Let's Be Real: Who Does Detention Really Punish?

Come on! We all know the answer to the question! Who does detention actually punish? Us, the teachers who are now tied up babysitting that same student who disrupted class. There is no absolutely no point to the traditional method of detention, unless your aim is to scare the student to death by proving how mean you can during your after school bonding time, which if you manage to do also effectively destroys any respect that the student has for you and your working relationship. So why does the institution of detention exist? If one of our goals as educators is to instill a sense of accountability within our students, we need to allow them opportunities to do so! Middle school students often act before thinking, at times, leading to poor decisions. Providing them with some avenue to take a step back, think about what they did, create some type of plan to rectify the problem and brainstorm how they can handle a similar situation differently in the future seems to make more sense to me than the highly held traditional detention process. We all make mistakes, it is how we handle them which measures who we are. Teaching students to take responsibility for their actions and recruiting them to become contributing members of the community seems like a much better use of time than detention.

The Secret to Successful Classroom Management!

As a first year teacher, I was almost convinced that the powers that be had developed a fail proof plan guaranteed to insure that only the strongest individuals would survive their first year of teaching. After all, why invest time and money into an individual unless they possessed the necessary qualities to endure the trials and tribulations of public education! So, after a tireless summer of arranging my classroom so that every detail was as I thought it should be and putting the final touches on my lessons, the students finally arrived! As they entered the room, my thoughts of excitement for the year to come quickly turned to terror as I wondered which federal penitentiary they had just released these students from. Were they seriously asking me to teach these students? Apparently someone forgot to send this group of scholars the memo informing them that they were suppose to quiver in fear at the greatness of my authority. Panic time!

After some soul searching, I came to my senses. After all, the number of renowned professionals in the field of classroom management would help me to solve my problem. In no time at all, these unruly students would be turned into the obedient, knowledge seeking youngsters that I had witnessed in other classrooms. Unfortunately, throughout all of my teacher preparation, the knowledge that was never imparted to me about classroom management was that it has to be your own. No model can completely fulfill your needs. You might take elements of a behavior management program, but you must alter it based on who you are as a teacher and the unique needs of your students. So, although advice and suggestions from those more experienced in the educational field are always helpful, discovering who you are as a teacher and what you value is the most important piece of figuring out the management system which will be successful for you. I highly recommend establishing an environment where you you set high standards, clear expectations and opportunities for students to get to know who you are and what you stand for. Above all else, especially in a middle school setting, a sense of humor is essential! So, sorry new teachers, there is no formula for creating a classroom management system, but the journey will leave you with some great stories!

Tangles

Seriously... barbed wire! At first glance, I was under the impression that Ben Johnson, author of
The Barbed Wire Model of Classroom Management was getting caught up in a literary moment attempting to enthrall the audience with his use of symbolism. By the time that I had finished his article, http://www.edutopia.org/classroom-management-barbed-wire-model, I was declaring the man a genius. His analogy of barbed wire to the struggles with classroom management, which we all face at various moments in time, was a profound reminder that every student and every combination of students is different and need to be treated as their own entity. A "behavior management system" is not something which is meant to be written in black and white, rather a belief system about who students are and how their needs should be addressed. "We constantly have to struggle with overcoming mediocrity (laziness) and getting our students to think and behave in creative ways. Our job is to stay at least one step ahead of the students and to differentiate the curriculum to match their current needs (not wants), because they might change at a moment's notice. Variety is the key." Successful classroom management is not measured by a quiet classroom where all students are busily engaged in a reading or writing task. True classroom management is when a teacher has the vision to engage students in creative, constructive and meaningful exercises in learning and application of that learning. Despite all of our best efforts, there have been and will continue to be instances where we are left scratching our heads as we struggle to find the right mixture of variables which will result in the creation of a successfully functioning learning environment. Johnson's acknowledgement that we will all face our own barbed wire is comforting, reminding us that we are not alone in the trials and tribulations that come with the decision to teach: "We are willing to tackle that barbed wire, knowing that we probably won't come out unscathed. But we are willing to take the risk if it will help our students. So, wear your scars with pride."

