It's a New Day - Going Back or Moving Forward.

During the past four years I was a principal and in the last year I made the decision to return to the job I love - teaching. I start next week. Many have asked me why I chose to make the change - often times they ask "Why are you going back to teaching? "Going back" is not a good fit. One cannot "go back" to teaching. The teaching profession is one that requires moving forward always. It is precisely the reason why I left the principalship at a school that did not want to move forward. Learning = moving forward. Schools are places of learning. Get out if you don't want to move. Let's do this!

The New Year

It can be overwhelming to think of all the things we want to change or accomplish in the coming year. I am at times paralyzed with indecision and anxiety about the future but then I just do a load of laundry or clean the bathroom and I get a move on. Some goals for the new year: 1) Simplify - throw crap away and take advantage of the cool new mixed recycling bin as much as possible. 2) Spend less and save more. 3) Think of ways to get the politicians in DC to do some actual work and encourage them to do so. 4) Be grateful and calm. 5) Encourage rich people to share their wealth to support the poor and disadvantaged.

Rehabilitating Gratefully

Two years ago I became unexpectedly ill and was in the hospital for two weeks - with a colon surgery in the middle of it. After surgery, etc., it took me a few weeks to get back to 100%. That was a time of much contemplation about life and priorities and family and friends. I think back on that time and tears come to my eyes when I think about all of the people who prayed and cared for me. From siblings to complete strangers, I felt the love and support of so many. Two weeks I ago I chose to have both of my knees replaced. Now I am at home recovering and it reminds me of that time two years ago. My friends and family are here with me, checking in, cracking jokes, taking me for walks, complimenting me on my progress, listening to me learn and play the ukulele and loving me up. I have had a couple of rough days when I get impatient because I can't walk or lift my legs on my own. I have pain that cuts through almost anything I try to do to distract myself from it. And I cry. But every day gets better and I have to remind myself that I chose this. In the end, my knees will be better than they were before, right? Better, stronger, faster..... When I am in those darkest depths I remember how lucky I am to have so many people who care about me and to have such a wonderful and full life. I will walk again soon, and I'll be able to lift my legs on my own and bend them to over 90 degrees. It will all come. In the meantime, thank you Dad, for putting in a railing on my back steps and replacing the railing to the basement. Thank you Lucas, for adding the granny bars to my toilet and bathtub. Thank you Diane, for lending me your walker. Thank you Pam for the flowers, books, magazines, and gab fest when you have your own pain. Thank you Margaret and Mary for walking and talking with me. Thank you John and Mary for waking up in the middle of the night to a tearful mom and helping me get to the bathroom. Thank you Greg for the ukulele and to Shawn for the song book and the sage advice. Thank you Kathy for the delicious veggie treats and for organizing my meals for the coming weeks. Thank you all.

Truth

People say they believe in equity. They want to make a difference. Drop off food at the food shelf. Give five bucks to the guy with the sign by the freeway. We have schools with 100% brown poor kids. Not okay. It's not fixed by the white schools with 20% brown and poor. That's not equity. Is anyone listening?

Spring

Walking around the neighborhood lake with Dad I spotted some ducks and knew that my son could name them immediately. Great Egret, Ruddy Duck, Common Merganser, Bufflehead. It's unusual to see these birds on a small pond next to the freeway and I know it is just a stopping place. My son knows the ducks from pouring over books in his youth, now I just type in Minneapolis ducks with white head in Minnesota and I get the list. He came over and confirmed I got most of them right. I'm hoping he'll walk around the lake with me soon to identify the birds and chat with his dear old mom.

Life is good in the city - I have to keep looking for the ducks and finding the beauty in the talking and walking.

NOT Rocket Science

One of the things I love about education is the challenge of it. Since my first year of teaching 11 years ago, I remember reading and talking and asking lots of questions trying to find that elusive magic bullet. What is it that we can do to eliminate the achievement gap? It turns out it isn't that complicated. Here's the secret: do whatever it takes to make sure every student learns, every single day. If they don't, then re-teach in a different way and assess again.

Roland Fryer and Geoffrey Canada talk about this issue. Check it out:

www.aifestival.org/session/afternoon-conversation-geoffrey-canada-and-roland-fryer-jr

There are five things we can do to eliminate the achievement gap*:

1) More time in school.

2) Teacher quality

3) Using data to drive instruction – every 3 weeks, re-teach, re-assess, make sure kids get mastery

4) Differentiating instruction

5) Culture, expectations, accountability

(*research based data shows these five things are correlated with significantly reducing the achievement gap).

Now, if only we could get teachers on board with this....

Changing School Culture

Thanks to a colleague, I'm reading a great book about changing school culture. I've wondered how to go about changing mindsets so that everyone has the "do whatever it takes" attitude when it comes to student achievement. The strange thing is that many teachers will say that they are doing all they can, that they can't do anymore. We have to keep going until all students achieve. The very idea that one can do this job in 7.75 hours is ridiculous and unprofessional yet our profession is part of a union that fights for the right to arrive at work at 7:00 and leave promptly at 2:45. If we are to make real changes for our students, we cannot adhere to that schedule. Imagine a surgeon who had a particularly difficult operation. What if his hours were up in the midst of surgery? Would he leave the patient on the table? Never. But that's what some teachers are fighting for. I'm not into teacher bashing because it gets us no where. It's time for solutions. Time to use the union to move our profession forward instead of backward. Rather than clinging to some crazy schedule or structures that support weak teachers, why not work to increase our pay and require more education for teacher licensing? Why not work toward a longer school day and paying teachers more who choose to work in high poverty schools? Why be so defensive?