Trust me

There has been a buzz in the air about standardized testing that seems to be getting louder and louder.  

This isn't a post about my feelings on that.  Not really.  It is a post about my feelings on what is the most  important thing.  

I am not a parent.  I won't pretend that I know or understand the emotional undertaking that it involves.  However, I will say this: 

• I don't really like it when other people watch my dogs.  They just don't love them like I love them. 
• I don't really like other people to drive my car.  My mirrors are just right and I don't like the radio station pre-sets to be changed. 
• I'm not a fan of anyone else cooking in my kitchen.  I know where things are and I like it that way.  

Now, these things are important to me but they are a far cry from tiny people that I birthed from my own body or accepted the great task of looking after.  

I understand how much faith parents place in me each day to keep their child safe, engaged, and encouraged.  I may not be able to understand wholly but I can empathize with what it is like to allow someone else to spend as many hours as I do with their child.  I imagine that your children are your "world" and I appreciate and value that it must be so hard to leave them with someone for an entire day.  I get all of this so I KNOW how hard it might be for you to do what I am about to ask you to do next. 

Trust me.  Trust that I am going to do the best I possibly can for your child.  

I'm not saying I'm perfect or anywhere close to it but know that I will do my best.  

No, we might not get to the last question on the "Problem Set," and yes, I might have to change the date of the quiz because I don't think everyone is ready for it.  But that is OK with me.  

When your child makes a connection and the class values his or her opinion and the conversation distracts us from the lesson, I will weigh that situation and do what I think is best for the community.  I know that we will get back to that skill and I am not so naive that I don't understand and value the importance of that standardized test that is always looming in the future.  However, giving your child a voice seems pretty darn important to me too.  Allowing your child to make connections to their peers and foster a safe and nurturing environment can be rewarding and life changing.  Perhaps, more so than any test.  

When we are outside at recess and your child finds an egg sac on a leaf and wants to know what kind of insect it is, I might skip silent reading that day and let the kids have an authentic scientific experience.  We may not get to talk about a reading comprehension skill, however, they will learn even more because they are invested in finding an answer.  They are finding value in inquiry and building a foundation for lifelong learning.  Trust me, that matters more than any score on a test. 

It's going to happen.  Your kid is going to say "Nothing," when you ask him or her what they did at school today.  It isn't unusual for me to spend 10 or more hours at school every day.  My entire Sunday is usually spent researching, planning, and engaging myself in professional development with other teachers just like me.  There might be times where we are all stressed and we have some silent reading time, review time, or a dance break to break the funk.  But I never have, nor ever will come to school and do "nothing" with your child.  I set high personal goals and standards and I do what I can to meet them.  I expect the same of your child.  They might come home upset with me for pushing them today but we have established trust and they know I want what is best for them.  They might come home tired because I found multiple ways to engage and excite them throughout the day.  They will probably come home silent because I have given them multiple opportunities to discuss their learning with their peers throughout the day and they just don't know what or how to tell you.  Trust me, they didn't do nothing.  Try to find another way to ask the question.  Connecting with your kids about their day might take extra effort, you might have to work it out of them, it might turn into a much longer discussion than you thought.  Trust me, it will be more important than any test score.  

I will mess up some days.  My big ideas will fall flat.  I might trip and fall on my face.  My SmartBoard might break or I might put the wrong answer on the board.  You'll probably hear about that.  Trust me, I'm OK with that.  If your kid sees me dust myself off, get back on that "horse" and keep going, it will teach them to persevere and learn from their mistakes.  Not just believe that one day, one moment, or one test defines them.  And that is way more important than any one test score.  

So, trust me.  Trust that I will do the best I can for your child every day.  I will notice them, I will talk with them, I will enjoy them, I will push them, I will encourage them, I will challenge them, I will care for them, I will advocate for them.  Trust me, because I see them as the unique, individual, and important part of you that they are.    

Because to me, they are way more important than a test score.  

Top 100

In honor of #TLead Chat tonight, I made my own Teacher “Top 100” I hope it’s a hit!

