When I was working on my masters degree I had the opportunity to take a summer school class with Carl Grant who invited me to work on an article with him. At the time, he was thinking and writing about education through his lens as a grandfather and was interested in what school was teaching his grandchildren about living a good life. In the years since my class with him, I have circled back to Grant's question many times and wondered what the students in my classes are learning about living a good life. This was one of the questions that inspired me to create The Happiness Seminar.
Another inspiration was Gretchen Rubin's book The Happiness Project which I have probably talked with all of you about at some point. The Happiness Project is Rubin's memoir of a year's worth of implementing research-based resolutions designed to make herself happier. In the beginning of her book, she makes it clear that she isn't an unhappy person, but, like many of us, she knew that she was not savoring and enjoying the great moments in her life to the best of her ability. This is something that really resonated with me and I loved following Rubin through her journey to find bits and pieces that would fit for me.
At some point last year, I started thinking about what a happiness project would look like for a young person. How powerful could it be to learn - as a teenager - that through intentional activities you can increase the amount of happiness you experience? What resolutions would a high school student make to help them become happier?
Thus... in the beautiful combination that is big questions about our students and big questions about ourselves... The Happiness seminar was born.
I have two sections of The Happiness Seminar this term and we started out the year learning about work in the field of Positive Psychology which studies how people can cultivate the best within themselves in order to live their best life. We began by watching Happy and reading from The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky. While students loved the movie - it is a great intro to the concepts and areas of study within Positive Psychology - the book was not as big of a hit. While The How of Happiness was successful in getting students comfortable with the research, it isn't written for young people and several students complained about the format. I hope to teach this seminar again in the future, and between now and then, I will be in search of additional resources.
(A slight digression: while it is amazing to be able to teach classes with such out-of-the-box topics like Happiness or Haiti, it is often really challenging to find texts and other resources that are appropriate for high school students. I will circle back to this point in a moment.)
After familiarizing themselves with research and reading about experiments and results, my students began their own action research projects in which they designed happiness activities they will engage in over the course of five weeks. They are two weeks in and gathering data through multiple means on their experience of activities that include regular exercise, practicing meditation, writing letters of gratitude, monitoring flow experiences, and savoring joyful memories through painting. At the end of the five weeks, they will review the data, determine what activities - if any - made them happier, and communicate their findings as a research paper, public speaking presentation or mathematical model. I am excited and curious to see what they find.
In the second half of our term, we will move from what makes individuals happy, to what makes communities happy. Students will be studying communities around the world that rank highly in terms of overall happiness. We will also study our local community - CSCS, Middleton, and Cross Plains - to see what we can learn about how happy our communities are and what could be done to make them happier.
Over the summer I listened to the audiobook of Gretchen Rubin's newest book Better Than Before. In it, she talked about correspondences with readers and it occurred to me that I could write to her and tell her about my class. I sent her an email telling her about the curriculum I was creating and my hopes for my students. I also shared the challenge of finding materials on this subject that are written for young people. I was thrilled to receive a reply from Rubin with some resources and a request to keep her posted about our progress. Maybe our work will inspire her next book... Happiness in High School? I will keep working on title ideas.
What I like the best about this seminar is that it represents one of the things I think is most important about the design of our school: students are able to engage in reading, writing, research, math, and challenging content while learning about a topic that improves their lives and their communities and - hopefully - teaches them something about living a good life.
18 October 2015
27 September 2015
First World, Third World, Our World
Hello All. Last weekend was super busy and I didn't make my goal of posting, but I am excited to be here today and - as promised - I am writing about the two seminars I am teaching this term. I have decided to write about each of them one at a time, so today you get to read about First World, Third World, Our World (also known as "Our World" or "The Haiti Class").
At Clark Street Community School one of our "educational pillars" is Place-Based Education; this pedagogy allows us to use our community as a resource and a context for learning. Place-Based learning connects what students learn in the classroom to the world making what they learn more relevant and meaningful. Additionally, Place-Based learning allows students work to benefit a individual, organization, or business. When we started Clark Street Community School, we wanted to have opportunities for community members to come to the school to work with students. Teenagers are a widely underutilized resource in communities and have a lot of talents, skills and abilities to offer.
Last winter I was fortunate to cross paths with Tia Bunz, the Executive Director of the Found Blanc Foundation. The Fond Blanc Foundation supports an orphanage in Haiti. Currently, 54 young people live at the orphanage which also houses a school that is open to anyone. There is very little public education in Haiti and private schools are prohibitively expensive for many families. When we first met, Tia talked to me about her work and the work of the foundation. Tia's passion for Fond Blanc is contagious and I knew I wanted to work with her from the moment I met her. After several conversations, a round of seminar selection, and - for me - a summer of reading about Haiti, the First World, Third World, Our World seminar was born.
