Wednesday, September 28, 2022

How One Book Can Spark Inquiry And Start A Learning Journey 9.27.2022

 Isn’t it funny how one article, one book, one photo can be enough to spark inquiry and lead learning down a new path.  As an educator, you never know when that spark will happen, so it is important to weave in opportunities for students to take those learning journeys and encounter those things that can spark inquiry! That’s hard when you see learning gaps that need to be narrowed, and unit plans that fit edge to edge within a school year.  One strategy for finding that balance is to encourage students to create learning walls (or jamboards, whiteboard, journals, google slides) as a way to share their own inquiry learning with each other, and make connections to the core content and skills they are working on in the classroom.  Add questions, examples, and artifacts to the learning wall. Find common interests. Use the content on the learning wall as the starting point to build authentic tasks, grow vocabulary, and find real world applications.  


This strategy works for adults too.  As a team, respect individual interests, encourage team members to follow through on sparks of inquiry and find space for the members of a team to share that learning with each other, connecting it back to the goals of the team.  As a leader, look for patterns and connections across the team or teams that can strengthen the work of the whole.  It’s this diversity of interests and knowledge that lead to the ability to collectively solve problems and move work forward.  Library media specialists are partners on these learning journeys.  They have access to the articles, books, websites, digital media, artifacts and research tools that can enhance the core materials in classrooms.  Because they work across classrooms, buildings and districts, they see opportunities for making connections.   


So back to that one book.  I just finished reading The Rose Code about women codebreakers in London during WWII. I read more about them, then watched the PBS American Experience Codebreaker episode about Elizebeth Friedman and her work with the Coast Guard and the US Navy.  Because I am always looking for connections back to core learning, codebreaking has so many ties to STEM, history, and ELA skills.  What has sparked your own inquiry recently? Don’t let that spark go out.  Continuing your own inquiry will help safeguard you from burnout and hopefully bring joy to your life. 


 

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Wednesday, September 21, 2022

How We Can Learn Lessons In Leadership From Queen Elizabeth 9.20.2022

The power of an effective leader was certainly on display this week.  One article I read today said that more than 60% of the world’s population is estimated to have watched or listened to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth.  People queued for 12 or more hours just to walk past her coffin.  Leaders from across the world arrived in London to attend the state funeral.  What can we learn from her? 


First, step up and bring your all to the work you are leading. She understood the expectations for her role and worked within those expectations to build a bridge between tradition and change.  What feedback on how to shape a vision or navigate change can we give to young leaders? 


Second, look for opportunities to use your influence for the greater good.  She was a Girl Guide at age 11 and continued to serve as a patron throughout her life.  She understood the importance of providing girls with experiences to be out in nature, accomplish goals, and work through challenges as a team.  As adult leaders, are we intentionally creating opportunities for our students of all ages to lead around their own interests and passions? How do we build partnerships with community organizations like Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Kiwanis Key Clubs that can lead to mentorships and new opportunities to lead for our students? Do we search out our own opportunities to lead work that we are passionate about?


Third, be present. Interview after interview, people shared that the Queen listened. The Queen asked questions. The Queen made them feel comfortable. How do we help young leaders see the importance of building relationships?  What are the “moves” a skilled leader makes to make those around them feel valued or heard? We need to model these moves, and call them out when we see students using them so they can then begin to develop these necessary skills.  Students need regular opportunities to practice these moves. This is very different from typical group work or class discussion. 


Fourth, know your own strengths and blind spots. The Queen was confident. She certainly wasn’t going to lose her position as Queen.  That being said, she also built a vast network of individuals from many walks of life who had skills, knowledge or perspectives that she was able to tap into. She just as easily could have surrounded herself with courtiers who only agreed with her.   What opportunities do we give our students to reflect on their strengths as leaders, then network with others who can help them accomplish their goals?  How do we directly teach networking as a skill? What are you doing to expand your own network?  


Finally, be true to who you are.  Helping students see the power in authenticity may be one of the most important leadership lessons we can model for them.  


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Monday, September 19, 2022

How Can We Learn Lessons From Monarchs 9.13.2022

Monarchs have been in the news the past few weeks. Thousands of monarchs are migrating from Canada to Mexico.  Ohio is along their migration route and this past Thursday I was so fortunate to see hundreds of them in a pollinator meadow not too far from the Lake Erie shoreline. (Click HERE and HERE to see them)  These special monarchs are part of the 4th generation for this season and have a lifespan of up to 9 months, allowing them to make the 3000 mile journey. Most of you are at least 2 weeks into the school year.  There is a long journey ahead of you and your students, and just like the journey these monarchs are facing, you are going to need some rest and refueling stops along the way.  Being intentional about mapping out these roosting spots will not just benefit you. It will benefit your students, your colleagues, and your family.  Just like the pollinator meadow that was planted in the early spring and attracts bees, grasshoppers, crickets, more than one type of butterfly…and people, you have to plan ahead so that the stopping points will be ready when you and your students get there. 


For yourself, put non-negotiable holds on your calendar to leave time to do the things you love - reading, biking, baking, playing a sport, and playing music along with time to just be quiet with yourself and let your mind roam.  I noticed the butterflies spent time on each flower before flying off to the next one.  If you are feeling like you haven’t even had time to eat or take a bathroom break, you need to pause and recharge.  It is time to just be still.  Students need this too. Research has demonstrated that “down time”, literally letting your brain wander, actually helps your brain learn and solve problems.  Reflect on where you can  build reflection points and quiet time into your lesson planning.  When can you take advantage of a service learning opportunity or integrated unit and co-plan with a colleague, allowing your students to stretch their thinking across multiple areas and apply what they have learned before moving on.? What topics or skills during the year are traditionally more challenging for students? What checkpoints can you build into your lesson planning that will give them additional scaffolding or engage their prior learning around those times?   And, have you set a realistic timeline for the learning? It takes the monarchs up to 2 months to travel 3000 miles, going 50-100 miles a day.  


Monarchs often wait for the right winds, and the warmer mid-day sun to travel. If the conditions aren’t right, they will roost by the hundreds in trees, waiting.  What time of the day or the week is the best time to introduce new learning? Do you collaborate with colleagues to be sure that important projects and tasks are staggered and don’t all fall on the same day?  What do your students start to look like/sound like when they aren’t ready for the next step in the journey? Are you intentionally watching for these signs?  The migration of the monarchs happens every year about the same time as the first weeks of school.  As I watch them flying onshore after crossing Lake Erie, I am always so impressed with how strong they are and find a lot of joy in watching them gliding along on a favorable wind. There is joy in watching students learn each year.  Remember, you are strong too - and I know you have the skills you need to make this year’s learning journey a successful one. 


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