Why Happiness in Learning?

When you are happy, you will learn more. 

Here is a brain research; "Feel Good" neurotransmitter, Dopamine, influences important learning skills like paying attention.  Dopamine is released during pleasure-inducing experiences.  A Harvard graduate researcher, Shawn Achor suggests  6 Exercises for Happiness for becoming happy or happier.  In TED Talk, Achor discusses about the significant game changer, "happiness" in the business and education.  Being positive makes you more productive compare to being stressful.  I agree with his point that it is important to shift into creating happiness instead of managing "stress reduction".  One of the strategies that sustain the time length of being happy is the gratitude practice.  Noting three gratitude every day makes your happiness feeling longer.

The Science of Happiness: An Experiment Gratitude shows unique experiment on happiness.  Julian in this video shares "Two weeks of the three gratitude habit lasts six weeks of a long happy feeling." 

Gratitude journal is simple and easy.  Just jot down anything you feel appreciative in your life, as simple as sunny weather, being healthy, morning coffee, a phone call from friend, etc.  If this simple exercise makes people happy, I will share it with my students because they can make their brains work  more effectively by just being happy.  I am grateful for the understanding of scientific reasons to be happy and how to be.

In addition, daily mindfulness practices help train our brain to respond from the positive emotional experiences.

Students will be happy to learn.  They learn happily.  Breathe.  Be grateful.

August Anxiety

If you feel a little anxious as soon as August button hit, most likely you are a teacher.  I have several smiling facial images from happily retired teachers in my mind.  One day I will  be one of them, fishing trip until November if I want.  But for now, I am trying to reduce my stress, store my strength, and generae my inspiration to prepare for the upcoming new school year.

Fist of all, practicing daily mindfulness, especially with Smiling Mind, helped to focus on peace and gratitude of my being.   Breathing exercise itself helps my reflective part of brain (prefrontal cortex) instead of reactive part (amigdala). Knowing the scientific fact encourages me to continue practicing.  Even though I am just a beginner of mindfulness, my stress should lessen than previous Augusts.

Maintaining physical strength is as important as mental strength.  Keeping up with daily thirty minutes walk, flapping arms like jelly fish, stretching side core by laying side way on the exercise ball,  and being from cobra to downer dog are only some of the examples.   Hopefully, some degree of the diligent work habit would remain in the daily routine after September.

Watching people who keep challenging themselves beyond their limit uplifts my spirit.  Yes, I am talking about American Ninja Warrior.  The strong desire, determination, and hard working make all contestants winners no matter how far they would go through the obstacles.  I am simply in front of TV clapping and cheering.   Ninjas are my inspiration.  It makes me believe that I can achieve anything if I desire strong enough.

After three deep breaths, I became confident.  I can kick out of my August anxiety from my system. 

Gratitude Journal

Use kindheartedness within your own emotions, whether they're good or bad ones.  Being aware of my presence from mindfulness practice extends the journey from my own breath to my emotions.  Noticing my current emotion and accepting it.  If it's negative, "Breathe", so that I can make better choices to deal with my current emotion.  I am very grateful for making sense of my body, mind, and brain connections.  Keeping a "Gratitude Journal" is recommended for this practice.  True, when I purposefully look for gratitude in my regular life, surprisingly, it comes to me!  When I am appreciative, I feel content.

My eyebrows were as thick as the Olympic National Forest. It's time to take care of them, I thought.  When I walked into the comfortably air conditioned Nail Salon, it was full.  A customer service lady kindly told me, "There is about a 30 minute waiting time."  I said,  "I will be back."  I did some errands, then went back about an hour later.  It was full again.  The same lady noticed me, "Oh, you came back again.  I am sorry, but you have to wait for 20 minutes.  Sit there," she said, pointing towards a waiting seat.  I said, "It's OK.  I can come back.  What time are you closing?"  She frantically waved her hand right in front of her face and said, "No, no, you don't have to come back.  I will do it right now."  She cleverly managed her other customer by letting her dry her wet toenails before the paint process.  She started working on my eyebrows, and in less than 15 minutes, she flipped her plan and had taken care of my bushy eye brows!  She even charged me a discounted price because she said she was happy that I came back.  "Thank you and come back again," she smiled.  Needless to say, I was grateful.

The rest of my day was purely pleasant even though I kept failing the download of the new system, Windows 10, onto my computer.  I accepted my frustration, took some breaths, and brainstormed options that would help me solve the problem.  I am thankful that I didn't throw my computer towards the other side of the room.  It is still hard to accept my emotions but I keep practicing.

Look with Ears, Listen with Eyes

A nurse informs me, "Your child has no problems with hearing," after coming back from the audiology testing.
I wonder, "Hmmm, why are some things not done as he is told?"
The nurse replies with a smile, "We don't test for 'Listening'."

A veteran Science teacher is lecturing to his seventh graders, "You would think you use your ears when you listen.  But you must use your eyes when you listen."

