Blog Homework?

Barry Saide nominated me as one of 11 bloggers he reads and wanted to complete this meme. I first met Barry at TeachMeetNJ in Stockton, NJ this past summer.  As I sit at my desk and ponder my takeaways from 2013, Barry's excitement and commitment to improving instruction at all levels for the students of New Jersey stands at the forefront. I am honored that Barry thought to include me in this conversation, and I will now share 11 facts - some personal and some professional - about me that readers of my blog probably don't know...

1. I converted to Judaism. 

2.  I had every intention of being a high school history teacher when I left high school. After taking one history course in college, I discovered something about teaching and myself. I didn't love history. I was inspired and driven by the teachers of history I had in high school. I didn't want to be a history teacher. I wanted to be an inspiring teacher.

3. I was the director's assistant on a feature film, and it was an amazing experience.

4. I'm an ELA guy with a math mind.  I see formulas in writing, and I've always tried to break down assignments for my students to help them see that.

5. I lost a teacher to another district over the summer.  Perhaps it's evident, but I took it personally. It's a "better" district according to demographic, graduation rate, state rankings, and basically every indicator. I was furious with him. He's an amazing teacher, and I wanted him on my team.  I figured out that I would have done the same thing, but I thought he was better than me. That's why I was so upset. In reality, I am happy for him.  He's a great educator with a promising future, and I like knowing that we still connect and talk shop.  

6. I pumped gas in high school and found a man's wallet that he had left on the pump. It had $700 cash in it. When I returned it to its owner, it had $700 inside. I'm no saint. It was hard to do. $700 is a lot of money to me now. Forget being a 16 year old kid.

7. I'm too wordy.

8. I'm a late bloomer: I didn't learn to swim until I was 10, I didn't start smoking until I was 20, and I never flew on a plane until I was 21. I still do 2 of those pretty regularly.  The ultrasound picture of my first son cured the smoking thing.

9. I played basketball and rugby in college. I still play basketball. With some exceptions and hiatuses, I've been playing once a week at the YMCA for the past 8 years.  I have met some great people and developed lasting friendships through that game.

10. I see value in students sitting in rows. I think there is something to be gained from sitting quietly and listening for extended periods of time.  There are points in life when sitting and engaging on a listening level is a must. It cannot and must not be the only or primary way that students are being taught, but to avoid it entirely is a disservice to our students.

11. I am the oldest of 4 children.

Task 2: Answer Barry's 11 questions:

1. What keeps you positive?

I fight with this daily. I look at many of the challenges facing teachers, administrators, and students in my state and country, and I worry. However, I feed off the positivity of my wife, the professional drive of my Twitter colleagues, and the innocence of children - my own as well as those in the schools I service.  

2. What did you think when you heard Twinkies were gone forever?

"What will they do with any of the extra cream filling that is left over? Will there be a raffle?" Because seriously, I have a reckless disregard for my own well-being when it comes to the cream filling in Hostess snacks.

3. What makes someone easy to be around?

I find that people are easy to be around when they are quick to laugh, and they are willing to show a level of vulnerability. I don't need life story, but be willing to risk openness. 

4. Favorite movie line?

"The dude abides." The Big Lebowski

5. Best food to eat on the grill?

I love a delicious steak, and a grilled one is amazing, but it's really hard to beat a good, old-fashioned hot dog right off the grill.. 

6. If you could master one of the martial arts, which would it be and why?

Kung Fu because I've always wanted to roam around from place to place helping people.  (I'm not really old enough to even understand whether or not that's a real pop culture reference.)

7. Favorite Star Wars movie quote?

"Who's the more foolish? The fool or the fool who follows him?" Ben Kenobi 

8. Have you ever hit someone on purpose?

In fifth grade, I swung a lot at a kid, but he moved. Then he swung at me a lot, and I didn't move so much. I discovered fighting wasn't for me.

9. What scared you most?

In the world? That I'll mess up being a parent. There is so much grey area that changes from child to child.  It's a hard job - parenting - and one where the right answer last week might not be the right answer this week. 

