Diversity (and Change…)

After what seems like back to back triathlons the school year is over and I am halfway into another teacher summer. Long evenings, slow mornings, time to reflect and time to prepare… it’s a wonderful thing…

Over the last five years, as I have worked school wide as a Learning Resource teacher, I have had the opportunity each spring to collaborate with our kindergarten teacher when she assesses the incoming classes. This year the amazing group of children was as diverse as always, which prompted a lot of discussion about growth and diversity in general. 

“We must all know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their colour.”

(Maya Angelou)

No matter what their colour, length, thickness, texture, flexibility or durability, all threads in the tapestry are essential to the composition. 

Having begun my teaching career in Kindergarten twenty years ago this fall, I was quickly schooled in the diversity of little people.  When I moved into Grade One several years later and developed my skills as a literacy coach I expected and supported diversity without question – every first grade teacher knows the spectrum of learners can run from emergent to advanced readers, and teaching to that diversity is part of the job. 

Something I have discovered over time, however, is that the diversity in learners, skills and understanding is part of the package at every age and grade. Often I have heard teachers say “well, it all evens out by a certain grade…” or “kids need to be at this level…”  How impossible are those statements? Every child is starting from a unique place on the learning continuum, and every child is moving at a unique pace, so expecting a diverse group of learners to be the same in any way at any time is unreasonable and, really, unfair. 

“Fairness doesn’t mean everyone gets the same thing. Fairness means everyone gets what they need. “

(Richard D. Lavoie, M.A., M.Ed.)

My conversation about the kindergarten students was eye opening in the way that every day epiphanies can be: we realized in that moment that these diverse students are products of diverse parents in diverse homes from diverse backgrounds in diverse circumstances… and that they will follow their own diverse path to learning and adulthood every step along the way. Will they all “even out”? Of course not. Just look around you at the people you know – some are readers, some are gardeners, some are hopeless with numbers. We are as diverse in our understanding and ability in adulthood as ever. Maybe more so. But most of us have learned some hard lessons along the way: about the “social fake”, about finding relatable peers, about sticking with “our own”, or with what we know. We choose situations, jobs and friendships that support our abilities and interests. We may not do it consciously, but we settle into our diversity. And sometimes we do it at the cost of accepting the diversity of others…

How amazing could it be, how much frustration would be avoided, if teachers and parents and students understand and embrace diversity in learners at every age and stage of the learning continuum?  If children are encouraged to discover and develop their own strengths at an early age, if they are supported in understanding and working with their unique challenges at every level, if they are taught to accept the strengths and challenges of others with empathy and acceptance, what would it look like? 

Time for a change. After twenty years of working with young children and most recently in special education I am moving back into a classroom: Grade 5!  I am excited about the opportunity now, more than ever, because the chance to use my experience in literacy development and differentiated learning aligns so well with the redesigned curriculum here in BC – teaching to diversity is at the very heart of it.  

I will still be around here with personal posts now and then but, if you are interested in sharing the teaching journey with me, I invite you to join me on Mrs. Martini’s Grade 5 Jive for classroom learning adventures – I hope you do! If you have thoughts about teaching to diverse children, please share. The only way to move forward is to have all our voices, talents and abilities add to that rich tapestry…

(Amazing art by Grade 6 students…)

Old And New…

Some time ago I had a last minute idea that involved students making art to decorate the gym for a concert.  Last minute ideas often end up being executed with last minute supplies, and this one stayed true to that rule…

  

I rummaged through the art room cupboards to find, in a dark dusty corner, some old forgotten rolls of mismatched wallpaper samples, ends of gift wrap rolls and some odd shaped scraps no one else could find a use for. What could they become?
  

I had two weeks and over 100 students (ages 6-10) to work with.  Some of them were eager to be artists, and others came at the process with great reluctance. What, and how, could we create?

  

In the end I chose a different theme for each grade, gave them basic instructions for shapes, and let them create their pieces using the materials at hand. 

 

The end results were as creative and diverse as the students themselves. No two were alike, even with the simple repeated constructs, and every  picture captured the personality of the artist. Amazing. 

  

  
None of these materials you see was originally intended for the purpose of “art”. They had all been relegated to the back of the closet as relics of another time, unable to fulfill their design destiny (brown floral wallpaper anyone?), but with a little bit of imagination and the right tools they became not just one but many new things…
       

  

Going in to this activity we didn’t have a picture of what our efforts would produce, but we had curiosity and enthusiasm for sure. The “doing” part was messy. The “engagement” part was awesome. And the end results were as unique as the sticky fingerprints all over my resource room floor. Hmmm. 

