Don't Let Your Light Dim...

It's the smell of newly sharpened pencils, the overwhelming satisfaction of trimming the laminate off your new posters, that brand new pack of neon Expo markers, filling in the calendar of your spiffy new planner, and the anticipation and excitement that goes along with wondering which smiling faces will fill those empty seats on Monday morning.  

It's a new school year...a clean slate...a new beginning.   

I was extremely fortunate to have been chosen to attend the Florida ECET2 Conference in St. Augustine a few weeks ago, and there were so many things that stayed with me long after I came home, that it would take a few blog posts to reflect on all of them.  However, there was one particular thought that I have found myself coming back to over and over again, and as we begin this new school year, I feel like it's something my district and my school need to focus on.  ECET2 stands for Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teachers and Teaching.  I honestly feel that teachers are widely celebrated; we have an entire week of appreciation devoted to us, after all.  That wasn't my "a-ha" moment.  Instead, the word that jumps out at me like a giant blinking sign on the Vegas Strip is...elevating.  

The sad truth is...our profession is dying out.  More and more college graduates are choosing not to become teachers.  Whether it be the pay, the horror stories they hear from others, or the amount of pressure and work that is piled on teachers to get their students ready for standardized tests, it doesn't matter.  It makes my heart hurt.  I consider my job to be the best job in the entire world, but I know many others don't feel that way.  Not only are college graduates being turned off from teaching, but we have so many current teachers whose lights are beginning to dim.  

They are burned out.  They are losing sight of their why.  They are feeling hopeless and alone.  They are NOT elevated.  They are NOT empowered.  

I believe wholeheartedly that as a school, as a district, as a state, and as a nation, we need to start figuring out how to EMPOWER and ELEVATE teachers.  We need to help them find their why....why did they choose this career path in the first place?  We need to remind them of the fact that despite all of the politics, the workload, the pressure, and the testing, they have multiple eager, smiling, sweet faces waiting in their classroom everyday that need good teachers.  It's about the kids, guys! I've said before, and I'll say it again...we need to get back to the root and the heart of teaching, which is the PASSION.  In order to get back to the heart of teaching, we need to start working on our teacher leaders to empower and elevate the staff at their schools.  

Think about this.  If we spent more time on VALUABLE professional development to empower and elevate the teachers of America, and remind them of how we get to come to work everyday and help our babies grow, learn, and become well-rounded, productive members of society, well then...the grading, and parent phone calls, and evaluations, and meetings upon meetings, and state testing, and behavior issues, and learning scales, and all those things that burn us out on a daily basis...just won't seem that bad.

All that other junk won't seem that bad anymore because we will be focused and reminded of our WHY on a daily basis.   To me, the chance to change and impact even one of my student's lives in a positive way is worth all the stress, time, and work.  Every time I run into one of my former kids, or catch up with them on social media, and they tell me about the impact I had on them years ago, I am reminded of why I chose this career.  

My kids empower and elevate me.  My kids are my WHY.  My kids are MY highly effective.

Now, I won't take credit for that last statement.  At ECET2, I was fortunate enough to listen to one of the most incredible keynote speakers I've ever had the pleasure to witness.  Dorina Sackman was the 2014 Florida Teacher of the Year.  She shared her moving and powerful story with us, and it not only brought me to tears and made me laugh out loud, but it also resonated deep down in my soul.  It stirred a monster that I felt had been laying dormant for a little too long.  It brought my GRIT out like a roaring dragon, and that dragon is HUNGRY!

As a teacher leader in my school, one of my goals this year is to do whatever I can to empower and elevate my colleagues.  I want them to be excited to come to work everyday, and I know that enthusiasm will pour over into their classrooms, and get the kids excited to learn.  It's much more than just being a shoulder of support.  It's about creating and implementing valuable, meaningful professional development, taking strides to boost morale and keep teacher turnover numbers low, and being their biggest cheerleader.  Yes, there are many things about teaching that are difficult, time consuming, and hard to swallow, but the good SO outweigh the bad! Teachers need to be empowered to push their students to their highest potential, and become life long learners.  It shouldn't matter what school you teach at, or how long you've been teaching, or what your evaluation results or state test scores say.  

It doesn't take much to create a movement...and that's exactly what I'm going to try to do.  I want to start a movement to EMPOWER and ELEVATE the teachers of Pasco County, Florida and the entire nation.  It won't be easy, but I will not give up.  I'm hoping my district and administration will support me with this endeavor, because if they want us to be the best teachers we can be...

Then they need to let us move. Give us what we need to move. LET US MOVE!

One of the best ways that we can start empowering and elevating teachers is to share our inspirational teacher stories with each other.  It might be a story of how you overcame adversity and difficulty as a child, or how one of your teachers inspired you, or how one of your colleagues helped shape you as an educator, or even better, a story about how one of your students changed your life.  At ECET2, I was fortunate to hear many teacher's stories, and every one of them embedded itself into my heart.  Every one of them made me proud to call myself a teacher, and I walked away from the whole experience with a feeling of pure joy and a fierceness to come back to my school, and get my teach on! 

I want to challenge all teachers out there to share your stories! Share them on my blog by commenting on this post, share them on your campuses, share them in your PLC meetings, share them with your students, share them via email and social media, and share them with each other every chance you get.  There is nothing more empowering or elevating than hearing from other people who share your passion.  People who can remind you when you need it the most, and you are on the verge of giving up, that WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 

I will share my own story on my next blog post, and I can't wait to hear/read/experience some of yours.  I would even love to feature some of them on future posts!

As this first week of the new school year comes to a close, it's going to be hard to fight through the pure exhaustion, fatigue, brain overload, and craziness that comes with a new beginning.  You can do it.  Those bright, eager little minds are ready for you to guide them, and push them, and fight for them.  They are worth it.  They deserve it.  

They need you.  

So, get empowered!  Feel elevated!  Start this new year with a whole new mentality.  We are teachers, and we have the power to change the world.  

One beautiful, hopeful, innocent child at a time.  

