Have you ever read something, or listened to someone and thought....wow...that's so true? Have you thought, that's exactly how I feel but have never put my feelings into words?
I have been reading two books simultaneously. One, Poverty is Not a Disability; and the other Teaching with Poverty in Mind. The first book is for my Diverse Learners class. I don't know what the required reading was for Poverty is Not a Learning Disability...because once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. I heard about the other book, in a staff development training and since this topic is a passion of mine...I bought it and started reading it...so it's like Zanadu!
I heard, in college, about Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs. http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/regsys/maslow.html
The premise is that the most basic of needs are paramount. These needs are our physical needs; hunger, thirst, comfort, bodily comfort etc. That hit me in the most deepest place. As a child, I didn't have to worry about the physical needs...my parents provided them. However, when I became an educator...I noticed something...even though some might say I was raised in Pleasantville...and everything was la la all of the time ( of course it wasn't) I realized that not EVERYONE had the privilege of being able to have the most basic needs met. So therefore, if a child comes to school hungry; tired; uncomfortable...then the LAST thing they would be worried about was...learning...the first thing they would be worried about was meeting these basic needs. So this fact drove all of my instruction. I made sure that every day we had a snack with our math instruction...I called it Snack Math - just as when my husband and I had four kids and we were broke as a joke and all we had money for was hot dogs...( I made a big deal out of them and called them Holly Dogs...oh you are so lucky tonight! We are having Holly Dogs!) I made sure that our math instruction included a healthy snack of some sort...I used the snack as a math manipulative...because what I realized was that even though someone might be on free and reduced breakfast...if their parent doesn't get them to school on time...or to the bus on time...they don't eat breakfast. I also realized that the meals they get at school are sometimes all they get to eat...so shouldn't those meals be the most wonderful thing you could ever imagine?
Anyway, although this thinking might not fit into everyone's world of reality...it's reality. We are losing many of our kids because of their life circumstances. We are trying to use the same old tried and true methods that we've always used and we can't do it...we have to think!
Mazlow - physical needs first
Second- safety needs - wow doesn't that hit home?
Third - Love and belonging
Finally - Esteem issues...
I know it's a very difficult task to meet a child's needs...all of them...but if they come to us broken...and needing these needs met - then that needs to be Job 1....then we can get down to the business of learning...if we don't change our thinking...well what did Einstein say? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Judgments! Beware
Where do I begin? Have you ever made a snap judgment? Or have you ever just made a judgment based on prior knowledge, or prior experiences? Have you ever gone into an experience, with a preconceived notion and idea of how everything was going to be? Have you ever met someone and told your self…I don’t like this person…at all and I never will? And then…have you ever had all of those preconceived notions, ideas, thought processes, experiences, mindsets, opinions, and beliefs totally turned on their head? Well if not, then I don’t know who you are! That’s what happened to me through this course.
Before I began this course, I was told, by my son who is an administrator, that this would be the worst course I had to go through. Now, my son did not go through Lamar’s program. He went through another program at another University. So, at that point, the stress level…was EXTREMELY heightened. I am a perfectionist. I am always in competition with one person…myself. I have to do everything the right way or it upsets me and stresses me out. Now, this is only WORK RELATED! I was the same way in school. I am not the same way in my personal life. We raised four children and those perfectionist tendencies were pushed by the way side by the time the second child was two. I give everyone many, many chances, but not myself. I give myself no chances…I must do it right the first time. I must make an A. My work must be of the upmost quality. So you can imagine how I felt just by hearing the word Research.
I also, knew that I was going to be out of the country for two weeks during the middle of this course. I was attending a wedding and this could not be avoided. So there was even more pressure. I had to make sure I had taken care of everything before I left.
