A Beautiful Season

Spring has brought the Northern Hemisphere bright colors.  My friend asks, "Do you guys have the spring break in America?"  As I reply, "Of course, yes,"  my visual image is separated in two different school systems across from each other over the Pacific Ocean.  Here we are, finishing report cards and then will relax.  Most teachers would say, "Do what you want when you want."  As soon as the school bell rings at 3 pm, teachers are so ambitious and hopeful on whatever they would do on a week.  Some would decide to plant colorful flowers in their garden while others would frantically start sorting dusty junks in the closet under the name of "Spring Cleaning".  One whole week sounds luxurious enough for family trips, too.   Everybody can not stop smiling......until towards the end of the week.  Many teachers reluctantly, yet forcefully would go back to classroom to prepare.  The brightest beginning turns into the dreadful ending.  Even if you are on the beach, your anxiety would start itching your bottom on third or forth day of your dream vacation.  It is, I call, teacher's mantra.  I am a typical American teacher who is deeply doomed in every spring break. 

Conversely, the Japanese spring break gives us unique perspectives.  Spring time is called the "Farewell" and "Fresh" season.  Around the time when multi pink hue of cherry trees begin blooming, graduation ceremonies are held all around the country including preschool, elementary school, junior high school, high school, college, and even companies.  If you are an employee in the literally large company, they may ask you to transfer regardless of your wish as your promotion or demotion.   It is a very complicated emotional period.  Leaving the beloved schools, companies, colleagues, and friends is extremely difficult and nervous especially for the youngsters.  And yes, Japanese children depend on each other in the small school community more than I observe in the United States.  Unlike Americans, more students appear to be lacking  confidence and independence when they have to do something by themselves.  Thus, the end of Japanese school year in March turns out to be the most emotional event for teachers and parents, too.  Look at the end of school here in June.  Kids are waving excitedly to teachers, yellow buses are all honking as loud as they can be.  No one shows any anxiety.  All happy campers.  It is an unbelievable ending compare to Japanese wimpy tearful one.

But don't discount Japanese spring.  After a couple of weeks from the graduation, the new school year begins.  This is the most beautiful season of the year in Japan with the nations symbol, Sakura, the cherry blossoms.  Before millions of tiny pink petals, new school year's ceremonies are held everywhere with ambitious youngsters.  Congratulations.  Smiles.  Shaking hands.  Bows.  New uniforms.  New faces.  No one is dreadful towards the end of the spring break.  Starting school year in the same time the nature is waking up is ideal, in my opinion.

Would you like to discuss about spring start schools or year round schools now?

Working with a Reading Coach

The assistant principal beckoned me with his right hand waving across from my work desk.  "You might be interested in Team Teaching.  You will love it.  You are going to work with other colleges in the district once a month.  That was probably in my still fresh fifth year of teaching.  There were four other teachers, all older than me.  Respecting older people is essential in Japanese culture.  At same time, I was just got back from one year of an exchange teacher's program in the affectionate country of the U.S.  My way of respect might have been little bit too friendly and a little bit uncomfortable for some teachers.  These teachers were not offended by my mixed styles of respect, they were even acceptable. And meetings were fun.  But the lessons we designed were almost too boring.  They were all similar,, taking turn models.  For example, one teacher played the piano while another teacher taught students a vocal song.  Then, they flip flop their roles as a pianist and as a recorder teacher.  Math as well.  Social Studies as well.

In the private school years later in the U.S., I was a "co-teacher".  A Head Master told me, "It's like a team teaching."  She sounded extremely confident.  A short haired lady with glasses I worked with was the experienced teacher that put her in the position as a "lead" teacher in our classroom.  That put me in a position of an apprentice or her shadow.  I filled in something she forgot.  I ran for copies she should've done yesterday.  I wondered, "What is Team Teaching?"

