Taking Risks

Before the well polished grand piano, the 16 year old girl with piggy tails knew her crouched back looked terrible, but that was the only way she could convey her expressions in Beethoven Sonata.  The tiny muscles of her fingers were so tight through her arms to her shoulders.  When Beethoven composed this piece, he had felt so miserable over the event that had just happened in his life.  Her job was to translate his music and emotion through her playing of this beautifully curved instrument.  Her fingers cautiously touched some white and black keys... 

"Stop!"  my teacher scolded from another grand piano of his.  "You have never practiced what I asked.  You must express Beethoven's agony right there!"  I put my head down and agonized myself.  "Why?  I am trying to do what you have told me," I screamed in my head.  Japanese students are too obedient to talk back to their teachers.  Instead of talking back, my mind was swirling with billions of question marks while he was complaining about the terrible rehearsal of my piano.  "Why is it so difficult to convey my true feelings?  I am doing my best.  I cannot do any better than that!"

Without finding explainable answers, years have passed.  Perhaps I have withdrawn my effort of convincing people about my opinions or expressing my feelings.  When people around you are happy about something that you don't care for, let go of what you care about.  If you notice your teacher is not happy, change your face like a chameleon.  Don't try something hard because you will fail.  Don't try something new because you will be teased.  These types of attitudes have haunted my life for a long time.  I didn't quite comprehend that I am the one who payed the price.  Although it was so easy to make excuses not to do things, which, at the time, seemed to be okay, they totally limited my possibilities and future choices.  

I wish someone could have told me about it.  Instead, I decide that now I can be the one for the youngsters.  I would like to promote my students to take risks so that they become resilient in their own lives.  I want them to have an attitude, "I will do it even if it's hard,"  then, raise questions,  "Why does it happen?"  Take risks and experience failure in the learning process!  That is when they begin to think about what to do with it.  Convince them with reasons of why they want to achieve their goals.  And ask, "What drives you so hard instead of giving up?"  Meaningful conversations strengthen the critical thinking part of their brains.  Common Core ELA's career preparation intends to help children build life skills at their developmentally appropriate level.  

I daydream about myself being on the piano bench turning my head to my piano teacher.  "Teacher, will you help me improve on this piece?"  I don't have to agonize as much as Beethoven did.  I play piano just because I love it.  I want to be good at it.  There are enough reasons to take risks.

Common Core and Differentiation

Yo Yo Yo! During my experiences and research, differentiation is limited in Japanese education.  Let's say three classes are divided into 4 groups based on math per-assessment ability levels.  Students are reasonably distributed into each group.  The best example highlights the small number of students in the most struggling group.  Clearly, the student-teacher ratio impacts the students' concrete understanding.  Unfortunately, as the levels go higher, the difference appears at a faster pace or more work. 

Not many variety of activities to apply to real life situation or problem solving skills although most students in Japan exhibit strong foundation in math.  Even in the complex multi step story problems, equations and labeled answers could be on the worksheet.  Why?  Because young children are trained in the same way over and over.  In addition to the day time school, many students attend Juku (private cram school).  Juku teachers give their students more drills endlessly.  Kids are all beautifully cookie cuttered but no one can accuse their way of learning because their scores are at the top level in the world. 

Drilling practice has been used in Japan because of their National Standards.  Drilling makes most students meet their standards or above.  Adversity of drill based practice was lack of creativity.  Lack of critical thinking.  At a certain point of recent history, this problem was blamed on too much work days and too much academic requirements.  So the school days was shortened and schools adopted "affluence" time once a week.  30 years later, no results.  Blame was now pin pointed to extra time that they thought they could make students more creative, just like America. 

Over these few decades, my question kept coming back, "Are all Americans creative as Japanese envy?"  Indeed Steve Jobs, Michael Jackson, Steven King, and Lady Gaga had contributed our century with their extra ordinary talent.  Unfortunately true, though, these celebrities can be famous because they are a tip of iceberg.  Unlike Japan, diversity consist within our country.  Thus, a differentiation approach has been natural in the U.S.A.  Here is another problem.  Differentiation without academic foundation resulted more academic gap among youngsters.  To close this gap, Common Core sounds like a best solution for now.

