21st Century Skills

"One of the 21st Century Skills our students need to be college and career ready is higher-order thinking. But does building these critical thinking skills seem a little daunting? One way to venture into this kind of thinking is using children's literature—Try this and your students will be on their way to the top of the thinking ladder! After reading a story to your students and ensuring they have sound comprehension of the story elements, break students into small groups (or do this together) and ask them to consider how the story would be altered if: the setting changed from the country to the city (for example) or if the story took place in 2013 as opposed to the time period it was originally set in. Perhaps ask them to consider how the story's events could be different if the main character had been a boy rather than a girl. Not only does this require students to understand the story as it stands, but it also asks them to reflect on the impact of story elements and characters, and it's a great listening and speaking opportunity. A big bang for your instructional buck!"

Laureen Reynolds CCSS & 21st Century Skills Expert

Change

More wisdom from Kevin Eikenberry: 

Yes, you read that right. Leaders everywhere think their job is to create change across their team, organization or industry.

And they are all wrong.

You can create broad change across people and distance, but you can’t do it by changing the organization.

You can only achieve it by helping individuals make the choice to change.

In other words, organizations don’t change, people do.

Here are 5 ways you can help influence change:

Start with yourself. How easily are you influenced to change by someone who isn’t changing themselves? If you want to influence others to change, you must begin with yourself — your level of belief is critical to your success.

Open conversation. Too many changes are introduced with PowerPoint and polished, practiced presentations. Stop that approach! Introduce the situation and the need for change as you see it and have a conversation with people about their concerns, fears and ideas. Recognize their initial resistance not as threat but as energy to be used.

Pick the easy fruit first. In order to influence the entire group, start with individuals most likely to be open to the change. Going to these people first will help you build your confidence, and build a cadre of people to help influence others.

Engage their help. You don’t have to, and if you are trying to change a group of any size, you can’t, do it yourself. Engage those who are excited about the change. Support them with the same approaches you are using; encourage them to influence change one person at a time.

Be patient. Change isn’t always easy. Just because you have some early adopters on board today doesn’t mean everyone else will jump on the bandwagon tomorrow. When you realize that all change is individual, you see that it will take some time. Remember that if your change is important, your patience will be rewarded.

Kevin Eikenberry
Chief Potential Officer
The Kevin Eikenberry Group

Candleman

If you wander through the cobblestone streets at night, you can feel secure in the circle of light cast by The Candleman. Here, the children, wide-eyed and wondering, will be safe though it’s late and they’re far from home. The trusty Candleman will escort them through the still silence of the snow covered streets by the light of his torch and his hat abrim with burning candles. In James C. Christensen’s marvelous world “just a little left of reality,” The Candleman, like a friendly crossing guard you may remember from your school days, keeps a loving and watchful eye on everyone in his care.   We should be like the Candleman for our Esperanza children.

The Silly, Alarmingly Popular Way to Punish Kids

From:  http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/10/nixing-recess-the-silly-alarmingly-popular-way-to-punish-kids/280631/

 

Nixing Recess: The Silly, Alarmingly Popular Way to Punish Kids

Three-quarters of principals say that taking away recess is part of their discipline plan. Why this is a bad idea—and what schools should do instead.

Sigrid Anderson CordellOct 23 2013, 7:31 AM ET

 

When Kathy Lauer-Williams’s son was in elementary school in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he would often lose recess as a punishment for forgetting his homework or a signature on a form. Troubled by the teacher’s habit of taking away recess, Lauer-Williams wrote about it on her blog and spoke to other parents. She found that she was not the only parent questioning this practice. Despite her attempts to talk to the school, she says nothing has changed.

Taking away recess has become a common practice among teachers trying to rein in unruly students. A study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that 77 percent of school principals reported taking away recess as a punishment, while a 2006 study found 81.5 percent of schools allowed students to be excluded from recess. While teachers may think taking away recess is an effective way to punish students for bad behavior, recess plays an important role in children’s development. Research shows the value of recess: It gives kids a much-needed break from intense studying, teaches them social skills, encourages them to use their imagination, and allows them to exercise.

So why is this practice so prevalent? In her work mentoring teachers, Olga Jarrett, a professor in the College of Education at Georgia State University  often hears teachers express frustration and a sense that they have few other options for controlling misbehavior in their classrooms. At one event where she discussed the importance of recess, a group of teachers from the same school asked, “What do we do? We make lunch silent, we keep them in at recess as punishment. What else do we do?” This feeling that teachers have few options for maintaining discipline in their classrooms is backed up by online discussion groups, such as pro-teacher, where educators debate approaches to classroom management.

State and district-level policy can also guide a teacher’s decision to keep students in from recess. In documentation for its statewide implementation of a program called Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, a disciplinary framework adopted by many states, Michigan’s Department of Education lists taking away five minutes of recess time as a possible disciplinary option. Chris McEvoy, a behavior support consultant who co-authored the policy, explains that “It is essentially a brief time-out. It allows the student to reflect on their behavior and quickly get back on track. “ Withholding recess, notes McEvoy, “in a PBIS school would never be done in isolation from other positive (teaching and positive acknowledgments) classroom management strategies.” On the other hand, Steve Goodman, co-author of the policy and director of Michigan's Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative, describes taking away recess as “a process where the student may ‘owe’ time from recess” because of negative behavior during class time. The question remains, however, whether recess is the appropriate place for educators to be looking to make up that time.

