This past week end, I started teaching my arts integration grad course through the district in which I work.  16 teachers from grades Pre K-12 gathered together and worked hard getting started on the track of Arts Integration.  It was wonderful!  We talked, we listened, we created, we collaborated, we connected.  What else can you ask for?

On Friday evening, after watching a webinar on arts int and having some great discussion, I asked each person to create a poem that highlighted their take-aways thus far.  Each participant wrote such great stuff which we shared as our opener on Saturday morning.  (I am hoping to share some of the work with you at a later time.)  And then one of my colleagues asked me slyly, “Where’s your poem, Elizabeth???”

And so I went to work.

Throughout the day on Saturday, the teachers went through the creative process together as they worked through their ideas focused on arts integration: the values and challenges it poses.  I walked around, observing each group and as I walked I wrote this poem.  I hope you enjoy…

Teachers working

Separate, alone

distant and disconnected.

Where’s the love?

the connection?

the engagement?

Day by day we work:

little play,

little time,

little help,

little time.

Did I mention time?

and papers?

and pressure?

and… AHHHH!

Then put us together

and give us some time.

and let us create

for heaven’s sake!

I see these teachers.

I live their walk.

I watch them work

and see a spark…

It’s dulled, though.

So let’s fix it.

Put us together,

and give us some time.

Frustrating at first:

“You mean we’re together?”

“My ideas are shared?”

“Wait! I want my doors back!”

“I want them locked!”

“This can be hard.”

or can it?

Does it really have to be?

Just put us together

and give us some time.

With time, we can work it.

With time, we can process

build ourselves,

build relationships,

share ideas.

Collaboration at its best!

And what do you get?

Well, first you need to

Put us together

and give us some time.

And then you’ll see

the possibilities –

Smiling faces

(Yes, that’s important)

Calm collaboration

Organic work

It’s raw, it’s real

and

Work gets done!

So, don’t doubt it

or disregard

just trust it.

Trust the process.

And put us together

and give us some time!

Have a great day! ~EMP

Related posts:

1. My Biggest Need – Time
2. Active Listening Time – A Vehicle for the Music-Literacy Connection

I love to tell my students that it’s my job to push them.  I want them to work hard and not settle for ok.  I have so many smart kids in my class who just have a natural gift to do well in school, but I like to push them.  The same is true with all my students.  Those that struggle, well, it’s also my job to push them to the next level.  This past month’s book report assignments have given me yet another way to push my students.  I write this post today because The Push has definitely been paying off!

You may have read my last two posts about assignments.  In one, “RE Assigning Work,” I expressed my disdain when correcting the students’ first assignment for their historical fiction book reports.  They were to do some pre-reading exercises as well as write a paragraph explaining why they chose their book.  What I got was, well, not what I had hoped for.  I graded them on a simple 0-4 point scale where 4 was a complete, thoughtfully executed paragraph including details.  Out of 21 students, 1 achieved a 4 and 2 earned a 3.  That next day, we talked as a class, examined student examples, discussed ways to improve writing and then I assigned anyone who did not get a 3 or 4 to re-do the work.

“Groan!” is what I got, but I stuck to my guns.  I was not going to let my students pass in one paragraph that was mediocre when I was certain they could do more.  Over the next couple of days, kids passed in newer versions of the assignment, sometimes after conferencing with me.  Some went straight to the 3 or 4, but others had to try and try again.  But see, they did!

I was pushing, and they were doing the work.

The following week, students were asked to describe the setting(s) of the story in a paragraph.  We talked about the assignment together and I modeled a paragraph for them as well as brainstormed ideas with them.  This time more people (6) received a 3 or 4.  Again, the following day, we talked about our papers, looked at student work and then I re-assigned the paragraph to the class.

The “Groan” this time wasn’t as loud.  They half expected me to say that.  The next couple of days, I got more redone setting paragraphs and they were getting really good.

Well, this past week, I assigned a paragraph where students had to discuss a character from the story and describe their character traits.  It’s funny.  Sunday, as I sat down to correct them, I did not read through them with disappointment in the air.  Instead, I had a smile on my face!  The papers were great!  The number of 3s and 4s jumped to 16.

I celebrated a small victory when I was done with the pile!  My commitment to pushing high expectations on this particular assignment had certainly paid off.  I felt as if some of these students had truly risen to the occasion and showed me what they were truly capable of doing.  Even the other students who were not at a 3 or 4 had bumped their writing (and therefore, their grade) up.

I’m looking forward to facing my students today (I was at a workshop on Monday) so that I can help them see the value of my pushing them and them responding with good work ethic.   Sometimes things need to be done a few times to get it done right, and that’s ok!  That’s “effective pushing” on my part.

