Calming a contagion in the classroom

Today I was listening to the Unlocking Us podcast by Brené Brown about day-to-day anxiety and over/under-functioning. Something she said early on in this podcast really struck a chord for me from a teaching perspective, anxiety is one of the most contagious of all emotions.

Let that sink in for a moment, anxiety is one of the most contagious of all emotions.

How does this show up in a classroom setting? Here are a couple of possible situations that might feel familiar:

1.      You are being appraised and feeling anxious; you have planned for everything, ensured your students are aware of expectations and have done everything you can think of to prepare (more than you would for a normal lesson) but you are still anxious because you are being watched and you want it to be successful. And then the lesson falls way short of what you planned, you feel it was a disaster, the students didn’t respond as you expected and you are devastated.

2.      At lunchtime there was an altercation in the playground and one of your students was involved, they are anxious about how the rest of the class will react and you are mindful of this anxiety. They walk in the door and you can almost smell the anxiety so you become hyper-vigilant and that raises their anxiety and the rest of the class seem more anxious… it is a tense afternoon.

3.      One of your colleagues is under a bit of stress and anxious as end of term is coming. After lunchtime in the staffroom with them you feel anxious and don’t really know why but you take that into the classroom with you and have a bit of a miserable afternoon. You were feeling fine about getting everything done earlier on but now you are worried.

I am sure you can think of other situations that might be relevant too. If we go back to the idea of the Magic Brain, when we are anxious we are in the glitter room and that means we can’t think as effectively because our anxiety is in charge of our thinking. As teachers, part of our job is to create an environment where learning can occur and that means reducing anxiety where we can, doesn’t it? When I think about all of this, the quote from Haim G. Ginott comes to mind:

“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather…”

That’s a lot of pressure though eh? How can we be responsible for the feelings of others? The way I see it is that we can’t assume responsibility for other’s feelings but we might be able to influence the dynamic and calm the anxiety contagion if we are aware, and that does start with us.

Firstly, we need to notice and name our own emotions and behaviours. In this podcast Brené talks about over-functioning and under-functioning. I know for me I go into over-functioning as a response to anxiety; I get busy, try to fix things, organise stuff and keep everything under control, I like to look like I’ve got it all together and don’t need help. Under-functioning is the opposite. Neither of these approaches is really helpful, especially if we want to avoid creating an anxious learning environment!

Once we recognise our behaviours we can notice when they are flaring and press pause. I love practicing the pause! Pause enough to notice what is happening inside us and then shift gear so we can respond intelligently to what is happening around us. This is the time for the superpower of calm to come to the fore. In the face of emotional anxiety if we can stop, breathe, think then do we have a great opportunity to stop the spread. Let’s take the situations above and add in a dose of calm:

1.      The appraisal: take some deep cleansing breaths before you speak or start the lesson. Prior to the appraisal it may be appropriate to share your feelings openly “I am feeling anxious about this appraisal and just need you to know that”, you may even ask for help with it. Last year I was going to the dentist for the first time in a long time (I have a fear of dentists) and so I talked to my class of 7 and 8 year olds about my fear in the morning and explained that I was feeling anxious. I asked them for their help; they were kind and gracious with me, they also gave me great advice (some of it was my own words coming back to me). The thing was it calmed my anxious mind during that day so I could be more present for them as their teacher. (By the way, the trip to the dentist wasn't as painful or scary as I had imagined… anxiety often thrives in an uncertain future.)

2.      Anxious student: this is a situation where the power of breath is going to be really helpful. Taking a breath before you come into the classroom and staying present is going to help everyone, yes you need to be mindful of the emotional state of your learners, but it is about not joining in their storm. It might be time for a quiet coaching conversation where you can help them unpack their reality before engaging with the class. I now teach my students about the superpowers of breath and stillness daily, we are practising the skills of calmness, and I love it when they coach each other or myself in using our superpowers- this helps when we are faced with situations like this.

3.      Anxious colleague: I like to think that most of us in education are reasonably compassionate people, we care about others and want to help them. In this situation joining in on the stress doesn’t really help anyone e.g. “I wish that the government, school management, parents understood how hard it is, something should be done etc etc etc”. All this does is reinforce powerlessness and makes us feel worse. Instead we can lovingly investigate what’s happening for our colleague if they want to talk about it, we can listen with empathy and understanding, we can care but we don’t have to wear the emotion. And before we return to our classroom or office we need to take some deep cleansing breaths, perhaps orient ourselves to what we love about our work or focus on what our goals are for the afternoon and go there with some positive energy.

The fabulous thing about practicing our calm is that the more we do it the easier it becomes. I know several people who I admire hugely because of their calm, they are my role models and when I get flooded by emotion and feel like I am racing towards thoughtless reaction I picture them and it helps me pause. It is becoming easier. When we use our superpower of calm we can think more clearly, we can respond intelligently, we become more like ourselves I think. And this means that we can be the best version of ourselves in that moment as a teacher or leader.   