What really counts

Winter in Maine is a combination of danger and beauty; a delicate force not to be taken lightly. The indescribable beauty of gently falling flakes can quickly turn into the powerful storm which can wreak havoc. Aware of it or not, teachers have the same power as the winter storm, either providing encouragement and inspiration or contributing to the storm which many students are struggling to weather. Being human ourselves, dealing with our own trials and tribulations, at times it is possible to become entangled in the politics and controversies which are common place in public education. Often it is in the smallest moments, where the students become the teachers, reminding us of what really matters in life. As I stood today, watching my sixth graders roll down the embankment of snow, laughing and having the time of their life, it was a gentle reminder, that they are what really counts. Their simple appreciation for the little things brought a smile to my face, erasing all of the negatives and replacing it with a renewed energy.

Teachers as Learners

I must admit that at times, almost daily, I struggle with balancing the demands of being a mother of three young children, the work load of being a middle school teacher and the devotion of time required to pursue graduate classes. Time is a precious commodity in my life and I definitely get it when teachers say that there isn't just enough time in the day! Prioritizing the laundry list of obligations is a necessity, but teachers, as professionals, have the responsibility to stay updated on the latest research and its' educational applications in the classroom. Staying abreast of developments can not be something which is neglected due to time constraints. With the advent of Web 2.0 obtaining the valuable insight offered by experts in the field is easier than ever. Blogs by experts in various fields, such as technology and differentiated instruction, are accessible within seconds when utilizing an RSS feed. Websites, such as those hosted by the National Middle School Association, MiddleWeb and Edutopia, place a wealth of invaluable resources at the fingertips of educators. We are constantly challenging our students to make growth. Shouldn't we lead by example? Take the time improve yourself as an educator....today!

Agreeing with the "Enemy"

Not often do you find a public school teacher agreeing with an individual who believes that the public education system should be abolished. So although Alvin Toffler could be considered an enemy of the public education system his arguments for the abolition of it do hold merit. When Toffler addresses the inadequacies of the institution of public education, he refers to its' inability to keep pace with the real world. "The schools are changing, if anything, at 10 miles per hour. So, how do you match an economy that requires 100 miles per hour with an institution like public education? A system that changes, if at all, at 10 miles per hour?" This blanket statement could be regarded as a challenge by those of us who do believe that the public education system offers benefits for our students. It is no secret that many schools, filled with innovative and motivated teachers, are afflicted with the disease of laborious change. Public education was built upon the premise that individuals needed to be prepared to fill the ranks of industry. With the evolution of society into the current globally connected world has come the need for change. Students need to be immersed in technology and educated in digital citizenship, collaborating with their global peers, applying their knowledge in real life scenarios such as through participation in service learning, etc. This demanded change, necessary to keep students prepared for the future is often retarded by many variables, including stagnant budgets, bureaucratic red tape, a lack of understanding and resistance to change. Our rigid ties to the "established curriculum" also prevents us from providing an education which is optimal for all students. We all have those students in our classrooms who are bright yet disengaged in the material being taught. Toffler believes that "If you want kids to really learn, they've got to love something. For example, kids may love sports. If I were putting together a school, I might create a course, or a group of courses, on sports. But that would include the business of sports, the culture of sports, the history of sports -- and once you get into the history of sports, you then get into history more broadly." Toffler understands the concept of differentiated instruction, providing students with the motivation to immerse themselves into their education. I do believe that there are basic concepts that students should learn and be able to apply, however shouldn't the end result be the measuring stick, rather than the road that takes the student there? So although I do not agree with all of Toffler's ideas, I do believe that he does paint an accurate picture of some of the problems which we need to address in the public education system. A wake up call for public education! Reshaping Education from the Ground Up by James Daly:
http://www.edutopia.org/future-school

The Lost Children

"I had a tremendous amount of energy and a craving for challenge and stimulation, yet I was forced to try to sit still in a classroom and passively take in information at a slow pace. School was a boring prison for me, and I did what I could to bring excitement into my life in an environment that seemed designed to prevent it." Wow! What a powerful quote! Written by Aaron Iba, co-founder of Etherpad, as presented in The Innovative Educator http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/, this quote, sadly, depicts the situation that countless number of students are submitted to on a daily basis. Able to survive his years of torture in the educational system, Aaron went onto become a successful innovator in the technology industry. Despite this success story, we, as educators, have to ask the question: For each successful Aaron, how many more have we lost due to our inadequacies to meet their needs? In an era of education where we possess the ability to differentiate and utilize technology why are we not doing everything within our power to reach as many students as possible? With all of the demands placed upon teachers, it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of the pressures of state mandates, school initiatives and yes, even politics. Aaron's story should be a reminder of what our true focus is - the children. So, next time that one student is pushing the limts and you're ready to give up, take a deep breath, smile to yourself and think about this.... they may be the next Aaron or they could be a future drop-out. Which do you want?

