The X Factor

What is it that motivates students to be excited about a project or an assignment? 

I have been on the quest to discover the answer to this question.  This year has been a huge learning process for me as I tinkered with old lessons and activities to make them better.  Sometimes, I have even scrapped what has been tried and true in the past and replaced it with the product of one of my many “lightbulb” moments.  My Achilles heel of lesson plans every year has always been my persuasive unit – it’s a time bomb waiting to explode because as a teacher, you have to pick something the kids can write about that is a happy medium.  I have always been stuck trying to differentiate between using boring, over-used prompts like “Convince your principal to allow vending machines at school.” and prompts that act like magnets, pulling in parent complaints, such as “Is abortion wrong?”  As someone who is never satisfied with the results of the year before, I have gone both routes in the past, and they have led to either boredom or blow-ups.

 In pursuit of finding what it is that makes students excited to write and learn and research, I had a new “lightbulb” moment – authenticity.  Maybe the “X” factor in student engagement is being authentic to real life scenarios.  My thought is that this can be accomplished by creating assignments that mimic actual scenarios that could happen in the all-mysterious “life after graduation”.  Topics should be authentic too…something they can actually be passionate and excited about, not something scripted and pulled from an outdated resource book.  With these thoughts in mind, I came up with the “Do Something Now” project. 

The first thing about this project that I am excited about is that it asks students to find a non-profit organization that they are interested in and develop a five  minute presentation asking others to donate “money” or get involved.  I told them to treat their audience of peers as if they were members of a charity guild.  My students will actually vote on the most persuasive representative and will donate a fictitious pool of money to support the cause!  Instead of an actual check, the winning presenter will get points added to their score.  My favorite part about this assignment is what I call the “built-in bonus”.  If students spend time actually volunteering for that organization or if they mobilize and find a way to donate money, they will also receive bonus points. 

I’m only in year five of teaching, but I am really starting to see that passion is the key to doing anything.  It should be the reason why teachers get up every Monday through Friday and step foot for the umpteenth time through their classroom door.  The same is true for students.  They need a reason to care about why they do what they are asked to do.  They need a “non- scripted” answer to the question, “When are we going to use this?”  I don’t know how this project will turn out, whether it will be another flash- in-the-pan idea that will end up filed away like the rest of my persuasive project attempts.  The proof will have to be in the “X” factor….

The Battle for Positivity

I’ve spent several weeks at work burdened down with the weights of fruitless efforts, monotony, time crunches, and the ongoing pursuit of unachievable balance. Because of this, I recently re-evaluated my pursuits and passions to truly discern what it is I am doing with my life and why I daily return back to the eighth grade classroom, the place I call home for the better part of each work day. In doing this, I made some goals – challenging ones at that – that directly correlate with my perceived purpose in life. One of these goals is to constantly be improving my craft. Another goal is to be more in tune with my students’ interests and needs. Finally, I resolved to add more structure and balance to my day in the form of ultra-organization with the hopeful outcome resulting in becoming more efficient and productive.

Interestingly enough, I heard someone tell me today that “resolutions are made to be broken”. I beg to differ - resolutions are made to be attacked … to have all the powers that be go into battle against the prospect of progress! In my case, this is exactly what happened today. I just came back a few days ago from an inspiring conference on differentiation, a topic that is of particular interest to me. I was challenged and encouraged, revived and reinvigorated - ready to storm the castle doors of my middle school armed with weapons to combat negativity and discouragement. Everything worked like a charm! I spent two days completely re-organizing my classroom. I got my students involved as they gave me suggestions for improving our class creativity blog. We reorganized the desks, assigned classroom managers, took interest inventories, you name it! I even got the timing of my class down to a science. I started writing down next to each part of our daily agenda how many minutes it should take to complete the task – and believe it or not (with militaristic precision)- I actually stuck to it! I have never in the entire school year seen my students more engaged in and attuned to learning new material.

I met with my principal today and told her about all my great plans and reignited teaching passions. I was reminded of how important it is to stay positive and excited about work. Positivity, just like negativity, can be contagious…secretly seeping into the conversations and attitudes of all who are around. It has been a long time since I have been so excited about my job!

Beware: Whenever you are on the mountaintop of success, you must be extra cautious because a sudden plummet to the valley could be in the near future. Right after my encouraging conversation, 6^th period happened. It didn’t just happen – it ATTACKED! My students wouldn’t listen. Every laugh or sideways look from their neighbor distracted them. Like a storm brewing, it all came to a tumultuous downpour at the very end of class resulting in an office referral and several defeated tears shed by me.