Last year in the writing meeting, I had a great honor to get to know some amazingly humorous and thoughtful group of ladies.  One of these powerful women was Heather Rader who is a senior editor in Choice Literacy and also an active reading coach.  As a special friendship gift, she sent me her newly published book (I saw steam from a book!), Side by Side.  It sparked in my head!  There was an instant connection with the team teaching while learning about coaching sessions in depth.  She notes that coaches are collaborators.  Our district started reading coaches first time in their history this year, trying to create the best benefit on students' learning with instructional coaches.  One of the coaches was assigned to me in regular basis, sharing things she had and offering times for individual students' assessments.  Although she juggled her schedule and accommodating for all teachers, we felt being stuck at some point.  And our soles glued with unidentified goo that delayed our footsteps, though our reading coach was at her full speed, a mouse running in the wheel.  Then, I contemplated again, Heather's word, "My coach is my collaborator."

What if my coach and I design lessons together?

Good news.  My reading coach blocked the same time slot in my classroom every day for 2 weeks.  I brought up my idea, "I wonder if we divide 45 minutes in three sessions.  First session is your whole class instruction which I can learn your teaching reading strategy techniques.  Then 2nd and 3rd session are going to be guided reading with the same reading strategy.  You and I together, can differentiate four reading groups in my class.  The best of all, we can nail one reading strategy by whole group and small group sessions."  "Oh, Claire.  I love that idea!" My reading coach exclaimed.  She added, "Of course, I will find the texts based on the strategies and reading level."  Wonderful!  "Let's meet next week and map out our plan!" 

So, really, nothing, technically, happened yet, the conversation started.  the hopeful and positive one.  It is like a pebble in the pond.  Some rings  from a shiny pebble sensationally appear but often being ignored and soon disappear.  But once you find  good ones, rings keep evolving bigger and bigger.  And perhaps one little pebble could make a big wave. Heather's book is a pebble.  My job is to make an ocean wave with my coach.

Fish in a Bowl

They are not gold fish or even a similar kind, but youngsters with different variations, red hair, blond, black eyes, tall, short,  glasses.... in an Elementary School.

Since three teachers showed some interest in the Lesson Study after my seriously pushy recruitment, we have successfully accomplished the first cycle of lesson study.  We hypothesized that a discussion will help students socially and academically.  The discussion method we chose was the "Fish Bowl".  Wikipedia defines it as very complicated yet sophisticated; however, it is a simple form that bunches students around a a circle, and allows them to observe other students' discussion in the middle of the circle. 

A sense of discomfort and unsureness was hovering over the half moon table while the teachers put their heads together designing one lesson.  The Lesson Study is a brand new idea for most American educators, at least in my school.  The hardest torture I found is that even though you are a third grade teacher, you might end up teaching 5th grade students in the 5th grade classroom because 1. One lucky number will be picked from a hat (Really, no one knows who is going to teach until the end of the lesson design process)  2.We are not designing one perfect lesson kindly for a 5th grade teacher.  We were designing one good lesson "together". Every participant must feel equal level of ownership for the lesson.  Without serious commitment and collaboration, this type of professional development wouldn't work accordingly.

My 3rd grade students and I were not familiar with the fish bowl discussion so I tested it before the 5th grade observation day.  Another 3rd grade teacher and I wondered how differently 5th graders were going to perform.  At the same time, we both agreed that 3rd graders need specific guidance before the discussion starts, because these busy bodies needed to focus in their talk. 

Katie's Trunk was chosen for the 5th grade fishbowl.  It was evident that students had rich and numeral experiences.  Although we didn't necessarily expect a perfect lesson or a Mr. Superstar teacher, exchanging with each other our secret smiles could not be stopped throughout the lesson.  Even low readers, whom I had when they were in 3rd grade, invited a fishbowl mate by throwing good questions into the fish bowl.  "What do you think Tory was considering when he touched Katie on the trunk?"  "Why do you think?"  As if reading beautiful writing elaboration, the conversation kept flowing.  Questions.  "Mary, what have you wondered?" Invitations.  Yes, questions would lead to great reading comprehension.  A kind invitation encouraged not only a specific person, but also a whole team which deepened their relationship.

While the fish were talking in the bowl, other students referred to pages in their books and observed  their target students carefully.  Their observation is recorded by numbers and narratives.  The reading comprehension assessment of this story turned out better than other stories. 

