Students in a Bubble

Never spoiled Sushi Plate

Who cares about math talk during the presidential debate?  Evidently, I did, maybe all day long.  Earlier today, I met the district reading coach and Special Education director.  Our topics shifted from identifying struggling students from the Measurement of  Academic Progress to brainstorming to the possible differentiation, instructions, strategies, grouping, and possible materials.  In our examination, it was clear to identify which kid have difficulties in each or linked areas of five reading components, phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.  There are some programs that we are currently using (STAR, Accelerated Readers, and Read Live Naturally) fit in the progress monitoring.  Three of us and my intern were quite ecstatic of how well we have been managing our students with adequate instructional grouping and models.   We were very hopeful.

Then, afternoon came.  I couldn't stop thinking about another meeting with the district math coach.  My anxiety level was getting higher as if I had already known it would not be going to be the same as the reading talk.    While analyzing data from the MAP math test, we easily found out the population that is called "in the bubble".  Students in the bubble are on or slightly below the grade level boarder line.  I asked, "I wonder if there is some progress monitoring tool for math.  As you know, Reading has a few."  The coach Lisa sighed, "I know."  We both knew there was a hard brick wall in front of us.   Unlike Reading, Math is tricky because there are way more learning targets than five components that students are required to master before the next grade level.  Specificity in the current state standards and upcoming Common Core State Standards are surely helpful to focus on mathematical skills.  But when you think about monitoring learning (mastering) progress on "bubble students", it is extremely overwhelming for teachers. 

Our discussion focus moved forward to what kind of tools, schedule, and human resources are possibly available.  Well, the teachers' plate is already full of good stuff, almost spilling out of it.  Think about it.  If you spill the food on the floor, sadly it is a waste.  How essential to keep only adequate amount of quality items on the plate!  Teachers must feed them all before the food is spoiled.  In that regard, I don't think I need more or new materials for now.  I would like to chew and taste each of food items.  Then my vision expanded the scene of the party that people enjoy.  This is when the collaboration chimes in.  Invite a team of teachers to discuss about food (instructional materials) we have.  Party is always fun.  Collaboration must work.

Controlled Chaos

I had longed for creativity and freedom while teaching in Tokyo.  The elementary school was by the worldly famous fisherman's market and (therefore) several hidden Sushi bars were available nearby. All students wore the navy blue uniform.  All classrooms line the students' desks in rows with no exceptions.  Four or five students move their desks together during the collaborative group assignment, of course, under the teacher's instruction.  Students seem to be very engaged.  But each group's assignment is always the same because teachers want to conclude the day's concept by comparing and reflecting each others' activity report/result.  Although this approach is beneficial to the students' learning, as a freshman teacher, I questioned in my mind, "Why does every group have to do the same activities all the time?"  I have never shared my question.  Why?  Because that is what most teachers have been doing.  No one, especially then younger ones, stand up and ask about the instructional system that is currently working without any major problems. 

So I was stunned what I saw during my internship in early 90s in a little town of Idaho.  The second grade classroom was in chaos right in front of my very own eyes.   Students were scattered randomly  at their desks, at the big table, and on the floor.  On the floor?????  I couldn't believe my eyes.  There were different activities going on simultaneously, which, I have never done or seen in Japan.  Observing a little closer, I realized this chaos was well under control.  Except for one student rolling on the floor during the entire lesson, every student seemed to know what they had to do.  My host teacher wisely whispered, "Welcome to America, this is called center activities."  Nice to meet you, Center Activities!