I really want American and Japanese teachers to think.  Look at the big picture.  What about standards and differentiation.  Study more differentiated options for Japan.  Compacting curriculum or acceleration for faster paced students who mastered contents after pre assessment?  Give them some choices in the interest based, problem, or project based learning model.  The meaningful independent (or cooperative) project enhances their contents knowledge in depth.  Project assignments requires to emerge not only math skills but other content knowledge harmoniously.  That becomes creativity.

As for Americans, take advantage of Common Core.  Help build strong foundation among our students while differentiation is happening.  Tiered Instruction has been used as one of RIT (Responses to Intervention).  Several Tiered assignments are available beyond RIT purposes.  While closing the gap by teaching standards explicitly in variety activities at an appropriate tier level, make anchor assignments, interest based, and project based assignments available for gifted students.  Responding each student's best interest in the most effective way is the key for our nation's future.  Early childhood education is essential to ensure all student's basic knowledge through Common Core. Then, plan and provide real life opportunities that students can explore their learning skills. We are raising children who will be absolutely ready for their career and our global society.

Fellow teachers, our future is in our hands.  Let's juggle with it!

You Are Smart

A College Music Professor asked his class of 54 girls, "What is the difference between '歌唱'　(pronounced,  kah-show) and '唱歌' (show-ka)?"  The classroom was a frozen ice statue.  My head and eyeballs turned from left and right admiring several ice sculptures.  I could no longer wait after 5 seconds of silence.  My hands shot up really high.  "Kah-Show means songs and Show-kah means to sing."  The bald headed teacher exclaimed, "Correct!"  As soon as the hot iron bar was thrown into the ice sculptures, they started melting.  Every girl in the room turned around with envious look  and exclaimed, "Claire, you are so smart."

Does being smart mean you know something other people don't know?  If that's true, I was not so smart.  The answers I gave were nothing new.  I didn't have to solve anything.  My mind just naturally analyzed the order of Chinese characters.  It made sense in my brain.  That was all.  One of the girls responded with  great awe, "I had never thought of the way you read those words!  Now I see it."  I thought, "C'mon, how else can you interpret them, guys?  It's common sense."  I knew I had somehow impressed fellow music students, but I wasn't certain what smart really meant.

Thinking back to grade schools in Japan, I seldom remember someone mentioning "smart" or "clever" for certain people or actions.  Unlike American School, Japanese teachers don't praise their students for every little thing.  (In fact, I almost fainted when I saw a "100 Ways to Praise Your Students" poster during my internship year in Idaho.  No wonder American people look like they have so much confidence in them!)  Everybody knows who is the smartest in class but it's just an elephant in the room.  Another phrase that you would know but would not hear is "If you are smart, then you will become a doctor."  What I have heard most in my life is, "If you don't belong in the smart category, you will become something else other than doctor. (Don't even think about it)"  At least that's how I was raised.  (What an ordeal I have suffered...sigh...)  So, I have never been in the "smart" category.  What you often hear, though, is "よくがんばったね。(Yokoo-gum-batta-nay.) What a great effort you have made."  I was a student who was recognized as a hard worker but my effort was not good enough to be recognized as smart.

Jim Fay talks about the appropriate use of "smart."  If you say, "You are smart," too often, kids will not become resilient.  When a youngster gets stuck one one problem, he/she instantly become, "I am not smart."  Loss of confidence.  Withdrawal.  Instead, mentioning and giving positive questions would be more effective.  For instance, "How did you control yourself so well?"  "I notice you have the answer to this question."  Love and Logic works in both classroom and home situations.

Then I realized that I can use a word, "smart" in a meaningful way.  Being smart is excelling the personal ability that applies what's important into the real life. 

You are smart to use the Pythagorean theorem in this geometry question.  You are smart to allow yourself to make reasonable mistakes.  You are smart to learn lessons from your mistakes.  You are smart to make better choices.  

As you see in the examples above, smartness doesn't happen instantly.  Smartness is built upon experiences, willingness, and desire to improve.  That is the parents' and all educators' job: To help make kids as smart as they want to define what it is.  But the true smartness is the determination to make things happen.  Effort they make on their goals.  Exploring options that would solve their questions.  All in all, I would like to save the word "smart" on my own kids for special occasions.  They are smart enough to know their mother's intention.