An Open Letter to the Parents

Dear Parents,

      My job started the moment your child entered my classroom for the first time.  They were already eleven years old, and already had an educational foundation given to them by five other teachers.  Your job started the moment that beautiful child came into this world and took their first breath.  Their eyes were full of wonder and hope, and you were the person they looked at to guide them on this journey called life.  The first time they smiled, you were there to witness it, and the first time they felt pain, you were there to comfort them.  Every decision you made since they were born has affected them, and every decision you make from here forward will affect them.  
     
     Every parent wants their child to grow up with the world at their fingertips, and has aspirations that they will become strong, independent adults, capable of anything.  There is just one problem, they can't do it alone.  They need YOU.  Lately, all of the Common Core talk has been about teachers and the educational system getting kids college, career, and life ready, but what about the parents?  What part do you play?  I'll tell you what, I can be the very best teacher that ever was, and I can spend every hour of my day teaching your child what they need to know to be successful in life, but it only goes so far.  My job becomes almost impossible if you haven't been educating your child at home.  I'm not talking about math, world history, or science.  I'm talking about character skills.  Life skills.  

     In order for the educational system in our country to improve, the biggest thing that needs to change is parent involvement.  We need people to step up, and start being involved, effective parents.  

     How many of you actually take the time to look through your child's backpack every night, or sit down with them on a daily basis and really talk about their day without a phone in your hand, or a TV buzzing in the background?  Being an effective parent is much more than checking the online grade book every day, or providing a safe home, clothes, and food for your child.  It's about teaching them manners, and the value of being polite to others.  It's about giving them chances to mess up, and then learn how to pick up the pieces on their own.  Let them know that failure is a part of life, and that it's necessary in order to grow and learn.  

     It's about putting responsibility for their education on THEM.  They only way they will learn to value their education is if they learn to OWN IT.  If they are missing assignments, or have low test grades, have conversations with them, and do not put blame on the teacher.  Ask them why.  Work with them, and their teachers, to find a solution and get them back on track.  

     Being an effective parent is about modeling appropriate behavior.  If you do not want your child going to school and solving their problems with profanity and violence, then do not demonstrate those behaviors yourself, at home.  It's about being there for them when they need you the most, no matter what.  It's about being involved with their schools.  Go to parent teacher nights, go to basketball games, go to the Fall Carnival.  Show them that you care about what happens in their lives.  

     Stop thinking selfishly, and start thinking selflessly.  

     Let's face it.  Nobody is perfect, and there is no such thing as a perfect parent.  We will all make mistakes at one point or another, but the important part is that we evolve from those mistakes and use them as learning opportunities.  I'm not asking you to be a perfect parent, and I absolutely am not telling anyone how to raise their child.  I'm just a teacher at a small town middle school.  I don't even have children of my own yet.  But what I have done is look at your child's bright face as they sat in my classroom for the first time.  I've helped dry their tears after they found out their father lost his job, I've celebrated success with them as they come in beaming with pride after winning a baseball game, I've seen them hide report cards in fear of bringing them home, and I've witnessed pure elation when they aced their last spelling test and couldn't wait to go home and put it on the fridge.  Every single day, I see the effect you have on your child.  For many, it shows through as bright and vibrant as the sun, but for others, it sends me home in tears as I realize there isn't much more I can do.  

     I am asking you all, please, be an advocate for your child.  If we have any hope of turning the educational system in this country around, it begins with you.  Please teach your children to be proud.  Teach them to be gritty and tenacious, and to keep going even when they feel defeated.  Teach them to be knowledge hungry, and to never stop being curious and wanting to learn more.  Teach them what the true meaning of respect means, and how to not only respect others, but also themselves.  Teach them to take ownership of everything they do, and how to crawl their way back if they fall behind.  As teachers, we need you to step up.  We need you to get involved, and we need you to help us build the foundation your child needs in order to stand on their own two feet someday.  

     My job will end the day that your child walks out of my classroom for the last time.  As a parent, your job will never truly end.  You are blessed to guide your child all the days of their life.  Even when you aren't there physically someday, they will still keep in mind all the things that you have taught them through the years, and they will still draw upon the values and morals that you have instilled in them.  Your child needs you.  My job title is that of a teacher, but so is yours.  In more ways than one...you are a much greater teacher than I could ever be.

Respectfully Yours, 

A Desperate Teacher

SHIFT Happens.

On Monday, I attended a professional development on the CCSS ELA Shifts. I feel like I'm fairly proficient in my understanding of the shifts, but when I left at the end of the day, one major thought stood out in my mind.  As educators, we must be willing to adapt and change our teaching methods.  Period. 

The reason this stood out in my mind is because I honestly feel that we have too many teachers out there who are still reluctant to change or alter the way they've taught for years.  I know we can all relate to this when we've taught a particular lesson or unit that we love, and that we don't want to part with.  But guys, we have to face the fact that our secondary students are quite simply growing out of the lecture/notes style of teaching.  We need to keep up with the demands that colleges and careers require, and we need to move towards a twenty-first century classroom.  This is a classroom that is technology based, interactive, devoid of drill and kill and maybe even textbooks in some cases.

I believe whole-heatedly that every single classroom in this country needs to embrace the 80/20 Style of Teaching.

I first heard the term "80/20" from Chris Christoff of the Pasco County District Office.  He spoke of it at a PLC Facilitator training that I attended, and the concept really stuck with me.  Essentially, an 80/20 classroom is one in which the students spend 80% of the time "doing," and the teacher spends 20% of the time "teaching." In order to meet the demand of the Common Core, we need to SHIFT and make that transition to having the students take ownership of their leaning. These CCSS Shifts are only going to happen if we relinquish control of our classrooms, and let the kids take the stage.  For some teachers, this concept is extremely difficult to digest, and I don't blame them.  For so long we have been the ones standing in the front of the room leading our students, but the truth is so clear...it just hasn't worked.  Sure, back in the day, having kids copy notes from the overhead about pronouns, then having them complete three pages of "practice questions" from the textbook, worked.  That's how I learned what a pronoun is, and how I can still tell you today.  The problem lies with the fact that was almost twenty years ago!  The world is changing! We are way past simply needing our kids to know how to diagram sentences.  They need to know how to use those sentences to formulate arguments based on texts they have read, and apply them to the real world around them.

MIND BLOWN.

