Sunday, March 25, 2012

Night, night, princess Ana

Gabby and I have a bedtime routine that we both enjoy (most of the time). After she's had a bath, brushed her teeth, and the older girls are in bed, I go into her room and read her a couple of stories. Then every night I tell her a "Princess Gabby" story. It goes something like this.
Me: "Once upon a time there was a Princess named Ana."
Gabby: "No, Gabby. Princess Gabby."
Me: "Oh, Okay. A princess named Gabby. She had a mommy and a daddy who loved her very much and she had 5 brothers named Max, Tylan, Shon, Austin and Francisco."
Gabby: "No. No brother."
Me: "Oh, yeah. She had no brothers. But she had three sisters named Brooklyn, Amaya and Sofie." (I should note that the number and names of moms, dads, brothers, and sisters changes every night.)
Gabby: "No, two sisters, Michelle and Ella."
Me:"Oh, okay, two sisters. She also had a purple and green dog named Buster."
Gabby: "No. His name is Chester! (said with some exasperation in her voice but a huge grin on her face.)
Me: "That's right, an orange and yellow dog named Chester."
Gabby: "Noooo, he's black and white."
Me: "Okay, well every night the mom would read Princess Gabby stories. She would hug her and kiss her (as I hug and kiss Gabby). She would tickle Gabby (as I tickle her and she giggles and laughs and squirms). And every night she would sing Gabby's favorite song, (then I begin to sing a song that she likes but is not her favorite.)
Gabby will then beg me to sing her real favorite song which is "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam". We sing it a couple of times with me throwing her in the air or bouncing with her in my lap. She giggles and grins. Then she climbs into bed, asks for a sippy cup of water, and almost always drifts off to sleep in minutes. It makes us both happy and usually helps me relax a bit after a busy day. I love to see her grin and hear her laugh and shriek, and somehow even after 3 or more months of this, it isn't getting old for either of us.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Concert and Federation



On Tuesday, March 5, Michelle had a violin concert. (Half of Linda's students participated in the concert on Tuesday. Half were in a concert on Wednesday.) My sister Suzy accompanied her on the piano. She played her two pieces that she was performing for federation: Minuet 1 by Bach, and Lullaby by Brahm's. She did very well.

Then Saturday, March 17 was Federation. It was held at Gardner Hall at the University of Utah. This was Michelle's first time participating in Federation. She was in a room with 9 other violinists and their families. There are judges. Michelle went first. She had practiced and practiced and had her songs memorized. My sister Suzy accompanied her on the piano. She played Minuet 1 wonderfully. Lullaby was the easier song for her, but she played a wrong note, got confused and stopped for a couple of notes and then started right back in. We had told her that if she made a mistake to just keep playing and I was happy that she did that and didn't let her mistake fluster her. I know she was very nervous. The violinists are rated, and she received a superior rating. She has felt upset a few times since then that she made a mistake, especially on Lullaby. But I've let her know that she did a great job and that she should feel happy for her accomplishment and how much she has learned in just over a year.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Alice

Gabby was watching a movie today that had a preview for Alice in Wonderland. Later, she told me that she didn't really like that movie. Then she said, "Hey Alice in Wonderfulland sounds a little like Alyson's wonderful." I thought it was so cute and funny that she called it wonderful land. And I'm with her. For some reason, Alice in Wonderland has always kind of creeped me out.

Will the madness ever end?

I'm very disappointed tonight after reading Romney's comments about No Child Left Behind. There is no presidential candidate that aligns with my views on education and also aligns with some of my other political views. I'm becoming increasingly worried about the future of public education in general as well as my future as a teacher personally.

I am against performance based pay, high stakes testing, and No Child Left Behind for so many reasons. Right now, for 22 reasons to be exact...the 22 beautiful children that sit in front of me each day expecting and hoping for a quality education.

I have a jumble of thoughts running through my head that I hope I can somehow convey my message coherently. I'm sure that what I have to say could be echoed by thousands of other teachers across this great land. I'm also sure there are some that would disagree with me...and that's okay. That's what makes this country great is that we can not only have, but express, dissenting views.