Another Science teacher talks about the legendary tale to his eighth graders, "Each word has Kotodama (spirit of the language).  If you want to understand what a speaker is saying, look at the person.  The spirit comes in to you through your eyes.  You will fully comprehend and appreciate the speech.  On the other hand, when you put your head down, the Kotodama runs through above your head.  The information will not stay in  your brain.

The key words are Attentiveness and Purposeful.

Unlike several centuries before, there are so many different sounds nowadays in addition to natural sounds like bird chirping and wind blowing. In the big cities, sounds are more like uncomfortable "noises".  Fortunately, we have a brain that has the ability to filter out unimportant sounds while finding the most critical perceptual signals according to the book  How We Learn.  And being able to select the sound, which is the most important and appropriate for that scene, leads to successful learners. 

Train your brain by selecting the most important sound you must intake at a moment so you can be an attentive listener.  To do that, you must be aware of your presence.  What sounds do I notice?  Which sound is the most important one that I have to focus on?  Practicing mindfulness will help to discriminate different sounds. 

In my music training, my teacher asked me to dictate the chord progression by focusing on one note each time.  For instance, first, I listen to the top note of the three notes.  Write down.  Next, I focus on the bottom notes only.  Write down.  Last, the middle notes which are the hardest to discriminate in the chord.  This training tremendously helped my "purposeful" listening skills beyond the solfege music ear training.

Gently guide young children to become purposeful listeners.  They will start using all of their senses when they listen.  That is our job.

Multiplication Mantra

Whether you like it or not, you have to know all the multiplication facts in order to be ready to advance to the next step in Elementary math.  Traditionally, Japanese second grade students beautifully complete this task with a multiplication chant called Kuku before the end of the school year, although the mastering speed varies depending on the student.  Second graders all around Japan are reciting Kuku every day until they memorize the multiplication facts.  The multiplication fact chant sounds somewhat like a song and somewhat like a rap.  But it doesn't mean anything besides a strings of facts from 1x1=1 through 9x9=81. Seven or eight year old children pick up its rhythm and memorize all the facts.  And surprisingly, all facts permanently stick in their brains.  It is an astonishing phenomenon that I had never questioned  until someone asked me, "How should third graders master multiplication facts?"

I have tried several strategies in my previous third grade classrooms, such as memorizing by writing, drilling, timing, using fingers, chorusing, counting, using manipulatives, flash cards, and even an English version of Kuku.

I was sitting by a nine year old boy and was ready to try my new approach.  So far, I hadn't been successful with helping him master his multiplication facts with all these strategies listed above.  I made myself a goal to make him master all the multiplication facts before fourth grade.  My first idea was to start our tutoring session with Mindfulness.  He can be calm and increase his attention.  "Let's breathe.  Count your breath," I invited him.  I closed my eyes and heard his breaths.  When we both opened our eyes, he seemed ready to connect his brain stem to the prefrontal cortex.

Ambitiously, I decided to use some combined methods from  How We Learn by Benedict Carey in a 45 minute session.  1) Short quizzes....Asking questions in order to engage the mind and demand more than straight memorization.  Even if he makes mistakes, he can predict what's coming in the process.  I encouraged him to pretend to be an expert.  2) Spacing Time...Set a timer for two minutes in between activities so he can relax or think about something else.  I made seven sets of multiplication facts (6s).  Each set had facts from 1 to 9.  In this case, facts from 1x6 to 9x6 were randomly listed. 

"OK, write each answer in 5 seconds and move on until you are done.  If you don't know the answer, just skip it and move on."  (I wanted to break his counting habit.) Each routine consisted of a (pre)test, 2 minutes self studying (writing down, silent reading, visualizing, reading aloud etc), and a 1 minute stretch.  I counted the number of correct answers and the number of blank spaces in which he gave up on "pretending to be an expert".

1st round: 3 correct 3 blanks
2nd round: 4 correct 4 blanks  "I don't know all of these.  I don't like it."
3rd round 6 correct 1 blanks
4th round 7 correct 0 blanks  "Yeah, I did it."
5th round 6 correct 1 blank
6th round 6 correct 0 blank
7th round 7 correct 1 blank

He started to pretend to be an expert from the 3rd round and increased his accuracy!  It is now evident that 6x8 is the "must" focus fact, and that he needs to strengthen his knowledge of 6x6 and 6x7 consistently.   This routine can be another repertoire in my classroom. At the end of the session, we both breathed deeply.

Empower Women from the Educational Pioneers

One of the summer homework assignments in Japan is a book reflection.  You read an assigned book and write about it.  It includes a summary and your own responses.  Reading an assigned book was not my favorite thing.  In fact, I didn't like to read books in general.  But I enjoyed thinking and writing.  The catch was that this writing piece could be the ticket to winning the Book Reflection Contest in the fall.  Needless to say, I never missed this assignment.  Thus, even though I have been away from this assignment since my middle school years, the cycle of "read, reflect, describe (discuss and/or write)" has remained as a habit within me.


It is sadly true that I didn't really read much during my twelve years of public education.  Reading for joy was not emphasized or encouraged very much.  I was good to go if I comprehended text from the text books.  I never questioned it until my senior year in high school.  Without my friend who introduced to me her favorite books, I wouldn't have been a reader at all.  Thanks to her, I LOVE reading now!