As I prepared for the seminar, I bounced back and forth between being really excited for this opportunity and wondering what the hell I thought I was doing. By the time I met with Tia mid-way through the summer, I had read and discarded 15 books, watched many disappointing documentaries, and was not feeling completely sure of my ability to take on this challenge with the expertise it deserves. At our meeting, I told Tia that I planned to go into this knowing that I don't know everything about Haiti, but that if I am successful, students leave the seminar with an understanding that there is much more grey than black and white when it comes to knowing Haiti and it's people; while the country faces many seemingly insurmountable challenges, it is also a place of strength, beauty, and hope. I want students to understand how "helping" others causes harm when we don't listen to the people we are trying to help. True giving honors the recipient and seeks empowerment not dependence. In the end, if they have a deeper understanding they also have more questions than answers. Tia kindly told me she thought this made me the perfect teacher for the topic - which was just the confidence boost I needed to start the year.
First World, Third World, Our World is divided into two parts: first, we are working to learn more about Haiti through through text, film, and discussion. We started by watching the documentary film, Haiti: A Road Trip. When teaching about a place very different than our own, I like to start with a film that provides students with some visual representations. This film is well made and balances the richness of the Haitian culture with the many challenges the country faces. For our reading, I choose the challenging but engaging text The Big Truck That Went By by Jonathan M. Katz as our anchor for the seminar. Katz is an American AP reporter who was stationed in Haiti before the earthquake. He experienced the event and stayed for a year following the disaster to report on the recovery - which turned out in many ways to be an even bigger disaster than the earthquake. Once we complete the reading, we will more on to part two of the seminar where we will work with Tia on a service project to benefit Fond Blanc. Tia and Fond Blanc are very sensitive to sustainable giving that involves Haitians in decision-making. While we don't know what the service project will be yet, I am excited for my students to have the opportunity to connect with Fond Blanc and use their learning to support the students at the orphanage.
So far, I have been astounded and inspired by the level of participation and interest I have gotten from my students. When planning, I imagined that students wouldn't be super excited to learn about Haiti or they would think the book was too hard or too boring. I thought I would have to do a lot of convincing that this was worth their time; but wow was I wrong. I have been incredibly impressed by the discussions we have had and the interest students have in learning more about Haiti and working with Fond Blanc. A few days into the seminar, one of my co-workers who supports the class said about our students, "They are all paying attention... all of the time!" If you don't frequent many a high school classroom, I will be the first to tell you that students don't always pay attention and rarely are able to do so for an entire class period. One way or another, teenagers are always teaching me not to underestimate them...
This week we were fortunate to have a team from Fond Blanc visit our class: Swenson, Alison, Molly, and Tia brought photos and shared with us more about life at the orphanage and the joys and challenges of living in Haiti. One student said that while we have read a lot and seen things in the documentary, it is so meaningful to talk to people who are from or have lived in Haiti. I quite agree. I am looking to connect with more guest speakers or Haitian cultural events in the area - so if you know of anyone - please send them my way.
Also, if any of you readers out there are interested in reading along with us, you are always welcome to join our classroom community to discuss the text; students really like discussing with community members - just let me know if you are interested.
Stay tuned for more updates from First World, Third World, Our World as we get going on our service project! Thanks for reading :)
At Clark Street Community School one of our "educational pillars" is Place-Based Education; this pedagogy allows us to use our community as a resource and a context for learning. Place-Based learning connects what students learn in the classroom to the world making what they learn more relevant and meaningful. Additionally, Place-Based learning allows students work to benefit a individual, organization, or business. When we started Clark Street Community School, we wanted to have opportunities for community members to come to the school to work with students. Teenagers are a widely underutilized resource in communities and have a lot of talents, skills and abilities to offer.
Last winter I was fortunate to cross paths with Tia Bunz, the Executive Director of the Found Blanc Foundation. The Fond Blanc Foundation supports an orphanage in Haiti. Currently, 54 young people live at the orphanage which also houses a school that is open to anyone. There is very little public education in Haiti and private schools are prohibitively expensive for many families. When we first met, Tia talked to me about her work and the work of the foundation. Tia's passion for Fond Blanc is contagious and I knew I wanted to work with her from the moment I met her. After several conversations, a round of seminar selection, and - for me - a summer of reading about Haiti, the First World, Third World, Our World seminar was born.