Here are the reasons I am against performance based pay. First, as my friend and colleague Polly says often, "I am doing my job. I cannot work or try any harder than I already am. Giving me more money or taking away some of my salary is not going to make me do my job better." I am not in education to make big bucks, and money is not a big incentive for me. It is insulting to think that people really think giving a little bit of money is going to make me do a better job. (And really, the amount of money that will probably be given out is a pittance.) Second, it is based on children's performance on one test from year to year. There are so many variables that go into how a student will perform on that test. Also, performance varies depending on the students you teach. A few years ago I got a letter stating that my students consistently make great growth on the end of the year testing and they wanted my insights into how I was doing that. But for the previous two years, my students' growth in math has not been at the "effective" or "highly effective" level. So apparently, my ability to teach math has dropped significantly in the past two years. :) (Sarcasm.) Last year a kindergarten teacher was ranked "highly effective" based on the scores of her AM kindergarten class but "ineffective" based on the scores of her PM kindergarten class. So this teacher was fabulous in the morning but shouldn't be teaching in the afternoon. Or maybe it is because she had different students with different abilities. I've asked our district math coach to come in and watch me teach to give me suggestions on ways to improve...and she has given me some great ideas...but mostly she has told me how amazing my students are. They can solve problems. They can explain their thinking. They are not afraid to go in front of the class and "math talk" their way through a problem or to show a different way to solve a problem. Not only that but most of them really love math. They won't all pass the CRT this year, but they can problem solve, explain their thinking, and they have a positive attitude. Doesn't that count for something?

(As an aside, I am an awesome language arts teacher according to test scores. Last year, half my class was below grade level and I still managed to have my class average be within a couple of points of the school and district average.)

High stakes testing and NCLB: I hope that those who began this law had good intentions at heart...they wanted to lower the achievement gap, increase student learning and so forth. At least that is what I truly hope. But there are so many reasons to repeal this law. It has had so many unintended consequences.

First, I used to be so proud that I worked in the Salt Lake City School District. We have a variety of programs and philosophies at work in our various schools so that children with various personalities, abilities and strengths could each find a program that met their needs. We have dual immersion, bilingual, full time gifted, a science school, a school with a leadership theme, open classroom, schools with art grants, a curriculum and assessment lab, etc. But more and more of the freedom to make your school unique is being taken away. Our schools are becoming more and more cookie cutter. We all use the same materials (which does have some advantages, but also some disadvantages).

Second, and this is my greatest concern, is that administration and the powers that be only care about what is tested/counted for AYP (adequate yearly progress). Generally that means language arts (reading/writing/spelling) and math and sometimes science. Here in Utah, science is tested but is not included in AYP, so it doesn't really "count". So we are basically told that anything else does not matter and not to spend time on it. That means that many, many children are receiving little or no instruction in science or social studies or history or art or music or physical education or health. No wonder we have an obesity epidemic. And how frightening that we are sending children out into the world, into a democratic republic, to vote and make our future decisions when some of them will have had virtually no teaching about this country's history, government, economics, etc. I think it is criminal, and yet it is happening. In my school, I have exactly 30-45 minutes of "discretionary time" each week that isn't blocked out for language arts, math and ELD (English Language Development). So even though I feel so strongly that it is critical to teach science and social studies, I only get to spend 30-45 minutes on it a week. I try to find ways to be creative and get around this when I can, without sacrificing literacy or math instruction by teaching somewhat thematically, but because I am tied to using specific programs and can have negative consequences if I don't follow them, I only have a small amount of freedom.

Third, tests are not real preparation for real life. How many multiple choice tests do you take in your job? But how many times do you have to write a letter, defend your opinions, try to persuade someone of something, approach a problem creatively, etc. We are stuck spending so much time instructing kids how to bubble in a test that we aren't teaching them critical thinking skills they will actually need to succeed.

Fourth, we have made school and learning boring for many kids. Music, art, science can enliven the curriculum and bring math skills or language skills to life. I still sometimes find myself saying, "Thirty days has September..." to figure out how many days are in a specific month. And there's a measurement song that helps me remember how many feet are in a mile. By removing the arts, movement, etc. we have removed an important pathway for learning, especially for kinesthetic kids. For some children, there are private music lessons or dance classes, but for kids like my students that is very rare. They don't have piano or dance or art. Their exposure to these things is what I and teachers like me give them. For some of them, that is the one bright spot in their week...the one thing they are truly gifted at, and they get little or no chance to find that out because programs have been cut. Learning is fun! Learning is exciting! If we could get kids excited and engaged then they would be a lot more likely to pass the test. And good teachers do just that. But boring programs that must be followed perfectly (because people don't trust that most teachers can engage and excite and teach) often do the opposite. I've been frustrated and angry about this as a teacher for a long time, but I'm more so now. It's not just my students that are suffering...it is my own children. I have an 8 year old that thinks school is boring and doesn't want to read. I have read to her nearly every day of her life, and she loved books until this year, but more and more worksheets and less and less of what interests her has begun to turn her off to school. If it is turning off my bright, hard working child who has been read to and exposed to good books (and whose mother, especially, is an avid reader!!!) think about what it is doing to so many children around the country who sadly don't have her advantages.

