In a state where it’s always a tough time to be a public school teacher, we’re seeing new lows in state revenue, intellectual honesty, and warm fuzzies towards public ed. It matters, and many of the strongest edu-bloggers and reporters in the state are writing and analyzing and challenging and inspiring all over this mess. You should totally go read them (start here or here if you’re not sure where to begin).
But this weekend, in this weekly wrap-up, we’re not worrying about all that – not right this moment. We’re thinking ’bout something else for a bit – something other than news.
This is easily my favorite Blues Brothers tribute video filmed on Greenwood that also features Weird Al alongside Tulsa’s own Hanson shut-up-I-like-them.
Stuff You Shouldn’t Miss From This Past Week…
Learning to Listen – Jennifer Williams, aka JennWillTeach, shares a week-long series of strategies for helping kids worry less about grades and more about – get this – learning and appreciating literature and music and stuff – and they didn’t even have to use their ESA Vouchers to go to a ‘good school’! I love everything about this approach, and I don’t even teach English. You will, too. Love Jenn’s approach on the Twitters at @jennwillteach. #oklaed
Keeping People At The Center – Kris Giere of Involuntary Verbosity puts I Corinthians 13 back on his stairs (metaphorically enough). “What if the point of love is not the emotion itself but the people… the missing connection between us and the best versions of ourselves?” If you don’t love your kids, folks – you’re doing it wrong. Love Kris on the Twitters at @KrisGiere.
Complicated: What Westerns Mean to Me #Western106 – Maha Bali, on Reflecting Allowed, responds to a… it appears there was a… You know what? Never mind why she wrote this. I was entranced. On Western movies and Country music, colonialism and being ‘the other’. And Country music. I wonder if she’ll be my friend? Be entranced by Bali on the Twitters at @Bali_Maha, and wear your boots.
The Art of War, The Art of Judgment – Dan Tricarico, aka The Zen Teacher, shares an experience of which he’s not particularly proud. I don’t know about you, but I often find those much more encouraging than the ones where everything goes the way you’d hoped. He also underestimates how well he handles a situation in which I’d be… less Zen than he. Perhaps I should change my blog title to ‘The Perpetually Spittling Rage Teacher’ – but would that even sell? Follow Dan on the Twitters at @TheZenTeacher.
Excuses, Excuses – L.Z. Marie onLZMarieAuthor.com takes on writers’ excuses for not, well… writing. Thing is, they sound uncomfortably like the excuses my students use, and you use, and, um… I use… to avoid just about anything I know I’ll feel better if I do, but don’t. Plus, she’s just snarky enough to make you like being abused by her. More, L.Z. – scold me harder. Benefit from L.Z.’s abuse on the Twitters at @LZMarieAuthor.
Questions for Educator Consideration – John Bennett, on Considerations (no relation to Rep. John Bennett of the Oklahoma legislature) responds to Seth Godin’s “Ten Questions For Work That Matters.” I love how comfortably Bennett prompts us to think through the important things again – defenses down, minds clear, no need for pithy wordplay or clever snark. I suspect my blood pressure would go down if I worked across the hall from him. Follow Bennett on the Twitters at @jcbjr. (Honorary #oklaed)
Finally, From Just Outside the Edu-Blogs…
A Woman Called Bitter – Maralee Bradley, Her View From Home. “A couple weeks ago I listened to a sermon about Ruth. As part of the backstory the pastor talked about Naomi’s transition to the name Mara and what a miserable name that would be to have. That part of the sermon felt a little personal to me… If you look for the meaning of my name, it is the same – bitter.” This one’s not about the classroom or edu-policy or child development. But read it – I’m positive there’s a reason I couldn’t let it go until I included it here. Follow Bradely on Twitter at @amusingmaralee or on her own blog, A Musing Maralee: Welcome To My Circus.
Go be amazing this week. No weariness, no hesitation, no rational thoughts of giving up and moving on. We are fools whether or not we dance – so we might as well dance.
Yeah, I’m sick of hearing it, too. Let’s just move on.
