We all have learning moments that are so powerful that they stay with us for quite some time. Mine is an Edu-Retreat with Misty Paterson in Brussels, Belgium. I wanted to revisit this moment and see what has stayed the same and evolved, since this magical expeirence. I've known for quite some time that Misty Paterson is rather brilliant. Anyone who has read her book, Pop-Studio: Responsive Teaching for Today's Learners, will find plenty of examples of this in action. But, there is a difference between reading Misty's book and attending one of her in-person workshops. My respect for her creativity and intuition went up 1000% after attending her Edu-Retreat. Extending an InvitationLearning intentions are everything. Materials play a powerful part in setting those intentions. As I reflect on a recent workshop with Sean Walker and Anne van Dam, they talked alot about loose parts, intelligent materials, and intentional proposals. I see the ink engagement as an invitation to be playful. Personally, I wish we had more of these moments throughout the day in upper pimary/elementary school. Imagine how it might help learners to reduce their anxiety while increasing their enthusiasm for learning. As a participant in the workshop, you might consider it a fun activity. This is where a pedagogical artist like Misty sprinkles her magic. She has an intention for our playful encounter and will use it wrap up and synthesize the experience. I know you want to skip to the end now, but her process is equally important to understand. Setting Learning Intentions
As I sat back to observe the workshop in progress, I couldn't help but to see the CME model in action through our experience and the intentional use of materials. Misty knew how to curate experiences that would allow for natural connections to be made. For those who are scratching their heads, the CME model is a balanced approach to using concepts, materials, and experiences to helps learners deeply understand ideas. The concepts help learners to tell the story of how the materials are use to shape the experience. I know this sounds abstract. You can listen to my linked podcast for more information or better yet buy a copy of Misty's book. She has so many examples from early years to high school. She also offers alot of tools on her website. Making ConnectionsTo be honest, when I was packing for the Edu-Retreat, I didn't know what to expect. All I read was that it would be a more personalized workshop experience. Misty definitely set the tone by asking us to bring the following materials. What questions do you have as you read through this list?
Funnily enough, we used all of the materials in different ways than I intended. For instance, we used our personal artifact to connect with eachother as learners, teachers, and dreamers. I rather enjoyed using a ball of string to literally connect to someone else's experiences. Whenever I made a connection, I had to write it down on a small piece of paper and put it on the white line. It taught me how to carefully listen to details about other people's stories and seek ways to connect. The power of this web is that we went beyond our individual connections by searching for patterns. When there was an aha moment or a generalization about a bigger idea, we would write it on colored post-it notes, like this one above. This was a powerful tool that we kept coming back to again and again throughout the two days of learning. Once it was finished, it was amazing to see how our learning and conceptual understanding evolved. What are you already doing to help your learners to come to those AHA moments with each other and on their own? How do they know it is an AHA? Synthesizing our LearningLearning transfer is one of the hardest things to master. As a trainer, you want your participants to walk away with tools that they can use right away, but also build up to a deeper understanding of an idea. The beautiful masterpieces that we created in the beginning of the Edu-Retreat with the ink were cut into strips as shown here. I won't lie, I gasped. My masterpiece was cut up and handed out to other people to enjoy. Once I got over my shock, I finally understood Misty's genius. If we want to create a beautiful work of art in our classrooms, we have to experiment. We have to let go of the old picture in our mind of what "good teaching" looks like. Instead, we need to take a chance and chop up ideas together, so it allows for more learner voice to be added to create something even more beautiful. To synthesize the learning experience, we took some time to read a part of Pop-Up Studio and write down lines that resonated with us. Then, we wove the strips together to create a tapestry of ideas. We highlighted the bits that literally stuck out to us and wrote a generalization or main idea statement. How often are we doing this with our learners? Letting them decide what it might look like? This is definitely something I plan to use next week with my learners. How might you adapt these ideas to help your learners to synthesize and come up with their own big ideas? Coming TogetherSean Walker One of the best things about the Edu-Retreat was about making meaningful connections with others. There was special something about meeting people in-person that you had admired from afar for so long.
Youri and Rafa The hosts of the Edu-Retreat were Youri and Rafael. They are co-directors of Bogaerts International School North Campus. They are situated next to NATO on the outskirts of Brussels, Belgium. Now, they are my co-directors. Little did I know at the time this photo was taken that I would work at Bogaerts with these leaders. I love having Rafa so close to bounce around ideas and go into a concept-based rabbit hole together. We can still talk for hours about pedagogy. The best part, he gives the biggest hugs with his whole heart. Youri has introduced me to Kriek and lots of Belgian chocolate. I'm kinda boushie now because of his influence, which is okay with me! It's wonderful to be back in the classroom again and in place where I can create magic on my own, while being inspired to challenge my thinking and teaching. I've grown so much in such a short period of time. As I reflect on this experience, I'm going back to ideas that I want to try out with my learners this year. What is something that has caught your eye?
Misty has a gift of storytelling that is unique. When I walked into this experience, I came as a friend. When I left, I was a participant that felt full of ideas and enthusiasm to make change in my practice. This is when you know you have just dont through a magical experience.
