Get Blogging, Mr. Thompson!

It would be super easy to just let this whole blogging thing curl up and die.  Like Voldemort in "The Deathly Hallows: Part 2"... only less gross.  I can't help but feel, though, that the insight I can gain from a little bit of reflection far outweighs the extra time I might gain to do something more lazy.  And I really like being lazy sometimes.

Once again, I find myself needing to recommit.  Here are a few quick thoughts...

READING

It didn't take long into the semester to introduce my Grade 8s to my grand plan of reading more books over the course of the year.  I've even had some successes.  Most of the kids appear to enjoy the time that they get to read something that they are interested in.  Some books have become quite popular, possibly necessitating the need to secure additional copies.  Perhaps more telling, though, is the fact that a handful of students who were convinced at the beginning of the year that this just wasn't for them, have found themselves regularly buried in a book... and even liking it.

A bigger challenge has been the regular implementation of the 'Reader's Notebooks'... an idea that seemed simple enough in it's execution.  I would purchase a simple notebook for every student (which I did), and then I would collect them at the end of each week.  I would then read and respond to every single entry shared with me.  This, however, has proven to be more difficult than I had planned on.  The first time I read through them, for example, it took me over 5 hours to do so.  While the feedback from students has been invaluable, I have sometimes struggled with the prospect of occupying so much of my weekends with these notebooks.

Overall, I'm happy with a lot of the things that I have seen so far, but I have to admit, that I can approach reading with a more positive attitude in spite of the day-to-day that can sometimes sap the class and I of our enthusiasm.  I can't just provide the time to read and act with a seeming indifference when it's time to move on.  

There is still work to do.

JOURNEY

I recently took to a little bit of time to play through a game on PS4 called "Journey."  I remember being intrigued by the concept when the game first released on PS3 in 2012.  I just never got around to it.  Well, it was free last month with Sony's monthly subscription program... and I like free things.

This would be what I would call an 'artsy' game: not a genre that I've always enjoyed in the past.  The objective isn't always abundantly clear other than seeing a giant mountain in the background and knowing that's where you need to go.  There's no traditional action or combat... it's just... a journey that you're on.  And I quite liked it.

I'd recommend this one for those who have yet to take the plunge.  It only lasts about the length of an average Hollywood film, but it left me thinking quite a bit about the presentation and, admittedly, the emotions I felt.  I have also found myself playing the soundtrack in the background while doing some work or when I've needed some quiet time.  It has been quite therapeutic.

I'm already telling myself that I need to experience it again... once I take care of those Reader's Notebooks first.

SO MANY MOVIES!!!

It's a very good time to be a fan of geeky movies.  I have a few on my radar, and by that I mean I actually have a countdown on the whiteboard in my classroom.

ONE LAST THING...

It's my intention to start providing some more 'educational' insights and not just make myself some sort of middle man between YouTube and my very limited audience.  I did come across this last gem which I en joy watching with my boys.  My body is too 'big-boned' and I'm too scared to do this for real.  Videos like these will be the closest that I will likely get to thrill seeking for the rest of my life.

More to come...

~Mr.T

Back to School Round 9

While I wouldn't ever call my class 'super cute' under any stretch of imagination, there is something to be said about the value of that last little bit of preparation before students come barrelling through my door.  I've been getting into my classroom fairly regularly for the last few weeks but it really hits you in that last day.

A couple of things that I have enjoyed the past few days include:

• visiting and joking around with colleagues that I haven't seen since June
• seeing some of my former students pop in to say hi after getting their ID Cards and textbooks
• having a few of my upcoming students introduce themselves and talk about how excited they are to come into my class
• quietly celebrating the painting over of the wall mentioned before; there's already some talk about how we can use the space in our Middle School
• adding a few more books to my growing library; I now have 106 books in my class!

The big unknown many of my colleagues are focusing on is the introduction of a new teacher-advisor period known as CHAT (Crescent Heights Advisory Time).  This will be a school-wide program that is being implemented to help teachers build more meaningful relationships with students over the course of the year.  I'll see my CHAT group (and Homeroom) every day for 40 minutes.  There won't be content to teach but students are being given some new options that they hadn't been given before. 

