To help encourage conversations and dialogue about reflection and the process of improving and learning, our question of the week is: What helps you to improve and learn? Reflecting, Improving, and Learning (Week of 1/24/21) (This is an anonymous Google Form)
Blake's Guiding Lights
Our Students
Blake's Core Values: Respect, Responsibility, Resourcefulness, Reflection
Our Essential Question: How can we cultivate and curate the progression of student learning and growth?
Our Mission: Blake Middle School believes in a living mission statement, based on the concept that our community seeks and respects knowledge, integrity, character, wisdom, and the willingness to adapt to a continually evolving world.
The most important attitude that can be formed is that of desire to go on learning. - John Dewey
You cannot teach today the same way you did yesterday to prepare students for tomorrow. - John Dewey
I hope that everyone found some time this weekend for yourselves. I certainly found myself pretty tired Friday evening - not necessarily exhausted - almost a ‘good tired’, if that makes sense. So much change has been taking place as of late - both at Blake with the change in our structure as well as on the national level - that down time is of the essence. The colder weather this weekend certainly had the effect of wanting to curl up by a fire for a book, cup of tea, or a nap! Although putting that relaxation into action (is that an oxymoron?) is a challenge for me, it is definitely one that I am continuing to pursue.
Taking these thoughts and reflections into a productive mode (beyond just the nostalgic mode that I thoroughly enjoy), I am encouraged by the optimism I feel for the learning, opportunities, and growth that lie ahead for our students, school, and community. We (students, staff, and families) have learned a great deal and it will be important that we, in the educational realm, do not ‘sleep through this wake-up call’ (to quote a dear friend) and make concerted steps to make necessary changes for our students - some that have been ‘a long time coming’ (if you have not seen or heard about the changes in CA, this is worth the read - University of California Will End Use of SAT and ACT in Admissions).
We are seeing more changes like this taking place, as evidenced by the recent decision by the College Board (College Board will no longer offer SAT's optional essay and subject tests) - this speaks to much of what we have talked about learning, equity, and the ways in which we assess learning. Although some of these changes have been, in my opinion, a long time coming, I am glad to see them taking place on a larger scale. It gives me hope. Taking and making time to reflect upon the needs of our students and aligning our practices with our mission and core values will help us to ‘capture the learning of the past year’ to help imagine, re-imagine, and realize the systems in the service of our students.
In an effort to continue the practice of intentional and collective reflection with both staff and families (and, in turn, with the hopes of impacting all of our learners), this week I am sharing three posts as examples of reflection leading to action - action that is rooted in an inherent need to improve - along with a sampling of responses from our question of the week (seeing references to our Start With Hello assembly this past week)...
Our Unpleasant Truths: Where Have They Delivered Us? — Part I | Will Richardson
by Will Richardson (@willrich45) in IntrepidEdNews
As I have shared many times, Richardson is a ‘must follow’ - challenging the norm with a clear focus on all learners. The structure of his reflection is an excellent ‘mirror moment’ - pushing us to address our ‘unpleasant truths’ with an eye towards action.
Regardless of your political persuasion, the color of your skin, your age, or where you happen to be living, life is appreciably different at the start of 2021 from just a year ago. One of my new favorite writers, Scott Galloway (and others), is arguing that while the calendar ticked off one year in 2020, changes that were just starting to make inroads into our lives accelerated the equivalent of five or maybe even 10 years last year.
Schools of all stripes will not escape their own reckoning at this moment. Under siege are time worn narratives and mental models of what an education is, how we acquire it, and what value it holds longer term. Like so many other institutions, we find ourselves in the angsty in-between as our old stories fade and we begin, perhaps because of the events of last year, to write new stories for a much more uncertain future.
And at the heart is the difficult and daunting question: To what extent have the practices and systems we’ve been living in schools contributed to the fraught moment we all now find ourselves in? A truthful interrogation of that question leads to some uncomfortable answers. It’s hard to explain away the inequity, the inertia, and the growing irrelevance of the school experience today. These and other “unpleasant truths” as I’ve been calling them have been festering just below the surface for decades. But 2020 uncovered them all. And our moment of reckoning has arrived.
Despite all of the ambiguity of this moment, what is absolutely clear is that despite a strong urge to do so, there is no going “back to normal” for any of us, for in so many ways, “normal” wasn’t that great to begin with. Instead, we are entering an age of “no-normal” in which the world will be continually buffeted by challenges and change. We will need a new approach.