Fifth, the assumption behind NCLB is that every child can and should perform at about the same level...not taking into account their various intellectual abilities, motivation, etc. It reminds me just a bit of communism...that we should share everything equally... nice idea, but it doesn't work. Children are different. THey are HUMAN and therefore come with personalities, interests, abilities, experiences, and backgrounds that vary widely.

Sixth, NCLB isn't working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Test scores have mostly remained stagnant across the nation. There are a few exceptions, but across the nation, NCLB has made no significant increase or decrease in test scores. Is it worth the other negative affects to continue this madness that isn't achieving the desired results. Definition of insanity... to keep doing what you're doing and expect different results. We haven't entirely kept doing what we're doing...the powers that be are punishing teachers more and more and there is a very real chance that I may not have a job in the future. There's a very real chance that no one will willingly want to teach in a school like mine. That is frightening.


Seventh, the media, politicians and certain business leaders lie or mislead the public. When I talk to friends, neighbors and family, I find that for the most part they respect the job that I do, they appreciate the teachers in their schools, etc. Yet the media is constantly portraying education in a negative light. Business leaders (who are often smart, successful people that I admire) think that if schools were just run like a business then everything would improve. But their plans aren't working...and it is offensive that without ever stepping inside a classroom, they think they can solve the "problems" in education.


Eighth, NCLB looks only at one series of tests taken over a week or two period. They don't show all that a child knows or has experienced. I want to tell stories of a few of my students now. First, let me tell you about M. M. is in my second grade class this year. Last year, she spent most of the year in Mexico and for some reason did not attend school much. So when she showed up in my classroom, she couldn't read more than about 10 sight words. She couldn't add or subtract. She knew her letters and sounds but spelled nearly every word wrong when she wrote. Now, she is reading at an end of first grade reading level, reading about 65-70 words per minute. She can add and subtract 2 and 3 digit numbers. She can write two comprehensible paragraphs...with a few spelling errors, but they make sense. This child has made 1 1/2 -2 years growth in less than a year. But she may not quite pass the CRT. Should I feel bad that she doesn't pass or should I be celebrating her growth?

Let me tell you about W. He comes to school late a lot. He doesn't complete homework. He's gone to a lot of different schools, because mom is hiding from dad who is in a gang and has been abusive. W often comes in and puts his head down on his desk for the first 5 or so minutes. Then he gets up, joins the class, and usually participates and really tries hard. He needs that time to decompress. When asked what makes him happiest, he once told me that being safe at school is what makes him happiest. I learned quickly that if I pushed him to start participating the minute he walked in the door, we would have a rough day. But if I give him a few minutes, he will willingly join in and participate and will usually have a good day. But on his bad days, he doesn't care. And after knowing what is happening in his life, I can't blame him. Not that I don't work hard with him, push him to be his best, but at the same time I have compassion.

Let me tell you about B. She was in my class a few years ago. I worked so hard with her. Another teacher pulled her out and worked hard with her. She was not making much progress. After trying many things and not finding success, the decision was made to have her tested for special education. The test results? She had a low IQ. Not quite low enough to be labeled "intellectually disabled" but low. And the tests showed that she was working up to her intellectual ability. It wasn't that I wasn't trying or was an ineffective teacher, she was doing the best that she could, but her best was not the same as many of her peers. Sadly, there are many kids like her and there really isn't a place for them within NCLB. They don't receive extra help from special ed (in fact, they often don't receive extra help at all, other than what the classroom teacher can give them), and they are doing the best they can, but they are unlikely to pass the tests. I honestly don't worry too much about B once she finishes school. She is beautiful, hard working, honest, and has a wonderful personality. People really like her. She probably won't get a high paying job, but she could become a cashier or a house cleaner or other such job and I think she will do just fine. She is a happy child. I just hope that the years of testing and school don't beat that happiness out of her.