1.     You get to read cool young adult novels FOR YOUR JOB.

2.     Kid hugs

3.     Kid smiles

4.     That moment when a kid says "Oh, I get it!" 

5.     When they make up a song for you

6.     When their parents say they came home excited about learning today

7.     When a parent thanks you

8.     When an administrator tells a parent (in front of you) that their kid is lucky to have you as their teacher.

9.     A job where you get to have recess every day

10. The natural curiosity that kids have

11. When a kid makes a great connection

12. When a kid asks a question that shows they are really listening

13. When a kid solves a math problem a way that you didn’t even think about

14. When the copier works

15. When every kid follows line procedures right as the principal walks by

16. When you hear your student being respectful

17. When you see your student helping a friend

18. When you see your student struggling but they don’t give up

19. When a student e-mails you at night just to tell you that they finished the book

20. When a mom asks how she can help

21. When a dad stops by just to read with kids, not even his sometimes

22. When another teacher asks if you need anything

23. When a front office friend cuts out your laminating for you

24. When a kid sits with you at recess to tell you about their weekend

25. When a kid asks if you can sit at their lunch table today

26. My coffee pot in my room

27. My absurd amount of gel pens that kids think are cool and adults just don’t understand

28. Picture books

29. Town Hall

30. Board games

31. Creating a class song

32. Creating a class rap

33. Showing a kid hilarious internet videos sometimes, just because hilarious internet videos

34. Spending your day with friends

35. Allowing yourself to sit back and watch learning happen

36. Realizing that the kids have more to teach you than you ever thought possible

37. Going to the school library and getting as many books as you want

38. Playing freeze tag during a dance break

39. Skate nights

40. Field Trips

41. Secret Buddies (Bucket Buddies at my school)

42. Getting to draw on a Smartboard

43. Having a line of children waiting to greet you every morning

44. That kid who sees you after school and waves like you’re a rock star even though you just saw them an hour ago

45. When you have time, grading papers and commenting to kids so they know you care

46. Book chats

47. Dressing up

48. Planning a lesson that gets them engaged

49. Knowing that your kids feel safe in your environment

50. Knowing that your kids will take risks

51. Knowing that your kids will feel celebrated

52. Knowing that your kids will know that they matter

53. Jamming to 80’s love tunes during Writer’s Workshop and that one kid sings along to Journey

54. Kid drawings

55. Kids that e-mail you years later

56. Kids that come with their siblings to night events just to see you

57. A teacher down the hall who brings you a cookie just because

58. Leftover snacks in the break room

59. Teachers who share great ideas

60. Teachers who share great documents

61. Teachers who value conversation

62. Teachers who inspire you to be great

63. Teachers who help you with new ideas

64. Teachers who are excited about new technology

65. That kid that asks if they can borrow a book

66. That kid that brings in an artifact to help with our learning

67. When you see a kid help another kid who doesn’t understand

68. When a kid doesn’t know a word and other kids offer to help and don’t laugh

69. The cheers that we give for great news

70. The community that we have when someone has sad news

71. The cheesy videos of adults acting like dendrites

72. The neurons made of noodles

73. Construction paper

74. Blogging

75. Kid presentations and all their awkward glory

76. Shy kids stepping up

77. Loud kids stepping back

78. When a kid tells you that they’re sorry and they mean it

79. When a kid asks if you can come to their baseball game

80. When a kid wants to know how your weekend was

81. When a kid asks if they can take something home to work on it some more

82. When kids get excited about math

83. When kids have on task chats about their learning

84. When kids write you notes

85. When you come home tired but you know you made a positive difference in a kids life today

86. When you spend all your free time thinking about your kids because you care

87. When your kids watch football because they like what you like

88. When your kids ask you to read your favorite book from when you were a kid

89. When your significant other says they’re proud of you

90. When you look in the mirror and you’re proud of you.

91. Dance Breaks

92. Dance Breaks

93. Dance Breaks

94. Dance Breaks

95. Dance Breaks

96. Dance Breaks

97. Dance Breaks

98. Dance Breaks

99. Dance Breaks

100. Dance Breaks

0 to 60

Teachers are so lucky. We get the whole summer off.  
Let me tell you how awesome it is: 

