandchildren!
I also happen to have the greatest job in the world: teaching English to high school students.
I am in my 24th year of teaching at Lincoln High School. I graduated from Lafayette High School in Red Lake Falls in 1992. I decided to enter the field of education because of two amazing teachers, Mr. Mueller, my fourth and sixth grade elementary school teacher and assistant baseball coach, and Mrs. Christianson, my 9th grade English teacher.
I attended Northland Community College, and had my life changed by the amazing Dr. Diane Drake. Then I transferred to Bemidji State University in 1995. There I had amazing professors who further inspired me to teach English (Dr. Helen Bonner, Dr. Mark Christensen, Susan Hauser, and Gerry Schnabel). I graduated with my BS in English Education in 1997.
I student taught with the wonderful Lisa Semanko and then began teaching full-time at LHS in 1998.
I took a year's leave of absence in 2001-02 to return to BSU for my MA in English. There I had the privilege to teach and work closely with my greatest mentor, Dr. Mark Christensen. I earned my MA in English in 2006 and was honored with "Thesis of the Year" for my creative non-fiction, braided, multi-genre memoir, "Meeting Myrtle: A Biography."
In 2013, thanks to my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Jodi Holen, I was offered an adjunct teaching position fall semester at the University of North Dakota. Tuesday nights I teach Intro to Education: Teaching and Learning 250 from 5-8. Those three hours fly by in about ten minutes.
Then in 2016 I was blessed to win a WEM award (thanks to a nomination from a former student (and now an elementary school teacher), Ciera Mooney).
In 2017 I became part of the #pineconepd podcast club along with Brian Loe, Jeff Mumm, Kelsey Johnson, Kelly Weets, Josh Watne, Tevia Strand, Megan Vigen, Mariah Hruby, Laura Brickson, Loren Leake, Katie Hahn, Melora Burgee, and new members all the time. This has been one of the best forms of PD I've ever been a part of. They make me a better teacher every time we meet. Please think about joining us in the summer at the Pine Cone Pub from 6:30 - until we've solved all the world's problems. For that evening anyway.
In 2021, I became head coach of the Powler football team. It is a dream come true. I have an amazing staff and had an excellent mentor in two amazing former head coaches, Jeff Mumm and Bryce Lingen. I couldn't have asked for greater men to learn from.
Finally, thanks to the inspiration of Shane Zutz (our former principal) I devised this as a way to distribute my Teaching Thoughts and add more content to, hopefully, help out and inspire others.
Email: kurt.reynolds@myprowler.org
Website: http://teacherscribe.blogspot.com
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