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!