My time and energy outside of my darlings in my actual classroom have been largely devoted to #OKElections16, and trying to create a resource for those ready to get serious about changing a few things in this state. I’ll spare you my whining, but I confess it’s not nearly as much fun as my typical carrying on. I am, however, committed to do this until November 2016 – not for me, of course… but for THE CHILDREN!
Fortunately for all of us, there’s SO MUCH GREAT EDU-BLOGGING HAPPENING RIGHT NOW! Probably more than you can keep up with on your own, and many by folks MUCH cooler than me.
Here are a few you absolutely shouldn’t miss from the past week or so…
My Daughter Is Not A Widget – Steven Singer on gadflyonthewallblog was not impressed by a recent scolding of public schools by the CEO of ExxonMobil. Singer rejects the suggestion that our children are goods produced only for consumption by a competitive marketplace and the convenience of the powers-that-be. In fact, he takes it rather personally, in one of the best bursts of poignant edu-outrage I’ve ever read. Be poignant and/or outraged with @stevensinger3 on the Twittering.
My Word for 2016 – Rob Miller on A View From the Edge just had to respond to a challenge about ‘one word’ for the coming year. The result contains great perspective, intentional hope, and a mindset many of us could stand to emulate a bit, but don’t tell him I said so – we don’t want to encourage any more positivity than absolutely necessary. Follow @edgeblogger on the Twitters, or you suck. #oklaed
#OneWord: Purpose – Rick Cobb on OKEducationTruths responds to the same challenge with a slightly different approach. I’ll warn you in advance, though, that it’s also pretty positive and inspiring and determined and such, so… be prepared. Follow @OkEducation on the Twitterings, or you double dog suck. #oklaed
Students, Not Standards: Calling for Solidarity in 2016 – P.L. Thomas on The Becoming Radical calls us to help students learn themselves, to find ways to help them fall in love with reading even if it’s different than our reading, and to recommit ourselves to teaching students, not standards. Which, come to think of it, is the title of the piece – so that worked out. Follow @plthomasEdD on the Twitters and stretch your paradigms a bit.
Simple Sabotage (h/t CIA) – Peter Greene at Curmudgucation looks at the recently declassified CIA handbook on sabotage and discovers a guidebook to most #edreform and #eduslation. Who knew? Oh, that’s right – all of US did, but no one wants to believe us that THEY’RE DOING IT ON PURPOSE! Of course you already follow @palan57 on the Twitters, yes?
I haven’t responded myself as of yet, but holy hotkeys – those who have! There’s simply TOO much talent in this state – I feel like a match in the sun warehouse. If I missed anyone’s response to the challenge, let me know – it’s not intentional.
Hope/Despair Challenge – Jennifer Williams, aka @JennWillTeach, on JennWillTeach. Willliams is a kindred spirit, Charter #11FF, and kinda hot when she’s in a snit. I was curious what she’d choose for ‘Hope’. #oklaed
2016: A Real Opportunity – Rick Cobb, aka @OKEducation, on OKEducationTruths. Cobb doesn’t always share my turbid angst, but he’s not far off here – until the ‘Hope’ part, I mean. I’m glad there’s a ‘Hope’ part. #oklaed
#OklaEd Teachers: Reasons for Hope, Reasons for Despair in 2016– Mrs. Waters, aka @watersenglish, on MrsWatersEnglish. “{O}ur leaders… enact legislation and policies that end up damaging the most vulnerable students. On top of that, these leaders project their own flaws onto teachers by accusing them of not caring when we ask for more money or better working conditions.” When you get Mrs. Waters in that kind of lather, you’ve really gone and done the doin’ – she’s normally unflappable! #oklaed
Hope and Despair – John Thompson, aka @DrJohnThompson, guest-blogs on A View From The Edge. Thompson is a veteran educator and writer and sometimes intimidates me a bit, although I’m pretty sure that’s not what he’s going for. He’s just so… legit. #oklaed
Burritos, Boxes, and Buckets – A Discussion of Hope and Despair – You didn’t think we’d let Miller issue the challenge without addressing it himself, did you? OK, he did it without prompting, but I like to pretend I somehow forced the issue. Makes me feel influential and a bit tough-love-ish. #oklaed
I don’t hide my annoyances or despair. If you’ve been reading this blog at all in the past year, you don’t have to guess what puts me over the edge. But I like this challenge because it requires hope as well – intentional, chosen, pursued hope.
