Lisa's Lingo

Check Your Ego at the Door

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 18:29:00 +0000

One of my secret pleasures is watching fixing shows like Restaurant Impossible and Kitchen Nightmares. It makes going out to eat questionable but I do love seeing the process move from stubborn denial to grateful acceptance.

Last night, my husband and I watched an old Kitchen Nightmares episode where an owner was convinced her food was spectacular, she did a great job running the business and the employees were the cause of her failure. While we watched Gordon Ramsey work his magic (brow-beat her into submission), I started thinking about the teachers I know and the future teachers I work with now in my role as a Field Supervisor. Once a teacher, always a teacher - everything is about learning. I realized that the biggest problem all these restaurant owners have is the inability to check their ego at the door. They are so caught up in what they do brilliantly that they are closed to any idea of changing what they do to make things better. And that is exactly what holds back teachers, too.

When we first begin learning something new, we willingly ask for advice, read up on new ideas, and accept critiques. But once we have learned, even a little bit, we start to shut down. You don't need to teach me how to handle behavior. I've got this. I don't need to learn how to make my projects more inclusive and more engaging. I already know how to create projects. The children love what I do and love coming to class. I'm fine.

By not checking our egos at the door, we are creating a sameness. We allow our classroom to work for just the "average" student, because the rest will come along in their own time. We accept that "that kid" will always just mess up group work and class lessons, because that's what they do. We encourage a baseline of instructional activities that may or may not include engaging activities, may or may not teach all our children, may or may not allow for adjustments as needed. Because there is no need. We have it covered.

So this is a plea to all my educator friends, to all my student interns, to all my administrator connections. Please, check your ego at the door. Allow yourself to be open to learning and growing. Never be afraid to tell yourself and others that, although you know how to handle behavior, there might be some new ideas that will help you teach students how to handle their own behavior. Live with the idea that, although you planned projects for years, there might be new ways to connect with other classes for a project or new ideas to reach every single child in your class during the project.

I clearly remember when I went to Responsive Classroom training. I was a veteran teacher already. I had worked in some of the most difficult inner city schools, knew how to create a "family" so the children would want to behave, and really never had too many issues (except for "that kid"). But I wanted to go to the training because I visited a district where they implemented the whole RC program and I was impressed. So off I went.

It was difficult for me to check my ego. I wanted to prove I really didn't need this. Just give me the games and the posters. I'll do the rest. But, slowly throughout the week of training, I began to see things differently. Maybe "that kid" had much more I could work with than struggles with behavior. Maybe the group project could work better if I taught the children how to work together very explicitly first. Maybe I could make all my students feel special and wanted each and every day - even just by starting the day shaking hands and saying good morning to each child.

The very first year working with RC changed my classroom completely. My students were more excited to be in school. They were more responsible and independent learners. They advocated for their learning. Behaviors were almost completely eliminated. I, the veteran teacher, the expert, could actually learn to change and, in the changing, make things better. Later I learned more about Universal Design for Learning and CAST, which just lent itself perfectly to my RC classroom.

Now that I am retired, I can look back on my career in the classroom differently. I changed grades quite often, moving around in elementary school and even leaving the classroom and working with gifted students and teaching science to all the elementary students. I looped with my class three times, which effectively eliminates duplicating projects, since the children already did said project with me. I created new lessons, units, activities, projects every single year. And I loved it. I loved discovering new tools. I loved working with new teachers, in and out of my school. I loved going to conferences and coming back with new ideas.

I love learning. I still do. I have become a pretty active pickleball player in my retirement. I never even saw the game played before. I am on a 14 day streak in DuoLingo. I will learn Spanish. I will learn Spanish. I have started cooking. (For those that don't know, I never cook. My husband is a great chef so why should I take that away from him. LOL) Now I make soups and casseroles. Still can't handle a meal because the timing throws me but I can make something that is easy to heat up later.

By keeping the learning going, I am forced to keep my ego in check. How will you keep the learning going in your classroom? Go to a conference? Read a new book? Follow someone new online? Be brave. Be a learner. Check your ego at the door and go ask for help. You never know what will come of it.

UDL and Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 14:07:00 +0000

More and more educators today are learning about Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Whole districts and whole states are taking up the cause, demanding teachers incorporate UDL strategies into their lesson plans, training teachers in the use of UDL tools, and hoping this translates into greater learning for children.

But many educators seems to be missing the whole point of UDL. Adding fidget toys, flexible seating, and colored paper does not make a UDL friendly classroom. Handing tools over to the one struggling student does not make a UDL friendly classroom. Adding technology to your lesson does not make a UDL friendly classroom.

So what does make a UDL friendly classroom?

My goal as an educator was always to help each and every one of my students be a lifelong learner. In order to do this, I needed to make learning accessible and engaging for all of them. And this is where UDL comes in.

The cast.org website is a font of knowledge in this area. On their website, they state: "The goal of UDL is to support learners to become "expert learners" who are, each in their own way, purposeful and motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable, and strategic and goal driven. UDL aims to change the design of the environment rather than to change the learner."

Change the environment rather than the learner. Wow. That is powerful. While this doesn't mean we stop remediating and reteaching, it does mean we rethink the classroom environment for all students.

What does this look like in the classroom? I wrote about this in an earlier blog that you can see here. Today, I want to talk about purpose.

Every single thing you do in the classroom should be done for a purpose.

You want a carpet in the room? Why? So children can crowd around you while you read outloud? Then be sure to put a chair at the top of the carpet and books all around. You want a carpet so children can come to the floor to work while you are teaching a lesson? Then put your carpet in front of the board and have clipboards available for hard surface writing. You want a carpet because it looks colorful. Get rid of the carpet.

Little Johnny clicks his pen all day, driving you crazy. You decide to give him a quiet fidget toy. Good idea. But what about Little Samir, who doesn't drive you crazy. He just wiggles in his chair all day, folds his papers back and forth, and struggles to pay attention to lesson. Guess what? He could also use a fidget toy. But you only gave one to Johnny. Make the tools available to all your students. Spend some time teaching them what all the tools are for and trying them out.

Remember, your goal is to help the children become expert learners, on their own!!! How will Samir know a fidget toy will calm him down if he never tries one? How will Stacey know a fidget toy will distract her if she never tries one?

I think a lot about cell phones in classrooms today. I will readily admit that I really only worked with elementary children so it wasn't too much of a distraction in my classroom. But...guess what? I have a cell phone! Every adult I know has a cell phone. And many of the adults I know get very distracted by their cell phones throughout the day. Me included. I have learned that, when I am working on something important, I have to put my phone away. And if I want my husband to really listen to me, I ask him to put his phone away before I start to talk. So I use what I know and apply it to the classroom.

At the beginning of the year, help your students learn how to learn with a cellphone. Teach a lesson while they have unlimited use of their phones. Then give them a quick (ungraded) test on the lesson.

Did they learn what you wanted them to learn? Great! Let them use cellphones. Did some of them learn? Those children can use cellphones. Did all of them miss points? Discuss this. Why did they miss those points? What was distracting them from learning? How can this be managed? Now you start to create rules for individual students. Or rather, they start to create rules for their own learning.

I remember one year I had a BYOD policy in class. One child brought in his cellphone. I was sceptical but went along with it and just monitored what was happening. Turns out he knew he could focus better on a tiny screen than while looking at our big screen. He could write better while finger tapping his keyboard than he could while using his whole hand on a keyboard. So he got to use his cellphone in class. He also learned that playing videos or games was distracting so the rule for him was no videos or gaming during lessons. He followed the rule because he was responsible for his learning and I gave him the opportunity to try to learn while playing a game. It didn't work.

Create an environment with many, many tools around the room. Have those tools accessible for the children at all times. Teach them how and when to use the tools. Then let go. Let children get up in the middle of the lesson to get a tool to use. Let them request assistance in the middle of the lesson. Then provide what they are asking for. Remember that your goal is to create lifelong learners. So help them learn HOW to learn. Then let them soar!

Learning - Becoming "Woke" in America

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 17:23:00 +0000

When I was younger, Columbus Day was a big deal. The reason, most importantly to my young self, was we had a day off of school. And, in school, we "studied" Christopher Columbus. He was a great explorer who braved unknown waters and lands, met and greeted new people, shared materials with the "savages" he met and even helped to "civilize" them. How proud I was to be an American, living in this great country, discovered by this great man.

I never thought any differently about this. I loved the parades, loved the day off, and believed every word I was taught. And then I went to college.

In my last year of college, in one of my very last classes, I took a course on teaching in an inner-city school system. The professor opened my eyes to more than just a different way of growing up in America. He introduced me to a book I read with shock: Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen.

It was this book that introduced me to Columbus as a brute who did not even make it to the United States. I learned about the smallpox blankets he passed out to the Native Americans. I learned that the people he met were already "civilized" and not in need of his support. I learned about babies taken from their parents and parents taken back to Europe as slaves. Basically, I learned Columbus is not a man to be celebrated but one to be taught about so it never happens again.

And then I started teaching. My first few years, Columbus Day was ignored. We had a day off but I never mentioned why, other than calling the day Columbus Day. I avoided the issue completely.

Once I started teaching second grade in my fifth year of teaching, I had to figure out a way to deal with this. Second grade centers around holidays. Each holiday is taught, bulletin boards are created, books are read. And all the books about Columbus painted him as a great explorer, leading us to this New World, saving us from the savages. So when the books were sent to my room, I put them in my Columbus basket but didn't read any of them. We colored a picture, that I sent home, and still, I ignored the situation.

I had to figure out how to handle the topic, while keeping the peace with my administrators and my parents. So I taught about the "savages" instead. I taught my students about the wonderful accomplishments of the Taino people, who they were, and where they live today. Eventually I got the book Encounter by Jane Yolen. This book helped me tell the story of Columbus with a very different viewpoint.

"Why," my students asked, "do we have a holiday celebrating this man if he was so bad?" Ah, the ultimate question. And, as I grew as an educator, and, especially once I moved to upper grades, I explained more. I explained clearly who was, and is, still harmed by exploration. I explained why history and history books tell it to us so differently, who is telling the story, and whose story is not being told at all. I explained that as we know better, we do better.

I became a better teacher for learning more about this holiday. And I believe my students became more understanding learners. We all woke up.

Today, in America, we are afraid to be "woke". This is a bad thing. In fact, it is so bad that certain governors of certain states have made teaching this type of history against the law. So back we go, to a time when Columbus was a great man to be revered. But I cannot go back. And I hope, with all my heart, that my students remember what I taught them and find they cannot go back either.

So this year, when you come upon Columbus Day, read the chapter in Lies My Teacher Told Me about it. And see how you will change. (And then go on to Thanksgiving. Your lessons will need major overhauls. Don't hate me for it!

Why I Became a Teacher

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 20 Aug 2022 15:51:00 +0000

A common question among educators, usually used as an ice breaker, is this: Which teacher made you want to become a teacher and why? Typically that answer leads to stories about amazing teachers who were encouraging and exciting. The person who gives the answer often even still keeps in touch with that educator. Everyone listening smiles, nods, and walks away with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

A chalkboard with writing

When I am asked that same question, the answer isn't quite as easy to answer. I didn't become a teacher because of that one special teacher I had. I became a teacher because of the bad teachers I had (and some good). I swore I would create a classroom where no child would have to go through what I did in school. So here are some lessons I learned from all those teachers.