If you want to have a similar experience, consider joining an Edu-Retreat. Misty is beginning to host them all around the world. She is always looking for schools who are willing to partner. I know that I will join one next school year. I just hope it is somewhere warm! For more information, about Misty's Edu-Retreats and professional offerings, be sure to visit her website.
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If you love the blog post, then you will enjoy listening to the podcast even more. The blog is the script that I have written, but the golden nuggets are in my ramblings on the podcast. As you might have guessed, I am a rambler and will remain so for the rest of my my days. This really brings forward the question of what stories are you sharing? Are you doing it through strictly facts? Do you add some personal touches? Do you ramble like me? The stories that we share make a huge impact on young learners. What stories are not being told, because of our bias or cultural lens? This is not a bad thing, but we have to realize that there is more to our limited viewpoint. If you have a differing story, what is it? How does it reflect who you are and your place within the world? These questions will be explored in the current podcast episode. Just click over to the podcast link on this webpage for a free listen.
One thing I’ve been hearing over again by everyone that inspires me is that learning is intentional. How are you being intentional with international mindedness as a specialist and supporting teacher? Remember, we are trying in to look at the curriculum through a different lens to get the maximum amount of potential from our learners. Let’s share some storiesStorytelling is one of the ways that we can really get our learners hooked into our content. It makes the ideas more relatable, because they are required to feel with their hearts, instead of think with their heads. It’s not so hard, but it requires practice. If we don't share the unique stories, learners might find ones of their own that are not as well-crafted or misleading. Let’s learn how to storytell through PZ visible thinking routine: Stories. Stories Consider how accounts of issues, events, people, society, etc. are presented; what has been left out, and how you might want to present the account.
Example in ArtWhat is the story that is presented? What is the account that is told? Let’s engage with an image, video, or piece of music. Ask learners to share that story that is presented from their point of view. Then, share the account that is told from the perspective of the artist and the time they were living. Since artists often respond to social conditions, it should be relatively easy to determine the muse. What is the untold story? What is left out in the account? What other angles are missing in the account? Have learners examine the text again and try to determine the hidden story of the text and what it is trying to tell us based on stylistic choices, the lighting, focal point, etc. Learners try to interpret the piece of art based on their prior understanding and connect it to issues at the time. They can also connect it with present-day issues and how it reflects the patterns in society. To deepen the thinking, they can share what they think is missing from the story.
What is your story? What is the account that you think should be the one told? Thinking about the text being used, how can we connect it to the story of our learners? Ask your learners to find connections to their everyday lives. Find a story that they are willing and feel safe to share with the class. Having been in a similar situation with learners, it’s amazing how it just opens up the group and builds bonds. Allowing learners to share their stories really helps them to see that they are the focus of the curriculum and not an end product of it. Reflect back: when was the last time that you used storytelling in your teaching? No matter the content area, bringing about connections through stories is a powerful tool that learners respond to easily. It’s about choosing the right hook and the right story. Other ApplicationsAs I am pondering the use of the Stories routine, I am finding several connections to other specialist and supporting roles.
ICT/ Computer Lab As learners begin keyboarding the first time, share your personal experience with typing. For me, it would have been on an electronic typewriter. My typing teacher would not allow us to use correct film, so we had to perfect the typing assignments. What lesson did this teach me? How does it impact my life today? For one thing, I am able to type regularly without looking at the keyboard. I can type about 50 words per minute with some errors. In a world of talk to text features, this is something to celebrate. What is something that you are learning in a computer lab that is difficult, but you believe it will help you in the end? How are you feeling about completing it? Music When we explore various genres of music, we can uncover how the blues got its name. What about this music brings about a sense of melancholy and the desire for the past. What is our personal connection to music that makes us feel blue. What genre makes us feel this way? Any particular song that gets us at the heart? Science Lab Let’s look at the fifth state of matter and how a young Albert Einstein was ridiculed by his peers so badly that he rescinded his findings all together. Only 20 years later, there was another team that replicated his procedure and proved that his theory was in fact correct. How might this connect to our world today? How would you feel if you were mocked on social media for your ideas and everyone in your school knew about it. How would you deal with this situation? Would you hide like Albert or would you fight? What might be the hidden message in this story? PE The stories of team sports and how it brings a group of people together to achieve one goal. What is the goal of each learner as they play team games? What is the story that is being shared, hidden, and our personal connection. Now that you can see how it is used, consider how it might be adjusted for your next week’s lessons. What will you change to make it more open-ended? One thing that I am constantly doing is getting caught up in the details of life. But, I often wonder if the things that I choose to focus on are really the things that matter. Becoming more intentional. A goal that I have made for this year is to invest my energy in building up others in small, simple ways. This can be a simple smile, a tea break, or a long walk in the park. It doesn't have to cost much money, only the investment of time and being present. Being more intentional.
Another moment that filled my heart this weekend was watching a special boy in my life play football. He is passionate about the game and it made me happy to cheer him on in the crowd of parents and family members. Nothing is better than cheering on a child. They have so much passion for what they do, but it's about continuously supporting them when the energy wains and frustration sets in. These are the moments when a kind word of encouragement matters the most. This was my first football match in over a year. As I reflect on this simple fact, it makes me want to invest more into his joy. Being more intentional with how I spend my time.