1. Sure, I have more time but I don't have more money.  
         It's not like just because I have time off I have the ability to do all the things in my house that I always said I would do if I had more time.  And, here is the thing.  Now, I have to spend all day in my house.  Why? Well, if I leave my house I am spending money. I don't have extra money to spend.  Sure, I am saving a bit in gas but I am spending that in the extra groceries I buy during my very long grocery store trips because I just need to GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.  Also, I am a social person.  I wanted to become a teacher because I like being creative and fun and I don't want to be quiet all day.  But guess what? EVERYONE I KNOW IS WORKING.  So, sure, I have some time off.  But really, it's not all you might think it's cracked up to be.  
2. During my summer I spent time tutoring. It was really awesome but it still meant I had a place to be and a time to be there.  I also spent a LOT of time revising lesson plans, searching for new ideas, studying the new standards, reading blogs about education, attending conferences or professional development, reading young adult books, and basically "working" to get my classroom ready, my filing cabinet organized, and trying to get ahead.  

3. I'm not saying I'm great with money but I don't go wild.  Honestly, I make just enough.  I can pay my bills and I am comfortable but it's rare that I have extra.  So, even though I actually have a job where I have time to travel, and even though I LOVE to travel and have the desire to do so, and even though I work 12-14 hour days during the school year, many hours each weekend, and in the summer... I still don't have enough to go on vacation.  It's depressing. 

And then... all of a sudden it is gone.  

If you aren't a teacher, it's hard to explain.  I almost think it is detrimental for the human brain to go from the biggest stress of the day being deciding whether to choose "white" or "whole wheat" at the grocery store to the AMAZING AND INCOMPARABLE AMOUNT OF STRESS WE FACE AS TEACHERS.  

***********Now, listen up, I am not complaining about my job. I LOVE teaching.******************

Sadly, a good portion of my day isn't just teaching.  It's doing a whole bunch of other things that are time consuming and overwhelming and take me away from what I want to do most.  What I do best.  And what is that?

• Talking to kids
• Building their confidence
• Establishing procedures so that they know they are safe and how to follow directions
• Exploring their passions and encouraging them to dream
• Reading to kids, with kids, near kids, stuff written by kids
• Hearing kids
• Comforting kids
• Modeling a positive attitude and good citizenship

What I don't have time for is all the other "stuff."  It fills up my brain, so really, by the time summer rolls around I need about 6 weeks to decompress and then it is time to go back.  The kids make it worth it EVERY SINGLE DAY but it's hard. It's stressful.  

And it is so, so, so important.  

I am proud of what I do and, to me, that is an important thing to be able to say.  But right now, I've passed 60 and I'm trying to stay in control at 100.  I might miss some days on my blog, I might not return your call right away, and I might have to cancel last minute.  But only because my job isn't working with products, it's working with people. Little people.  And they are worth it.  It may seem corny and it may sound cheesy, but seriously: 

 

Let's Have A Ball!

Let's Go Gamecocks, Let's Go!

Around my hometown, Columbia, South Carolina, the words up above are enough to start a riot.  I have been out to dinner in a fancy place - cloth napkins and all, where this was shouted and the place erupted like a Frat House in the 11th hour and then returned to linen tablecloths and champagne as if nothing had happened.  In Columbia, you "bleed garnet" in honor of our SEC college football team, The Carolina Gamecocks.  It might be the only place where young men aren't kicked out of a respectable establishment for having the word "Cocks" on their hat.  Occasionally, someone wearing orange and purple will creep out of the woodwork in support of our biggest rival, the Clemson Tigers.  I like to think I am proud of both schools for representing South Carolina so well.  However, I won't be as nice on Game Day.  