Sad boy sitting at desk with shadow of teacher behind him

Lesson One: When a child returns to class, from a pull-out or an illness, welcome them back in and help them reacclimate to the situation.

This one comes right from nursery school. I went to a cooperative nursery school. We had two teachers, one of whom was Miss Helen. Miss Helen was my pull-out teacher. She worked with me each day on reading. I wasn't a remedial reader. I was an advanced reader. So, each day, while the rest of the children did ... I don't know what they did...I went into a small room with Miss Helen and we read books. I loved working with her and felt proud to be a reader.

But, when we were done, I was returned to the general classroom confused and lost. Miss Helen just dropped me off at the door and left. And the classroom teacher ignored me walking in. So, at 3 and 4 years old, I was left to figure things out for myself. It made me feel uncomfortable and not a part of the class.

Please, educators, help children come back into your classroom. It takes just a minute or two, but is invaluable for the child.

Cartoon children playing with toys

Lesson Two: Welcome EVERY child into your classroom!

After nursery school, I went to public school. I was put into kindergarten, where the teacher decided very quickly that I didn't belong there. After what I assume was testing and meetings with my parents and other staff, it was decided that I should skip kindergarten and move right into first grade.

In October, I was moved into Ms. Onsrude's class. She was an older, near retirement, teacher who made it very clear from the onset that she did not believe I belonged in her classroom. I was, as she told the class often, "just a baby." She said it when I got an answer wrong. She said it when I was caught "playing" with my imaginary friends. She said it when I was tired and wanted to rest after recess. She allowed the other children to bully me, just the way she did.

Please, please, please accept every child into your classroom. We all have children we struggle to love, the ones who are never absent, the ones who wreak havoc wherever they go. They need to be accepted too. Fake it, but make them feel wanted and loved.

Phone with image of baby

Lesson Three: Make a Community in Your Classroom

Second grade brought me into Ms. Pinkiss' class. She was my favorite teacher. She was a hippy - long, red hair, long flowing skirts, love and peace all over. She created a community. I wasn't aware enough at aged 6 to figure out how she did that. But I came into her room with many of my first grade classmates. I was bullied all through first grade so these children just kept things going. Ms. Pinkiss wouldn't allow it.

I don't know what she did to stop it but I felt special and loved in her room. And I know the rest of the children did as well. We had dance parties with Partridge Family records, accomplishment parties when we all finished a unit and did well, and we cheered each other on during games. She created an amazing community that year.

Create a community. Make every child feel part of the community and take time to make it inclusive, kind, and fun.

Partridge Family album

Lesson Four: Laugh, laugh, laugh.

For fourth grade I had Miss Balkind. She was a tough teacher. Didn't accept any crap from anyone. But every day, she laughed. She laughed when we did something great. She laughed when we messed up. She laughed when we dropped all our books. She laughed when we got a compliment from another teacher. She just spent her day laughing. She had so much fun in the classroom that we laughed right along with her. It didn't matter that she pushed and pushed and pushed us to do our best. We were having fun learning. And we learned to laugh at ourselves (ok, I'm still working on that).

Find the joy in the classroom. Laugh often and bring the children into the laughter.

Man rolling on floor laughing

Lesson Five: Each child should make at least a year's progress in a year's time.

Grade five was Mr. Capenegro. I can't tell you much about him as a teacher. I don't know if the other children liked him. I only know that, at the beginning of the year, he told my parents that I already knew the fifth grade curriculum so it was okay with him if I sat in the back of the room and read all year.

I can't tell you why my parents accepted that. That's another story for another time. What I can tell you is that I loved sitting and reading all day, every day. But I learned absolutely nothing from the teacher that year. I didn't do class projects with the others, unless I wanted to. I didn't pay attention during lessons, unless I wanted to. I didn't do homework, unless I wanted to.

It was from this class, more than any other, that I started to develop my understanding of how to work with an advanced child.

Never have a child in your class become the assistant teacher. It is not their job to check everyone's work simply because they finished first. Never let a child skip an assignment because they already know the material. Challenge them with new ideas based off of what they already know. Give them a different, equally fun and engaging, assignment. Expect them to make progress, too.

Girl at school desk with lightbulb going off by her head

Lesson Six: Expect the most from your students.

Finally, high school. Mr. Boloker was my English teacher. I first encountered him in 10th grade. I loved his class, participated in the discussions, and got pushed in my thinking.

But what he did that most impressed me was to give me a failing grade on my first paper. It was a report we were assigned for homework about a book we read in class. I had participated in all the class discussions, read and loved the book, and went home to do the assignment. But I did the assignment the way I had learned to do all my assignments - quickly and at the last minute. Get it done fast. I always got A's so why try harder? Mr. Boloker knew better. Maybe he read my file. Maybe he learned more about me from class discussions. But what he knew was the paper I wrote was less than I was capable of doing.

So he failed me. And told me to try again. He told me he expected the brilliance in my writing that he heard from my voice in class.

I was pissed! No A?! "I'll show him!" I thought. So I went home and really worked on that paper. I included quotes from the book. I made connections to other stories we had read. I dug deep and wrote my very first well-written essay. I got an A, took as many classes as I could with him, and continued to work to my full potential.

Learn who your students are and what they are capable of doing. Then expect that brilliance every single time!

Book report paper with F- on it

Why did you become a teacher? What did you learn from your teachers about how to teach?

Scrabble pieces that read TEACH

On Being Jewish in America

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Fri, 19 Aug 2022 23:29:00 +0000

I grew up in a middle class neighborhood on Long Island in New York. This neighborhood had a nice mix of people with different religions. Quite a few of us were Jewish, traveling to Hebrew School together during the week, meeting up at the Synagogue on Friday nights and Saturdays for services. We were the only family that kept a Kosher home, but it wasn't a big deal. My mom still hosted big dinner parties, I still ate over my friend's homes, and I didn't really think much about being Jewish. It was just what we did.

Jewish family sitting around a dinner table

Once I started public school, things began to change. The school district was mostly Christian and it ran that way. The school was always decorated for the Christian holidays. Chorus songs around the holidays were all about Christmas, with Rock of Ages thrown it as an afterthought. Jewish holidays were not school holidays so we missed school on the High Holy Days (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), brought matzah sandwiches for lunch during Passover, and never did any after school activities on a Friday night or those Hebrew School days.

Close up of Christmas tree on teacher's desk

Children started to see us differently. We ate strange foods, missed school for strange reasons, missed activities everyone else went to. Teachers were no help. I have a very clear memory of us complaining in Hebrew School that a major test was being given in high school math on Yom Kippur and we couldn't miss the test. The rabbi stepped in and wrote a letter to the school about the issue. The test was moved to the next day, which meant no studying the day before the test (reading and writing is not allowed on Yom Kippur) so it was still a struggle to do well on the test. The teacher actually told the class he was sorry the date had to be changed but he had to accommodate me. That made me very unpopular.

Difficult math test with pencil and calculator

In my teen years, I started to move away from Judaism. I heard things in Synagogue I didn't quite believe in and, when I asked questions, I was basically shut down. So a few years after I completed my bat mitzvah, I stopped going. Judaism, like any other religion I looked into, just wasn't for me. I saw religion as a way to separate humans instead of connecting us and I wouldn't be a part of that.

Hand separates one stick figure from a group of stick figures

But leaving Judaism didn't mean I was no longer Jewish. Being Jewish is a race, a heritage, a culture. (I'm not getting into that here. Do some research if you are curious.) I would be part of that forever. And here I am, almost six decades into life, still looking at what that means.

Man standing talking to woman in wheelchair

Let's start with looks. I was endowed with the typical Jewish nose. I was teased about it in school and hated everything about it. Not one model in any magazine, not one leading actress in the movies or on television had this nose. Barbra Streisand was an anomaly and not usually called beautiful. Large noses were not considered beautiful. See the comic below for proof. When I was 16, my grandmother offered to help me get rid of it. I jumped at the chance and made myself not look Jewish.

I think about that now. My daughter had the same nose and, when she said she was uncomfortable with it, I had her nose done, too. Anything to make things easier. But now I think it was a mistake for both me and her. Or was it? We have, in our society, been changing our ideas about beauty. Skin color can be more than just white. Hair can be curly, even frizzy. Even disabilities are deemed beautiful. But we still don't see Jewish noses as beautiful. Why is that?

What about percentages? In the world today, about 0.2% of the population is Jewish. Most of those live in Israel and the United States. In the United States, most of the Jewish population lives in New York, California, Florida, and New Jersey. I didn't understand why this mattered until recently. When I first graduated college, my husband and I moved to Dallas, Texas. They were hiring hundreds of teachers and I needed a job. I lasted one year. The prejudice was incredible. Blacks against whites, Christians against Jews. My students, my precious nine year old students, who loved me and loved my class, asked me quite seriously, after I took off school for the High Holy Days, where my horns were. I didn't know what they were talking about. When I asked, they told me their religion teacher told them Jews have horns because they are devils. I told them to have the religion teacher call me. She never did.

Statue of Moses with horns

I moved back to New York and, eventually, got hired in Herricks, where I remained until I retired. When I started in Herricks, we decorated the building for Christmas and Easter. I spoke up. The principal listened and we added some Jewish decorations. I spoke up again, along with some parents and other teachers, and we finally stopped decorating for the holidays. My school was a safe, comfortable place to be Jewish. Even though we were still the minority, there were more of us there than anywhere I had ever been, except for Synagogue.

Today, I live in North Carolina. Before I moved, I looked up Synagogues in the area. I haven't joined but just knowing they are here makes me feel a bit more comfortable. Because I don't look Jewish, people don't know, unless they ask. But I have never felt like more of a minority. Every hospital is church affiliated. This means all the doctors have religious signs in their offices, all the forms ask if your faith is strong or if you need help, and everyone blesses me everywhere I go. (I never answer religious questions on medical forms. It's totally unrelated to my health.) Even many of the stores and restaurants have large hangings of Jesus or crosses. There are more churches here than I've ever seen before.

Doctor in scrubs holding a cross

Now, none of this would really matter to me except for what's happening in the news today. Each headline is linked to the original article.

Newspaper

Here is a headline: (JTA ) — Bruce Reinhart, the federal judge in Florida who signed the warrant allowing the FBI to raid former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property on Tuesday, has been hit with a wave of antisemitic threats online.

And another:'It's chilling': Antisemitic fliers found in Raleigh neighborhood

This one came in while I sit and type this blog:Ron DeSantis Called out by Jewish Leaders Over Doug Mastriano Rally

As I read about how Trump took pages from Nazi Germany, it is hard to wrap my head around the fact that antisemitism is on the rise. And I am living in a place where I am a true minority. Will it get worse or better? Should I be worried? I don't know. But the more I hear about it, the more Jewish I feel. And the more scared I get. Just my two cents.

Sad emoji

Another Update

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:12:00 +0000

I've been very remiss in writing and submitting blogs. I think, each day, about a topic I'd like to write about but the time to do so never seems to happen. Each time I sit at the computer, I fall down rabbit holes. What latest news is out there? What new shows and movies should I watch? What's happening on Facebook?How's the stock market doing these days? What weather catastrophes are on the horizon? And, before I know it, an hour has gone by and nothing has been done on my blog. So I am just going to start again. Here we go:

Hurricane Cloud over Earth

I have decided that this blog will evolve with me. It started as an educational blog; a way for me to let the world know what I was doing in my classroom, to ask for advice, to give advice, to connect with everyone. But I'm not in the classroom anymore so I don't have great projects to share or burning questions to be answered. What I do have is curiosity and concern about the world and the country today. So I will make my blog a daily (weekly? monthly?) report about whatever is on my mind at that moment.