As I prepared for the seminar, I bounced back and forth between being really excited for this opportunity and wondering what the hell I thought I was doing. By the time I met with Tia mid-way through the summer, I had read and discarded 15 books, watched many disappointing documentaries, and was not feeling completely sure of my ability to take on this challenge with the expertise it deserves. At our meeting, I told Tia that I planned to go into this knowing that I don't know everything about Haiti, but that if I am successful, students leave the seminar with an understanding that there is much more grey than black and white when it comes to knowing Haiti and it's people; while the country faces many seemingly insurmountable challenges, it is also a place of strength, beauty, and hope. I want students to understand how "helping" others causes harm when we don't listen to the people we are trying to help. True giving honors the recipient and seeks empowerment not dependence. In the end, if they have a deeper understanding they also have more questions than answers. Tia kindly told me she thought this made me the perfect teacher for the topic - which was just the confidence boost I needed to start the year.
First World, Third World, Our World is divided into two parts: first, we are working to learn more about Haiti through through text, film, and discussion. We started by watching the documentary film, Haiti: A Road Trip. When teaching about a place very different than our own, I like to start with a film that provides students with some visual representations. This film is well made and balances the richness of the Haitian culture with the many challenges the country faces. For our reading, I choose the challenging but engaging text The Big Truck That Went By by Jonathan M. Katz as our anchor for the seminar. Katz is an American AP reporter who was stationed in Haiti before the earthquake. He experienced the event and stayed for a year following the disaster to report on the recovery - which turned out in many ways to be an even bigger disaster than the earthquake. Once we complete the reading, we will more on to part two of the seminar where we will work with Tia on a service project to benefit Fond Blanc. Tia and Fond Blanc are very sensitive to sustainable giving that involves Haitians in decision-making. While we don't know what the service project will be yet, I am excited for my students to have the opportunity to connect with Fond Blanc and use their learning to support the students at the orphanage.
So far, I have been astounded and inspired by the level of participation and interest I have gotten from my students. When planning, I imagined that students wouldn't be super excited to learn about Haiti or they would think the book was too hard or too boring. I thought I would have to do a lot of convincing that this was worth their time; but wow was I wrong. I have been incredibly impressed by the discussions we have had and the interest students have in learning more about Haiti and working with Fond Blanc. A few days into the seminar, one of my co-workers who supports the class said about our students, "They are all paying attention... all of the time!" If you don't frequent many a high school classroom, I will be the first to tell you that students don't always pay attention and rarely are able to do so for an entire class period. One way or another, teenagers are always teaching me not to underestimate them...
This week we were fortunate to have a team from Fond Blanc visit our class: Swenson, Alison, Molly, and Tia brought photos and shared with us more about life at the orphanage and the joys and challenges of living in Haiti. One student said that while we have read a lot and seen things in the documentary, it is so meaningful to talk to people who are from or have lived in Haiti. I quite agree. I am looking to connect with more guest speakers or Haitian cultural events in the area - so if you know of anyone - please send them my way.
Also, if any of you readers out there are interested in reading along with us, you are always welcome to join our classroom community to discuss the text; students really like discussing with community members - just let me know if you are interested.
Stay tuned for more updates from First World, Third World, Our World as we get going on our service project! Thanks for reading :)
13 September 2015
Being a Teacher & My Morning at Clark Street Community School
On the first day, the staff at Clark Street Community School introduce themselves to the student body and answer a question. This year the question was: What are you most excited about doing at school this year? My answer: Being a teacher.
Many of you know that for the last four years I have spent most of my time at CSCS in the role of Program Coordinator (which is a title that I made up for myself). As Program Coordinator I worked as member of our school leadership team, planned meetings and inservice days, collaborated on the design of various learning processes and our graduation plan, recruited students, conducted outreach to the community, etc. The list goes on, but this is starting to feel like a resume and I am sure you get the idea.
This year, for the first time in many years, I am a full time teacher. While I have said that this was what I wanted for a long time, I was secretly worried that I was having a "grass is greener" moment and that I might regret my choice. If I am being honest, I also struggled with the idea of "going back" to the classroom. For a while I thought I would move on from being Program Coordinator and go to grad school (again) or start consulting or something. While I really tried to listen to my heart to make this decision, I was scared that it might somehow feel like I was going backwards.
I know we are in the honeymoon phase of the school year, but this week I left school smiling and thinking to myself: I love teaching. It feels great to be back in a classroom and to be connecting with students. It is hard and hectic and way to much to do in a day... but I am happy and that tells me that I made the right decision.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As we are still at the start of the school year, I thought I would spend some time telling you all a little bit about what I am teaching this year. Today I am going to write about my mornings at CSCS which consist of Advisory, Reading Workshop and Math Workshop.
Advisory: Every day at CSCS starts with advisory. I have twelve little angels assigned to my team; they are of various grades, backgrounds, ages, talents, and interests. I do have a high population of redheads, which I consider a major bonus. My students are truly a crew of amazing individuals. A few anecdotes:
The start of the school year in advisory is a lot of business and set up. At the end of the first two weeks students have established tools to use to manage, personalize, and archive their work; they have measured their progress to date in math and reading; they have reviewed the community agreements (be independent, be an active community member, be responsible, create a safe learning environment); they have practiced mindfulness; they have learned all of the various protocols for moving through their school day; they have learned each other's names. As we get into our regular schedule, advisory time will be a place to start each day together, check in, get organized, and hopefully move on to the rest of the day with a positive attitude.