I still tend to get caught up in the silly things like fear and uncertainty. An instant cure is to get out of my head by helping others. It used to be that service was in fashion. People helped each other, because it was the right thing to do. I'm trying to make it more part of my life. Emulating intentional behavior.
What is something you want to be more intentional about that will bring more joy to others? As the new year comes about, there are heaps of people on social media that share their word of the year. I find it quite amusing, because it has become a new type of resolution, but you shout it out to the world to hold you accountable. This year, I took a slower approach. I gave 2025 time to find its feet before committing to my word. It's amazing how it just finds you through numerous ways. My word this year is intentional. I have heard being spoken at my school from planning sessions and our NEASC visit last week. Prior to that, I heard it at my workshop with Sean Walker and Anne van Dam in Berlin about creating responsive learning spaces. My goal for this word is to be an example of intentional decision-making. Less scrolling on my Facebook video feed for tidbits from the Graham Norton show to creating ideas to share with my community. We humans are great at wasting time and procrastinating on the things that really matter. This is not the year to do that for me. I plan to use my time wiser. Make more informed decisions, which means waiting and being less impulsive. Take more time to invest in quality relationships at work and within the greater community. More importantly, build a deeper love for myself and pursue a wider range of ways to showcase my talents and abilities. Not to share with the world, but for my personal development. What is your 2025 word? I'm curious.
Although this is opening ourselves to the world, this is not authentic international mindedness. Instead, we are talking about opening our minds to different experiences that bring about intercultural connections of understanding. This is going to mean something different for every person based on their unique backgrounds and exposure to other people’s ideas. I guess that is the point. Are we open enough to listen to other people’s ideas and be willing to change our own. This is much deeper than trying a plate of paella while holidaying in Spain. Possibility #1: Local and Global ContextsWhen I think of the specialist and supporting roles, the easiest thing for me to do is make connections to the local and global issues that matter. In each of your roles, you are going to be exploring how to do something whether it be hand-eye coordination, keyboarding, sketching, or sequencing pictures to create a story. One of my favorites is making local and global connections. It’s a lot easier than it looks, but that’s from my perspective. So bear with me as I try to make this mental image. Here are two examples... 1. For the Science Lab Teacher As you are trying to connect to climate patterns, have them look at trends around the world. Try to determine the climate of certain areas based on their location to the equator. Usually, the more northern you are, the colder the weather and more severe precipitation. While the south is usually warmer with more balmy weather with mild winters. This trend is usually happening at the same latitude. Then, examine areas that defy the climate patterns and assess the reasoning. Below is a picture of the United States last week. Notice how the most southern parts received snow storms, including my home in Houston, Texas. This weather pattern is defying what we usually see during this time of year in the southern part of the United States. This type of investigation my pose these questions:
Why study these patterns? It helps learners to identify trends that impact the human experience. This is the entire reason that we learn in school. We are trying to determine the rules and see where they apply to all, many, and a few. When the rules change, we are seeking to determine the cause, so we can be prepared in the future. 2. For the PE Teacher My brain naturally went to PE. I think the PE teacher is the most left alone in the school. This can be good and bad. You are given the autonomy to teach however you want, but you also have to create everything on your own. Oftentimes, I hear PE teachers tell me that they struggle to authentically connect with the PYP. I get it, your curriculum is so different that it’s hard to connect. BUT, there are ways that you might have not considered. One possibility is through local and global connections. What do I mean by this? Imagine you are talking about team sports and why it’s important that everyone has their role. You go through several types of sports that play with their feet and compare and contrast their features. Something you can do next is survey your learners to discover the most played sport or game at recess. Depending on the region, it might be football or what we Americans call soccer. This makes sense, because it requires very little equipment. You can show images and videos of different places around the world and the conditions they play in. This can help to shape the idea that no matter where you come from, you still have the opportunity to play the game. Next, you can chat about games that have similar features, but don’t necessarily follow the same outcome, such as baseball and cricket. I’m not going to break down all of the features, but this would be an interesting exploration for learners to go through. By exploring different ways that people play with similar equipment, we get learners to compare and contrast between regions to discover why they are the same or so different. This is the type of thinking that we want learners to go through as they connect between two similar sports, exercises, or experiences. How can you take what you are doing and apply it with your content or curricular focus? Possibility #2: Projecting Across TimeIf you have listened to my podcast, you will know that I am obsessed with Projecting Across Distance, a visible thinking routine by Project Zero. Just pop over to my website: thinkchat2020.com and complete a search. I’m sure you will see it in several posts, because I absolutely love it. In preparing for this episode, I decided that I needed to branch out and find another visible thinking routine that would allow for local and global exploration without it being the same routine. Variety is the spice of life or so I’m told. You can imagine my surprise when I discovered Projecting Across Time. I instantly became fascinated and eager to get my hands dirty. Let’s unpack this visible thinking routine and see how it might look in practice. Pick a topic . Then, consider it using the following prompts:
What do we know about bullying already? It is a power imbalance between someone stronger/weaker; not always physical There is fear involved by the weaker party Demands are usually placed that can be uncomfortable or dangerous The person being bullied can feel isolated and alone in dealing with the issue 10 years ago We had bullying in school, but the kids were a bit more physical and not quite so emotional. It was usually in search of lunch money, snacks, favors, etc. Now, it’s about friendship groups, mean girls thinking, and isolating people. It feels more psychological. 100 years ago When I did some research, because I don’t know off the top of my head, bullying in the 1920s was generally physical (or verbal) harassment that usually related to a death, strong isolation, or extortion in school children. Yikes, it feels like the bullying of today is much lighter compared to death threats. I’m glad I didn’t live back then. 1000 years ago In medieval times, people mostly lived in small villages and farmed the land. There were only a few big cities, so everyone knew the comings and goings within the community. There was only one way to live, which was usually directed by the ruling lord and the church. If anyone was mysterious, strange, or unconventional, they were often labeled by society either through outcasting or putting them to death. 10 years from now We will see the surge of cyber bullying with the full power of AI technology ruling our lives and governing how we live. There will be much more surveillance by our comings and goings by the government. There will be little or no secrets in our public life, similar to 1000 years ago. Bullying will be even greater with people having access to technology where they can simulate events into photos and videos that never existed. 100 years from now People will have full integration between AI, robotics, and human life. There will be no hiding in the world. Everything will be up for scrutiny. Bullying will come in the form of societal conformity and the lack of personal identity. Society will judge how we act, think, and feel. 1000 years from now I have no clue. I’m just glad that I grew up in the 1980s to remember when life was unplugged and bullying was emotional or physical. Should I be glad for this? I know I went deep on this issue, but you can see how this might challenge your learners to think deeper about content. Get them to make predictions based on the trends in the present day. There are so many possibilities. How might you adapt these two ways to your practice? How might this stretch the learning in your classes? I've learned a big lesson this week about over committing again. This is a condition called OCA, coined by myself. I have been suffering from OCA for too many years to count and I realize that the only person who is going to stop the cycle is me. This past week, I nearly fell physically apart while managing report cards, preparing for parent conferences, getting reading for a NEASC visit, testing student reading abilities, and facilitating on an intensive online workshop. As you might have guessed, it is Sunday and I've been working all day long. For the first time in my working career, I am going to under commit. This does not mean that I am not going to work hard or do my best. I am going to say no to taking on extra, because it's too much. Many of us overcommit. It's something that we have been conditioned to do, but it only serves a few people. I believe we overcommit, because we don't want to:
As I look at this list, I have been guilty of all of them. But, I realize that my work performance is not as important as my health. It's not as important as yours either. Whatever you are overcommitting to in your life, consider taking a step back. I'm tired of feeling tired all the time, because I just can't say no. Choose the things that will bring you joy using the least amount of energy as possible. This will bring you greater reward. Let's stop overcommitting to others and begin committing to ourselves. After my learners reset their tables, we had an earnest conversation about the rest of the furniture. They felt that the rest of the bookshelves were too cluttered and they could not find the materials that they needed. This was one of those moments that you realize that your learners are not feeling independent in their learning space. These pictures are from my last post and as you can see, there is a small eight cube stand next to larger sixteen cube stand. To the quiet observer, the classroom would look organized and quite user friendly. This was not the feeling of my learners. The big cabinet in the back was behind a group of desks, which posed an issue for learners trying to get to their materials. The entire class would flock to the back of the classroom at once, which would cause a major traffic jam. We had an eight cube stand in the front of the class and the learners came up with this plan. We put everyone in ABC order and put half of the class into these cubbies. Each learner has their own labeled space. Above it, we dediced to put our snacks in the basket, devices in the plastic tub, tissues and wet wipes for emergencies. Brilliant! The remainder of the class decided to put their materials on bottom two rows (except one) of the big shelf. This allowed us to put shared art materials, after-school club yarn, and other craft materials in the blue bins.
This minor switch of moving cupboards made a huge difference in the flow of our systems, accessing materials, and making it a more independent learning space. We are not done yet! I can't wait to share what my learners wanted to do after that in my next post.
I’m just tired of people using the learner profile attributes as character traits. They are SKILLS required to create a DISPOSITION. More than ever, we need young people who know how to think, feel, and act. The only way that we will get them there is by using the language of the learner profile in our practice everyday. You heard me, every single day. Since owning my practice issues, I have been reflecting on how I am more intentionally planning with the learner profile in mind. Here is how I break down the language so it is quite accessible for me. First stepI break up the learner profile descriptor from a paragraph to bullet point sentences. Instead of risk-taker being this: We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; We work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change. I do this:
As a systems thinker, the minor change has a major impact. Now I am not overridden by a massive paragraph of words that have no meaning to me. Instead, I now have a choice menu of options on HOW I might explore what it means to be a risk-taker. Such a difference. Second stepLook at your content standards and find a learner profile bullet point that speaks to the skill development that you want mastered. I go through the list of bullet points and think of the long-term goal of teaching my content and choose one statement to get me there. Because there are six units of inquiry and only ten attributes, we will repeat attributes in the year. Now, I won’t have to repeat teaching the same focus. Instead, now I have a couple other options of HOW I will explore the attribute with my content. Poof…my mind was blown when I figured out this simple hack. It’s not revolutionary, but about changing something that is clunky and turning it into a product that works for you. We all have the possibility, especially specialist and supporting teachers. Third stepPut the list of learner profile attributes and bullet points in ABC order. This sounds logical I know, but you would be surprised how many people begin with knowledge. I did at first. By putting the list in ABC order, it’s easier to navigate the descriptor options and you can keep track of the bullet points you have already used much easier. Once again, I am a systems person, so putting things in order makes sense to my brain. I need small chunks that are organized and easy to use. This works for me. In fact, I was just using my list today as I was planning for my next unit that begins next week. I followed the same process that I described, which helped to bring all of the ideas together. I fell in love with the process all over again. If you are nice, I just might pop my list into my blog post about this episode at thinkchat2020.com. What did you come up with?What did you come up with in the last challenge?