Older Woman Sitting at Computer

Sometimes the blog will be about education because, ultimately, that is my calling and my brain takes me there all the time. In fact, just yesterday, while I was weeding in my yard (one of my most hated chores), I found so many fascinating things I would have loved to share with my class. I found a tiny eggshell, a HUGE earthworm, weeds with shallow roots and deep roots (wonder why they are so different), water flowing through the woods heading into my pond, honey bees all over my wildflowers, etc. I would love to have my class here to just explore nature.

Angry Woman Pulling Weeds

Sometimes the blog will be about politics because the world is crazy and scary and I have way too much time to watch the news! And, I beg you all, if I write about politics, don't trash me if you don't agree. Just calmly and kindly tell me WHY you disagree. Start a conversation. Don't shut one down.

Sign Language Hands Say Be Kind

Sometimes the blog will be about my job as Field Supervisor at Western Carolina University. I supervise interns prior to their graduation as teachers. It's my way of keeping myself in the game.

Sometimes the blog will be about things I have learned in life. As I age, I find myself reviewing my life with new eyes. That brings me to new learning so I will write about it.

Reflection of City in Eyeglasses

Whatever I blog about, I welcome conversation so please feel free to comment, reach out, etc. But be kind. We need more empathy and kindness in the world. And I seriously cannot take any more anger and meanness.

I look forward to connecting again!

Five People Holding Puzzle Pieces to Connect

Leaders and Followers

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 17:55:00 +0000

As we move out of an era in our country that I don't ever want to see repeated, I find myself trying desperately to understand how to move on and respect my fellow citizens again, knowing that half of us were perfectly happy keeping things the way they were. And I find myself thinking about leaders.

We are all, at times in our lives, both leaders and followers. Throughout my lifetime, I have followed: my teachers, my principals, my government, my police, the rules. And, I have led: as a union rep, as an educator, as a parent, as a speaker. Leadership is much easier. I get to make the decisions, right or wrong, and I get to do things the way I believe they should be done. And that is what is dangerous about leading. The ability to do things the way you want them to be done.

I have worked under six principals, who were all very different types of leaders. My first, in Dallas, Texas, was kind, caring, and told me to teach the way I was comfortable and successful. She also told me that, when she came to visit for an observation, I had to adhere to the Six Steps of Teaching that Texas was following at the time. She had to grade me according to the steps. But the rest of the time, she said, do what works because, she said, my students were learning more than the other fourth graders. My test scores were much higher and I was only a first year teacher.

This kind of leader was great for me but not so great for the rest of the staff. Most of them followed and believed in the Six Steps. And she allowed that to happen, knowing full well it didn't work. And there was no money in the budget for retraining teachers. So she was an ineffective leader, knowing what was right but not knowing how to get there or trying to find out how to get there.

My second principal, in Brooklyn, NY, was scary. Her form of leadership was to bully the teachers into doing what she thought was right. And when we questioned it, she raged even more. I was so scared of her that I would literally forget how to breathe when she walked into my classroom. I did whatever she told me to do, although, for my kids, I did fight back on things like their allotted bathroom time, which came in the afternoon after breakfast and lunch. And I did fight back on the no-field-trip rule, taking my children successfully on many free city trips. But I don't think my children learned much, beyond staying quiet and dressing appropriately for our weekly assemblies. Many teachers complained about her but none did anything to change it. I left after two years and she was promoted to district superintendent.

My move to Herricks was my last school move. I began with a principal who was a mixed bag. He was a great educator, helping me when I struggled to get my students to understand a topic. But he didn't really support the teachers, just kind of left us alone to do our own things. So some of us soared and some of us failed, meaning some children soared and some failed. But I think about the staff under his tenure. He had his favorites, people he went to for support, and he wouldn't listen to anyone else's opinion. There was massive bullying allowed among the staff. When someone complained to him, his response was to have the complainer talk to the bully. He did not interfere. Things were so bad under his leadership that we had a faculty meeting with the district psychologist to help us hash things out. Nobody talked.

My next principal was a kind woman who trusted her staff. She encouraged us to try new things. I won all my awards under her leadership. I looped with my classes three times under her leadership. I became a global learner and a technology user under her leadership. For me, she was a great leader. For others, they enjoyed their classes, got along with each other, and generally did well. The principal encouraged us all to work together and, for the most part, the bullying in the school stopped. Some teachers retired, some moved to other schools, and the building was a place both teachers and students wanted to be.

My third principal on Long Island was a teacher in the building first. She was a stickler for rules, insisting we all do the same thing. She brought in Lucy Calkins' work, she looked into block planning (only the union stopped that one) and she pushed us to be better than the other elementary schools in the district with our test scores. Stress increased tremendously, teachers retired or asked for transfers, and nobody who left ever wanted to come back. I fought hard to keep my program and then learned how to work my program into her demands. She won and I won. Until I couldn't do it anymore.

I left the classroom and moved into a position that, ultimately, had no administrator leading us. We were three teachers writing the curriculum ourselves, for a gifted program and a new PLTW science program. We were left alone and I was happy.

So what does all this have to do with our government and its leaders? It makes me think about the people who are followers.

In Brooklyn, teachers complained but did nothing to change the system or the leader. When I left, I spoke with the lead teacher in the building about it. She told me the principal would have welcomed any input on teaching styles. I don't believe that. She wanted a lock step program and she got one. Nobody, I mean NOBODY, pushed back on that. I would like to think that now, with my experience and my age, I would, but I don't know. I would probably just close my door, do my own thing, and fit her lock step program and rules into my classroom the best I could. I really liked the teachers I worked with. The children liked their teachers. But it wasn't a good place to be.

With my first principal on Long Island, the teachers became bullies. There were clear sides, everyone joined, and nobody did anything to try to make it better. Until we did. A couple of us tried by having a monthly breakfast, hosted in various classrooms. It was fun and brought us together. But after about six months, the bullies started complaining that it was too much pressure, because we created a calendar for people to sign up to host. And the bullies won. We stopped trying. I made some friends during that principal's tenure but mostly I kept to myself. As did so many of us. It was not a good place to be.

With the principal who allowed us the freedom to be, we were the happiest. The children thrived, teachers each had their own special units of love that they covered, we worked together, and the school was a great place to be. Mostly. Some bullies got quiet. Some just reverted to complaining at every meeting. But these people, who thrived under the first principal, were primarily shut down and kept to themselves. I did, during her tenure, end up on a grade full of bullies. The first year I tried to work with them and learn from them, having never taught the grade before. Then I stopped trying and moved online to connect with like-minded people. I made many friends, found partners, co-wrote a book, and won awards. All without anyone else in the building. I communicated primarily with teachers from other grades or teachers from other parts of the world. My grade just...well, it didn't work. But I was fairly content and my students loved coming to school.

A leader creates the atmosphere. Teachers create an atmosphere for the students. Teachers decide if bullying is allowed, if empathy is key, if differences are welcomed or shunned. Students look to us to decide how to behave.

Principals create the an atmosphere for the school. Principals decide if bullying is allowed, if teachers are trusted, if students and teachers can offer opinions or not, if teachers will be shunned by others or not. Teachers look to principals to decide how to behave.

By the same token, governors and presidents create the atmosphere for the country. They decide if bullying is allowed, if citizens can have a voice or not, if some will be shunned or not. And we have seen this magnified by our latest president and all the governors, senators, and representatives who follow him.

So what does all this say about the followers? Most of us are, after all, mostly followers. Do we stand up and say, "No. I will not bully."? Do we stand up and say, "No. I will not shun others or make fun of others."? Or do we just follow along, doing what we are told, even if it makes no sense? And what does that say about us if we do? Is it acceptable that some of us decided to go along? Is it okay that some of us decided to pull out our most despicable characteristics to go along? Is that what we do as followers?

It seems to me that we all had a choice to make. For some, the choice was to follow what everyone around us was doing. Wear a mask or don't. Hang a Confederate flag or don't. Post a Trump sign on your lawn or don't. What is everyone around you doing? Do that.

There were times in my life when I mostly went along. But not many. My first year teaching I fought for my kids not to get paddled if they misbehaved. But I said nothing when the assistant principal called me in to be a witness when she was going to paddle one of my own. I cried instead, right in front of the child. My second year teaching, I fought for my kids to go on field trips and for my kids to get a good bathroom time. My first year on Long Island, I fought for my students when an author was visiting and all the students had time to make pins for her but mine. I went to the principal and asked him to tell the librarian to give me the button maker to use in my classroom. She fought back but I won and my students won. And the bullies in the school were impressed with me and, mostly, left me alone.

I'm not sure why I am always able to stand up for others, when I find it very hard to stand up for myself. But, in this election, I voted for others. I'm doing fine under Trump. No better, no worse. I don't worry that my rights are being taken away because the rights we are losing as a country won't really affect me. But I always stand up for the rights of others. As a teacher, I always stood up for my students. As a mom, I always stand up for my child. As a wife, I stand up for my husband. And I will always stand up for respect and empathy for all.

So how do I get past the last four years? How do I forgive those followers who did what everyone around them were doing, simply because that's what everyone was doing? I did, ultimately, end up being good friends with one of the bullies of my grade. But she recognized what she had done and made amends. And I was able to be pleasant and friendly to the others because, well, I saw them every day and it just made it easier for me to do so. And I guess, that's how I get past. Be pleasant and friendly, don't talk about the bullying and the rest, and keep standing up for those that need support.

What I've realized is all of us have the ability to stand up and all of us have the ability to just go along. There is hate in us all. For now, I guess, I will look for the love instead of the hate. I will keep standing up and keep hoping that most of us do. And I will relish the new leadership we have coming in January. Maybe the haters will put their hate back underground and we will make some real changes for those that need it. How will you move on?

A Series on Empathy - Part Four - Logical Consequences

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 15:13:00 +0000

A Series on Empathy - Part Three - CARES

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 15:11:00 +0000

Note to my readers - I know I said in my last blog that I would discuss Logical Consequences in this blog. But I needed to talk about CARES first. Stay tuned for blog number 4 in the series for Logical Consequences.

Elementary teachers often talk about the Summer Slide - the effects on academics because of children not being in school for two months over the summer. And teachers often spend one or two months at the beginning of the year just reviewing what should have been learned at the end of the previous grade. Of course, year round school would eliminate the Summer Slide. But so would children reading and writing over the summer months. But, for many of us, neither of these situations actually occurs.

For me, I relished the review time. Why? I needed that time to teach something more important than the given curriculum requirements. Because, at the beginning of every year, I spent one or two months teaching my students about CARES. What is CARES?

I spent time at the beginning of each year teaching - really teaching - each of these words and meanings. We watched videos that demonstrated CARES. We blogged about which CARES term we were working on. We spied on each other looking for examples of CARES. We wrote each night about examples of CARES. We looked for examples in books, on tv, in the news, in the cafeteria, during lessons. My CARES bulletin board stayed up all year as a reminder of the meaning of these terms.