Reading Workshop: Reading workshop is my jam. It is probably the simplest, but also the most joyful part of my schedule. Students in reading workshop are working to become better readers and create reading artifacts for their portfolio. They spend time in workshop reading independently or in a small group discussing a recent article. I love talking to kids about reading. I love reading with kids. I love when kids who believed they couldn't read become readers. I LOVE it. (*Note: If you didn't read about my amazing Little Free Library - please do! Donations of books or funds to purchase books are always welcome.)
Math Workshop: One of the ideas we most embrace at CSCS is the Carol Dweck's Growth Mindset. Embracing a growth mindset means that you understand that intelligence and skills can be developed and you focus on improvement. We have been talking about this idea for a long time, but I am excited to have the opportunity to practice it for myself in my first ever math workshop. In the first two weeks, we have been working with growth mindset ideas and playing with different math challenges to identify important characteristics that help us learn math: growth mindset, emphasis on thoughtfulness over speed, creativity, and multiple routes to a solution. I often wonder how I would feel differently about myself if I would have learned math the way students do at CSCS. Can I rebuild the way I think about myself as a math learner by teaching math? This week we are moving on to constant ratios in right triangles and contemplating the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This is all new for me, but I have a lot of support, and am excited to learn.
And that's my morning. I don't think you missed much else except a cup of coffee, my sassy comments to kiddos in the hallway, and a snack scarfed down somewhere between sections if I am lucky.
Next week I will write about the two new seminars I have created and am teaching in the afternoons. I am very proud of them and excited to share them with you. As always, thanks for reading.
Many of you know that for the last four years I have spent most of my time at CSCS in the role of Program Coordinator (which is a title that I made up for myself). As Program Coordinator I worked as member of our school leadership team, planned meetings and inservice days, collaborated on the design of various learning processes and our graduation plan, recruited students, conducted outreach to the community, etc. The list goes on, but this is starting to feel like a resume and I am sure you get the idea.
This year, for the first time in many years, I am a full time teacher. While I have said that this was what I wanted for a long time, I was secretly worried that I was having a "grass is greener" moment and that I might regret my choice. If I am being honest, I also struggled with the idea of "going back" to the classroom. For a while I thought I would move on from being Program Coordinator and go to grad school (again) or start consulting or something. While I really tried to listen to my heart to make this decision, I was scared that it might somehow feel like I was going backwards.
I know we are in the honeymoon phase of the school year, but this week I left school smiling and thinking to myself: I love teaching. It feels great to be back in a classroom and to be connecting with students. It is hard and hectic and way to much to do in a day... but I am happy and that tells me that I made the right decision.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
As we are still at the start of the school year, I thought I would spend some time telling you all a little bit about what I am teaching this year. Today I am going to write about my mornings at CSCS which consist of Advisory, Reading Workshop and Math Workshop.
Advisory: Every day at CSCS starts with advisory. I have twelve little angels assigned to my team; they are of various grades, backgrounds, ages, talents, and interests. I do have a high population of redheads, which I consider a major bonus. My students are truly a crew of amazing individuals. A few anecdotes:
- One student is working on drafting her own spirit animal quiz for our advisory as she was dissatisfied with all of the online versions she researched. After all of the members of our advisory take the quiz (of her own creation), she is going to draw animal likenesses of each of us. I WILL post mine on this blog - stay tuned.
- One student who hopes to be an elementary school teacher in the future, has designed a hybrid schedule this year and is participating in internships at several progressive elementary schools in the area. I am excited to talk with her about what she observes and learns throughout the year.
- One student has a sound effects app on his phone. When I am talking to long, I hear the music come on... kind of like at an award show.
The start of the school year in advisory is a lot of business and set up. At the end of the first two weeks students have established tools to use to manage, personalize, and archive their work; they have measured their progress to date in math and reading; they have reviewed the community agreements (be independent, be an active community member, be responsible, create a safe learning environment); they have practiced mindfulness; they have learned all of the various protocols for moving through their school day; they have learned each other's names. As we get into our regular schedule, advisory time will be a place to start each day together, check in, get organized, and hopefully move on to the rest of the day with a positive attitude.
Reading Workshop: Reading workshop is my jam. It is probably the simplest, but also the most joyful part of my schedule. Students in reading workshop are working to become better readers and create reading artifacts for their portfolio. They spend time in workshop reading independently or in a small group discussing a recent article. I love talking to kids about reading. I love reading with kids. I love when kids who believed they couldn't read become readers. I LOVE it. (*Note: If you didn't read about my amazing Little Free Library - please do! Donations of books or funds to purchase books are always welcome.)