As we celebrated about the lesson, I knew, each of us had our own reflection.  That is what one teacher mentioned as "evolved" lessons.  Each lesson is similar but always with better tweaks from previous lessons that we did by ourselves or by observed others'.  Kids did well in the fishbowl because they really want to be recognized by someone else, like how special and how beautiful they are in the fishbowl.  Fishbowl experiences strengthen students' self esteem and harmonious effort just like several gold fish sharing a bowl graciously.  After all, these kiddos must be fish with red, orange, black, long tails, and big black eyes, flipping their fins and tails with unique moves.

Valentine Dilemma

Like every past February, this February makes me blue just because I am still allergic to the Valentine's day.  I have to go slow.  Most people don't understand my dilemma and irritation so I decided to teach how hard it is for me to adjust and accommodate the cultural diversity.

A Lesson Plan for the Japanese Valentine's Day

Target students: All teachers and students who are not familiar with Japanese Valentine's Day

Objective: To develop compassion for a teacher in the U.S. who was raised in Japan

Strategy: Role play using an original skit about Japanese Valentine's Day

Here is a skit...

In the lunch recess on February 7th.  Three 8 grade female students are in the bathroom looking at the mirror.

Mina:  Hey, Are you guys giving a chocolate to someone special?

Claire: I don't think so.  I even don't plan to buy "obligation" chocolate*1 to my classmates.  What about you Emi?

Emi: I, I, I, ......

Claire: What? Did you decide to give a chocolate this year?

Emi: I mean, I don't know.  What should I do.  

Mina: You should!  I volunteer to deliver your chocolate to him for you.

Emi: Really?  But what if he ignores me on the White Day*2?

Claire: He should like you, too.  Don't worry.  I will make him to like you, if he doesn't.

*1 Giving a chocolate means "I am interested in you.  I would like to develop relationship with you more than friendship.  In other words, this is the once a year confession day for the girls, especially teens.  It is also custom in the Japanese society to give away chocolate from female to male in schools and companies.  To avoid unexpected expectation from the receiver, you have to name "obligation chocolate".  It means "I'm not particularly interested in you, but I give it to you anyway, because you are male in our company."

*2 March 14 is called White Day converse color to the chocolate black.  If the Valentine chocolate receiver is interested in that girl, he will be giving cookies back to her as an answer of "I like you, too."  If he is not interested in, simply ignore her or kindly give her rice crackers.  Nobody knows how and why cookies and rice crackers were chosen for particular purposes.  

In the class meeting on February 13

Mr. Tanaka: .....So, tomorrow, if I find meaningless chocolate, I will take them all.  Also, your parents will be called immediately.  I warn you, don't bring any chocolate to school.

(Mina and Claire sympathetically look at Emi.)

At the school gate after school on February 14

Claire:  Wait up!  I told you to stay right there.

Ichiro:  I know.  Don't yell.

Mina:  You know how Emi feels about you, don't you.

Ichiro: I don't know.

Claire: Now you know. (Take a chocolate box out from the back pack and push it to Ichiro) Take it!  Now!

Ichiro: I don't need it.  I don't like her.  You can eat it, if you want.

Mina:  Think about her feelings!  Don't hurt her feelings!  You will remorse forever if you don't take it.

Claire: And remember.  You must give her cookies on the White Day.  Get it?

Ichiro: O, o, o, ok.......

Discussion Questions:

1. What did you think about how Japanese teen girls express their feelings and peer pressure?

2. What are so different Japanese Valentine customs to the U.S'? 

3. Do you develop empathy for a person who grew up in Japan who has a pressure to throw a Valentine party every year that are completely meaningless to her?  Why?

Conclusion:

Love should not be forced.  Love is something to give away from the honest heart.  Love doesn't have to be exchanged only on certain day.  But celebration of love warms our hearts.  There are so many different forms of loves in our lives.  So I am so glad that I don't have to shove someone's chocolate to the one's chest who doesn't appreciate it.  (Sorry Ichiro!)  I am fortunate to express and receive loves with so many special people in the different relationships in my life.  Happy Valentine's Day!