Well, the first week, I did two weeks worth of work. I worked for over 60 hours that week. And during that time, my mindset changed! I was scared to death when I learned we had to create a blog. My daughter in law has a blog; Oprah has a blog; but I just didn’t see how I could create one. But the course was laid out so beautifully, that all my apprehensions begin to evaporate as I got into the course. The first week’s lecture and readings illuminated to me what Action Research is. The assignment asked that we explain what Action Research is. Well, I had to go through some wonderings, questionings and research to find out what Action Research is…this was a wonderful place to start. Through the assignment and the discussion board, I learned a lot about what Action Research is and I embraced Action Research because it’s not done in a stuffy ivory tower…it’s something impactful that can help you change the lives of your school community; it involves collaboration and teamwork…it’s not conducted in a vacuum…so it’s very person centered and person oriented. This is who I am and what I believe…so I jumped right on board! I was excited to know that there was something out there that fit me to a tee…fit who I am and what I believe. Sometimes we think, are we the only ones that can see this? Well, I realized through the readings; assignment; videos; and discussions that no, I am not the only one who sees how to effectively affect change!
Throughout weeks two through four, I lumbered along, learning more, tweaking more, becoming more illuminated…and that culminated with this week.
I love the discussion topic this week. What is your greatest insight? It caused me to stop and think…and think…and think. Thankfully some of my cohorts had already jumped into the discussion and as I read what they wrote I realized that not only did I come to a great insight, I had, through this course, specifically the blogging and discussions, had a life changing event.
I comprehended that, as a group, we had gone through this course together. As a group, we had shared a lot. We are a very diverse group; and…WE HAVE NEVER MET! One would think that in order to collaborate; to come to a consensus; to learn, etc…one would need to be in a room with that group and know them intimately…well that’s not the case. We all have differences; we all have differing viewpoints on many things…but through this course we collaborated and learned so much from each other. After grasping this, I thought, well if we can do this in this forum, this format, what is going to stop us, at our campus, from coming to the same wonderful consensus? Nothing! So I learned something that will carry with me for the rest of my life. If we listen, we embrace other viewpoints (not agreeing but embracing) if we are open minded, we can collaborate in a beautiful way; we can learn together and become something great. So I say thank you.
Before I began this course, I was told, by my son who is an administrator, that this would be the worst course I had to go through. Now, my son did not go through Lamar’s program. He went through another program at another University. So, at that point, the stress level…was EXTREMELY heightened. I am a perfectionist. I am always in competition with one person…myself. I have to do everything the right way or it upsets me and stresses me out. Now, this is only WORK RELATED! I was the same way in school. I am not the same way in my personal life. We raised four children and those perfectionist tendencies were pushed by the way side by the time the second child was two. I give everyone many, many chances, but not myself. I give myself no chances…I must do it right the first time. I must make an A. My work must be of the upmost quality. So you can imagine how I felt just by hearing the word Research.
I also, knew that I was going to be out of the country for two weeks during the middle of this course. I was attending a wedding and this could not be avoided. So there was even more pressure. I had to make sure I had taken care of everything before I left.
Well, the first week, I did two weeks worth of work. I worked for over 60 hours that week. And during that time, my mindset changed! I was scared to death when I learned we had to create a blog. My daughter in law has a blog; Oprah has a blog; but I just didn’t see how I could create one. But the course was laid out so beautifully, that all my apprehensions begin to evaporate as I got into the course. The first week’s lecture and readings illuminated to me what Action Research is. The assignment asked that we explain what Action Research is. Well, I had to go through some wonderings, questionings and research to find out what Action Research is…this was a wonderful place to start. Through the assignment and the discussion board, I learned a lot about what Action Research is and I embraced Action Research because it’s not done in a stuffy ivory tower…it’s something impactful that can help you change the lives of your school community; it involves collaboration and teamwork…it’s not conducted in a vacuum…so it’s very person centered and person oriented. This is who I am and what I believe…so I jumped right on board! I was excited to know that there was something out there that fit me to a tee…fit who I am and what I believe. Sometimes we think, are we the only ones that can see this? Well, I realized through the readings; assignment; videos; and discussions that no, I am not the only one who sees how to effectively affect change!
Throughout weeks two through four, I lumbered along, learning more, tweaking more, becoming more illuminated…and that culminated with this week.
I love the discussion topic this week. What is your greatest insight? It caused me to stop and think…and think…and think. Thankfully some of my cohorts had already jumped into the discussion and as I read what they wrote I realized that not only did I come to a great insight, I had, through this course, specifically the blogging and discussions, had a life changing event.
