Being Flexible

As I get older, I notice how it is harder and harder for me to be flexible in my routines and in my ideas. I think that is why it is harder for older teachers or teachers with more experience to try new things.

I really hate when my routine that I’ve had forever (or at least it feels like forever). Over time I have learned that getting up early works for me. I do things in a certain order that makes me feel like I have control. Control is important to me. Yet, sometimes my husband wakes up early and changes my whole routine. He offers to take me out to breakfast or do something special and even though it is wonderful, I still feel irritated by the interruption of my routine.

I think some teachers feel the same way about new technology. Even though it might be a great tool and may even help enhance their lessons, it still is a change in their routine.

So, the question is how do we change people’s routines and still encourage them to try new things?

I’m not sure there is a way other than mental preparation.

I think I am still learning that these interruptions may happen and I need to accept that they will change my routine. I have prepared myself for this. My mental preparation has become part of my routine.

When I think about how the possibility of a change in routine may happen, it helps me be prepared. Even thought I may not like having my routine changed, I can accept it easier if I keep preparing myself for the possibility. If I don’t keep mentally preparing myself, I fall into the same rigid rut.

This reminds me of exercising after a long time of not exercising. If I stretch every day, it helps me not feel so sore later. Even though I know that I am going to exercise, the stretching is important. I guess preparing myself mentally is just like stretching myself physically.

Maybe we need to constantly talk about it. I have read some blog posts lately where many people keep saying that we are past the talking and need to have more action. In fact, I agreed with them. But now, I’m not sure. Maybe the time for talking is not over. The more we keep it in the front lines, the more people will feel comfortable with it.

I remember a couple of years ago when Twitter first started. Everyone looked at me as if I was weird when I talked about it. Now it seems like most of the people I talk to use it too. Some of the people that now use it were pretty set against it back then but eventually they came over to the “dark side.”

I think that is how we will eventually persuade some people to try new tools. We need to constantly talk about the need for the tools and show examples of how they work. Eventually, something will click and they will be ready to try it.

What do you think? Do you think that we should keep talking about it or not?

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'Chinese juggler'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/3287884496

How Long?

I recently got an email from a new teacher with a bunch of “how long” questions. You may have heard them before.

· How long before I get comfortable with teaching and it feels natural?

· How long before I can notice what all of the kids are doing at one time?

· How long before I can feel comfortable talking with parents?

· How long before I have an organized system and feel less chaotic?

· How long before I have control over my classroom?

Here is what I responded to each question:

It takes each teacher a different amount of time to feel comfortable with teaching. But I can tell you it happens and you don’t even realize it. With more experience and as time comes by, you feel as if you have been doing it all of your life. Remember learning to ride a bicycle? You were wobbly and unsteady for awhile but eventually you rode smoothly and naturally. In fact, you don’t remember the exact moment when it happened but still it happened. You will feel the same way about teaching. Be patient.

Having eyes in the back of your head comes with experience. Once you get to know your students, their behavior becomes predictable and you know what to watch for. One time I used a sound amplifier for a hearing impaired student and still had my headset on when I stepped out of the door to talk to another teacher. Without missing a beat, I told a student to stay in his seat and heard laughter erupt in the classroom. You also learn to keep your eyes moving around the room even when you are doing a different task. I stay in constant motion moving around the room and helping students while seeing the room from different perspectives. This enables me to get a “big picture” of what is going on in the room.

Getting more comfortable talking with parents can only be accomplished by doing it more and more. Many times I have heard teachers avoid doing this and that only makes the interactions worse when there is bad news to share. By staying in close communication with the parents, I am able to establish a rapport with the parents as well as the student. I liked to brag about the positive things that the student was doing but if necessary I would also discuss obstacles that we faced. Parents are more receptive if they know that you are not always calling to tell them bad news. This also helps in getting them to support you more in the classroom.

Unfortunately, organizing your classroom will also take time and experience. At the beginning of my career I tried different systems until I found one that I was comfortable with and felt helped my students be successful. Things that worked for others didn’t always work for me and things that worked for me didn’t always work for others. Once I found something I was happy with, I still had to tweak it every year to meet my changing needs as well as the needs of my students. Once you find a system that works, you can focus on other things but don’t be afraid to try different ones until you find the one that works.

Control over my classroom began on day one. It was important to let my students know that I was the one in charge. I had four basic rules and felt that all of the students were able to follow them (Follow Directions, Respect others, Be Prepared, Complete Work). There is a line between being a dictator and pushover that each teacher has to find for themselves. Usually my students rebel against a dictator and I can’t accomplish much. I also felt that the students had enough friends and needed me to be their teacher. Once the students understood that I would be fair and consistent in enforcing the rules, we were able to concentrate on learning. Classroom Discipline was the number one priority of the year.