Why does this matter? Why did I spend so much time each year on it? Because I truly believed, and still do, that my primary job was to teach my students to be better members of society. And the society we were working in was the classroom and school society, first and foremost. Also, by spending time at the beginning of the year on CARES, the rest of the year went very smoothly, since, when something went wrong, they would just need quick reminders to get back on track.

I remember one child, Robbie, (not his name) who struggled all year to learn these concepts. He was a complainer and worked hard to attack and blame his classmates. His seat was moved often, since no one wanted to sit with him for any length of time. His parents encouraged his behavior, saying he was standing up for himself, even though I repeatedly demonstrated that this was not the case.

At the beginning of the year, as Robbie caused problems, we would have class meetings to solve these problems he and the other children were facing. The children would speak to him about their difficulties, using our CARES vocabulary. He started out being defensive and then, began to listen. Eventually, Robbie learned a bit more self-control. In fact, he asked the children to help him when he forgot. They would walk up to him while he was ranting and simply say, "S-C." He would stop in mid-sentence, and breathe.

Robbie didn't completely stop complaining about others. But he did recognize that empathy and self-control were his difficult concepts. And the class sincerely praised him at the end of the year for working so hard to be someone who CARES.

Robbie was my struggle that year but I'm glad I got to work with him. We need to teach our children about CARES and all that those concepts imply. We need to heal this society and improve it. And it all starts with being a society that CARES.

Want to know more about CARES? Look into Responsive Classroom. Even if you can't afford the training, which I HIGHLY recommend, the books are amazing. I especially recommend The First Six Weeks of School.

A Series on Empathy - Part Two - No Tolerance Policies

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 15:04:00 +0000

My second year of teaching had me in an inner city school in Brooklyn, NY. I was very young, very inexperienced, and, really had no idea what I was doing. The school was a safe haven for most of the children, who came from broken, drug filled, homes. It was a daily occurrence to have a child come in upset because a family member was killed or arrested the night before. And my job, my ONLY job, as I was told often by my principal when we butted heads, was to teach these fifth graders the curriculum. I failed miserably in doing just that job. But that is a story for another day.

The principal believed that the only way to control the children - yes, I really meant to say control - was to have complete order. That meant silence in the classrooms and hallways, scheduled bathroom breaks, silence in the cafeteria, chained and locked doors during school hours, and lock step teaching from the staff. The environment was not conducive to learning for either me or my students, which was the main reason my principal and I did not always get along.

I had 35 children in my class that year. I started with 30 but got more throughout the year. On any given day, another teacher would be absent and that class would be split up among the rest of us. So there were usually about 40 children in my small room at one time. And, because I never believed in following rules that made no sense, my room was noisy. Controlled chaos is what I called it because the children would always talk and discuss and help each other out but, when the principal made her rounds, we would get silent instantly and I would take my place in front of the room. The kids loved being part of this deception and they learned. They learned the curriculum, they learned they could teach me a lot (like Spanish or like that the stationary store across the street was a place to buy drugs), they learned to be a family.

So one day, I get a new student, Harry (not his real name). Harry came with his dad from China. He spoke almost no English. He was very small for his age and loved being in the classroom. Harry's dad thought I, as his teacher, was the best thing that ever happened to him. I learned that China treats teachers much differently than we do here in the US.

Harry fit in well. He loved math (very little language needed) and worked hard to learn both English and Spanish. He made friends in class. I thought things were going well and then the principal called me to her office.

It seems that Harry had come to school with a switchblade knife. This meant instant suspension. There was a No Tolerance policy about bringing weapons to school. And Harry had shown one of his neighbors that he had this knife in his backpack. So Harry's dad comes to get him and he is gone from my classroom for 10 days. I asked the principal why Harry had the knife but she didn't know. She never asked. He had the knife, he gets suspended. Period.

When he came back, I decided to find out why Harry brought a knife to school. "Did you know," I asked, "that you weren't allowed to have a weapon?" He did. "So why did you bring it to school?" Harry told me, in his broken English, that there was a boy who was bullying him before school, while he waited for the doors to open and let him in the building. He tried to tell the teacher on duty but couldn't get himself understood.

My first thought was, "Why didn't he tell me or another classmate?" And then I started thinking about Harry coming to school. One day he had a small cut over his eye. He told me he fell. One day his hand was bruised. He told me he was playing ball and got hurt.

My inexperience was showing. I have since learned that I cannot ignore all the cuts and bruises. I have learned to spend more time listening than talking. But that day, I learned about the unfairness of a No Tolerance policy. Harry was not a bad kid, nor was he a danger to anyone. He didn't even take out the knife when the bully confronted him. But Harry got suspended. And the bully? He went to class, never met with a teacher or the principal, and kept on bullying other children.

Harry didn't get bullied anymore because my students, his classmates, came to the rescue. They told me about the bully and told Harry how to avoid him. They protected Harry before and after school from then on. I never went to the principal with my new information because, well, she scared me (she was a bully, too) so I talked to her as little as possible.

No Tolerance policies don't work. Children do things for reasons. By ignoring the reason and only doling out punishment, we are telling children they are powerless and we don't care about the why. And suspending a child from school takes that child from the one place that is stable and puts them in a home situation that very well could be the cause of the problems to begin with.

The start of teaching Empathy is teaching Responsibility. Children need to learn that they are responsible for their actions. But if we dole out punishments without giving them an opportunity to take that responsibility, we have taught nothing.

When my students heard why Harry was suspended from school, they rallied behind him. Their empathy was clearly showing. Before we knew why he brought in the knife, rumors were flying about what a bad boy Harry was. No empathy at all. But Harry took the responsibility of his actions seriously. When he came back to school, he stood, this tiny little boy, in front of the room and told the class that he did something wrong. And then he answered all their questions about his why. It gave them the chance to empathize. And they did.

Teach Responsibility and you begin to teach Empathy. And turn punishments into Logical Consequences. (More on that in my next blog.)

A Series on Empathy - Part One - Why Teach Empathy?

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 15:01:00 +0000

Somebody posted a picture on FaceBook that listed what children today are learning from the President of the United States. You may or may not agree with the list, but you have to admit something is wrong in this world.

Parents and teachers spend lifetimes teaching children about empathy. Some do better than others. Some actively try, while others hope to lead by example. All of us fail at times.

Today, it is clear to me that empathy is sorely lacking in the world. From the President of the United States and leaders of other countries, to protestors, rioters, members of the House of Representatives and Members of the Senate to store and restaurant employees and customers. Lack of empathy and respect is running rampant. Open your news feed on any given day and you will see government representatives being rude to each other, to constituents, and to the media. You will see examples of "Karens" all over the world (I'm not going to even get into the idea of a "Karen" as being rude. It is and I'm sorry for all you women out there whose real name is Karen.). You will see examples of car accidents caused by disrespect and lack of empathy for other drivers. You will see companies laying waste to huge areas of land and water, with no respect for any living being already there.

I truly believe it is the job of educators to actively teach children empathy. It is not enough to just lead by example. It hasn't worked up to now. Probably because a school, by its very nature, promotes a lack of empathy. Let me explain.

How many times have you told a child to stop talking to a classmate, only to find out he was only trying to help a friend understand the assignment better?

How often have you held a competition in your classroom, cheering for the winner, while hoping the loser doesn't start to cry and ruin all the fun?

How many times have you told your students they could not work together on this assignment, because you knew it would mean either someone was left working alone or one person would do all the work, while the other watched and did nothing?

How many times did you tell your students not to talk in the hallway and then you started a conversation with a passing teacher?

How often did you work with your students to win the "Class of the Week" award for highest grades, best attendance, quietest behavior - cheering when you won or booing when another class won?

I could go on and on. Each of these examples is commonplace and begs for a lesson in empathy. But who has time? I believe we must make the time. It is imperative for the good of our world. We have lost the ability to lift others up, to care for the environment, to listen to those who have differing opinions. We need to reinforce the idea that empathy and respect are necessary and useful for advancement in a society.

I remember Albert. He was a fifth grade student of mine who was classified as learning disabled. He had a language delay, so explaining himself was quite difficult. And he had a family that encouraged him to never take responsibility for anything. They believed he was always right, the other children were always wrong, and the teachers did not understand him at all. He struggled constantly with the other children, fighting over books, over favorite seats, over playground toys. He argued with teachers over whether or not work should be done, was done, was handed in. He made the year quite a challenge.

I spent all year working with Albert on communication. How can you explain to Johnny why you are upset, without using your fists? How can you show me you need help, without ripping up your work? How can you solve a problem, without calling in Dad to solve it for you?

What I didn't do with Albert was successfully teach him the fifth grade curriculum. He didn't improve much in reading or math, he didn't complete projects in social studies or science, he didn't willingly participate in morning meetings or group skype calls or, really, anything we did in class. I failed as a teacher. Until one day...

Albert came back from recess, upset with another child about an issue on the playground. He wanted to punch the other child. I was able to prevent that and, after talking with him and the other child, I discovered that Albert had a right to be angry. Normally, he was the bully, taking away toys and pushing kids down. This time, though, he was playing with a basketball and the other child grabbed it from him and refused to let him play. If I had just gone along with the day, I would have punished Albert. After all, it was usually his fault that a fight was brewing. But I took the time to listen, learn, and teach.

I told Albert he had a right to be angry but not a right to hit. I helped him use his words to explain his position to the other child. The other child apologized and told Albert that the next day, they would play basketball together. And they did.

I would love to tell you that Albert changed completely, became a top student and a calm child. But he didn't. He struggled all year with explaining himself. The other children, however, saw a different side of him and helped him stay calm during a crisis. And two years later, while I was visiting the middle school, I saw Albert in the hallway. He came right up to me, shook my hand, looked me in the eye, and said, "Hello, Mrs. Parisi. It's so good to see you. How are you?" This was monumental.

Why do I tell this story? Albert will probably never be a mover and shaker of the world. He will probably have to work every day to keep his family from "saving him from the world." And he might still struggle with reading and writing and math. But maybe, just maybe, he won't go to a rally and start a fight. Maybe he won't walk into a store and berate the cashier for making a mistake. Maybe he will get married and treat his wife with respect and kindness. Maybe. And maybe, if we spend more time actively teaching empathy, spend more time dealing with situations instead of reacting to them, spend more time teaching children how to listen to each other and care about each other, the world will be a better place. And we really need the world to be a better place.

Stay tuned for more blogs on this topic. I have lots of great ways to teach empathy and will share some with you in future blogs.

I would love to hear what you do to teach empathy. Share in your own blog and link back here so we can all read it.

Changing

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 14:58:00 +0000

Every morning, my breakfast is two pieces of multigrain toast with butter, a sliced vine ripened tomato with a sprinkle of salt, and a cup of hazelnut coffee with sweetener and milk. I take my breakfast to the table with my book and my daily vitamins. No one in the house interrupts me. I read and eat my toast. Then I take my vitamins with my coffee. Then I eat the tomato while I read some more. Then I sit and finish my coffee, while reading. The whole breakfast time takes about 30 minutes. If it's warm and sunny, I move the whole thing to my balcony.

Why does this matter? Because I want you to understand that I HATE CHANGE! I hate it. I want things to stay the way they are right now. I want to have my breakfast each day. I want to sit and go through my email and my bills each day. I want to do some work around the house and/or the yard each day. I want to spend time with my husband, see my mom, talk to my daughter, play with my dog each day. I want to put on my t-shirt each night, lower the temperature on my thermostat for the bedroom, crawl into bed, turn on the tv, and fall asleep to a movie I've seen a hundred times.