For me, the return of the school year signifies a new season in many ways.  A tiny bit of chill in the air is welcome after the Carolina heat, new students come into my classroom a little bigger than I remember them from the year before, and my beloved Fighting Gamecocks head to the field to commence a football season full of tailgating, victory, and some of the best teamwork I've ever seen.  

Speaking of teamwork, I have been very active on Twitter recently.  Not as a fan of "The Voice" (ok, maybe a little) but as an educational tool.  I have discovered an amazing network of educators and they have inspired me to make stronger connections with my team in my school!  It's funny that people I don't know have encouraged me to think about my working relationships with people I do know!  A new Twitter friend (@JayBilly2) has even inspired me to help moderate a chat.  If you don't know what that means, it is when you come up with a topic and post questions during a specific time slot and then sit back and WATCH AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN!  I am so excited to work with him.  The best part?  He's a principal!  In the real world, it's hard to find time to meet with my principal because we are both so busy and because there is always that "this is my boss, don't say something dumb" feeling.  But here we are, working together, sharing ideas, and encouraging each other to try new things! 

So... in honor of the 1st Gamecocks game and our collaboration, we invite you to join us Thursday, August 28, 2014 at 10:00 pm EST for #TLeadChat where we will be discussing the viewpoint from the "sideline" (The Coach/Principal) and from the "field" (The Player/Teacher).  

Strap on your helmets, put on your team colors, and join us! Game ON! Let's Go Twitter, Let's Go!!

You Know... "That" Kid

Here we are at the beginning of the school year again and I've already met him. 

You know who I'm talking about.  "That" kid.  "That" one. 

That one who is going to change your whole world.  

The one that will walk in every single day with a smile. 

The one that needs you more than anyone else because he just sees the world a little differently.

The one that hugs you because he loves you and because he knows that that is what will make the difference in his life. 

The one that might get picked on so he has to know you have his back. 

The one that will try but might not pass the test. 

The one that will drive you crazy every now and then but will cry when he leaves your room. 

We all have "THAT" kid.  We might have more than one.  And we get the JOY  of seeing those smiling faces for a whole school year.  We are so lucky that we get to watch "that" kid grow confidence this year, make a new friend this year, or get lost in a new book this year. 

I got to hang out with my new friend today and he has already taught me some things.  When "that" kid walks in Wednesday morning, I better be ready.  We have a lot of work to do so he can remember "THAT" teacher.  I hope I don't let him down.    

What A Pain in My Foot

Bunion. 

If you are anything like me at all, that first word made you shudder.  I can't stand that word.  Ugh.  Typing it was too much for me.  What's even worse than typing it? Yup. 

Having one.  

Look, I fully expected that when I turned 89 my foot would look crooked all over like a question mark and I would resort to wearing Birkenstocks and long flowing purple dresses and drinking herbal tea.  At 89, I wouldn't care about high heels, pedicures, and fun toe polish.  At 89, I would use words like bunion. 

I am not 89.  

What started as a slight twinge of discomfort in my right foot had turned into a "Wow, I must have mistakenly hammered a nail into my right foot last night while I was sleeping" kind of pain.  I am fairly active, despite my healthy (read:fluffy) size and I play tag with the kids, I work out more than once a year, and this summer I even HIKED.  I also have a high pain tolerance.  So, I knew this had to be sort of serious.  However, I still didn't go to the doctor.  Then, I went to the lake and had a VERY GOOD TIME and somehow I forgot how to properly use stairs and I twisted my ankle.  I went, thinking he would wrap it, give me some anti-inflammatories, and send me packin'.  Do you know what he said to me?

How long have you had this bunion? What? Didn't he know how young I am, my chart is right there!

So, now I have a foot doctor.  Again, I went in with the calm and cool collectedness of a young person in her 30's.  I assured all of the assistants that I probably didn't need to be there.  When the doctor came in, I explained to her that we were probably ALL just overreacting.  It was just a little swelling.  I'm sure it will go away.  I'm not even 40.  She did x-rays. 

Not *just* a bunion... a MODERATE bunion.  WILL require surgery eventually. 