The 80/20 classroom is something we need to see happening in schools all over our country in order to make Common Core work.  We are definitely headed in the right direction, but I still see so much resistance when I speak to fellow teachers and even parents.  I wanted to give you an idea of what I envision an 80/20 classroom looking like.  This is the direction I am aiming for with my instruction and planning this next school year, and I hope I can inspire other teachers to not be afraid of these shifts and changes, but to EMBRACE THEM!

TECHONOLOGY BASED

Let's be real...our kids know more about technology than we do! It makes no sense to not utilize every opportunity we have to embed technology into our classrooms every day.  We don't even teach handwriting anymore, and why should we? This is the age of computers, and it will only get more advanced as the years move on.  In my ideal 80/20 classroom, I would have an iPad or computer at every table group so that my students could explore, learn, and research any moment they feel they need to go deeper.  Use Smartboards, CPS clickers, iPads, Prezi, Socrative, etc! The 80/20 classroom is all about keeping students engaged, and we all know that they are much more likely to be engaged when technology is involved.  I get fired up when I hear teachers say that "powerpoint" is using technology in the classroom.  Maybe five years ago! There are SO MANY amazing programs and tools available for you to use right now.  Spend some time, ask for help, and explore some of them! I think you'll surprise yourself at how easy they are to use, and how much of a difference they will make in your instruction.

NO MORE ROWS

To me, the 80/20 classroom means that desks are arranged in cooperative groups or pairs.  I struggled for years to find the perfect classroom arrangement, and I'll admit that I used rows...one year.  One of the most important shifts that we will need to make in our classrooms is evidence based discussions. Our kids NEED to talk about and hash out what they are learning.  It's not easy for them to speak to one another when their desks are arranged in rows.  I know that teachers will argue that they talk too much and misbehave unless they are sitting in rows, but if you establish firm classroom rules and teach procedures, and create meaningful lessons that are engaging and purposeful, you'd be surprised how the talking will switch from being focused on who's dating who, to conversation based on the activity they are involved in. 

TEACHER BECOMES FACILITATOR

This is one of the things I am personally struggling the most with.  It's physically and mentally painful when you design an interactive lesson, and you watch as your students don't understand at first, or don't know what to say to each other during discussion, or can't figure out the answer to the question right away.  It's in our nature to want to help them along, and intervene.  Something I'm learning, is that sometimes I have to take a step back, and let them fail.  Let them mess things up a bit, and then find their own way out of it.  I promise you, as hard as it is to loosen the reigns, you will be so pleasantly surprised and ECSTATIC the first time they figure it out themselves.  Our children are resilient and brilliant, and problem solvers. We just have to give them the chance to show it.  I always tell my students that the most they will hear me talk ALL year is the first week of school.  Nobody wants to spend fifty minutes sitting in silence while their teacher talks.  Instead, I spend the majority of my class time listening, adjusting when needed, offering assistance or guidance if they get lost a bit, and laughing or giving praise when they figure something out...on their own. 

TALKING, MOVING, CREATING

One of the biggest shifts we have to make for an 80/20 classroom is to allow time for meaningful, text-based reflection and discussion.  This can be done through partner sharing, Socratic Seminars, online, or whole group.  For me, discussing a concept or a text with your peers is almost, if not more, important than writing or answering questions about it.  We all learn from each other, and if we really want our students to reach a deep analytical understanding of these CCSS, then the discussion piece is essential. Many educators are afraid to let their students talk in class because they assume things will spiral out of control.  It's not going to be a pretty transition, but just like anything we want them to do, we have to teach and model procedures for class discussions.  Our students should be engaged every second of the period in our classes.  In addition to meaningful discussion, we also need to add in movement, and opportunities for students to learn based on their own personal needs.  I never limit my students to one particular product that I want them to produce, to show they mastered a skill or concept. Some might want to write, some might want to draw, some might want to speak, and some might want to build.  Part of our job is to allow students the opportunity to express themselves in our class.  I guarantee you that your jaw will drop the first time you let a student who finds writing to be difficult make you an iMovie about the Holocaust rather than write a paper about it.  Sure, they have to know how to write, but we can also give them chances to shine their own unique ways as well. 

GET RID OF "THEY CAN'T"

All of these components of an 80/20 classroom don't mean anything if we can't get rid of the dreaded words, "They can't." This is the big barrier.  These are the words I often hear at my own school and at PDs at District.  These words are vile to me, yet I've heard myself utter them many times in the past.  This is my biggest "Aha Moment" as I've learned more about these Common Core Shifts. None of them will happen unless we start changing our attitudes.  We need to have faith in our students, but more importantly, we need to have faith in ourselves as teachers! They CAN have a meaningful class discussion without getting off task, they CAN read that complex text if you help them through it, they CAN sit in groups and be productive, you CAN learn how to create a Prezi presentation, you CAN take a step back and let your kids take control of their own learning!  If we, as educators, can get rid of the "They Can't" epidemic, then we CAN make these shifts happen in our classrooms across the county, state, and country!

Guys, we are on the verge of something great here.  I am so proud to be a teacher not only because of the kids I am blessed to work with every day, but also because of the EDUCATORS I am blessed to work with every day.  We need to stop resisting change, and start embracing it.  It doesn't matter whether we agree with Common Core or not.  However, I think we CAN all agree that we need to make a major adjustment to the way we've been teaching to really help our kids be prepared for whatever life may bring them.  Start small.  Your classroom doesn't have to transform into an 80/20 classroom over night. The important thing is that you begin to realize that kids learn better by doing, and that you begin to take those baby steps towards creating the ideal learning environment to foster that concept.  

One of the best lessons that I've been taught as a teacher is that I have to be open to change. I have to accept when things don't go the way I intended them to, and know how to grow from the experience. I have to be willing to do whatever I need to in order to ensure that my students are becoming productive members of society.  I want my students to learn in an 80/20 classroom, and I will adapt and change my teaching methods to get there.  It might take a while, but that's the fun of it!

After all...SHIFT happens :)

Thank You...