I could tell you so many other stories. There are 22 stories that shine through brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes at me each morning. I truly love being in their presence. I said on Facebook on Martin Luther King Jr. Day that I often feel like I am part of his dream when I enter my classroom... it is a classroom full of many cultures, races, creeds, and it is a place where I find a lot of joy. And I want each of these 22 unique, beautiful, special people to have a bright future. I want it more than any politician or district superintendent or board of education member. I have devoted much of my life to making it happen, and I am certainly not perfect. I am constantly trying to improve as are the teachers I know and respect. But it is because of my hard work ...and theirs... that they will someday reach their dreams, not because of some law. But I also feel it is my responsibility to let them know that they are important and worthwhile even if they don't pass a test at the end of the year.

I am a huge advocate for public education. The great majority of our nation's children are educated in our public schools. We do need to make improvements where we can, we do need dedicated teachers, but we also need to be careful that we are getting what we actually want. I don't think NCLB is getting us the results that we actually want as parents, teachers or as a nation. I think if we were wise, we would stop comparing ourselves to other countries (although I think it is wise to see what leading countries are doing...and in most cases it is the opposite of this high stakes testing). We would examine what matters for OUR nation, our children and then find ways to work together toward that end instead of being so divisive.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Ella's accomplishments


Ella has been working so hard in school. I am so glad that she loves school so much and that it is such a positive experience for her. She loves her school and her teachers. Both of her teachers are very dedicated and wonderful.

I saw Ella's Spanish teacher on Wednesday after school when I was picking the girls up. She told me that Ella is doing very well in Spanish. She said she'd just tested her in Spanish and she passed a level 18, which is an end of first grade level. She said that she's a better reader in Spanish than some of the native Spanish speakers.

Not only that but she is gaining confidence. Her Spanish teacher has the students do an oral presentation each month. Ella always practices at home and she's done fairly well, but she is kind of a shy girl, so her teacher has told me that she speaks quietly and doesn't always look very confident. On Friday, families were invited in the evening to see the children do this month's oral presentation. Each child had to memorize a poem. They began by welcoming the families and friends and saying they would present their poems while also showing some type of visual. When it was Ella's turn, she walked to the front and spoke loudly and clearly in Spanish. I'm so grateful to Miss Mary Lou for organizing this event on a Friday evening when she could have been home with her own family. I'm grateful that she and Miss Finerfrock work so hard to make school educational, fun, meaningful and motivating. I'm so thrilled to see Ella gaining confidence as well as skills.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

A good example


Michelle has 2 best friends at school, Shayla and Liliana.

On Sunday evening, Michelle and I were talking. She asked if she could tell me something and did I promise I wouldn't get mad. (Not a great way to start a conversation!) Michelle explained that a few days ago, Shayla's mom had remarked to Shayla, "I hate Mormons!" Shayla responded, "Well, then, Mom, you hate Michelle!" Shayla's mom immediately apologized and said that of course she didn't hate Michelle and that she didn't really hate all Mormons either. I'm glad that Michelle has been a good example to her friend and has had a positive influence on her friend's family.

She is growing up so quickly and is hardly a little girl anymore. She isn't perfect, but she is such a good child. Both Ella and Michelle remind me to hold Family Home Evening each week. They both really love it. They are eager to go to church and they really try hard to do what is right.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Progress

I am so pleased. Ella has made real progress in the past couple of months. She is having fewer and fewer meltdowns...and generally when she does have one, it lasts a shorter time and is less intense than previously. I think it has been a combination of things that are working. First, I've learned better how to handle the meltdowns, and I've tried to teach her some strategies to calm down and not escalate the meltdown. She is getting bigger and gaining more control over her own emotions. Also, back in December, I told her that when she'd had 10 days (but not necessarily consecutive days) with NO meltdowns that I'd take her for a mommy-daughter date, just the two of us. That really motivated her. We went to a movie and had popcorn and soda. So then we did it again in February... going for ice cream at Baskin Robbins. January didn't work out to get to have a one on one time but I took all 3 girls to Arctic Circle. Having that one on one time to look forward and work toward has been really motivating for her. I'm so grateful that we've finally found some strategies that are helping.... it makes all of us happier and calmer.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Imaginary Friend


Gabby now has an imaginary friend, and she really seems to believe in this friend. Now it is not the kind of imaginary friend that has a real presence in our home...she has never been to our house, she doesn't eat dinner with us, etc. But Gabby talks about Crystal a lot. She told me this morning that I should mix vitamins into some orange juice. I told her that I didn't think that would taste very good, and she responded, "Crystal's mom puts vitamins in her orange juice." She has told me several stories about playing at Crystal's house. She also tells me about how Crystal is in her dance class (but Gabby isn't in a dance class! Her best friend Sofie is though.) Cute, sweet girl. She definitely has a good imagination and she is a great storyteller.