My daughter, Ali, is the same way. She stayed with a piano teacher for at least a year past what the teacher said she could do with her. She didn't want a new teacher. She wanted Miss Barbara. Period.

And, yet, change keeps happening. When I taught, I moved grades all the time. Fourth, then fifth, then second, then third, then fourth, then fifth, then fourth, then fifth, then out of the classroom into the gifted program. I switched schools three times, states two times, principals six times, co-teachers three times, aides and assistants...I can't even remember. And almost all of those changes were my doing.

Ali, too, makes changes. She has traveled alone to Costa Rica, Belize, and Israel. She changed colleges five times, moved three times and changed jobs more times than I can count. All while telling me how anxious the changes are making her. But she does it.

What I've come to realize is this: I need routine. I need sameness about me. But I also need things to change in my world. I think it's so I can handle it when change is thrust upon me.

We are in a world right now where change is coming every day. Our way of life is so different that it may never go back to the way it was. And I'm not really sure it should. Some of my favorite restaurants and stores are closed and may close for good. Some of my favorite tv shows are not running anymore and may not come back. Traveling is dangerous, going to movies is dangerous, bowling, playing tennis, working out...no can do.

So how can I come to grips with life changing around me at an alarming rate? How did I make it easy for my students who were like me, when I changed up the routine or told them we weren't following the schedule for the day? For my students, I kept some things the same. We still had our morning meeting when our schedule was changing. We still shook hands each morning, even if we kept our coats on because we were going on a field trip for the day. We still hugged goodbye each afternoon, even I as was rushing them out the door to catch the bus.

For me, I have my 30 minutes of breakfast time. It might be the only thing that stays the same each day but I need that one thing to hold me tight. Then I can let the change envelop me and still feel secure. And I can welcome change, knowing that I'll find a new normal, a new schedule, a new sameness...eventually.

How do you handle change? How is this new world finding you? I'd love to hear your ideas. Blog on your own. And then link your blog in the comments so we can all read each others. Have fun!

A Life Update

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 02:08:00 +0000

It's been a long time since I have published a blog. In fact, it's been so long that I changed jobs, worked for four years in that job and retired from teaching since I last wrote a blog. That's too long. So here a brief update. And a promise to blog more frequently.

1. I left the classroom and worked as the gifted teacher and PLTW Science lead teacher in my school. I did write about my new job here.

What I loved about this job was the role change for me. Instead of being in one classroom all year, I had the opportunity to get to know all of the children in the school and be in all of the classrooms. I renewed my appreciation for the teachers I worked with. Every class I walked into had thriving, happy children who enjoyed being in school.

And I still had my gifted students to get close with and teach. I helped them become leaders and change agents. They learned about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They taught their classmates and schoolmates about the problems in the world. They wrote to government officials, set up websites, ran a school assembly, and created videos to alert the world to these problems. They believed they could make a difference in the world. And so they did.

2. I retired after 35 years in the classroom. Since 1984, when I went through student teaching, I have been working every school year and almost every summer. I took off 10 weeks when I had my wonderful daughter, Alixandra, but, otherwise, I worked.

Over the course of my career, I have taught every elementary grade - Grades K-5, taught numerous classes in district, presented at many conferences, and won multiple awards. I wrote a book about blogging, worked with companies, such as BrainPop, to help them improve on ideas for use in the classroom, and connected with teachers and classrooms around the world.

I worked under 6 principals and 5 Superintendents. Some good, some bad, some supportive, some not. I learned how important administrators are in creating the tone of the school. So some years were joyful and exciting, while other years were stressful and monotonous.

3. I moved out of New York and into the beautiful Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. I love where I live now. But I am frustrated living in the mountains with limited internet access and phone access. I'm not used to having everything I do take so much time. And I miss being able to stream videos without running out of data.

4. I gave up my second job as Elementary Vice President of the Herricks Teachers Association. I find it particularly difficult to live in a non union state, having just left 5 years of fighting for union rights. I have already had conversations in Walmart about union rights.

5. My family:

My mom moved with us to NC. She had a minor stroke right before we moved and has struggled with the physicality of a new home, but she is doing better after getting physical therapy.

My daughter moved to a neighboring town in NC with her boyfriend, now her fiance. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Biology although has chosen not to use that degree. She is working now as a Vet assistant, going back to school to be a Vet Tech. And she is planning her wedding.

My husband retired when I did. He has been spending a great deal of time fixing up our house. It was an unfinished house when we purchased it. The outside is finally finished, furniture is being built, and we are getting to a point were we can just enjoy our new home, instead of listing everything that still needs to be completed.

6. I am starting a consulting business. I am ready to share what I know about children and teaching.  Contact me if you would like me to come to your district.

7. I found an illustrator for my picture book and am now looking for a publisher. Stay tuned for more on that.

That's it. My life for the last five years. I have missed connecting, missed blogging, missed writing. How have you all been?

Global Education and Skills Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 16:13:00 +0000

A week ago, I had the unique opportunity to attend the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai. The forum was run by The Varkey Foundation, whose message is "Changing Lives through Education." Sonny Varkey, owner, believes in a "great teacher for every child." And he truly works to get that message through.

In 2015, I was a top 50 finalist for the Global Teacher Prize. I then became an ambassador for the Global Teacher Prize, although I will be the first to admit, I have been a lousy ambassador. I wasn't really sure of the Varkey Foundation, feeling that what they really wanted was media coverage for their organization. I have since learned differently.

You see, the Varkey Foundation believes that teachers are important, they matter. They want the world to know how important teachers are to the lives of children and the success of our world. So they set up this Global Teacher Prize to be like winning the Nobel Peace Prize. The award ceremony and conference were beyond amazing - top speakers, heads of state and country, famous media people - all became part of the show. And all there to honor teachers. Here are some of my exciting events throughout my four days of the conference.

1. I got to speak with, work with, hang out with, laugh with some of the most amazing teachers from around the world. There were 120 finalists at the summit preceding the conference, teachers who were already chosen as the best in the world, who were brought to Dubai to do powerful work around helping other teachers become Global Teachers. I met teachers who have started schools in areas where most children don't go to school. I met teachers who are using every tool they know to bring different cultures into their students' world. I met teachers who work in the most remote areas of the world and teachers who work in the busiest cities in the world. And all of these teachers are in a group I am honored to be part of. I hope to grow up to be just like them someday.

2. I made new friends. Like Janet Hayward, from Wales, who is me with an accent. She is "lovely." Like Ray Chambers, one of the top ten finalists, from the UK, who is the tallest person I have ever known and has the funnest wife ever. Like Andrews Nchessie, from Malawi, who speaks Chichewan, a language used in Laugh with the Moon, which I am reading to my fifth graders. Like Santhi Karamcheti, from Bangalore, who runs a school for children with special needs so they don't have to stay home and not receive an education. Like Mareike Ha from Germany, who pushed me right out of my comfort zone. Like, like, like. So many to think about. So many to connect with. My life has changed for meeting all of these amazing people.

3. I heard talks from Thomas Friedman, Bear Grylls, Sudhguru, girls who escaped from the Boko Haram, Andreas Schleicher, Arne Duncan, Geoffrey Canada, etc. So many great speakers. So much to learn and think about.

4. The food was incredible. The little serving dishes they used to pass around food was so cute. The gold covered chocolate strawberries were over the top, The Michelin star Italian chef who ran the Italian Soiree night gave us all amazingly tasty food. It never seemed to end. We had breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, dessert at every course. Whew. I wanted to try everything and I think I did.

5. The celebration of teachers was spectacular. The night of the award ceremony, we began by being serenaded by Andrea Bocelli. Then Bear Grylls parachuted onto the beach and ran onto the stage to introduce the astronaut from the International Space Station who, through video, revealed the winner. Congratulations to Maggie MacDonnell. Then we were walked out onto the red carpet that was lined with children and their parents chanting,"Teachers Matter." They were high fiving us and taking selfies with us. I never felt so appreciated. The night ended with an amazing band and dj playing great music while we ate and ate and ate.

This was truly the highlight of the week. Here in America, teachers are so vilified, so hated. To be appreciated with such verve was too much to handle. I cried my way through the red carpet.

I might never have an experience like this again. But I am proud to be part of the ambassador program. The Varkey Foundation does amazing things for children around the world. And there really are people in the world who think teachers are important. It's easy to forget that back home.

An Open Letter to NYS Commissioner of Education Elia

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 00:31:00 +0000

Dear Commissioner Elia,

I am a veteran elementary school teacher, having just completed my 30th year of teaching in 2015. I am now a teacher for the gifted and talented students in my school, as well as the lead teacher for PLTW, our new science program. I have won multiple awards for global projects, co-written a book on blogging, and teach classes on Universal Design for Learning, Project Based Learning, Responsive Classroom and using Web 2.0 tools. I work hard to keep the learning fresh, becoming a Google Certified Innovator, an Edmodo ambassador, and a BrainPop Certified Educator, among other titles.

I am telling you about myself to let you know that I love what I do, love working with children, love helping other teachers, and take my profession very seriously. I truly believe that my purpose in life is to help make the world a better place and I am here to help children learn how to make peace, work cooperatively, and feel that their lives matter. I have always felt that, in elementary school, our main job is to help students learn to love learning, love school, and love themselves. Curriculum comes second.

I work on Long Island, in the Herricks School District. It is a high stakes district that always tops the lists of best schools, highest scores, etc. And I know, working in Herricks, how to help my students reach those heights, while still loving school. Until testing time.

This past week, we gave the NYS ELA test to 300+ 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students in our school. We shut down programs and classes on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in order to accommodate the requirements of the students testing. You see, this year, in order to make things "less stressful" for our students, you chose to make the test an untimed test. The results were scary and very stressful. Let me explain.

First, the test itself is stressful for children. There were questions on the fifth grade exam that I had difficulty answering. Teachers were debating the multiple choice answers, since there were many that had two choices, one being slightly better than the other. If teachers have difficulty with the test, imagine how the 10 year old children felt looking at these questions.

Also, the children, on day 3, were asked to write two essays. Two! Who writes two essays in one day, much less one right after the other? Couldn't we figure out if they could write well after the one essay they wrote on day 2? Did we really need a third day to figure this out?

Second, the test is useless. Teachers cannot use it to revise their instruction since we don't get scores back until August or September, when we no longer have those children. And when we do get the scores back, they are meaningless, since we no longer have the test to see what the types of questions were. And, you decided (rightly so, in my opinion) that we would not use this test to assess teachers. So, if the test does not inform instruction and does not assess teachers, what is the point?

Third, the timing. When we had 90 minutes for this test, it was stressful and difficult for some children to finish. But they mostly did ok. With an unlimited time, we had children working for over 4 hours! There were gifted children who are notorious perfectionists, writing 4 page essays and spending an hour on just the planning page (which, incidently was left out of the test). There were special education children who would get stuck on a question and just stop, waiting for inspiration. And, with unlimited time to do so, would sit for 30 minutes doing absolutely nothing but worrying.

So what was my role this year? Since I am no longer a classroom teacher, I did not have a class to proctor so I filled in where I was needed. I proctored one day for a fifth grade teacher who was out for the day. But mostly, I spent my time with the children who worked beyond 2 hours. You see, after 2 hours, I picked up all the children who were still not done and brought them to my room to complete the test. This allowed the rest of the class to move around, make noise, and relax. On Thursday, the two essay day, there were so many children taking more than 2 hours that we filled up two classrooms with those students.