To this day, the centers enable to differentiate my teaching instructions.  Today's 3rd grade reading centers went well.  Groups are divided based on the correct words per minute and previous year's MAP (Measurement of Academic Progress) test scores.  Perhaps most teachers would call it the guided reading group, but manageable centers are my motto while students were on their own.  Basically, I don't believe in "Read to Self" for students whose reading level is more than one grade level below.   Individual working options today were: 1. Dictionary...To be familiar with dictionary  by simply copying guided words and all entry words.  2. Cursive Handwriting Practice...Individual students work on their own without interruption.  I let two students at a time (from the same group) play with Leap Frog's Talking Globe for the geography connection.  Students quickly and quietly take turns.  3.  E-Word Games on Computer...Individual student on the station with a headphone, reviewing vocabulary words that we had just learned in Tier one.  4. Guided Reading Group:  Assign books at the groups level.  Depending on the reading level, students read aloud with me, without me, or read quietly.  Each page, we discuss about the focus reading strategy of the week.  I transition from prediction to summary to the middle group.   During discussion, I dictated their summary as a model.  My timer rings every 15 minutes, so all groups can rotate to every center in an hour.  I felt accomplished.  So did my students.  One student suggested, "Mrs. Hallinan, YOU have to put our celebration marble in the jar for you and us!" 

Children with different hair colors engage in the different centers in such an orderly manner that almost reminds me of my Japanese students.  Today, I feel like I answered my own question from a quarter century ago.

The Explicit Instruction

I just finished reading the article, The Writing Revolution by Peg Tyre in the October issue of Atlantic magazine.  It made me think again that what we have been ignoring for a long time, "explicit instruction".  Good news is the grade level standards will be clear in upcoming Common Core State Standards.  So explicit instructions must exist in many ways in our classrooms.  Needles to say, there are so many companies spending a lot of time and money to create the lesson plans in writing. 

While my mother-in-law shared her schooling experiences in the highly honored Catholic High School in 50s, my impression was the Catholic schooling sounded really like Japanese schools.  Teacher (nun) taps a ruler on their palms and walks between isles of desks.  If they find the inappropriate postured student at her desk, there is no mercy.  Bum!  The ruler smashes the skin.  My kindergarten teacher walked around with 50 cm ruler to insert it between shirt and neck when my back was not straight.  The bamboo ruler's texture froze my spine.  In these similar circumstances, similar expectations were on the table beyond the cultural differences. 

The writing models that were used in Catholic school in 1950s were "explicit".  My mother-in-law keeps telling me the sentence structure lessons she has learned endlessly.  One the contrast, Japanese writing is not a separated subject from reading.  The writing model is inserted accordingly between reading stories.  In each writing session, the text books show the model (sample) writing piece.  A teacher teaches the concept in that lesson, the class analyzes how it's used in the anchor paper, then, all students try to use that strategy in their own writing piece.  For example, there is the story grabber (interesting beginning that invites readers immediately).  "Ring, ring, ring!  I darted to the telephone.  I know who was calling."  The grabber is obviously the telephone noise so that students think about their original onomatopoeia to start their entries.

"Explicit" is the word that I first heard in 2002 in the Reading First School.  The whole school treated the word with revolutionary enthusiasm.  But, at that time, I didn't realize that I grew up in the explicit instructions at the other side of Pacific Ocean.   Good system should be found and implemented.  I am honored to be a part of teaching team that gets to involved in the explicit instruction with "live" experiences.

Magic of Acknowledgement

Growing up in Far East, I don't recall any specific memories of being praised in school or at home.  Whether if you raise your hand or or were quiet, they are plain and simple ordinary expectations that you must demonstrate without any excuses. You may not pass your teachers without a bow in the hallway even if you are in hurry.  So, I used to wonder why the U.S. teachers, almost without exception, thank students so easily for raising their hand and being quiet.  Soon I realized that I was experiencing a type of culture shock.

Mr. Lucky Sun was my third grade teacher.  There is a saying of typical fearful items in Japan, "Earthquake, Thunder, Fire, and Old Man".  When you say aloud in the original language phrase, ending two rhyming lines make a whole picture extremely unique in sound. You might not resist to repeat it again although all words are symbolized of disasters.  The old man, in this case, was Mr. Lucky Sun.  I was not afraid of earthquake, thunder, or fire, but Mr. Lucky Sun.  His commanding voice, especially in P.E., would instantly chill everyone's blood.  Contradictory, I liked him a lot because of the 2' by 3' sized certificates for the signature of a good job.  A little tiny sized certificate reminded me almost of a train ticket, but it was 100 times worth than a train ticket.  While no teacher or any adults ever had applauded my accomplishments, this tiny recognition of my achievement motivated me in the active participation, the number of hand raising, and research presentation.  It was not a pizza party or a prize box.  It was just a hand written construction piece of paper.  Mr. Lucky Sun never thanked me for raising my hand, but acknowledged me for what I was doing.