Pursue hope this week. As you do, keep in mind – AND I MEAN THIS WITH MANY MEANING MEANS – you’re the hope for many of them. Some know it, most don’t, and it means many different things for many different kids.
But you’re hope for them. Sometimes the only hope. Don’t $#%& it up.
That means different things to different people, but I’m personally quite the fan of New Years – not so much for the ‘Eve’ part, with the late night desperation to stay awake despite those horrible people on TV and awful fake-live bands – but for the ‘New’ part, with the hope and change and trying not to suck quite so much.
Well, that and the sense you’ve survived yet another year of this weird life.
But whatever else 2016 will bring, it means yet another tough year for public education in Oklahoma. Many of our elected leaders openly despise us. A number openly revile book learnin’ in general, while others cater to an ignorant, fearful constituency. Some may be well-intentioned, but lack understanding or political power. I don’t know their hearts (I mean, not ALL of them), but I know the results.
The results suck for #oklaed.
And yet, other than a vigorous sign-carrying from time to time, far too many of us don’t get politically involved. We don’t pay attention to the details of the legislation that affects us or the representatives who – supposedly – represent us in OKC. I get it – it’s time-consuming, confusing, and depressing. We’re busy with our own kids, our own classrooms, our own problems, and that stuff seems so far away. It’s not like we can DO anything about it, right?
But there are something like 45,000 teachers in Oklahoma. Assuming many of us are married, or have adult children, maybe adult siblings in other professions in the state, or even, like, friends – that should mean an easy 100,000+ voters anytime something important is up for consideration. Know how many people voted in the last statewide election? Just a tad over 800,000.
With a little agitating, we can have actual impact on this puppy. You know, for the children. (And for your personal stress levels as well, of course. But mostly for the children.)
With that in mind, I’m compiling this Blue Cereal Guide to Major #OklaEd Issues (seriously, I tried to come up with a catchier title), starting with this post. It will eventually have it’s own page on this site, and will be updated right up until November 8, 2016 with news and commentary related to #OklaEd. I’ll also begin posting Legislator Profiles beginning in January – focusing, of course, on their record in regards to public education.
Should be good times.
Feel free to contribute. If it looks important, and I don’t include it, maybe I just missed it.
#OKElections16 Essentials – If You Haven’t Been Paying Close Attention So Far, That’s OK. You Can Start Here.
You Should Read ALL Of Them, But Posts Marked By *** Are THE Most Essential IMHO.
What a week of joyous blessings in the forms of loved ones and weird dessert options, of hope in a glowing baby and the approach of another reboot. But there’s a hair in the pudding – a big wad of it, actually – as the state announces their tax cuts for the top tiniest sliver, smirking in smug hope that public education in Oklahoma may actually die a final violent death this time. If not, we can always cut revenue again next year – it’s a “tremendous opportunity,” it seems.
So’s cancer, if you frame it correctly. But we don’t work at making it happen.
But first, here are the GOOD things you might have missed in the holiday scramble this past week…
Finding Your Holiday Zen – In case you’re new, you need not be devoutly Zen (or even know entirely what that means) to read and benefit from Dan Tricarico’s wisdom at The Zen Teacher. He’s somehow legit enough to actually help you, but without being annoying the way legit people often are. Follow @thezenteacher on the Twitters, and use one of those gift cards you just received to buy his book. I don’t even like ‘teacher books’, and I LOVE this one.
Amazing Student Candor Increases Learning – Starr Sackstein is more hopeful than I am, more willing to change than I am, and has more patience than I do – for this, I am truly thankful. In this post she reminds us of the power and importance of actual communication and reflection with students. The grades are not the goal. The grades are not the accomplishment. The grades are not the learning. Read her regularly at StarrSackstein.com, and as long as you’re spending those gift cards, she has several titles essential on any teacher shelf. Right now, though, follow @mrssackstein on the Twitters or you can’t possibly do better than a ‘D’.
