REFLECTION ZONE: Seven Norms of Collaboration & Effective Meetings

Seven Norms of Collaboration & Effective Meetings

1.     Pausing

2.     Paraphrasing

3.     Posing Questions

4.     Putting Ideas on the Table

5.     Providing Data

6. Paying Attention to Self and Others

7. Presuming Positive Intentions

What could I use from this information that would be helpful in my work setting?

I could introduce the seven norms to my team.  The norms might help to enhance the quality and productivity of our team meetings.  Personally I could work on pausing and paraphrasing.  Pausing and taking time to understand someone's comments before I respond can be very beneficial.  If everyone did this, the conversation may go deeper at a quicker pace.  Paraphrasing someone's ideas proves to clarify any misunderstandings before we get too far.  It also acknowledges that I am listening to the speaker.

What barriers could hold me back?

Possible barriers include the time to implement the norms with integrity and making sure everyone wants to follow the norms.  It seems taking this on would mean everyone has to be on board.  If everyone is not in agreement I do not see the norms making a positive impact.  Getting everyone interested might be a barrier.  The time to introduce, follow, and reflect would be a barrier at first.  Once established, time would not be a barrier as following the norms would become more routine.   

REFLECTION ZONE: Differentiation

Differentiation

Learning that fits "Just Right!"



Since all students are at varying levels, learn differently, and at different rates, differentiated instruction provides ways for all students to learn regardless of their differing abilities.  I agree with the other posts, that differentiated instruction aims to meet the needs of all learners.  I think of Goldilocks, when I think of differentiated instruction.  Some concepts might be too big, or too small, but differentiated instruction makes learning "just right."
At our school we have three levels of math classes - accelerated, math, and team taught.  Within each of these classes I try to provide accommodations for students who need them.  The best explanation of an accommodation is the following.  Your goal is to have a student change a light bulb.  Some students are shorter than others and may need a ladder to accomplish the task.  accommodations are the ladders.  Some examples would be allowing students to use a multiplication table, a prime numbers chart, the factor mobiles, or their notes in order to accomplish the same task as everyone else.  Different classes work on the same concepts, but work on different problems, or different depth of knowledge problems.
The interventions we use are differentiated.  Rocket math allows students to progress at their own speed.  Compass software assigns students their own learning path.  This is determined based on their weaker areas identified by the MAPS test.  The program is tailored to meet the needs of each learner.  On the other spectrum, strong math students have the opportunities to participate in math meets that we host twice a year or the Math Masters competition. 
I know I could differentiate more.  I found it very interesting and helpful to read everyone's posts to see how each person does this in his/her own class.



REFLECTION ZONE: Harper Grace Marish

Harper Grace Marish

Born: Tuesday, December 20, 2011

          11:07 am

Weight: 6 pounds 11 ounces

Length: 19 inches long

REFLECTION ZONE: 21 Seconds to Teach Humanity



I read the article "21 Seconds to Teach Humanity" by Lisa Weinbaum from the Spring 2009 edition of Teaching Tolerance.

The article begins with the author, a 7th grade English teacher, overhearing her colleagues negatively discussing teachers who don't follow the state mandates, and she later realized they were talking about her.

While she was concerned she didn't jump ship and stop the way she was teaching. She wrote that students at her school played 21 in the restrooms.  This was where two children would square off and beat each other to a pulp while other peers watched and cheered.  This was suppose to happen for 21 seconds, but no one timed it because this would shorten the show.  Students were severely hurt, there were consequences paid, and the students involved were suspended.  However, this behavior continued as the winner received respect from classmates.

The teacher questioned her class as to how many have participated in 21, and when they saw their teacher's reaction they stated, " But we're still friends!  It doesn't mean anything! How can you judge us when you don't know what we are going through?"  The teacher didn't feel she was judging, yet trying to keep students safe.

The teacher had her students read "The Lottery" which is a story about a small town ritual to stone a member of their community to death.  She had them watch the tv movie, and she froze the scene just as the daughter was throwing a stone at her mother with a face clear with hate.  She got her students to react that the people were twisted. Her students were sickened and questioned how could these people do that to their friends and loved ones.  Her students asked if that town still does that today, and she responded, "Yes, this practice continues to this day. In fact, it occurs right here in New Mexico, right here within our school."   She let them know that when they played 21, or they cheered on violence that they were no different from the people in "The Lottery," - they were one of them.  She really got through to them.  She made them see what they were doing was so cruel, when they couldn't see it on their own. She knows she made a difference because of the written self-reflections they shared and the bathroom behavior of 21 stopped. 

Her closing sentence held a great deal of power.  "Educators can teach to mandated standards and benchmarks and still teach the ultimate standard, one of human dignity."   Think of the shape some of her students may be in if she had only taught the required standards.  It is too bad this teacher felt like she only had 21 seconds to teach something so valuable, but I am glad she made the time. 

REFLECTION ZONE: Ubuntu

Ubuntu – I am what I am because of who we all are.

Ubuntu is the African concept that all humans are connected, valued, and are equal. One can achieve great things only when people are united with a common purpose and genuinely work together for the good of the group.  There are two levels of recognition of Ubuntu, and I feel the first is the most important piece of the entire philosophy.   The first level is to value others simply for who they are.  This is the heart of Ubuntu, and it must always come first.  This recognition is given unconditionally to every human being.  Each person is respected without preconditions.  Respect is not tied to performance or achievement.  This can be applied to the workplace or within a classroom.  Everyone needs to feel accepted, respected, and valued because they are human.  A teacher needs to display Ubuntu with her students all the time, even when they don’t try their best or do their work or make good choices.  Doing this breeds the trust that needs to be strongly in place for anything positive to follow. 

