The Strength to Change

Photo Credit: h.koppdelaney via Compfight cc

This past week I made a major decision that was one of the hardest things I've done in a long time.  I applied for a job in a different school.

You see when I was first out of university I was hired at my present school. I loved everything about it. It has an amazing community of students and parents and a super supportive staff.  I felt like I was the luckiest person ever to be hired at this school.  But at the end of that year I was laid off, and placed at a different school.  I also liked this school but it never felt like my home.  My home was where I had begun my teaching career.  So two years later, with a little seniority under my belt, I was able to apply back into my first school and I have been there ever since.  Did I mention I'm about to finish my 21st year of teaching?

My career at this school brought me many exciting opportunities. I saw staff come and go, and administrators do the same.  And if you know me at all my teaching continued to change. I taught ESL K-7, K/ESL K, K/1, 1, and 1/2.  For a long time I never taught the same grade more than two years in a row.  It was good. It was a happy fulfilling place for me.

But then things started to change and I was seriously contemplating leaving about eight years ago, that is until a now very good friend of mine joined the staff.  Having her there was the change I needed at the time. Others joined the staff too and my desire to leave became less and less. It once again felt like my home.

In 2009 I left the safety of my home school and ventured off to Australia to teach for a year. I was alone, with out any of my teaching supplies, or my friends.  It was a brave decision for me to make but it was one I am so thankful I made. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me see what I was capable of doing on my own if I was willing to take the risk.  It helped pacify any concerns I had with my own school.

When I returned I realized that I had changed a lot.  I went through so many incredible and not so incredible experiences while I was away (it felt to me that) so little had changed in my home school.  Perhaps it was then that I realized that I needed to change but I wasn't quite ready to listen.

Photo Credit: TarikB via Compfight cc

Fast forward to July 2011, and the wonderful push on to twitter by Tia Henriksen, and my world really did start to change.  I was excited and inspired by what I was learning from others and I couldn't wait to share it with my staff.  I work with a lot of great teachers doing great things just in different ways than how I run my classroom.  I'd try to share the things that made me so excited about teaching with my colleagues and for the most part they'd give me their time. But after a while I realized I wanted more.

Photo Credit: Nanagyei via Compfight cc

I made the most of the technology I had available to me and even though I had just one computer that took 15 minutes to get running I didn't give up trying to integrate it into my teaching program.  I used the lab time that I was given, and I signed out extra lab time when ever I could.  I booked our school laptops and even though a bunch of them didn't work I found ways to make things happen. I booked our district iPads and iPods and shared those with my staff too.

I was also very fortunate at the district level too.  People were noticing what I was trying to do with my class, how I was trying to teach in the 21st century.  They found ways to support me and so my growth continued to explode, despite feeling along in my change effort.   I know my presence on social media helped people see what was going on in my classroom and that presence connected me with district people such as Elisa Carlson. She saw, supported, and believed in me. She is who has gotten me through some of my more challenging times at my school. I can't thank her enough. Our school district is VERY LUCKY to have her.

Last year I thought seriously about leaving my school.   But I couldn't.

Things have changed this year but it's no longer enough for me. I'm tired of being the teacher at the end of the hall doing the "crazy things" with her classroom.   I am tired of teaching, for the most part,  on my own.

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending ConnectEd in Calgary on my own dime.  It was there that I realized I needed more. It is there where I saw staff excited about embracing change and moving forward with their teaching and learning. The conversations were rich and exciting yet still filled with the realities that we all deal with on a day to day basis. It was real, alive and exciting and it was then that I realized that I want way more from a school. I needed more support and connections from a school. I need to be and feel part of a team growing together.

After a total break down during my session on Sunday morning, I realized I had to make a change. I was losing my spark for teaching, and if I wasn't careful I was going to lose a little piece of my soul in the process.  Being a teacher is who I am. It is the driving force behind so much of what I do with my life.

And so the very next day I found the strength to change.  I applied to teach at a new school.

Thankfully my interview went well and I was successful at obtaining a job at a new school. With in 24 hours of being hired I  had two teachers from my new school looking forward to collaborating with me next year (which I am so excited about). A second early primary teacher was also hired in the past few days and we have already been in contact about next year too. We are both excited to be working with one another.