When it comes to instituting recess, state-level policies like those in Michigan matter. A study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that children are most likely to get recess if state laws require it or if districts have a policy encouraging it. The National Association of State Boards of Education lists states with policies encouraging or requiring recess, and slightly less than half have such policies in place. Whether or not these policies are enforced is a separate question, and in some cases the policies appear contradictory. For example, Michigan’s State Board of Education has also issued a Model Policy on Quality Physical Education and Physical Activity in Schools recommending that “physical activity, including recess, not be denied or used for disciplinary reasons, or to make up lessons or class work.” As of yet, this policy does not appear to be reflected in the state’s discipline guidelines, and it would be understandable if both educators and parents were confused about what is or is not acceptable. Nationally, recess policies reflect a patchwork of individual and state practices.

When Recess Goes, What Else Do We Lose?

An increasing number of organizations are speaking out against the practice of withholding recess. In its recent statement on the “crucial role of recess,” the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that recess should not be taken away for disciplinary or punitive reasons. Likewise, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education outlines in a position statement that “students should not be denied recess so that they can complete class work or as a means of punishment.” Furthermore, most researchers advise against replacing recess with physical education classes: PE is a class, they argue, whereas recess is an opportunity for social interaction and creativity.

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Recess has the added benefit of leading to a more effective learning environment in the classroom. Research has shown that taking away recess does not make classroom behavior any better, and, in fact, it might make things worse in the case of students who are misbehaving because of an excess of energy or boredom. In a study of fourth graders, Jarrett and her colleagues found that students were less fidgety and more on-task if they had recess. As Jarrett explains, “a lot of the kids deprived of recess are kids with high activity levels … so you make them sit it out and not be active? It doesn’t make sense as a useful punishment.” Likewise, as Jarrett’s study revealed, kids with ADHD are particularly likely to benefit from recess.

Sheila Kahrs, principal of the Haymon-Morris Middle School in Winder, GA, asserts that at her school, “Nobody can be punished in that way. Bad, good, or indifferent, they get recess. I say to the teachers, look, the worse a kid is that day, the more they need it.” In Kahrs’s view, the practice of punishing kids for bad behavior by making them sit out part or all of recess can have the negative effect of making the problem worse when kids lose the opportunity to take a break and work off excess energy.

Tahnee Muhammad, a New Haven, Connecticut, parent who fought to make recess mandatory in her district, suggests an additional benefit to recess: a more “positive perception of school.” When her son’s school eliminated recess, he began to express unhappiness about going to school. According to Mohammad, “He just was not liking it anymore. In the beginning. I didn’t know what it was. I thought he was being bullied. [He] wouldn’t say, just, I hate school. I asked what about your teacher? What are the tears coming from? What are you not liking? And he replied, ‘We don’t have recess!’”

Matt Rourke/AP Photo

Alternatives for Discipline

It’s fair to ask how teachers are expected to maintain discipline in their classrooms. Many schools have attempted to change the focus from punishment to positive discipline. At Haymon-Morris, Kahrs has long used a positive discipline approach that rewards kids for coming to school ready to learn rather than focusing entirely on discipline problems. In her school, they acknowledge positive behavior using stamp cards that accrue points toward a fun Friday. Positive discipline is one of the central tenets of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports program, although it leaves the details of school policies up to individual states, districts, and schools.

Another way of looking at the issue is to focus on the learning that can come about through corrective measures. Instead of withholding recess for disciplinary issues in the classroom, for example, Jarrett recommends that consequences should be logically connected to behavior. As Jarrett explains, “I think that teachers need to look for natural consequences of behaviors. If you’re rude to somebody, you apologize. If you don’t get along with the kids in your group, the teacher should arrange your seating […]. There are other things that are appropriate for dealing with misbehavior.”

Similarly, the Responsive Classroom—an approach to elementary education that focuses on both pedagogy and encouraging a positive school atmosphere—recommends “logical consequences” for misbehavior. According to Mike Anderson, a program developer for Responsive Classroom, their approach distinguishes between logical consequences and punishments. Logical consequences are directly tied to the behavior and are aimed at teaching students the skills to channel their energy in more productive ways. In addition to being directly tied to specific instances of misbehavior, logical consequences should be respectful of both the student and the teacher and developmentally appropriate. So, a logical consequence for making a mess in the cafeteria might be to clean up that mess, but not to clean the entire cafeteria. As Anderson points out, it would make sense to have a logical consequence related to recess if the misbehavior is related to recess. For example, if a student has been pushing other kids on the playground, that student might miss recess for a few days in order to meet with a school counselor to talk about safe behavior on the playground. On the other hand, punishments, in Anderson’s view, are less effective in the long-term because they are not directly related to the misbehavior and often aim to humiliate or shame the student.

While the Responsive Classroom offers concrete suggestions for ways to teach students more positive behavior, it is not just about classroom management, but also about making learning more engaging for students. As Anderson points out, “If students don’t enjoy what they’re doing, they’ll misbehave.”

The non-profit Playworks offers another approach to school-wide positive discipline through a structured recess program led by trained coaches. Playworks coaches organize games on the playground and spend considerable time establishing community standards, like treating each other with respect and having, which they encourage through positive reinforcement like high fives. They also use seemingly simple strategies for teaching kids to settle disputes. For example, a key practice in the Playworks recess is the use of rock-paper-scissors to manage conflict. Rather than losing playtime by arguing over issues like who got there first, students are encouraged to play rock-paper-scissors to determine a “winner” and then move on. Angela Rogensues, program director for Playworks in Detroit, says that they tell the kids, “the more time we argue, the less time we have to play.”

I had an opportunity to see a Playworks recess, and the rock-paper-scissors approach, in action when I visited the Roosevelt School in Ferndale, MI. At one point in the 20-minute recess period, two kids were arguing over a foursquare spot and Angela went over to see what was going on. After hearing that they both claimed the same spot, she suggested that they try rock-paper-scissors. The game led to an immediate de-escalation of tensions, with one child returning to line and the other staying in the square. According to Rogensues, the advantage of this approach is that arguments on the playground get settled quickly, rather than being taken back into the classroom after recess.