[for more links, inspiration and ideas for the classroom please follow my FB page:https://www.facebook.com/teachingwithheartandbraininmind/)

The Game of School Revisited- #EdBlogNZ reflection

It has been an interesting exercise to go back through some of my previous posts and consider whether my position is the same or different now. As I have recently re-entered the state system and will be teaching full time again this term it is a good time to review my perspective and the difference between what is between my ears and reality. 

Earlier this year I wrote two pieces about the Game of School, the first a rather dystopian perspective (I learned that word in a Children's Literature paper I did a couple of years ago) and the second a positive, forward looking perspective to offer a challenge to the first post.  

On reflection there probably needs to be a third in the series and I think this one needs to be written for teachers, perhaps looking at how we can change the rules to the Game of School despite the pressures on us to stick to the old ones. Here are some thoughts: 

1. The first thing is that you are not alone, you don't have to change the rules on your own, there is a whole world full of people out there with different ideas that are happy to share and grow with you. 

Recently I have been getting more connected with other educators in various forums: on the NZTeachers(Primary) Facebook Page which is a valuable tool for sharing ideas; in online discussions with other learners completing a paper on Internet Based Learning through Otago University Distance Learning; more recently participating in the #amplifiEDU twitter chat (fast and furious for a first timer but SO interesting!); and most recently engaging with the #EdBlogNZ challenge. I can't believe how much I am learning! 

2. Don't be afraid to try something new, co-construct what you do with your learners, let them know that we are going to try some stuff that is a little bit different and if it doesn't work then we can try shift or change or try something else. 

We can teach our children heaps by trying things and being open to them not working out. Failure isn't a bad thing, it is what real learners do... just think about toddlers learning to walk, if they gave up at the first hurdle then most of us would still be crawling or bum shuffling (now the image that brings up makes me chuckle a bit!) 

3.  Not everyone will like you changing the rules, but remember you can't please all the people all the time and if you know WHY you are doing what you are doing then pursue it but remember to do so with respect to the values of others and your community. Sometimes doing what is right will mean you need to do what is different, sometimes what is right is darned hard work but if it makes a difference for your learners then it will be worth it. 

There are a lot of reasons for people not getting behind your new approach... sometimes they are happy with what they are doing and seeing positive results for their learners, they might like the rules, sometimes they feel like they have a better idea but no-one asked them, sometimes it is actually daft idea and they can see that, sometimes they feel threatened by the rate of change around them and just want to keep doing what they know, sometimes they just need time to get used to an idea and see it in action, sometimes they might not like you and that's not really your problem (unless you have really done something to upset them and haven't attempted to address that in some way!)...  you get the picture. New ideas will often be met with some resistance, in the past there have been times when I have felt really lonely as I have tried something new, technology offers us a community to help mitigate that isolation now-a-days. 

4. Notice what happens when you change the rules. Observe, research, read, listen, learn and record your new idea and what happens when you implement it. This is good for your own practice as an educator, it helps you to note positive or negative impacts, it also helps you to become more informed about your practice and then gives you the material to be able to share it with others. 

Again technology is our friend. Use the internet and your contacts to read reliable information about what you are interested in. Read/listen widely, not only to the perspective that supports your assumptions but to the ones that counter it too... there is much to be learned. Practice a little skepticism too and where possible verify your sources. The sharing of new practices or your adaptations of others ideas is what I understand to be amplification... taking what is and shifting it and sharing it so that it can grow more. 

5. Look after yourself. This really should be the FIRST rule. Too often I hear people talk about putting on your own oxygen mask first, that you cannot give of yourself if your tank is empty etc. It makes sense. We want the people in our class to be bright, engaged, enthusiastic learners but that is a hard ask if they have a shell of a human being eking out the last of their energy just turning up to teach.  

We are no longer isolated islands of practice in the four walls of our classrooms, we have the capacity to connect with other educators all over the world. We are in a position to learn so much more from each other than we could in the past. We do make a difference and can make an even bigger difference if we work together... it is so tough being a maverick all on your own, much more fun being a maverick with friends! Let's start a movement... see below for instructions... 

Educators that have helped me dream bigger

For the #EdBlogNZ challenge we need to write about educators, bloggers, leaders who have inspired you to dream bigger and so tonight I am going to salute some of the ordinary (but for me extraordinary) educators/mentors/guides who have, and continue to, inspire me to keep on dreaming rather than going for the big names (there will time for that another day)... and so I am leaping away from the brief a little here to share some of the heroes from my own teaching career thus far... it is quite personal but I hope not too uncomfortable! 

This list isn't finite, but there is only so much time and space here, so if you don't see your name listed please know that isn't because I haven't appreciated your gifts...