So now, after 18 years in my present school it is time that I pack up my classroom and move on.  Will I miss the staff, the community, and most importantly the kids OF COURSE! But at this time I need to do what's best for me. I need to be brave and move on.  I need to embrace my new home.

What a YEAR!

As I look back on my year I can't believe how much has changed for me.  Here is my attempt to recap the journey I have taken professionally in the 2011-2012 school year.

• joined Twitter in July 2011 and now follow over 750 people, have over 775 following me, and have tweeted over 5,500 times not including my direct messaging (tons!)
• started this professional blog as a way to document and share some of my learning
• took part in many twitter educational chats including but not limited to #1stchat, #kinderchat, #edchat, #elemchat #gtchat, #storyappchat, #D5chat
• set up a class blog which ended up with 199 posts, 253 comments, and over 22,000 hits
• set up individual blogs for my grade one students who have now written over 750 posts and received over 1,600 comments
• completely changed my writing program to allow my students more choice with their writing and in the process created genuinely motivated writers
• completely changed my reading program to allow my students more choice with their reading and in the process created genuinely motivated readers
• changed my word work program to all my students more choice with their word work and in the process created self motivated learners
• dropped my traditional "calendar" routines and replaced it with math chat
• used the Mind Up, Fun Friends, and Fin's Friends social emotional programs to better meet my students social emotional needs
• learned and used many web 2.0 tools
• utilized  technology to better meet the individual needs of my students,  and to connect my class with the world
• set up a class twitter, youtube, and closed class facebook account
• was selected to a part of a special district literacy learning lab utilizing technology with early primary students
• helped write a successful Innovative Learning Design grant application
• created many videos and slide shows
• had my class Skype and Face Time with students in Illinois, Ontario. and Saskatchewan
• Skyped, Google Hung Out, and Face Time'd with teachers in Hong Kong, Illinois, Ontario (several), Saskatchewan, and Florida
• had my class read and comment on class blogs from around the world
• read and commented on many professional blogs from around the world
• participated in three global projects - Quad Blogging, Flat Classroom : Building Bridges K-2 Pilot Project April-May, and Bean Wiki with my class
• attended EdCampDelta, EdCampSurrey, and EdCampKinder in Las Vegas
• visited three schools and had several teachers both from my district and another district visit my classroom to learn and share
• met and connected with several Surrey School District teachers, administrators, and school district leaders ( I am far more known around the district this year than I have in any other time in my career)
• presented professional development workshops for my staff and my school district
• asked to present professional development workshops at three more schools at the beginning of the new school year, as well as for the Surrey Primary Teachers association
• wrote posts on Twitter, Tablet Computer Apps, and Digital Literacy for the International Reading Association
• sparked the use of KidBlog as a blogging platform for students in my school district, and beyond
• participated in webinars
• attended two workshops at Apple Canada Institute
• attended Surrey's Digital Dinner series
• attended two BC Primary teacher's conventions
• attended workshops led by Alec Couros, George Couros, Adrienne Gear (Reading Power), Gail Boushey and Joan Moser (Cafe), and Lilian Katz (Reggio)
• have read (or in the middle of reading) Mind Set by Carol Dweck, Drive by Daniel Pink, No More "I'm Done!" by Jennifer Jacobson, Personal Learning Networks by Richardson and Mancabelli, Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller, Catching Reader's Before They Fall by Johnson and Keir,In Pictures and In Words by Ray, Writing Power by Adrienne Gear, Reading Power by Adrienne Gear, Reading Power Non Fiction by Adrienne Gear, Choice Words by Peter Johnston, The Daily 5 and The Cafe by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds by Lindsay and Davis, Math Exchanges by Kassia Omohundro Wedekind, Teaching with Tools Kids Really Use by Susan Brooks-Young, Making Thinking Visible by Ritchhart and Church and Morrison, Number Sense Routines by Jessica Shumway, One to One The Art of Conferring with Young Writers by Calkins and Hartman and White, The Passion-Driven Classroom by Maiers and Sandvold, Play by Lisa Murphy and the list continues...
• successfully completed 20 years of teaching and still love it as much, if not more than ever before

A special thank you to my #1stchat, #kinderchat, #sd36learn, #bclearns, #bced, and #elemchat friends. Without you I wonder how much of this would ever have happened.  An extra special thank you to Elisa Carlson (Director of Instruction, Surrey School District) for believing in me. Elisa will never really know how powerful that has been for me and I can't thank her enough.  And yes, of course, I need to thank Tia Henriksen, mother of one of my grade one students this year, former vice principal of mine, and friend because it was she who coaxed me into giving twitter a try.