An interesting connection of this arose several decades later in the western soil.  One of the techniques in "Teaching Love and Logic"is to walk by a student and whisper what he/she does.  For instance, "You are writing carefully in your notebook."  It should be a simple description without any judgmental opinion of good or bad.  Students are empowered by their own teacher's acknowledgement.  "Somebody is always and truly caring about me," the young one would consider.  The positive rapport make these youngsters want to do good for this teacher.  Even teachers, like the scarey teacher Mr. Lucky Sun, must remember they have their own magic of acknowledgement in the tool box.   Pick up this wand and swing it!  It will magically shorten the distance between your students and you'll be like a tide that tries to reach to the land.

Cafeteria Menu

About two years ago, I confessed to one of the experienced colleagues, "I am so disappointed.  I study, prepare, and deliver the best lessons (I believe) everyday.  Kids look so engaged.  But look at this score!  I feel hopeless and powerless.  What am I doing wrong?"  She put her gentle hand on my shoulder and comforted me, "I know."  Then she shared the analogy that her husband (happened to be a teacher) gave her.  Think about the cafeteria.  All the food items are the things we provide.  We think about all students with the best care, select the best possible food, and provide them on the counter.  We believe all food (lessons, guidance, and other educational interaction) highly benefit on students' academic progress without a doubt.  Sadly, though, it's true that kids don't necessarily pick everything.  Some kids pick one while other pick three or more.  Perhaps, all.  In summary, although we do our part (teaching) with maximum effort, the level of comprehension vary depending on the students and other factors, such as family involvement.  "So, don't feel bad.  We all experience your frustrating feelings." Narrowing the academic gap is challenging.  But we have to do something about it, I thought.

Then, just recently, this same analogy popped up again, in my brain.  This time, it is about the teaching gap.   In the international comparison, Japanese math score is higher than the U.S.  Let's say, hypothetically, it is because of teachers' quality.  I implemented the cafeteria analogy when I think of it.  The U.S. technology and research quality are extraordinary.  There are outstanding number of educational professionals and resources are available for 24 hours a day.  Teachers are to access to these remarkable tools that are all research based.  Teachers are provided new ideas and instruction strategies in weekly bases.  What is the problem?  Well, teachers are like students.  They don't necessarily take everything that is provided.  While some teachers implement every resource, other teachers would make a pile of papers at the corner of their rooms.  They pick up all the food, but end up throwing some away because it is too much.  Some teachers try to eat all, however, those teachers have digestive problems.  You have seen overwhelming and exhausted teachers in many occasions. 

Now look at the lunch in Japanese schools.   Everyday menu is designed by the professional nutritionist.  Each menu is selected based on the product that grow during that season.  Also, the traditional festival food menu is considered to learn about their community and its history.  It sounds like the simple lunch is very involved in education beyond just a simple nutrition lesson.  All calories are calculated for the age appropriate amount.  Students have no option to say, "No, thank you," to the server.  (Side note; all servers are student's helpers!)  You must eat all in the menu.  If you are a slow eater, chances are, you would be still eating until you are done during recess.  Not having option is not so fun, but it is evident that everybody is putting what they are supposed to eat into their mouths.   When all food items are eventually digested, everybody becomes content.  Eventually, it is absorbed all over the body organs for millions of different functions.  No food is wasted.