  
  

Thinking about the explore-connect-create process in this context reminds me of an artist’s quote that caught my attention at the Vancouver Art Gallery this past summer: 

“The possible does not have to be justified by the known.” (Wolfgang Paalen)

In other words, we might not know where we are going. In fact, we probably don’t. But that shouldn’t stop us from exploring and doing as we discover what possibilities await…

  

  

Looking back at these pictures of the creative and highly individual found-art project, I am seeing them with the eyes of an “old” teacher exploring the “new” curriculum. For me they make an interesting metaphor: familiar materials, imagination, open ended exploration and guided structure to create something new and ultimately more personal. Is that kind of what it looks like to you?

  

  

The teachers here in BC are well into the implementation of the “new” curriculum by now, but we are still really only at the beginning of understanding the shift in thinking, teaching and learning that is required of us as we move towards discoveries in a world that is evolving faster every day. It feels unsettling, to be sure, but we shouldn’t forget that we already have many of the essential tools in our supply cupboard…

    

  

Watching children create is the thing that inspires me most as a teacher. It reminds me of the passion and enthusiasm that set me on this path to a life in education so many years ago. It encourages me, especially on the difficult days, to remember what is really essential in education. 

  

  

Curiosity, creativity, opportunity, affiliation… 

These things we must have, regardless of what the current theme of the curriculum may be. If children love learning and playing and making – if they have the opportunity and the encouragement and the guidance – then they have everything they need to do great things. 
  

Wherever you are, I hope these things are part of your daily life too…

“To see a World in a grain of sand, And Heaven in a wild flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand, And Eternity in an hour.…”

(William Blake, from Auguries of Innocence)

Pop! Bang! (Back to School…)

It may be hard to believe but we are back to school already. Summers seem to come and go faster and faster every year, possibly in direct proportion to my excitement and anticipation, or maybe in relation to the lengthy list of chores I hope to accomplish…

This summer was a particularly fast one, with a dismal start (cold, cold rainy days at the outdoor pool) a disorganized middle (were we coming? going? camping? renovating? moving?!) and a then fast finish so frantic that here we are again, in September.  Boom. 

  

Back to school is a time that creates mixed feelings in many people. It’s exciting to reconnect with the friends and colleagues we haven’t seen all summer, and it’s fun to get all new school things (crisp unbroken crayons, shiny sharp pencils, clean white erasers and piles of notebooks – Miss G. is a connoisseur…) but the older I get and the longer I teach the more I become aware of the challenges involved too. 

  

For many children (teachers, parents…) the adrenaline and anxiety wrapped up in anticipation of a new school year add a lot of pressure onto what can already be an emotional time. Sleep schedules are shifting – some people can’t get enough sleep to get through the day, and some can’t stop sleeping in time to adjust to new schedules.  Eating habits are hard to get back into (only eating at the breaks?!) and that’s all before thinking about homework or practice schedules… Full stop to full blast in what feels like an instant…
  

Emotions are close to the surface, which makes new routines and responsibilities even more challenging.  Many who normally have no problems with the expectations of daily life are stretched by new environments, new colleagues, new classmates, new programs… What might have been manageable in ideal circumstances now seems just a little bit scary. 

 

Sometimes the adrenaline and anticipation that get us through those first few days vanishes under a pile of books and assignments, draining the reserves of summer quicker than we thought possible, leaving us feeling more than a little bit flat…

 

In these opening moments give yourself creative license to get through the stops and starts of a new season.  Notice the people around you – especially the outliers and the quiet ones – who need just a little more empathy than usual…

“Empathy is strength, and an asset towards surviving and thriving in any environment. It promotes genuine curiosity about others, which facilitates a desire to teach and learn.” (Ugo Uche)

(Art by Gr.5 students…)

Mixed Colours (Mixed Emotions…)

September can be complicated.

The changing of seasons from summer to the earliest days of fall is exciting for all the colours, flavours and adventures there are in store for us, but some changes are less exciting and more worrisome… During all of our “back to school” preparations this year I was more and more aware of  the challenges the season brings.

My oldest child made a big leap into the “intermediate” grades this year – teachers often say that it is the transition from the “learning to read” years into the “reading to learn” years – she will now begin to build the bank of information and knowledge that she needs to develop her own understanding of the world around her.  As a teacher, I am excited for her growth and learning.  As a parent I am terrified at the anxiety and emotion she is carrying with her into her new classroom.  The last weeks of summer vacation were marked by regular moments of reassurance as she worked to prepare herself for the unknown…  How many other little people are carrying that same mix of apprehension and excitement into the school year?

This is her self-portrait on the eve of back to school:

 I see how beautiful she is in this picture, but I see the reservations she has as well – she has captured the feeling of cautious optimism perfectly…  She is worried that she isn’t smart enough or fast enough for the demands of fourth grade… Her amazing talents are overshadowed by her own self-doubt.