That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t hold out hope, or that there won’t be new, powerful opportunities to pursue. Restorative justice activist and educator Mariame Kaba famously said, “Hope is a discipline,” calling for a commitment to the future that must manifest as action. Amidst such hope, this is no time to give it up. But we who care deeply about children and learning are going to have to get our own school house in order if we’re to fully take advantage of the opportunities ahead.
5 Practices to Reimagine Education in 2021 and Beyond
by Katie Martin (@katiemrtinedu)
This post by Martin offers the perspective of the Beginner’s Mindset, rather than the perspective of an ‘expert’ - As Shunryu Suzuki says in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.” Martin shares 5 questions to help us reimagine education as we take into account our learning over the last year and look forward to benefit all learners.
Learning is hard. It takes time, it’s uncomfortable, it’s not always clar what the best path forward is. And when we’re in the middle, it can feel like we are failing. And sometimes we do, but that is part of the process. As you experience that breakthrough or the success that you have been working so hard for, the struggle and challenges that you faced become part of the journey and in retrospect, are necessary.
Specifically in education, this collective experience has challenged educators, administrators, policy makers, families, and communities to reimagine how we educate young people. For so long school has been a place where we would take our kids as parents and show up to work as educators. The schedule kept us all in place and moved us from class to class so we could make sure to cover and essentially learn all that was required of us in our given class, or semester, or year. It was a system that was predictable and that allowed for us to feel safe going through the motions. The tests tell us that the majority of students are learning and therefore they were on track as they moved from grade level to grade level. We rarely question this process, because the structures have existed for so long have allowed us to keep the system in place that look very similar and function as they have for over 100 years.
- What if we reimagined homework and all the stuff that we require students to do to create assignments, work and accountability that aligns with our goals?
- What if we expanded options for students and provided access to a variety of courses that would meet requirements and based on their interests, challenges, questions?
- What if school was more like camp? What if we learned solving problems, tackling challenges, and having a lot of fun doing it?
- What if we create opportunities for smaller learning communities with mentors or advisors that create a sense of belonging, connectedness, and accountability for students?
- What if we created personalized pathways for students to meet them where they are and ensure they get what they need?
A 12-Year-Old’s Letter to Her Post-Pandemic Self
by Julia Cho in The New York Times
Cho’s brief post is a model of reflection - sharing her daughter’s letter to her future self. It captures the essence of self-reflection with the hope of holding on to and internalizing ‘lessons learned’.
My 12-year-old daughter, Audrey, told me recently on one of our many walks around the neighborhood that she would never forget this pandemic, and that she never wanted to take for granted having friends over, visiting extended family or hugging her grandparents again. She wondered, though, whether people would really live with new appreciation. Over time, would we all forget?
I learned that it takes intention, hard work and a lot of hope to make it through grief with a new sense of awareness. Living through that experience didn’t automatically give me a lasting appreciation for life that I wouldn’t otherwise have had. Wisdom, I found, is not a guaranteed byproduct of losing a loved one, or a job or a sense of normalcy as we have during this pandemic. For me, that kind of growth took lots of reflection and introspection — which is why I suggested my daughter write down her feelings.
I am struggling and would do anything to get out of 2020 and this pandemic, to see my friends and family normally. You are able to do that. You have what I want so badly. So please, I urge you to enjoy your life, your friends, your family, your experiences. Remember — everything is replaceable and unimportant, but people are the only true thing that matter in this modern-day world. Love your life, and be filled with joy this year.
Sampling of Responses from Last Week’s ‘Question of the Week’: What is one action you can/will make to ‘serve’ and help others?
- I can / hope to start buying an extra item or two at the grocery store each week and dropping it in the food bank box on the way out of the store.
- Linking service of others (for students) as a key to success in life
- I can simply make an effort to be kinder
- Donate to charity
- Include them
- One action is by donating to organizations like the food pantry.
- Help them after school with homework
- Help them study
- If somebody is being bullied or bothered you can stand up for them.
- Smile at strangers even through a mask
- To be honest i don't know but in the future i might become part of the army! but that was a one day thought.
- I can pick up trash on the side of the road
- Some people don’t have what I have, so me and some friends donated lots of food to the midfield food cupboard.
- Help out when possible
- Help them
- I will compliment people
- Give coats to charity
- During these tough times I will wear a mask and appropriately follow social distance guidelines
- I will start with hello and greet others
- Kindness
- Just to say hi and ask them how they are
- I don't really know what i would do but I really would like if maybe I could do a fundraiser for people in need in the future!
