Tending the Fire

This winter has been really cold. I do not like to be cold. So, here in Georgia where it stayed so cold for so long, we built a lot of fires to keep our home nice and warm. The cold didn't bother me as much when the fire was blazing. I could go about my business getting things done around the house. But, when I got really cold (remember, I do not like to be cold) I could stand right in front of the fire and get really toasty. Then I could sit close by and enjoy the view and the warmth.

BUT, the fire must be "tended". That's what we say in the South. If no one tends the fire, keeps it stoked and refueled with more firewood, then it will eventually go out. There will be some warmth if you get really close, but it won't be pretty to look at and will go out soon.

I can't help but compare this to our passion as educators. Teachers need a fire, a.k.a. passion, in order to be the most effective in the classroom. You can teach without passion, but I wouldn't want to be a student in that classroom. Just sayin'. So, assuming you have a passion for teaching, how do we tend to those passions? Without passion, the demands of being an educator these days can be overwhelming. So many demands and needs in the classroom can really take their toll. Passion needs to be tended to help us stay above the weightiness of our profession. 

The passion I have for education fuels my curiosity to continually learn, make the most of my interactions with students, and to give as much as I can to my community. Helping others is fulfilling, but it can distract you from tending the fire. The fire needs attention. One of the best things I've discovered is that I can lean on others to tend the fire, to keep it going. That's why I love being connected with other passionate educators. There's so much support and inspiration to be found in those people down the hall or around the world. They help you tend your fire when they share, connect, and support you. And you can help someone else in that way, too.

Reach out to others and share. Be a fire tender. Help out a colleague, be inspired by others, and make a difference in your school. It works out great for both sides. Twitter is where I connect the most with those who can help me stay passionate about my job. And there are people in my own school district who help tend my fire, too. So, to all those that help to tend the fire that is my passion for education, THANKS FOR SHARING, CONNECTING, and SUPPORTING! You make a positive difference to educators, which impacts students in an incredible way! 

Keep that fire tended! 

Monica

Reflecting on the 1st #PassTheSketchnote for World Sketchnote Day 2018

#PassTheSketchnote happened on January 11, 2018. Why that date? How did this even happen? What is #PassTheSketchnote? 

The website and community called Sketchnote Army, created by Mike Rhode, declared January 11th World Sketchnote Day a couple of years ago. I had no idea that was a thing! Carrie Baughcum shared a post about it on Instagram, which inspired this thought:  "We should pass around a sketchnote and have people add to it all day!" So, we sent out a Google form to gather names of those who were interested. Carrie posted it on Twitter and we watched (totally amazed) as the interest grew and grew!

The basic plan was for teams of about 5 people from all over the world to contribute to one sketch, and PASS it to next person on the team. With 117 participants, we had about 20 teams, some doing digital sketches and some using paper. Twitter was our "playground". You can click on the following link to see some of the images posted to Twitter for this super fun event: #PassTheSketchnote Images. I loved seeing the images of the sketches as they were in progress and then was WOWed as they were completed.

Did I say how much fun this was? The world came together to draw and share a passion for a pastime that we have been told for so long was only for children. "YAY" is all I can say about the fact that this is NOT true! I'm sure there will be deeper reflections on this topic in the future.

http://daveburgess.com/teach-like-a-pirate-sketchnotes/

This day was already set to be AMAZING, but then DAVE BURGESS posted a blog featuring my Teach Like a Pirate sketchnotes, Carrie's YouTube sketchnote channel, Matt Miller's (Ditch That Textbook) pirate hooks sketchnote, and Julie Woodard's lovely Lead Like a Pirate sketchnote.

I am beyond thrilled that all of this could even happen. Fun fact: Carrie and I have never met! I Twitter-Know her. Isn't this world amazing that we can connect with other people that share our passions, even if they live in Chicago and you're down in Georgia! You don't have to be isolated! That's from Teach Like A Pirate, too! It's an awesome book. Here's some info on the book if you don't already know what it's all about. http://daveburgess.com/teach-like-a-pirate/

Sketchnoting isn't about art, it's about ideas. So next time you need to learn something you should give it a try!