My youngest child will be attending “real school” this year too – another milestone moment.  He is excited about playing with his friends and seeing his big sister on the playground, but less thrilled about getting out of his warm bed every single day and getting into his school uniform again…

Instead of drawing himself he drew a picture of his mama and dada to keep with him.  I think it’s a good likeness:

He has captured my mixed emotions about the “back to school” season…

I am looking forward to seeing my friends, colleagues and students, but at the same time I am feeling overwhelmed by the challenges that lay ahead.  I am excited to take on new projects, but sad to leave the long days of summer behind…  Mixed emotions. Double dip feelings.

  How many children and families are feeling the same way?  In our hurry to get back to school and work, how many children are feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of production, performance, perfection that school creates?   In this whirlwind of mixed emotions I am making an extra effort to see the colours of the season.  I am making the effort to see the great promise in the children who are showing up at school every day in spite of the anxiety and adversity in they might feel.  I am trying to let go of the apprehension I have about sending my own children off to school on their own to learn and grow without my constant supervision and support…  In a month or two we will hardly remember these early days of fragile confidence and nervousness.  I know that my little people are in good hands, just as I know that I will do my best for the students who come for help at my own classroom door.  But this season of mixed emotions reminds me, more than ever, to have empathy for the families who are struggling to get all the “pieces in their places” as the “new year” takes its’ shape with all the colours of the season…

“I have always had school sickness, as others have seasickness. I cried when it was time to go back to school long after I was old enough to be ashamed of such behavior.” (Jacques Derrida)

The (School) Year in Review…

Today is the first official day of summer vacation. As is our tradition, we started our morning at the pool, which is helping with the melancholy mood my children are feeling after closing the door on school for the year…

It is a testament to their teachers over the last ten months that they are so sad about moving on. Even with the prospect of family field trips and free time my little people are finding it hard to let go!

In celebration of all those months of learning we have combed through the school scrapbooks many times.  These are some of our favourite moments…

   

                 

   

               

“Aaah, summer – that long anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility and rife with possibility. It’s a time to hunt for insects, master handstands, practice swimming strokes, conquer trees, explore nooks and crannies, and make new friends.” (Darell Hammond)

Earth Month…

These pictures have been hanging in our primary hallway for a week or two… Every time I have walked past I have enjoyed their bright colours but I didn’t stop to look closely at them until I was passing by with one of our kindergarten students. “Why are those pictures in jail?” he asked me. Why indeed? It occurred to me then that the world we love is in fact “in jail”, and our use/abuse of it doesn’t show signs of easing any time soon. 

How can we be holding our planet hostage while holding our own extravagant desires in such high regard?  Our picture of the world around us is fragmented by the constant strain we put on it… no wonder we can’t see clearly.

          

Each one of these picture shows an idyllic landscape, but reminds us that the both the earth and our visions of it are seriously distorted…

      

Last week Miss G. came home from school with a large, blank piece of paper and a mission. As it is earth month, her school was having an environmental poster challenge; make a poster to convey a message using recycled and recyclable materials… She was inspired…

Here in the Pacific Northwest our daily lives are closely connected to the ocean… it was the perfect candidate for some environmental research…

  

  

  

The ocean makes up 70% of our planet and currently contains enough plastic garbage to stack to the moon and back twice. Find out more here and here…

  

 

 

 

 

#edcamp35

I just spent a gorgeous sunny Saturday with 200 other passionate people talking about and celebrating education – thank you edcamp for inspiring me (again!) to be a learner as much as a teacher on this journey…

The best part of edcamp is the people – many ages, many levels of connection to education, and many many diverse talents. It is a fantastic opportunity for inspiration, connection and collaboration. It is the reason I became a teacher – to be passionate in a community of people who share that same enthusiasm for life and learning…

Today’s story in pictures:

  

                

 

Questions!  I don’t have answers for them all, but I don’t think the point is the answers. I think the point is the conversations. That is the power of edcamp for me – so many people are having conversations about teaching and learning. Awesome.

 

We teach kids. And in the process, we learn. A lot.

I’m still processing the many thoughts and ideas that filtered through my day and, just like at my last edcamp experience, I’m amazed and encouraged by the ways the different ideas are in sync – it makes me feel like we are moving in the right direction. I think the most important thing is to keep having the conversation. It is the most important one we could have, and I look forward to sharing more thoughts here as we continue making connections together.

