On Your Left!

Biking in New York City has become very popular today. With the increase of bike lanes, new CitiBike locations, and the safety advocacy of groups like Transportation Alternatives, biking in NYC is a wonderful experience.

In case you are riding and you hear from behind, "On your left!" That means a biker is approaching and will pass you on your left side. Many are not used to this mode of communication because we are looking forward. Others respond better to bells and dings as alerts.

The "on your left" signal is a considerate and safety protocol for biking. Smart and safe bikers will use it. Those who reciprocate with a "Thank you" or "Okay" understand and do appreciate the effort. Its smart biking like managing speed and other safety measures.

What signals do teachers use in their classrooms to communicate what's coming next for students? How might they inform students their expectations? How can they help them navigate safely and smartly in their classroom and "cycle" towards success?

Effective teachers will do many of the following:

1. Have a daily agenda.

2. Use morning meetings to communicate a greeting and topics that will be learned.

3. Label clear, kid friendly objectives for all to see.

4. Use verbal and non-verbal signals to manage the classroom experience.

5. Have learning stations or centers where students can discover, explore, create and have choice.

6. Give consistent and encouraging feedback.

What are some ways you communicate as you "cycle" through the school year?

Share your thoughts and comments!

Money is Not The Payoff

When I told my mother I was going to be a teacher she exclaimed, "Ay Dios! Voy a quedarme pobre por el resto de mi vida!" Translation: Oh God!  I will be poor for the rest of my life!  

I was not surprised at her reaction to my news.  I have cousins in the profession in my mother's native country of Ecuador.  From her point of view teachers are not respected because they are poorly paid.  The average salary of a novice teacher in Ecuador today ranges from $300 - $500 dollars a month.  You can make more if you teach English and work in a private school.  Surely, my mother's sentiments originated from having seen family members struggle and did not want the same for me.

The notion that the teaching profession must be filled with attractive money and salaries to lure the best talent won't work.  No incentive program with deep pockets can instill that innate desire for service, that passion to learn from and with others, that love to be with children, and take on (and rise above) the many daily challenges of teaching.  Money will not make people enter and, more importantly, stay in the profession.

College students will be more likely to enter the teaching profession because they had a significant learning experience that propelled them to choose even when that profession may not be very welcoming to newcomers today.  Something touched them to want to help children learn.  That something was probably a teacher.

I say this because this is what motivated me to choose a career in education.  I had one adult (outside of my family) in my life that believed that I can do it.  Her words, her every action showed me that I could learn, I could create, I could accomplish my goals, and that I was special.  She also corrected me over and over again when I made mistakes.  She instilled in me a deep belief of self-confidence and resiliency.  And when things got bad at home, she noticed, and took me aside and counseled me.  She listened and demonstrated care.

The author with his favorite teacher Nancy Myers-Alvarez. 

Ask a teacher today why they wanted to become a teacher and not one will tell you it was solely because of money.  Not one.  Because money does not move us to the profession.  It may provide comfort and security but that's not the real payoff.

Its incredible that teachers are not valued for their efforts and that this discussion of incentive programs has to be had again and again.  I wouldn't be surprised if there is a presidential candidate devising a plan that includes incentives for a new generation of teachers and address this recent high demand for teachers.

School districts will always scramble to hire the best prepared and grant them their own incentives based on experience and skill. Teachers can add to their salaries by taking on additional duties as after school tutors, athletic coaches, extra curricular activities and club advisors.  There is always something extra that needs to be done.  I dare say that taking on all these extra jobs, if granted, will help.  Teachers, and I know I did when I taught, still struggle.  That's a fact they all live with.  Yet, they show up everyday and pull through and do their job.  They do their job and then some because money is not the payoff.

The payoff is:

1.Knowing you helped a student learn something they did not know before.  Their reaction to this new awareness is pure happiness.  One is privileged to be a witness to this life event.

2. Creating a safe place; an environment where children can think, share ideas, create, question, and make mistakes.

3. Shaping the future.  That's what your students are.

4. Growing and learning with students.  The energy that students give off is infectious and makes you want more and more. People say working with children keeps you young.  I say it keeps you alive!

5. Working and learning with other like-minded educators.  Teachers need community like everyone else.

6. Overcoming challenges on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis.  A special payoff is when you overcome a big challenge, especially when it will benefit children.