I know your brain works in a different way, which is equally valid. I’m sure your way will greatly enrich your practice and make it easier to use the learner profile attributes in a more meaningful way. You can also listen to the podcast version of this blog post on this website too. Enjoy listening! During winter break, I had a dream about my classroom. I'm one of those teacher nerds. In my night time vision, I saw that desks were on the wall for more floor space to sprawl out and learn comfortably. Upon return to school this Thursday, I shared my dream with my learners. At first, they laughed at their silly teacher. Then, we had an earnest chat about the physical layout. They agreed that it needed to be reset. As co-creators, I asked my learners how they envisioned the new space. At first, they were stumped, so I shared an example of two sets of tables on the wall with an exposed corner where a learner could sit while silently reading. This woke them up to the possiblities. Here is what it looks like now. Our class decided to rip off the name tags on each seat and make it a more fluid space. My learners want to be able to move every two weeks and work with different people. Sometimes, they will only want to work with a partner and this is okay. Other times, they will be open to working in a big group, which is equally alright. The big thing is that they feel comfortable with their living space. Immediately, one of my learners commented on the extra space to stand and collaborate. This sparked a different discussion of bringing in blankets, additional rugs, and pillows to make the space more our own. The learners who sat at this table group wanted to be with others to share ideas. It became a table of only girls, which is fine right now. We will have to sit by those silly boys soon. My desk area got a facelift as well. My learners shared that I should have a special place where I can put my things with organized cords and materials. What a lovely sentiment. I can look out when it is snowing too.
As we begin the next installment of learning (mid-term or beginning of the year), how will you set the space with your learners? There is more to come. I need to capture more images when I go back to school on Monday. Everyone has a different point of what it means to be neighborly. As a child, I was taught by my parents that being neighborly meant giving up your seat to an elderly person or pregnant woman. We made casseroles for people that were sick. We knew our physical neighbors and broke bread (have meals) together. This is kindness, but I think it means more to be neighborly. To be honest, I think most of what I learned about being a neighbor was taught to me by Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. It was a daily show that talked about being kind to everyone, resolving our feelings correctly, and loving ourselves. When his show was being attacked by critics and looking for funding, here is what Fred Rogers said to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on May 1, 1969. In today's world, I wonder what it means to be neighborly to our small cihldren. Does being a caring neighbor mean the physical person that lives next to you or is it a metaphor? Do they care for their neighbors? I like to believe so. I've seen a lot of good come out of my learners this year, so I am hopeful. All of these thoughts have rushed into my mind as I took a train from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Frankfurt airport this afternoon. A woman and her two children boarded the train mid-journey and she was very disheveled. People were staring at her while she was frantically trying to find her seats, because one of her chidren has cerebral palsy and was in a wheelchair. After the initial shock, everyone worked together to get her situated. Two women who were sitting in their correct seats moved, so the family could sit together. We found places where all the luggage could go, so everyone was safe and comfortable.
Won't You Be My Neighbor? Welcome to the eighth episode of our specialist and supporting teachers series. We are going to spend our time unpacking the learner profile in a new way. Oftentimes, the learner profile attributes are reduced as a way to connect with behavior and they are much more than that. As specialist and supporting teachers you have a possibility to use the learner profile as a set of skills that create a learning disposition in your classes. It won’t take too much planning, but it requires you to have them in your mind while you plan. I hope that makes sense. Using the correct languageThe first thing, let’s broach the subject of what the learner profile is called. It’s quite simple.