• Lisa Beere- my tutor teacher for my final year at T.Coll- Lisa had a programme that was sensitive to the needs of the new entrants we were teaching, she gave me licence to try new things and trusted me to take over her class. This became my first teaching position as Lisa was on leave for the following year, I felt confident to step into the role having been so well prepared. Her calm, confident, kind manner in the classroom is something I still aspire to. 
• Greig Mercer-  leader extraordinaire. Greig taught me to love professional development and embrace professional reading, he set me off on a learning journey I am still undertaking now. He challenged my thinking and stretched me beyond what I thought I would ever be capable of doing. He talked me about his decision making processes and showed me a pathway to ethical, people centred, integrity based leadership and I aspired to that in my last leadership position and hope to get there one day. He has returned to principalship and I hope those lucky enough to work with him learn as much as I did. 
• Trevor Grice- when I first met Trevor he spoke to my heart and had such an overwhelming drive for that which he was passionate about, making a difference in the lives of our children. His decision making mantra was 'will it make a difference for the children' and if there wasn't a clear how to it then we didn't go there. He was a force to be reckoned with but at the same time worked on a foundation that all healing, all learning starts with love. He would often say that love is an irresistible force and this is what our children desperately need. 
• Celia Lashlie- she challenged me with her upfront manner but she came from a very human place and hearing her speak I felt moved by her empathy for those often misunderstood and her strong desire to help them be heard. She also highlighted the need to care for ourselves when caring for others lest we bleed out and become like 'lemon lips', sour and mean. She was another force to be reckoned with in her pursuits and even as her days were numbered she continued teaching through her life experience. 
• Evelyn Mann- a lecturer, friend, mentor and director. I have been lucky to travel in many ways with Evelyn. She has challenged my practice, I love our honest conversations. I have seen her help others discover untapped potential for drama and theatre in many settings, she does so with empathy, skill and humour... she is very skilled but has the ability to use this to empower others rather than make them feel inadequate. I have learned a lot about questioning and working alongside learners from Evelyn. She has also shown me that taking risks is important... if a little scary! 
• Karen Boyes- and speaking of risk takers! Karen is the consummate risk taker and has taken a risk with me more than once for which I am truly grateful for. She has invited me to present, and emcee, at her Teachers Matter Conferences in the last two years, she has invited me to collaborate on writing a study skills resource and in doing so has not only shared her expertise with me but given me feedback to help me get better. Karen is continually stretching herself, reading prolifically and works so darned hard! She is also human and has shared her trials and tribulations with me. Her insights into managing the demands of parenting, relationships, professional learning, work and travel has been a real asset over the last few years!  

Wonderful presenters like John Shackleton, Allie Mooney, Andrew Fuller, Robyne Moore, Maggie Dent and countless others have all contributed to me building my dreams and inspiring me to reach higher and do better. 

To those who have supported and believed in me over the years like Joyce Beck, many of the Dunedin T. Coll staff, Rob Wilton and so many of my Heartland Life Ed colleagues, Peter Cox, David Buck and others from Life Ed NZ, Liz Bowen-Clewley, Helen Darling and so many more... because of the support and belief you have shown me I am inspired to reach higher and do better. 

I often imagine my dad looking down at me when I am teaching or presenting and hope that he is smiling and feeling proud of me as he did when he was alive. I am lucky to have had tremendous support from my parents, they always had my back, so for them I want to reach higher and do better. 

To the educators that I have been privileged to work with, train with and observe in so many different settings... the conversations we have had about teaching and learning, the little things I have seen you do, the support you have given me makes me want to reach higher and do better. 

To the children that I have worked with over the years, I have learned so much from all of you... for the ones that I teach now, you inspire me (in fact sometimes demand of me) to reach higher and do better... keep doing that!  

And finally to my own baby boy who will start school shortly, I now have an even greater vested interest in reaching higher and doing better as a teacher because I understand that as a parent that is what we want from all those who teach our babies. 

Learning with the brain in mind

This post is a nod to my friend and mentor Karen Boyes who I remember talking about the comfort and learning zones at a conference a long time ago... I loved the concept and intend to share this with our class this term as we continue to learn about our brilliant brains. 

I recently shared a post about considering the brain with behaviour management and shared some tools I have used to help explain the brain to the children I have worked with. Using Glenn Capelli's magic brain model to help describe behaviour has been effective and so using the same model I intend to focus on learning with the brain in mind (see below)... it could be said we are able to learn our best when we are in the Learning Zone which in the model below is in the blue thinking room.  

Here is a little reminder of Glenn's Magic Brain model: 

1. The blue thinking room- where we have heaps of choices and this is where heaps of our learning happens 
2. The glitter room of emotions (Glenn talks about this being the multicoloured room)- this is where our feelings are and when we are feeling big emotions or lots of emotions it can get pretty messy in here which makes it hard to the get to the door for the thinking room so we need to calm the glitter down 
3. The red room of limited choices- often when we are afraid or angry we end up in the red room where we really only have 2-3 choices... fight, flight or freeze,  when the brain stem is engaged then the cerebral cortex is offline

One way to define a concept is by defining what it isn't so to explore what a Learning zone looks like I'll first establish what it isn't by looking at two extremes of a continuum... the Comfort zone and the Danger zone and what some internal dialogue relating to this might be.  

