A Letter to My ColleaguesWe CAN Do Hard Things #bettertogetherI was looking back at the pix of a faculty meeting Zoom yesterday and I got a little teary-eyed just looking at the pix of so many of us "together."
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Kids home for a visit
pull out of the driveway, heading for new horizons. At once a house that fit perfectly for many months now feels too large by far. Rooms that held laughter just hours before now sit empty and still. For a week or so the waiting ensues, hearts and rooms both waiting to be full once again. And then we two who inhabit this space will again fill its depth and volume perfectly. Like trying on shoes for the right fit, we'll walk this space several times until the fit is again just right for us. The waiting will be pushed to a corner of our hearts, and life will again fill this space. The heartbeat of a home will beat out a rhythm of love and we'll realize it's never missed a beat. Teachers everywhere are ready to take back the reins and many parents are ready to say, "Tag, YOU are it!" Yep, it's a new year and a new chance to make a difference. We have in front of us 180 fresh new days in which to inspire, create, grow, and share! I know I've written about this before, but I love a new year!! Today I attended our district teacher-back-to-school gathering. A portion of the keynote speaker's message focused on the importance of building relationships. That and a conversation I had recently have me thinking about past students, namely those who keep in touch. Why do some students reach out and stay in touch? Why do some former parents still share their child's successes and milestones with me? Rewind about a week and I was at a business dinner with my husband as he attended an out of town meeting. One of the other spouses (in this room of 250 people) was a recently retired teacher, Amanda. Of course, she and I found each other and struck up a conversation that lasted most of the night. Somehow the conversation rolled around to keeping up with past students. I commented that I've had several past students come back to say hello, and even a few who seek out opportunities to come back and help in my classroom. "Wow, you really had an impact on those students!" Amanda exclaimed. That has me thinking. Two days following that dinner, I walked into my school a few days before school started to find a colleague and her daughter (a former student) walking out. We shared hugs and a quick conversation to catch up—college successes—followed by more hugs and promises to keep in touch. {Way to go, Kaitlyn!} That has me thinking. A few weeks ago a former student reached out and asked to come in and help me set up my classroom during the summer. She's not an educator but a nursing student. She was willing to give up her time to come and help out. This same former student made time to see me last summer and again at Christmas break when she was home. This is a student from a dozen years ago! {Thank you, "MY Natalie!"} That has me thinking. Tonight a former student shared her summer teaching experience and how it's impacted her. She is even more strongly called to be a teacher now! {So proud, Maggie!} That has me thinking. Another former student requested to be placed in my classroom for her pre-college education profession program placement. She spent 90 minutes each day during the past school year with my class and made a HUGE impact on my kids! {You totally rocked our year, Lydia!} That has me thinking. Why do those few students (and a few parents) reach out to me? Why me and not some other teacher—or maybe they visit many teachers because that's just the type of person they are. These "kids" come back during breaks from school each year to see me. They reach out on social media, and they drop in when they can. Some even volunteer to help in the classroom or during the summer with set up. Others have come to talk to my class about making strong choices or why academics is even more important that sports. Why? {Thank you, Craig, Maddie, Joe, Sydney, Mira, and more!} Often parents email or text me at times to wish me a happy holiday or good luck for the year. I haven't had their kids in a decade, yet they still make an effort to do this. Why? {Okay, Gwen, we know it's to share a laugh or two remembering anchoring a crooked tree to the wall so it wouldn't fall over on the kids.} Other kids and parents still in my building come down each year when they are at school visiting their child for lunch, for conferences, programs, or open house. They just pop in to say hello. Why? {Thank you, Mehringer gals, Leuck family, Lamont family, Clarks, Mitchelll Family, Hanselmans, and many more!} Perhaps it comes back to relationships. Maybe these students (and parents) felt valued. I hope it's because these kids felt important and loved while in my class. I hope it's because they knew they mattered to me, and mattered way beyond grades and test scores. I hope it's due to the fact that they knew I cared about them, as a learner, reader, writer, problem solver, friend, yes—but also as a person. For some reason, these kids and parents and I connected. I believe the "connection" is actually about taking the time to foster relationships. It's because those kids felt valued, special, loved, and that they truly mattered. And I hope they always remember that I am interested in where they are, what they are doing, and (mostly) HOW they are doing. It's my intense belief that before kids will care, they need to know we care. That's not new, but it is something that gets pushed to the side at times by some teachers and administrators, especially during times of stress, such as at testing time. However, those are the very times when kids need to know we care most. No. Matter. What. Which also has me thinking. Which little darlings this year will be my decade-later-still-in-touch kids? Which families will be those who drop in when their kids are middle schoolers, high schoolers, and beyond? On our wall above the whiteboard we have two very important words--YOU MATTER. It's my privilege to work with this new group of students and parents, and it's my challenge to make sure they feel that these words are alive in our room. I hope they all feel challenged, capable, and creative. Better yet, I want them to know beyond a doubt that they are valued, respected, treasured, safe, and loved. It's my desire that they know they are readers, writers, problem solvers, creators, kind friends, caring citizens, and leaders. I want them to know beyond a doubt that I care. Now. And. Always. I hope teachers everywhere will make the effort to build relationships. Take the time, make the time. It will be worth it to let your students feel loved, cared for, and make sure they walk out knowing YOU MATTER. If you are a book lover and feel strongly about sharing books with kids, NerdCamp is for you!