A Hidden Gist

As soon as he slammed the door, I heard my 12 years old's sigh.  "How was your work at the Food Bank this morning?" I asked.  He replied, "It was ok.  The people were nice."  Well, it sounded more positive than what I expected for a grumpy middle school kid's lament.  But it wasn't the end of his story.  He continued,

"There were too many volunteer kids so there was no station left over for me.  A lady assigned me to pick up garbage around the building for an hour!"  Here we go, the teaching moment. 

"I am so glad you did it without complaining.  I am proud of you," I complimented.  With an unsatisfactory expression, he blurted out,

"Picking up garbage is NOT a food bank's job.  Why did I have to do it?"  I thought that it is a time to talk to him about  KUROKO in the Japanese traditional puppet theater, Bunraku. 

Kuroko is a staff with black suits who manipulate the puppet in the Bunraku puppet theater.  Their job is never be on the spot light, however it's as essential as a puppet itself.  In other words, the distinctive and historically valuable theater cannot exist without Kuroko, even though nobody notices their existence.  The whole theatrical success of Bunraku depends on Kuroko's thoughtfulness and techniques that require several years of extensive training periods. 

I glanced at his face on the back mirror and said, "I think you were lucky to experience a garbage chore that nobody notices but is so important.   Clean environment is a key to success in any kind of business.  You are learning what and how to look at one collaborative project as a whole.  Something important is always hidden and waiting to be done.  A good leader can find them and model his employees to the degree in which they know how to do it. His actions will motivate his employees and build up mutual respect.  That is the kind of community we enjoy."

At the back mirror, his eyes met mine. He will be thirteen in two weeks.

Wisdoms You Never Knew

Every Monday morning, nearly 600 uniformed students gather in a large gym or a field in Japanese Schools.  As a student, it was not necessarily an impressive event that I looked forward to at times.  Just standing behind someone and looking at her head all the time, besides a teacher on the front stand, was plain tiring and boring among rows of students who are lined from short to tall in each classroom.  I was always in the middle of the line.  Because of the lengthy lectures and too much heat, a girl in front of me often fainted.  My role was to catch her body before she hit her head severely on the ground.  One or two teachers would run toward us right away, and luckily for her, she didn't have to be in the assembly anymore.  I heroically caught her in my arms but I wasn't allowed to accompany her to the nurses office.  Back to standing in line just like nothing happened before, hoping I was going to be the one who would faint next.

Despite the unwillingness of my participation, the whole school morning assembly was something that was important and that must take place, according to teachers.  So I listened to the principal on that day.  A gray-haired middle age gentleman who never had any conversation with me in person, stepped up three steps onto the stand.  As soon as he stepped forward to the microphone, the principal and everyone under him bowed at each other. "Good Morning!"  Here is his story;

Long ago, there was an apprentice in the bamboo craft shop.   His responsibilities as an apprentice freshman overwhelmed him.  Waking up at 4:30 am, boiling water, starting rice for breakfast, cleaning the craft chief's room, polishing tools before the senior apprentices appeared, fetching the bamboo for crafts, babysitting for the master's two young children, fixing lunches, bringing snacks and tea to all workers, and on and on and on.....until his entire body and mind were beyond ready to rest at night.  One day, he was too tired to do all the chores.  "Why do I have to sweep the entrance every morning and evening?  People are coming in and out.  Right after I clean here, they throw their shoes every time anyway."  He announced to his master, "Master, I am not going to sweep the entrance from next morning."  Master said, "O.K"  The apprentice smiled, "It was pretty easy."    Happily, the apprentice slept in until everybody was at the breakfast table.  He noticed there was no food on the spot he was supposed to sit.  "Master!  The cook forgot my meal."  As soon as his eyes met his Master, the Master calmly responded, "Well, why do you have to eat breakfast when you will become hungry again anyway?"  The apprentice's face turned red.  The master continued softly, "Every instance of discipline takes perseverance.  If you choose to neglect the hardship, you wouldn't accomplish." 

The principal concluded this story with, "You might have something similar experiences on your own.  If you think something is not necessary, think one more time.  What is challenging you will be more essential in the process than you have valued before when you think back. Great discipline will lead you success.  Be patient.  Be consistent." 

This was one of only few stories that impacted my young brain from hundreds of Monday morning assemblies.  Who would remember stories I tell and what would be useful among a large number of students?  Essentially, I could be the apprentice story of my previous, current, and future students.  Responsibility on my shoulders is heavy.  And I am very lucky to be a part of their lives.

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.