Here I am, picking up the book, Daughters of the Samurai A Journey from East to West and Back by Janice P. Nimura (not an assigned book).  Though I knew a little about Ume Tsuda, the founder of the prestigious Tsuda College in Japan and a Japanese Female Education Advocate from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, I didn't imagine this book would give me so much information about her journey and accomplishments with her fellow female leaders.

Some intriguing facts are that the main three women (Ume, Stematsu, and Shige) were born into the traditional Samurai Families and experienced the terrible bloody situations during the Japanese Revolution War.  Although the Confucius society allowed males to have more opportunities such as education, the Japanese new government decided to promote Women's education by sending young girls (their age ranged from 7 to 14) to America to receive the Western education.  The Japanese officials expected these girls to bring their knowledge back to Japan and teach women so that the country would become stronger. Women's education was quite a radical idea especially back then in the male dominant society.

Sending seven year old girls (without parents!) to a foreign country was another crazy idea, especially when Japan opened the international commercial port just a few years prior to it.  Then, they don't come back for ten long years?  No wonder why they never felt at home in their own native land when they returned.  Despite the struggle, Ume founded her own school which provided superior Western education to all women regardless of their family rank with help from Sutematsu and Shige.

After both Sutematsu and Shige married wealthy military men shortly after their return from America, their contribution to the new Japanese society was amazing.  Shige especially, I would like to mention, was a wife, mother of children, and a professional pianist and teacher.  Of course, she could afford nannies and servants because of her husband's military rank and wealth. Being a working mother in the early 1900s sounds very impressive compared to the national norm of women's states.

Here is my question.  I remember learning of the Japanese new government sending "males" to study abroad as the Iwakura Mission.  However, my history text books and High School history teacher never mentioned that the Iwakura Mission took five young girls as a part of their mission.  I was even in the girls' only High School!  It is ironic for me to learn about these historical and courageous Japanese female leaders in the 21st century in the U.S.  How powerful it would be if young girls all over the world (not just in Japan) learned about historical female leaders and their journey.

According to some resources such as the Gates Foundation, Chelsea Clinton, and Emma Watson ,  still, women's education is lacking globally.  My summer reading, Daughters of the Samurai, gave me important opportunities to understand the history details, reflect on my own experiences, and open a door to look at the subject from multiple points of view.

The Sixth Core Preposition

"We call 'Confluence' the sixth core preposition," one of the National Board Teacher leaders announced in the Leadership Conference.  Confluence?  Its definition can be found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary easily.  What I understand about the Five Core Propositions are commitment, knowledge, management, reflection, and communication.  The distinguished teachers nail all five areas effectively.  Now, put all the strength together and bring the new educational leadership.  We all applauded and were excited about our future leadership journey.

The word "Confluence" came back into my mind again just recently.

It started during a Six Week Mindfulness Online Course (Mindful School).  As soon as I started my course, a related link connected me to Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).  When students are socially and emotionally content (by being aware and managing their feelings), they engage and exceed themselves in their academics.  The article concluded the effectiveness of  adopting Mindfulness into CASEL.  CASEL also reminded me of Love and Logic  that I have been using at home and in the classroom.  Both CASEL and Love and  Logic value healthy relationships.  Kids are encouraged to solve their own problems via trusted adults providing them with their own thinking opportunities.  During the process, kids think about their own feelings, the problem itself, possible consequences, and possible solutions by themselves.  This idea lead me into the Second Step curriculum by Committee for Children.  Particularly, one of the lessons in this curriculum teaches young children explicitly about "Belly Breathing".  This brought me back to Mindfulness (What is Mindfulness).

Then, I wondered how powerful it is when many streams come together to become one.  My vision of "one" is of enormous nature; the mouth of the Columbia River that separates Oregon and Washington. That impressive nature view can be our essential goal: children's well being.  I feel full of hope and responsibility to be involved with young children's education.  To start with, I will try my own mindful exercise through simple guidance such as the Smiling Mind that my study buddy recommended. Is my brain going to thoughtfully respond instead of impulsively react with practice?  I look forward to recognizing myself.  To be continued.

Audacious Attitude

I have been out of my comfort zone on purpose for a last couple of weeks.  I wanted to bring my memories and sensations back to me when I must learn something new.

 Learning new things must be exciting, however, it is true that associated with some degrees of fear.  As you get older, you would become fearless because you have accumulated your life experiences.  They would help you predict what might happen.  Their cause and effect picture is more clear than experienced people.  Being predictable would relieve your anxiety. 

On the other hand, if you think the outcome would not be good from the new experience based on your life experience, you might not try in the first place.  You might say, "Oh, it takes too much time," "It's too messy," "I don't like that stuff.," etc.  You would become like a five year old whining, "I don't like this food," even though you haven't tasted before.

I am wondering about how the person, who has only seven years of life experiences in his life, would respond in the situation where facing the new challenges in school.  Chances are 1) This child was born to be fearless, curious, and enjoys taking risks and 2) This child is curious but afraid of taking risks. (Not limited, of course.) Neither cases could be influenced by their life experiences in this learning situation.