Some people who know me insist that I have lost my mind. They tend to have this notion that my life is hectic and that I take on too much causing myself stress. Sometimes I agree with them! Balancing a family life which includes three young children who are beginning to become involved in various activities, a teaching career and the "extras" that I have taken on in my role as an eductaor, and attempting to finish up my CAS does have me overextended at times. My personality does not deal well with complacency, therefore I have this expectation that educators should always be attempting to improve their teaching. Hence, I seem to be continually taking classes. When I began my degree in Literacy, my main focus was the incorporation of literacy in content areas.

A few semesters ago, I stumbled onto an elective course whose focus was the use of technology in the classroom. Wow, what an eye opener! My introduction to the world of Web 2.0 left me with a thirst for more knowledge in this area. I will be the first to admit that I am not yet an expert in this area, however I do feel that I am at least competent. In the beginning many of these tools seemed overwhelming to me. For example, setting up an RSS feed! How could any normal person actually manage all of the information coming at them with this device? It did take me some time to be able to adapt to this manner of receiving and sorting through information, but now this has become an indispensable tool, providing me with some of my most useful resources that I have implemented in the classroom. The exclusion of Web 2.0 in some sectors of public education is a mystery to me, as I feel that the benefits far exceeds the issues surrounding their use (i.e safety concerns). Advocating for the inclusion of Web 2.0 in the classroom should be a priority for teachers, who have the ability to make a profound impact on their students.

I have been following blogs by experts in the field , such as Will Richardson's blog on technology http://weblogg-ed.com/ which provide not only great resources, but a great example of the potential power of a blog , however as I enter the world of blogging, my thoughts of how can I do justice to blogging are rampant. My discovery of http://successfulteaching.blogspot.com/ by Pat Hensley has provided me with hope that, with time, my blog will provide insight for others. Her blog is inviting and includes useful resources as well as experiences that she is dealing with as a blogger (see her post on someone else stealing her blog posts and using them as their own). I find myself able to connect with her as an educator who is still close to the trenches that the majority of us find ourselves in. So, now all I have to do if figure out all of the bells and whistles that go along with blogging. I think I am on my way....

Complacency in Education

Merriam-Webster defines complacency as self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies. Public education must be weary of falling into the trap of complacency. Decisions, in regards to the curriculum, including the use of technology, must be made to reflect the need to prepare students for the global world in which we live today. The traditional lecture style of instruction which places emphasis on the memorization of isolated facts and events is no longer an acceptable method. Students need to experience an education which provides for hands-on, exploratory activities, including opportunities for service learning and the creation of global connections, fostered by collaboration with global peers, and the instruction and application of technology. Flexibility and the willingness to stray from the traditional manner of structuring both the school day and the curriculum needs to be considered. Shuffling students from subject to subject may not be the best option as it can lead to the fragmentation of the learning process. Opportunities to integrate subject matter helps to solidify concepts, strengthening the learning experience. This can be accomplished through a variety of means ranging from integrated studies to collaboration among subject area teacher. Change can be difficult, however making the investment into exploring opportunities to improve the education of our future is a worthy cause. Failing to do can only result in the education attainment of students being hindered. As educators we challenge our students to expand their boundaries....we need to do the same. The first step is a willingness to step outside our comfort zone.

To Blog or Not to Blog....

The prevalence of the web in modern society has made it the main vehicle for the sharing of ideas and information. Networking with other professionals in the educational field is one of the most successful ways of obtaining informal professional development. The existence of Web 2.0 has made this endeavor easier than ever to pursue, however fear has limited this opportunity for many in the education field. Many educators are fearful to blog due to possible ramifications on the part of administrators. Freedom of expression, one of the rights accorded by the Constitution, is being curtailed by fear....fear that expressing personal beliefs and opinions will be result in retaliation in the workplace. Educators should have a level of accountability for their actions; blogging about specific individuals in a manner which could be considered slanderous should not be tolerated, however educators should have the peace of mind that expressing their own personal views is a liberty which we all possess. Or at least should...