Comfort Zone	Danger Zone
This is easy I don’t even need to think about it I am so good at this Yawn…	This is probably going to kill me!!!

So the Learning zone sits in the middle of these two extremes but it isn't there alone... the Fear zone is also there  so our continuum now looks a little like this... 

Comfort Zone	Learning Zone		Danger Zone
	Fear Zone

When we are faced with a learning challenge, depending on our personal expectations, self talk and prior experience among other things, we will either enter the Learning zone or the Fear zone. 
Below is some internal (and even external) dialogue learners might have when they are in the Learning and Fear zones. 

Learning Zone	Fear Zone
This is challenging (the brain loves challenge!)	This is too hard
This might be fun	This is stupid
I can’t do this, yet	I can’t do this
Mistakes are part of learning	Mistakes are bad
Oops, I got that wrong this time	Getting things wrong is bad
I don’t know this, yet	I don’t know this
This reminds me of something else that I know	This doesn’t relate to anything I know at all
Asking for help is part of learning	Asking for help means that I am stupid or dumb
I am a learner	I am a failure

The Learning zone lets us into the blue thinking room of the brain whereas the Fear zone takes us through the glitter room of emotions and sometimes into the red room of limited choices. 

If our learners go into the Fear zone when presented with something new then the chances of them getting as much out of it as they could is really limited... unless we can help them to identify what is happening in their brain at the time and find ways to access the blue thinking room. Please note: I am not suggesting we try to remove emotions from learning at all, in fact emotions are powerfully useful in learning just not so much when they stay all shaken up and are keeping the door to the blue room closed, so we need to find ways to keep that door open. 

So how can we help move into the Learning zone if we find ourselves in the Fear zone? Well this is one of the questions we'll be discussing in our class at some stage but in the meantime here are a couple of suggestions that I can offer: 

• Think about another time when you learned something and it was really hard and then it got easier... often learning something new is hard at the start and that's normal.  
• Relate to children learning to walk... they don't try once, fall over and then based on that experience decide that clearly walking isn't for them! They try and try and try again, persistence is a key to learning. Making mistakes, getting things wrong, falling over is part of learning. 
• Remind yourself that it is OK to make mistakes... as a teacher you have the ability to support this mental framework so how do you make sure your learners know mistakes are OK? 
• YET is a powerful word, it supports developing a growth mindset. 'I can't do this yet' is empowering where just stating 'I can't do this' is limiting. 
• Remind ourselves that the brain LOVES challenges. Challenges help to form new connections and keep things interesting for the brain. 
• There are strategies we can use to help make learning new things easier, here are a couple: 1. scaffolding- by relating the new material to something else we have done or learned in the past; 2. break it down- see if you can break the new learning down into it's parts so we are learning one smaller thing at a time rather than something absolutely ENORMOUS!  
• Stop, Breathe, Think, Do works here too... when we hear ourselves saying that we are dumb or stupid or can't do this then that is a sign we need to STOP (have a break) and breathe. Then think about what we can do: perhaps ask for clarification or help if we need it; or have another go; or try a new strategy.

This work is designed to help make brain science accessible to our learners and I hope that as we work together the children will develop it further in ways that I can't predict, and that they will become more curious about their own amazing brains. For me the more I learn about this, the more I want to know and greater my appreciation for the magnificence of the human brain and our potential becomes. 

This is about empowerment of the learner, supporting them to better know themselves so they can unlock the potential within and shine which I figure is a big part of our role as parents, caregivers, teachers, school administrators, educationalists. I do appreciate your feedback and suggestions as I continue to build on these concepts with our children and hope that something in here might be useful for others as well. 

Some links that you may find interesting: 

From this blog: 

Managing difficult behaviour with the brain in mind (+some poetry and lesson ideas) 

Supporting at risk students- reflecting on teaching practices to support students

Why we need mindfulness in our schools- a few thoughts about mindfulness in the classroom

Karen Boyes: 

Effort vs Accomplishment - a summary around fixed and growth mindsets

Everything is hard before it is easy- looking at this aspect of being in the learning zone 

Brene Brown: 

The power of vulnerability- exploring the feeling of vulnerability and seeing the powerful and positive that can be found in it (great for our own learning and development) 

Letting it go

An old friend of mine used to say that if it isn't useful or doesn't bring you joy then get rid of it... she was talking about keeping a house clean and tidy. As I was tidying up our home today I started reflecting on this in two ways, both of which were really good for me.