Lesson Lab: Autopsy of a Photo Blog Project – This is something we should all probably do more of. Peter Anderson at Mr. Anderson Reads & Writes shares two essential teachy-things here: the details of a project he did with his 7th graders, and a thoughtful analysis of how it went – good, bad, uncertain, etc. I know many of you don’t think most of what you do in class is particularly interesting or useful to share, but I can tell you from experience there are many, many teachers out there ready to benefit from your thoughts and explanations of stuff just like this. Plus – and I’m sorry to say it in front of everyone like this – it’s SO good for us to reflect and analyze post-learnifying. Analyze @MrAndersonELA on the Twitters – he’s into that kind of thing.
Unassigned Reading – Sherri Spelic, the much loved and increasingly renowned Edified Listener, shares some simple thoughts on the joys of reading with her child. I know, I know – but it’s thoughtful and insightful and kinda warm and fuzzy and it’s still sort of Christmas so shut up. You want to increase your joy? Follow @edifiedlistener on the Twitters – she’s the real deal.
Rest for the Harvest: A Runner’s Letter to Winter Bodies – OK, yes… TECHNICALLY Christina Torres is writing about marathons and reflecting on the physical and mental preparation and her overall holistic experiences with running. She may or may not intend it as an analogy for anything else. But it is. Besides, there’s never a bad reason to read Torres or to follow @biblio_phile on the Twitters. She’s fairly amazing.
Look for a Special Mid-Week, Nearly New Year’s Blue Serials In A Few Days.
I’ll be compiling the most essential #oklaed and beyond posts about the latest federal and state edu-slation. I’ll also be telling you more about the OK Legislator profiles you’ll see here starting in the new year – what they are, why we’re doing them, and what I hope you’ll do as a result.
Hope is not a feeling. Hope is a choice. We don’t teach because we’ll win, we don’t love because we’ll benefit, and we don’t vote because we’ll get our way. We hope and we insist and we keep our eyes open no matter how much they burn because somebody has to. Because our kids deserve better.
If we’re going down, let’s go down shouting truth and hope and refusing to go gentle into the self-imposed night. In the meantime, I choose to believe.
Well, through a semester, at least. That’s something, right?
I shouldn’t assume that most of us are exhausted, or at least relieved, rather than joyously celebrating another 18 weeks well-taught. But this is a weird gig, folks. The idea that we can cajole kids or teenagers, 30 or so at a time, into learning random stuff they rarely see much point in knowing, and do this more or less alone – every day – once the door is closed… who would expect THAT to work?
Before we spend too much energy lamenting the times it doesn’t, or the kids who won’t, consider what a freakin’ miracle it is that you make it happen AT ALL! It’s really quite impressive.
Imagine flapping your arms wildly, hoping to fly about twenty feet off the ground. You only make it about eight feet, though, occasionally skimming the grass as you swoop wildly around the yard – less than half of what you’d hoped. BUT YOU FLAPPED YOUR ARMS AND FLEW OUT OF SHEER FORCE OF WILL AND A HEALTHY SIDE OF DELUSION! Anyone else would have to count that as a win. (Well, except state legislators who are positive you should be at least a quarter mile above the rooftops because they wrote ALL THE BILLS WITH THE SUCCESS WORDS.)
That’s a little Christmas Miracle you have going all year ’round, my #11FF – even during those few weeks in April when you’re like, ‘screw this’, and those three ‘mental health days’ you took last month. But otherwise – FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP! FLAP!
Oh, And It’s Also Almost Christmas.
For those of you who are into that kind of thing. It’s cool if you’re not – but I’m personally a bit giddy. Consequently, I’m going to focus on the warm fuzzy touchy feely hopey stuff this week – or at least things primarily concerned with teaching, and students, and our various classrooms.
Still, these are tough times in education, especially here in Oklahoma. You should be following and supporting the legit folks fighting for your paychecks, your sense of purpose, and your students’ academic souls – especially OKEducationTruths, A View From the Edge, and Fourth Generation Teacher.