They are the ones who smile at you when you walk through the door after a particularly difficult morning.  Somehow, they always know when you are having a bad day, and they offer that wide and sincere smile just when you need it the most.  They are the ones that can sense when you don’t understand something, and rather than get frustrated at you, they sit down, touch your shoulder and say, “It’s alright.  We’ll figure this out together.  You’ve got this.”  They are the ones that refuse to give up on you when you have shut everyone out, they are the ones that bring you a jacket when you don’t have one, or bring you lunch everyday when you are hungry.  They are the ones that give you a band aid when you fall and scrape your knee, the ones that make the whole class sing “Happy Birthday” on your special day, and the ones that bring you a tissue to dry your tears when you feel like giving up, and then they are the ones that sit and listen, no matter how long it takes.   They are the ones who give you a hug when you don’t have anyone to hug you at home.  They are the ones that make you love reading and math again, and the ones that find ways to bring out your creativity and break through your shell.  They are the ones that come to your high school graduation eight years after they taught you, and the ones that come to your school play because it means that much to you.  They are the ones that make you laugh, they make you want to be a better person, they make you learn things you never thought possible, and they make you realize the person you can truly be. 

They are much more than just someone who teaches…

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week.  It’s a time to truly sit down and think about the teachers that have made an impact on your life.  This week isn’t about free meals, or presents, or gift cards.  It’s about taking a moment to reflect on how educators impact this world every day. 

Where would any of us be without teachers?  This is a simple question, guys.  But REALLY think about it.  Doctors, lawyers, NFL players, nurses, TV Anchors, electricians, actors, hair stylists, etc.  No matter what you do for a living, you got there because of your teachers. 

As a nation, we severely depreciate teachers.  I’m not talking about our paychecks, either.  Our title is taken for granted by both teachers, and non-teachers alike.  Being a teacher is a blessing, a gift, and an honor.  It’s time we start looking at the profession in a more positive light, and give credit where credit is due.  Many times, the spotlight is given to the teachers that make bad choices, and we completely ignore the teachers that make daily sacrifices, and dedicate themselves to educating and touching the lives of every student that walks through their doors. 

We need to celebrate teachers every day, and not just during Teacher Appreciation Week.

There have been many teachers, both academically and professionally that have impacted my life for the better.  They have each claimed a small piece of my heart, and have helped shape me into the educator that I am today.  This post is dedicated to them…

Mrs. Chrissy Matthews

Mrs. Matthews is the reason that I became a language arts teacher.  I had always been a strong bibliophile, but when I entered language arts in 7^th grade, I re-discovered my love for reading and writing.  Mrs. Matthews found a way to highlight our individual strengths, and she brought our books to life.  We read A Wrinkle in Time, and learned about Greek Mythology.  These are two units that I now do with my own students.  I will never forget how my mom and I spent countless hours creating a 3D replica of the Greek goddess, Artemis, and Mrs. Matthew kept that replica in her classroom for years to come.  My true love for books and the written word began in that classroom at Tarpon Springs Middle School. 

Mrs. Wolfe

In 5^th grade, I had the most insane, crazy, loud teacher, and I absolutely loved every single second that I spend in her classroom.  We used to have a military-style system to monitor behavior, and we all had ranks that we had to move up in, and we had to walk through the halls marching, and shouting cadences.  This system was the basis for my own Writing Boot Camp that I created my second year teaching.  I also remember singing “Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee” with Mrs. Wolfe on the bus when we went to Sea World for a field trip.

One of the distinguishing traits of a remarkable teacher is the ability to leave an imprint on the lives of your students no matter how many years pass. 

I will never forget the day that our class had to choose our roles for the highly anticipated trip to Enterprise Village.  We each were chosen for a “real life profession,” and we were expected to hold that job in a simulated town for one day.  The most coveted position was that of the town Mayor, and all of the popular kids in the class applied for this position.  I was much more reserved, and more of an introvert at that time in my life, and I discreetly applied, even though I was sure I wouldn’t get chosen.   Imagine my surprise when Mrs. Wolfe announced that I, Mari Barrera, would be the Mayor on our class trip to Enterprise Village.  I will never forget that feeling, and I will always cherish this memory I have of an amazing teacher making me feel like I was the most important person on the planet…even if it was only for one day.

Mrs. Jeannie Dunning

On my very first day as a teacher, I was 22 years old, and I had never ever set foot in a classroom as an educator.  Needless to say, I was terrified.  I will always hold a place in my heart for Jeannie, because as a veteran language arts teacher, she helped me through that incredibly difficult first year.  She had patience when I called her throughout the day for help creating a lesson, she gave me resources from her own personal collections of teacher books and binders, and she let me sit in the back of her classroom many days while I took notes on legal pads.  I believe that every new teacher needs a strong support system to guide them, model lessons for them, and just be an ear when they need a moment to vent.  Jeannie was part of my support system that year, and I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her. 

Mrs. Carolyn Erickson

The girl with the blue.  Carolyn is one of those teachers that makes an impact on not only her students, but her colleagues as well.  When I am thirsty for creativity, Carolyn is the person I turn to.  I have never seen a teacher create so many amazing, engaging lessons for her students, and who would literally give the shirt on her back to help someone in need.  Carolyn has impacted me as an educator in more ways that I can count, and our school literally would not survive without her.  She is our cheerleader, and never ceases to amaze me.  Whether it’s pioneering the Infinity Academy so that some of our students can have a blended learning environment, coming up with the money out of her own pocket for a student’s family to keep their electricity on, or developing the most creative and interesting assignments for her students to lose themselves in, Carolyn has dedicated 110% of herself to her kids, and I admire her more that she’ll ever know.

 

Mrs. Lorena Judkins

One of the best parts of being a teacher is having friends to go on the crazy journey with you.  I met Lorena at our new teacher breakfast, and realized very quickly that she was not only a brand new teacher like me, but also someone who wasn’t afraid to speak their mind.  I also realized that she was on my team, and would be teaching alongside me.  That first year, we went through it all…together.  We learned how to control our emotions and tempers, how to deal with parents, and how to keep ourselves positive every single day, even when we really wanted to scream at the top of our lungs.  She became a life-long friend, and I know many students whose lives she made a enormous impact on.  She’s one of those teachers that you never forget, and one of those teachers that truly make a difference. 