Teachers' Professional Development in Japan is a reflection of their school lunch.  There are not as many choices as the U.S., however, they have to complete (digest) everything that is provided.  There is no opt out option.  Whether if you like or not, you have to eat all and digest until it becomes nutritious.  Teachers celebrate when their time and hard work are finally paid off, even though some teachers might have started reluctantly.  Student's academic achievement is an apparent evidence from the Lesson Study that Japanese teachers have been practicing in their professional development.  This cohesive approach maintains their teaching at high level as their common understanding. 

It is absolutely fine with the idea of "pick and choose", but why don't we do it "together"?  What should we pick?  How should we use?  How can we support each other?  Discussion will be endless.  A powerfully united professional development team will bring the academic proficiency in all students that we are looking for. 

What Would You Do?

The first day of school is around the corner.  In fact, it's coming up less than a week. I start visualizing what kind of kids are coming into my classroom.  What kind of behavior am I going to deal with?  Although obviously I am very optimistic and hopeful in the beginning of the year, every year, I hit the first obstacle as early as the second week.  Then, I got depressed.  Why?  Because I was not prepared.  I think I need some virtual exercises prior to the  first day.  Here are some of lines I might hear;

1. "I'm done.  What do I do next."
2. "I don't want to."
3. "I don't like it."
4. "I can't think."
5. "I don't care."
6. "I don't know."

I am thinking how I would respond to these innocent (hopefully!) comments.  Thanks to Love and Logic, I learned these words are the valuable opportunities for kiddos to raise their responsibilities.  So my line would be, "What are you going to do?" with empathy.  If their own solution works for them, great.  If not, let them keep thinking.  If I raise responsible students by allowing them affordable mistakes in the learning community, I should be happily teaching.  So at the end of today, I feel still hopeful.

Like a Champion

Just like millions of other people around the world, I have been positively influenced by the 2012 London Olympics.  The accomplishments at any levels, winning the medals or not, are evident on the TV screen throughout these exclamatory seventeen days.  The athletes' sportsmanship (except during some of the badminton matches) are easily transformed into motivation and encouragement for the children who are about to go back to school.  I too, am looking forward to sharing some of the glorious moments of the team U.S.A. in my classroom.  At the same time, I would like to discuss with young stars, what a true champion is.

Think Like a Champion.  What would a champion think in a terrible situation?  For instance, the America's favorite gymnast, Jordyn Wieber's disappointment was beyond most people's belief and we all knew how devastated she was when she learned that she was not going to the individual final.  What did Jordyn think?  Redemption.  She flipped her situation from the unsatisfactory result to a positive attitude towards the team final.  True champions have been trained to motivate themselves by themselves.  Their mental training must be as extraordinary as their physical training.  It is absolutely difficult for a 16 years old girl to manage the whole nation's disappointment.  You can define if this is a true champion or not when this person is in trouble. 

Talk Like a Champion.  Again, Jordyn Wieber's quote: "I am disappointed, but I am also happy for my best friends Gabby and Aly.  I want them to do their best."  After so many days of intense workouts for this big event, some athletes act sour to the interviewer for their unexpected results.  A true champion always focuses on the positive side, even if it seems so small.  There is no time for pitying themselves because the true champions always must move forward.  They have to reach higher each time. 

Act Like a Champion.  Celebrating the victory seems so appropriate at the medal ceremony.  The best part of this process is shaking hands before the podium.  Congratulating each other shows a beautiful act of sportsmanship and respect.  Even outside of the podium, the athletes' gratitude spreads towards all staff, coaches, team mates, judges, etc, who are involved in the game.  It is seldom to see whining (forever) athletes. The Japanese women's soccer coach commented after the final match, in which someone claimed the referee made a wrong call at the P.K., "I respect the referee's decision."   Their silver medal is beyond worth to be called the true champions.

I am fantasizing if these Champion traits happens in my classroom and school.  What I should think when I hear, "I am not playing with him because he is cheating!"  How should I talk to a student who tattles, "Such and such called me a name!"  How should I act during the boring staff meeting?  It all realistically comes to me.  I will think like a champion.  I will talk like a champion.  I will act like a champion.  So I will be a champion.