Firstly, about the tidying up of stuff. I am a bit of a hoarder, I hate to waste things and often think that perhaps something will be useful for me or someone else at some stage so hold on to it. Yesterday I went clothes shopping at a second hand store, I spent NZ$95 but walked away with the following items: for my son- three sweatshirts, one woolen jersey, one pair of pyjamas; for myself- two skirts, one pair of pants, one pair of jeans, three cardigans and one pair of pyjamas. They are all good quality and in good condition. With all of these new clothes drying on the rack after being washed this morning I realised that they had served their purpose for previous owners and were then let go, so I went into my own closet and cleaned out clothing that I no longer needed or wanted. How liberating! I don't have to keep something just in case I lose weight, or gain it, nor do I have to keep it because someone gifted it to me even though it doesn't feel comfortable or look right. Someone else may love these items of clothing and that is just great.
I have been doing a lot around recycling, reducing and reusing lately... reducing being the first step in making a positive impact on the planet. When buying second hand I am reducing by not buying newly produced items and purchasing based on when I need something rather than just because!

Secondly, is the deeper significance of the statement and this is what I mused on as I was tidying up. Looking at what we do with our time and getting rid of that (as much as practical) which is not useful or does not bring you joy can be just as liberating as cleaning out the closet! Some of this comes back to being aware of what your goals are, what your dreams are and what is important to you, then apportioning your time accordingly. Our lives can be hugely busy but some of it can be busyness for busyness' sake rather than useful or joyful time spent.
Today we stacked wood, had lunch, did some gardening work, and tidied up around the house before preparing a roast vegetable risotto for tea... and time seemed to go so slowly, I felt like I had time for all of this without feeling pressured or rushed. This is because it was useful and I enjoyed most of it too, strange as that may seem, as some of that time was spent with my own thoughts and the rest with my family. It was great being outside in the fresh air on a relatively warm winter's day, knowing that the cooler weather was coming again.

In my role as a teacher I am thinking that this is as true for the classroom as it is in my own home. When we are so busy we lose sight of what is useful or joyful the joy of learning can disappear almost entirely. I am looking at my planning and stripping it back, focusing first at what is useful and joyful (for us all in the class)... I figure if we start there and then move forward from that then we might just strike the better balance.

Perhaps taking on the philosophy of getting rid of that which isn't useful or joyful (where practical) has the capacity to simplify our lives and help us get more out of the time we have? I think it just might.

Should staffrooms be No Moan Zones?

Below is a post that I penned over the Christmas holidays but didn't publish at the time as I was reflecting and focused on other tasks at the time including getting myself prepared for working in my new school. This is something that I have come back to and have decided to share... I do hope you find it useful to consider even if you don't agree with my suggestion... so here it is. 

I have had the pleasure of visiting many schools over the last fourteen years as an external education provider and I am impressed by the quality of education offered to so many children throughout our country. Teachers are often under huge pressure from parents, the media, the government and other members of the community and despite this they turn up and give the best of themselves for the children in their classes. It is admirable. I do worry about teacher mental health and wellbeing however. And one of the places I think we can start to address this is in the staffroom (and I am not talking about the biscuits we eat this time!) 

I am as guilty as anyone for entering the hallowed ground of the staffroom and declaring how a particular child or set of children or parent has really annoyed me then listing the reasons why they are difficult to work with. I used to believe that this was a healthy practice as it got it all out of my system and helped me walk back into the classroom with a fresh perspective. Now I am older, and I hope a little wiser, I think this was wrong. What I think I was actually doing was priming myself- who do you think I noticed first when I walked back into the classroom? It was the offending party from the morning tea conversation because inadvertently I was looking for them... now if they were doing something positive of course I noticed and praised them but the fact of the matter was I had mentally singled them out without meaning to. 

We do need to offload but I am not sure that the wider staffroom setting is the best place to do this. It creates negativity, and we start sharing war stories and worse still start may even act in a way that we would never accept from students. How would you respond to a small group of students talking about another child like this: 

"he's such a pain, I hate working with him" 

"I don't know why he bothers to come to school, it's a complete waste of time, he isn't learning anything" 

"he'll end up a criminal, just look at his big brother/sister, he's going exactly the same way" 

I know how I would respond. I would first ask how they would feel if someone spoke about them like that, I would explain that we don't have to be friends with everyone but we need to be friendly, I would probably go on to suggest that sometimes people behave in certain ways because of other things in their lives and so on. I might question them about how we could make a difference and come up with solutions rather than just moan about someone who isn't even here to defend themselves. I wouldn't sit down with them and agree.

Now I know that this sounds bad so please know that this isn't what staffroom conversations are dominated by at all. In fact most often it is sharing news from our own lives, telling funny stories about things that have happened in our classrooms and sharing some other things that are going on as well as planning, marking and sharing ideas. I just think we need to banish any moaning without solutions to another place and time. 

