TAIR Conference- Connecting with Reading

TAIR Conference 2011- Guyer High School, Denton, TX. 

Each year, the University of North Texas Reading Department puts on conference in Denton, TX to connect teacher practitioners with pre-service teachers.  Hundreds of undergraduates show up to learn from seasoned professional teachers, and the practicing teachers hone their conference presentation skills.  This year, we were honored to have the author George Ella Lyon as our keynote speaker. 

To those of us who teach the “I Am From” poem, Lyon’s presence was a thrill.  She read aloud from a few of her books, sharing her prose with the passion of a performer.  It makes such a difference when the reader feels the intention behind the text, and it was good to see how her reading showcased that very important aspect of reading for entertainment.  At the end of her presentation, Lyon sang a song that she had written that could function just as easily as a poem as it did lyrics to a song.  I urged her to record the song and place it on her website, so I’m hopeful that this will happen.

After breaking from the keynote, we moved to session one.  My own presentation didn’t have any participants show up, so I abandoned my empty room in favor of taking advantage of learning from my peers.  Although it was disappointing to not present something I worked hard to compile, I was pleased to have the opportunity to learn something new.  So, I will hold on to my presentation in hopes of presenting it again another year.  Perhaps I need to work on the title to entice teacher educators to hear me.

I went to Dr. Carol Revelle’s presentation on using a gallery walk to tackle the tough issue of the Holocaust.  She and her partner, a National Writing Project TC from Arizona, began by doing a read-aloud of the book “Erika’s Story” by Ruth Vander Zee.  In this children’s book, a mother is on her way to a concentration camp, and she chooses to throw her infant child from the side of the train in hopes that the baby would be taken in by one of the townsfolk that were gathered, watching the death trap speed ahead.  We were asked to consider whether we’d be able to make that difficult choice.  After sharing our writing, we were directed to walk around and consider various poems and pictures that had been mounted on butcher paper on the walls. Each of us armed with a marker, we annotated our impressions, questions, and connections. Then, we came together to share our thoughts again.  Finally, we saw a wordle that had been constructed using the text of the poems that we’d just seen on the walls.  We wrote a response to the wordle as a way to close out our session.

Not only was this lesson powerful thematically, dealing with how children were impacted by the Holocaust, but it was also an excellent model for interactive learning.  An alternate suggestion for using this model to teach other topics would be to collect poems and pictures from a time period and invite students to consider what was going on in the Elizabethan period, as an introduction to Shakespeare; or perhaps to collect poems and paintings centered around a theme, like “The Blues”.  The activation of prior knowledge through using a picture book and writing prompt, followed by movement and consideration to allow students to create their own meaning, and closed by a final writing reflection of the whole allows students to get the most from a class period. 

Next, I went to a session about Slam Poetry by Kip Nettles.  Kip began by showcasing his passion for poetry through sharing his own composition.  His recitation clearly showed pre-service teacher how important it is to share a little bit about oneself in order to make connections with the students.  He’s right about that.  Believing what you are selling is a huge part of encouraging students to think about how important the content is.  If a teacher doesn’t see the value of what they are teaching, the students won’t either.  However, when the teacher allows entry into the soul, it connects with the children.  After sharing his own writing, Kip showed three You Tube videos about Slam poetry that he said he’d use with his students.  They were gritty and used language that a teacher should consider carefully before using.  However, that is part of what Slam poetry is about.  It’s not always pretty or appropriate.  But it is powerful.  He also showed a video from an elementary school that had incorporated slam poetry into a performance.  This type of poetry is flexible through the grade levels.

Leaving his session, I felt inspired to bring more poetry into my classroom.  I wished I had written personal poems that were as powerful as his were.  I also wished I could have recorded his reading of his final poem, about the loss of his guitar-playing after a stroke.  Emotions can bleed through poetry.

Pre-service and teacher practitioners should take advantage of opportunities to learn from each other.  It is amazing what peers can bring to the table, given the chance.  Going to local conferences like the TAIR conference give the lifelong learner a way to connect with others, both socially and ideologically. 

Shown below are two of the Slam Poetry videos shared by Kip:

What is Thought and Language About Anyway?

I decided to make a quick one minute video summary of what Vygotsky's book "Thought and Language" is all about.  Here's my interpretation.  Hope it is useful.

Think Before You Speak: Addressing Homosexuality and Hate Language

Invariably, at some point, a student comes up with the statement, “That’s so gay.”  That happened last week.  I cannot allow that sort of hateful language to happen in my class, so I immediately told the student that he shouldn’t say things like that, and that because I heard him say it, we’d be getting a lesson on why it isn’t appropriate.  However, as the words were coming out of my mouth, I realized I had no plan as to how to achieve that.  In past years, I pretended I didn’t hear it.  But, that’s irresponsible of me, and I am holding myself to a higher standard this year.  So, I did some research.