I was number 2 when I walked in the fitness gym first time.  I was interested in being fit, but I was afraid of being revealed how bad my current shape was, how the trainer thinks of my physical abilities, and simply and physically how hard I have to work out towards my goals.  My "long" life experiences manipulated my mind in a pathetic way, juggling anxieties that I have possibly predicted. 

"Feel the presence.  Be kind to yourself without judgement.  Breath in, breath out....,"  the mindfulness lines chimed in.  That's right!  I WAS afraid of the "judgements" (which never happened and most unlikely would happen) and almost losing my new learning opportunity.  I began to talk to myself,  "I should accept who I am no matter how bad or good shape I am.  I am wanting and needing to teach my body how to move in order to sustain my good health.  So be it..."  Then, my attitude shifted from fear to willingness. 

The yoga instructor would say, "Weigh on your feet," when my arms are tired from my heavy weight. The fitness instructor would say, "Don't move your shoulders but squeeze your collar bones,"  when my neck was awkwardly shrugged between my shoulders like a turtle.  The Zumba instructor would say, "Don't forget to smile," when my face was a petrified zombi.  The NIA instructor would say, "Dance freely, enjoy!" when I was an aimless jelly fish floating in the Puget Sound. 

I am totally out of my comfort zone, however, that is where I am now.  But I don't have rush to feel comfortable for the challenges.  But I am becoming audacious to the challenges.  When this attitude becomes to the habit, these challenges are going to be a part of my presence some day in the future.

How We Learn in Summer

On the sunny porch with a comfortable summer breeze, I reached the next chapter "Retention" in my summer reading,  How We Learn The Surprising Truth About When, Where, and Why It Happens by Benedict Carey.  It all started with the New York Times Book Review that tickled my curiosity. 

I picked up this book simply because I wanted to justify how I individualize my students when they learn.  It is uniquely true that there are so many different ways to learn new skills and gain knowledge. However, do learners (including myself) really know what strategy is the most effective?  Do we retain our understanding well enough to apply it into our life?

In the meantime, I was curious about how many American students retain their year long learning at an efficient level during their summer break. 

Japanese kids get out for their summer break usually on July 20th (one more week!) and come back to school on September 1st.  Whether you are a first grade student or a teacher, you will get summer homework.  The elementary school homework includes math and language arts workbooks, summer reading with a reflection paper, a science project, a swimming log, and a daily journal.  A couple of days before the summer break, the classroom teachers help students make their daily schedule, i.e., waking up time, bed time, play time, study time, etc.  Ms. Teacher would say, "You shouldn't go out to play before 10 am.  You have to finish your homework each day while it's cooler in the morning."  Attending the local 6:30 am National Radio Exercise in the local playground every morning has been the P.E requirement. Additionally, students have to report to school for one or two days during the break so that teachers can check on how they are doing on their homework and with life without school in general.  Sounds intense, doesn't it?  Teachers still lament, "The kids lost everything they have learned," when they come back in September.

Carey supports the idea of breaking up study time, changing rooms, and using distractions (music).  I wonder what might happen if Japanese kids break up their homework studying into increments, perhaps into three 15 minute sessions, such as in the morning, afternoon, and evening, rather than cramming it all during the cooler morning time.  I wonder what might happen if they intentionally choose different rooms each time, like the kitchen, bedroom, and perhaps  the local library if it's too hot during the daytime.  Each session, they should use the earplugs to access some music.  Ben Carey, I would like you to conduct this new study on Japanese kids just for me.  I want Japanese kids to feel unstressed during the summer, even if it's only a little bit.

For American kids, they have no problem finding free time, choosing rooms, and many have experienced music with a headset during the school year.  What they need is actual "Summer Assignments".  Bring a tablet on a vacation or even a car ride to play games like multiplication facts or sight words.  Bring a Kindle with you where you go to read during your spare time.  I don't think  kids have to work like a bee, but just don't be totally free for the WHOLE SUMMER! 

Retention techniques only work if you have the study materials.  As a classroom teacher, I hope kids go back to the addition/subtraction facts and think about/use reading strategies at least once a week anywhere they are in addition to doing family things that can only be experienced during the summer.  I look forward to seeing kids who are content and confident when they come back to school in September.

Fitness Education for Life

I was nervously standing in front of the sturdy pink and green plastic block in the fitness trainer's office.  "Start anytime you want and continue until three minutes is up."  My right leg stepped on the box and went down, along with my left foot, with rhythmical metronome sounds.  The trainer entertained me for the whole three minutes by chatting with me, which I appreciated.  I was not bored.

"Your resting pulse was 81.  Usually, it recovers to the resting pulse in one minute, however yours took two minutes."  I was pretty amazed that my own heart didn't want to recover from the  excitement from the mild exercise.  Also, I concluded why I have disliked running since I was little.  Because my heart doesn't recover as quick as normal, my exhaustion remains within me longer than other people.  I remember this stepping activity as one of the physical fitness tests in Japanese Elementary School.