The program also integrates play sessions into class time once every two weeks, This offers another opportunity to focus on relevant behavior issues. For example, if a class is having a hard time getting along, the Playworks coach might have them engage in cooperative games.

One other key element to Playworks’s approach to encouraging positive discipline is the junior coach program. Every year each school identifies about a dozen older kids to be junior coaches who will help lead recess and encourage play. Considerable time is spent supporting the junior coaches and helping them to be strong leaders and examples for their peers. In choosing junior coaches, the focus is on choosing both children who are natural leaders and those who may not always exhibit positive behavior. By giving those kids a chance to be leaders, Playworks attempts to channel their energy and behavior in a more productive way.

According to Playworks’ founder, Jill Vialet, “Playworks contributes to a healthy school climate - one in which kids are engaged and feel as though they have choice and voice and belong.  A healthy school climate is simply a more effective place to teach and learn.”

For Dina Rocheleau, principal of the Roosevelt School in Ferndale, Michigan, Playworks has worked. According to Rocheleau, there have been no disciplinary referrals from recess since Playworks came to the school two years ago. Before that, she was spending much of her time managing disciplinary issues that were arising on the playground. “And the families love it,” she adds.

There are detractors who say that coached recess programs like Playworks are too managed. Olga Jarrett, for instance, expressed “mixed feelings” about such programs because one of the crucial elements that makes recess a learning opportunity is the ability to organize one’s own activities at recess time. Although Playworks allows children to decide what games to participate in or whether to participate at all, she fears that they might miss some of the “cultural transmission” that happens in less structured recess environments.

The Counter Movement: A Resurgence of Recess

Just as many schools are cutting back on recess, and others are leaving it up to individual teachers’ discretion, there is a growing movement to make sure that all children have an opportunity for play during the school day.

In addition to schools partnering with programs like Playworks to ensure that recess is productive at their school, administrators like Sheila Kahrs are taking the lead in re-establishing recess. Seeing recess as a necessary break for all students, Kahrs took the unusual step of introducing recess into her middle school. Kahrs insists on it: “This works for us. This is a non-negotiable of mine.” One reason that Kahrs feels so strongly about the importance of recess at her school is that she fears that many kids are playing video games or watching television after they get home rather than going outside, unless they are in an organized sport. Recess is particularly important, she says, because “I don’t think the children go out when they go home.”

The push for recess has also come from parents: Parents in Chicago successfully lobbied to reintroduce recess in area schools, making it a policy that children are not allowed to have recess withheld for disciplinary reasons. Most recently, parents in New Haven worked with their district to institute a mandatory recess policy for all students, again stipulating that withholding recess is not a disciplinary option.

However, even when there are state laws, there is no guarantee that recess will happen. The push for recess in New Haven was facilitated by a recently passed Connecticut state law requiring recess in all public elementary schools, but individual districts moved slowly to make changes. Even with support from teachers, administrators, and the Board of Education, making recess mandatory was hard work in New Haven, according to Eliza Halsey who joined Tahnee Muhammad and other parents to push for the policy.

According to Halsey, the most important thing that parents can do in advocating for recess is to organize and be prepared for hard work, especially in getting the word out to other parents. Halsey says, “It’s not as easy as saying that our kids should have recess and making it happen”

The good news, Halsey points out, is that districts are looking for parent involvement, and this is one area where parents can advocate for their kids. For the New Haven parents group, it’s not just about recess, but putting recess and education in the context of children’s development, beginning with “small, winnable campaigns.”

Jarrett agrees: “Parents can make a difference […] meeting with the teacher. If that doesn’t help, meet with the principal. Talk about the effect on the home when the child has no break. Many parents say their kids are wild when they get home. Raising it in a respectful way, realizing […] that teachers have challenges. There have to be consequences. Parents and teachers can work together.”

As the policy changes in New Haven and Chicago show, it requires both parents and educators to come together to bring everyday practices into line with what we know about how recess benefits our kids. 

   

Sigrid Anderson Cordell is the librarian for English literature at the University of Michigan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            

        

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Video

Why Is Bottled Water So Expensive?

Business editor Derek Thompson looks at how such a simple commodity became as pricey as soda.

 

Successful Education Policies and Practices

George Monsivais sent me this great article from www.utahpolicies.com 

 

Utah Foundation Study: Successful Education Policies and Practices in Utah’s Peer States

Written by Bryan Schott on 23 October 2013. Posted in Featured Articles

Utah Foundation today released a study of educational policies and practices within Utah’s top-ranked peer states—Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota—and benchmark states—Massachusetts and New Jersey—that may have contributed to K-12 student achievement over the last two decades. The peer states were selected based on their similarity to Utah with respect to parental education levels, race/ethnicity of the student population, and percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch. In addition, these states enjoy high achievement on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests in fourth and eighth grade and are typically ranked in the top ten nationally.

Utah has lost ground in K-12 student achievement over the past two decades and has not kept pace with top-performing states or with the nation as a whole. Utah’s 1996 13th–place ranking in both fourth- and eighth-grade math on NAEP assessments fell to 21st in fourth-grade math and 25st in eighth-grade math in 2011. Similarly, student achievement rankings in reading fell from 17th and 15th in fourth and eighth grade to 30th and 23rd respectively between 1996 and 2011.

The following are some key findings of the report:

• Peer and benchmark states employ professional development strategies such as personalized training that emphasizes pedagogy, content knowledge, and classroom practice to improve teacher quality and effectiveness. In addition, many states are experimenting with professional learning communities to enhance performance within schools.

• More states now use periodic assessments and data-driven tools to inform classroom instruction and teacher practice throughout the school year, rather than only at the end of the school year. Student growth models are being used to track the year-over-year growth of individual students in comparison with similarly-achieving peers.