What a year it has been. What have you accomplished this year? I'd love to hear.

Next up, goals for the 2012-2013 school year.

My One Little Word For 2012

I've been reading posts on Twitter written by people who have chosen a single word to inspire their 2012 year.  If I'm not mistaken credit for this idea belongs to Two Writing Teachers.  While I'm not one to make resolutions one word did instantly pop into my head.  After commenting on two separate blog posts  (Laura's and Cathy's)  I figure it was time I wrote my own post sharing my word.

My word for 2012 is CAN.

I CAN make a difference in the lives of my students, my friends, and my family.
I CAN make things happen when others feel it is impossible.
I CAN block out the negative.
I CAN embrace the positive.
I CAN make changes.
I CAN inspire others.
I CAN learn from others.
I CAN push  boundaries.
I CAN do anything I set my mind to.
I CAN make a difference in my life.
I CAN ...

What's your word?

Getting Me Thinking

Last night I read an inspiring blog post written by my school district's Director of Instruction, Elisa Carlson.  Elisa has been a huge fan of what I've been doing with my grade one class this year and I can't thank her enough for her support.  While I am a very self motivated person having her support has meant more to me than she will ever realize.

Elisa's post got me thinking about why I do what I do.  I've always been one to do my own thing but the longer I'm in the profession the more confident I am with the reasons for my choices.  As I've said several times before  I'm on a constant search to improve my teaching.   I am loving Twitter so much because it has linked me up with like minded individuals.

To many I'm a total learning geek but I truly love what I do.  I love that challenges that each day brings me. I love that my job is not always easy. I love that I am making a difference in not only  my life, but in the lives of those I teach.  Being so "out there" with this blog and my tweets on twitter has been a bit scary for me, but it has given me a place to use my voice.

Another blog that got me thinking today is one written by Jonah Salsich.  He talks about how many educators are afraid to do exactly what we are teaching our students to do - take a risk, try something new, change our thinking.  He talked about how professional development as we know it isn't really working.  I added to the conversation with the following comment.

I’ve just stumbled onto your blog via twitter and this blog post really reasonates with me. Why do you think that some of us are self motivated enough to truly put ourselves out there and take risks to learn new things while others are so afraid to make a change? I don’t believe that the professional development we have with people talking to us works. We all come in with are own agendas of things we want to learn. For me Twitter has been the best professional development I’ve discovered. I often feel as though I am learning from truly brilliant people. But I am a self motivated learner and I thrive on learning new things so for me it’s been a no brainer. What we really need to do is find a way to make others self motivated too, both our students and our staff. I feel I do a lot to make my students thrive on intrinsic motivation but it’s a lot tougher with my colleagues. You’ve certainly got me thinking and I thank you for that.

As I get ready to start my second term with my class I am thinking not only about  things I can do for my students but how I can also help motivate my colleagues too. I appreciate reading posts that make my head spin and I want to thank both Elisa and Jonah for that.  There are a lot of exciting things in store for me in 2012.

Small Steps Can Take You To Great Places

I've never been one to make resolutions.  I've always thought if there is something in my life that I'm not happy about I need to find a way to fix or change it.  I don't have to wait for the calendar to switch over to a new year to make a change.  For me change happens as soon as I recognize that change has to be made.

This school year I have been making a lot of changes.  I started the 2011/12 school year with quite a different mind set than I've had in the past.  For one thing  I spent the summer of 2011 not training for an Ironman which left me with a lot of spare time.  I spent a lot of that time learning from others through Twitter.  I read educators blog posts, and started making connections with other like minded educators. I began to develop my Personal Learning Network (PLN).  While I've spent many of my previous summers swimming, biking, and running ridiculous distances this past summer I spent it learning.  By the time term one began in early September I was determined to better integrate technology into my classroom.  I took small steps, but those small steps have taken me to great places.  Here is a recap of my growth term one:

• I created my first  class blog and kept it updated with regular posts all term long
• I learned several different Web 2.0 tools and tried to use them with my teaching
• I participated in a weekly Grade One twitter chat
• I helped present technology tools to my staff at two professional development days
• I made myself available to help answer my colleagues technology questions
• I visited several other primary class blogs and was particularly inspired by what I learned from Leanne Kolenberg and Jackie Nelson's blogs in Adelaide, South Australia
• I attended the BC Primary Conference
• I attended the first three of five "Engaging the Digital Learner" technology dinner series evenings put on by my school district
• I was inspired by two fellow Canadians Aviva Dunsiger (Ontario) and Kathy Cassidy (Saskatchewan) as well as several other educators from around the world
• I introduced my students to their individual blogs and was amazed by how powerful they are

• I  read (or almost finished reading) five professional books including Drive by Daniel Pink, Mindset by Carol Dweck, Choice Words by Peter Johnston, Math Exchanges by Kassia Omohundro Kedekind, and No More "I'm Done" Fostering Independent Writers in the Primary Grades by Jennifer Jacobson.

• I arranged for my school district's loaner set of iPods and shared them with my staff
• I got to know my technology helping teacher, Orwell Kowalyshyn and utilized his knowledge
• I got to know my district's Director of Instruction, Elisa Carlson and shared my journey with her
• My professional blog link was added to a list of teachers and administrators blogging in my district
• I wrote an article for an international reading organization which will be published later this month
• I got invited to join a local high school for iPad training at the Apple Training Centre

• I was given a district iPad to use with my class

• I loaded the district iPad with over 100 apps all geared towards helping my students with their learning

• I  created story bird accounts for my students 

• I had many professional discussions while running with two fantastic teachers at my school Megan Birdsall and  Erica Segec

When I started this school year  I had no idea that it would take me to where I am today.  I was just taking small steps on my journey.  If you are reading this blog post as someone new to Twitter, or new to getting involved in this global world of ours, my biggest piece of advice is to take it one small step at a time.  Perhaps you can leave a comment on a blog that got you thinking, or retweet a tweet with a link to an article that inspired you.   Each small step will lead you towards your greater place.

If you are experiencing a rapid growth year like I am I'd love to hear from you.  What do you struggle with? How much support to do you have? Does having or not having support change your desire to grow? Obviously I'd love to hear from you.

Trying to Find Balance

I love my job, I always have, and I hope I always will.  I get excited about a lot of things my students are doing and I love learning new things myself.  However I find these past few months I am constantly being over whelmed by how much is out there for me to still learn.  Don't get me wrong, I've never felt that I've known it all, nor did I ever think I would know it all.  But little has changed since I wrote this blog post back in July.

I am one that thrives on change and growth.  I like to attempt to do what others believe can't be done - heck I've completed five Ironman distance triathlons with very little natural athletic ability.  But professionally this has been a real struggle for me this year.  Again, don't get me wrong, I am really happy with what I'm accomplishing with my students this year. They are a constant source of amazement for me which makes going to work so much fun.  I know I'm doing a better job teaching grade one this year than I did last year.  But, the more I read the more I learn there is so much more I could be doing with my students.  I don't like dealing with the fact that I can't do it all.  I don't like feeling like I'll never be as good as I think I can be.

In all honesty sometimes I wish I was like some of the others I know, those that are happy with where they are already.  Things would be so much easier then.  I would be able to find balance and peace in what I'm doing.  But I have never, nor will I ever be that type of person.  I like doing the hard work, and getting that feeling of satisfaction when I see my hard work pay off.  That's something I'm trying to instil in my students too.  I actually like working hard, and being challenged, and constantly challenging myself.

So where does this strong desire to achieve and this struggle of knowing I'll never really get there leave me?  It leaves me trying to find balance.  The big question is how do I find this balance?

My Students Made Me Proud Today

Today I started my official student bench marking in reading by administering the Fountas & Pinnell reading assessment.  I feel as though I have a pretty good idea of where my students are reading at because of the reading I do with them, the books they are taking home for home reading, and the many conversations I've had with them.  But there are still things I'm curious about despite having all this data.  By administering this "official" assessment I feel as though I gain "authentic" data which can be compared across all grade levels in our school (we all have access to this assessment kit).   It also helps confirm for me, what I think I already know.