I am a big fan of critically reflective practice and Coaching Leadership and believe that this is an appropriate place for us to unpack the difficult relationships we are often faced with in teaching. In these situations where we have had a tough morning or day I would suggest that putting it down on paper is helpful to get it out of your head. Then arrange a time and place to talk through this with a peer/coach (and if you have a person on your staff that you are working with in this capacity that is brilliant) where the focus is on unpacking the problem, working through possible solutions and establishing some strategies to manage going forward. 

This year I am going to make a concerted effort to avoid the negative comments about students and take a positive solution focused stance in the staffroom. I also want to build relationships with my colleagues and have the staffroom break times being a place that is refreshing and restorative. As teachers we need to be mindful of our own mental health and wellbeing and I believe by making the staffroom space a low stress, positive, friendly space where we can be inspired and energised we are certainly taking a step in the right direction.

This is a timely reminder for me to keep my focus on the positive in our staffroom. I've been doing OK so far mostly but need to remain aware. :) 

The Game of School Pt 2

Last time I wrote I was talking about the Game of School and sharing what I consider to be some of the unwritten rules of the game which could be quite disheartening for some so I thought today I would offer some new rules that could change the game.

The game of school does not need to be about winners and losers. It does not have to be one size fits all. We do not have to learn or achieve in the same way.

So if we are to look at classrooms/schools as learning communities here are some possible new rules to replace those old school rules I spoke about last time: 

1. As part of our learning community you are important. It is important for us to get to know each other. I want to know what you are interested in learning about, what you love to do then we can find ways for your interests to be included in your learning programme. It is also important that we learn ways to work together in this shared space effectively so we can ensure everyone has the opportunity to learn... let's work together on this.
2. In our learning community knowing the conditions that you learn best in is important. Do you like bright lights or darker spaces? Do you enjoy reading and writing, drawing, presenting orally or some other way to share your learning? Do you like to go outside or stay inside to learn? Do you like to work with others or prefer to work on your own? Do you learn more often by watching or learn by doing? There will be opportunities and spaces for you to learn in your best way, and you will get really good at managing your choices when the conditions aren't ideal too. 
3. How are you feeling today? Our feelings can make a difference to how we behave and sometimes they can make it harder for us to learn. Knowing about our feelings and being able to express them in a positive way is valued in our learning community.... if you need someone to talk to remember that there are lots of people here who will listen including your teacher. 
4. We are all learners in this community. I am given the role of teacher because I know a bit about the brain and learning and things like that but I don't have all the answers. I look forward to learning with you. 
5. Learning doesn't stop when the bell rings... we are learning all the time. Everything we do changes our brain so when you are playing with your friends you are learning, when you are walking home from school you are learning, when you are at practices you are learning, when you are playing video games you are learning, when you are talking to your family at the dinner table you are learning... you get the picture. 
6. We can learn in so many different ways, sitting and writing silently is one way but not THE way. We can talk to learn so please ask questions and share your understandings with others. We can move to learn, I often find that some of my best ideas come when I am walking so if you need to have a little walk to help your brain think then get moving. Music can help us learn too, so if you want to put what you are learning to music or share your learning through a song then go for it. Some people like to draw to learn, if this helps you clarify your thinking or build new ideas then by all means draw to learn. If you like to write notes, stories, essays or maps to help you think and learn that is great too. Some people prefer to read to learn, others like to watch or listen. We might like different ways of learning at different times or for different topics... this is OK. Talk to your teachers about this and see if they can help. You will be given many opportunities to learn in lots of different ways so you can discover what works for you and develop skills you might not even know you have. 
7. My job as the teacher is to help you discover your talents and develop skills. Sometimes this will be really hard but don't worry, our brains like a challenge. Sometimes this means you might need to do things you don't like, that can happen but we will help as much as we can. What we will do to help is work with you to understand why learning this might be useful or important. We will work with you so we are all clear about what being successful in a particular skill might look like. People in your learning community will give you feedback as you go along and we will help you set goals for your learning as well. 

This is just a start of what I think the new rules of schools should look like. Putting the energy and emphasis on the learner and their needs whilst building a co-operative learning environment where the work we undertake is meaningful and purposeful. 

Much of what I have written is happening in the hearts and minds of educators and I believe there is an intent in the Modern Learning Environment movement to further enhance this. How can we move rules and expectations like this to sit above the old rules of school though? Perhaps part of the answer lies in where we choose to put our energy and focus, how we approach our role and how we talk about teaching and learning in our schools and communities.

On reflection I think we are moving forward. 

The Game of School

One of the problems with the game of school is that there are rules but I am not sure many students are actually told the real rules which makes it harder to win at this game. And it's a game that they haven't even chosen to play, they've just been nominated to play it by a system and by a social convention that I am not even sure has been proven to be correct. 