• High quality preschool and full-day kindergarten programs targeting at-risk student populations have been shown to provide a strong positive return on investment. Outcomes from programs in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Colorado indicate that participants have reduced grade retention, decreased usage of special education services, and improved student achievement in the early grades.

• Many states leverage third-party, nation-wide organizations with proven results to intervene early with students at risk of not graduating. Career readiness is addressed through additional counseling to students and parents who have little personal experience or knowledge of college admission requirements, cost, and processes.

“We are excited to see that there are some initiatives from other states that can be adopted or replicated here in Utah to boost our student achievement. There are a several proven programs targeting at-risk high school students that show particular promise,” said Utah Foundation research analyst, Kathryn Zwack.

“Since Utah Foundation first reviewed the success of Utah’s peer states in 2010, we have been interested in learning what those states do differently in their schools to reach their high achievement levels. This research provides a framework for the Legislature’s Education Task Force to consider as it crafts policy solutions for Utah’s education systems,” said Utah Foundation president, Stephen Hershey Kroes.

The ability of Utah’s peer states and benchmark states to improve student achievement over time and to maintain higher test scores is reassuring. The research and case studies presented in the Utah Foundation study illustrate that the implementation of select programs and initiatives, together with targeted investment, can contribute to improved student performance, as well as better prepare students for college and career. The full report is available free to the public at http://www.utahfoundation.org/reports/?p=1066.

Invest Time to Coach

More wisdom from Kevin Eikenberry:

Last year, the Red Sox won just 69 games. This season, after a change in management, they're heading to the World Series.
The New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl four years ago, but after losing their coach went just 7-9. That same coach is back and now they're 5-1, legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
I use these examples only because I read the sports pages first, but the other headlines and stories will no doubt show me what I already know:
Coaching matters.
If we want to grow our results...

If we want to grow our team...

If we want fewer fires in the future (because others are avoiding them – or aren't able to manage them themselves)...

If we want the satisfaction of helping others succeed...
Then we must invest time to coach.
Here's the bottom line - as leaders we have the great opportunity (and responsibility) to be coaches of others – to help them find and unleash their potential, reach their goals and more.
So as you go about your busy work day today, challenge yourself to think:

Who can I help develop today?

What can I do specifically?

And when will I get started?

Follow the Fellow Who Has a Dream

Look to the Rainbow from Finian's Rainbow





On the day I was born,
Said my father, said he.
I've an elegant legacy
Waitin' for ye,
'Tis a rhyme for your lips
And a song for your heart,
To sing it whenever
The world falls apart.

Look, look
Look to the rainbow.
Follow it over the hill
And the stream.
Look, look
Look to the rainbow.
Follow the fellow
Who follows a dream.


So I bundled my heart
And I roamed the world free;
To the East with the lark
To the West with the sea.
And I searched all the earth
And I scanned all the skies,
And I found it at last,
In my own true love’s eyes.

Look, look
Look to the rainbow.
Follow it over the hill
And the stream.
Look, look
Look to the rainbow.
Follow the fellow
Who follows a dream.


 
'Twas a sumptuous gift
To bequeath to a child.
Oh the lure of that song
Kept her feet funnin' wild.
For you never grow old
And you never stand still,
With whippoorwills singin'
Beyond the next hill.

Look, look
Look to the rainbow.
Follow it over the hill
And the stream.
Look, look
Look to the rainbow.
Follow the fellow
Who follows a dream.
Follow the fellow,
Follow the fellow,
Follow the fellow
Who follows a dream.

Incorporating Chess

City incorporating chess at three elementary schools

By Scott Fishman, Forum Publishing Group

October 18, 2013

 

 

 

Sunrise leaders view chess as a tool in education. To further that, the city is taking part in the First Move program.
It integrates formal instruction of chess into the curriculum of 40 second- and third-grade classrooms at Village, Banyan and Discovery elementary schools.
America's Foundation for Chess initially approached Broward County Public Schools about First Move. Since Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan believes the game provides big academic benefits, he was brought into the discussion over the summer.
"The superintendent was a huge fan of bringing chess into the schools and had prior experience in Chicago with it," he said. "The challenge we had was the school board can't fund a specific pilot program for a specific school. It would have to be countywide."
The Sunrise Police Department stepped up to provide the additional money needed from its forfeiture funds, which are confiscated from criminals.

The program includes streaming video, a curriculum book and training for each teacher, chess sets, demonstration boards and activity workbooks for students to practice their reading and writing skills. The 50-minute lessons are taught once a week.
"Really, becoming a chess player is almost secondary to the academics," said Kathi Cirar, the foundation's program director. "Students are having a fun time and are engaged learning about coordinates, math [and] reading comprehension. With the curriculum, it's taught via streaming video by the 'Chess Lady.' … The video teaches the new concepts. The classroom teacher simply facilitates the reinforcing activities in the classroom that were introduced in the video."

 

The focus is on second- and third-graders because the belief is they already have basic math, writing and reading skills, and they can build on those fundamentals with the program, in use in 24 states over the last eight years.
"We've had school districts that have been with us for a very long time," Cirar said. "… This program will help students' test taking skills through exercises in the curriculum. The very first lesson that they teach is how to map a coordinate on a chess board. They learn all the math terms, including horizontal, vertical and diagonal. It's accelerated learning."
Ryan anticipates positive results and wants to work with the foundation to possibly expand the program's reach.
"If other elementary schools want to do this next year, we hope we would be able to find the gap funding to make that happen," he said. "… The teachers have been incredibly enthusiastic. The great thing about this program is that teachers who have never played chess are still going to be able to teach this. What they love is that the curriculum includes a lot of the core principles they are already teaching, just in another way."
For more information, visit http://www.af4c.org.