In our Middle School, student will have a 5-day schedule that will include:

• Two days to focus on Numeracy and Literacy.  Students will have time to work on their assignments and ask for help from other teachers as needed.  
• One day will be dedicated to building our classroom community.  I imagine that I will be looking for activities and games to play that will help each of us to get to know one another just a little bit better and enjoy ourselves a bit.  
• One day will be spent in intramurals, where students will be divided into 8 teams across both Grade 7 and 8.  Our Phys Ed department will have competitions and challenges throughout the entire year.  
• One day spent in FLEX Learning.  While we don't yet know what options will be provided here, the plan is to provide students with some additional learning opportunities that they might not otherwise have in the course of a 'normal' school day.  This will be based primarily on student interest and will hopefully allow us to explore some exciting things.

I'm looking forward to reporting on our successes (and failures) over the coming days, weeks, and months.  

An Old Habit Returns...

I have been known to dabble with a little game called World of Warcraft over the past decade, give or take a year.  Some of my friends and I recently thought about getting back into things with the release of a new expansion today.  Suffice it to say that I may have given into the temptation once again.

I won't go into detail here, but I do have two quick thoughts that have crossed my mind in the past week or so as I've found those moments to play in between my preparations for the year.

First.  I have been impressed with some of the game mechanics that have been introduced in this release.  World of Warcraft is, in a nutshell, about making a character and questing, raiding, and otherwise developing them over a plethora of adventures in Azeroth.  Players in the game recently got to participate in 'Invasions' where forces of demons would show up and people could join in the efforts to defeat them.  The neat part about this is that this content wasn't limited to the best, high-level characters: almost everyone could participate regardless of what their level was.  The content of these objectives was scaled to each individual player at the same time as everyone was working together.  

Maybe it's a stretch, but there's probably a message in that.  Regardless of where students might be, we can scale and adjust content and expectations to their level while still moving forward as a group.

Second.  I was reminded once again of how much I enjoy the music in this game.  While I'm still very early into the new content, there are a few pieces that I have absolutely loved.  In fact, I've been listening to it while completing some of my work, including this blog post.

Here are a few variations on a theme that I have particularly enjoyed thus far.

One More Cool Thing...

My wife and I recently watch the move 'Chef'... an enjoyable story about self-discovery and one man's attempts to reconnect with the things that matter most.  It's definitely worth checking out if you don't mind a little language.  Anyways, I particularly enjoyed the parts of the film where the main character's son uses social media.  At one point in the film, the son makes a One-Second Video... a collection of one-second clips over a period of time that are stitched together.  

I decided that I wanted to do that.  So, I found an app and put it on my S6.  The app in question is "One Second Everyday" and you can find more information about it right here.  

In discussing the idea with some family and colleagues, I made the point that since using the app I have been more aware of the need to see the positive in my day.  I find myself looking for more of the kinds of little moments that make my life more enjoyable and worthwhile.  I don't think this is a bad thing.

Time for some rest.  I have a big day tomorrow.

~Mr.T

Back-To-School Blogging, Summer Recap, and "The Book Whisperer"

The return to classes can be an exciting and overwhelming time.  I imagine that like many other teachers I have spent a good deal of time thinking about the new things that I can bring to my classroom.  I'll get to some of those things in a minute, but I must, once again, acknowledge my failures to be a regular blogger.  It seems that in addition to the new, I must continue to work on some of my previous commitments.

Here we go...


How I Spent My Summer

I'll keep this brief, but I can't help but take a moment and reminisce about the exciting adventure that I was able to embark on with my family.  It was something that my wife and I had been planning and looking forward to for years and I was so grateful to be able to share so many memorable experiences with my children.

Without going into too many details, here are a couple of highlights:

• Driving around 6000 kms through the western United States
• Spending a week on the beautiful Oregon coast
• Enjoying 5 glorious albeit exhausting days at Disneyland
• Travelling to Calgary for a family wedding; we will be travelling to Edmonton for a second wedding in a week
• Other trips back and forth to Calgary to spend time with family, enjoy the zoo, and a day at Calaway Park

Much has been said about how good teachers have it when it comes to summer.  All I can really do is express my gratitude for having a career that allows me the freedom to spend this time with my wife and children.  I'm no busier or more special than a lot of other people, but it feels really good to unplug after what has often been a very busy school year.

Here are a few pics for good measure...

Liam exploring the trails near our condo in Oregon.

The tidal pools along the beach were always neat to see.

Our second go on what became our favourite ride at Disneyland.

Hard to beat a picture with Oswald.

"The Book Whisperer"

My wife has been encouraging me for years to read "The Book Whisperer" by Donalyn Miller.  She kept telling me for years that it might give me some ideas about how I could help give reading a jump start in my classroom.  I was genuinely interested in the concept, but often told myself that I was too busy during the school year to really have a look at it and I could maybe check it out in the summer.  I finally caved... and I'm glad that I did.

