What exactly is explicit instruction?

When students are new to the learning, or struggling with the learning, they likely need explicit instruction, but some might consider this approach as "drill and kill?" Dr. Anita Archer invites us to see explicit instruction as a key component to learning, to think less in categories and more in continuums.

It's a marathon.

Hello teachers. Whether you are new or seasoned, being a teacher is a marathon. The first few weeks of September can seem overwhelming when the finish line is horizons away. If you're feeling that way, remember Terry Fox. He was only 22 years old.

A Compassionate Stance

Is compassion a matter of reacting to situations or is it about how intentional you are? This short video may make you rethink your definition of compassion and how to apply it to your life, or teach it to your students.

What IS confidence?

Who doesn't need a confidence boost every now and again? Sometimes risks lack the expected rewards. Sometimes we can't help but compare ourselves to others seemingly more successful. Sometimes we experience a string of failures. No one can be confident all the time. But we teachers are very skilled at solving problems. Like this short video suggests, to boost our confidence we should start with this question: what exactly is confidence?

Nice?

photo source

"Just be nice."

How many times have we heard this? How many times have we used this word to encourage peace among others? And yet, the word is so vague. It's also a missed opportunity. 

In her Grande Prairie Ted Talk, Christine Ayling describes the Virtues Project and the profound effect it has had on her career and her life and most importantly, on the people she counsels and supports through trauma and struggle. Ayling recommends eliminating the word nice from your vocabulary. Why? When we eliminate the word "nice," suddenly we use more specific, more apt words. These better words describe the qualities we see in others, qualities we want to foster and develop and affirm: virtues.

Instead of describing someone or something as nice, why not seize the teachable moment and offer some insight to our students and colleagues, some feedback that can truly impact their greatest strengths, their virtues. Why not identify, recognize and affirm

• gentleness?
• discernment?
• tolerance?
• cheerfulness?
• humility?
• respect?
• honour?
• courage?
• cooperation?
• endurance?
• patience?
• confidence?
• tact?
• mercy?
• optimism?
• faith?
• perceptiveness?
• flexibility?
• empathy?
• truthfulness?
• wonder?

Indeed, why not? Have a nice virtuous day friends.

Time to think?

Renowned speaker Zig Ziglar said, "lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem; we all have 24 hour days." We've all heard people say, I don't even have time to think! Yet it's true--we all get the same 24 hours. Perhaps that thinking time is what's truly missing?

What if we stopped managing time and made time? Be makers people, be makers.

Here's to wishing you some much needed think-time!

Creating Learners

Recently, we coaches spent a day with all the Junior High teachers in our school division. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk to them about building a collaborative culture and we feel immense gratitude for their insights and ideas. They have such an important job!

One of our activities was to define the ideal skills and attributes of a student. Using a bit of backwards design, we hoped to encourage teachers to visualize the type of learner they, through their influence, want to create. The wordle says it all.

What kind of students do you want to create?

But first, seek strengths.

Surviving the Polar Bear Plunge

As teachers, we all experience students who challenge us: our patience, our thinking, our beliefs, our routines. Buttons DO get pushed.

These sorts of experiences can be very difficult yet also incredibly formative and no matter the outcome, they help prepare us for future challenges. It may seem impossible at the time but sometimes these sorts of conflicts can even result in surprising outcomes where students return one day and say, "Thanks for not giving up on me."

But in the middle of it when it seems like there's simply no patience left, how do we foster positive change? There's a saying: "You don't drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying there." Challenges require action for change to occur especially when we feel overwhelmed. So what next?

Don't face this alone. Seek support. Then seek strategies. But first, seek strengths.

Strengths? Really? In his book Hanging In, veteran educator Jeffrey Benson recommends beginning with a total shift in thinking: identify the student's every possible strength.

Think about that.

It's easy to see what a student can't do but what can a student do? Start there. Start there with any student. When we begin with strengths we can create a relationship and with a relationship we can have influence.

How do I know I'm making a difference?

Source

Every day, thousands and thousands of teachers influence students. Yet because we teachers are in the midst of the busy day-to-day aspects of learning, we sometimes don't recognize or even realize the signs that show we are truly making a difference in the education and lives of our students. Stop and think about that. It's true, isn't it? This idea inspired our list of 15 ways to know YOU ARE making a difference: 


1. Students talk to you umprompted (or give you a fist bump or a high five).
2. You’ve tried new things (and some even worked!)
3. People directly tell you. (Don't dismiss it; let those compliments soak in!)
4. You are less nervous when your admin or colleagues visit your room.
5. You mentor other teachers. People want your opinion.
6. Students raise their hands to share rather than always to ask for help.
7. Your students miss you after a day with a sub.
8. Your students can verbalize what they’re learning.
9. You notice students using words like "criteria" and other vocabulary you've taught them.
10. A student models your thinking or behaviour to other students.
11. You're tired but energized too. You smile at the beginning of the day (not just the end).
12. You are marking less but assessing more.
13. Your staffroom conversations are more about sharing strategies and collaborating.
14. A parent or guardian or former student or adminstrator takes a moment to thank you.
15. Students are reading and writing and creating and thinking and questioning and laughing and learning!

Who's Yours?

You are pretty special. Believe it.

Every kid has a champion right? A vigorous supporter? Someone in their corner, cheering? We certainly hope so. On his blog, Stony Plain Alberta principal George Couros posed these thoughts...

"Doesn’t every adult need a champion as well? I guess they don’t need a champion, but wouldn’t it make what we do that much better? Does it not make a difference when you know that the people you work with value and promote the great work that you do?"

We totally agree; all adults should have champions too. That's why we think you should consider these two essential questions:
1. Who are you a champion for?
2. Who's your champion?