Recently I read an article (I can't remember what it was exactly) where the author questioned whether modern learning environments, national testing and use of technology were beneficial for student learning as they were largely untested in practice. (I know people are doing inquiries on these things and studying them but I could understand the author's intent) As I was reading this it occurred to me that putting children in 'school' for 'formal education' so they can 'become learned' starting at 5 years of age is largely untested in terms of improved outcomes for our modern children too. Nature however provides a plethora of evidence that learning through play and at developmentally appropriate times seems to be effective. But I digress... let's get back to the current game of school... 

Now I think it is unfair that we don't explain the rules so I will do my best to start a list, if you know any other rules that I have omitted please feel free to add them in the comments, it can be quite complex: 

1. Firstly sit down, sitting down is important... it shows that you are listening (I know your ears are what you hear through but apparently your gluteus maximus has a part to play too) 
2. Now talking is good at times when it is invited and you talk about the topic at hand, do not get distracted by something exciting happening outside or what might be happening in your own life right now. 
3. We have standards that you need to aspire to and should reach by the prescribed time, these are mostly in literacy and numeracy. If you do not reach these standards you are losing the game. (Word for the wise, there is not much of a lead in period to this, at the end of your first year you will be measured so make sure you measure up) 
4. If you are losing the game you may be offered extra help that you must take, this will likely be more literacy and numeracy so I hope that you like those areas of learning or this is going to be one very long game for you. 
5. Play is what you do at morning tea, after you have eaten your lunch (and you need to eat your sandwiches and fruit first even if your biscuits look really yummy) and after school once you have done your homework. 
6. Don't argue with those in power, you are not in power. Do as you are told and all will go well. If you please your teachers this game will be easier to win. 
7. Be good, it is good to be good. Be good as often as you can. Avoid being naughty or bad, that is not good. 

Technically if you win at this game you will be considered educated and equipped to play the game of life (yes a new game but if you are smart and/or lucky, this time you get to make some of the rules- choose wisely)

Please note:  teachers do not make all these rules but they are expected to enforce them and at times are punished by the media and those in positions of power if they don't. 

Also note: there are many other rules and regulations that you will learn in one way or another during your participation as a player in this game. Some of them will prove useful once you leave this game like being kind does make a difference and persistence can lead to great things for you, others less useful like you are a failure because you communicate better through pictures than words. Be discerning about the rules that you take away with you. 

Disclaimer: I am a teacher and I believe strongly in education and learning, I am proud of my chosen profession. I believe in childhood and developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. I believe in relationships based on trust and love being the foundation of great learning for all. I believe that we all have talents and school can be a great place to nurture our talents. I believe that literacy and numeracy are important as are the arts, health and wellbeing, engaging with nature, understanding people etc. I believe that school should be a safe place for our children, where they are accepted and appreciated. I believe that our students are wanting school to be a different game to the one we played when we were young, I won at that game, I was (and still am) a people pleaser... it isn't always a healthy thing. 

Image from: http://pixgood.com/hopscotch-chalk.html

Teachers Matter Conference 2015

I know it has been quite a few weeks since I last wrote- I haven't been idle but focused on enjoying our summer in New Zealand and preparing for our new teaching year. A highlight of January was preparing for and attending the 10th Annual Teachers Matter Conference in Rotorua.

Karen Boyes in action in one of the workshop sessions

The conference was two full days of learning, connection and challenge. 

Silvia Rosenthal-Tolisano, of Langwitches fame, opened the conference. Her call to action wasn't the least bit subtle, through sharing stories of her own life and family she challenged us to change what we do in schools so our children will learn how to learn in meaningful ways that they need to as 21st century citizens who are likely to live into the 22nd century. We need to see modern learning as so much more than just knowing more stuff. Her call to action was built on by subsequent speakers and so the conference developed a thread that went something like this:

We need to change:

Hey there super cool teacher,
I need you to help give me the
opportunity to learn what
I need to in a meaningful way so I
can thrive in the world
I will live in! 

• because the world has changed and it isn't going to change back 
• our kids have changed and they need something different from us now! 

We need to take risks:

• our kids need to be allowed to and supported to take risks 
• risk adversity is something we are faced with more and more with our young people and how can you learn and solve problems if you are afraid to try something new? 

We need to make connections:

• with our students, with their lives and what is important to them 
• through sharing our stories and the stories of others 

We need to change:

• there are so many challenges, where do you start?  
• just take one step on the path to change... just one step at a time... but do it NOW! 

Steve Gurney shared some of his stories to support the notion that risk taking is healthy for our young people and we are doing them a disservice by protecting them from failure. Steve is an adventurer, inventor, engineer, risk taker and in sharing his story conveyed that by embracing our failures as part of our learning journey we can grow and achieve so much more than if we sit in the warmth of our comfort zone. We need to find ways to let our children learn to get comfortable with the uncertain and uncomfortable. As Steve spoke I realised this is not only such an important message for all of our children but for us as educators and parents as well. We need to take risks too, especially if we are committed to changing what we do for our children, we have to get out of our comfort zone and into the growth zone by embracing risk and failure as part of the adventure.