Through this series of assignments I have also learned that I need to push more each day.  The turn around time for students to get their work back with feedback needs to be quick and I need to respect their work by providing that for them.  In fact, I spent quite a bit of time writing feedback on their papers and conferencing with individual students.

These assignments were also very purposeful.  My students felt the drive to complete them and I felt the drive to correct them.

I realize this is just good teaching practice, but sometimes we lose sight of the real value of pushing our students to achieve high expectations.  This historical fiction book report project that my team of teachers and I worked on creating has helped me to revisit these ideals.

And now… off to another day of pushing my kids to the next level.

~EMP

Click one of the tags from this post to find related posts.

My last post RE-Assigning Work is a tangent thought to the thoughts in this one. There I spoke of how sometimes the assignments we give need to be given back to our students so that they can try again and do better work.  (It’s part of the process, after all of becoming better at something.)

Here though, I ‘d like to comment on the original assignment – the one the teacher commits to and gives to the students.  Again and again, as I ponder the concept of Less is More I look at the work I assign my students and contemplate it’s purpose.  Sometimes I think about it before deciding to give it or not, and other times I sit, looking at the low quality of work given back to me and wonder if the assignment was worth the time: both mine and the students.  Let’s face it, there have been times when I sat with a pile of papers and contemplated taking a trip to the recycling bin.

I guess I can narrow an assignment’s purposefulness by reflecting on the following two questions:

1.  Will I correct it or comment on it?

2. Will I use the data I collect from this to inform my instruction?

If the answer to either of these is no, then there may not be a good enough purpose to the assignment.

It’s not good to simply put worksheets into my students’ hands to feel like they are effectively practicing skills.  There just may be another, possibly arts-infused way to do that.  And my students don’t need to be silent at their seats in order for real learning to occur.  In fact, I am a huge believer in The Cocktail Party Philosophy.

Purposeful assignment come in a variety of forms: pencil and paper and paperless, introspective and conversational, research-based and reflective, tech-infused and arts-infused.  Kids can learn while moving and drawing, singing and writing.  There is no limit except what we put on ourselves.

As the school year progresses and I continue to Balance my days with inspired learning and test preparation, it is my hope that I can practice the art of creating purposeful assignments.

How do you?  Please share!

~EMP

Related posts:

1. RE Assigning Work

I sat correcting journals this week end and was reflecting on the quality of the work that lay in front of me.  Honestly, it wasn’t very good.  There were missing capitals and end marks, sentences that were vague and penmanship that seemed rushed.  As I sat at my kitchen table, aware of the fact that I was taking time out of my week end to correct these papers, a sense of determination came over me.  (This happens every so often – maybe you know it too.)  I was determined to go back to school, papers in hand and let these kids know just how important this assignment was.  I would then take time to reemphasize my expectations and then give them the opportunity, no, the command to redo the work they are so capable of doing!

(So, anyone else ever feel this way?)

I know I’m not alone.  And yet, what is it that makes so many students not feel the urgency to always do their best?  I have very capable students.  They are not all capable of the same things, but with some modifications and differentiation, they are all capable of doing the work they are ultimately assigned.

And then it hit me – it’s always there, but sometimes it needs to re-enter my frame of mind:  kids want experience, creativity, hands-on, engagement, arts, real-world connections.  I can’t just give them an assignment and expect it to just click.  (Or can I?)

And so I ask myself:

• What could I have done differently?
• Should I have introduced the assignment better?
• Should I have modeled a well crafted response to the journal prompt?
• Should I have sold the kids on the importance of doing such a pre-reading activity?
• Should I have added in a spark of creativity into the introduction or into the assignment itself?

It seems to go back to my thoughts on assuming.  I often get to a point where I assume my students, who are bright, capable kids, will want to do great work all the time.  Never assume!  (Maybe another post title should be  Always Engage.)

But as I think more and more about this, another real real truth comes to the forefront – it’s just part of the process!

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if all my students did near perfect work all the time?  I guess… but get real!  That isn’t the way is supposed to work.  Not everything we do in life is done well the first time and maybe this is just the opportunity I need to help illustrate that point to my kids.

Work ethic, tenacity, and perseverance are qualities that, dare I say, are more important than great products.  It’s the process: giving my students time to talk about their work thus far, peer evaluate, show some exemplars and allowing time to do better.

So, there’s the plan and, more importantly, the approach.  It’s not to be punitive: “Why didn’t you all do better?”  It’s to be productive: “Now you have the opportunity to improve.”

I’ll let you know how it goes!

In the meantime, let me know your thoughts!