***Watch Carrie's wrap-up video for this awesome day! Youtube video link

Have a great day! Do something positive. 🙂

Monica
@mospillman on Twitter

Critical Reading Inventory 2nd Edition- Awesome & Out-of-Print (but available)!

In my reading endorsement course I am exploring various reading inventories. There is so much out there that you could use for determining what areas your young reading students need intervention. I am not a fan of testing just for information. If the information is used for a benefit that matches or exceeds the effort required for the assessment, then I would want to learn more.

One of the inventories that seems to be worth the time of teachers and students is the Critical Reading Inventory-2nd edition (CRI-2) that was written by Applegate, Quinn, and Applegate in 2007. And, as the title of this posts states, it is now out of print! Don't let this stop you from reading on to find out why I think this is an inventory/assessment worthy of your attention. (Here is a quick link to an Amazon listing where you can buy the book and read a couple of reviews.) I'd like to point out a few features of the CRI-2 that would be of great value for our current reading focus on critical thinking.

First of all, this inventory asks you to find out about your subject/student. There is no substitute for building a rapport with your student. When there is a strong, positive relationship between teacher and student, the motivation of the student soars. This has been shown to be true in many studies. You may find this page from the American Psychological Association to be interesting and informational.

The second aspect that I find to be a great benefit is that you have assessment material for Pre-K through 9th grade! I appreciate that the older students are included. How many discipline problems in middle and high school could be avoided if a student could just read well and understand the reading!

Lastly, as we are all guiding students toward higher level/critical thinking, that is exactly what this system helps you assess. You can assess three types of comprehension that range from recalling facts to analyzing what has been read.

In a perfect world this would be paired with a system for teaching the skills that are being assessed. Maybe there is one out there. If so, please comment and let me know!

Happy Reading!

Motivation for Middle School Readers...Lost Cause?

Are you thinking "If they aren't motivated by now, don't waste your time!" I HOPE NOT! It's not too late. If you're a teacher or a parent, you've got the key ingredient in your power...YOUR OWN ENTHUSIASM. Your actions towards reading can influence even a middle school student to change their feelings about reading. Students who used to hate reading of any kind can begin to look for text to read for information or pleasure. I've seen this happen. In a classroom of boys identified with behavior disorders, I saw students reading because they wanted to know about something, enjoyed a discussion and wanted to read more, or they saw a graphic novel that was about a character they liked.

The best story I could share to help you see the positive potential (because you can certainly have a negative potential influence) of your enthusiasm for reading is about a 13 year old who had always hated reading. In the past he had tried to cause a scene in the classroom whenever reading was required. He tried fighting, cussing, throwing things, and even hitting things. The outburst was worth the outcome...no more reading today. Weird part is that he could read on grade-level. But, he really struggled with "keeping up with what the book is about." By Christmas break this guy was picking out books to take home with him because he knew he'd have a long car ride to see his family and could read. In the Spring he said something that I will cherish for always. Basically he said, "I used to hate to read, and now it's weird. I read all the time." I asked him why he thought that was. He said "It's cool! Like a movie in your head." I love that he doesn't remember I told the class that a gazillion times early on when I was building a relationship with them.

So what did I do, exactly? I spoke about reading as a "get to" not a "have to".  I used casual conversation to share things that I learned through reading. I modeled looking for a book that was a "smooth" read for me. Sometimes I'd read part of something (like an excerpt from a description about the book) and think out loud about whether or not I'd enjoy reading that book ("Hmmm, I think I'll pass on this one. I don't even understand the description, so I'm thinking the book won't be my style."). I think the most valuable ingredient was the trust relationship that we had built. The students knew I cared and wanted them to get better at reading for them, not for a grade.

Here's an excellent resource for strategies to use when motivating students to read and getting them engaged in reading. This article goes beyond the skill...it focuses on the WILL. (click here for article)

Happy reading!