In my room, in the meantime, I had children crying because they couldn't answer questions, worried because they were taking so long, upset because they were missing lunch and recess to complete the exam. This was not "less stressful" by any means. Less stressful might have been cutting the test down to two days or giving the children more developmentally appropriate questions to answer or giving the test at the end of the year, after all the curriculum has been taught, instead of in April, so the teachers have to rush curriculum to get children ready, or not giving this test at all and finding a better way to evaluate learning throughout the year.

Commissioner Elia, I am hopeful that things will change next year. This is not what I became a teacher for. I work hard to make my students love coming to school. Nobody loved coming in last week, not the students, nor the teachers, nor the administrators, nor the parents. I am hopeful that, since you claimed you would opt your own children out, you understand the ineffectiveness and uselessness of the NYS ELA test. Please reconsider this test next year. There has to be a better way. Ask teachers. We know how to evaluate our students and our teachers.

Sincerely,
Lisa Parisi, teacher

Starting Over

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Mon, 29 Feb 2016 01:20:00 +0000

This year I started a new job. I'm still a teacher (not sure that will ever change) but now I am no longer a classroom teacher. My new position is two-fold. I am the teacher for gifted and talented 4th and 5th graders in my school and the Lead Teacher for PLTW, a STEM science program.

I started training for PLTW (Project Lead the Way) last year. This program was designed for high school and middle school students. This is the first year they are bringing it to the elementary school and my district signed on.

What I love about this program is that it is a project-based learning program focused on engineering design. It uses iPads and other technology to teach children how to think, plan, design, and follow through on activities surrounding engineering, biomedicine, and technology. It is my job to help the teachers learn how to use the program and how to use PBL. This mostly means helping the teachers learn to let go and let the children be successful. It is very exciting to see it all come together.

The gifted program in district is a pull-out program that is being entirely revamped within the next few years. For now, there is one Gemini teacher in each elementary building and we are planning humanities lessons and activities for our students, designed around the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

So what has all this change meant for me? Lots of learning, lots of laughs, lots of tears.

1. I am so grateful to be out of the classroom and away from all the testing. I had gotten to a point where, after 30 years, I just couldn't do it anymore. I felt guilty having to give the tests, guilty planning for them, guilty taking away time from more important activities, like connecting with online classes. I am just glad not to have to think about it anymore.

2. I have a much more open schedule than ever before. I see each group of students twice a week and the rest of the time is set aside for PLTW. This means I do not greet children as they walk into the building and do not let them go at the end of the day. It means I do not take much work home with me on the weekends. It means I have more time to walk into classrooms and see what everyone else is doing. It means I have more time to give assistance to others. This I love but it did take some getting used to.

3.

I do not have my own class of children. Yes, I work with my Gemini students and see them each week. And, yes, I use Responsive Classroom still and we are a community. But it isn't the same as having your own class. I miss that.

4. All of the children in the building know who I am. This I love! I have been in all the classrooms, watching and assisting with science lessons. The children get excited when I walk in - "Are we doing PLTW now?" And I get lots of hellos in the hallway.

5. I get to visit kindergarten when I need a break. Kindergarten has to be the hardest grade of all to teach. But, oh those children are so wonderful. I walk in to hugs and stories and tugs to come to their area and see what they are doing. I love when I walk in and a random child comes to me to tell me about his new puppy or show me her boo boo. It's a nice break from the chaos of dealing with two new programs in district.

6. I am learning to be a team player with a team I have never worked with before and who are not in my building. It is very much like being a team member in an online collaboration. You always have to be thinking about the other members of the team but, ultimately, you are on your own. Very strange. This is the most difficult for me to deal with.

7. I have been working much more with administration. This is very new to me. I am the liason between the teachers and the administration with regard to PLTW. And, while I have always had a good relationship with my principal, I am learning some new things. I am learning more about the big picture in the district. It's no longer just about my kids. Now it's also about PR and parents and other teachers and the Board of Education and, oh yes, the kids. I keep them in the picture always.

8. It's hard getting global projects going. I don't see my students enough to work on a project so I "borrow" the students from the class next door. I have been dragging my colleague and friend, the next door fourth grade teacher, into projects. So far she has done postcards from around the country, has started blogging, and is starting If You Learned Here. I love that she is willing, even as she worries about the timing involved in it all.

It hasn't all been easy but I really do love this new job. Next year should be much easier. And, for now, I am enjoying the ride. What are you doing this year that is new?

New Year, New Challenges

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sun, 03 Jan 2016 16:22:00 +0000

Each time January rolls around, we all start thinking about our New Year's Resolutions. What are those things we will do to make us better? Lose weight? Exercise more? Be more patient with the children? Read more? Spend more time with family? Say no more often?

This year, I thought long and hard about what I wanted my resolution to be. And I couldn't come up with anything. It's not that I think I have hit perfection. Far from it. It's just that I feel like each resolution is just an empty promise...something I should be doing every day but don't, can't, won't. Or I am already trying my best.

So what does that mean for me now? I think this year I will try to come up with challenges instead of resolutions. Why? Resolutions, to me, are so final. "I am resolved to lose weight by next week!" And if I don't? Well, I guess I can't be trusted with my resolutions. Challenges will allow me to try, fail, and try again. Challenges will allow me to change direction as needed. Challenges will allow me to recognize that life is still a journey. Challenges are pliable.

So...in the spirit of the new year...here are my New Year's Challenges.

I am going to challenge myself to learn another language.

The more global I become, the more irritated I am that I only speak one language. I feel it is very self-serving to assume that everyone will be able to communicate with me in English. And, yes, this has served me well to date. But enough is enough. This might not happen this year but I will begin.

I am going to challenge myself to make peace with those I struggle to understand.

I am faced with certain people who create drama every chance they can. I am going to try to understand their need, in order to help me be more caring and accepting when faced with the drama. I tend to avoid drama at all costs. But I cannot always avoid these people so I must learn to understand and accept them the way they are.

I am going to challenge myself to be more satisfied with my life.

I find myself constantly comparing my life to everyone else's. Not my personal life, but my professional one. Should I write another book? He did. Should I apply for another award? She did. Should I join another organization, participate in another twitter chat, run another class? They did. I am going to really only choose those items I WANT to do, not choose items in order to out do someone else. Teaching isn't a competition. It's a calling. I need to stop feeling like everyone else is just passing me by. And I will begin as soon as I finish my ISTE award application.

I am going to stop telling myself I am a failure if I don't meet a challenge as quickly as I hope to. Challenges are trials. Try and fail. Try and fail. Try, try, try.

What will your challenges be for 2016?

What is Challenge?

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sun, 13 Sep 2015 21:20:00 +0000

I had an interesting conversation with my college age daughter yesterday. I was on the phone with my sister. She was telling me about the math course my brilliant-in-math nephew is doing in Florida. The course is all online and, as he masters concepts, he moves on. Apparently, he keeps getting all 100s on his tests. My sister is very proud. I said, "He needs to be challenged more." That's when my daughter, Ali, jumped in, saying, "Why do teachers always think students need to be more challenged?"

After we spoke for a while, I realized she and I weren't talking about the same thing and that made me realize that many teachers probably think the way she does. In her school world, challenge means work. More challenge means more rigorous work. I used to think this way. If a child was getting all 100s on tests, give that child more work. But now I know better. I think.

So let's talk for a bit about the Zone of Proximal Development. The ZPD has been defined as "the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers." (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86).

If we think about this ZPD, we should be teaching children in the middle zone. The inside zone is too easy for them. That's where they get all 100s and don't learn anything new. And the outside zone is the place many of us want to be with children. But this learning is too difficult.

Ali explained to me that she didn't understand why she had to read a book and then write an essay about it. Why couldn't they just have a discussion and enjoy the book? Why did it have to be more "challenging?"

I explained it this way. If her college English professor assigned Dr. Seuss books, she would be learning nothing. The challenge is in the books that are assigned. The professor has her reading books that have new vocabulary, new ideas, and new styles. The assignment itself might be in the zone or not, depending on what it is.

I used to give reading assignments that had children look up every word I thought would be new. Then they had to use those words in a sentence. I had them answer endless questions, both literal and interpretive. Many of the questions I had them answer on paper were the exact questions we discussed in reading group. What was my goal? I'm really not sure. I thought it was to see if they understood the book. But I think it was really to make sure they read.

So how do I give assignments that are challenging without being out of reach (rewrite the book, making the minor character the major character) or too easy (name all the characters in the book and list them in alphabetical order)?

Some ideas:

1. Run a book club with some classmates about the book. Be sure they understand all the symbolism you learned about while reading.

2. Have a book discussion in Edmodo about the chapters you read each night. Write about the parts of the book that surprise you.

3. Write an essay (yes, an essay) explaining whether or not this book should be used in class as a reading book.

4. Write a book review. Would you recommend this book?

5. Tell me the next book to read since I loved this one.

So how about assessment? Think carefully about the last time you worked on a book with a group. Did you know, from your discussions, who understood the theme and who didn't? How did you know? Was one child so involved in the book that he came to group and overshadowed everyone with his discovery about what the title really means? Did one child start a conversation that led to a disagreement? Who opened their books to prove their side? And what did you do about the child that just sat there during the whole book club saying nothing? Maybe that child is too shy and needs support to be drawn out. Maybe that child has difficulty formulating her ideas quickly enough for a conversation. Maybe she didn't read the book because it was too difficult to understand.

Now we get back into the zone. How can we be sure we have the quiet child in the zone? Ask her to write a book review. Contact the author and see if she can have a conversation about the book with the student. Is the student more motivated? Ask the child why she isn't joining the conversation. If you have a respectful environment, she will know she won't get in trouble for saying she didn't read because she didn't understand what she was reading. Then you can try an easier book. Or give her a reading partner. Or be her reading partner until she is vested in the story.

Do I have to give her a test on the book? Not really. I know how to keep her in the ZPD so she will continue to make progress in school.

And as for my nephew, hopefully, his teacher will move him into more challenging lessons on the computer so he can move out of the middle zone and into his ZPD. He deserves to make progress, too. And I hope that soon, my daughter sees challenge as something positive, not something a teacher "makes" her do.

My Life with Pooh

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 23:12:00 +0000

When I was around 5, my mom bought a whole set of Winnie-the-Pooh books for me and my sister. I loved those books. For some reason, I started with Now We Are Six. This book, along with When We Were Very Young, is a book of poetry. I'm not sure why I started with poetry. Maybe because it reminded me of nursery rhymes. But I read that book to shreds...literally. Mom bought me another copy a year later.

I memorized the poems. I started with "Wheezles and Sneezles." I loved the play with language, the attitude of Christopher Robin when he got better. "And the look in his eye, seemed to say to the sky, Now how to amuse them today." That was so...edgy...for a child who tried very hard not to break any rules.

Every time it rained I opened up to "Waiting at the Window,"a poem about two raindrops racing down the pane. I imagined the raindrops on my window were just like John and James.

Eventually, I moved onto the stories. I don't remember anyone reading them to me. I just picked up Winnie the Pooh at the beginning. It was the first book I ever read where I found myself. Piglet was the frightened little girl who tried so hard to be brave but really needed others around to help her. Christopher Robin was the smart girl who could solve all the problems in school but just wanted to play outside with her stuffed animals. Rabbit was the worrier, always concerned about what others think. And then there was Eeyore.