Today I worked with five students.  I was not surprised to see that they tested out pretty much exactly where I thought they would test out. What did surprise me was the number of strategies that I've taught them this year that they are using while reading.  One student made a prediction about the story as soon as I read her the title.  Another was inferring as she was reading, showing me that she was obviously using her brain.  One of my English Language Learner (ELL) students understood everything she read in her story, until the story pattern changed because a skunk entered the picture.  She has no prior knowledge on skunks but instead of reading on, she stopped and asked me to tell her about skunks.

It's moments like these that make me really proud to be a teacher.  Have you ever experienced moments like this? I'm curious to hear how your students have made you proud.

Before I Was a Good Teacher. Now I Hope I'm a Better One.

Before I had a class website where I posted information.  Now I have a class blog where we post items together and we (and the world) can comment on our posts.

Before my class website was used by the parents of my class. Now my class blog is looked at by people all around the world.

Before I talked about teaching and learning with the people that I worked with, my fellow teaching friends, and the people at the workshops I attended.  Now, through Twitter,  I'm having conversation with amazing educators from all over the world.

Before I told my students what to read. Now they chose what they want to read.

Before I felt we couldn't afford technology.  Now I'm finding ways to get it into my school.

Before I thought we could only have physical education when we were in the gym.  Now I know we can have it every single day.

Before I worked in isolation only sharing with my close friends. Now I'm sharing with the world.

Before I had no place for my students to write on-line. Now my students have their own individual blogs.

Before I told my students what to write. Now I let my students write about what's meaningful to them.

Before my students wrote in notebooks or on paper. Now they write where they want including their notebooks, papers, white boards, computers, blogs etc....

Before my students sat in their own desks and always did their work there. Now my students are free to work with whom ever, and where ever in the room they'd like (most of the time).

Before I didn't think my students could handle technology.  Now I know that they can.

Before my students went up and down during reading time constantly changing their books.  Now they have their own just right book box with books they are interested in reading.

Before I felt that I had to do what everyone else was doing.  Now I do what I believe should be done.

Before I told my students how many sentences to write in their journals.  Now I just encourage them to write.

Before I was afraid to bring laptops into my classroom early in the year.  Now I can't imagine not bringing them in.

Before I set goals for my students but they didn't know what they were.  Now we set goals together.

Before I kept the student's individual goals  private.  Now I share them quite openly.

Before I needed to be in control of everything that my students were doing.  Now I give my students a lot more freedom to explore while they learn.

Before I asked for student volunteers to share their ideas.  Now we turn and talk to one another so we all have a chance to share our ideas.

Before I taught the whole class to read at the same time.  Now I work with small groups, and individuals too.

Before my lessons in the computer lab were done in isolation.  Now what we do in the lab the children can easily do at home with the links provided on the class blog.

Before I was expecting everyone to do the same thing at the same time.  Now I'm differentiating my activities so everyone is doing their own thing at the same time.

Before I taught the whole class to write at the same time.  Now I work with small groups, and individuals too.

Before I just taught, never really thinking about what my individual students already knew or needed.  Now I use my assessment data to help structure my lessons.

Before I was a good teacher.  Now I hope I'm a better one.

Changes, Changes, Changes

As I keep saying, this summer I discovered Twitter and the incredible people learning and sharing with one another.  So much has changed for me in such a short period of time and I'm super excited about all the changes.  I've always loved what I do for a living, but I feel like my enthusiasm for my job is just growing and growing.  There is so much I want to do with my class this year.

On August 2nd I set the following goals for myself after attending  RSCON3.  So far I'd say I'm heading in the right direction.

I will set up a class blog with my grade one class this year. I hope to have a blog that the parents of my students can go to see what we are doing in class, and that the rest of the world can check out too.  DONE!  My class blog is up and running.  Today we wrote a blog together as a class.  There are still so many more things that I want to do with the blog, but I don't want to over whelm anyone - including myself.  I've also taken this goal one step further by creating individual blogs for my students.  We are writing on them even though nothing has been published to the world yet.

I will take the time to learn as many Web 2.0 tools as I can that can either benefit my teaching, my students learning, this blog, or my class blog. I've learned a ton of new tools which I hope to use either for myself or with my class.  I've also shared my knowledge at two professional development days with my staff.  