The Japanese Education Department has established Sports Tests and Fitness Assessments in public schools since the Tokyo Olympics of 1964 to encourage the whole nation to be more athletic.  In 1999, these assessments were adjusted.  Currently, the government promotes a wider range age group (6 to 79 years old)'s participation for the purpose of maintaining the nation's well being by facing the aging society. 

Aging or not, we have our own responsibilities to maintain our own body and mind.  It is beneficial that these students in public school have the opportunities to analyze their physical abilities and sports performance annually.  Sadly, many Japanese adults don't take advantage of their early fitness experiences well after their graduation in comparison to the U.S.  Our resourceful heath fitness awareness can be seen as early as in Elementary Schools.  Well being is as important as English, Language Arts, and Math.  If the fitness program (or assessment including nutritious education) is lacking in the school, they need something for each kid, some guidelines or standards that everyone can easily follow through.  Youngsters need to learn about their own bodies, their physical performance, and how to improve/maintain their qualities.  This kind of conversation should be heard more often at home and at their community at large.

So, for me, my self awareness just to recognize the importance of my well being started very late in my life.  But hey, better than never, right?  As my fitness endeavor continues, I would love to be an advocate for the students' and their families' well being too.  One day at a time. 

Learner's Point of View

My first year teaching experiences were unpleasant not only because I was the young, female, music specialist, surrounded by black uniformed teenage students who looked down (because I was too short or they were too tall) with disrespect in the entire school year to me, but also because a particular senior teacher was a tyrant in this school.  Surprisingly, even the principal got quiet when he began arguing against the school policy.  Several young teachers including me all acted like his servants inside and outside of school.  One female science teacher especially was like his personal secretary.  I was pretty amazed how she took care of all the paperwork in addition to her teaching job.  She never said "No" to this senior teacher.  I was relieved that I was not in their grade level, although there were some chores other than teaching work (ordering other teachers' lunch, collecting money, making exact change for each person weekly, etc) on my plate. 

This senior teacher called me stupid and told me not wear piercings in my ears at work during the faculty party.  I didn't know how to fight.  Even though I felt horrible, I kept going to the parties that this teacher attended.  Why?  He was beyond knowledgeable, even somewhat humble, and he was willing to share every one of his experiences with his colleagues.  One of his stories struck me. 

"I am still taking some classes.  I sit and listen to the instructor.  It shows me how students feel in their seats in the classroom.  Unless I sit as a student, how do I know how my students learn?  Learn something other than your career.  Be curious."

While taking classes are very common for teachers or any adults in the U.S., there are not many opportunities for Japanese teachers to be students themselves after they become teachers.  A teacher's long hours also constrain time for activities besides teaching. His attitude inspired me.  It made sense to me.  Although I didn't forgive everything he said and did to me, I decided to follow his point. 

While I was at my Yoga class this morning (for the first time!), this flashback came to my mind.  My body was not necessarily moving as the instructor described.  I frantically looked around at the others and panicked.  I suddenly realized that this was how students feel when something new is introduced into the classroom.  "It's okay to put your bottom down, if you need to.  You will get it when your body is used to it," the gentle instructor accommodated with his kind soft voice.  I appreciated  knowing that it was okay and I didn't have to be perfect.  Clear expectations, modeling, exploration, making mistakes, compassion, self awareness, reflection, and patience...these words that I have been using countless times during busy school years, came alive together in my brain and heart.  If we, educators, know the student's point of view, we can successfully establish a risk-free learning environment.  Recognizing that fact makes me feel grown up.  Teachers are made by being life long learner for reasons.  Namaste.

Japanese First Grader's Math Manipulatives

While Kindergarten is the first public education in the U.S., the Japanese First Grade is such a huge milestone.  Pre-First Graders sing proudly, ambitiously, and repeatedly a song called " 一年生になったら　When I become a First Grader ". The-First-Graders-Soon-To-Be's  enthusiasm is evident by just looking at how they sing.  The song lyric expresses how significant for a 6 year older to be a first grader by describing, "I want to eat rice balls with my hundred new friends on the top of the Mount Fuji."  This song make all of the nation smile and want to support these youngsters.

After the Welcome Ceremony on the first day of school, the brand new first graders and their fully dressed up parents are lead by the teacher to their classroom where each desk is beautifully prepared with a yellow hat, new textbooks, 算数セット(Sun-soo-set; the set of basic math manipulatives) box, and perhaps more goodies.  　

Although there are some varieties in the math manipulative boxes depending on the company, the basic items are similar and support early mathematical experiences no matter which company's textbooks they use.  The fundamental mathematics skills in the first grade and early second grade are very critical.  These kids are lucky to have their individual math set of their own.  It has been a trend that most young families want to purchase everything new for their own brand new first grader, however, there are more schools that reuse and recycle for the next first graders to decrease families expenses, according to the Asahi Shinbun Newspaper 2009.

Here are some items I would like to have for our American Kindergartners, First graders, and Second Graders.