Eeyore was so me it was scary. How could anyone really know how I felt? Eeyore always saw everything as gloomy and against him. That was me. The world was against me and no one cared. And I walked around sulking and no one cared. But, every once in a while, Pooh cared about Eeyore. He cared when Eeyore needed a home. He cared when Eeyore had a birthday. He cared when Eeyore lost his tail. I had my Poohs also. My mom, who didn't seem to see much, was always there for the really hard times. My sister, who was too busy to really pay attention to her younger sister, let me sleep with her at night and protected me from the bullies in school.

As I became an adult, Winnie the Pooh just stuck with me. I carried the books to college, to my first apartment, to my house. I bought a new set for my classroom. I bought a set for Ali when she was born. I have read the books to my students. Second graders love the books for the characters. Fifth graders love the books for the hidden jokes that the younger children don't get.

So I decided to finally get a tattoo. I always imagined myself as very radical...crazy. Wild hair, tattoos, riding a Harley, going into a bar and asking for a shot of whiskey. But I am still that girl who doesn't really like to break the rules. I hate whiskey and would never take a shot of it. We had a bike, a Honda, not a Harley, and I was always terrified we were going to be hit so we sold the bike. The craziest thing I do is get my toenails painted blue and green. I am over 50 and way too conservative. So I went for it. A tattoo. Nothing radical. But a way for me to keep Pooh with me always.

I thought about getting Eeyore. He is most like me. But I am not that little girl anymore. Not mostly. Today I am more like Pooh. I will be there for my friends and my family. I will think about them. I will care about them. I will treasure them. Pooh is also simple in his ideas but they are the most brilliant. I think I am like that. My ideas are not complex. But they are fun and engaging.

Today I am Pooh. So it is a Pooh tattoo I got. I will always remember feeling like Eeyore but I don't want to be him anymore. I want to be Pooh. The tattoo will remind me of that everyday.

Staples Teacher Appreciation Week

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 23:56:00 +0000

Hi Friends,

Staples contacted me to ask if I would help them promote their Teacher Appreciation Week. I have never done this before but I will willingly promote a company that I use often and love. And Staples is one of those companies.

From August 2nd to August 8th, Staples is celebrating teachers with a Teacher Appreciation Week. During this week, they offer teachers "40 percent back in Staples® Teacher Rewards. Teachers can use the Staples Less List, the back-to-school 110% Lowest Price Guarantee and Extreme Deals to save even more. For this week only Staples Teacher Rewards members can purchase a customizable Staples brand teacher planner for only $24.99 (regularly $39.99) with discount code, online only.

Teachers can download their 40 percent back in Staples® Teacher Rewards coupon and find information on the customizable Staples brand teacher planner at www.staples.com/classroom.

To sign up for free Staples Rewards membership or for more information about the Teacher Rewards program, please visit StaplesRewardsCenter.com."

In the meantime, I am offering, thanks to Staples, a $50 gift card to be used anytime at any Staples, including online. I figured I might as well learn something from this so I will give it to the person who gives me the best answer to the following:

How do you help create an atmosphere of caring and respect in your classroom at the start of the year?

Whoever gives me the best idea, in a comment, will get the gift card. Please be sure to leave your name and some way for me to contact you in the comment, or link your comment to your email account. For the rest of you, you can all take advantage of the deals offered during Teacher Appreciation Week.

The winner will be announced by Monday, August 3rd.

Wrapping Up the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 15:41:00 +0000

This year, my 30th as an elementary classroom teacher, will be my last. I am moving into a new position next year, very happily and very nervously. Next year, and hopefully for a few years beyond, I am going to be part teacher of the gifted and part Project Lead the Way Lead Teacher. But more about that later.

While wrapping up my classroom, passing over my supplies and hard work to a new, incoming fourth grade teacher, I have been thinking long and hard about this year. It was a difficult year for me and I am trying still to figure out why. Was it the combination of students? Was it the extra stress put on educators in New York and the US? Was is learning to work with a new assistant (who was wonderful)? Was is just feeling done? Or was it a combination of all of these?

My students: I love them. I really do. They are funny and caring and hard working and apathetic and lazy and loud all at the same time. This class was such an enigma. I ran my Responsive Classroom program as I always do, but it didn't take like it always does. During meetings, my students fooled around, then stopped, then forgot the rules again as soon as something else funny happened. The rules never stuck. They did learn to be more empathetic. But not always. If someone was sad, they would crowd around and help out. But someone drops papers on the floor? Step on them as you head back to your desk. They had fewer recess problems than the other classes on the grade but it doesn't mean they had none. The same class that worked so hard to raise almost $4000 in two weeks for Nepal and the Kibera Slums would call each other names at recess.

Effort never really hit its stride either. They would work so hard during projects, doing research, setting up a plan, coming up with ideas. But the actual projects always just fizzled out. When I pushed for due dates, they rushed to complete the assignments and the projects came out rushed. This confused me because the understanding of the concepts was there. Just the effort to put all that understanding into a cohesive project to teach others didn't always work. Usually the projects are amazing and I have to push to get the content understanding in.

Extra Stress: This is, by far, the biggest reason I am leaving the general education classroom. I hate what I do to prepare these students to take a meaningless, unfair state test. And I do very little, ultimately. But still, the pressure from administration, from parents, even from the kids, was more than I can handle anymore. The fear that, thanks to our Governor, we will all lose our jobs within the next two years was too much. The fact that unionized teachers have become the Enemy of the State is beyond anything I can take. I truly believe that what I do is important, powerful, and necessary. I do believe I am changing the world one child at a time. I am not the enemy. I am so grateful I will not have to give state tests anymore.

New Assistant: This wasn't so bad. I did have a new assistant this year although she was only new to me, not the school. She is hard working, caring, and absorbs everything we do. It did take some time to get used to working as partners, deciding on roles, etc. but it worked. Still, I wonder if I held back on some global projects due to knowing that the help would not be what it used to be with my tried and true aide? Maybe. I'm not sure. It would be great to blame this all on someone else but...I can't blame her. She brought a whole new side of learning to the room with her artist background. She took some simple projects, like creating a book page for a project and turning it into an Eric Carle-like portrait of the class. How can I blame her for that?

Feeling Done: I did, many times, feel done. When I would go to colleagues with great ideas and would get the same, "No time, " answer, I felt done. When I would open my email in the morning to another testing email with 10 or 12 responses, I felt done. When we had another meeting to talk about testing, I was done. When I got lost in all my emails and missed deadlines for projects I wanted to do, including my very own Global Book Talk, I was done. But always, just when I felt I could do this no longer, my assistant would laugh with me about something the kids said, or I would get an email from a teacher on the other side of the world saying she saw my work and wants to join in, or I would get called into the principal's office so she could share something wonderful that a child did for her, or a kid would come up to me in the hall and tell me she hopes I am her teacher next year, or..... Something always pulls me back in.

And maybe that's why I keep teaching. And maybe that's why I am so excited about my new position. I get to keep working with children but I also work with adults. And maybe it wasn't such a bad year afterall. I did get to go to Guatemala to keynote. I did get to present at Learning and the Brain, in NYC and spend time with by friend Donna Roman. I did get to run two Global Book Talks and skype with the author of one. I did get to run a very successful round of quad-blogging. I did get to work on a social studies project with one of my fifth grade colleagues and a health/science project with another. And I did get to hear from my kids that I am their favorite teacher ever. And don't tell me they all say that. I know they do but I like to believe that, for me, it's real. ;)

Here's to ending my 30 year career on a high(?) note. And here's to a new career, a new opportunity, and making it work.

Responsive Classroom

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 01:10:00 +0000

In my district, once a month, we have two hours of professional development. The district sets it up and it is usually based around a new program or testing. This year, they decided to go in a different direction. For three sessions, teachers rotate between three different classes. One is on iEARN, one is on Second Step, and one is on Responsive Classroom. I am running the one on Responsive Classroom.

I have been using this program in my classroom for about 7 years now. I went to the level 1 training, purchased and read most of their books, and have continued to attend workshops as they come up. I feel very comfortable teaching others about the program and have run several courses in district to do just that.

I'm not going to get into the whole philosophy here. Suffice it to say that RC is really about using specific language and behavior to help the children learn to be more responsible, independent, and caring. And it works. I have worked with some very difficult children who, while still struggling with behavior, have learned to adapt more easily to others, work with their classmates, and take responsibility for their actions.

The biggest drawback to teaching about RC is that, one of the most important times of the year to establish the program is in the first six weeks of school. That's right...six weeks. Not the first day. Not the first week. Not even the first month. But the first six weeks. What teacher has time for that? When I went to the training, I fought against it the entire time. And, when I show others, they do the same.

What RC has done, and what I finally understand, is that you don't establish this program in a vaccuum. You do continue to teach, address your curriculum, and prepare for all that is necessary in school. But you do it with the language and methods of RC.

You might, by this time, be asking why I am writing about this. I don't get paid by Responsive Classroom. So why am I promoting it? You see, running this professional development has really made me think about my kids...and my successes and failures with them. And I realize that, for all the failures I feel every day, there are far more successes to recognize.

Just this year, I have:

Juan (all names have been changed) - This is a child who is difficult to be around. While he has a kind heart and means well, he is very self- centered and is unaware of his personal space with regards to others. Up until this year, he really hasn't had any friends. In my classroom, I have watched him try to socialize and have finally started to see others socialize with him.

Just Friday, while we were cleaning the room, Juan came back from one of his many bathroom trips (he needs the breaks). He walked over to me and, very sadly, sad that a boy in the hallway told him he has no friends. He then told me that the day before, at recess, he had gotten some children in trouble for cheating in a game. I said, in my usual "Let's not make this a big deal" tone, "What does he know? Don't you have any friends?"

He said, "No."

Just as I was about to cry, Sonya, who is always in everyone's business, comes over and says, "I am your friend."

Then Melissa chimes in and Tom comes over and, jokingly says, "Hey, Juan. What about me?"

Soon all of the kids were telling him to ignore the boy, who is turns out isn't really nice to any of them. "Stick with us," they told him. "We are your friends."

Juan smiled, went to help clean up, and, at the end of the day, gave me a hug before walking out the door.

Cindy - This is a girl who can barely be heard when she speaks. We have talked often about assertion but I so rarely hear her voice. Recently she started raising her hand to answer questions but still doesn't talk much besides that.
Monday, I was trying to give instructions for our next lesson. Someone was talking. I turned around to let the child talking know that she was being inconsiderate to me and her classmates when I noticed it was Cindy. I just stared at her. She was helping Wallace, who had been very confused during our last lesson. He wasn't ready to move on so she decided to help him. I never did tell her to be quiet. I just asked her to move out in the hall with him.

Sonya, Josey, and Jill - I had my data meetings this week. This is when we sit with all the special area teachers - reading, math, etc - and discuss who is being serviced and how is it working. What I was happy to hear was that, the same thing I was seeing in class, was being observed by the special area teachers. These three girls had gone from children who just moved along, waiting for all the wisdom to just seep into their brains, to girls who took learning seriously. They have become hard working, caring, enthusiastic, active learners. And their math and reading scores have improved because of this. I was thrilled and proud. RC strikes again!

When I headed off to the professional development session on Thursday, armed with some of these images in my head, I guess I finally got across the idea that spending six weeks at the beginning of the year really does make the rest of the year easier. And it really works.