I found the think b4 you speak website( http://www.thinkb4youspeak.com/) dedicated to providing educational materials to combat the spread of hate language. So, spending my afternoon planning time to print out the teachers guide, and the transcript for some PSA’s (that are also available in videos- show below), I planned my crusade on bullying.  I wrote “That’s so gay” in the planning space of the offending class as they left, and was pleasantly surprised by what happened as a result.  The next class that walked in commented, “Ms. B, what is that on your board?  That’s so mean, why would anyone write that?”  Needless to say, I was pleased.  I explained what happened, and the teens in that class got into an impromptu discussion about why people need to cut it out.  One jumped in and even referred to the PSA’s that I had bookmarked to show the offending class.  Other students hadn’t seen the PSA’s, I quickly put them up on my screen.  After the videos were over, the students agreed that I should definitely show those videos to the other class, because the point hits home.  Then, they assured me that they would never use language like that, and that they were glad I was going to teach that lesson.

As the next few periods came through and saw what was written on the board, I got many remarks about it.  By simply writing that phrase on the board, and answering the question about why it was there, I let all my students know that such language would not be tolerated.  I had to step in to watch another teacher’s class while he had to attend a meeting, and one of the students (who is not one of mine, but, as it is a small school, I had met before) asked me how the lesson on stopping bullying had gone.  I hadn’t taught the planned lesson yet, and already, the kids were interested and talking about it.  My conclusion:  by addressing the issue, the student body as a whole was supporting the need to tell offenders to cut it out.  It was important enough to them that it was the topic of conversation outside of the confines of my little classroom world.  I only hope that someone learned something positive in their lunchroom discussions.

I haven’t taught the planned lesson yet, because the boy who made the statement wasn’t present in class that day, but already it is making an impact.

A note: I have a family member who is homosexual that shared a link to an article (http://allthingsqueer.co.za/archives/religion/60.html)  that effectively slammed Christians who use a faith-based argument to put down the decision (or state of being, depending on who you ask) to be gay.  I have as big a problem with that as I do with my student saying something like “that’s so gay.”  In order for everyone to get along and be at peace, attacks need to stop.  Instead, both sides should be focusing on love and acceptance, or, at the very least, tolerance.  To his credit, after I told him the article offended me, he responded that he didn’t think of it as an indictment on Christian faith, but rather as a defense against an argument.  Truly, I believe he didn’t think before posting that article.  However, that’s really the problem with my student too.  I don’t think he was trying to be hateful.  I believe he just didn’t think.  The lesson today?  Think before you speak.  Think before you post.  And, think before you write.

Hilary Duff - Think Before You Speak ("That's So Gay") Official (HQ) - Click here for this week’s top video clips

Think Before You Speak-Pizza Shop - Click here for the most popular videos

Think Before You Speak-Cashiers - The funniest videos are a click away

Assessment Doesn't Have to Be a Dirty Word

The word “assessment” makes me cringe.  Perhaps my dislike of the term is because of the association with testing.  Assessment should be more than that, but, unfortunately, according to our government, that is not the case.  So, teachers across America are forced to have a negative experience with assessment, aka testing.  If the concept were more about evaluation of what students know versus what they do not know in one moment in time and under pressure, perhaps students’ needs would be better served.

What state assessment is: a picture of what a set of students do not know at a specified point in time about a subject whose required standards may or may not be represented.  Students come in to a bare room, cleaned and stripped to reduce the chance of cheating, and sit in rows spaced to prevent wandering eyes.  Of course, the implication is that we do not trust the students, so they are already uncomfortable.  If they look up and accidently allow their gaze to linger too long on another student, they may be subject to severe punishment.  Since the room has all posters ripped down, and any writing on the walls removed, it looks lifeless and dull, as intellectually unstimulating as possible.  Absolute silence is the rule, and no movement of any kind is allowed. They must fill out the test in standard number two pencil, not allowing any stray smudge marks to give inaccurate results.  Essays should be completed only within the lines of a box, and absolutely must follow a standard format for ease of grading in a rubric.  No creativity allowed.

But creativity is what drives our American economy.  People make their living on innovation, ideas, and implementation.  So the assessment, in my opinion, doesn’t match what the desired skill is.  Instead, we are preparing students for an industrial society then throwing them into a pool of creativity that they just don’t know how to handle.  It is unfair to our students. 