Math Workshop: One of the ideas we most embrace at CSCS is the Carol Dweck's Growth Mindset. Embracing a growth mindset means that you understand that intelligence and skills can be developed and you focus on improvement. We have been talking about this idea for a long time, but I am excited to have the opportunity to practice it for myself in my first ever math workshop. In the first two weeks, we have been working with growth mindset ideas and playing with different math challenges to identify important characteristics that help us learn math: growth mindset, emphasis on thoughtfulness over speed, creativity, and multiple routes to a solution. I often wonder how I would feel differently about myself if I would have learned math the way students do at CSCS. Can I rebuild the way I think about myself as a math learner by teaching math? This week we are moving on to constant ratios in right triangles and contemplating the Leaning Tower of Pisa. This is all new for me, but I have a lot of support, and am excited to learn.
And that's my morning. I don't think you missed much else except a cup of coffee, my sassy comments to kiddos in the hallway, and a snack scarfed down somewhere between sections if I am lucky.
Next week I will write about the two new seminars I have created and am teaching in the afternoons. I am very proud of them and excited to share them with you. As always, thanks for reading.
25 August 2015
My Little Free Library
I am thrilled to show you the best new edition to my classroom: the amazing Little Free Library that my step-father, Mike, so generously built for me. I enjoy discussing books with all sorts of readers, but the most special experience is when a reluctant reader finds a book that just blows their mind. It might be a book that opens up a fantasy world that they never could have imagined or a book that tells a coming of age story that seems just like their own. Whatever it is, when a formerly non-reader gushes over their new booklove, it always makes my teacher-heart swell with joy.
So... to celebrate the start of the school year, the new Little Free Library, and readers everywhere, I am inviting my friends, family and co-workers (you!) to donate to the Little Free Library.
When considering what book to choose, I would encourage you to think about what book blew your mind as a teenage reader. If you feel so moved, write a brief note inside the copy about what the book meant to you. I just think this will be completely precious.
If you want to support the Little Free Library, but can't think of a title, feel free to make a donation of books you think teenagers might like. Lastly, you can also just give me cash and I will joyfully buy the books for you ;-)
I thank you in advance for your donations and look forward to featuring books and readers on this blog so you can enjoy and share in all the booklove that the Little Free Library brings.
18 August 2015
Where we are.
To say that it has been a while is an understatement. The last post I wrote was at the start of the first year of Clark Street Community School. As I write now, we are on the cusp of our fourth year. Students that were baby freshman will finish this school year as grown-up graduates. They will leave us and go off into the world. It seems hard to believe that we are here.
This summer I worked for the Greater Madison Writing Project co-facuilitating a group of teachers who began action research projects that they will work on throughout the school year. (More to come on these amazing folks and their work throughout the year.) I knew that in addition to facilitating, I wanted to challenge myself to work along with them, but I wasn't sure what I wanted that work to look like.
A thought kept creeping up telling me that I needed to write. I kept pushing it down with awesome excuses. In the writing project, there are legit great writers. Published writers. Fiction writers. I am not that good of a writer. Reading and research are way more my things. I don't have time to write. But slowly, I started to talk myself into it. I do have that blog from a long time ago. I could set aside a bit of time each week. As a teacher of writing, I should put my money where my mouth is. And then I began to wonder... What would happen to my teaching if I was writing regularly? What would happen to my teaching of writing? What would I learn about myself? My students? My practice?
So here we are. You can see who won.
My plan is to set aside two hours a week to write and to post at least once a week. I am nervously excited for this challenge. There is no lack of material in my work, but often lack of time and lack of balance - something I have been working very hard to get back to the past year. While I am a bit afraid, I am excited to see what the challenge might bring. And this special combination of feelings is usually a sign that I am on the right track.
More to come.
Thanks for reading.
This summer I worked for the Greater Madison Writing Project co-facuilitating a group of teachers who began action research projects that they will work on throughout the school year. (More to come on these amazing folks and their work throughout the year.) I knew that in addition to facilitating, I wanted to challenge myself to work along with them, but I wasn't sure what I wanted that work to look like.
A thought kept creeping up telling me that I needed to write. I kept pushing it down with awesome excuses. In the writing project, there are legit great writers. Published writers. Fiction writers. I am not that good of a writer. Reading and research are way more my things. I don't have time to write. But slowly, I started to talk myself into it. I do have that blog from a long time ago. I could set aside a bit of time each week. As a teacher of writing, I should put my money where my mouth is. And then I began to wonder... What would happen to my teaching if I was writing regularly? What would happen to my teaching of writing? What would I learn about myself? My students? My practice?