Why does this matter? Whole school language is so important to learning transfer. The learner profile are so much more than a bunch of character traits. They are dispositions of an internationally minded learner. As such, we need to look at them differently in our practice. Here is mental image that completely changed my idea about the learner profile attributes. In the age prior to photography, an artist would often place a person behind a screen with a lit candle. This would create a side profile of what the person might look like and the artist would cut out their profile and it would be framed in the home. A learner in our school also has a profile of who they are and how they learn best. Although each learner is different, we use common language to describe the skills and dispositions to describe the learning experience. We want them to use this language to describe themselves, their peers, and the learning happening around them. By giving such rich language, we raise the bar of expectation and rigor of our thinking. Honesty timeI haven’t been the most consistent with my learners this year with regards to the learner profile attributes. My class of learners went through a lot of change in second grade, so I spent most of the first term establishing routines and systems for their success. Now that we have this in place, I can be a bit more consistent with the learner profile in their use. Why do I share this? We all have moments when we just can’t do everything, even when you are highly experienced. The needs of our learners are great and we try to work with them where they are at. This takes energy and gobbles up times. Now that I feel our systems are working, I am going to be more experimental and consistent in the second half of the year reflecting through the lens of the learner profile. Let’s take a moment to understand how to use the attributes in our practice, so we can modify them to our learners' needs. Understanding the attributesIn my eighth year of the PYP, I realized that I truly did not understand them. It was teacher appreciation week and our fabulous PTO provided lunch for a week. One day, I was lined up waiting my turn when I read the learner profile attributes definitions on a poster in the teacher’s lounge. In particular, I zoomed into what it means to be a risk-taker in the world. Up to that point, I related being a risk-taker as being open to others, trying new things, and taking risks like jumping out of an airplane. The actual descriptor is: We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; We work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change. When I read this descriptor, I realized that my personal opinion of being a risk-taker was overriding the IB’s interpretation. This was largely due to the poster set that I downloaded from Teachers Pay Teachers for $1.99. They were cute and kid-friendly, but completely misaligned to the actual definition. This really began to bother me. How could I have misunderstood the attributes for so long? How did I miss something that is clearly on page 5 of every IB document? It’s very simple. I was busy and I couldn’t see what was right in front of me. This happens to everyone, but I knew I had to change my practice. This is what we are going to focus on together. Applying the Learner ProfileTake a look at the learner profile descriptors on page 5 of any IB document. What do you notice? Personally, I see a lot of writing on one page and it kind of gives me the hives. I’m a type of learner that gets easily overwhelmed by too much print. I need white space between each idea and each descriptor is chock full of 2-3 ideas each.
How can we remedy this? This is going to be your challenge. How do you take a paragraph descriptor for each learner profile attribute and make meaning of it? Will you make a mind map, bullet points, visuals, etc.? This is completely up to you. I’ve deviated from the normal thing, because this can be done by specialist and supporting teachers. I can’t wait to see what you come up with and I’ll share my process in the next episode. It's an inquiry in action! Lately, I have been thinking about the power of physical and mental dreams and how they manifest it reflects of our level of self-care. When I think of physical dreams, I think of ones that we have when we sleep at night. These are visions of what our mind, body, and soul desires. In these dreams, our subconcious mind unleashes messages from deep within and we can either choose to listen or not. We also have mental dreams of what the future might become. These dreams are our hopes, passions, and goals. They are deeply routed in our value system. As I embrace life in 2025, I am wondering what are my physical and mental dreams for my future as an educator, friend, and family member. Some are easily pictured in my mind based on my personal desires. While others are buried deep within due to fear and vulnerability. I recently had a dream that literally woke me up in a panic. When I woke up to process the dream, I was rather disturbed by this feeling of abandonment. I couldn't place the reasoning, but the feeling was so strong that I began to cry. With a few days of reflection, I finally realized the cause and I'm actively working towards resolving it. These moments when our subconcious comes alive can impact how we operate in the world. How is this connected to our lives as educators? It's called self-care. This term has been used in response to burn out and work/life balance. I believe our dreams speak to the our level of self-care. When we have shocking dreams, it's our subconcious sharing that something is not quite right. Conversely, when we have an affirming dream, it means that we are on the correct path. When these dreams emerge, are you listening to them? Are you trying to decipher what they might mean to you? They might be driving certain behaviors that you are unaware are happening. How does this impact our role as an educator? If we are not taking care of ourselves, it has a direct impact on how we treat our learners, how we think of ourselves as educators, and the learning that is happening. Self-care is real. It's about honoring your body and mind to recover from the pressures at work and home. Our dreams often reflect this level of self-care. What are your dreams telling you about your level of self-care? Mine are telling me that I need more balance between my physical, mental, and spiritual health. What a great time of year to calibrate and be kinder to ourselves. For those who are new to the IB, the My IB platform is a depository of official programme documents, teacher support materials, and the IB Exchange. The IB Exchange has materials created by experienced educators who give examples of how to break down the language and requirements. There are materials for early years, the primary years, the middle years (coming soon), and the diploma (high school). To register for My IB, there are multiple steps, but it's not too difficult. Here is a simple guide to help you get started. To register for My IB, go to the login page and register for an account with your personal email address. This will allow you to take your account with you should there be a school or life change. Once you are registered, your PYP coordinator needs to go into the school account to accept you as a member of the community. Once this is completed, you will be able to enter the site. Upon entering My IB, you will be directed to a dashboard with various icons. Please note: your dashboard will not have the same icons as mine, because I have several roles in the IB. You will not have access to the Workshop Resource Center, IBEN Central or the IB Exchange. The good news is you can apply for the IB Exchange icon to be added to your dashboard quite easily. Once you are looking at this dashboard pictured below, scroll down to the bottom of the page to MY IB ROLES and click on MANAGE YOUR ROLES. Scroll down to SCHOOL ROLES and find TEACHER Fill out the registration form. If you are a PYP Coordinator, click all the grade levels in your school, so you can access both early years and primary grade materials. Once you have registered, you should see the IB Exchange on your My IB dashboard within 24-48 hours. If it takes longer, I suggest that you email [email protected]. They are quite responsive and should be able to sort you out quickly. Once they have added the IB Exchange icon to your dashboard, it will look something like this. I hope this helps you with your My IB and IB Exchange journey. There are heaps of resources and ways to connect to other experienced practitioners. The IB identifies the author of each resource, so you can message them directly with your questions and connections.