Some states, like Washington and Tennessee, offer alternate portfolio evaluations to those students who have significant disabilities and it is specified on their IEP (Individualized Education Plan).  Why can’t it work to give all students the option to elect a portfolio evaluation?  All year, students could work on fulfilling a specified list of objectives, and be required to turn them in.  Teachers could receive specialized training (like we do for TELPAS) to evaluate these portfolios according to a state-provided rubric.  That way, students still have the ability to be in lower-pressure situations, have the time they need to do well, and even give them some room to be a bit more creative.  At the same time, states can keep students on a plan that fulfills state mandated standards, guaranteeing an attempt at continuity across campuses. 

There are already some schools that operate with this portfolio system.  When I was a pre-service teacher in New York in 2003, I took a field trip to observe at an alternative school in Rochester, NY.  It is called The School Without Walls.  At the School Without Walls, students take classes that are about a topic rather than a subject.  For instance, there is one class called Crime Scene Investigation.  The class reads novels about crime scene investigation, practices forensic science, meets with local law enforcement agents, and writes up a case.  The topic goes beyond what is able to be studied in a traditional classroom setting, and the kids are excited about it.  The students who sign up for this course have some interest in pursuing a career related to Crime Scene Investigation, so it is real and worthwhile to them. 

School Without Walls doesn’t just explore topics within the confines of the classroom.  They also meet as a whole school to read a shared text about a broader topic.  For instance, they may read a novel about Self-Discovery, as it is one of their broader topics.  As a school, they meet to discuss problems that may arise in the school, and relate it back to the reading that they do. 

To complete the year, students must turn in a portfolio that shows their growth throughout the year. It includes writing samples, lab reports, mathematical projects, etc.  A committee of teachers, administrators, and board members meets to evaluate the portfolios.  Additionally, to graduate, the student must complete a senior project.  For instance, one girl designed a building using computer software.  She worked with an engineer to complete her plan, getting real world experience.  Real world experience is what our current system is lacking, and this school is brilliant at integrating it into the curriculum.

New York isn’t the only state with a school like this.  Washington D.C. has its own School Without Walls that is Presidential Blue Ribbon Award Recipient.  They have a 99.5% graduation rate and a 100% placement rate of graduates into college (SWW 2011).  Compare that to the national average of only 70.1% graduating and only 36.2% of 18-24 year olds being enrolled in college (NCHEMS 2009), and it is clear that the normal system just doesn’t work as well as the alternative.  So, why is it the standard? 

Internationally, we are suffering too.  According to the NCHEMS organization, out of a surveyed 11 countries, the United States has the lowest amount of 25-34 year olds (39.2%) with college degrees.  The world is leaving us behind.  Perhaps part of the reason that we haven’t changed is because the older generation knows that they used to be the leader in the education scene.  But, what worked for them will not continue to work.  Times have changed, more technology has been introduced, and the children are growing up in an entirely different world.  It’s time to wake up and make an adaptive change.

Assessment should be about a combination of informal and formal data collected over time.  It should be about using the data collected as a means to help students achieve better.  It should be about preparing students for their next step in life, whether that means college or the work force.  What it should NOT be about is funding, which is currently the unfortunate truth.  My hope is that policy-makers will consult teachers who live in the trenches, and students who deal with the pressure of evaluations, in order to make a positive change to help our country get back on track to being number one.

Works Cited

NCHEMS Information Center for Higher Education Policymakers and Analysis.  (2009). Obtained on September 4, 2011 at http://www.higheredinfo.org/

School Without Walls. (2011). Obtained on September 4, 2011 at http://www.swwhs.org/

School Without Walls. (2009). Obtained on September 4, 2011 at http://www.schoolwithoutwalls.org/

Symbolism Described By Elmer

I don't normally get teaching ideas from listening to my pastor, but this morning he inspired me.  Reviving a segment of the service he calls Pastors Pals, Brother Elmer called all the little ones down to the altar to hear a child specific lesson on what the Lord's Supper was all about.  For anyone who doesn't know, the Lord's Supper is a symbolic ceremony where church members eat bread and drink wine (or grape juice)  to represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We do it to remember the sacrifice of our Savior.

Most adults know what the ceremony is all about, but children don't understand until they first comprehend what symbolism is.  Brother Elmer had the children crowded around him, and he explained that he wanted to help them understand what the Lord's Supper was all about. He pulled out a set of flashcards.  The first was the McDonald's arch.  He asked the children to tell him what the picture on the card meant. Young hands went up and shouted answers,"That's McDonalds!" "Cheeseburgers!  Fries!" "Playing!" "Toys!" The congregation laughed. Elmer explained that when they see that picture, they think of all sorts of things. The picture helps them remember stuff about McDonald's. Then, he moved on to his next card- a Nike swoosh. They knew all about that one too. Kids yelled out various things about the company, sportswear, and athletics in general. Next he pulled out the Xbox symbol. Kids were practically jumping out of their seats in excitement. They knew all about Xbox, and they were thrilled to share their knowledge. He closed with the Lexus symbol, which a couple kids knew, and most did not.