The Energy Theory

A thick book about the Eastern Medicine written by a Western Medical Schooled American doctor fascinated me a couple of decades ago.  (I wish I could remember the title and author...) I wondered why in the world this successful American doctor wanted to go to China to learn "real" Eastern medicine.  The science starts from curiosity.  That was the answer.  Although we are the proud Americans who appreciate such advanced medical technology at the highest level of the world, several articles show some miserable reality of our own  health on the research with the specific comparison with other countries, such as the higher rate of children's obesity, diabetic, and alcoholism, which we could prevent. 

Western and Eastern medicine are significantly different according to the site, Stress Solutions.  The point the doctor mentioned in the book that are still brightly highlighted in my brain is this.  Western medicine tries to cure the surface.  For example, if you experience your headache, your doctor prescribe the pain pill, or you go to the drug store to remedy it by yourself.  Boom!  You are pain free.  Conversely, Eastern medicine look for the source of pain by observing the tongue color, energy level, and acupuncture points, etc.  The doctor's prescription might be herbal medicine which has been used in China over 2,000 years and would not stop your headache today.  However, they try to treat your causal part of your body.  It takes time, but once the pain is gone, it is permanent because the source of pain is gone.  You don't have to pop your pills so often.  Learning the human body in the different way was the significant discovery for this American MD.

It reminded me of the American fast food life.  A sense of rush. " You have do it now."  "We have to change now."  "Give me now or nothing!"  In education as well, I feel.
"We have terrible scores in our school.  We have to do something."
"Yeah, let's do such and such of this company."
A couple of years later, the score is still Plato.
"Well, score is same because of the students' families don't do anything."
"Hey, but we cannot do anything about families.  People just blame on teachers."
"Well then, hire more people to control misbehaved kids."

Wait a minute!  What are we missing?  In next few years, people would be still grumbling about the dilemma among test scores, lack of family support, and students' terrible behaviors even with numeral new staff.  If you hypothesize student's behavior would be the cause of low test score, you have to improve it.  It takes time, but it worth it.  As a whole team.  Adopt a school wide social skills model, systematic guidance, school wide recognition assembly, lunch with principal, issue award certificate, there are so many ideas to connect students as a team.  Unfortunately, collaboration is a very difficult task to do for several people in our country.  Collaboration sometimes requires compromise. 

That is, perhaps in our blood, independence.  "We need no tax on tea!  No control from England!  We will never compromise!"  Sadly true, that is how we built our nation.  Like types of plants and fruits grow in the certain region based on their geographical feature, human perspective is affected by the historical background.  I see it intriguing. 

But think about the "energy"which Chinese often use in their life.  According to the author of Energy Bus , Jon Gordon mentioned in his book, our planet Earth began its life with enormous energy in the universe.  Thus, all living creatures are controlled by some sort of energy.  I nod.  When you are full of positive energy, you are productive and kind.  With negative energy, you would be sick inside and grumpy.  Maybe mean, too.  In stead of just peeling layer after layer, like picking on school improvement based on test scores and teacher's accountability, we should breathe deeply.  What we need is positive energy that makes us smile every day.  Teach our children how to create and use positive energy for their lives.  If we have a problem, it is not on surface.  It's in deep inside of our being.  Relax.  And slow down.  Listen to your ancient wisdom living within you.

Freedom of Choice

I grabbed a book from the public library's book shelf just because its colorful cover caught my eyes.  And I looked closely.  There is a beautiful young woman looking down covered by a multi-bright colored cloth; I assumed it was a traditional outfit for women.  As its subtitle shows, it was about an Afghan woman who defied her fate which was extraordinary inspiring.  The author Saima Wahab shared the journey of her life with readers quite beautifully.  It made me feel more thankful for being in the U.S. than before after reading this book.  But at a same time, I felt terrible about the living situation and women's states in Afghanistan, which made me depressed.  Really deep.  One of the reasons was this; As I became more confident in understanding about Afghanistan in depth, I wanted to share my knowledge with my 3rd graders.  Yet they are too young to understand the whole picture.  I got frustrated.  I didn't make them depressed.

When I returned it in the library, I found another book.  It's called;

My husband glanced at it on the kitchen counter and started reading.  In 15 minutes, he said, "You must read it.  It must have a kids version."  So I googled it and found the Author, Jon Gordon's site.  Then, I clicked away several times.  Now I found The Energy Bus for Kids. 