My Gen Alpha... ready to
take on some new challenges! 

The next keynote speaker was Michael McQueen who discussed generational differences and highlighted some challenges and opportunities presented for modern teachers with the young people that now sit in our classrooms. There were many moments where I smiled as I related to what was being shared, my son is apparently a Gen Alpha kid and when Michael was talking about them I recognised so much. Our children now are able to access so much information so they have a width of knowledge but not so much a depth, as Silvia had spoken about the day before it is not about knowledge itself but what you do with it that is important (I loved the term AMPLIFY that she used when taking information/knowledge and doing something with it then sharing it, which I guess I am trying to do here) Michael spoke about our kids being connected, and that when they ask 'why do we need to know this' it isn't just to be annoying, it is a genuine question and "because I told you so" isn't a sufficient answer any more as the notion of truth has changed. Our kids can check facts online before you can even start to defend your position. He reinforced the need to share stories as a way to bridge the gap between their truth and yours, sharing a perspective of the truth rather than declaring it as an absolute.

Our last keynote speaker was Chic Foote, a passionate clever educationalist who is driven by the need for relevance, meaning and authenticity to create real learning opportunities for our children. She helped pull the threads together with the advice to start somewhere, just one thing, and then build from there. Just one thing.

In amongst these thought proding and provoking presentations were a marvellous mixture of workshop presenters who gave us some opportunities to explore different topics in more depth... all things that worked in with what the keynote presenters were offering us. Ideas and learning that we could take back into our classrooms and schools (and homes) to start shifting and changing. I am only sad that I could not attend more of these myself.

I was impressed by the energy in the room, watching teachers actively sharing their learning and ideas with others, participating in the various forums provided and reflecting on their own practice. I felt proud to be a teacher in amongst this group and wished so much that reporters and politicians would see and feel what I did about the teachers in this room over these two days.

Karen Boyes, founder and director of Spectrum Education and the Teachers Matter conferences, ensured that this conference was about honouring teachers as well. As Karen said 'teaching is the profession that makes all other professions possible' and so the TM Conference is about creating a place to energise for the new year, make connections, learn and be given the opportunity to be inspired by some fantastic presenters. She has done this for ten years with determination, energy and enthusiasm and I am extremely grateful to have attended and been a part of this adventure particularly in recent years. For me it was a wonderful two days that I had prepared for in advance and am still processing three weeks later... thank you Karen.

Karen in action 

Below are some poems I wrote during the conference to summarise the keynote speakers and thank them, as Silvia pointed out it was another way of creating and then sharing learning/knowledge which I hadn't considered at all but it makes sense... there are so many ways we can respond to what we have learned and share our insights to create new understandings.

Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano

Global citizen, global teacher

Digital diva, connected leader

Sharing with us, some of the new rules

That we need to consider for the kids in our schools

Embracing the MOST IMPORTANT skill

Learning how to learn, so we will…

Teach for the NOW

Learning anytime, anywhere, anyhow

Steve Gurney

Inspirational goal setter who breaks *some/most* of the rules

Steve has asked us to take risks so we don’t become fools

Learning through your stories will stay with us heaps

And we’ll pass on what we have learned with our peeps

Success comes from belief and determination in pursuit

Of your dreams and desires with the attitude you choose

Check in on your beliefs and the changes you have made

Be curious and keep trying. You could just amaze.

Failure, Risk and Mistakes are part of the trip

So get out there, have a go, try again and let rip!

Michael McQueen

You started us with a trip down memory lane

And illustrated some key shifts with generational change

Truth, Resilience, Affirmation and Risk have moved

So this sets post modern challenges for us in classrooms

Story telling to offer guidance and share lessons for living

Build confidence, allow risk and let go of esteem giving

Our kids are different, they’re switched on and know heaps

But keep in mind that it’s wide and not deep

They’re also plugged in, grown up and empowered young peeps

Changing climate of classrooms and parenting too

Teachers are changing so embrace colleagues older and new

For helping us build empathy across generations we thank you

Chic Foote

Thank you Chic for helping us to see

That we need to look ahead and at our own history

Overwhelmed is a word many of us are likely to feel

Thanks for acknowledging this and keeping it real

Thank you for sharing your stories with us

Reinforcing that relationships and empathy build trust

We’ve celebrated where we have got to and reflected on where we’ve come

Then we will take action so we grow and have more fun

ONE THING you said, take action we will

With ONE THING for a start up this challenging hill

Embracing the future one step at a time

One step is a start so we will all shine

End of conference

Simply the best is what we’re about

But it isn’t perfection we looking out……………… for.

The best are the learners, dreamers and risk takers

Those that connect and become mistake makers

We are excited, overwhelmed and challenged it’s true

And that’d just the presenters, so how about you???

Let’s take what we’ve learned, share our stories and grow

You are simply the best so go out there and GLOW…….. like the stars you are!!!