Item 1:  A Clock

The Common Core State Standards Math 1st Grade.Measurement and Data, a.k.a. MD.3, 2.MD.7 (second grade), and 3.MD.1 (third grade) indicate the telling time.  Visual support and practice are very effective, especially in the relaxed learning environment.  Teachers can be creative in order to reinforce telling time skills.  Although Kindergarten CCSS doesn't require telling times, how fun to explore the clock in the math station activities?

Item 2: A personal magnetic board and multi colored magnets (preferably 20 pieces in each color)

These items works for any kind of number sense activities such as  counting, matching, comparing, adding, subtracting, and representing the place values in the cart.  Additionally, multiplication and division are simply explained by 3rd grade students.  Thus, Counting Cardinality (K), Operations and Algebraic Thinking (K-3), Number and Operations in Base 10 (K-3) are all covered with this simple manipulative set including 4th and 5th grade intervention lessons.  Because they are magnetic, kids don't lose small pieces as much as non magnetics.


Item 3: Magnetic Colored Shapes

A variety of two dimensional polygons can be introduced and explored with the Geometry Standards in CCSS K-5.  I am more curious to have the magnetic Tangram Puzzle Shape.  Individual and group activities including rich discussion will be guaranteed, perhaps, with some academic vocabulary.  Like item 2, each shape hardly gets lost because of the magnetized materials.  

Item 4: Counting Sticks

The counting sticks support Counting and Cardinality (K) and Number and Operations in Base Ten (K-3).  Multiple practices with these items strengthen students' familiarity in the foundational number sense.  Cognitive understanding of number sense doesn't come in over night.  While young students purposefully and accurately manipulating these items, it develops.   You would be surprised at how many second grade students count items inaccurately.  It is great though, because that is why they practice over and over.  It is a great opportunity for them to make mistakes in the classroom.  Any mistakes will become concrete understanding in the hands-on experiences.

Item 5: 10 Frame Cards

10 frame is another way to develop concrete understanding of number 10.  These cards should be laminated and used frequently.  The activities include compose numbers under 10 and decompose 10.  Students visually respond to what number make 10 and identify how many more than 5 is 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.  Here is my favorite 10 Frame game in the illuminations.nctm.org. 



If kids have these five items in daily basis, each upcoming grade year in math will be smoother.  If the school supplies these math manipulatives for all classrooms of K, 1, and 2, teachers don't have to dig for certain items buried in the stuff room in addition to strengthen the standard based skills.  Having common tools give students freedom to ask their own questions and find their own solutions and explanations among peers.  It employs to the entering level of all 1-8 in Mathematics Standards for Mathematical Practice. 

Educational Facilities in Japan

Universally speaking, babies learn their native language through their mothers and people who are in their early life environment. It happens all naturally, and as a result, later, they cannot explain why a certain expression is described in a certain way.  The process of learning a first language doesn't include grammar while learning a second language requires one to learn this new language with their structures and new vocabulary in their dual language dictionary.  This is like experiences in Elementary School.

I have never had questions about why Japanese Elementary Schools have certain facilities, such as swimming pools, science group tables with running water, sink, and gas burner access, and home-economic group tables converted between cooking (running water, sink, and gas table top) and sewing and craft, because they have been always available when needed throughout my twelve years of public education plus my teaching career in various regions of Japan.

"Where is the swimming pool?" It was the first question I asked in the Elementary School where I interned in Idaho.  This teacher looked at me like a crazy person, "We don't have any. Did you have one in your school?"  I replied hesitantly, "Most of the public Elementary Schools have their own swimming pool in Japan.  Our school had one on the rooftop of a three story school building."  I have learned that while swimming is a P.E. requirement in Japan, it isn't in the U.S.  Elementary Schools in Japan rarely have a "P.E Specialist".  Classroom teachers mostly teach P.E, music, science (in most/many cases) and home economies (in 5th and 6th grade).  I also learned that, thus, American teachers don't have to go through a swimming test during their job application/hiring process.

During the school tour, I noticed a couple of my favorite rooms were missing although I found the music room.  The science room and the home economics room were gone.

The science room was full of excitement.  We divided water into oxygen and hydrogen.  We timed how long candle lights last in different sizes of jars.  We observed how litmus' change its colors.  It was absolutely joyous when we confirmed our predictions through meaningful and hands on experiments.  Collaborative effort was also heavily involved in the process.  There have always been more than enough scientific equipments inside of the locked cupboard in the science prep room.

The home economics is another unique academic requirement in 5th and 6th grade.

Both boys and girls get to cook "real" food in the home economics room.  There is the lesson about the nutrition and cooking process on the group table a week before the cooking day.  Then, students slide the wooden surface over, and wallah!  The convenient cooking table, sink, and stove top appear!  From the preparation to the final cleaning, there are no food scraps nor even a single drop of water on the counter top.  Students are evaluated not only on participation, but on their skills of organization as well as their actual cooking.

Other times, kids learn hand and machine sewing on the same tables in the room with the wooden surfaces.