"What a wonderful book, " I thought aloud.  The driver of the Energy Bus is Joy who teaches how to stay positive and overcome challenges in life with of course, a kid friendly setting.   One phrase from a song goes, "I am a driver of the bus, I know where I'm going."  Jon Gordon invites and encourages children to visualize their life goals and dreams.  No one can stop you.  You can choose to fuel yourself with positive energy or now.  You can choose to accept bullies in your bus or not.  I was stunned.  In our country, we have choices regardless of the ages, gender, whatever you can see as differences among people.  If you make wise choices, your life would be full filled.  It totally made sense.  Then, my prior lament about the Wahab's book turned into the positive thoughts.  While I may not directly introduce terrible things about other countries right now, I can teach gratefulness of being in our country.  There were many sacrifices over the years, for example, Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.  When my students visit me 10 years later, I would love to share about the suffers that some countries have been experiencing. 

The final gratitude of a day is here;  I can choose what to teach my students to prepare for their real life.  And my students, too, can learn how to make wiser choices each time.  I am very grateful to be a part of their lives.

Number Order in Multiplication

I am throwing a question at you.  Stick with me and have some discussions!

Ordering numbers in multiplication equations has been a headache for a long time.  As a 2nd grade student and a Elementary School teacher myself, it was always the same.  It is called the "Sandwich Rule" .  Number of objects in each group x Number of Groups = Total Number of Objects. 

Quite interestingly, although this rule is so common in educators in Japan, it is not necessarily clearly stated in their world widely famous national standards.   According to the English Translation for the Japanese Mathematics Curricula in the Course of Study, 2nd grade D. Quantitative Relations states; (2) Student will be able to represent the cases in which multiplication may be applied by using mathematical expressions and will be able to interpret those expressions.  A Japanese teacher in Tokyo told me that teachers assume the students' understanding of the multiplication situation  by which numbers students are using for multiplier and multiplicand.  Since teachers stress about the number order, students should be able to demonstrate the proper number expression.  For example, three children are at the park.  Each child is holding 2 balloons.  How many balloons are there in all?  If you are Japanese 2nd grader, the answer is 2 x 3 = 6.  Your teacher will love you because you put the numbers in the right order.  Your answer proves your ability to identify what kind of number your are dealing with, therefore you can apply multiplication concept in your own life.  A teacher can analyze it by just a glance.

Whereas American styles vary.  Every time I teach the multiplication unit, I ask, research, and google math lessons and concepts.  Some text books favor the Japanese way, some are strongly against it, and some don't care much.  It has been a frustration because no one seems to explain why they use number orders the way they use although they have strong opinions about it.  No wonder kids get confused while their teachers are not sure...

One bright piece of news is that Common Core State Standards Mathematics stated clearly for the guidance. Grade 3 Operations and Algebraic Thinking. 1. Interpret products of whole numbers, e.g., interpret 5 x 7 as the total number of objects in 5 groups of 7 objects each.  For example, describe a context in which a total number of objects can be expressed as 5 x 7.  Hooray!  It is totally opposite to what I am familiar with, one way or another.  The committee decided to put it in this way because of how we use English language, in my opinion, which is okay.  I can deal with it. 

But when you see the question like this; A baby whale is 3 meters long.  A mother whale is 2 times longer than her baby whale.   How long is a mother whale?  What would you do?  3 x 2, right?  2x 3 just doesn't make sense.  Here is my theory.  Objects in each group and the base number (baby's whale) seem like the same category while number of groups and ratio (2 times longer) could be similar.  So, I suppose American students are required to manipulate numbers in multiplication in case by case.  My concern is how smoothly flexibly they can accept the different ways of thinking as the grades going up.  Do they have a strong enough foundation? 

I am open to any ideas, especially, the newly coming Common Core.  In fact, I share one of the worksheets I have created below.  Of course, Step 1 used to be Step 2....  Anyway, I would like to hear some clarification.  I want to be confident and consistent.  Keep our conversation alive!

Multiplication Word Problem Analysis

Name ___________ Date________

  

Page/ #	Step 1 # of Groups	Step 2 # of objects in each group	Step 3 Total # of objects	Step 4 Equation	Labeled Answer
1
Write a story Problem. _______________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________