I also connected strongly to one of the statements listed under the Vision for the Bullseye Company.  The statement was, “The Ubuntu philosophy and the values it represents can guide us to become:  A community from which employees go home at the end of the day with the renewed energy and vitality that comes from hard work well done, pride, appreciation, and a sense of accomplishment. That statement sounds so refreshing, rewarding, and it is what I hope to feel on a consistent basis. I do feel this at times throughout the school year, and it is wonderful.  However, some nights I leave school without these feelings, but instead feeling run down, overworked, tired, or unappreciated as I am asked to keep doing more, more, more.  I am hopeful for the day where I feel more of the Ubuntu spirit inside me.  I am aware it starts with me, and I need to work at growing this spirit within me and it will contagiously spread. 

Overall, I am glad that there are different personalities that make all humans unique and beautiful.  I believe any personality type is capable of leading a life rooted in the Ubuntu philosophy.  While Ubuntu might come most naturally for the givers, such as Simon, any type of person is capable of incorporating these beliefs and attitudes, which can lead to a rich and meaningful life. 





REFLECTION ZONE: Unpacking the Common Core Standards

Unpacking the Common Core Standards



This past Friday I had the opportunity to attend an Unpacking the Common Core Math Standards workshop at CESA 11 in Turtle Lake, WI.  Each grade level took time to read the standards we will be expected to have our students master once the standards are implemented by 2014.  We also read the standards that were assigned to the grade level below and above the grade we teach.  Most of what 6th grade teachers will be responsible for is similar to what we already do with a few exceptions. It appears that we will be expected to go deeper into subjects instead of teaching more topics.  It is also expected students will come to us mastering skills needed to begin where we are suppose to.   There might be more pre-teaching in order to have students ready to learn the expected material.  I wonder if we will continue to have varying levels of math if all students in a certain grade are expected to master the exact same concepts and skills.  Currently we have a team-taught math for special ed and struggling learners, regular math classes, and accelerated math classes.  It will be interesting if the students with these varying degrees of math skills will all be in the same classes. 

We also spent a great deal of time writing the standards in student-friendly "I can" statements.  These will be posted as learning targets in our room to help students structure their thinking, know the expectations ahead of time, and see a reminder of where they have been.  While this seemed to be a time consuming activity, it was fairly easy to do since we as teachers already use student language while teaching. 

At times I feel like a lot will change, but when I look closer at it, I feel like we already have some of the work done.  I'm sure adopting the common core standards will change our specific standards, our materials, and even how we teach some of the topics.  I need to be ready to make the change whole-heartedly. 

REFLECTION ZONE: Essential Enneagram Reflection

Essential Enneagram Reflection

Abby Marish

After reading the essential enneagram:  The Definitive Personality Test and Self Discovery Guide, I identified my dominant personality type to be a perfectionist. While there are positives to this personality type there are also negatives that come with it. Some of the strengths of a perfectionist include integrity, putting forth a great deal of effort, being highly responsible, and keeping high standards.  Some of the negative characteristics include being critical of yourself and others, being consumed by making things right, and consistently putting work before pleasure.

I chose to follow one of the suggested practices for about three weeks.  I choose to start out each morning by centering myself with a few deep breaths and reading a scripted paragraph.  The paragraph was: “Today I will practice accepting my own and others’ mistakes and errors as part of the natural flow of life.  I will practice appreciating different points of view, different values, and different ways of doing things.  I can do this by releasing resentments when they arise and practicing forgiveness.  I will try to bring a sense of harmony and balance between work and pleasure into my life today.”

 

I read these words with an open mind and in a positive manner.  It was a calming time each morning.  I would also find myself taking a little extra time to say a prayer as well.  Both these activities helped create a very calm mood that stayed with me on the drive to work, as I prepared for the day, and throughout my day.  These words reminded me that it really is ok to make mistakes; they are a natural part of life and they sometimes can even make life more interesting.  Sometimes I think I know the best way to do something, and I might feel a little upset if someone wants to do something differently.  These words reminded me to be open to others’ good ideas that would accomplish the same task. I found myself more aware that someone had a differing idea, and I would consider it more realistically and not be irritated if we decided to try someone else’s idea.  My sister and I are different and yet very similar.  You could say we are identical, but also opposites.  We are best friends, but sometimes we choose to do things differently than the other one would.  I find myself being more critical of her than others, and I do not like that I am like this since she is my closest friend and someone I can always count on.  I am making a more conscious effort to accept her different points of view or different ways of doing things. 

These words also seem to give me a sense of permission to not always put work first.  Between schoolwork, masters work, preparing for a long-term sub, and reading about upcoming motherhood I could work all day and all evening everyday and still have more to do the next day.  I feel sad about this part of my personality because I feel my husband sometimes gets the short end of the stick, or might get bored as I don’t spend as much time doing fun things with him as I wish we could.    I also worry because I know I can’t put our soon to be daughter’s needs second.  I need to be a mom first and letting some of the schoolwork or extra committees go might be a very difficult transition for me to make.  Reading these words makes me feel ok and even good to put some of my work off in order to make time for the fun things in life.  I still have a ways to go in this category, but I am willing to work at it.  I am proud of the work I do, but I also want to be proud of the fun I have and the memories I am a part of making.