Lessons from "Special People"

Time has become a precious commodity in my life. Not so much that I don't want to try new things, but rather the result of my plate being full with upcoming events: my 40th Class Reunion, a couple of Wedding Showers, my mother-in-law's 80th Birthday Celebration, Relay for Life, Kiwanis, our son's wedding, a small part-time job...and not-to-forget summer school. This is all good and I feel most fortunate to have excellent health and a state of mind which allows me to stay active, but there are also times when you have to call for a "timeout" and pause to spend a day with someone who needs a friend.
My wife's nephew, John, is one of those "special people" who was born with fetal alcohol syndrome. He is the same age as our son, Jacob, and I recall his early years of life when he was filled with anger and rage. His parents chose to ignore the symptoms and over time his condition deteriorated to the point where he could not make good decisions. Since he cannot live independently on his own, he now lives in a group home almost 2-1/2 hours south of us. John enjoys calling us whenever he can, and often this is 4-5 times per week. In our mind those conversations are redundant, but to him they represent a connection with "family," providing an outlet for him to stay in touch with his immediate family and maintaining his positive outlook on life.
Yesterday we made the trip south to spend the day with John, and we all went to a local community fair in Lake Mills, one with carnival rides and games. John had a blast enjoying the simple pleasures of eating a corn dog, tossing darts at balloons for stuffed animals, shooting basketballs at the hoop in hopes of winning a poster, sitting on the park bench while the local folk band played songs from The Eagles, walking the midway, finding pennies on the blacktop.....all of this brought out the BEST in him....and ME! It reminded me of how important it is to stop and smell the roses of life...to set more time aside for John and all the other "special people" in the world. They represent innocence and love. They have need for the company of family and friends. The greatest gift we can provide is our time and attention.
By the end of three hours John was ready to return to his home, greatly in need of a nap and quiet time. He gave us a hug, thanked us for coming, and encouraged us to return for another visit before the end of the summer. His comments and smile reminded us of the lessons we can learn from the "special people" of the world. To keep a little room on our plate open for them. To take a day every now and then to enjoy the simple pleasures with all the John's who need us to be part of their life.

Reflections on Strategies for Reading and Writing

Sitting on the bank of a river, my first impression of the water is how it moves along in what appears to be a uniform and unchanging pace. Whether one was found on the surface of the stream or riding the bottom, whether one was in the heart of the river or riding the shoreline, there was but one speed for which we were aware of. But knowing how it really is, the waters swirl with varying currents, anything but constant and perpetual. I would imagine that there was a time when it was assumed that everyone read and write at the same pace, placing demand on the learner to keep pace that was set by their teacher. Sink or swim. One pace. One expectation. One size fits all. Regardless of what we “see” at the surface, the river is a churning current of liquid, always changing, always altering its true shape and mass. It is multidimensional in the truest form, and can never be mastered for its simplicity.

The world of education is an amazing place, one filled with new experiences in ways that exceed my imagination. The past two weeks have deepened my passion for learning new ways to help those who struggle with reading and writing, knowing that once they learn to use some of these new techniques, they will strengthen their capacity to learn. These practices add a new perspective to classroom learning, helping both strugglers and achievers to improve upon their skills.

Much like the river for which I hold great respect, my classroom is never one dimensional in nature. Using the variety of instructional strategies provided to me, I play an important role in a student’s development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. The works of Tovani, Buehl and others have a proven track record of success, and these will be instrumental in how I work with young people in education. These strategies are there for the taking, but if they aren’t used, they cannot be further developed or enhanced to their total capability. It requires responsibility and accountability on my end, to open up that tool box and look for more than just a hammer and screwdriver. I have a wealth of specialized tools at my disposal and each of these was created with a purpose. It is more than understanding the content of what I am teaching, but also appreciating the tools which can chisel a unique flavor of charismatic character.

Monitoring my progress requires ongoing reflection of personal and professional practices, always looking for ways to improve upon individual skill sets. Written reflection represents that “day with the ducks” and assures that I stay the course of my true potential. It is thinking aloud about my wonderings, evaluating myself, and then identifying ways to grow as a professional. This is the road on which my journey now continues, one with curves to maneuver around and potholes to avoid, but best of all, my toolbox grows in dimensional depth and fortitude.

The View From Up Here

Another semester has come to a close, and its time to return to my electronic blog. For the past few months my efforts have been focused on writing by hand, sort of the old forgotten way of placing one's thoughts on paper. Nonetheless, that requirement for English 394 has ended, and I want to pick up from where I had left off.
Having written personal reflections on two classroom experiences this semester, I want to single out two exceptional teachers for whom I had the opportunity to work with. Ann Marchant is an ESL Teacher at Stevens Point High School, and she allowed me to tutor a small handful of her students on a weekly basis over the course of almost three months. Ann is a wonderful person who incorporates current events and grammar into her daily lesson plans with students of the Hmong, Chinese, and Hispanic cultures.
The second person is Julie Vargas from Tri-County Middle School in Plainfield. Julie is a strong advocate for Hispanics in her community, and she provided me with 2-1/2 hours of weekly reading "fun" with her groups of 6th and 4th graders. Some of these students are second language learners, and this practicum solidified everything UW-SP has taught me in the way of working with young readers. THANK-YOU ANN & JULIE!
The semester ended on a strong note, and I am most grateful for the outstanding educators who graced my classroom schedule over the past four months. I stand in awe of the work they do, and little are they aware of how much they impact my life as an educator. Looking back on the teaching careers of people like Frank Douglas and Adeline Curl, I'm proud to be moving in the direction I'm headed. And as much uncertainty there is in this world, I stand confident with my present game plan. The realization that my life-long goal is now within sight is an awesome feeling, and the countdown to May 12, 2012 has now begun with eager anticipation. It's much like a mountain that has been climbed...viewing the scenery which is now unobstructed and clearly within sight. It truly is a wonderful view!