Dialogue Journals

From www.lessonplanet.com

Dialogue Journals in the Classroom

Using dialogue journals in the classroom can help you get to know your students and help them increase their writing fluency.

By Rachel De Pass

Posted September 26, 2011

Teaching positions don't always start at the beginning of the year, but there are ways to make any situation work. When I started teaching in a third grade class in the middle of the school year, I found that my class had already built community and their classroom systems were already in place. Coming into this unique classroom environment was intimidating. Everyone knew exactly where they were supposed to be and what they were supposed to be doing; then, I came into the mix. I wanted to get to know my pupils on a more personal level, but I had no time for ice breakers or fun first-week-of-school activities, so I decided to have everyone start dialogue journals.

What is a Dialogue Journal?

Dialogue journals are a way for students and the teacher to communicate; it is a way to engage in a written, private conversation. I began by asking my students to write a letter to me, telling me about themselves and what I should expect as a teacher in their classroom. At the end of the letter, I also asked them to write at least two questions they wanted me to answer. I replied to each question individually (in writing), telling them about myself, and asking a few questions. After the first week, I didn't have give them a prompt anymore. Each of my 22 learners led the conversation in his/her dialogue journal. I learned about Mia’s relationship with her twin sister, Cesar’s love for baseball, and Omar’s compassion for lizards. These written conversations broke the barrier between my students and me. It also provided the groundwork for a more cohesive relationship. Getting to know each individual pupil on a deeper level also helped me to better instruct each one.

Dialogue Journals and Basic Skills

Although I never corrected the spelling or punctuation in the dialogue journals, I began to notice that students' writing fluency began to increase, even though I put no pressure on them. I think that the combined effect of having them practice writing often, and being able to read my writing as an example, helped learners to gradually increase their writing fluency. At the end of the school year, it was neat to see the amount of progress each learner had made in his/her writing abilities. The evidence was obvious, not only in their dialogue journals, but also in other classroom assignments. The dialogue journals provided a way for kids to write freely, which has a positive affect on their writing habits for all assignments. After using the dialogue journals, my students became more creative, more independent, and were, most importantly, more excited about writing.

Creating Dialogue Journals

Ways to create a dialogue journal:

• Use composition journals or spiral notebooks.
• Sandwich a stack of lined paper between two sheets of card stock for the covers--bind with staples or a spiral comb.

Here are some questions for teachers:

• How do you get to know your students, whether it be in the beginning of the school year, or in the middle?

• What learning activities or assignments have you found helpful in increasing your learners’ writing fluency?

By using dialogue journals, and thinking about other activities that can build community and increase writing fluency, teachers can create a classroom full of successful and fluent writers.

Leader In Me

Stephen Covey's '7 Habits' shakes up schools

 

            

HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH
 

In this photo taken Friday, Sept. 6, 2013, walk between classes past a sign extolling a leadership principle at Indian Trails Elementary school in Independence, Mo. The school is one of 1,400 nationwide utilizing a program called "The Leader in Me" which is based on the late self-help guru Stephen Covey's best-selling "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) - One year after Johnathan Kent kicked his principal and school "went all bad," the 8-year-old was recognized at a recent assembly as the "Star of the Month" for being polite and helping out his teachers.
The third-grader's explanation for the turnaround: "I'm not doing what I did last year."
But Emily Cross, the principal of Indian Trails Elementary on the outskirts of Kansas City, Mo., is giving some credit to a program the school began using last year that is built around the late self-help guru Stephen Covey's best-selling "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." A 25th anniversary edition of the 1989 book will be released in November.
The nearly 1,500 mostly elementary schools using the program - called "The Leader in Me" - teach principles from the book, including "think win-win," ''seek first to understand, then to be understood" and "synergize." Teachers, for example, might ask students how historical figures like George Washington might have used them.
And if a student gets into trouble, teachers and principals ask what habit could have helped him or her avoid the scrape.
When Johnathan's principal asked the boy what habit led to his turnaround, he quickly responded, "Do first things first." He said he didn't finish his work last year.
Students typically are assigned leadership roles that range from class greeter to fish-tank cleaner. They also keep a leadership notebook in which they chart growth in an academic area. The notebooks also track a personal goal, such as the time spent learning to tie their shoes. Cross said the tracking is a big motivator for Johnathan.
"He sees that when I'm in class putting first things first, my dot on my graph is going up, and he's proud," Cross said. "He's very confident now, and he wasn't last year."
The Leader in Me, which has started branching out into preschools and middle schools, is one of "literally dozens" of programs seeking to improve the school climate, said Paul Baumann, director of the National Center for Learning and Civic Engagement at the Denver-based Education Commission of the States, a nonpartisan group that researches education policy. He said most of the programs are run by nonprofits. The cost of the Leader in Me was "pretty high" in comparison, he said.
For a 400-student school, adopting the Leader in Me program would cost between $45,000 and $60,000 over the first three years.
The program's developer, FranklinCovey, acknowledges that the expense is one of the biggest challenges. Some schools are able to cover the cost using federal Title I money that's awarded to schools that serve large numbers of low-income students. And for schools that need help, foundations, community Chambers of Commerce or businesses might be asked to help cover the cost, said Meg Thompson, who oversees the program for Salt Lake City-based FranklinCovey.
Not everyone is sold though. Lakeview Elementary in Kirkland, Wash., a Seattle suburb, dropped the program this year after parents complained. Lake Elementary parent Paul Devries said he found the program "cult-like" and "objected to the group mentality." Some schools offer training sessions for parents.
"It's our responsibility as parents to teach values to our kids, not for kids to come home and teach FranklinCovey's values to us," said Devries, 53, a fishery scientist and water resource engineer. "Kids should be able to be creative and think for themselves and not be automatons and repeat the seven habits."
Asked how many schools had dropped out, FranklinCovey said that would be hard to calculate.
Before his death in July 2012, Covey disputed criticism that he simply repackaged his Mormon faith in the "Seven Habits."
Backers say the program exceeded expectations.
"It is easier for kids at 5, 6, 7 to learn the habits than it is for us adults," said Joel Katte, principal of Meadowthorpe Elementary in Raleigh, N.C., where student leadership assemblies feature students singing about and performing skits about the habits. "It's kind of a first language for them."
The program got its start in 1999 when Muriel Summers, principal of A.B. Combs Elementary in Raleigh, asked Covey whether he thought the habits could be taught to children. FranklinCovey provided free training for her staff.
"We started to see amazing results," Summers said. "We saw children really being recognized for what they do well, not what they didn't do well. And we started to love them through their challenges."
Covey documented the experience at Summers' school and others in a 2008 book, and the program expanded. Besides the U.S., it's also being used in more than 35 countries, including Australia, Japan and China. Sean Covey, executive vice president at FranklinCovey and one of Covey's sons, said the company's goal is to have the Leader in Me program used in 10 percent of U.S. schools.
The Center for Research and Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins University examined two elementary schools using the program and found that students reported their teachers were nicer, while staff reported improved student behavior. That was the experience at Benjamin Harrison Elementary in Marion, Ohio, where discipline problems declined as troublemakers turned into "role model" students, principal Leah Filliater said.
"I think they saw themselves differently, and I think staff treated them a little differently," Filliater said. "I think it's a different philosophy that each student can be great at something."