As you can see, the home economic room is well designed functionally.   In addition to a knowledge assessment on paper, students sewing skill's are assessed by their finished products based on the consistency of the stitch size, creativity of their product, neatness, etc.  Though the assessment part was not my favorite part (whose was it?), creating new culinary arts and sewing related crafts was always rewarding after hard work and teamwork.

I wish we could have these useful facilities and extra curriculum in the U.S schools that motivate students to want to learn more.  These are life skills which they can apply in their future life.  I call it "Life Readiness", if not college/career readiness.

Power of Communication

If you have a gymnast at the competitive level in your family, you can see how much time and effort have been made in order to pursue its career.  Its success deeply relies on the collaborative effort of a circle of supporters including knowledgeable coaches, skillful gymnastics office managers, caring teammates, and the last but not least, families.

Needless to say, as gymnast's parents, we do what we have to do as an simple example of transportation to practices and meets.  Although we don't expect the return other than the fact that our daughters enjoy sports, a little acknowledgement eases our daily duty.  The communication is the key.

First of all, not only our own daughter but other gymnasts greet adults with eye contact.  It is a great sign.  Hello and Thank You are simple but it can be difficult if they are not reenforced until it becomes the habit.  Girls in our team are learning respect.  It makes me smile. 

Second, parents always appreciate coaches and staff members communication.  In the car ride to home, I would hear a lot of remarks and advices that received during the workout.  It is the evidence of her coaches' effective communication.  The gymnasts trust and care about the coaches advice therefore they remember.  The effective communication happens and work well in the trustful relationship.  I know building relationship is not a over night job. 

Third, the teammates count.  Girls' ages, skill levels, learning styles, length of attention span vary in the team.  But they are focused on their accomplishment.   They complement when succeeded.  They cheer while trying.  They encourage when they fell.  And they share smiles.

Above all are great reasons to keep me going, however, I found out another powerful communication that impacts the dedicated gymnastics' family life.  It is to self.  You may want to call it as self talk or self reflection. 

Me: Is the TOPS skills harder than last year?
Gymnast: Yes, the bar mount is harder.
M: Oh, that is what you told me your accomplishment.  It sounds like you are ready for the test.
G: No, I mean, I did yesterday, but I need "consistency". 

She kept talking to me as if she is talking to herself, "The head coach thinks I am good because he watches only when I do well.  It is not right!  I want to twist my body more and, you know, I need to be consistent on this skill."

That is, what I call, the "Communication to Self". Although technically she was talking to me, she  was deeply connecting (communicating!) her inner voice.  It is built on the first three communication skills.  While I am proud of her, I pat my shoulder as a part of her team

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Quality Standard = More Testing???

The recently published Richard Gentry article, An Ode to Common Core Kindergarten Standards, gave me another perspective on the Common Core State Standards, especially for Early Learners as young as Kindergarten.

True, too many assessments are not the purpose of the CCSS.  While I am searching for the most appropriate forms of assessments (perhaps observation based?) and instructions (including play) that don't overwhelm youngsters, I would like to agree with Dr. Gentry that the CCSS is the guiding light in the early literacy developmental map. 

Simply, think about building the house.  Without a strong foundation, the fancy house won't last.

Interestingly, I also found a unique similarity that Japanese National Standards had with CCSS.  Japanese Elementary School National Course of Study explicitly states benchmarks in each grade level.  For instance, First Grade students are required to read, write, and apply about 70 Chinese characters in addition to two different Japanese alphabets (hirakana and katakana).  That itself sounds like more than the 26 letter English alphabet.  However, that is the foundation of the culture and education that all educators and students are aware of.  They know students must hit the benchmarks in order to build the fancy house on top of it. 

Another interesting finding is the recently adopted  Japanese Kindergarten National Course of Study which didn't exist in my time of service in Japan.  Its focus is to support all kindergarteners as a whole person.  This approach is similar to the Washington Kindergarten Inventory Developing Skills, also known as WaKIDS.  However, Japan doesn't require standardized assessments for 5 years olds.

As an educator, I urge my fellow teachers to learn extensively about the Common Core State Standards so that standards of each grade level are clearly implemented in the daily instructions. The instructional focus should not be how to take tests.  The Standards must be the most reliable guiding light that navigates American students in the right direction in their world wide journey.

The Research Skills Alive

While the Japanese National Academic Standards boasted their worldwide academic achievements, I found some important elements that are lacking in the document.  They are the students' driven research skills.  It is somewhat understandable when you think about their education/social system and culture.  For instance, although the college exams are horrendously hard to pass (and prepare to take), they don't seem to weigh students' individual talents or interests as much as their one-time-test score.  Even in elementary school, there are much less "why" questions among students compared to Americans.

Conversely, the inquiry based instructions in the U.S. have been successful in a large number of classrooms in the last decade, especially in science, social studies, and math, incorporated effectively with writing.  Those lucky students with their skilled teachers have been encouraged to be curious and independent in order to solve their problems.  Along with an appropriate pedagogy, the advanced technology and internet resources contributed their academic successes tremendously.  The Common Core State Standards ELA supports this phenomenon and it is well described:

8.  Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism. (Research to Build and Present Knowledge; College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing, CCSS ELA)

Here are my understandings;
1. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources.....You have to have the ability to pick up appropriate books and access a computer device which provides information that helps you understand  your topic.  Ignore distractions.