When Stones Go Unturned

I find fieldstone to be particularly interesting for the character which is captured in each rock. A number of years ago we landscaped our yard, and needed to acquire a couple of pickup trucks of fieldstone. My father-in-law's farm near West Bloomfield became a logical destination; after all, farmer's are constantly scrounging their fields to gather them as the earth churns them to the surface. Gene had a back pasture peppered with a variety of stones, but I quickly discovered this parcel was a natural phenomenon. Rocks were not transported here by him as a dumping ground, but left behind in a glacier melt many thousands of years ago. I found the 'rock garden' as something wonderful and unique, but to Gene it was just a field of rocks. As I surveyed my find, I took notice of how many fieldstones were still buried in the ground with only a portion of their surface exposed, almost like an iceberg in the ocean's water. Taking my shovel, I removed some of the soil to reveal more of the rock's hidden side. Like a kid in a candy shop, I was in awe of the variety and number of stones which were available to me, but yet there were hundreds of other stones which would never be touched by my hands nor examined by my eyes.
As my life journey continues, I often reflect on Gene's field of rocks. As teachers, we walk amidst a field of students everyday, often neglecting the character and uniqueness which each holds inside. We touch the minds of a few, impacting their life in special ways, yet there remains a pasture full of unturned stones. While we may see their faces and acknowledge their presence, there is an overwhelming portion which sits below the surface, much like those fieldstones, waiting for someone to come along and turn...to examine...to clean...to enjoy...to relish in their character...and to place them in a setting where they will add to the character of humanity.
Last evening I was the recipient of phone calls from two individuals for whom I was able to turn their stone. After rugged starts, each of these young men have moved forward in special ways which are almost beyond belief. Their lives suddenly have purpose and meaning, and I sensed their enthusiasm for where they stood in their journey. Most likely I did not realize how I could make a difference so many years ago, but now I stand in the field and see all those unturned rocks that still need our attention.

Applying Pressure

We live in a time when pressure is plentiful. Politicians applying pressure on citizens, citizens pushing back with higher expectations. Financial institutions under pressure to keep their financial house in order, families feeling the weight in making ends meet. Students under pressure to stay up to date with readings and assignments, teachers under strain to complete the syllabus as it was outlined at the start of the semester. Soldiers feeling pressure to eliminate an enemy that few are able to comprehend, and governments forcing their will upon others. Pressure is plentiful and often destructive in nature, but can also result in the creation of one of the world's most beautiful substances...the diamond! Diamonds are rare, beautiful, and hard, yet they consist of the same material as coal. Apply pressure to coal and you get dust. Compress coal with the hardest of pressures and you get diamonds.
Yes, these times are extremely challenging, and the ride is far from over. There are days when my brain hurts from all the pressure and the body aches from stress of deadlines, finances, and commitments. But in the long run I have the feeling there will be something wonderful waiting at the end....not just for me, but for everyone.

Did I ask a good question today?

As an educator, one needs to always be prepared with a good question. As a student, one needs to always be prepared with an answer...be it right, wrong or indifferent. (saying "I don't know" can be interpreted as a response, too) As a youngster in the classroom, the questions asked of me were usually literal in nature...simply answer yes or no, true or false, provide a date, name two individuals, identify the country, etc, etc.... Never did the teacher say "tell me about whether you believe our country is right or wrong about fighting in Vietnam," or "explain to me why 18-year-olds should be allowed to vote." That would have opened the door to controversy....and a lively discussion of feelings, attitudes, perceptions, and justifying of choices. You never want to let that genie out of the bottle! (...or do you?)
We've come a long ways in the past fifty years, and the process of good questioning does promote good literacy amongst people of all ages. Good questioning results in students learning how to think, relect and in turn, inquire further with more questions. And once the flood gates are opened up, look out below....
Perhaps some of the problems we're dealing with today are the direct result of when past generations asked questions with that narrow perspective which too often required the lowest level of basic skills in their response and autonomous learning. So tomorrow, and everyday hereafter, I'll begin every good conversation with a good question. One which will provoke thought and deepen my understanding for others.

Notebooking versus Blogging...Or both?

I spent the fall of 2011 in the committed relationship of 'blogging'. It was a unique experience, and while few needed to notice, I was energized in my writings. It required a weekly discipline, reflecting on weekly assigned readings and tech lab discussions. Being a committed educator (and learner) in the 21st century, this was THE 'new' technology to embrace, communicating thoughts and actions in a means which demonstrated skill sets for today's social media.
No sooner had I become acclimated to this regimentation than I am introduced to the concept of 'the writer's notebook'. This concept requires daily contemplation about one's life; not in the style of a diary, rather a personal reflection for any number of topics. The intent is to continually write....a flow of ongoing thoughts without stopping....to never let your mind pause to lose where its place is....to feel the undercurrent of the moment....pulling words from the deepest part of the soul and not to break the ongoing current that transposes the imagination as when we were back in grade school sitting in front of the teacher, listening to her ramblings about good penmanship....and knowing mine was not at the top of her list..... (get my gist here?)
The writer's notebook has a valuable stake in classroom education as it provides insight on WHAT my students are thinking about. One recent reading compared it to opening all the doors and windows of a house so the winds could pass through and all obstacles would be transparent. It generates creativity on the part of my students, and sheds new light on mindful ponderings of young people. Having personally put this practice to use over the first two weeks of class, I am amazed at what avenues my mind wrestles with. Yes, I can see benefit in this concept....but I still like my blog for what it is. Therefore, I see great value in doing both!