From the Associated Press
 

Significance

Seven Choices for Success and Significance

by Nido R. Qubein   An Excerpt from Seven Choices for Success and Significance by Dr. Nido R. Qubein What is success? Only you can define it in your own life. In my own life, I have attempted to define both Success and Significance. To me, Success is secular. Significance is spiritual. It doesn't matter how you define your own spirituality. Spiritual matters are always finer, deeper, and longer lasting than secular matters. Success focuses on three Fs: • Fans • Fame • Fortune Success is focused on tasks, even goals. Significance also focuses on three Fs: • Faith • Family • Friends But, significance focuses on purpose. Why am I here? What do I do with the talents, experiences and skills that I have? How can I make the world a better place? How do I plant seeds of greatness in the lives of those around me? How do I make an impact in the circles of influence where I find or place myself? To choose success and significance, you must be a strategic thinker who: • Has a clear vision of what you want to accomplish • Develops a solid strategy that answers three questions: - Who or what are we today? - Who do we want to become? - How do we get there? • Employs practical systems to achieve your goals • Commits to consistent execution because in consistency, success emerges. When implementing your strategic plan for success, it really comes down to three "Ds": Decide what you want most to achieve Determine the first step to getting what you want Do the first thing that will start you moving toward your goal. Using these seven keys, you can choose success and significance. But keep this in mind: success is not a matter of luck, not an accident of birth, not a reward for virtue. The most successful people I know are the ones who have something to do, somewhere to be and someone to love. No one is responsible for your success or your joy. You must search for it and be in a continual state of earning it. To merely succeed is not an end in itself. You must use your success to impact other people...to impact the world...to Live Life from the Inside Out. It all starts with the choices you make—they determine the person you will become.

Science In Action

'Need A House? Call Ms. Mouse!'

 'Need A House? Call Ms. Mouse!', written by George Mendoza with illustrations by Doris Susan Smith. (Penguin Kids)

Jefe/ Líder

Thanks to Catalina Aragón for sharing this on FB. 

Looping: An Investment in Students

By Jessica Cuthbertson

I wasn’t prepared for my first classroom.
Hired right after completing a one-year fellowship with a scholarship foundation, and just before the No Child Left Behind law went into full effect, I slid into my first classroom idealistic, inexperienced, and ill-prepared.
I studied communication and sociology as an undergraduate, so I knew a fair amount about the history of schooling—and precious little about what it meant to be a middle school literacy teacher in the 21st century. But I was given the keys to my first classroom anyway.
Miraculously, my first group of students learned in spite of me. They are now fresh college graduates who are starting their own careers and lives in various fields.
What made it work? I wasn’t prepared for my first group of students, but they were ready for me—they had firm foundations and relatively stable home lives. Also, I “looped” with my first group of 6th graders, following them to 7th grade. And then I looped again with them from 7th to 8th grade. That’s right: three years with the same group of students.
In those three years, my students taught me how to be a teacher. They taught me that relationships are the entry point for adolescent literacy instruction and that rigor is a byproduct of trust. They taught me to be honest and patient, and to involve students as much as possible in the learning journey—from lesson planning to final assessment.
Looping changed my professional life.

Relationships Matter

Eleven years later, I’m finally back to looping again, working with a group of 26 7th graders whom I taught last year as 6th graders. I hope to continue the loop to 8th grade next year. I now teach in a large, diverse district with challenges that range from a steep achievement gap to scarce resources. I teach second-language learners and students living in poverty. The reading skills represented in my room range from 2nd grade to high school text levels.

See Also

Previous pieces by Jessica Cuthbertson:

“Open Your Classroom Door to 'Be Better'”

“The Class Whisperer: How I Learned (the Hard Way) to Shut Up and Listen”

Meanwhile, everything about my pedagogy—from the way I plan to the tools I use—has changed over the past 11 years, except this: Relationships matter. They drive the rigor and expectations behind the reading and writing-workshop practices in my classroom. And looping supports that.
Admittedly, looping may not be for everyone. It requires flexibility and constant reflection to avoid stagnation and a too-familiar or too-comfortable teaching and learning environment.
In other words, you cannot rely on something working just because it has in the past. Instead, you must train your eye on grade-level standards and expectations and be two steps ahead of the savvy students who know you so well. You have to seek to learn new things about each student and their families rather than relying solely on prior knowledge and previous interactions. You have to work harder to keep things fresh and relevant.
But the benefits are worth it, especially during critical developmental periods like pre-adolescence and adolescence, when so many other factors in students’ lives are in flux. Looping supports student learning and accelerates growth. By building on a foundation of relationships and learning history, the first day of school is simply a continuation of the learning journey.