Mrs. Beth Long

The teacher in my life that has made the biggest impression on who I am as an educator is the teacher who’s been in the classroom right next to mine for eight years.  Beth was the only veteran teacher on my team that very first year, and she was my rock.  I have been privileged to watch her turn her classroom into an animal cell, bring amazing science camps onto our campus during the summer to give her students experiences like dissecting sharks, and even dress up like 80’s rocker chicks and the cast of Wizard of Oz with me.  When I was in tears because I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, Beth helped pick me back up.  When I had an observation the next day, she helped me tweak my lesson plan.  She was named our school’s Teacher of the Year this year, and she couldn’t have been more deserving.  Our kids would be lost without her, and I know I would be as well.

The number of teachers that have walked into and out of my life are too high to count, and I wish I had the time to thank each of them individually.  To each person that I have worked with over the past eight years, you are inspirations to me, and I am so blessed to have had they chance to work beside you.  Your impact will never be taken for granted, and I hope you know that you are loved, appreciated, and admired.

Please take some time this week to thank a teacher that has had a part in shaping the person you are today.  This is not an easy profession.  Anyone that would say that has no idea what it’s like in a real classroom.  I get so angry when I hear the phrases, “those who can’t, teach,” or “anyone can be a teacher.”

Anyone most certainly CAN NOT be a teacher.

It takes a dedicated, hard working, big-hearted, patient, tenacious, non-squemish, loving, and gritty person to be a teacher. 

Thank you to every single educator, past and present.  Thank you for being a role model for our children.  Thank you for being persistent in your quest to instill knowledge into their minds whether they accept it or not.  Thank you for CHOOSING to be a part of the education world, and for sticking with it day after day.

 

It IS worth it, you ARE making a difference, and YOU are appreciated. 

“A good teacher is like a candle.  It consumes itself to light the way for others.” – Mustafa Kemal Ataturk 

FCAT...A Eulogy

It is with great sorrow and a heavy heart that I am here today to speak in remembrance of a wonderful and esteemed examination, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test.  FCAT, since 1998, you have graciously provided a fair and effective method for measuring our student’s mastery of the NGSSS standards.  Students, parents, and teachers from every corner of the state have adored you for many years, and their sadness in your passing has been overwhelming. 

Okay…who am I kidding here? Let’s be real.  FCAT, I believe that I can speak for every parent, every student, and every school staff member in the great state of Florida when I say…GOOD RIDDANCE, HALLELUJAH, and IT’S ABOUT TIME! I don’t know whether I should perform an interpretive dance to “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang while adorning my classroom with balloons and streamers, or sing songs of happiness in the school parking lot as I wave a sign back and forth expressing what I really think about you.  The thought that I never have to utter your name again to my poor, unfortunate students fills me with such joy that it’s impossible for me to express with words.  I know that you will most likely be replaced with a test that is equally if not more smothering than you are, but let’s just focus on the present right now…you are officially gone.  On a more serious note, the purpose of this eulogy is not to make jokes, or to list your many accomplishments and achievements (are there any?).  The purpose of this eulogy is to remember and reflect upon the definitive and lasting impression that you’ve made on myself, and on us all.   

Where do I even begin? One of the things that you will be remembered most for is placing fear, stress, and disdain into the hearts and minds of our children.  The fact that a third grader knows that their grade advancement depends on their performance on one test, on one day, is so disheartening.  We should be teaching our children to love and cherish learning, and you have done a wonderful job of smashing that belief into a million pieces like broken glass.  I know that all of the state leaders, and politicians somehow decided that you were the right choice to measure student performance, which blows my mind considering that the majority of them haven’t stepped foot in a public classroom since high school, but they aren’t the ones who’ve had to stand there year after year watching the frustrated and defeated looks on their kid’s faces when they realize they hadn’t passed…again.  They aren’t the ones who have waded through grueling practice tests with students as they try to answer questions that encourage you to find the “best answer,” and not the “right answer.”  You’re such a jokester, FCAT! You’ll always be remembered for your many, many questions that didn’t make any sense and were designed to purposefully trick kids into choosing the wrong answer.  Kudos to you!

Man, FCAT, you really know how to go out with a bang! The past three years were by far your most disorganized, stressful years yet.  Not only have we been forced to endure the pressure and accountability already associated with your madness, but then those lovely politicians in the Education Department decided to pay a big-wig company, who will remain nameless, to put you ONLINE.  It’s so wonderful that this version of yourself is the one that we will have ingrained in our memories for all of eternity.  My school was utter chaos the last two weeks, and I know we aren’t alone.  I’m not sure if people were actually aware of the impact you had in real classrooms state wide.  As if our students weren’t stressed out enough, they had to deal with the CBT (Computer Based Test) kicking them off every few minutes.  Our ESE students are the ones who have the most pressure on them.  Many of them haven’t passed yet, and they have several accommodations that require extra time, silence, and additional technology.  A group of our ESE students at one point had five adults in the room trying to fix technical issues, and due to the interruptions, many of them were misbehaving since their tests kept malfunctioning.  They were re-started multiple times, and call me crazy, but I’ll bet my paycheck that those kids don’t pass…again.  How can we expect them to?  Nobody could concentrate in conditions like those, and the worst part is that this was happening all over the state.  Don’t worry FCAT, your scores will still be counted towards school grades, will still determine whether a kid moves to fourth grade or graduates high school, and will still be tied to teacher performance.  It’s totally fair and accurate.  In my opinion, every test score from this year that was administered on the computer should be invalidated.  There is no way humanly possible that they can be counted as an accurate representation of what our students are capable of.  Way to drop the ball.

FCAT, for so long you have been the very core of education in the state of Florida.  Every lesson, every activity, and every assignment before April were created with you in mind.  You have to be proud of yourself for coining the phrase, “teaching to the test.” I honestly don’t know what we are going to do now that you are gone! Will we finally be able to create engaging lessons that center around what the students NEED to learn versus what the test says they HAVE to learn?  Will we finally be able to let our students read text that interests them and makes them love reading again instead of bore them to tears?  The sad part is that the answer to these questions is no.  I’m sure that you will simply be replaced with yet another test, created by yet another corporate company instead of actual educators, that keeps the educational system centered on politics and a false sense of reality regarding student performance.  The truth is, FCAT, you were never a true representation of student performance.  I think it’s absolutely ludicrous that we base a student or school’s performance on one single test.  There has to be a better way.  You know what, there IS a better way, and I’m not going to stop trying until I do everything in my power to find a more efficient, and fair method to measuring how children perform in school.  That may not be a whole lot at first, but it starts with one person, and now that you have been eliminated, I am one step closer. 