Here is the official link to find out what it's all about. This will be my third Nerdcamp experience; I had to miss Nerdcamp last year, but I vowed NOT to let that happen this year. You know it's a special place and group when you walk up and clutch the arm of your {nerdy book-loving, artist, not-even-a-teacher) friend and literally squeal, "Ohhh, we've found our PEOPLE!" Even better is getting your picture taken with Babymouse and Arnie AND meeting your edu-heroes in the literary world AND walking out with books, posters, bookmarks, and memories to share with your students about your very own summer "camp" experience! Nerdcamp had its humble beginnings back in 2013, and it has consistently grown by leaps and bounds! This year there are more than 50 authors and illustrators who will share in the fun! This S'More will give you an idea of just how broad the scope of the sessions for Day One. Day Two is set up in the non-traditional style of an ED-Camp where the group itself builds the session board based on the interests and questions of those present. As you can surely see, there is excitement in the air as approximately1500 literacy-lovin' and book-passionate folks come together in Michigan! Please follow along on social media - much of the learning will be shared and available for those not able to attend. But wait - there's MORE! After the adults have their two days of learning and sharing, many authors, illustrators, organizers, and volunteers stay for Nerdcamp Jr.! This will be my first year to participate so I am truly pumped to see how this works. I'll work with one group to lead them through their visits with their assigned guests. Summer learning time also allows me to experiment with new technology to engage my students, and one I am exploring with great interest is Flipgrid. I see this as a viable assessment tool (non-traditional, yay!) for my students as they explain their thinking or reasoning or share what they're experiencing. I'd love to have students use it to share book talks, make connections between books or authors, and to help us connect with others outside of our little rural community. I've completed most of what I need to begin my Flipgrid certification journey, but I need your help to practice more with it. Flipgrid is a tool that uses video to capture or share learning about a particular topic.I created a Nerdcamp Grid and posted a topic asking for nerdcamp lovers to please share what they are excited about or some important piece of learning during the actual sessions. Here is the link - I am hoping to have a few video responses which will allow YOU to share why you are passionate about Nerdcamp and will allow me to learn more about moderating responses - so it's a total win-win! It will take only about a minute, so please help out! Have a great time at Nerdcamp - or following along via social media if you are @notatnerdcampMI. if you write a blog post about your experiences, feel free to leave a link in the comments below! For the fourth year I recently participated in the Not-at-ISTE community, and the past few days have been devoted to learning and sharing and connecting with other educators and tech-enthusiasts from around the world. Much of the learning revolved around the happenings actually AT ISTE in San Antonio, but for many of us, our learning was from afar. We didn't lack the opportunity to watch sessions, view keynotes, and learn from many edu-heroes. Most presenters willingly share their resources with anyone who is interested. And for the notatISTE crew, that meant nearly 2,000 interested folks from around the world!
Here is a link if you are interested in exploring this community of learners and leaders. Trust me, there are many leaders in this community. There have been robust conversations and IGNITE sessions and Periscopes and such support over the last few days! I can't wait to go back through the session notes and delve in more deeply on many topics! One of the first things I'll be exploring is Flipgrid - a video discussion community to engage my students. I'll give voice to their learning by allowing them to use video to explore, explain, question, wonder, and share! There are endless ways this could be used in my classroom—from explaining mathematical thinking to exploring a creation they want to make to sharing wonders and wows with their classmates—I am very excited as I'm learning how to combine this with other apps and sites to engage students while allowing them to use video to share both within and outside of our community of learners. For any #notatiste community members who are reading this, please help me further my learning so I can more effectively use Flipgrid with my students in the fall. Here is a link to allow you to share your aha-moment or best learning from our few days together. Summer learning is the best—it energizes you and helps you to continue to grow and learn, as well. Each year #notatISTE humbles me by making me realize just how many educators there are who willing share their own passion so that I may share mine with my students! |
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