Welcome to the next phase of your learning journey!
As I reflect on 2024, I have made many mistakes that have helped me to grow as a person. I took risks and it felt great. I didn't always get what I wanted, but that is part of growing as a human being. When we do finally get it, we will be a bit more appreciative or so I keep telling myself. For 2025, I want to reflect on something that I love about myself and something that can be improved. We can all grow and it shows vulnerability and truth to admit them. I'll begin. Relationship with MyselfOur relationship with ourself is the longest lasting connection we will make. Sometimes, we have to face ourselves and share what we like and need to change.
Relationship with OthersI want to find a healthy balance in my social health. I tend to squirrel away on the weekends after a long work week and chat with my friend Netflix. I'm trying to figure out what is the next best step.
Relationship with the WorldSometimes, I take things too personally. I listen to external voices tell me what I can and cannot do. I am trying to listen to the only one that matters, which is my gut instinct.
To be honest, this process of highlighting a strength and growth area has been cathartic. I needed to get these ideas down and hold myself accountable. Once I get home from my winter break, I plan to sit for awhile to map out how I might reach each goal area. Are you willing to be vulnerable do the same? I guarantee that you will feel much better on the other side and it won't feel like a list of your shortcomings, but ideas to help you to move forward. After my post yesterday, I received a lovely message from Barbara Bray. Apparently, the Crosswalk for Learners has been updated, since the release of her book, How to Personalize Learning. I must have missed this update, so I am sharing it with you now. The Crosswalk for Learners now reflects voice, choice, engagement, ownership, and motivation. Below is a picture of the new learning tool. You can find your copy here. In addtion to the Crosswalk for Learners, you will find individual posters for each, which I have used and adapted in my practice. Barbara is very giving of her time and resources, which is one thing I love about her. Please check them out and let me know what you think. As I was reflecting on learner agency for specialist and supporting teachers, I came across an interesting document by Barbara Bray and Kathleen McClaskey. I regularly follow the work of Barbara, because she has so many interesting ideas about learning, particularly regarding agency. In reading the post, I was suprised to find seven elements of agency, since most only refer to voice, choice, and ownership. The broader range of elements really delves into what learners need in order to feel comfortable to show independent thinking and doing. The seven elements are in alphabetical order:
As you look at this list, which area(s) do you think is the easiest to implement in your practice? Which one(s) will take the longest? Barbara and Kathleen created Crosswalk of the Elements of Learner Agency across the Stages of Personalized Learning Environments, which examines the seven elements of agency and how they support the development of a personalized learning environment. It is a wonderful success criteria that helps teachers to examine where they are currently (teacher-driven, learner-centered, or learner-driven) and where they want to go next. Additionally, you can find resources about personalized learning on their website. To access the website, scan the QR code. Something to consider as we enter in 2025. I believe that agency is a huge part of getting learners to read on their own. Not everyone is going to want to read about cats, fairies, and monster trucks. We need to provide a variety of reading materials, because everyone has different preferences. The important thing is to get learners reading on their own and doing it as much as they can.
This year, I've seen my learners turn the corner from being reluctant to avid readers who explore various topics. This is the power of agency. I am striving to build a bit of balance into my life, I say this as I am blogging on Christmas Eve. :) One of the things that gives me absolute pleasure is European Christmas markets. I began my obsession with them during the four years I lived in Koeln, Germany beginning in 2009. What a place to get introduced to markets! Now that I live in Europe again, I had to continue my quest to visit more markets and see beyond Koeln. To be honest, they will always remain my favorite, because of four beautiful, difficult, and growing years. They are part of the fabric of my life's journey. Did I make Traveling Teacher videos? No. I was so enthralled by the experience that I completely forgot. This must be what it means to enter your second childhood. I was fortunate to visit three markets in Belgium: Bruges, Gent, and Brussels. Some people might want to compare the Beligan markets to German, but there is no point. They are two different countries with constrasting cultures. The things that I found were the same: good food, glühwein, and handicrafts. In Germany, I was able to go back to Köln, but it was jam-packed. I could barely walk in Heumarkt and Neumarkt. It was not fun. I realized that when I lived in Germany, I would avoid the weekends, which made it so much fun. On the flipside, I was also able to visit Aachen, München, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I was fortunate to find lesser populated spots in each of these markets and really enjoy the environment. There is something magical of being cold, drinking a hot beverage, and being amongst people. Seven markets in total is amazing. Next year, I plan to visit Stuttgart, Weimar, Strasbourg, and Vienna. I can so do this! For those who don't celebrate Christmas, these markets are still fun. There are non-alcohol and veggie options. It's about being together, celebrating happiness, and enjoying the season. More the merrier, I always say! Join me next year for more market mayhem. As a child, I remember singing I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day with my grandparents at their Sunday service. This particular hymn struck me, because of these two verses. I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old familiar carols play And mild and sweet their songs repeat Of peace on Earth, good will to men And in despair I bowed my head "There is no peace on Earth, " I said For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on Earth, good will to men As I say goodbye to 2024, I have two choices. Do I focus on the sweet songs that lift me up or look towards the hate that mocks my happiness? Either choice will determine how I progress into the next year. For me, I want to remember the sweet songs that repeat in my ear of peace on earth and good will to men. There have been many challenges in my life during this year that I will never forget. But, there were many small moments of sweetness that helped me move forward. As an eternal optimist, I believe that good prevails in the world and there is still more good to be done. This world is not perfect, but every good act helps lift up someone else. Let us find the joy as we finish out 2024 and look brightly towards the uncertain future. by Lu Gerlach at the Garmisch Christkindlmarkt 12-23-24
One thing we don't talk about is Holiday Blues. It's an unwritten rule that people must be jolly during the Christmas season. What if you aren't feeling jolly? How are you supposed to act during the happiest time of the year? I'm a pretty jolly person, because some years it can be really tough for me. I lost my mum six years ago and the last time I really spent time with her was at Christmas. The holiday was a big deal in our home. Even the bathrooms were fully decorated. Nothing made my mum happier than being able to spread Christmas cheer to her friends and neighbors.