How would you answer these questions? Please share.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'Eternal clock'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21046489@N06/3387189144 by: Robbert van der Steeg

PowerPoint Repair Process

In BFTP: Is Powerpoint evil? by Doug Johnson (Originally published on September 24, 2005), he states,

“1. PowerPoint doesn’t bore people: people bore people…Keep in mind Johnson’s Rule of Technology Neutrality: Technology is neither good nor bad. The same hammer can both break windows and build cathedrals…Your thoughts on pitfalls or promises of PowerPoint? What to do you do to make sure the tool is being used well?”

Over the years I have seen people struggle with using Power Point. For a long time it was used as a crutch for those too lazy to learn their material. Over time it became a habit to read the information to an audience. Then people became too lazy to make the presentation interesting for the audience. I still hear of people who read the bullets on each slide while the audience falls into a glassy eyed stupor. I don’t understand how or why after all this time that these people don’t wake up and realize that it isn’t working. Just this week someone talked about how their district tech person came and read the PowerPoint to them, not to mention the misinformation being spread.

I having really made an effort to look at older PowerPoint presentations and redesigned them in case I use them again. While I have time to fix them, I need to prepare them rather than wait until I am pressed for time. When I’m not under pressure, I am able to be more creative. I have decided to make up some guidelines while I am evaluating them and ask the following questions:

1. Is the title catchy? Does it spark the audience’s interest right from the beginning?

2. What message am I trying to get across to the audience and does this presentation do that?

3. Is the message simple and clear?

4. Is the message relevant to the audience?

5. Are the images relevant to the content?

6. Did I add the credit for each image?

7. Are there too many words on each slide?

8. Are the slides too boring or too busy?

9. What does the audience “take home” from this presentation?

10. After seeing this presentation, would the audience want to come back to another one that I gave?

I think if I can answer these questions about the presentation, it will help me use PowerPoint more effectively. When I see a person is going to give a presentation using PowerPoint, I tend to feel tense and even think some negative thoughts. I just can’t help myself. I don’t want people to feel the same way when I am doing one.

I think I need to give presentations like the ones I hope to see when I am in the audience. What am I looking for? What peaks my interest? What keeps me engaged and focused on the information? What am I hoping to gain by listening to this? That is the same way I want my audience to feel.

What do you think? Do you think I need to add any more questions to my evaluation? Please share.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: '06_main-point01'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43139855@N00/97237622 by: Stevan Sheets

Master Naturalist Class Day 7

(For pictures, click here.)

LAKE EDUCATION – An acrostic poem

Look at fish in the lake like threadfin shad, shellcracker, blue gill, warmouth, sunfish, bass, catfish, carp

Animals like beavers chew up many of the trees so protection like drain tiles were put around the trunks.

Know Grimes Stress/Disturbance Model for Plant Distribution (handout)

Erosion of sapprolite is faster than compacted clay.

 

Elderberry, silky dogwood, buttonbush, willow are good for live staking. Cut off at least 3 nodes, push 2 nodes in soft soil with one node out.

Dendritic – arms that come in on a linear form; tributaries come into the reservoir. Man made lakes are dendritic.

Understand how storm water affects our water supply; run off may have pesticides, fecal matter, automotive oils, fertilizer, trash that pollutes our water

Cove gets sandy as points are grinding down; eventually smooth out and become straight but not in our life time; greener shores

A trench is dug, filter fabric laid and rip rap is put down to help stop the waves from eroding the shoreline.

The DNR stocks the lake with hybrids and stripers for recreational purposes.

Invasive species like Japanese honeysuckle can take over.

Open water distance that wind can blow is called fetch; where wind hits there is more erosion and waves cut into the toes of upland soils; eventually causes caves to form.

Native plants, switchgrass, maidencane, buttonbush, river birch, meadow beauty, bald cypress, alders, sedge willow, elderberry, silky dogwood, native hibiscus, tupelo tree were seen along the shoreline.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original photo by Pat Hensley

Useful Information In and Out of the Classroom 10/1/10

Here are some interesting sites that I’ve found this week, thanks to my PLN. As a teacher, I feel we have to keep up to date concerning research in our field and current issues in the education system. I hope some of these inspire you, inform you, and even have you asking questions. Thank you for coming by and visiting!

Snappy Words – free visual online dictionary

Teaching the Civil War with Technology – blog with great ideas! Great links to other resources

Remind Post – “a simple, free service to let you send tasks to people, and be notified when they're done.”

Student Cam 2011 – “is an annual national video documentary competition that encourages students to think seriously about issues that affect our communities and our nation. Students are asked to create a short (5-8 minute) video documentary on a topic related to the competition theme listed below.”; grades 6-12

ActivityTV – “Find lots of fun activities for kids, with video instructions and printables. Crafts, Magic, Puppets, Science, and more!”

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: Tools by Pat Hensley