I comprehended that, as a group, we had gone through this course together. As a group, we had shared a lot. We are a very diverse group; and…WE HAVE NEVER MET! One would think that in order to collaborate; to come to a consensus; to learn, etc…one would need to be in a room with that group and know them intimately…well that’s not the case. We all have differences; we all have differing viewpoints on many things…but through this course we collaborated and learned so much from each other. After grasping this, I thought, well if we can do this in this forum, this format, what is going to stop us, at our campus, from coming to the same wonderful consensus? Nothing! So I learned something that will carry with me for the rest of my life. If we listen, we embrace other viewpoints (not agreeing but embracing) if we are open minded, we can collaborate in a beautiful way; we can learn together and become something great. So I say thank you.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Posting of Action Research Plan
My action research plan.
Click on the above link for my action research plan. Kudos and thanks to Richard Keithley for his detailed instructions as to how to link this! I would have NEVER figured it out.
Just to update: My computer now works; I got my car back today - son's truck is still smashed...yeah I destroyed two vehicles in one fell swoop...therefore last week I was a little off...
I feel like I am back among the living...all of my Lamar friends and I am glad...hated the way I felt last week!
PLEASE read and comment on my plan...I would love all comments and feedback!
My plate is full but I am raring to go!
Click on the above link for my action research plan. Kudos and thanks to Richard Keithley for his detailed instructions as to how to link this! I would have NEVER figured it out.
Just to update: My computer now works; I got my car back today - son's truck is still smashed...yeah I destroyed two vehicles in one fell swoop...therefore last week I was a little off...
I feel like I am back among the living...all of my Lamar friends and I am glad...hated the way I felt last week!
PLEASE read and comment on my plan...I would love all comments and feedback!
My plate is full but I am raring to go!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Wow! What a couple of weeks!
Well, it's been a couple of weeks. Wonderful and rough! I have been out of the country. I thought that I would be able to access all of my data and work, even though I was in Canada...wrong! My Blackberry wouldn't access my data; and in every hotel, every computer, I could not access my data...along with that...I stayed in some pretty remote areas of Montana and well...you get the drift...no data! So it took a lot of ingeuity to get my work done for Week 2 and I was happy I did.
On to Week 3, as I got back into the swing of life, I became ill; my computer crashed; and then....I backed my car into my son's truck...that's the rough part of the saga.
So I called Dell and they expidited, free, a new operating system, and I decided while I was at it to get new office software and a wireless mouse. Yesterday I loaded all of this onto my computer and was able to finish my action plan and my assignment! Yeah!
So now, I will attach my action plan and then hope and pray I am able to do a great job implementing it!
Hope no one had the week I did...
On to Week 3, as I got back into the swing of life, I became ill; my computer crashed; and then....I backed my car into my son's truck...that's the rough part of the saga.
So I called Dell and they expidited, free, a new operating system, and I decided while I was at it to get new office software and a wireless mouse. Yesterday I loaded all of this onto my computer and was able to finish my action plan and my assignment! Yeah!
So now, I will attach my action plan and then hope and pray I am able to do a great job implementing it!
Hope no one had the week I did...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Passions!
Ok...the title is not reflective of a soap opera...wasn't there a soap titled that at one time? I don't know...I haven't watched them in over 20 years but it sounds familiar...at any rate the title refers to the part of the textbook that I have been reading now. I am into Week Two...trying to get ahead so I don't have a nervous breakdown while I am gone...thinking about this course and worrying! I want to have all my assignments turned in so that when I come back I will be ready to go again!
Any way back to passions....the textbook talks about The Passions That Drive Our Journey...what a fantastic way to put it! I indeed think that in order to be effective at whatever you choose to do you must be passionate. When you lose that, you become ineffective! So passion does drive this journey called education.
There are many passions written about in our Week Two Readings. Dr. Hopson posed some fantastic questions on our discussion board Week One. Many of these questions, that pertain to our action research ideas, are asked in the textbook.
One in particular is Leadership. The thought is that in order to be extraordinary and to get extraordinary things done in organizations, leaders must engage in effective practices of leadership. I AGREE! One such practice is to model the way. Isn't that what this course intoduced to us? Don't do as I say do as I do...should be a thing of the past. Now it's like High School Musical, We're all in this together! That's what I think, feel and believe. When we feel that way, live that way, lead that way, and act that way, what are the results? I imagine it's a lot easier and less painless to get everyone on board; to collaborate for a shared vision; to become a cohesive team; to have each others best interests at heart...then bingo! We encourage each other and enable others to become the best that they can be...