So here we are. You can see who won.
My plan is to set aside two hours a week to write and to post at least once a week. I am nervously excited for this challenge. There is no lack of material in my work, but often lack of time and lack of balance - something I have been working very hard to get back to the past year. While I am a bit afraid, I am excited to see what the challenge might bring. And this special combination of feelings is usually a sign that I am on the right track.
More to come.
Thanks for reading.
07 October 2012
Reflections on the New School
It has been a really long time since I have written here... but not for lack of material. This summer I was at a friends wedding and several people asked me if I was going to continue to blog about my work. It was a tremendous compliment to know that folks were reading and connecting with me via the blog. Since then I have thought about writing many times. I have been working more than I ever have in my life and have often found myself too tired to think about writing and posting or too drained to think about teaching and education (lately I feel like it is almost all I think or talk about). It wasn't until today, however that I actually realized how much valuable reflection I have been missing by not writing. So... here is what is on my mind today.
Just a little over a month ago, the doors of Clark Street Community School opened for the first time. We have about 110 students in grades 9-12. (Interesting note: I have never ever taught a ninth grader until this year. Turns out they are generally sweet and small.) I have an advisory made up of 15 kiddos who I meet with on a daily basis. I am also co-teaching a seminar (group project) with our science teacher called Paths of Discovery. The remainder of my time is spent working on our leadership team, meeting with community partners, re-working our schedule, serving on our governance board, managing communications, and working with the many nuts and bolts of starting up. In all of these endeavors I am aided by my talented and hard working colleagues and/or community members.
People who know about the school often ask me how things are going. My usual answer is that things are really, really good and really, really hard. Last year, our staff all took the Myers-Briggs test to know more about how each of us work and how we work as a team. I can't remember the letters that were assigned to me, but one of the characteristics of my type that I remember and reflect on often is that my type is known to have "unrealistic expectations". Since we have shared and discussed the results of the test, my colleagues have gotten several good laughs at my "unrealistic expectations" (which I really think are just "high" expectations) that I reveal on a regular basis. Whether my expectations are high or unrealistic, they manifest themselves in two ways. One, I tend to over-notice what is not going well instead of having a more balanced perspective. So some days things feel really, really good, but if I am honest, I often focus on what is really, really hard. That said, I have to imagine that this is how all brand new things feel to anyone who is involved in their start-up. Two, no matter how really, really hard something feels, I never cease to believe that we can't do exactly what we had planned to do with unwavering success. What I am finding is that when something is new, you can't always be everything you want to be right away; you have to grow into it. I often have a hard time being patient with this, but I understand it in a new way now which I think is helpful and important.
What I feel really good about is that in many ways, slowly but surely, I see that our work and our conversations are un-schooling our students, our families and ourselves. Teachers are schooled to tell students what and how to do things; students are schooled to be told what and how to do everything. In our current work I see students and teachers moving away from this model and connecting with what it means to really learn something; this unfolds into how do you show that you have learned something? How do you accurately assess learning? How can we support deep, meaningful learning experiences? There is a lot of transitioning on behalf of all parties, students, teachers and families. Sometimes when it feels like things are not working, I think it is really the transition of un-schooling taking place.
Things I need to work on include striking a better balance. It is Sunday evening and I have worked quite a bit this weekend. I had a lot of work to do, but I also find myself thinking about work often. While I enjoy most of what I get to do in my job and feel more professionally fulfilled now than I ever have, I know that I need to shut it off every now and then so that I can refresh. I know that will in the end make me much better and happier at my job.
Thanks for reading.
Just a little over a month ago, the doors of Clark Street Community School opened for the first time. We have about 110 students in grades 9-12. (Interesting note: I have never ever taught a ninth grader until this year. Turns out they are generally sweet and small.) I have an advisory made up of 15 kiddos who I meet with on a daily basis. I am also co-teaching a seminar (group project) with our science teacher called Paths of Discovery. The remainder of my time is spent working on our leadership team, meeting with community partners, re-working our schedule, serving on our governance board, managing communications, and working with the many nuts and bolts of starting up. In all of these endeavors I am aided by my talented and hard working colleagues and/or community members.
People who know about the school often ask me how things are going. My usual answer is that things are really, really good and really, really hard. Last year, our staff all took the Myers-Briggs test to know more about how each of us work and how we work as a team. I can't remember the letters that were assigned to me, but one of the characteristics of my type that I remember and reflect on often is that my type is known to have "unrealistic expectations". Since we have shared and discussed the results of the test, my colleagues have gotten several good laughs at my "unrealistic expectations" (which I really think are just "high" expectations) that I reveal on a regular basis. Whether my expectations are high or unrealistic, they manifest themselves in two ways. One, I tend to over-notice what is not going well instead of having a more balanced perspective. So some days things feel really, really good, but if I am honest, I often focus on what is really, really hard. That said, I have to imagine that this is how all brand new things feel to anyone who is involved in their start-up. Two, no matter how really, really hard something feels, I never cease to believe that we can't do exactly what we had planned to do with unwavering success. What I am finding is that when something is new, you can't always be everything you want to be right away; you have to grow into it. I often have a hard time being patient with this, but I understand it in a new way now which I think is helpful and important.