Some years, I just want to be a humbug. I want to curl up and watch nonstop Hallmark movies, eat lots of unhealthy snacks, and lock out the world. Once you've experienced years of magical Christmases, it's really difficult to go back to mediocre. How do we help the humbugs in this world? We give them space to breathe and work through their emotions. We let them know that we are nearby should they need a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes, this is the only thing we can do. Here's to a holiday season of grace, kindness, and friendship. In follow up to Day #9, I have been thinking about what I want my walls to look like. Naturally, they are going to be reflective of our learners needs and desires. This is number one. But how do I make this happen? When I was a full-time trainer, I came up with the idea of an inquiry tool wall. I wanted a place where I could place all of the mind maps and thinking routines that we explored together. WIth time and practice, I wanted my learners to self-select the various tools they would use to answer complex problems on their own, leading to personal inquiries. When discussing this idea with my third-graders, they were eager to get started with this process. They shared that the tools helped them to solve problems easier, but they were still quite challenging at times. What I heard...we are in productive struggle when we use these tools. Win-win. My first wall was the mind maps. These were easier to use, because my learners were already familiar with them. The next step, we discussed their purpose, which is to organize ideas, so we can make meaning. This was a huge concept that many of my learners had not considered before. It's been wonderful to see them use the mind maps with the purpose of organizing for meaning. We are still growing in our practice of mind maps. By the end of the year, I hope to have six to eight different mind maps in use that are regularly used to think, chat, and create. The next area that we have been working on is thinking routines. This has taken a bit longer, because they've never used them before. By the end of the year, I plan to introduce six to eight different routines. We have been using See Think Wonder and See Wonder Think. It's been quite magical to see my learners get so connected with these tools. With time, I want my learners to mix and match between the mind maps and thinking routines, so that it's a fluid process. In my opinion, this is what it means to support agentic thinking.
Watch this space for the evolution of my walls. For a long time, I felt the pressure to make a pretty classroom. I remember veteran teachers advising me to create a space that is comfortable, since I spend most of my time there. Make it my home away from home. In some campuses, there was an internal competition to see who could create the most asthetically pleasing classroom. I admit it, at times I felt the pressure to conform. It's real. Schools want pretty looking classrooms that they can showcase to prospective parents. This made me frequently ask this question. WHOM is the classroom designed for? The teacher or the learners? This classroom below represents a trend for teachers to create a classroom that reflects a theme, in this case it's all about creating a farmhouse motif. I don't have a problem with a theme, but it's about the design. Notice all of the pre-printed materials that can easily be put up with little or no reflection of the actual learning happening in the classroom. This is what makes it difficult for me. There is little or no reflection of the learners in the learning space design. Some of you are probably thinking this classroom looks extreme, but I have passed many that have looked this way. All I see...this is the teacher's classroom and the learners are welcome to visit, but they will not have a say in how it is designed. By Hobby Lobby Here is a more realistic display within an elementary/primary classroom. There is a bright display with a shared calendar and a center of organized materials. I love the organized materials part, because it allows for learner independence, but these questions still keep popping up in my mind.
On a positive note, I do see some learner-created artwork to the right, which means they have some creativity in the day. The thing I am focused on is this, how responsive is the learning environment in meeting the needs of the learners? How do the walls speak about their learning journey, rather than the teaching journey? This is a continual struggle as we pivot from teacher to learner-driven experiences. I get to visit many schools as I present IB workshops and each of them leave a different impression on my heart. At Shu Ren International School, I felt like I was meeting long lost family again. These educators were so full of passion and love of learning, which was evident in their level of enthusiasm for the PYP programme. It's been 18 months since I've had the chance to meet them, yet they still manage to shape the corners of my mind. Take a peek at this video to learn more about this fabulous school in Berkeley, California. Levi Allison, a friend of mine, challenged a group of us to ask ChatGPT to create an image that reflected the prompts we have used so far. Can it create an image that reflects the essence of who we are and what we value. Here is mine. I never knew that I was a latina. ChatGPT must know something that I don't. :) I do agree that I love to share my voice through my podcast.
What does ChatGPT say about you? |
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