To be honest...again...Passion 6: Leadership, is inspiring; it's inspired me...hopefully that will translate to inpire others.
Any way back to passions....the textbook talks about The Passions That Drive Our Journey...what a fantastic way to put it! I indeed think that in order to be effective at whatever you choose to do you must be passionate. When you lose that, you become ineffective! So passion does drive this journey called education.
There are many passions written about in our Week Two Readings. Dr. Hopson posed some fantastic questions on our discussion board Week One. Many of these questions, that pertain to our action research ideas, are asked in the textbook.
One in particular is Leadership. The thought is that in order to be extraordinary and to get extraordinary things done in organizations, leaders must engage in effective practices of leadership. I AGREE! One such practice is to model the way. Isn't that what this course intoduced to us? Don't do as I say do as I do...should be a thing of the past. Now it's like High School Musical, We're all in this together! That's what I think, feel and believe. When we feel that way, live that way, lead that way, and act that way, what are the results? I imagine it's a lot easier and less painless to get everyone on board; to collaborate for a shared vision; to become a cohesive team; to have each others best interests at heart...then bingo! We encourage each other and enable others to become the best that they can be...
To be honest...again...Passion 6: Leadership, is inspiring; it's inspired me...hopefully that will translate to inpire others.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Action Research Part Two!
Okay! I am now knee deep into my new favorite thing, action research! I have already started wondering, questioning (not new for me!), inquiring, evaluating and researching...I haven't taken any action as of yet! (That's a joke!) Some of my inquiring and questioning is due to the FABULOUS discussions posted on our week one discussion board. This group of people are fantastic. Their insights blow me away. Because of many of the posts I have read, I have started rethinking some of my action research. Also, as I read the textbooks - my mind has been challenged and some of my ideas have been challenged as well.
I am passionate about reaching all children. I always have been. Now, I am also passionate about helping teachers and reaching them. If you can build a community of learners in a classroom and have just such a fantastic feeling of ownership....why can't you do this with your entire community of learners...your school? That's one of my wonderings. It's basis has to do with something one of my colleagues posted on our discussion board. He wonders about inspiring teachers; about helping them to reach their heights and not reach their lows...as most do now. How do we do this?
One thing that jumped out at me during Week One videos and readings, and discussions, (!), is that a mindset of process/product has to be dashed. That's what every school I have ever taught at did...every year their is a new process or product that is dumped on the teachers...a few years ago our district purchased C Scope. This was a VERY difficult transition for most teachers...extremely stressful and not enough training. I know there aren't enough hours in the day to train...but my thought at that time was maybe we should have taken this product and piloted it at an elementary campus; a middle school campus; and then a high school campus...for a couple of years...then those "experts" the teachers, could train the rest of the district. The kinks and problem areas would be addressed and then maybe it wouldn't have been so extremely difficult. Why wasn't this the way it was approached? I don't know...but I have wondered about that...and I saw tremendous burnout that year and many teachers - great ones left our district. Not good. So that's at the basis of one of my wonderings...as it is with many of my cohorts in the Partnership program.
I hope that we can come to some insight about that one.
Thanks to all that have read my blog so far and gave me such wonderful comments! You guys rock! :)
I am passionate about reaching all children. I always have been. Now, I am also passionate about helping teachers and reaching them. If you can build a community of learners in a classroom and have just such a fantastic feeling of ownership....why can't you do this with your entire community of learners...your school? That's one of my wonderings. It's basis has to do with something one of my colleagues posted on our discussion board. He wonders about inspiring teachers; about helping them to reach their heights and not reach their lows...as most do now. How do we do this?
One thing that jumped out at me during Week One videos and readings, and discussions, (!), is that a mindset of process/product has to be dashed. That's what every school I have ever taught at did...every year their is a new process or product that is dumped on the teachers...a few years ago our district purchased C Scope. This was a VERY difficult transition for most teachers...extremely stressful and not enough training. I know there aren't enough hours in the day to train...but my thought at that time was maybe we should have taken this product and piloted it at an elementary campus; a middle school campus; and then a high school campus...for a couple of years...then those "experts" the teachers, could train the rest of the district. The kinks and problem areas would be addressed and then maybe it wouldn't have been so extremely difficult. Why wasn't this the way it was approached? I don't know...but I have wondered about that...and I saw tremendous burnout that year and many teachers - great ones left our district. Not good. So that's at the basis of one of my wonderings...as it is with many of my cohorts in the Partnership program.