Like, when I'm 89? 

Nope, proably before that.  In fact, I can't even do anything now except try to alleviate and not make it get worse faster.  She started using words like orthapedic inserts and nighttime "Bunion Booty" and that is when I checked out.  It was too much for me. 

And then it hit me.  I didn't have this 2 years ago.  It was teaching. TEACHING did this to me.  When I got home, I took a good look in the mirror.  I have gray hair now, seriously, like a whole stripe, not just one random one.  My closet is full of non-flattering clothes that cover every millimeter of cleavage.  I stopped wearing shirts that were fancy because they all have Sharpie marks or highlighter or vomit or Lysol wipe bleach marks on them within an hour.  And all those heels, those beautiful heels with strappy backs and pointy toes just sit there in dust.  Now, I opt for comfortable shoes with a sensible wedge.  That's when I saw it.  My one summer purchase.  A flowy purple dress.  I looked down and there it was, staring back up at me. 

My bunion. 

Pass the tea and strap on the Birkenstocks.  I'm here.  And, you know what?  It's O.K.  I may dress like and have the feet of an 89 year old but I get to play with kids every day and it keeps me young at heart.  You can keep your sexy skirts and heels, I'm going outside to play Octopus Ball at recess.  Keep your bathroom breaks whenever you want, I taught a kid a new word today.  And what is more exciting than laying on the floor and reading with a kid who discovered a book they love?  Nothing. 

I love it and I am here to stay.  I ordered the insert and I got a prescription for sneakers.  Take that bunion.  You didn't deFEET me this time! Now, I just need to run and get some hair dye. 

Nerd Girl

"I'm not really THAT into sci-fi stuff." 

That is a phrase I have said so often and then followed with a story of a sci-fi movie or book that I absolutely loved.  I'm starting to think that the only person I am still fooling is me.

Here's the story:   

Let me share a little bit about my mom.  She was absolutely amazing.  She was kind of a hippie and she always encouraged me to express myself.  

Cowboy chaps to go to the grocery store? Great! Lace Madonna gloves in Kindergarten? You Go Girl!  Glitter make-up in 5th grade? Go for it!  1996, belly button piercing (she HAS to say NO, right?)? Sure, maybe I'll get one too! 

*facepalm*

I remember my friends calling the house and asking to talk to my mom.  She was just cool.  She was crafty and funny and silly and artistic.  She would take us to the movies and we actually WANTED her to hang out.  

But as a teenager, it was really hard to be rebellious.  My 15th birthday present was a tattoo.  (My dad thought it was fake well into the 2000's)

There was one, and only one, way.  She was a sci-fi junkie.  All of it.  Isaac Asimov, Star Trek, Star Wars, Dr. Who, Dark Shadows, Larry Niven, Philip Jose Farmer, C.S. Lewis, The Hobbit, Madeline L'Engle, War of the Worlds, those ape movies... she loved them all.  

So I wasn't gonna.  

That's right. I didn't watch Star Wars, I cringed at late night movies with Elvira introducing them, and I only read The Hobbit because she paid me.    

It was my big plan of rebellion. Finally, I could feel the pain of all the other youth of America.  I couldn't be a true artist without some sort of parent sob story and this was mine.  

One problem... this stuff was good.  Have you ever even seen Dr. Who or read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe?  IT'S AMAZING.  So, like most artistic people with overly allowing parents, I became a sci-fi junkie.  Sure, I could keep it quiet most of the time.  Barely anyone found out.  My World of Warcraft friends weren't social enough to tell anyone on me.  Nobody had to know.  

Then, one day, I woke up and my mom wasn't here any more.  Just like that, she was gone.  I was so grateful for the amazing woman who shaped me, who let me be me, who loved science fiction and the daughter who didn't.  So, in her honor, the time has come: 

I'm saying it loud and proud.  I'm a total nerd and I love it.  I'm enjoying discovering all the things I proudly disavowed and it's making me such a cool person.  

I mean, just don't tell anyone.