As I stand in the hallways of my school in the morning while parents/guardians drop off their children, I wonder how many of my students will choose to be teachers.  Then I wonder how many will announce their decision to their parents,who only want the best and wish that they will struggle less than they have to.  Then I wonder about those who will not be deterred and will forge ahead with their decision.  Wondering about these few who will make this decision to teach is my payoff.

What's your payoff?

Please share!

Goals

I read a blog by William D. Parker titled 3 Tips on Student Self Reporting Grades. Parker talks about how educators would benefit if they got students to identify what they want to accomplish. Having students reflect on where they are at and where they want to go is powerful.  It is also necessary for their own development.

Many students are uninterested, unmotivated, or simply pick and choose what they want to do because their educational experience has many gaps.  Their teachers play it too safe because they are worried about being compliant and avoid parental confrontations they set the achievement bar low enough for their students to pass.  

Parker gives an example of a soccer team that prepares for a game and notices that there are no goals.  The referee blows the whistle and the players ask themselves, "What do we do?" It is obvious that without goals no one can score.

If I was on that team, I would tell my teammates to take off their shirts and make four piles to create goals.  If I was the coach, I could probably convince the players to focus on passing, possession, limit touches, etc.  That would last five minutes at most.  Eventually, the team would stop playing.  Why?  No goals! Duh!

In the movie Rocky (1976), there is a critical moment when the main character shares his goal with his girlfriend Adrian. This happens just before the big fight and Rocky enters his apartment all depressed.  He says, "I can't do it.  I can't beat him.  I ain't even in the guy's league."  Adrian, the loyal, meek but intelligent partner responds, "What are we gonna do?"

She could have said and done so many things like hug Rocky, feel sorry for him or simply agree with him and tell him not to go through with the fight.  Instead, she asks him a question and puts it back on him.  She makes him think.  She makes him think because she believes in him and believes that Rocky can find a solution. 

Rocky does what any good fighter does: sets a realistic goal. He decides that he wants to go the distance with Apollo Creed, the champion.  It matters little to Rocky if he wins or gets his head smashed.  He identifies a clear and doable goal: going the distance. And, for those who saw the Oscar Winner for Movie of the Year, go the distance he does.

Educators can take a page out of William D. Parker's soccer playbook.  Soccer is a team sport and despite the many schools of thought about coaching, player development, and positions, scoring is only one part of the game.  Winning is another matter.  Setting goals will help students reach their desired target for growth and learning.  Teachers can help develop and enhance their school experience.

Educators can see in Rocky how even against insurmountable odds any student, and I mean ANY student, can meet his or her goals if they are asked, "What are we gonna do?"  Be like Adrian and get in your student's corner and ask questions that will get them to think, reflect, and take action.  Your students will surprise you just like Rocky and they will go the distance.

Ready? Set. Go!

I read somewhere on Twitter about a Summer To Do List.  It included many things like relaxing, spending time with family and friends, catching up on reading, and going on vacation.  One item on that list that struck me most was creating a blog.  The first thing that came to mind was, "I AM NOT A WRITER."  After the initial fear and doubt wore off, I came to the realization I was wrong.  All educators are writers!

Yes, all educators are writers.  We may not be published authors, although many are, and many more should be.  Educators like me (I am an elementary Vice Principal) write all the time.  I write memos to teachers, my principal, and to many central office people.  I write reports, agendas, emails, daily and monthly school announcements, and yes, even student behavior incident reports.

To be more specific, I also write important documents like teacher observations and annual performance summaries.  I should also mention that many administrators like me create (write) presentations using PowerPoint and other apps all the time.  One thing I do daily as an administrator is write notes to teachers and leave it in their mailbox or on their desk to avoid interrupting their instruction.  I may also write notes to parents.

Creating a blog has many advantages for educators today:

1. Ideas. Sharing is caring and educators enjoy sharing the ideas they have.  It is our nature.

2. Learning.  Being in the professional "learning business," educators can learn more from one another.

3. Individual and professional growth. Writing will help educators improve their craft and the profession overall.

4. Inspiration.  All educators need to be inspired and no one knows that better than another educator.

5. Stories.  Every educator has a good story to tell and they need to be documented.  Wisdom must not be kept to oneself.

So, here I am launching myself into this new world of learning and sharing.  If it wasn't for that other educator who wrote a summer TO DO list, I would not be here on this starting line writing a blog.

READY?

SET.

GO!