2. Access the credibility and accuracy of each source.... How do you know if you can trust your source among millions of resources in the internet?  It needs to be taught and practiced in many occasions to master.

3. Integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.....Don't take someone else's credit!
I don't necessarily agree with the standardized tests that are trying to measure this particular skill in each grade level (3rd grade and above currently), however, this standard is a very important skill that help students become independent and responsible citizens.

As soon as youngsters get cell phones, their life expands with too much social media.  Even without a cellphone, younger kids (innocently) spread rumors behind peoples' backs during recess.    How many kids are resilient enough to analyze if it's accurate or credible?  A young person's life is sometimes too cruel.  If kids must have abilities that include gathering and accessing only credible and accurate information, they can then make right choices and judgement in their small community, even beyond English Language Arts at school!

As educators in our community, we have a huge responsibility to raise our next generation to be respectful, responsible, and safe.  This particular section of the CCSS is one of the guiding lights that we can hammer in our own classrooms.

Being Different

One sunny day in June, I waved at the construction worker for my simple appreciation from the driving seat.  The worker smiled at me.  It made my day.   At that moment, my 10 year old interrupted my happy moment, saying, "Mom, you wave differently."

I stopped smiling.  "How am I supposed to wave?"  I peeked at her through the mirror.  She is smiling.  "No, Mom, you are fine, " she replies.  I got very confused.  "What do you mean?"  I asked her back.  She responded to me, "You have your own 'waving' style that is awesome.  Isn't being different good?"

I was shocked.  I felt like I have been promoting the positive message about diversity in the daily practices in my own classroom, however, I, myself had a kind of "fear" of "being different" deep inside of me.  It was the eye opening moment.

"That's right.  Being different is great.  I am proud of my unique waving style.  Thank you for reminding me."  Teachers don't have to be in the classroom.  Teaching and learning moments are everywhere!

Effective PLC

Professional Learning Community.  It is the learning environment that professional educators collaboratively create for students' academic achievement.  Collaboration is a key, however, I still don't feel as strong as I have felt back when I was teaching in Japan.  Depending on the schools and districts, use of PLC time and purposes vary. 

For instance, one type depends exclusive on the grade level or subject team.  In this case, week by week, members bring up the current students' data and discuss about differentiation or share resources.  Another case, the administration is exclusively in control what every teachers must do.  It is very intentional and productive because the exit ticket is always required.  In both cases, participated teachers would rate probably 3 out of 4 for their PLC activities.  It doesn't sound too bad.

In one school I have worked, the principal made us talk about the "vision" statement based on how our kids demonstrate in academics and social aspects. I felt awkward because it was a flashback memory.  It is what Japanese schools usually starts in the beginning of school year.  My heart was a full of hope on the American PLC.....if it connected to the teaching and learning.

The strong PLC that Japanese public schools create is based on 1. School Vision 2. Vision on the Students and 3. Focused pedagogy (or subject) that enable school and student's vision.  Branch out from pedagogy, teachers plan Lesson Studies.  Lesson Study experiences make teachers focus and grow in their profession.  There are young teacher's opportunities to take risks, and also experienced teachers' mentoring opportunities.  They work together for one goal, the vision.  At the end of the school year, they celebrate their accomplishment in the reporting booklet including reflections. 

This type of PLC involves grade level teams, administrators and specialists in the collaboration process.  PLC must be the community that all educators can participate and voice.

Math Labyrinth

What a tough year, the fourth grade is!  Algebraic math problems begin to challenge me.  The question is simple enough to find out the number of bananas and apples.  My brain is not simple enough to bring the answer.  My notebook pages are full of apples, bananas, numbers, circles, scratches, equations, but not the answers.  Literally, I am going bananas!  I ask Ms. Wada, if she can teach me.  I think I understand from her help, but immediately after I start working on it independently, everything gets confused again.  Second time asking Ms. Wada is still fine, however, she looks reluctant to face at me at the third time.  I feel bad for her just because I am the cause of her headache by being lost in the algebra labyrinth. 

Every night, apples and bananas haunt me in my dreams.  I desperately want to understand this math situation.  So I decide to ask Ms. Wada again, with a same problem.  She tiredly looks at me and says, “Well, you don’t have to understand this problem.  Just let go.” 

On the math test sheet, I notice the same problem that I have never reached to solve.  Needless to say, I have no clue what to do.  Ms. Wada has said, “Let go.”  So I did.  But it is not all.  90% of all problems are Apples and Bananas questions!  I have nothing to do with these fruity problems but let go.  How pathetic!  One day later Ms. Wada is ready to return tests back to us. 

As soon as my eyes meet my teachers red marks, I learn that I made my worst record in the test, 10% out of 100%.  My eyes are welled.  My pride cannot let go of this.  But I also know Ms. Wada would spit her words at my very own face, “Let go.” I wish I could hate her.