I won't give a detailed review or breakdown of the main points now, although I will likely touch on them over the course of the year.  Suffice it to say that my perspective on the value of reading was given a good wake-up call.  I was reminded of what reading is intended to be: something of interest that will draw you in.

I was so excited about some of the ideas that I even took one in particular and started running with it.  Donalyn Miller strongly advocates for the need for students to see constant reminders about the value of reading in the classroom.  This doesn't necessarily mean a dedicated reading area, although that would be great.  She does stress, though, that there is need for kids to be around good books.  In previous years, I have relied too heavily on whatever happened to be left in my classroom.  That wasn't going to cut it anymore.

With my wife's blessing (and eager offers to help, I might add) I began putting together my own library.

I will be giving myself a monthly budget to work with so that I can be constantly adding to the collection.  My hope is that I can create a library with something for every Developing, Reluctant, and Underground reader that enters my classroom.  I'll be reporting on my progress throughout the year.

Much more to come...

~Mr.T

Student Motivation and My Latest Song Crush

If there's one issue that probably provides some of my greatest challenges as a teacher, it would probably be dealing with student motivation: either encouraging it and keeping it intact, or trying desperately to overcome what often appears to be a lack of it.  Learning anything obviously requires some sort of interest or investment in order for it to sink in.  Even if material or concepts are disliked, a recognition of the value of what one is doing is essential in order to see growth and progress.  This really shouldn't be a foreign concept to anyone.

Almost every day, I'll sit down with students who appear to need some help only to encounter a shrug, a vague expression, or the expression that they don't know what to do or understand why they need to do this in the first place.  The easy thing would surely be to lay blame on these students and tell myself that I tried and quickly move on to someone more interested.  More often than not, though, I have to remind myself that there must be some reason for this detachment and I need to figure that out.  Easier said than done.

I came across an article on Edutopia that addresses four strategies for improving student motivation.  I don't wish to simply repeat everything from the summary, but I do have a few quick thoughts:

1.  Providing students with freedom of choice (organizational, procedural, and cognitive.

I think most people would agree that having some kind of input is a good thing.  It reinforces the belief that you are an active participant in the classroom and not simply a passive observer.  Knowing that your perspectives will be heard and considered can go a long way towards convincing someone that they belong.  I appreciated the distinction provided between different kinds of choice.  Organizational choice, for instance, focuses on structure for things like seating plans, group makeup, and classroom rules.  Procedural choice would mean that students can have a greater say in approaching how they're handling course work and even the very form that some of this work takes.

Cognitive choice, though, requires a greater investment on the part of the learning community.  With this third level of choice, learning becomes very student-driven with a particular emphasis on forming their own assessments, sharing what they have learned along with how they discovered their answer, and a focus on PBL (project-based learning).

2.  Giving critical feedback to build competence instead of simple praise.

I agree with the idea that sometimes we are too quick to give praise.  A quick "nice try" and the everyone-gets-a-medal movement haven't done much to add to a willingness to look more deeply at what we are doing and how we can make improvements.

I was intrigued by the strategy of "plussing" where instead of only critiquing and pointing out where mistakes were made, positive suggestions are also offered.  Pixar uses this strategy which is based on improvisation: accepting all offers on the table and making sure that you are making your partner/team look good.  It can be really easy as a teacher to notice mistakes and I can see where this can be a more than a little disheartening, especially if you are already struggling with something.  I like the idea of asking students "What if..." as a way to get them more involved and see where they can add to what has already been done.

3.  Building high quality relationships with students.

This is pretty straightforward: I can't really expect students to buy in to what I offer as a teacher if I'm not willing to buy-in to them.  The need to be friendly and provide encouragement, taking an interest in what matters to students, and remaining positive in spite of frustrations will help to convince kids that they want to be in the classroom.

I love hearing when my students say they enjoy being in my classroom.  Any teacher would love to hear that.  It also crushes me when I hear the opposite and end up feeling like I've dropped the ball somewhere.  I won't lie and say that there have been some students who have not been challenging.  No teacher (at least not one that I've seen) can reach absolutely everyone.  Seeing students for who they are, though, will go a long way to at least helping as many kids as possible.

4.  Making efforts to address relevance of new learning.

Self-reflection is probably one of the things that I've struggled with the most.  I regularly think about how my day went on the drive home or when I talk with my colleagues.  This isn't to be boastful or to brag about how amazing I am as an educator.  However, I don't always give my students to chance to think for themselves about the potential significance of their own learning.  "Why do we have to do this?" is so often asked and the answer I usually give is that it's in the curriculum.  I need to step up my efforts in this area.