But this week, I’M all about unicorns and rainbows, baby – because IT’S CHRISTMAS!
OK – maybe not ALL unicorns and rainbows. But NOT politics. Not yet.
By Failing Our Students, Are We Failing Our Students?– Maha Bali at Reflecting Allowed wrestles with something very familiar to many of us as we finalize those first semester grades. Yeah, I see the numbers on the screen. Yes, I read their work. I know, I know… if only they’d tried, or listened, or made a little more effort… but… Could I have done something differently? Tried harder to reach THEM? Understood MORE of what they needed? Will this grade teach them an important lesson about responsibility, or…? If you know something of this feeling, you’ll want to bookmark this one. You may not find answers, but I felt better knowing others had the same struggles. And if you don’t know this feeling, read it anyway. Follow @bali_maha on the Twitters and you can wrestle through a variety of deep issues together. She’s amazing.
How & Why We Should Let Our Students Fail – Since we’re on the topic, Jennifer Gonzalez at Cult of Pedagogy has a fascinating review of The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed (Jessica Lahey). I haven’t read the book, so I have no idea what it might be about, but… (That was what we in the blogging business call ‘knee-slapping humor’.) Like only the best reviewers can, Gonzalez gives us a solid stand-alone piece that merely doubles as a book review. On the other hand, I’ll be downloading this title with some of those gift cards I hope to receive soon. So should you. In the meantime, follow Jennifer on the Twitters at @cultofpedagogy for more learnin’ stuff, and while you’re at it check out @jesslahey as well – they’re both practically #11FF if they’d just join the %#$@ contest!
What NOT To Say To Your Music Teacher – Mindy Dennison at This Teacher Sings speaks from personal experience, but I have to think this one resonates with any teacher who has ever taught a so-called “extra-curricular” subject. Turns out they’re not always fighting the tide of disrespect, testing-driven curriculum, and budget cuts just because they’re “lucky.” Maybe they’re fighting for our kids artistic and non-linear souls…? Follow Mindy on the Twitters at @MrsDSings and brush with greatness – she’s kind of a big deal now. #oklaed
Brave Spelling – Dana Murphy at Two Writing Teachers talks about spelling. And learning. And how ‘getting it wrong’ is the worst way to see things. Oh, and these weird little letter robots, too – who knew THAT was a thing? Follow Dana Murphy on the Twitters at @DanaMurphy68 and Two Writing Teachers at @2WritingTeachrs – they’re all hung up on the joys of learning and not very good at crushing hope out of little people. I love that about them.
A Voice – Rebecka Peterson on One Good Thing does that thing she does so well with the thinking and the wondering and the caring and the hope. Much like when I hear a capella live or watch Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog for the eleventeenth time, I don’t get it and I can’t do it, but I’m sure glad others can – and that they’re this good at it. Follow Peterson on the Twitters at @RebeckaMozdeh and sing along with her. Er… metaphorically, I assume. #oklaed
“To The Friend That Once Said, ‘You Need To Be Realistic.'” – This week’s flashback to #amazeballs post (I really need a more consistent name for these) is from Kris Giere at Involuntary Verbosity. It’s a poem, actually – which is what makes this a ‘first ever’, since I don’t really do poems all that often – or share them ever ever ever. But oh my glowing baby in a manger, is this one worth a read or seven hang-it-on-the-wall. It gave me the tinglies – and not the naughty kind, either. Go follow Kris on the Twitters at @KrisGiere, but don’t expect tinglies ALL the time. Mostly he’s just thoughtful and insightful and talks about education and stuff, and makes you feel smarter as a result of his questions and suggestions.
Finally, Giddy Congratulations to #OklaEd Winners of #Eddies15:
OKEducationTruths – First Place, Best Administrator Blog; Second Place, Best Individual Blog
Mrs. Waters English – Second Place, Best EdTech/Resource Blog; Second Place, Best Teacher Blog
It’s an honor to stalk and harrass each of you!
Alright Darlings – regroup and relax, give and receive, sing and watch and eat and play. We have so many miles to go, and so little objectively suggesting we’ll ever arrive.