It seems that with great progress come even greater tests. God has a plan and purpose for me being where I am. And I know, without a doubt, that God will give me the strength I need to be the right kind of teacher to my kids. Trials and stress may come, but they only prove that I am smack dab in the middle of where I should be. Although it brought me down today, I am determined to be more resolute than ever. To all the “6thperiods”, never-ending paperwork, negative co-workers, and crazy deadlines I shout one thing: Bring it!!!!

A Balancing Act: Creativity, Coolness, and Crossing the Line

When teaching 8^th graders, there is a fine line between relating to the kids and being the authority in the classroom.  I have heard several stories of teachers who, in an effort to be buddies with their students, lost complete classroom control or, even worse, crossed the line resulting in a change in their job.  It is so important for those of us in the teaching profession to be able to connect with students in order to engage them, but it must be done appropriately.  I made an attempt at this dangerous balancing act with one of my lessons last week.

We are currently picking apart and analyzing Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”.  A few days ago, it was my goal to get students to understand how rhyme and meter make it so that this haunting poem has a sing-song flow that gets stuck like a broken record in a reader’s head.  In order to bring this to a level where my students could better understand, I connected this poem, viewed by these 13 and 14-year-olds as ancient, with songs song by modern rap artists.  “Essentially,” I told them, “’The Raven’ is one of the earliest forms of rap!”  At this thought, I saw my students’ eyes light up with a lightbulb of engagement.  I then proceeded to blast the beat to the well-known song “Low” throughout the four corners of my classroom.  I divided the classroom by boys and girls, and we literally “rapped” “The Raven” and had a contest to see which group could do better.  This lesson was a major success but not without a few potential risks.  I was able to incorporate the “cool” factor while at the same time delicately balancing the fun with strict management of my classroom.

Later on in the week, the act of balancing being relatable and being professional  nearly toppled over in my face.  My students in social studies were discussing the transatlantic slave trade, and we did a comparison between that horrific time in history to the modern slave trade devastating all parts of the globe today.  This opened up the door for a lot of interesting discussion.  I asked the question, “What social sins do we permit today that our great great grandchildren many years from now might look down upon in disgust?”  While my students energetically voiced their answers, one group of girls asked me if they could share their thoughts privately.  When we had a chance to talk, they told me about several shocking issues involving their safety and the safety of their friends.  They ended their conversation with me by saying that they felt so comfortable talking to me and were glad they could trust me and so forth.  However, as a mandatory reporter, I had to tell administration.  My superiors encouraged me to immediately call home that afternoon.  It was one of the most difficult phone calls I had to make because I had to break their confidence.

I learned a powerful lesson that day.  For one, I do need to be the teacher that my students feel comfortable talking to, but I have to always keep up a professional wall.  I am not their friend, per se, but I still need to be kind, open, and relatable.   I am still learning to juggle what my role actually is.  At times I am a mentor, a friend, and a listening ear.  Above all, I am a professional.  Lord, give me discernment!

Bogged Down by Blogging?

The other day, I had a few students come up to me with excited expressions waving a poem in my face.  This poem was written and posted on Facebook by a very shy student in my homeroom.  This young girl’s work was absolutely amazing – it was very well-written and full of colorful, vibrant language.  When I read it, I got a genius idea…

For three years I have tried (very unsuccessfully) to get my students involved in blogging.  Every year my students have loathed and hated the idea.  I could never understand why.  When I was getting my master’s degree, I did an entire year-long capstone project that partially centered around the benefits of blogging.  Research indicates that utilizing technology and social media like this engages students, but I have never seen it work within my own classroom walls. My blogging assignments have always been required, and the topics my students had to write about were always chosen by me.  Perhaps that was what caused my students to treat the blog as if it were another tedious homework assignment.

The student who posted her poem on Facebook did so because Facebook is a forum where people can “like” and comment.  It is an avenue where others can put themselves out there to see what the world has to say.  My kids live and breathe for this kind of feedback from their peers.  Why can’t I create a similar environment to get them excited about writing?  A lot of my students are very creative, but they don’t have a safe avenue to showcase what they can do.  My self-proclaimed genius idea is to start a creativity blog.  On this blog, students would be able to post their own writing such as poems, stories, song lyrics, and so forth.  In addition, I would also give them the opportunity to post about other creative ventures that they might undertake.  Many of them are interested in photography.  With this blog, they would be able to post their pictures and get their peers to make comments.  There would even be a place on the blog where they can do something similar to Pinterest in which they would “pin” different web sites, images, quotes, or song lyrics that inspire them to write.  The blog even has an app that can be accessed on smart phones!

