Who Needs a Laugh?

I'm heading back out for a collaboration tomorrow, and I should probably walk all the way to Pleasant Hope because I ate so much the last few days...It was incredibly nice to hang out with family, though, eat, and start the Christmas decorating. You know you're getting old when you think about how long it's going to take to get the tree, etc. all down before you put it all up...

I'm sure you've seen this video clip before, but I thought about watching this one again after finishing up coaching before Thanksgiving break.

See you all next week!

Ben Stein, Choice Words, and Coaching: What Do You Notice?

What do I notice? I'm due for a break! The "classroom discussion" played out in the clip above from Ferris Bueller's Day Off is more common than not, and I guess that's why I always thought it was so hilarious...until I had to find ways to "coach" after observing this painful ordeal in many of my classrooms.

Approaching the coaching session as an opportunity to invite teachers to talk less...and invite kids to talk more, touches only the tip of the teacher-centered classroom. In Choice Words, Peter Johnston calls the pattern of interaction (IRE: teacher initiating [usually a question], student responding, and teacher evaluating the response) very controlling behavior. The underlying premise is that the teacher already knows what needs to be known, and he/she is therefore in the role of the judge, or in other words, the teacher is the knowledge giver and authority, and the students are the receivers without any authority. This system holds a subversive message to students that "children know about the world only through the knowledge that is transmitted to them" (54).

Hum...Where to begin..Johnston suggests a tape recorder to play back and listen to the dialogue...Gosh, I tried (as an observer) to script like crazy to catch as much of it as possible, trying to count hands in the air, position of students in classroom, and as many of the words from the teacher as possible. One of the strongest messages I get from the Johnston book is to notice the good (just as you would in your classroom) and name it...He talks about how sad it is that often teachers can't verbalize what they are actually doing in their classrooms.

I guess we could all be better at noticing what's really going on...and see what positive effects spring from our interactions. At the same time, we can take better control of our words, which have enormous power over the identities of our students as readers, writers, and learners. I think this applies to our teachers - and trainers - as well. If some of my stressed out teachers could just lighten up and enjoy what their kids can discover on their own...Johnston also discusses "wait time," something I need to revisit during my collaborations.

So...I plan to rest, eat, and look for the good that "refueling" during Thanksgiving break will bring me. I know I need a break when all I can see during observations is Ben Stein up there in the front of the class. I know also that laughter is healing and energizing... We could all use some of that, too!

BD

Hi! I have a teacher at one of my first-year schools that has been coming to all the collaborations...she teachers BD 2nd and 3rd graders and she has asked me if I could put her in touch with any other BD teachers that have implemented "MRI" and are beyond year 1. Does anyone have any teachers that I could put her in touch with??

I hope everyone is doing well...I miss you all! We haven't seen each other in FOREVER!

Here is a pic of Gav and Aubree at the Farm Park (Rutledge-Wilson) Pumpkin Patch! :) I LOVE fall!

Ok....Here is one more pic...Halloween costumes! They had SO much fun on Halloween....candy, candy, candy!

What is God telling me?

As I sit at my computer with broken foot propped up to keep the swelling down, I question the November 1 event which, once again, totally put the brakes on my life. I realize it is not up to us to question God's motives, just to accept them as a sign. I'm not sure what the sign is but I'm thinking out of order priorities may be pretty close to the top.

With the help of my mother, I am continuing to go to my schools. Since I am part-time (by the Grace of God) I do not have schools day after day after day, otherwise I would have to quit, but I am giving it a try. I will see how the Doctor thinks the healing is progressing at my visit next week then reassess my schedule if needed. I certainly do not want to risk surgery if the bone does not heal properly. He indicated this was the worst kind of break to have since tendons are connected to that bone. If I put weight on the foot the tendons move the bone keeping it from healing.

Prayers are welcomed.

It's almost Friday!

Well girls of the road, it's almost Friday and that will bring a break from business for at least a minute. I have realized that I'm very thankful for the continuing contact schools I have because I've realized that first year schools can be so "needy." I keep trying to remember what it was like for me to go through those first years, but it is hard because it was so long ago. The other question I am fielding is "So how many schools actually keep this after three years?" I know that my situation may be different because I was blessed by working in a building that kept comprehesive literacy at the forefront of everything they did. So my view of that question is quite jaded.

For the most I do know that their questions are just one more attempt not to change. I try to understand and be sympathetic, but there are moments when I want to just say....DO IT!
(Sorry that my post was messed up....)

Oh, Dear, Jennifer's Foot IS Broken!

This is just a short post to tell you that I just returned from Jennifer's, and yes, she broke her foot, and she has a big, red, heavy cast...on her driving foot!

So...once again, she's grounded from driving, and actually, I think from walking, too. She found out today that not only was her foot broken, but it's crucial to her healing that she stay off of it so that it will mend.

As always, she's moving forward, (she's been hobbling around on it for a couple days...)but keep her in your positive thoughts and prayers!

Collaborating With Skeptics

I don't remember where I ran across this article, but I was thinking that it might be helpful in collaboration, especially in new schools where teachers are still skeptical about "teaching reading" instead of serving as language interpreters and literature experts, ready to guide students through the classics...I really like Cris Tovani's work; it seems so practical and useful and real. (Note to my readers: I originally linked this post (two days ago) to an article by Tovani, but in checking back, I see the article is no longer available for "free" online, so the link no longer works. I printed out the article, but didn't copy and save it in my documents, so I can't share it here. So, instead, I've linked you to a useful chapter about content reading - I love the Three Bear story!)

I'm still trying to catch my breath in the midst of a very hectic fall schedule. (My car operates on auto pilot on I-44.) I'll be thankful for Thanksgiving break!

Oh, yes, here's a funny video(another Barry Lane)about what standardized testing does to schools!



...and, in case you missed it, here's CBS's "All Children Left Behind"

CATS

Hundreds of cats, millions of cats, billions and trillions and zillions of cats. I'm not sure that is exactly the way the book goes but it certainly is a "Text to self" connection. Someone "kindly" left two 7-8 week old kittens on my doorstep last week. I can't have two babies running around outside, taking a chance of getting hit by a non-noticing driver so where are they? In my house. When we are home they are out running around and playing, when we are gone they are content to sleep and play in our kennel-type cage. Signs have been posted over the neighborhood: FOUND: 2 KITTENS: 1 SIAMESE, 1 WITH TIGER MARKINGS. Have we had any calls? Guess! Of course not. With persistence we will hopefully find a home for these babies.

OOPS! I've done it again.

Age, Aged, Aging. Look any of those words up in good ole' Webster's and I'm almost sure the first definition will be clumsy. The second definition will be Jennifer. Just another event in a long history of "clumsiness" struck Saturday. No, nothing fell on me. No, I didn't fall down walking my dog. Clumsy me, I fell out the back door of my house. Now one would question how that would be possible. Refer to Webster's. As I was working in the backyard, I took off my gloves to come into the house for a minute. My pups proceeded to use them as a chewy but unbeknownst to me Steve took them away and placed them on the kitchen table. When returning to the yard to finish working I searched in the doghouse, under the deck and all around the yard. After realizing I was searching for, probably, my gloves, Steve informed me they were on the table. I opened the door, reached in for the gloves, backed out and misjudged the distance between my foot and the step and proceeded in slow motion to fall out the door onto my butt, rolling onto my back and possibly fracturing one of the bones on the outside of my right foot. I iced it down hoping for just a little sprain which it could be since I have not been to a Doctor. That will most likely be one of my errands Monday--the Doctor. I am thinking positive-- "I am positive I am clumsy!".