Having students generate their own connections through personal reflection and discussion brings their own perspective into the mix in a way that I don't always appreciate.

Principal Skinner is never wrong.

Now, this is all well and good but the question that remains for me if dealing with student apathy and the occasional instance when kids just don't care.

Some suggest that we teachers need to continue to hold all students to high standards.  Others suggest that we need to praise mistakes, build on existing strengths, and challenge the so-called 'failure mentality.'  There are number of other options that emphasize giving a choice of assignments, and incorporating student interests into assessments.  

Either way you look at it, the battle continues.


Latest Song Crush

When we bought our new minivan a few months ago, we were given a year of free satellite radio.  My two favorite stations have been those allowing me to relive the 80s and the 90s.  I came across this gem a little while ago and it has successfully lodged itself into my brain.  I certainly wasn't the biggest fan of Duran Duran as a kid, but I find it interesting just how much I gravitate to these little reminders of a time not so long ago.

~Mr.T

World Poetry Day, Smash Brothers, and Jeff Dunham

This might be a bit of a shock for most people who know me, but I've never really considered myself to be much of fan of poetry.  I certainly haven't gone out of my way to read it and never really made it a priority in my life, instead choosing to focus on things that I felt mattered just a little bit more than words on a page. 

When I was first given the assignment to teach Grade 8 Humanities, I immediately felt inadequate and unprepared for the challenges that would surely lie ahead.  I had spent 5 years up to that point focusing on Social Studies and on helping students to tangibly understand their place in a rapidly changing world.  I've never doubted the value of good literature in our history and society.  I just didn't really think that I was the right one to properly convey that understanding to students.  Three years on and I'm still figuring things out 

Realizing that today was World Poetry Day gave me an opportunity to steal a colleague's idea (Thanks, Jen...).  In short, students would be given an opportunity to reflect on one poem that they like and to write a brief blog entry explaining what exactly they like about it.  The recognition that poetry is a much broader form of communication than originally thought definitely makes the assignment a little bit easier.  I'm also hoping to take advantage of some of the sharing that blogging makes possible.

I did, however, start thinking about my own experience with poetry, limited as it is.  While perhaps not the most profound example and one that is even somewhat cliche, I've long enjoyed 'Invictus' by William Ernest Henley reproduced below


Out of the night that covers me,
  Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be 
  For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
  I have not winced nor cried alout.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
  My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of weatch and tears
  Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
  Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
  How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
  I am the captain of my soul.

I remember coming across this poem as a high school student and thinking it was neat and promptly moving on.  However, a film on the end of Apartheid in South Africa (coupled with some darn good rugby) brought the poem back into my attention a few years ago.

I've long been a believer that individuals are in charge of their own destiny.  Age and experience has reinforced the knowedge that if I want to get something done for myself I need to get to work and get it done.  I can't hope to rely on the good graces of others so that I can craft my own life, for "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."  This poem is a call to stand up in spite of adversity and the challenges that get in our way.  Life is not easy and we cannot let the "fell clutch of circumstance' keep us from our potential or break us.  

I'll read this to myself every now and then or when I'm feeling a little down.  Maybe I'm struggling with something professionally or personally, or I'm questioning why things are turning out the way they are.  If I really want a quick turnaround, I'll even listen to the narration of Morgan Freeman.  Even if I'm roughed up and 'bloodied' by the journey of life, I can press on because I, and I alone, can determine the direction of my life.  

CHHS eSports Smash Tournament

Look how excited everyone is!!

This past Friday saw the first Smash Brothers Tournament hosted by the CHHS eSports Club!  All in all, I was very happy with the turnout and excitement that made the event such a huge success.  We had 22 students who made their way through a double-elimination bracket.  At times, the matches were pretty intense and the competition fierce, but I was impressed by the level of sportmanship that prevailed before and after matches, and the efforts by all those in attendance to help the even run smoothly.  We brought in pop and pizza for those in attendance, and had prizes for the top 3 finishers.

We are already planning our next event.

Jeff Dunham: Perfectly Unbalanced

Even with the 40 minute wait to leave the parking lot, the show was enjoyable.  I particularly enjoyed the efforts to discuss local matters, such as the legend for the name of Medicine Hat.

Mr and Mrs. T waiting to see Jeff Dunham

~Mr.T