This week, all across the state of Florida, students will be breathing deep sighs of relief.  They will feel at ease knowing that they have conquered you one last and final time.  We don’t even need to tell them that another brainwashing test will come along next year to continue to try to mold them into anxious, depressed little versions of themselves.  We’ll let them revel in the fact that despite your many attempts to knock them down each year, they once again prevailed, and they can say goodbye to you for good.  Teachers all across the state will be rejoicing in your passing, and will no longer have to live in fear of you taking our jobs for one simple little paperwork mistake.  You know, teachers are suspended and lose their jobs because of you every year, yet they can get arrested for drunk driving, and come right back to work on Monday.  The most celebrated time of the year is the month of May, because we can FINALLY TEACH! For one glorious month, we can teach meaningful, creative, and engaging lessons that educate our kids on events related to the world around them.  We can use technology freely, and read NOVELS. (Gasp!) Sometimes I feel that my students LEARN more in that one month than they do all year….because they LOVE what they are learning about. 

FCAT, as my eulogy comes to a close, I can honestly say that you have taken the joy of learning right out of our children.  Sucked it right out of them like a vacuum.  I have beautiful, bright, intelligent students sitting in my classroom every day.  Every day, they put 110% of themselves into their academic work.  They try as hard as they know how, and yet still…you determine their fate.   One test.  One day.  FCAT, you can feel at ease knowing you will leave a lasting legacy behind.  A legacy that one day, our state education department will realize what it’s doing to the youth of our country.  One day, they will realize it’s time to give the power to the teachers.  It’s time to create a measure of student performance that actually highlights our children’s strengths over time, and that makes them want to take ownership over their performance, and be proud of it. 

I look at it this way, FCAT, maybe you weren’t such a waste after all.  We can look at you as a learning experience.  A sixteen-year experiment that went horribly wrong, but that we can grow from.  A lesson on what’s truly wrong at the heart of education in this country, and how we can move forward so that our youth isn’t a bunch of lazy, brainwashed zombies, but instead, independent, self-advocating, higher-level thinkers.  They’ve had it in them all along, but you have kept it hidden. 

It’s time for you to go, and time for them to finally shine.   

I Can't Do It Alone...

It's the week before FCAT.  Let's take a peek inside a middle school classroom...

The bell rings and some of the class begins their Do Now for the day.  The class is working on connotative and denotative meanings of words.  It's a review.  There was a unit previously taught covering this concept in both reading and language arts.  There are four students who immediately grab their notebooks, and begin working as the last chime of the bell is fading away.  One of them looks extremely frustrated as he is trying to concentrate, but is distracted by the student next to him yelling for a pencil.  Another of these "on task" students is already finished with the Do Now within a minute and is now sitting at his desk with a bored expression on his face.   Furthermore, there are three students who do not have a pencil despite the fact that it's the last period of the day.  Two of them are up walking around the room trying to find a pencil rather than ask the teacher.  The other one doesn't even bother to mention that he needs a pencil, and he just continues to sit at his desk without said pencil, without a notebook, and without a backpack, and he eventually falls asleep.  Meanwhile, as one of the teachers in the room tries to round up some pencils, and take attendance at the same time, the other teacher is trying to settle down a very visibly angry young lady who is screaming "Shut Up" across the room because someone asked her if she was okay.  One young man with permanent marker all up and down his arms is attempting to hide the cane of a visually impaired student as she puts her head down on her desk because she feels defeated.  Now that one of the teachers has finished attendance, she is asking a student with his nose in a Pokemon book...again...to put his book away and begin working.  He whines loudly as he is obsessed with Pokemon, and claims that he has no idea what connotation even means anyways.  Eventually, the teachers manage to get every student somewhat on the same page, and they can begin their review.  It's probably important to mention that all of this has happened within the first five minutes of class.  

This is the struggle that I go through with my sixth grade, co-teach language arts class every single day.  It's my reality.  It's my frustration.  It's my passion.  It's my reason for this blog post today.

Today, I am speaking up.  I am speaking up to change our educational system.  I want my voice to be heard in every school, in every county, in every state.  I'm not naive.  I know that the chances of me actually changing our country's educational system by myself are slim to none. 

But...quoting the brilliant Malala Yousafzai, "One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world."

I have hope.

There are teachers who speak out and "complain" about the system every day.  It's in the newspapers, and it's all over social media.  They protest performance pay, and they advocate for teacher's rights.  Don't get me wrong, I wish we got paid more.  Who doesn't? Guys, it's more than that.  To me, it's not about the teachers.  

What about the students?
Who is speaking up for them?

Right now, our educational framework is failing our students.  I honestly hate to be negative, but it's the truth.  I see it every single day.  I have students in my basic sixth grade classroom who literally can't read.  They can't write a complete sentence, and they can't tell me the difference between a noun and a verb.  Unfortunately, these students are the ones with behavior issues.  They act out in class because they literally have no idea how to do the work that I am giving them.  They can't spell three-letter words, yet we are reading Chapter 1 of Treasure Island to prepare for FCAT.  Can I blame them?  

The one thing I keep asking myself over and over is, "How in the name of Hogwarts have some of these students been passed on grade after grade without basic reading skills?"

I'll tell you how...it's a combination of No Child Left Behind, standardized testing, politics, and placement and services offered for ESE or Non-ESE students.  Our off-track students are LITERALLY FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS right before our eyes.  The system is failing them.  Both literally and figuratively.

Trust me,  I understand how support facilitation and inclusion are SUPPOSED to work.  I understand how differentiation is SUPPOSED to work.  The problem is they aren't being used properly.  Support facilitation and inclusion only work if there is a proper ratio of ESE students to non-ESE students.  They tell us that the higher level students will help bring up the lower level students.  That's all fine and dandy, but it's not reality.  In my ONE co-teach class alone, I have students labeled SLD, Autistic, Visually Impaired, EBD, OHI, and all of them are of varying abilities and levels.  This is combined with 3 or 4 higher level students, and some non-ESE students still sitting with Level 1's on FCAT reading.  It just IS NOT POSSIBLE to differentiate to meet the needs of all those students.  Someone is always left behind.  Someone is always slipping through our fingers.  