Planning to Loop

Think looping might be for you? Here are three steps you can take today to plan for looping with your learners:
• Advocate: Deep knowledge of the needs of individual students is far more complex than knowing content and grade-level standards. If relationships are the driving force in your classroom, collect data and artifacts that demonstrate how looping with your students will accelerate their achievement. Communicate with your school leader throughout the year about your interest in looping—grounding your proposal in the student-learning information you’ve collected.
• Communicate: As you plan, keep in mind that looping is most successful when all stakeholders understand and have a voice in the situation. I surveyed my students and their parents at the end of the first year to give them a choice to opt in (or out) of a second year of instruction with me.
• Collaborate: Involve other teachers in your grade level or team in the looping discussion and scheduling decisions. Having multiple teachers loop within a grade level or content area can help with tackling new standards, curriculum, or grade-level expectations as a team. Aligning expectations across classrooms (regardless of whether students are looping) will ensure a supportive and equitable learning community for all.
Looping is a tangible investment in our students. It tells kids we care about them—that we’re in it for more than this moment, this unit, this school year.
Given my personal lack of preparation for entry into the profession and the myriad reasons teachers leave the profession, some days I still have to pinch myself. Not only am I still teaching, but I also love my work. A brief stint of instructional coaching that took me away from the classroom led me right back to it. I choose adolescents over adults and I choose looping over the merry-go-round of students shuffling through our classrooms and schools.
I can’t help but wonder … if more first-year teachers were hired with the expectation that they would loop, would there be more career teachers—and more successful students?

Jessica Cuthbertson teaches middle school English language arts in Aurora, Colo. In her second year as a CTQ teacherpreneur, she divides her time between teaching and supporting national teacher-led common-core implementation efforts. She is an active member and virtual community organizer in the CTQ Collaboratory, which welcomes all who believe in teacher leadership.

Web Only

Everybody Started Out Small

Stuart Stotts And Tom Pease








Everybody Started Out Small


Look at an elephant, it weighs eight tons
look at a pine tree, reaching for the sun
see that giraffe, twenty feet tall
but everybody everybody everybody everybody
everybody started out small.
Your mom and dad, seem so giant
they seem so strong and self reliant
but they used to wear diapers and they used to crawl
but everybody everybody everybody everybody
everybody started out small.
One tiny seed can make a sequoia
one grain of sand makes a shiny pearl
one little baby makes a boy or
girl who’s ready for the great big world.
You start out small, but you never know
what you’ll become or how far you’ll go
so take a little step and if you fall
remember everybody everybody everybody everybody
everybody started out small.


This is a must get CD!

10 Reasons To Become A Library Addict

10 Reasons To Become A Library Addict

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Laura Grace Weldon

Image: CC by 2.0 ricardo266)

My name is Laura. I have a chronic library habit.
Sure, I have other, less socially acceptable habits. We can talk about those another day. Right now I’m trying to convince you to become a fellow library fanatic.
I’ve already been successful with my kids. The stacks of books my family brings home may be pushing up the state average. Now that my kids are older they are surprised most of their peers don’t bother with libraries, in person or online. And I’m surprised to see how many of my friends don’t use libraries either. Some haven’t been since high school. For those of you who don’t bliss out over libraries, or worse, dismiss libraries as dim places with a distinctive old book smell, here are the ten best reasons to get hooked on libraries.
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1. Magic water.
As a small child I was convinced there was something magical about drinking fountain water at our local library. It tasted better than water anywhere else. I wondered if it had to do with enviable proximity to all those books.
When I had kids I  rhapsodized about the water at libraries. And they’ve always been able to taste the difference. Even though I realize there’s no factual basis for this belief, library water still seems more deeply refreshing than ordinary water. Try it and see for yourself.
 
2. Awe.

A much more vital magic is evident in libraries around the world.

It has to do with a sense of history, of freely shared knowledge, and awe-inspiring architecture. When traveling I make sure to hang out in libraries. Most recently I found time to soak up the atmosphere of one of NYC’s awesome libraries.
*
3. Librarians.

ala.org

Surely you celebrate the annual Hug Your Librarian Day. These folks are amazing. As  Erica Firment writes on Librarian Avengers,

People become librarians because they know too much. Their knowledge extends beyond mere categories. They cannot be confined to disciplines. Librarians are all-knowing and all-seeing. They bring order to chaos. They bring wisdom and culture to the masses. They preserve every aspect of human knowledge. Librarians rule. And they will kick the crap out of anyone who says otherwise.

Librarian stereotypes aren’t relevant or cute. Don’t believe me? Check out The Bellydancing Librarian, The Steampunk Librarian, and Miss Information. Still think of them as chronic shsser’s? Then read Your Librarian Hates You.
*
4. Library materials are free!
Our taxes pay for them whether you use them or not. Only suckers don’t get in there to scoop up books, magazines, movies, digital downloads, recorded books, electronic readers, programs, classes, performances, and more. My kids and I have strolled out after a library visit with well over 100 items checked out on a card or two.
Today’s libraries offer much more than well worn books and a chaotic Story Hour. Click over to your library’s website. You’ll find an amazing array of offerings well beyond the newest bestsellers. There are probably programs to get you started in fencing or felting or fraternizing with fellow foodies, just this week alone.
*
5. Ordering.
OMG, I love ordering materials. In my area library systems are linked, so holdings can be sent from libraries in quite a few counties right to my own little branch. I can read a review of a book before it’s released, then go to the library site to pre-order it. I can order special book group offerings for our book group (up to 20 of the same book) that come organized by some saintly librarian with supplemental materials. I order obscure specialty books that were published back in the 1920’s and earlier.
We’ve homeschooled on the cheap thanks to our library system and the wonders of ordering materials. No way could I afford to expose my kids to the depth of information and range of experiences they’ve gained via libraries.
*