What I feel really good about is that in many ways, slowly but surely, I see that our work and our conversations are un-schooling our students, our families and ourselves. Teachers are schooled to tell students what and how to do things; students are schooled to be told what and how to do everything. In our current work I see students and teachers moving away from this model and connecting with what it means to really learn something; this unfolds into how do you show that you have learned something? How do you accurately assess learning? How can we support deep, meaningful learning experiences? There is a lot of transitioning on behalf of all parties, students, teachers and families. Sometimes when it feels like things are not working, I think it is really the transition of un-schooling taking place.
Things I need to work on include striking a better balance. It is Sunday evening and I have worked quite a bit this weekend. I had a lot of work to do, but I also find myself thinking about work often. While I enjoy most of what I get to do in my job and feel more professionally fulfilled now than I ever have, I know that I need to shut it off every now and then so that I can refresh. I know that will in the end make me much better and happier at my job.
Thanks for reading.
04 March 2012
The book that is changing my life
Not to be demanding or anything, but I am going to need everyone I know to purchase and read Walk Walk Out, Walk On but Margaret Wheatley and Deborah Frieze. I have given you a hyper link, so go on, click and purchase. Thanks.
Now that we have that accomplished... I would like to tell you a little bit about where I am coming from here. For the past six months, my principal has said to me: "Have I told you about Walk Out, Walk On?" or "This is just like in Walk Out, Walk On..." or "Since reading Walk Out, Walk On..." at least once a day. This week one of the authors, Deborah Frieze came to Madison to talk about her work. As I walked away from the discussion that night, I knew that in the coming years, I would look back at that event as a seminal time that changed the way I think about my work.
As I finished reading the book this morning, I so badly wanted to write a blog entry about it, but right now, I think my mind is really just marinating in the stories and ideas and I can't seem to come up with one or two coherent thoughts. (Aren't you glad you are reading this blog?)
So, as I need some time to work with these ideas, I decided to share some of the most powerful selections from the book with you. If for some unknown reason you have not yet ordered your own copy, this should change your mind. Warning: some of these quotes reveal the really challenging ideas (and I would say truths) about living and working with others. Prepare to be disrupted.
Walk Out, Walk On Principals
Start anywhere, follow it everywhere.
We make our path by walking.
We have what we need.
The leaders we need are already here.
We are living the worlds we want today.
We walk at the pace of the slowest.
We listen, even to the whispers.
We turn to one another.
"Yes, play creates chaos and redundancy and confusion. But it also creates the space in which we invent together, we inspire each other, and we talk through our differences" (61).
Assumptions that limit our ability to play...
-The answers exist out there - and the experts have them.
-To get things done, you need people of power and influence to champion your cause.
-Plan ahead and stick to your plan.
-Nothing gets done right unless you're in control.
-Don't ask for other people's opinions.
-We don't have time to experiment and tinker around.
-We mustn't fail! (And when we do, find someone to blame). (62)
"Play returns us to a state in which we can see what's possible - not what's so" (64).
On problems...
"What if we experts could acknowledge our frustration and become curious? What if we got interested in the interconnectedness of a problem rather than trying to hold it all within our one speciality? What if we noticed all the others who are connected to this problem, who are motivated to solve it?... We discover more is possible with curiosity than with certainty. We discover that not being right opens the space for other people's good ideas. We discover there are many people just like us, deeply committed to finding a solution" (96-97).
On gifting...
"We all have different needs for safety and security. But security can also come from relationships rather than stuff, and gift culture is an invitation to deepen our relationships" (145).
On intervention...
"However well intentioned the intervention might be, it is always rooted in the belief that people need help, they can't help themselves, and it is our duty to 'interrupt' their experience on their behalf" (170).
"Intervention is not fundamentally flawed... But it's a short-term strategy for the immediate situation; any longer-term change requires the engagement of the person or people" (171).
On becoming a host rather than a hero...
"'We believe that when human beings are invited to work together on what truly matters to them, they will take ownership and responsibility for moving their issues and ideas into wiser actions than the last'" (191).
"And it is time for us to give up our personal attempts at heroism. Are you acting as a hero? Here's how you know. You're acting as a hero when you believe that if you just work harder and put in more hours, you'll fix things; that if you just become smarter or learn a new technique, you'll be able to solve problems for others. You're acting as a hero if you take on more and more projects or causes, no matter how worthy, and have less time for the people you love and the activities that nourish you. You're playing the hero if you still hold the belief that it's up to you to save the situation, the person, the world" (210).