 

Creative Construction…

Two weeks ago I spent a Saturday at my first Edcamp (#edcampdelta – awesome!) where the discussions kept returning to similar concepts: child centred, problem based, inquiry based, play based, hands on, maker movement learning.  All of these terms, as one participant noted, are reiterations of the same basic idea: let kids play.  Let them play.  Give them some tools and some materials and some ideas or questions and let them come up with their own curriculum…   Is this new?

This afternoon I sat in a staff meeting with a group of adults contemplating whether we could handle the concept of play and whether or not our students could handle just one afternoon (two hours!) of unstructured unplugged free play.  Two hours!  Is this really happening?!  Have we gone so far astray that children are completely unable to play?  Stay tuned – we voted in favour of trying it out.  Next week, on Global School Play Day, we will find out if it is in fact possible for kids to learn through unstructured play.  Can’t wait!

In the meantime, I have some photos for you from some unstructured Lego based play at our house – otherwise known as everyday!  (Except for the days that Mr. Martini threatens to give all the Lego away to more deserving children unless our own children clean up enough to ensure a clear pathway from door to bed and back…)  You can never have too much lego… it is the ultimate “every”toy…  G.Jr. is the biggest fan – he is the king of creativity in the playroom these days.  Each custom built lego wonder has it’s very own purpose and a story to tell as well…

(This is, of course, a hat shop.  We have our priorities – everyone needs to have a place to buy quality accessories…)

It may not look like much, but when you are four it is an entire universe.  I hope you get a chance today to let your kids play – you never know where it will take them!

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning.  But for children, play is serious learning.  Play is the work of childhood.”  (Mr. Rogers)

Winter Wonder…

This time of year can be rough.  Houses in our neighbourhood are taking down their cheerful lights one by one, and soon we will be the only family left with “Christmas” lights to brighten the dark evenings; it’s getting a little bit grey and we are getting a little bit rough around the edges.  Sometimes finding the joy in daily life can be hard.

To combat the greyness, and in response to what seems to be happening everywhere else in the country, my children are wishing and praying for snow.  They are hoping that the white flakes will  brighten the grey days that stretch out ahead from now to valentine’s day, and create a fun diversion to avoid school, work and the world in general with a snow day or two…

Unfortunately for them, (unlike Mimi!), we live in a beautiful green part of the world that very seldom sees much snow.  Instead we find ourselves wishing for the winter that so many others are wishing away… isn’t it ironic?  We had a light dusting just to tease us, way back in November, but the closest we get these days is frost on the car windows when we leave for school in the mornings…

In grand celebration of wishful winter, the west coast kids in our school have filled the walls and halls with their tribute to snow and winter wonder.  For now, this is the best we can do.

The littlest in our four year old preschool have filled their classroom with snow people…

…and the fantastic preschool teachers have (yet again!) built a virtual igloo for their discovery and play…

…with real lights and stuffed penguins inside – it is the best!

Our first grade class is also dreaming of snow…

“Announced by all the trumpets of the sky, arrives the snow.”

(Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The Snowstorm”)

…and writing about it too…

The second grade class built their snowy dreams in snow globes…

“It was snowing lightly, the first snowfall of the season.  The flakes looked like powdered diamonds.”

(Carolyn S. Steele)

…and the third grade class looked through wishful winter windows…

…but the most snow of all is sprinkled around our fifth grade room where they have been writing about snow…

…and drawing it too…

…these snowpeople are as colourful and unique as the amazing children who made them with such great care.

Even our house has a snowperson or two… one painted by a much loved niece a few years ago, and three snow people sculpted by Miss G. at clay class when she was only 6…

So we sit and wait and watch the sky for signs of snow… no flakes yet…

“The silent snow possessed the earth…”

(Alfred Lord Tennyson)

Playing to Learn…

Due to unsettled weather we postponed our family field trip planned for today – instead my children were left to their own devices and invented a game to play…

This play, in my mind, is the best part of summer… real creativity is always born out of moments of open mind – otherwise known as boredom…

My little ones started off designing and drawing donuts, cookies and bakery treats. In an effort to include their tired Mama (who was attempting to read a novel, it’s summer!) they started assembling baked goods for “sale” and designing their own paper money…

An afternoon of busy planning led to a full fledged bakery…

This kind of play has so many benefits – my children were completely engaged for hours and worked together to build their business. There were store signs, logos, staff uniforms, ad campaigns…best of all my youngest child was using math!. With paper “money” in denominations of 10$, 20$ and 100$ (who couldn’t spend that much in a good bakery?) we worked to buy items and make change… How much is 10$? What is half of that? How do you make change for your “customers”? This is absolutely the best kind of learning- it is so intrinsic to the play it happens accidentally…

We hope your summer has been filled – so far – with the joy of play, discovery and learning by default. Isn’t that just the best way? What should we play tomorrow?