So today I wanted help. I did what comes naturally, I used social media and asked my PLN. I just wanted to know if anyone had a way of grading their students’ blog post.  Instead I spent lunch in my room crying & questioning whether or not I suck as a teacher.

Let me back up to why my students blog. I am not an English teacher.  I never grade written work based on grammar, spelling, nor on ideas.  Because of RTI I need to have proof of assessment of my students.  Instead of doing exit slips or worksheets or quizzes, I decided to let my kids blog about what they learn. They are given 2 questions to choose from and must answer one. Then they have another section where facts really mean nothing it is more opinion.  I only grade on the factual information I never mark off points rather add.

So I asked today if anyone had a rubric or checklist or ideas on grading student blogs.  That was it. I have to give grades.  I would rather not give grades but since I do I want it on things like this where most kids are successful for making the effort than test they really have trouble with.

My “@” and DMs filled up pretty quickly. Thank goodness the bell rang for lunch because it did not take long for tears to flow.  Yes everyone, I know it would be great to get kids to do work and not grade them. I understand we need to instill in them a desire to learn and share.  I am all for that. But I have a job. I must fulfill my duties on my job, the job I almost lost 2 years ago because of parent complaints about grades.

I tell everyone how important a PLN is. I tell them it is like sitting next to the smart kids. Smart kids are mean.  We need to take debates as they come but not when they aren’t.  I never said “I love giving kids grades” or “Grades are just what kids need.” I asked for ideas to grade fairly.I asked if anyone else is doing it. Other than one of my teammates here at the school I don’t have anyone around that blogs with students. that is the beauty of the PLN, its more brains to pick.

On Friday I am meeting with each student on their 4 weeks of posts. I want to say: yes you did it correctly and I have great news, you are showing me you know this even though you did not test well, I know your grade is important to you and your parents and this will help you.  Let me show you on this rubric & lets look at the posts areas you can improve on. I just wanted a rubric to help me do that.

I cannot tell where this debate idea comes from. I know as humans for us to advance we need questioning, we need advancement, we need a movement of change.  But why is it we are so quick to question others when they are asking for help or excited about something they see they are doing well (I have seen this happen as well). Is it because we are online can say it and go? Is it because we are so angry at our system we take it out on each other? Would we say this to our coworkers if they came in our classroom and asked us a question?

Today has been rough. It started out exciting, fresh, new. So quickly I hit a wall because of this. I know I will think twice before asking for help ever again, and that upsets me even more.

Last week I made a quick comment on twitter “I get so frustrated with student apathy. I try everything to get them involved in class and there is a large # that refused to try.” It was nice to get responses from teachers who are feeling the same pain.  Think that was the main reason for the tweet, I really wasn’t looking for advice. Not because I know all just because there are some moments you just want to hear from others.  This sweet tweeter though was trying to help and asked “Have you tried integrating technology?”

Ok that stopped me.  I have never been asked that question before.  I have a MEd in Educational Tech and completed all my courses & wrote thesis for EdS in same, so technology is my thing. It is part of my passion. So this question has really been just stuck in my brain for a week now. There are numerous reasons:

1. I integrate tech when I can.  I do not teach at a 1:1 school and my students do not have equal access outside the school walls.  We are in a new school with labs that are only free one day a week (which I am not complaining about, just giving the FYI) I have 7 laptops in my classroom, 2 the OS refuses to connect to the wifi, one desktop, and today I received 5 digital cameras.  I have a Promethean board and a doc camera.  SO I have tech all around me.  Kids use what they can, they try, I try.  Without 1:1 you can pump technology all around, but is it still enough?  I am not satisfied that it is.

2. Technology is not the end all, be all.  Students do not always need technology.  They can be totally involved without. Give kids a huge sheet of paper and markers, promise. We need to stop putting all of our eggs in this tech basket.  What if we trip and fall and all the eggs spill? Now what?

We need to take on the mindset of what can I do to benefit my students? What is something engaging and challenging? If it uses technology, wonderful, if not, it is OK.

And yes I did say a number of my students were apathetic, but really I was just whining and it was toward a certain bi-weekly assignment. Kids who did not do that, did their blogs or participated in discussions or read the material I assigned.  I say this on here time and again, all kids learn differently. We need to make sure we are reaching them in a way they can learn, not always the way that we feel comfortable.

This past Thursday I stepped out of my comfort zone. I did an Ignite presentation. Public speaking is not even close to a fear of mine, but the fear was more because for an audience I am used to and a format I am used to (I’m slightly long winded). For those who are not familiar with Ignite presos they have a 5 minute limit, you have 20 slides, 15 seconds each. You choose a topic and go! So the speed of it makes it so much more fun. Even more fun are the interesting topics people choose. Not your typical presentations, more campy or community centered. You can find more explanations of Ignite here and here.

I had a blast Thursday. I was totally nervous before getting on stage, but once up there it was such a blast! Not only because I was doing something I like (talking on stage, don’t tell anyone, I’m a huge ham!) but on a topic I really enjoyed and thought was fun. It had nothing to do with my job or my everyday chores & struggles. Just something I think is fun. (You will have to go to the Ignite BHM site to find out topic, little too “play on words” for my professional education blog, ha!)

So this whole experience got me thinking. Why do we not give students a chance to share things they find fun? Why does everything have to be so serious? How powerful would it be to allow students to share their passions or hobbies? Ever since I went to my first Ignite I have wondered if it would be a good idea to do with my middle schoolers. I think some of them would blow it out of the water. I think it would be great to find out what students are “experts” on and see them share it.

I don’t think I could have it planned this year, but next year for sure!

If this is your thing, find an Ignite near you and give it a try!

Ok many of you know that I am an ocean ecology nerd.  My lesson today focused on coral reefs and their symbiotic relationships.  This is probably my favorite lesson all year.  If focuses on the one ecosystem I have such a love for. Coral reefs.  Most organisms in the reef do not live alone yet live in symbiotic relationships.  That is when a plant and an animal cannot live with out the other. Coral reefs cannot live without algae.  Algae cannot live without coral.  Sea anemone cannot live without clown fish and clown fish cannot live without the anemone (think Nemo brushing before leaving home). With symbiosis if one dies so does the other.  This is what makes this ecosystem so delicate.

Ok so who cares right? What does this have to do with education? Well during the past few months I feel as though I have been up against students and parents thinking school and learning and teaching are a symbiotic relationship.  My students have this mindset that learning can only happen at school (this includes homework). They also think that learning must come from me (I have to tell them, not for them to discover on their own).

This mindset is so hard to change.  I have no idea of best ways to change it but through practice over and over.  I will admit I have seen a huge change from first of the year to now.  They are learning that life does not come in form of a study guide. They are slowly but surely seeing the benefits in the assignments I give them.  They are figuring it is not to keep them busy, it is not to entertain them, that it is for learning.  I still get the occasional “you did not teach us that” where I usually can point to an activity they did and they say “oh yeah.”  I hate that it took 6 months to get there.  I hope this idea is one will carry with them past my class. I hope other teachers help foster this as well.

The symbiotic relationship should be: Self and Learning.