I hope that we can come to some insight about that one.
Thanks to all that have read my blog so far and gave me such wonderful comments! You guys rock! :)
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Action Research/Inquiry My Ah Ha Moment!
To be perfectly honest, and you will find it's the only way I know how to be, after reading the course syllabus, I entered into this with trepidation. I am of an age that one could totally believe that upon hearing terms such as action research; action inquiry; blog; create a blog; fear would strike my heart and it did! However, at this point, the process has been fairly painless, enlightening and dare I say it...FUN!
Action research is my new favorite thing. For as long as I can remember, my view of an adminstrator was one of remoteness and isolation. The administrator sat in their office/ivory tower, uninvolved with the school community, where they worked on their computer. Sometimes it seemed as though they were chained in that office! They had no personal relationship with the students and most of the staff due to the confines of the position. To me this was and is a tragic and untenable situation. When I went into teaching, I wanted to change the way people viewed teachers and the teaching profession. I wanted to keep my students and MYSELF engaged at all times in the learning process. We would and still do, learn by inquiry and discovery and we would learn together. After my readings, research, etc. guess what? Action research is an inquiry based method by which the administrator learns along with everyone else in a collaborative effort! This is made for me!
I decided, about a year ago, after the reality of the empty nest slammed me full force, to get my masters and be a school administrator one day. Now, everyone that knows me well tried to dissuade me from this course of action. They believed that this would stifle my creativity and originality.
This is why I will benefit from action research. It fits me. It's who I am. I want to be the kind of administrator that changes the way people view administrators...and that includes ALL stakeholders. Just as I wanted to blaze a trail in teaching...and to some extent I feel I did...I want to do the same thing as a school administrator! I am not going to sit in my office. I am going to use the action inquiry method in everything I do. I always ask a lot of questions. It can be tiring I know. Recently I was in a training. I kept asking tons of questions...because I wanted to know! The trainer got very aggravated with me. I told the trainer, they would have not liked me as a student, probably not as a teacher, and definitely not as an administrator! What I am most excited about, is that through this model, I will be allowed to be the type of administrator I always wanted to be...and not be seen as some type of educational heretic! I knew I would have to be me...but now I can justify my actions through the action research/inquiry method!
Action research is my new favorite thing. For as long as I can remember, my view of an adminstrator was one of remoteness and isolation. The administrator sat in their office/ivory tower, uninvolved with the school community, where they worked on their computer. Sometimes it seemed as though they were chained in that office! They had no personal relationship with the students and most of the staff due to the confines of the position. To me this was and is a tragic and untenable situation. When I went into teaching, I wanted to change the way people viewed teachers and the teaching profession. I wanted to keep my students and MYSELF engaged at all times in the learning process. We would and still do, learn by inquiry and discovery and we would learn together. After my readings, research, etc. guess what? Action research is an inquiry based method by which the administrator learns along with everyone else in a collaborative effort! This is made for me!
I decided, about a year ago, after the reality of the empty nest slammed me full force, to get my masters and be a school administrator one day. Now, everyone that knows me well tried to dissuade me from this course of action. They believed that this would stifle my creativity and originality.
This is why I will benefit from action research. It fits me. It's who I am. I want to be the kind of administrator that changes the way people view administrators...and that includes ALL stakeholders. Just as I wanted to blaze a trail in teaching...and to some extent I feel I did...I want to do the same thing as a school administrator! I am not going to sit in my office. I am going to use the action inquiry method in everything I do. I always ask a lot of questions. It can be tiring I know. Recently I was in a training. I kept asking tons of questions...because I wanted to know! The trainer got very aggravated with me. I told the trainer, they would have not liked me as a student, probably not as a teacher, and definitely not as an administrator! What I am most excited about, is that through this model, I will be allowed to be the type of administrator I always wanted to be...and not be seen as some type of educational heretic! I knew I would have to be me...but now I can justify my actions through the action research/inquiry method!
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