10. Favorite non-mainstream cartoon you liked as a kid?

I have fond memories of Duck Tales from my childhood, but that's Disney, and you can't get much more mainstream. I really liked ProStars with Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, and Bo Jackson. Athlete spies with amazing gadgets who could use sports skills to take down terrorist threats? Right up my alley.

11. Do you ever wish you could still ride a big wheel and why?

I don't have a memory of riding a big wheel as a kid, so while I can see the novelty of it, I don't have a hankering to get myself into a riding toy that low to the ground!

My third task is to generate a list of 11 questions for 11 other bloggers to answer:

1. What would you do with a lottery win of $50,000?

2. What was the first thing you read that you remember loving?

3. Diving - Sky or Scuba?

4. What is your favorite season?

5. Would you move for a job?

6. Have you monetized your blog? Do you plan to?

7. Are you a cat or a dog person? There can be only one!

8. Pick one musical instrument to learn now that you're an adult. Why that one?

9. To where did you fly on your first flight? Does anything about the experience stand out as significant?

10. Do you play video games? If not, WHY? If yes, which system/games?

11. What was the first CD you ever bought? Do you still have it?

My last task is to nominate 11 bloggers that I want to see join the More Homework Meme: (in no order)

1. Marc Siegel

2. Kate Baker

3. Caroline Durley

4. Heather Rocco

5. Anthony Celini

6. Sam Patterson

7. Andrew Thomasson

8. Sarah Thomas

9. Joe Sanfelippo

10. Paul Bogush

11. Allen Martin

Here's how it works:

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger.

2. Share 11 random facts about yourself.

3. Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.

4. List 11 bloggers after you write this.  

5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated.  Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.

Go on, you have homework to do.

All the best.

Paint the Fence: The Story of Two Learners

My wife is currently pursuing her supervision certification. Recently a professor gave an assignment following the final essay she had submitted: "Find an article about curriculum. Write a one page response to the article."

So after the Final (early 14c., from Old French final and directly from Latin finalis "of or pertaining to an end, concluding, final," from finis "end" (see finish). As a noun, late 14c., "that which comes last;" - from the Online Etymology Dictionary), there was yet another assignment that seemingly had little connection with any of the learning done previously in the class. The fact that the word curriculum is in the assignment did little to bolster the cohesiveness of the study of curriculum that had taken place over the past 14 weeks.

There was much colorful commentary about the senselessness of such a task.

The assignment actually spurred a conversation about curriculum, teacher efficacy, how we learn, and The Karate Kid (the real one).

When I was in school, I was told to do work, and I did work.  I didn't need to know why. I didn't need relevance. I needed to get it done. Down the road, the work I was doing would translate, and I would understand the why. I thought I was a normal learner.

However, once I started teaching, I realized that there are those learners in the world who will not do an assignment simply because it is assigned.  Those learners want to know why.

"Why do I need to do this?"

"When am I going to use this in the real world?"

"How is this going to impact me in the future?"

I was stymied. Who are these students who question the pedagogue?! Just do it.  Look at Daniel Larusso! He didn't see how painting the fence was going to help. He didn't understand why he was required to wax on and wax off for hours on end, but guess what.  He did it.  He did all of it, and he beat nearly all members of Cobra Kai and won the All Valley Tournament as a heavy underdog.

Yes, that was the way I thought about it. The Karate Kid supported my argument that although we may not know the point from the beginning, when the time is right, we will ultimately be able to use what we've learned to do something amazing.

The truth of it is that for a teacher to be truly effective, there has to be a plan.  The lessons are scaffolded, and there is a plan for how the work being done will enable the students to use the skills being developed in activities that involve bigger, more advanced, higher order thinking. When an educator communicates the process with the students, they are able to see the road map, and they are able to take ownership of their own arrival at the destination. Students won't have to hope they notice that the time is right to apply what they've learned, they'll be ready and on the lookout for the opportunities to do so.

Are you someone who needs to know where you're going? Do you give your students the road map so they'll be prepared? Or do you get them to sand the deck and paint the house to surprise them with what they're actually learning? I'd love to hear from you.