This week, as I am completing last minute FCAT reviews with my classes, the detriment to these students is becoming apparent to me more than ever.  I am reading poems and passages with them that were written in the 1800's, and that use language that they've never even heard before.  They shut down immediately because they don't have the stamina needed to get through a tough reading passage.  They shut down because they have no idea what "alliteration" or "antagonist" even mean, much less be able to connect those words to the text.  It's not that they aren't trying.  They just can't do it.

I'm just going to say it...many of my lowest students can't pass the FCAT this year.  It won't happen.  

At this point, they are too behind.  And instead of placing them in a setting where they can somewhat catch up, they are simply passed on year after year.  The distance between their ability levels and the difficulty of the content they are being asked to process is getting greater and greater.  With Common Core, it will only get worse. Unless we do something about it.  I'm not trying to be a pessimist, and you might be thinking, "What kind of a teacher is this, saying the dreaded word CAN'T, and that her students won't succeed." 

I'm the kind of teacher that calls it like it is.  I'm realistic.  I'm not going to keep quiet any longer.  I realize the problem we have in our schools, and I realize the magnitude of it.  It's time for me to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!  I want to be the voice that my students don't have.  They don't know any better.  Something has to change.  I can't look at their faces any longer when we are reviewing FCAT passages and questions and they have very clear realization that they aren't going to pass.  Again.  My kids aren't stupid.  They have just given up.  We, as educators, can't let that happen.  I had a young lady ask me, "Mrs. Ebert, why can't I read stories on my reading level in class?  I can answer questions about Magic Tree House, but I have no idea what happened just now when we read "Eleven" (by Sandra Cisneros)."  How am I supposed to look at that student, and tell them it's because the state standardized test that is the very center of your educational universe says you can't?  It's like a continuous game of catch up, or like a hamster on a wheel.  These poor kids aren't getting anywhere.  They can't analyze the use of personification in a text because they don't know the meaning of personification, and they can't read the lines of text indicated without one on one assistance.  

We need to take a good hard look at the placement of our at risk kids, and the big question that needs to be answered is...

"Is it the needs that drive placement, or the label?"

I can't tell you how many times I've had a student in my classroom that simply does not belong there, whether it be in regards to academics or behavior.  Their needs aren't being met, and the needs of the kids around them aren't being met if they have behavior issues.  We're always told that unless they have a certain label, our classrooms are the only place they can be.  This is just ridiculous.  Deferring to labels is completely political, and we are ignoring the true needs of the student.  Maybe a teacher in the past didn't bring them up to be labeled with a disability, or maybe the paperwork takes a million years to process.  Meanwhile, they are not being successful in a basic education setting, and again...falling through the cracks.  How can you have a student who's been in a self-contained environment with no more than 8 students in their classroom, and 2 teachers, for all of their school life, and then the second they get to middle school...BAM.  They are now in a class of 25 students with 1 teacher, and are expected to be successful because "there isn't anywhere else for them to go." Tell me how that makes sense?  

For so long, politics have run our educational systems.  What's the root of why so many students aren't passing standardized tests?...politics.  What's the root of the process for placing students in the proper classroom setting?...politics.  What's the root of passing kids on grade after grade even though they don't have the skills necessary to thrive?...politics.  

As the adults in the classroom with these kids every single day, we need to let our voices be heard!  As the ones who struggle through every sentence of a reading passage, every math problem, every behavior outburst, every tear, every laugh, every success, every failure, with our kids...we need to speak up! Speak up for every child that you have seen pass through your door with grimaces of defeat on their little faces, and words of "It's just too hard" ringing in your ears.  

We are teachers! We have the power to make a difference in the way our schools are run.  We have the power to create changes, and to move our students towards TRULY becoming global, passionate, proud, twenty-first century learners.  Let the teachers create the tests, let the teachers decide the placement of students that they work with every day, let the teachers decide if a student is ready to move on to the next grade.  

Let the teachers teach.

I don't care about how much money I get paid.  I'm not in this profession to be rich.  The problem isn't about tying my pay to my students test scores.  I'm actually okay with that.  The problem is the test itself.  I care about my kids. PERIOD.  Things have got to change.  I want to walk into my co-teach class every day and know that there is true learning being done.  FOR ALL STUDENTS in the room.  

I might have the kids that don't bring a pencil to school, the kids who fall asleep every day, the kids who refuse to do work, or the kids who scream "shut up" across the classroom.  They might make me want to pull my hair out somedays or make have to vent for hours to my husband after work a time or two...or three.  

But they are my kids.  I love them.  I will stand up for their right to a fair education.  I will not give up on them.  I will fight if I feel they are not having their needs met.  I will be the voice that they don't know how to be.

But Guys...I. Can't. Do. It. Alone. 

The Common Core Conundrum

If you're a teacher, you probably know the new Common Core standards so well by now that you can recite them in your sleep.  If you're a parent, you're probably familiar with the Common Core shifts that are happening in schools all over the country, and have established your own opinion of them.  These standards are designed to help get our children college, career and life ready. It's a fact that our curriculum hasn't been challenging enough, and that our children haven't been prepared when they get to college.  The number of students that have to take remedial classes as freshman is growing every year.  Common Core is designed to fix that.  It's current, it's controversial, it's happening whether we like it or not.  

I want to make it clear that this blog post is my personal opinion, and it's a result of some very real and very strong feelings as I prepare to make the shift from NGSSS to Common Core this next year.

Don't get me wrong, I completely see the benefit in these new standards, and I understand why almost all of the 50 states have adopted them.  I 100% believe that our kids have not been prepared for college or careers.  The bottom line is that we have to step up our game.  We need to make sure that our children are GLOBAL LEARNERS, and that they have a challenging curriculum that forces them to think on a much higher level.  I have jumped on the "Common Core Train," and I fully support that my state and county have as well.  I understand that we have to implement and embed the common core shifts into our daily curriculum in order to prepare our kids for this transfer.  