On Learning...
"Learning is not about getting it right or becoming the expert; it is about creating an environment of conviviality, discovery, and joyfulness" (25).
On Forgiveness...
"'To forgive is not to be altruistic. It is the best form of self-interest. What dehumanizes you, inexorably dehumanizes me. Forgiveness gives people resilience, enabling them to survive and emerge still human despite all the efforts to dehumanize them'" (82).
Now that we have that accomplished... I would like to tell you a little bit about where I am coming from here. For the past six months, my principal has said to me: "Have I told you about Walk Out, Walk On?" or "This is just like in Walk Out, Walk On..." or "Since reading Walk Out, Walk On..." at least once a day. This week one of the authors, Deborah Frieze came to Madison to talk about her work. As I walked away from the discussion that night, I knew that in the coming years, I would look back at that event as a seminal time that changed the way I think about my work.
As I finished reading the book this morning, I so badly wanted to write a blog entry about it, but right now, I think my mind is really just marinating in the stories and ideas and I can't seem to come up with one or two coherent thoughts. (Aren't you glad you are reading this blog?)
So, as I need some time to work with these ideas, I decided to share some of the most powerful selections from the book with you. If for some unknown reason you have not yet ordered your own copy, this should change your mind. Warning: some of these quotes reveal the really challenging ideas (and I would say truths) about living and working with others. Prepare to be disrupted.
Walk Out, Walk On Principals
Start anywhere, follow it everywhere.
We make our path by walking.
We have what we need.
The leaders we need are already here.
We are living the worlds we want today.
We walk at the pace of the slowest.
We listen, even to the whispers.
We turn to one another.
On playing instead of working...
"When we play, we're in a constant process of discovery, experimentation, risk-taking, and creation. We tinker. We invent. We dream and we imagine and we make believe until it's time to go our there and build the world we dream of" (59)."Yes, play creates chaos and redundancy and confusion. But it also creates the space in which we invent together, we inspire each other, and we talk through our differences" (61).
Assumptions that limit our ability to play...
-The answers exist out there - and the experts have them.
-To get things done, you need people of power and influence to champion your cause.
-Plan ahead and stick to your plan.
-Nothing gets done right unless you're in control.
-Don't ask for other people's opinions.
-We don't have time to experiment and tinker around.
-We mustn't fail! (And when we do, find someone to blame). (62)
"Play returns us to a state in which we can see what's possible - not what's so" (64).
On problems...
"What if we experts could acknowledge our frustration and become curious? What if we got interested in the interconnectedness of a problem rather than trying to hold it all within our one speciality? What if we noticed all the others who are connected to this problem, who are motivated to solve it?... We discover more is possible with curiosity than with certainty. We discover that not being right opens the space for other people's good ideas. We discover there are many people just like us, deeply committed to finding a solution" (96-97).
On gifting...
"We all have different needs for safety and security. But security can also come from relationships rather than stuff, and gift culture is an invitation to deepen our relationships" (145).
On intervention...
"However well intentioned the intervention might be, it is always rooted in the belief that people need help, they can't help themselves, and it is our duty to 'interrupt' their experience on their behalf" (170).
"Intervention is not fundamentally flawed... But it's a short-term strategy for the immediate situation; any longer-term change requires the engagement of the person or people" (171).
On becoming a host rather than a hero...
"'We believe that when human beings are invited to work together on what truly matters to them, they will take ownership and responsibility for moving their issues and ideas into wiser actions than the last'" (191).
"And it is time for us to give up our personal attempts at heroism. Are you acting as a hero? Here's how you know. You're acting as a hero when you believe that if you just work harder and put in more hours, you'll fix things; that if you just become smarter or learn a new technique, you'll be able to solve problems for others. You're acting as a hero if you take on more and more projects or causes, no matter how worthy, and have less time for the people you love and the activities that nourish you. You're playing the hero if you still hold the belief that it's up to you to save the situation, the person, the world" (210).
On Learning...
"Learning is not about getting it right or becoming the expert; it is about creating an environment of conviviality, discovery, and joyfulness" (25).
On Forgiveness...
"'To forgive is not to be altruistic. It is the best form of self-interest. What dehumanizes you, inexorably dehumanizes me. Forgiveness gives people resilience, enabling them to survive and emerge still human despite all the efforts to dehumanize them'" (82).
There is so much more I want to write, but I will leave it at that. I am excited to take up this lens with my work. There are some aspects that will be much harder for me than others, but I believe that I can do more through my community than I can do alone.
If you feel confused, intrigued, excited, I encourage you to read more. I would love to talk with anyone who does.
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