Art and Literature: Creativity Unleashed

Art and Literature are partners, but they do not always get equal press.  For example, when I first started teaching (yes, 17 years ago) writing about literature was front and center.  We read we wrote, we read we wrote.  Ok, it was not always that seamless.  It was more like "we read, we learned to write," "we read, we learned to write better," and please don't get me wrong: I think that matters.

In fact, at this moment my sophomores are crafting analytical essays focusing on our first whole class novel, Elie Wiesel's Night.  Everything from modeling the brainstorming to the entire class creating a thesis for the model topic, selecting quotes, crafting leads, quotation mark review, topic sentence structure and engagement is hugely important.  And to me, the conferences with the students are the best parts.  They are working hard, taking ownership of their learning, and using me as a resource.  This is what I thought I would write about this month.  After all, this is what English teachers do.

But, fifth period yesterday changed all that.  My seniors were grumbly about the combination analysis and art requirement for Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.  When I introduced the assignment (requiring students to craft a thesis and art piece answering a prompt with textual evidence woven into the piece), I heard everything from "Can we write a paper?" to "Can I get an art credit?" Frustrated, I showed them models of the project from the previous years.  In truth, I was used to grumbling but not to the level of this year's seniors.  For a moment, I thought "it's easier to have them write an analytical journal. It'll be faster for all of us, and we won't lose class time to presentations."  But then I remembered why I combine Art and Literature.  My students will not find careers as literary analysis writers nor will most of them become artists.  But they will find careers that ask them to think critically and use all their skills to solve a problem or convey a message.

With that in mind, I scheduled more time for exemplar discussion and analysis.  I met with students

individually about their ideas and their vision for their project.  Over and over again, I heard "I can't paint" to which I said, "You aren't required to paint."  Yesterday, the first round of presentations revealed that some students can paint or draw, but led me to notice further that she can create.  In short, maybe "my kids" don't like to paint, but they certainly like to build.  Today, twelve students presented thanks to long-block, and nine of them presented a construction!  They built boats and ships, the world, the Congo, and darkened hearts of darkness "hiding" the quotes as Conrad hides the meaning of the horror.

To conclude every presentation, students asked questions and complimented each other's work.  To complete the class, I told them the truth.

To paraphrase, I said something like: You may never write another literary analysis essay every again, but you will challenge yourself outside your comfort zone.  You will solve problems you lack the confidence to solve.  You will do all of these things.  As your teacher, the best I can do is push you to be creative.  

If creativity is an "option," very few will select it.  Creativity becomes a skill people shy away from, claiming that "I'm not good at that," which is simply not true.  No one would look at a child learning a new skill and allow them to say: "I'm not good at that."  This was my mindset years ago when my then-department head entrusted me with a new course level: Honors English 12 where I could create my own topics and themes.  

Determined to make the most of that opportunity (and every year after that!), I step outside my comfort zone with texts, class activities, and assessments.  In doing so, I resolved that I would also help (they may have said force until their presentations reflected their insights, determination, and support of each other).  

Art and Literature are more than topics, they are reflections of humanity and being human is hard.  Being human can take us on foggy, zig-zag paths with an understanding that is not always understandable.  That experience.  That feeling.  Those are the gifts I want to give my seniors before they leave the safe and hopefully cozy confines of my classroom and our school.  

Stretch.  Try.  Fail. Succeed.  Do all of those things for the rest of this year and keep doing them for the rest of your lives.  Engage in the world, if not without fear, then with limited fear.  Just like you did with this project...and just like you will with the next one!

The Struggles of October--Reflections of a Tired Teacher

For some reason, likely survival, I forget every year that October is hard.  Very hard.  The newness wears off, the meetings begin, the extra help and college essays abound, and the grading builds up to the point of exhaustion before one even starts the task of tackling the, often metaphorical, occasionally literal pile.

This year I was determined to pause, mid-month and reflect professionally.  For the first time, I attended MassCUE, a technology conference held at Gilette Stadium, and even got to stand on the field with other educators from my district.  Surely, I thought, this will be the inspiration for my next blog!  And it was, but October got in the way.  November 1st is a big deadline for my seniors, and that meant before and after school conferencing with them on top of the normal day-to-day responsibilities of a teacher, which left me little time to write about my learning experience.  The reflections for and the impact of that learning experience was significant but became something that was no longer timely to share with a broader audience.

Instead, it became evident that what I needed to reflect on was my lack of time to reflect.  I know that as a learner, I am at my best when I have time to write about, discuss, and otherwise process my challenges and triumphs as an educator.  Still, October did not allow that.  But luckily, something I planned for my students did make me stop.



My sophomores spent much of first quarter reading free choice books and working in book club groups.  Every day at the start of class, I give a book chat  The final list of books for the first quarter is pictured.  Since completing a reading self-assessment survey during the first week of school, my students identified as mostly non-readers who spent much of their time "fake reading" for school.  After each book chat, my students read silently for ten minutes and track their reading on a chart that is passed around the room.  To end the first quarter, my plan was for them to revisit the survey, complete a short written reflection, and have pictures taken with their respective book stacks (books they read during the first quarter) so they could honestly see their own growth.  Their reflection led to my reflection, and for that I am grateful.