But.
I have some concerns.
Who wouldn't?
It's only natural.
Am I allowed to?

It's going to take time to switch our mindset and teaching to Common Core.  I get that.  It's not going to happen over night.  Recently, however, I've had a few "a-ha" moments with Common Core and complex text in particular that have raised some red flags.  

Last week, I was doing a brainstorming activity to introduce my new unit theme of "Good vs. Evil."  My students had to work as a group to write down on a posterboard whatever came to their mind about the words "good" and "evil."  As I was walking around the classroom, I happened to glance down at a group's brainstorm cluster, and I saw that someone had written, "Common Core" on the evil side of the poster.  I was both shocked and impressed at the same time.  I immediately looked at the group and asked who had written those words.  They pointed out a particular young man, and my shock grew even more.  This was a boy who has an F average in my class, he never participates, it takes him a long time to process things, and he has a learning disability.  When I asked him why he had written "common core" on the evil side, he told me this: "School is hard enough for me, but now with this, I don't even want to try anymore because I'll never get it."  I honestly didn't even know what to say! His words stuck with me for days, and I couldn't stop thinking about them.  I don't know what was more difficult for me to deal with; the fact that a sixth grader understood what Common Core was all about, or the small chance that he might have a point.  How much harder is it going to be to implement these shifts like text complexity and text based answers with our lowest ESE students?  I hate to even use a negative phrase like this but, are we setting them up for failure?

Today, I got super frustrated while my PLC was going over our Discovery Education Test 3 results.  This is a reading test that our students are taking this year, and it's based on Common Core standards.  They take it four times, and this is being implemented across the state of Florida.  We found that our scores had dropped drastically from Test 2 to Test 3, and we were looking at the test questions to figure out where the breakdown was happening.  What we discovered, however, was not that there was a problem with the questions being asked, but instead, we had a BIG problem with the passages that were chosen.  

Here is an excerpt from a different chapter of the text that our students had to read for the test (Daniel Boone: The Pioneer of Kentucky published in 1872):

"The smoke which had hitherto concealed Higgins now cleared away, and he resolved, if possible, to retreat. To follow the track of Burgess was most expedient. It would, however, endanger his friend. He determined, therefore, to venture boldly forward and, if discovered, to secure his own safety by the rapidity of his flight. On leaving a small thicket in which he had sought refuge, he discovered a tall, portly savage near by, and two others in the direction between him and the fort.

Let's be real.  I'm not sure that I would be able to get through this without mentally shutting down, much less a TWELVE YEAR OLD.  Is this what "complex text" means?  One of the stories I read with my students, "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros, is one of the Common Core exemplar texts, and is listed as a 6-8 complex text.  When I compare that story to this text about Daniel Boone, I am speechless.  How complex is complex text supposed to be?  Where do we draw the line? How is a student with a learning disability supposed to sit down and read this text, and moreover, how are they supposed to pass a standardized test with passages like this?  I know, I know, we are supposed to help them get there by modeling, and teaching reading strategies.  The problem I'm having with this "Common Core Complex Text" is that it is taking away my student's love of reading.  I see it everyday. They shut down, they hate it, they moan and groan when I put difficult text in front of them.  Not because they don't want to do the work, but because of how hard it is for them to get through.  

Where do we, as teachers, as parents, as a state, find that delicate balance?  How can we expose our children to complex text, and get them college, career, and life ready while at the same time, not destroy their self confidence, make them feel defeated, and completely destroy their love for reading?  

Is there any "complex text" out there that is AGE APPROPRIATE, and doesn't make you feel as if you're watching paint dry while reading it?  As an English major, I appreciate the classics just as much as anyone, but I also know that there are very few middle school students that actually enjoy reading them.  

WHAT IF...

Let's go into fantasy land for a few minutes.  What if we based our standardized texts on literature and informational text that our students actually are INTERESTED IN, and WANT to read?  How much of these low scores are attributed to the fact that the students don't have the skills necessary to answer the questions, and how much is attributed to the fact that they tune out while reading because it's too hard, and they don't like it?  Imagine a state standardized test with excerpts from Harry Potter, and with articles about the harms of social media?  

On that note, let's continue our journey into the land of our imaginations, and think about an even bigger "what if."  What if REAL teachers actually made these tests.  What if we gathered a group of current teachers from all different schools, grades, and subjects, and had them sit down to create standardized tests based on the Common Core.  I know that these test companies say they have teachers contribute to the test making process, but we've all seen the tests.  Let's be real, I don't know if I believe that.  WE know our kids. WE work with them everyday.  WE know how to challenge them.  WE KNOW WHAT THEY NEED.  

The bottom line is this: Common Core is our future.  We have to learn to accept it, we need to embrace it, and we need to get our students ready for it.  Nothing is perfect, there are kinks to work out with anything new that you try to implement.  I guess it's only natural that I have some reservations about this new style of teaching and learning that's making its way into our schools.  I just see the looks of frustration on my student's faces every day, it makes me sad, and I want to give them the best education that I can.  I wish there was a simple answer, but there isn't.  

We need to continue to do what we do everyday.  We need to guide our kids, give them hope, and show them how to figure it out when they don't understand.  I truly believe in my heart that we are headed in the right direction with Common Core, but I wish there was more we could do to get our kids ready for it.  It will be much easier with the students who haven't even started kindergarten yet, but how can we make it easier for the ones that are being asked to transform their way of learning and thinking.  

I like to compare this Common Core shift to my transition from eating junk food all the time to eating clean.  It was hard.  I wanted to quit.  I didn't see success in my future.  I was failing at first.  But...as time went on, it became less challenging.  I found myself making gains.  I realized that even though it was harder, I was becoming healthier and stronger.  I still craved a greasy cheeseburger every now and again, but I realized more than ever that clean eating was better for me in the long run.

I don't think this so-called Common Core Conundrum will ever be rectified. There will always be issues, and there will always be pros and cons.  Someone will always have a problem with it, and there will be bumps along the road.  

And that's okay. 

I just want to make sure that my kids aren't left behind, and that their voices are heard to.