I will continue to differentiate my teaching because I believe so strongly about it, but I will look even more closely at how I go about differentiating. This isn't new for me, but I'm going to look for even more ways to differentiate.  

I will provide more opportunities for my grade one students to show me what they know in the manner that they are most comfortable with. Still working on this one, but I know it will come.  So much of my time at the beginning of the year is focussed on setting a proper tone for the rest of the year. I'm really pleased with the tone that we are setting together.

I will book the “free” lab time more often as well as bring the laptops into my classroom much earlier than term three. Each week I'm looking at when the free blocks in the lab are.  Obviously with a large school I have to be fair with the extra blogs but so far even adding one extra block in the lab makes a difference.  Today it was for a math lesson, next week, if the time is available it will be for a big buddy lesson- can't wait to get our big buddies to help us explore Voki. As for laptops, I've managed to get a small set of the older laptops into my classroom.  These laptops are at the end of their life span, but they are good enough for us at the moment. It's so exciting to see my students so excited to get on them.  Of course, I still have the laptop carts that I can book, which once I feel like our programs are really up and going, I will book them - perhaps next week during our math block?  Using technology in my first grade classroom does not scare me.

I will look for grants to get more technology into my classroom, and into my school. I haven't been able to get anything permanent into my school however I have been in contact with the "right" people in my district.  At the moment my school has a class set of ipod touches on loan and we are scheduled to receive  ipads into our school for a few weeks too.  While these are just temporary additions of technology (three week visits), they are (or hopefully will) help my staff realize how amazing these tools can be for teaching and learning.

I will read as many blogs as I can, and comment as often as possible. I have been and will continue to read other professional blogs. I'm making a real effort to write comments too.  I love what I'm learning from others and how it questions what I'm already doing.  I also love reading other people's "Ah Ha" moments.

I will be willing to help anyone that can use my help. I still stand by this one and I have helped out a few people in the process.  I'm hoping I can help out more but even if they don't ask for help, I'm hoping that by sharing what I'm doing I'll maybe help them take a second look at what they could be doing.  I really want to bring down the fear factor for as many as I can.

I will have my class fully participate in the Post Card Project. I love this project but I still haven't written a post card despite receiving three. But I will, or at least my class will, write postcards soon.

I will try my best to instill in my students that they can feel, imagine, do and share. This is and will be an on going process which I will not give up on.

I will be a change agent.


I'm really eager to see what the next couple of months have in store for me.  It's going to be an exciting ride.

Engaging the Digital Learner - a Look Back

On Thursday Sept 29th, I had the privilege of attending a workshop put on by my school district entitled "Engaging the Digital Learner". The key speaker was Chris Kennedy of the West Vancouver School District.  Chris inspired all of us with his stories of what is happening in his school district. He talked about how every staff member is receiving digital training, how all his principals are blogging, and how every student has a platform to write and share with others. It was truly inspiring.

During the session we had to turn and talk with our table about how we are doing with digital literacy.  I was happy to report that I was feeling pretty comfortable with it.  I shared how I've started blogging with my grade one classroom, and how my grade one students have their own individual blogs as well.  I think I surprised my table - mainly upper intermediate teachers with their administration - with what I was doing with my grade one students.  I was trying to show them that the age of the child is irrelevant, we all can be digital learners.  Of course as comfortable as I am with what I'm doing now, there is still so much more I could be doing.

To attend this workshop I needed to sign up with a buddy.  I'm really glad I went with my good friend and work colleague.   However, I really wish one of my administrators was able to join me too.  I am super charged to use technology as a tool for learning with my grade one students and I'm doing everything I can to charge the rest of my staff.  But it's not easy.  Having an administrator as equally charged as I am would go a long way.

There are still four more sessions and I can't wait to attend them.  In the mean time I will continue to share what I'm doing in my classroom with anyone that will listen.  I will continue to support those on my staff.  I will (and have) arranged to get more technology into my school - even if it's just on a short term loan - to hopefully (fingers crossed) inspire more people to help me convert more staff members to the benefit of technology in our classrooms.  My ultimate goal is convert everyone on staff to the benefits of using technology for learning, because really that's where the world is heading.

Until the next session, I'll keep learning and sharing.