My class of 14 sophomores independently read just over 50 books during the first quarter!  The photo is below, and I love it!  Their reflections showed that some have begun to view themselves as readers and goal setters.  These are quotes from my students' reflections that made me smile and know that this drastic pedagogical shift in my classroom is not only effective, but it is also critical as I continue my career:

At this time, how would you describe yourself as an independent reader?

• I would describe myself as a good reader who is self motivated if the book is good
• I would describe myself as liking to read when I am told to. In the past I haven’t typically read by choice. I also like reading books when I can really get into them. If I can’t then I get a bit bored.
• A swift dedicated reader, I’ve recently been getting very into my books and enjoying them. I still find myself with difficulty picking up new books and getting into them, but if I do get into a book I can really stay involved
• Someone who never read even what was assigned, but is reading for real now, even if I am not very fast at it

What goal(s) would you like to set for yourself as a reader next quarter?

• Do what I did this quarter, maybe a bit better, probably a bit worse(I'm a self doubter, but everything works out in the end)
• To be able to find books I like easily and not to be as picky and being more open about it.
• Read more than one book in a month or at least start a second book before the end of the month.
• To find more time to read.
• To read at least 4 decent sized books over the next quarter!!! (And maybe try to read a bit faster)

Scheduling time for my students to reflect on their learning experiences gave me pause to stop and reflect on mine.  Seeing most of my students in that class posing with all the books they read in one quarter confirmed what I thought was true but more importantly made them realize how much progress they made as independent readers.  Fifty books is a lot of books!  My students who read two books confessed that they read more books this quarter than all of last year!  

So what does all this have to do with the struggle of October?  Educators are always busy.  Always.  There is a lot to do and what we do matters, a lot.  The pressure of the daily grind, lost time with friends and family, and the emotional human toll can leave us exhausted, depleted, and trapped in the moment.  Gifts we provide for our students, like time for reflection, are not gifts we consistently give ourselves and that needs to change.  

It may not be reasonable or even possible for me to blog multiple times a month, but I know that stopping and writing about this shared learning experience between my students and me gives me a sense of pride and feeds my teacher soul in a way that matters.  Do I still have narratives to grade?  Yes, but this reflection took priority.  

After all, if I am not a reflective educator how can I expect my students to be reflective learners?

Give Them Books and Book Chats, So They Will Read!

For the first ten years of my career, I was the only 8th grade English teacher in a town. I knew all the families, they knew me, and my classroom was a second home. Books were EVERYWHERE! And fulfilling the teacher archetype, I spent a significant percentage of my salary on my classroom, but especially on the books that were available as a free choice for "my kids."

But then I transferred to our high school and spent some years on a cart.  I was organized, so it was not terrible, but it was certainly not the same.  A couple years later, I shared a classroom with another teacher (try and picture two teacher desks in one classroom with 28 student desks).  It worked because we respected each other, but honestly my ability to make the space into mine was not possible.  And my books stayed at home. In boxes. In the basement.  Waiting to be read.

This year I have a room of my own (I do share with a part-time teacher one period a day), so I decided to bring back my books!  Having read Penny Kittle's and Kelly Gallagher's 180 Days, I emailed the staff requesting any unwanted bookcases be moved into my classroom.  The custodians laughed when I got to school in August and said: "let us know which ones you want us to take back out. There's no way you have that many books."  Little did they know what books mean to educators, let alone educators who are still English majors at heart.  Oh, I have the books. Trust me!

   Here is a picture of some (not all) of the bookcases before I carried my boxes of books back where they belonged...In my classroom where "my kids" can get to them.

But having books in my classroom was not going to be enough.  What good were they if my students just had books nearby but never had the opportunity to touch them, hear about them or read them?

So back to Kittle and Gallagher I went.  180 Days includes a recommendation for daily book chats, and I figured: "I'll try it out and we'll see how it goes?"  Quickly followed by "I hope I've read enough books!"
 Well, it turned out that I have read enough.  At least so far I have.  Today, on the 25th day of classes I gave my 25th daily book chat.  They take 2-4 minutes a day, and I follow the same model: basics of plot, character, genre, and usually the sharing of a short excerpt.  I maintain a list in the back of my room (picture below) and have even started a "Book Waiting List" board so my students who want to read a book that is checked out, will get it as soon as possible. I also maintain a "What Ms. Rocha is . . . Currently Reading . . . About to Read  . . . Recently Read" board along with a "What Ms. Rocha Should Buy Next" board.

I thought that was successful enough, but then a sweet moment happened.  A former student (with the help of a current student) wanted to focus on my book chats for a new segment on video announcements.  It was the first time the segment would air, and I was honored and nervous for the filming, but once the chat started, it was normal.  Just me talking to my kids about how awesome Trevor Noah's Born a Crime is.

Here is the clip:                                              

Link https://youtu.be/6J9ASeiO91w

Innumerable of my students have mentioned how great it was, former students stopped by to say "good job" and "why didn't you do that for us last year?" and an unintended side effect has happened.  Students I do not know have visited my room.  They just want to see all the books.  None have checked out a book yet, but I suspect some will in the future.  For now, they just like to wander in, see the books, take pictures of my Book Chat list (photo to the right), and go about their days.