~EMP

photo credit

Click one of the tags from this post to find related posts.

Today, Daniela Baker from the consumer credit education website, CreditDonkey shares some easy-to-do activities that will help develop the creative side of your child.  Enjoy!  ~EMP

It is important for parents to understand that physical development and cognitive development do not occur at the same rate.  While physical development may progress over a period of years, creativity peaks during the early childhood.  As the parent of a young child, it can be exciting to know that you are witnessing the most creative period of his or her life! Creativity is shown by your child’s ability to take current information and make new connections. This differs from knowledge which is the process by which we store information for future use.

According to Arlene F. Harder, MA, MFT, in her book Distinguish Between Your Child’s Needs and Wants, it is not necessary to buy expensive toys to develop creativity in your child. However, you do need to provide your child with a rich diversity of experience that encourages them to develop creativity in different areas.  Creativity takes many forms: art, dance, music, writing and it is important to expose your child to each so they may learn where their special talents lie.

Ask open-ended questions.  When your 2 or 3 year old toddler asks a question, resist the temptation to provide a direct answer. In many cases, your child has already developed their own theory so reply with an open-ended question, such as “What do you think is the best way?” or “Why do you think that happened?” His or her answer may be right on target or be a theory based on some combination of their past experience Keep in mind that the logic of children may wander way off course but this is to be appreciated and enjoyed as it provides you a wonderful window into their thinking process as they develop the cognitive skill of cause and effect.

Encourage Creative Thinking. When you have time during the day, show your child an everyday object and ask how this could be used in different ways. For example, a cup can be used to drink milk, hold pennies, or be even act as a flower pot!  This activity encourages your child to apply creative thinking to common objects and events in their daily lives.

Read Stories. Dr. Seuss’ Cat-in-the-Hat series is one of the most beloved children’s stories of all time.  Who else but Dr. Seuss can make “green eggs and ham” sound like a delicious breakfast? The idea of Green Eggs and Ham expanded into a sixty page story teaches your child how to think-outside-the box and make connections to one central idea.

Engage in Dramatic Play. Dramatic play provides an opportunity for your child to take internalized thoughts and act them out in social situations. For dramatic play between parents and children, ask your child to tell you a story and then act it out among family members Expect that your child will take the director’s role and change the scenario as s/he watches their ideas come to life. Act out all new versions so your child can see how their different ideas play-out in the “real-world.”

Make some music.  All children love to make music with unusual items! For example, place some pennies in a empty soda can for home-made castanets. Alternatively,  turn over some Tupperware for a fun drum set. Have the whole family join each with each member playing a different instrument.”

Engage in art-based activities. Art activities are the classic means to develop creativity in children. The activity needs to focus on the process, not the product. Encourage your child to combine material in unique ways. The following are some ideas for children of different ages:

• Provide a two year old with pre-cut shapes such as squares, rectangles, and triangles made out of multi-colored construction paper which they can the glue together an a large piece of cardboard.
• Provide a three-year old with a mound of play dough which they may shape and offer some raisins, cheerios, marshmallows, and jellybeans to stick into it.
• Provide a four-year old with different color ribbon from which they may create flags or banners.
• Give a five year old a collection of pre-cute magazine picture and have him glue the pictures together into a montage.

Each of these activities focuses on the process of creating, rather than the materials used to create. This is an important distinction because what a child learns about their abilities while exploring and engaging in creative activity is an invaluable learning tool.

Photo Credit, girl drawing.  Photo Credit kids playing music.

Related posts:

1. Taiwan English Teachers Develop Artistic Side

Balance – That’s my one word resolution for 2012.

Last week on the Art of Education blog, my PLN friend Jessica Balsley wrote a post about how she is going to make her new year’s resolution in one word.  At first, I thought this was a little crazy, but as I read on, I decided to jump on board!  I’m finding the more I think about it, the more it fits into EVERY aspect of my life.

Balance -

It works for home and school,

for work and play,

for body and mind.

Balance -

Reminds me to keep myself in check,

to lift myself when I feel down,

to slow myself when I feel rushed.

Balance -

Reminds me to be creative and stick to the rules,

to teach the whole child,

to differentiate.

Balance-

Reminds me to take care of myself and those around me,

to spend time with each of my kids

those both in and out of school.

Balance -

Helps me to write less so I can read more,

reach out and allow others in,

keep on working hard and, gosh darnit PLAY!

Balance -

Ya, that’s my word!

What’s yours?

(Please share!)

~EMP

Related posts:

1. PLaiC – Process, Play and Balance
2. Poetry in Balance – Part 1: Appreciation
3. Poetry in Balance: Part 2 – Creation