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Interestingly I am reading some pretty penetrating stories recently; penetrating in the sense that they are goading me right where I do not want to be goaded:  "Stop sitting on your butt!" they're shouting to me.  First I read this is 37Signals' "ReWork" and lately in "Do The Work" by Pressfield.

Today I watched a TED:  Kathryn Schulz: On being wrong.  It was interesting; I appreciated one of her points particularly, that in school we learn early that "being right is GOOD and being wrong is BAD" so we strive to be right; we avoid being bad.  In other words, we shy away from being courageous (I will get back to this issue if I have time).  I want myself, my children and my students to be brave.

IDEA:  Here is an idea:  when I have a test in class, I am specifically testing a topic I have assigned to students and which we have learned about and studied together.  However, in doing this I am taking away a students ability to choose what they love and to pursue what they are interested in - ideas that the IB considers in their philosophy of "optional" topics.  In my tests, I can offer credit for students who learn "off-syllabus topics."  The challenge is going to be, where to draw the line about how much off topic the learning can be, but I think I will attack that organically, not make a policy but deal with it in a case by case basis.  For example, maybe in the plant test, a student studies conifers in depth and explores transport in conifers in cold weather (why are they still green in winter?) and pollination (how do they fertilize without flowers?) as well as unique structure compared to flowering, deciduous trees.  If a student learns a lot in that area and demonstrates "depth of understanding" then I should credit them.  How much? Hmm in reference to the descriptors I suppose!  This would be more innovative than a flipped classroom (which has some good points) or beginning with the end in mind (that is great organization, but not exactly how a person really learns anything; I did not learn to make a website by having a clear idea of what I had to learn, I simply began learning by curiousity.

 I am being - happily - encouraged by some colleagues to "apply for the 'Apple Distinguished Edcuator' training next semeter" and go get training in Singapore (which I love Singapore!)  But; I realize that, while I enjoy using computer tools, I do not think technology is the most important thing in learning; it can be a complement, but it is not central.  

To ME, the most important thing is DOING to learn (as far as school and class time is concerened) and for me personally, I want to do and learn more about writing (as you have heard from me). 

Realizing that pursuing another badge and jumping through a hoop is good for professional life, I also think it is not what I individually need.  I need to do something that is "Jay" so that when I apply for work I have something personal and unique to offer; I need, in a sense, to find my authentic "voice" both in a professional way and a writing way.  This will enable me to be more productive right now where I am too.

So ... I am letting the Apple thing go, others can apply and attend, and I am working on my writing.  :)

It is my own tradition to establish resolutions at the beginning of each year.  Lose 10 pounds, exercise 3 times per week, read 12 books etc.  But I am less married to the specifics and more intent on the abstraction: focus on growth; shed what is holding you back and move forward.

What is holding me back?  

• Procrastination, 

• fear, 

• unwillingness to take chances

• desire for security

• wanting to avoid failure

What do I want to do in way of personal growth this year:

Specific, measurable ...

1- write a complete draft of my first novel (now begun!)

2- take my wife on a date at least once per month

3- intentionally build a relationship with another man

vague & general ...

4- write a complete draft of my first novel (now begun!)

This year I received books as gifts from authors, "Kingdom Living in the Classroom" by master teacher and friend, Joy McCullough, and Dave Collins' "Reflections."  In addition, one colleague, Laura Sanders is writing a book and a twitter-buddy "Intrepidteacher" is writing a book.  Perhaps it is the year for books.

Well, before Christmas I came across, kindness of Twitter, http://750words.com/ and so tried the exercise.  The suggestion is to take time each day to sit and pour out 750 words of original writing as an exercise to keep thinking and creativity flowing: or to start it flowing.  This morning mine flowed well!

I used it as an exercise of reflection, thinking, in writing, about what I like.  I am a personality whose interests mirrors my context as much as my internal direction and it is hard - even for me - to identify what I like.  But this concentrated effort of articulation gave me a framework.  It worked!  In 20 minutes I realized what I like; a number of disparate elements.  And in reflecting, I wondered how I could tie them together... One theme, books, seemed obvious, and, as I was writing, the idea of writing came up.

I am sitting at my desk in my cluttered office at school realizing: (1) why teacher's desks are always piled with papers and (2) how much I love my students.

I'm typing my 12th recommendation letter for another one of my wonderful students.  This is a girl who does good academic work, but also demonstrates holistic lifestyle that balances relationships with peers, sports, and school alongside a life of faith.  It is so easy to tell school why she is a gem.  The only challenge in the recommendation is basic writing skills of coherent organization, flow, linking paragraphs with common ideas, word choice and so on.

I look forward to September 2011 when all by fledgling students will have flown my coop, out into the bright blue spring sky of their adult lives.  

Students: fly; soar on eagles wings. And write to tell me how I can better encourage, support, nurture, teach, mentor students who are coming after you.  Thank you for being excellent models to the younger students in your school.  You have made GSIS a wonderful place by spending yourselves in our community.

I am on an inspiration binge!  Like a balloon under a faucet, I feel VERY full, an stretched, but I keep my "mouth" open to receive more!  This is the second half of a conference by Association of Christian School International (ASCI) called the International Children's Education Conference (ICEC).  

1.  A few minutes ago I was inspired by David Smith's example of using a real woman's life narrated and recorded experience of being a German speaker from the Ukraine during the tumult of the 20th century to teach German language to public school students.  His goal was to not only model Christian virtues, not only identify truth, but to present content in an a way that enables students to learn what it means to be a Christian: hospitality, empathy, generosity, and so on.  INSPIRING!

2.  Earlier the same day I learned (in a "felt need" way) the importance of media literacy in society and I began to question my own understanding and lay plans for using this in my homeroom: 15 minutes of underutilized time in my classroom to equip kids to constructively deal with media and protect themselves from deceptions that hyper-sexuality is society's norm, that violence is desired by everyone, that there is no consistent truth.

          One of the most exciting things in teaching is to hear students begin to ask great question.  Great questions come when a student grasps what is being taught and sees a further application of the principle.  Or a student understand the concept but sees a situation in which it does not seem to apply.  Great questions, contrary to what we think intuitively, demonstrate understanding and knowledge.  

          I am collecting great questions on this web page to demonstrate to students in the future.  Some of their "greatness" depends upon the timing and the context, like a good joke.  Nonetheless, they are here for you to enjoy and - maybe - learn from.

          For asking a great question, students can use it toward 5% credit on a test (summative or formative) or they even use their questions, if they have the most in their class, to SKIP a test with no penalty (grade is excused in the gradebook.)  That demonstrates how much great questions are worth!

Vocabulary

  I did not like vocabulary in math as a kid.  It seemed senseless except for testing fodder, and maybe it was.  However, at GSIS students need to learn two vocabularies in math class:

(1) terms used in mathematics like "product" and "sum" and "Cartesian graph" and "conic section."

(2) students also need to be explicity taught American units used frequently in math like pounds and feet and nickels and gallons and zip code, area code, etc.  This is best taught in context, but should be taught explicitly.  Some of the ESL testing includes this material so students should become familiar with it (regardless how arcane it may be...)