The book chats caught on and if I forget my students remind me.  Fire drill means I missed a class?  Early release schedule means a class didn't meet?  The next day the students say: "Today we get two.  You gave a chat yesterday, and we missed it."  Who saw that coming?

Ideally, my students will step up and give the book chats shortly.  Parents and others have been invited in and though none have taken me up on the offer multiple have donated to expand the classroom library and shared that they would love to come in for book chats.

In fact, today I asked a custodian if there were any available bookcases.  He laughed, smiled, and said, "I'll bring you one.  Just tell me where you want it."  I love that!  And I love that my students are surrounded by books they want to read.  For ten minutes daily my sophomores and seniors free-read.  Many of them selecting texts I shared as a book chat previously.  Their reading stamina is growing before my very eyes.

Here are (some of) my bookcases at the moment.  The topics were created by my sophomores and seniors who sorted all the books the first couple weeks of school.

In the end I confirmed: If you give them good books, they will read!

 

Professional Development with Kate Roberts

Today: Thursday, September 13, 2018

My department has a fantastic opportunity to spend tomorrow (and a day in January) working with and learning from Kate Roberts!  As a department, we read A Novel Approach and took part in a Twitter chat offered by an area school district during the summer.  All of us are coming together tomorrow, and I am so excited for this experience!  I have many questions and thoughts that developed after school started this year as a result of this book study.

Here are some links to Kate Robert's literacy sites in case you're interested or want an overview of the book:

Kate and Maggie Literacy Consultant Blog
Kate's Twitter
Kate Roberts Tour of A Novel Approach


Stay tuned for the follow-up of this professional development learning experience!

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

After taking the weekend to reflect on Friday's opportunity, I can safely say: it was better than even I hoped for!  The day started off quietly as I took some time to myself to think about my goals for the day (and find the Wifi password in the facility), but once the day got going I started learning and kept learning, which is a great feeling to have!

Kate Roberts' experience, insight, and clear rationale for her decision-making regarding reader's workshop were honest and most importantly useful!  Who admits "I am biased about reader's workshop" then makes it a point to support her counterclaim?  Who says "I have an answer.  I don't know if it's the answer." Kate Roberts does, and that authenticity is something I value.

Sharing her experience as an educator and literacy specialist with an audience well versed in her work, A Novel Approach, allowed this PD opportunity to extend beyond the surface.  Questions were asked time and time again that many (perhaps all?) of us in the room had at that exact moment!  Roberts' classic, funny teacher style balanced well with the challenges of scheduling whole class novels, book clubs, and free choice reads.  Centered around a skills/craft focus in literacy, anchor charts abound, but so does the freedom to create what you need, borrow what you can, and share what you do.

Crafting rapid 15-day units and sharing those with partners granted me permission to fit this into an already busy planning lifestyle.  Is time always available when it's needed most?  No.  So, I'll use the bits of time I have and make the most of it!

What else am/was I struggling with as I shifted away from the whole class novel approach?  Here are a few:

• Nervous about conferencing with students about their reading in "the right way"? Rehearse the jargon with a peer. 
• Worried about being lost in a sea of post-its?  There are organizational options for that. 
• Concerned about grades?  There are performance lists to help along the way.  
• Stressed about the loss of whole class novels?  It's ok.  I can build our reading community with intention, and the results are likely to be the same, or even better than my previous experience.  
• Trying to figure out how to create lessons for small groups while crafting lessons for the whole class?  Don't use it as an excuse not to try.  The ebb and flow of this dynamic are normal and even fun.  

In the end, this learning experience expanded my professional community, granted me permission to be uncomfortable as my teaching grows and changes, but more than that reminded me why I teach. It matters.

Where do I go from here?  I am taking qualities from Roberts' A Novel Approach and Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher's 180 Days and merging these complementary texts into my current teaching.  Every day, my sophomores read by choice, write with me, and create their own pieces.  It may not be perfect or even pretty...yet.  But it is pretty great!

Who and Why?

It has taken me a long time to start blogging for no particular reason except I changed my mind about topics I was going to focus on often enough that I said "next year" a lot.  The truth is that I rejected a lot of ideas but finally realized that my rejection was too severe.  Instead, I decided to leap in.  So this is me, leaping.  My blog will reflect my values and experiences as an educator with all the highs, lows, and you-really-need-to-read-this book moments I can share.

But first, a bit about me.  I am a high school English teacher in central Massachusetts and just started my seventeenth year teaching.  I love my job and "my" kids.  They make me laugh every day!  Before I transferred to the high school, I taught eighth grade English for ten years and loved every moment of that, too.  My passions are my family, friends, Cape Cod, sports, books, and my career.  I also love to travel to new places and experience life at a different pace.  Learning is important to me in every aspect of my life, so I try to challenge myself every year to do something I have not done before or go somewhere I have never been before.  Last year, a country song summed up my mindset with: "When is the last time you did something for the first time?"  My latest answer:  Today.  I blogged.