What I really liked about his lesson this morning was that it was easy to understand and appropriate for all levels of learners in the sanctuary. He pulled in various symbols that would stimulate connections from both youth and adults alike. It gave credence to the cultural background of the children, and made them feel intelligent by giving them something they already knew something about. It was a brilliant lesson that I felt was worth sharing. I may just steal it for my tenth graders.

But this lesson can teach educators something too. The world is filled with learning opportunities and learning lessons. Education doesn't just happen within the confines of the school system. It is everywhere. Pay attention to the world and you may just find some brilliant ideas.

Why Read? Like, I Just Don’t Get It.

On the first day of school, a student asked me the question, “Why read? Like, I just don’t get it.” She was serious.  My answer was, “There are so many reasons to read, I just don’t think we can tackle that question today.  Let’s talk about it next class.”  So, today, on the second day I saw this student, I decided to begin with a book talk about Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin.  I chose that book because I thought my students might be able to connect to the main character, a teenager who died just before she got her driver’s license.  After the talk, several students jotted the name of the book down in their composition book (unprompted) as something they might be interested in reading.  Then, I told them it was time to write. 

My instructions for writing were simple.  I set a timer for ten minutes, and students had to keep the pen in their hand and write for the full ten minutes.  I told them they could write about the book talk I had just given them, or they could write about something else it made them think of.  They could even choose to write about something personal in their life that wasn’t related.  It was their choice.  Pulling out my own composition book, I sat in the middle of the room and wrote with them. 

When I saw a student put their pencil down 5 minutes in, I cleared my throat and looked straight in his eyes.  He picked their pencil up and continued writing without a word.  I filled my page with an explanation about why reading is so important to me.  After ten minutes, I stopped the students.  I told them that I’d share first, then I’d take two volunteers who wanted to read.  My instructions were:  when a person reads aloud, they can ask for feedback before they read.  If they do, the class can respond.  If they don’t ask for feedback, the class isn’t allowed to do anything but say “thank you.”  Then I read my piece about how writing is inspiration, imagination,dreaming, and escape. It was a very good piece of prose, one I was proud to use as a model.  After reading, I got up and sat in a student desk.  I gestured to the teacher chair and said, “Who would like to sit in the author’s chair and share?”  A volunteer stood.

The student was nervous, but she told us about her van that she can’t wait to drive.  It is old, but it is hers, and she is proud of it.  I asked her why she chose that topic, and she said it was because of the book talk about Elsewhere.  I smiled and thanked her.  Then, another student stood up.  I was shocked by which student stood.

He was a kid who was actually repeating the grade.  He’d been my student the year before.  It killed me, because he’s smart.  Yet, sometimes smart isn’t enough.  Effort has to be there too.  So, when he volunteered to read, I was on the edge of my seat.  What would he share?  His piece was personal.  He wrote a story, of which the contents are so personal, I daren’t place in this post.  The other students in the room were blown away by the level of emotion that came through in his writing.  They didn’t know what to say or do.  I thanked him, not just with my words but with my actions too.  As I moved on to the question of the day, I made sure to pat him on the shoulder.  He deserved it.

Drawing a concept map on the whiteboard, I told the students to copy it into their notebooks.  They had to be told that notebooks did not mean composition books.  Composition books are reserved for personal writing.  Their notebook is for notes.  Students drew the circle and labeled it “Reading” as I had done.  Then, I asked them what Reading is.  At first, nobody wanted to speak.  Then, they started throwing out ideas.  As they said different things that reading is, they realized that reading and writing were connected.  They also noted that reading was personal, and that it varied depending on purpose.  They figured out that reading makes you smarter, both at a word level, and also at a concept level.  I didn’t have to tell them any of this.  They came up with it on their own. So, I repeated the question.  “Why read?”  The same girl who had asked that enormous question piped up and said, “Well, there’s lots of reasons to read.  I didn’t really think about all that stuff, but I totally get it.  Reading makes us smarter, but its fun too, right?” Score!  Lesson understood.  Now comes the hard part.  The follow through.  Will she and others in the class follow through and internalize the lesson?  That remains to be seen.

Books Can Be Dangerous.

Before setting up students on goodreads.com and figuring out reading rates, this is the journal prompt I'm going to give them.  Considering the power of books to change oneself gives importance to the act of reading.  Today, my students asked me, "Why do people read?"  They meant it too.  They thought that people read just because it was fun for some (but not for them, of course).  They didn't realize that books have meaning, that they can make you better.  They didn't realize that books can bring about change.  They didn't think about the fact that books build vocabulary.  Books can be dangerous because they are powerful.  And they are important.  And they should be a priority.  Give your students ten minutes per class period to read independent reading books.  It is worth your while.