Monday Mentions

Over the past couple of weeks, the posts below have given me reason to pause and ponder – savored with some combination of coffee, wine, and chocolate…

Are We Wringing the Creativity Out of Our Kids?

Teaching is a balancing act. On the one hand, we want students to be creative. Ideally, students independently explore topics of interest and demonstrate learning in a format of their choice.

On the other hand, we must measure and report learning as it relates to educational standards.

To what extent can the two expectations coexist?

Just Trying to be Better Than Yesterday

I love it when a fellow writer is able to articulate the seemingly indescribable. Author Kenny Pieper reminds us that we all experience foibles – lessons we plan perfectly that don’t run as expected. His article conjured up memories of my mother’s tongue-in-cheek comment: My lessons would run perfectly were it not for the students.

Kenny’s smooth writing style makes me want to open a bottle of wine and be swallowed up by a recliner. A good read. Really.

Don’t Underestimate the Quiet Ones

As a self-proclaimed social media introvert, I appreciate it when authors speak for folks like me who choose their words carefully. These are a few things about me that are often misunderstood:

• I’m not arguing with you…but that doesn’t mean I agree with you.
• I’d rather ask questions than give my opinion – especially at first. After hearing everyone’s point of view and digging through the research, I’ll come back with a few suggestions on how to move forward.
• I prefer to say difficult things directly to people – in a quiet place where no one loses face. I’ve probably said tough things to plenty of colleagues – you just haven’t been around to hear them.

Grade the Work, Not the Behavior

Ah, one of my soap box topics. When I coach teachers, I often ask teachers to do the following:

1. Articulate what you are seeing.
2. Decide if what you see is an academic issue or a behavioral issue (sometimes it is a technical issue).
3. Address the correct problem. Grades should reflect what student know and are able to do. Behavioral issues require a one-on-one conversation with the student. Try to “get into their heads” to identify the obstacles to being on time, submitting work, etc.
4. If unsure, address the academic issue first. Many students hide academic challenges with behaviors that help them save face in front of peers. When the student feels successful, discuss ways you can help the student in the future – so that the disruption need not precede the academic assistance.
5. If the issue is behavioral and a one-on-one conversation ineffective, round up a team of parents, counselors, and principals for intervention and support.

7 More Ways to Go from On-Task to Engaged

Bryan Harris has some great quotes:

Increasing time on task is pointless if the tasks themselves are not productive (quoting John Hattie).

While praise may encourage effort, specific feedback is necessary in order to truly learn and grow.

Some of the most valuable and long-lasting learning comes from the personal insights and “ah-hahs” we discover when learning about ourselves.

What have you read lately?

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Confessions of a Social Media Introvert

From http://www.rudecactus.com/archives/001924.html

I’ve been blogging and tweeting for six months and I still don’t feel “at home” with it. I’ve been trying to figure out why.

This morning it hit me: I’m a social media introvert.

What is a Social Media Introvert?
By saying I’m introverted, I’m not saying I don’t like to be around others. I simply prefer social situations where I’m with one or two other people. I like to ask my friends clarifying questions and reflect on how they view the world. Here is a real-life analogy:

I spent this past weekend at a rental house with a number of people I know and love. The evening was spent discussing and laughing about music, movies, and personal adventures. I enjoyed myself. I learned things about my friends that I didn’t know before. But I didn’t talk much.

I woke up early the next morning to a quiet living room. A friend was drinking coffee at the table. When I arrived, she put down her iPhone and we had one of the most enjoyable conversations I’ve had in a long time. One by one, friends awoke and joined us for a quiet morning coffee. I asked them follow-up questions about things they had mentioned the night before – questions I hadn’t been able to ask earlier because the conversation moved on so quickly. I had a chance to talk with each of them before leaving that afternoon.

What does this have to do with social media? I currently follow over 125 people on Twitter. I get more than 20 blog feeds delivered to my email box. I enjoy reading all the posts. I’m a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of posts. I wonder if frequent twitterers are extroverts by nature. I enjoy “listening” to them, but I don’t “talk” much.

I’ve decided that, to make social networking work for me, I need to embrace my introversion. I want to get to know other social media folks by drinking coffee and reading their entire blogs. By focusing on one person at a time, I am able to better understand their posts and find out “what makes them tick.” I want to see their tweets and say, “Oh, that’s the gal from Budapest who is trying to…and believes in…”

That feels more natural to me.

What does that mean now?
I’m embracing my introverted disposition. Each Saturday morning, I’m going to spend my time getting to know one social media person well. Over coffee.

Then, I’ll share what I’ve learned in a blog post. I’m hoping that those I feature will want to get to know me too.

I suspect (and hope) there are others out there like me.

Are you a social media introvert? Who have you gotten to know well?

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