6. Online renewal.

I don’t know about your library system, but mine permits renewals up to five times. Online. That gives me several months to adore most materials. Those months are necessary. I use books in my work, take them with me lest I have a dull moment, and leave them around for my family members to pick up when their eyeballs are unoccupied.
Sometimes I find books so precious that when they are finally and irrevocably due I end up buying a copy. But let me point out, I only buy books after proving their worth to myself. No regrettable book purchases here. Yay savings.
*
7. Library privileges.
I’ve been in a steady human relationship for a loooong time, but I’m a non-monogamous library user. Judging by the number of library cards in my name, I’m a pushover for the sweet allure of any library’s New Acquisitions section.
It’s hard to unearn library privileges. Late fees are usually minimal and in many systems there are no late fees for seniors, teachers, and homeschoolers. Even when my account is labeled “delinquent” due to a late book or two I’m still able to check out and reserve materials. I don’t mind a few dollars here and there to make up for my late return crimes. Totally worth it. Unlike most human relationships, my library is always buying me something new, forgiving me when I atone, and consistently planning unexpected ways to lure me.
*
8. Research databases.
Library systems subscribe to pricey online database services that none of us could afford on our own. I access most of them from my home computer, simply logging in with my library card number. These databases include genealogy, academic research, news archives, digital images, health, and much more. I relied almost entirely on the resources of my award-winning Medina County Library for the research necessary to write my book.
*
9. Book Zombie Fuel

sundaykofax via Flickr, CC by 2.0

A wealth of materials is essential for those of us who are Book Zombies. We absolutely must gorge on fresh brains books, feeding an insatiable hunger for that oblivious-to-the-world swoon we call reading. We don’t hear or see what’s happening in our “real” lives when lost in a book.
Libraries feed that hunger, gladly buying books for us and storing them until we’re ready for more.
*
10. That smell.
Libraries don’t smell like someone’s musty basement. The odor is something entirely different. I’ll tell you what it reminds me of, right after I tell you about how much I appreciate Russian language library materials.
For five summers we hosted a little girl from Belarus  through the Children of Chernobyl project. And every summer before she arrived I called the librarian in charge of the foreign language collection at the Cleveland Public Library. We talked over Tatiana’s age and interests, then every few weeks through her three month stay this librarian sent to our rural library branch a wonderful selection of Russian materials including Harry Potter books, children’s magazines, recorded children’s books, popular music, and much more. When my kids curled up with books or went to bed listening to CD’s, Tanya was able to do so as well. I hoped it eased the hunger she must have felt to hear her own language. Beyond that, it built connections between us almost immediately.
The first day she arrived, exhausted from long flights and weak from some medical problems, there was no way we could really communicate. It became obvious that our efforts to learn Russian had been laughable and as a seven-year-old her grasp of English was limited to “yes” and “thank you.” Then I remembered those blessed library materials. In a few minutes all of us were dancing to the Russian version of “Hokey Pokey” and laughing before collapsing in a heap on the couch together to giggle as we paged through a Russian/English picture book, challenging each other to pronounce the words. That stack of Russian library materials smelled, more than anything, like home. To me, every library smells like my place. Bet they smell like your place too.

About Laura Grace Weldon

Laura Grace Weldon is a writer and editor, perhaps due to an English professor's scathing denunciation of her writing as "curious verbiage." Her recent book is "Free Range Learning" (lauragraceweldon.com) and she's working on her next, "Subversive Cooking" (subversivecooking.com). She lives on Bit of Earth Farm with her family where she is a barely useful farm wench. Although she has deadlines to meet she often wanders from the computer to preach hope, snort with laughter, cook subversively, observe chicken behavior, discuss life’s deeper meaning with her surprisingly tolerant offspring, sing to bees, hide in books, feed cows, walk dogs, concoct tinctures, watch foreign films and make messy art.

 

And Then Some....

Essay by Carl Holmes




And then some… these three little words are the secret to success.  They are the difference between average people and top people in most companies.  The top people always do what is expected …and then some.  They are thoughtful of others; they are considerate and kind …and then some.  They meet their responsibilities fairly and squarely …and then some.  They are good friends and helpful neighbors …and then some.  They can be counted on in an emergency …and then some.  I am thankful for people like this, for they make the world a better place.  Their spirit of service is summed up in these three little words …and then some.

Esperanza Groundbreaking

Thanks to Karina Taylor!




Thanks to Dawn Foutz!
 

Thanks!!!

Received the following email from Jeff Beisinger after our Esperanza Groundbreaking on Saturday, September 28th. 

 

 

September 30, 2013

 

Barbara and Steve-

 

I just wanted to send a quick thank you to the both of you. Saturday was such a great event. I was so excited to be invited to attend. Esperanza has truly been a blessing for me to be a small part of. I get the chance to work with so many good people with my job, but I can honestly say that Esperanza is special. I have been so amazed by everyone involved. This school is special. I can’t wait to see it start going up and the joy of everyone when it opens next summer. It will be here before we will even know it!!

 

Again, thank you. Misty [Jeff's wife] and I were so grateful for the kind gift [copy of the book Esperanza Rising]and words that you said. She stole the book from me and has already read it! Hopefully, she will give me a chance at it. J

 

If there is anything that either of you need, please let me know.

 

Jeff Beisinger, Esperanza's financial/facility consultant

Red Apple