I have been getting messages from the teachers since, - emails, FB messages, phone calls - just to let me know how valuable the PD was and how excited they were to try it all. And, the biggest compliment of all, one very normally disgruntled teacher told me this was the first time she had been in a worthwhile professional development session.

Maybe more teachers in my district will adopt RC. I hope so. I love watching kids grow in character. And, in the meantime, I'm heading back to class to help Juan learn more socially acceptable behavior to help him keep his friendships, help Cindy learn some leadership skills along with assertion so she can demonstrate her talents to the whole class, and keep the girls motivated to learn. I really do love my job!

EduDay with Google in Guatemala

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 28 Feb 2015 16:44:00 +0000

I am sitting in a hotel room right now in Guatemala just thinking about how I got here and what I learned. It all started with Emily Roth, of Our Global Friendships. Emily sent an email to us asking us to send pictures for her
husband's company, Pixsell. They were having a conference in Guatemala and wanted to display all these classes around the world. As an aside in the email she casually mentioned that if any of us were willing, we could go present at the conference, all expenses paid. I, adventurous person I am, jumped at the opportunity.

Everything happened so quickly and, before I knew it, I was writing a keynote, my first, and preparing a presentation about connecting with Google drive. Plane reservations arrived, information about pick up at the airport, confirmations about the technology set up, and I was on my way.

What I didn't realize was how amazing and important this conference really was. This is what is says on the Pixsell website:

"At Pixsell, we seek to improve the world through technological innovations. We challenge the impossible with our technological expertise and a commitment to deliver constant value to people and organizations."

Sounds very...yeah. But I spent time with Pixsell these past few days. Luis Bolanos, Emily's husband, and his partner and founder of the company, Joseph Tanpoco, really believe they can change the world. They put technology into the hands of educators in countries that have very little. Guatemala is their fourth country.

Guatemala is a beautiful country with some of the friendliest people I've ever met. But 2/3 of the children live below the poverty line. Children often work instead of going to school. Here is more:

75%: The illiteracy rate in many rural areas of Guatemala
Two-thirds: The proportion of Guatemalan children living in poverty
$4 a day: The average daily earnings of a rural, Guatemalan family
Nine out of ten: The proportion of schools in rural Guatemala that lack books
60%: The percentage of entry-level jobs in Guatemala that require computer skills
79%: The percentage of Guatemalan middle- and high-school students who lacked the opportunity to learn to use a computer prior to the arrival of our program
One out of ten: The proportion of rural Guatemalans who attend middle school
1.8: The average number of years an indigenous Guatemalan woman stays in school

So when they decided to come to Guatemala, they set up this technology conference, EduDay with Google at Guatemala, to introduce the power of Google to educators and the government. They sent out 200 invitations and 500 people showed up. Most came with no computers. Many traveled far to get here. All were excited, skeptical, and enthusiastic. This all happened because of Pixsell and one lone Google Certified Teacher with an action plan. Michelle Urdiales is the first person in all of Central America to be a GCT. Her little action plan was to bring Google to Guatemala. She and Pixsell pulled off an amazing feat!

So what did I see here?

1. A renewed vigor for the excitement of learning. The educators I met and spoke with were excited to try all of these great ideas.

2. A whole new level of PLN. Michelle, Luis, Joseph, Marybell Rodriguez and Jocelyne Perreard, GCTs from Mexico, Pablo Barrios, the publicity guru behind the whole day, Otto Diaz and Mario Estuardo, part of Pixsell, and David Deeds, ex-pat extraordinaire. I spent so much time with all of these people and was made to feel very welcome and very much a part of it all. We will be in touch always.

3. Marvin, our tour guide for climbing the active Pacaya Volcano. This father of three has such a love for his country and for the volcano that it was hard not to get caught up in it all.

4. Rene, our driver, who stayed with us, helped us, carried bags, translated conversations, found a bank to get Quetzels and went above and beyond anything he was supposed to do.

5. A new appreciation for all I have and all I can reach through technology. Without my PLN, without Google, without support from my district and my family, none of this would have been possible.

I admire all the people I met. They are better people than I, living what I know I cannot, working hard against incredible odds, to make things better for others. I am grateful to have been able to spend a few days in their company and happy that I will connect with them all for a long time to come.

Why do we teach?

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 17:22:00 +0000

I am an idealist. I really do believe that things will always work out for the best. Most of the time, that feeling does well for me. But, lately, I am finding it very hard to keep my idealism in education. As much as I believe that, someday, somehow, things will work out in the classroom, I am finding it very hard to believe that I will be around to see it.

Everyone always talks about cycles in education. If you don't like an idea, just wait a year or two and it will go away. If you love something and it is no longer the way to do things, just wait. But always, always, there was a feeling among my fellow teachers that what we do matters, that we can improve things. I don't feel it anymore.

This came in the mail yesterday.

That's my governor. I'm so proud. (Read dripping sarcasm). And I don't think that my governor is alone in his feelings.

Originally I was going to write a blog about how discouraged I am and how much I want to leave education. But I decided I needed a boost and maybe you do, too. So here are some things to remember. I am numbering them just for Paul Bogush and Dean Shareski. Thanks for the idea, Paul.

1. We teach children because we want children to love learning!
We teach reading so children will learn to love to read. Not so they can do well on the reading test. We want children to be excited to pick up the latest book and discuss it with their friends. We want them to not even hesitate to read a book to help them revamp their heating system or fix up an old car. We want them to pour over a travel guide before visiting a new place just to see what they shouldn't miss. If we can get them to that point, then who cares how they do on the tests?

2. We teach children because we want the world to be better!
If we keep our world small, their ideas will be small. If we only show our

children what they already see every day, we will never change the world. But if we show them what is across the street, down the road, in the next town, in the next country, across the ocean...we open up their world to bigger, greater ideas. How will they help make the world better when the only world they know is the one they see every day? How will they know what needs to be done? How will they know how many collaborators they can have if they only see the few in their own classroom?

3. We teach children because we love watching that spark of learning take place!
I have never, in all my years of teaching, heard a child gasp with excitement over a test prep time. I have never seen a child cheer when I said, "Take out your workbook." And I have never had a child forget it was lunch time while we were practicing for a test. But ask them to write to the governor to change the testing laws, and pencils fly. Ask them to research the problem with the rhinos in Africa and they stop watching the clock. Ask them to write a diary entry about their pretend trip to Oregon during the 1800s and they forget they have to go to the bathroom. I love lessons when, as soon as I say it is time to clean up, the line for the bathroom starts to form.

I have to believe that, if I teach my children to love to read and write and do math and explore and examine and research, then they will do well enough on the tests to have the governor leave me alone. And if they don't, then they were being tested on the wrong thing and I don't care.

My kids want to come in early each day, stay late in the afternoon, not stop working for lunch, ask if they can continue work at home, break the rules about walking while reading, talk during lessons with each other because the topic is too exciting to sit quietly, and demand that we skip our writing lesson for the day so we can continue working on our Tall Tale videos and scripts (You know...writing the scripts for our videos). And if all of that doesn't show that I am a competent teacher and my children are learning and being prepared for college and career, then I really don't belong in the classroom anymore.

What do you do to make it worthwhile to come to school each day? What more can you do?

What it Means to be a Finalist for the Global Teacher Prize - to me

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Parisi) — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 18:55:00 +0000

In September, during a conversation with My Global Friends, Toni Barton asked if anyone had received an email about The Global Teacher Prize. After the rest of us said no, she told us more about it. We laughed about the million dollar prize, read the requirements, and discussed whether or not we should enter. Everyone else said they were too busy. I said I would do it and, if I won, I would take them all on a trip around the world to meet each other face to face. (These really are, after all, global friends, from all around the world.)

So I applied and, lo and behold, I became a finalist: one of 50. I was thrilled. Of course, I didn't find out right away since...well this is my life we are talking about...emails never went through. But, thanks to Michael Soskil, another finalist and a friend, I found out, got in touch with the Varkey Gems foundation, and am now anxiously waiting to see if I am one of ten finalists to go to Dubai for the award ceremony. And, once I looked into it more, I could see how amazing it really was to become a finalist. The other 49 educators are incredible people doing valuable things with children. I am humbled to be on the list.

As more time went on, more emails came (the email situation was finally straightened out). One of the email senders is a publicist looking for any publicity we might get surrounding this prize. I was confused. How would anyone even know we were finalists? Do we need to promote this ourselves? How would I do that? I did post it on my network and got the standard congratulations from my friends but...what else is expected? And then we started getting emails showing the publicity others were getting. Parties from parents and kids, honors from mayors and city counsel members, awards from board members and administration, interviews on local television stations and in newspapers...the list goes on.

Back to me and my life. I couldn't even imagine that kind of publicity, much less how I would get it. You see, I am just a teacher. I know how much so many of my friends hate when I say that but it is true. Everything I do, I do because I am a teacher. I knock down the walls of my classroom because my students deserve to learn about other cultures and meet people different from themselves. I run projects because my students learn best this way and are more engaged when other children in other classes are involved. I run twitter chats and webinars because I love teaching other teachers about how to engage and encourage children to be the best they can be always. I am a teacher. No, I am a TEACHER. And I love what I do...most of the time.

But this Global Teacher Prize has made me uncomfortable with that title. You see, I live in a world where being a teacher is nothing to be proud of. I grew up as a child of equal rights. Women were making incredible strides in all fields and I, as I was reminded often, could be anything. I didn't have to be just a teacher, nurse, or secretary if I wanted to work outside the house. And still I became a teacher. That was a disappointment to my family.

I live on Long Island in New York. Our local paper is Newsday. I won't purchase the paper, have stopped using it in school, and really believe all teachers should stop buying it. All they do is attack teachers. So every day, most Long Islanders get Newsday and read:

Nothing positive, ever. Even the one about the best and worst teachers focused on the worst. The Huffington Post even wrote about it:

And our state government isn't much better.

Here in New York, public school teachers have been fighting for years with the government. Tax Caps set at 2% makes it impossible to keep things even at status quo. Inflation is greater than that. So we cut teachers and programs, increase class size, fight for contracts, and get lots of anger from the public who loves the tax cap, so they don't have to pay as much.

This climate is not conducive to getting publicity for an award, even one as monumental as The Global Teacher Prize. So what about just my little local community, my school? Well, I told my kids, who cheered and that was it. I told my principal who said congratulations and that was it. I sent an email to my assistant superintendent, who is new as of January 1st. She congratulated me. My colleagues at work say congratulations and go on with their day. And I keep reading about the amazing publicity my fellow finalists are getting.

I know this sounds like sour grapes. And maybe, in a small way, it is. I am so grateful to be recognized for doing something I so strongly believe in. I am honored to have been made a finalist. I hope I get chosen to go to Dubai, since, as much as I believe in globalizing my classroom, I am not a global traveler. And I am so grateful that I get to go into my classroom every day and have fun teaching and learning with my fifth graders. But I do wish I could get just one little positive article, one little interview, one cupcake...one person who believes I deserve to be recognized. I spend all my time living in an environment where we fight just to be teachers.

I am just a TEACHER. I am proud of being just a TEACHER. Whether I win or not, I will still be proud to be just a TEACHER. I will continue to do what I do because I love what I do, with or without acknowledgement. And I will learn that pride in myself is enough for me. I will, I will, I will.