When I announced this idea to my students, they seemed to love it.  I hope that this will be a healthy outlet for them to brag on what they can do.  Feel free to check it out and see what my kids are doing at:

www.bowleyblog.wordpress.com

First Impressions

They say a first impression is a lasting impression.  In the education world, this is certainly true of when students meet their teachers for the first time.  I started school this past week and met around 100 wide-eyed, summer-dazed 8th graders that I get to call "my students" over the next 180 days.  The first week is probably THE most crucial week in all of the school year (even more important than the dreaded week of CRCT testing!).  Every single child that walked through my classroom door made a decision about what kind of teacher they will perceive me to be for the rest of the year.  The danger is, however, I made a decision about them too. It is really easy in education to get caught up in labels. We learn before the students ever get here if they are special ed, have medical concerns, need remedial education, or even if they have a rough home life.  We hear from their teachers last year as they often volunteer information about whether or not that student was “good” or “bad”.  Unfortunately, these kids wear their labels, like a giant florescent nametags secured to their foreheads, on the first day of school. Some teachers never take the time to look past these predetermined misconceptions. I am challenging myself this year to get rid of the virtual student filing system in my mind.  I have started with two students:  Sam and Andrew.  Both of these boys have very rough lives and have been significant behavior problems in other grades.  Sam’s life consists of a bitter battle between mom and dad, one in which he feels he is betraying one parent if he loves the other.  Andrew also has a difficult home life and is loud and boisterous, shouting shock-value statements just for attention.  The teachers started the year targeting Sam as a “troublemaker”.  The other day, I called him over to me.  He shuffled to my side reluctantly and defensively asked, “What did I do?”  “Nothing! I just wanted to tell you that you did a fantastic job writing today.  You should have more confidence in your abilities.”  I then proceeded to tell him that this year is a new year.  Whatever happened last year with his behavior is gone.  He looked at me as if it had been a long time since he had heard positive praise.  I will never forget his expression. Andrew is another story.  I gave him supplies when he didn’t have any and extra time when he didn’t turn an assignment in, trying to show him that I cared about him.  Unfortunately, his behavior has continued to get worse!  This is when I turn to my God in prayer and ask for wisdom.  Only He knows how to soften hearts!  I can try on my own to reach these kids, but it is the God within me who works in lives, not my own efforts. “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”  Philippians 4:8

White Walls

One of my favorite things about teaching is the newness of every school year.  Everything is new - students, parents, school supplies. Each teacher walks into preplanning with knowledge and insight gained from the year prior.  The drudgery of grading, paperwork, and frustrating red tape of the last school years has melted in the summer heat only to awaken a rebirth of excitement - school is starting!  On the heels of May, work ends with the promise of starting over at the beginning of August.  I am so thankful for the chance to start fresh!

In my four years of teaching, I have been asked to move rooms AND teams three different times.  When I learned at the end of the last school year that I would NOT be moving rooms but would get to stay in the little place I called home for 180 days, I was more than ecstatic.  This meant that I didn't have to transport all of my books and furniture to another classroom, move my bulliten board, take down my posters, and everything else that comes with such a cumbersome task.  My excitement lasted until I got the memo:  PLEASE TAKE DOWN ALL POSTERS ON THE WALLS.  I left my classroom at the end of May with bare, white walls - blank slates mocking me, jeering that I would have to put everything back up at the end of the summer.

This past week, we got the word that we could voluntarily come in and work on our classrooms.  I jumped at the opportunity!  When I opened the door, I saw those ominous white walls staring at me, daring me to attack them with my hot glue gun and laminated posters.  As I considered the task before me, I began to see the room differently now that all the posters were down.  I envisioned a new way of hanging them and a more efficient way of arranging my furniture.  The white walls enabled me to see a better way of setting up my classrom!

So often it would be easy as teachers to coast on last year's room set-up, last years rules and procedures, and last year's lesson plans.  We as educators have been given a great blessing that many in other professions have:  we get to start over!  I am challenging myself this year to find more "white walls" in how I teach.  Perhaps there is a unit I've taught the same way for the past two years that I can rework.  Maybe there is a way of grading that I am accustomed to that could be done more effectively.  Perhaps my approach to communicating with parents can be done differently. Just because I've "always done it that way" doesn't mean I should keep doing it.

As I think about all this, I can't help but be reminded of the Scripture in Lamentations that talks about God's mercies being new every morning.  Isn't it awesome that we have a divine Creator who allows us to start over, giving us metaphorical "white walls" to work with every day.  Perhaps there are some "posters" we need to take down in our own lives in order to give God a blank slate to do His work in us!  May we not only reflect on our profession this school year, but on our hearts as well.

My Prayer: 
"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  Psalm 51:10