- Say hello and be friendly
** I heard from several staff that they felt as though they could have written each one of these ‘whys’ - that almost every one of them applies. I found the same to be true - and I encourage everyone to keep coming back to our individual and collective ‘whys’. They establish the foundation of hope, action, and learning...
- To make a positive impact on the children
- To be a person that can go to in their life, to be on their side
- the lightbulb moments and watching them grow into contributing adults
- Because I care.
- Middle school is a fun and creative age where its OK to make mistakes and find out who you are as a learner.
- To take care of kids and teach them how to love learning
- because they need someone on their side
- Spending time with children
- the students
- I want to make them feel a sense of belonging
- Their imperfections make them absolutely perfect learners!
- Kids this age need help. I like kids this age. I like helping them.
- they make me happy
- I love this age and I know that what we do matters a lot
- To connect with kids and hopefully make their days a bit better while maybe learning something along the way
- I love giving kids a space to think and grow.
- To help students grow and come to be who they are want to be
- They make me laugh and are sponges for information. I love their questions.
- To help students succeed
- Because I want to make a difference in the lives of these kids. Now more than ever, they need positive role models
- Making a positive impact
- To make a difference in students’ lives
- Making connections
- To help these kids feel safe.
- To help a child feel positive about themselves
- To help students at this in between phase of life.
- To be a supportive adult for kids
- I enjoy interacting with kids this age
- To empower kids and help them know they can do ANYTHING, anything at all, that they decide they want to do.
- The hope that I can help even a few kids feel like they have someone who really believes in them
- To show them possibilities, build a community, brighten out future
- To help them work through some of their biggest ‘growing years’ of adolescence
- I want to be someone that helps them realize who they are or who they might become
- The kids are why I became a teacher….to help them
- Building confidence in young people
- To help kids.
- Because they have so much to offer us!
- To help students connect to their strengths and know that all have the ability to learn and to be successful!
- Help them get through these adolescent years!
- connections and to help
- To watch them grow/help them become adults that bring something positive to our society
- To connect with students and help where I can
- To bring out the best in all kids and to be sure they all know they CAN learn.
- a noble profession, that includes creativity, and life
- To help kids
- to help the kids
- Paying it forward for what my teachers meant to me
- To be a positive impact. Do something that will matter for a long time.
- to be the person who makes kids feel safe and welcomed during a difficult time in their lives.
- Middle School years were the hardest for me. I felt very isolated and disconnected. I want to help students like this.
- Teaching kids today is touching the lives of tomorrow
- To share my passion for music with kids
- I think it evolves over time but helping students grow is a major reason
- This is a difficult developmental time for kids and I want to help make a positive change for them. To help them.
- To keep kids safe so they can have fun & learn
- They still have the creative purity of children but the cognitive abilities of adults. LOVE middle school kids
- To be a kind voice, try to inspire a love of learning and hopefully provide light in their day
- I tell them that my middle school experience was awful, so I try to make their time in middle school just a little bit better.
- To provide a better experience than I had when I was in MS.
- To help build the next generation of caring, thinking people.
- Love seeing them learn; want to be their to support them as they grow and learn about themselves and the world
- They need to know that anything is possible no matter who you are
- I remember what it was like, and I also recognize that I might make a difference in the day just by being here and understanding them.
- I enjoy being around kids and the energy that they have. Especially in these times, it reminds me of a simpler time and an innocence that we are all struggling to hold on to.
- To make a difference
- making a positive impact on our future by showing how much we care about the next generation. all about the kids
- I'm still re-living and re-doing my own middle school years. I guess I'm stuck at this age in some ways.
- I love being around them, and I love being a support, and helping them find things they love or love about themselves,
- Love seeing middle school kids “figure it out” and their willingness to try
- to help engage with and develop curiosity
- To be there for kids and contribute as best I can to the next generation of good humans and life long learners
- To help students participate in music making that allows them to grow, learn, share, and find joy in life - and their own awesomeness
- Middle school was a tough time for me, as it can be for so many at that age of 11 - 15. I wanted to be one of those teachers who could help make life/school a cool, fun place to be. To help students see they are smart and always have something to contribute to the group.
- To encourage them to believe in themselves and be the best they can be. They each have so much to give as they grow and develop through the years from young children through adolescence on their way to becoming adults.
As always, let me know of any questions/concerns.
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Take care.
Nat
#willfulhope #willfulaction #longasIcanseethelight