Homer Simpson Inspired me this Morning

Image credit:  OpenClips on Pixabay

The first week is in the books. I'm completely exhausted, but not in a bad way. It's that exhausted feeling that comes from knowing you have worked diligently toward a greater good. The feeling that you get when even though 90% of your waking hours have been physically, emotionally, and mentally committed to your career, it's okay because your career is your passion. In other words, I'm feeling that "good tired". 

So, how am I spending my first Saturday morning of the school year? Watching cartoons, of course! Not just any cartoon, mind you, but only the greatest cartoon ever made - The Simpsons. I woke up early and tuned in for FXX's Every Simpsons Ever Made marathon. Not only could this be the greatest 12 days of television in my life, it also has made me think about my class and the upcoming school year. This occurred during one of the commercials FXX aired advertising the Simpsons marathon (during the marathon - it's like a mirror reflecting a mirror reflecting a...you get the point). The ad contained one of my all time favorite Homerisms, "If there's one thing I don't like being taught, it's a lesson!"

I know, it takes a special kind of education nerd to be inspired by a quote from Homer Simpson. Laugh if you must. However, I was inspired by a quote from Homer Simpson. I mean, how can you not see the deeper meaning in these words? "If there's one thing I don't like being taught, it's a lesson!" How many of us felt the same way as students? How many of our students feel the same way today? This quote perfectly wrapped up my summer learning. All the research, reading, conferences, professional development and Twitter chats have led to this:  My students don't want to be taught a lesson, they want to experience learning.

Which leads to a bigger question - how do I make this happen? Unfortunately, in all his infinite wisdom, Homer made me think without giving me the answer. Wait a minute, did you catch that?  Homer made me think without giving me the answer. You've done it again, Mr. Simpson, because therein lies the solution to my problem. If I want my students to experience learning instead just teaching them the lesson, my lesson plans need to pose questions which require students to make connections, explore their surroundings, investigate, and ask questions of their own. Even more importantly, I have to release them to learn on their own and not rely on me. The answers to questions, mine or their own, must be discovered by my students. I must resist the temptation to swoop in and save the struggling learner immediately. If teachers give students the answers, or even too many hints, the learning will not be as personal and it will not become cemented in the learners' minds.

Of course, the solution to my question leads to more questions. What kinds of learning experiences lead to this student-driven form of education? What must I do to make sure my students don't feel like they are being taught a lesson?  This is what my blog is going to be about in the coming months. I have big plans. Plans which scare me. Plans I'm not sure I'm capable of accomplishing. However, these plans are what I believe to be best for children, motivating me to push past those fears I always have and do everything I can to improve my craft.  They include, but are not limited to, problem based learning, flipping my classroom, using the "un-conference" model I learned about this summer as a pattern for my centers and student learning, and incorporating Genius Hour with 4th graders.

This revolution may not be televised, but it will be blogged. I hope you continue to read and keep up to date with the successes and failures of my journey to making learning an experience. I also hope you will comment along the way with suggestions on what I can do better as I go. Join me as I stop teaching lessons and start creating experiences.

One thing I'm really excited about this year...

I'm taking the @MOedchat blog challenge today and, as such, I need to write about one thing I'm excited for this year.  Of course, narrowing it down to one thing is almost impossible, but I will do my best.  Here we go...

The one thing I am most excited for this year is to work with my students to build on the success they had last year.  This year, for the first time in my career I am teaching a grade that is not 3rd.  I was given the opportunity to "loop" with my class from 3rd grade last year to 4th this year.  For those unfamiliar with the term, "looping" means a group of students stays together with their teacher from one school year to the next. It is a concept I believe has the power to change education in the future and one I have always wanted to try.  So, to say I was excited when my principal, Mrs. Herrera, offered me the chance to loop is a bit of an understatement.  I couldn't wait to tell my class - I felt like a child going to bed the night before his birthday party.

Part of this excitement came from the fact I have an outstanding group of students.  The sense of  classroom community with this group is incredible.  They truly care about each other and the world around them.  Every day last year I saw something from at least one of my 3rd graders that would move me or inspire me to be a better teacher - even a better person.  When the day finally came for me to reveal to our class we had been given the chance to stay together for another year, I was filled with an anxious excitement.  I knew I wanted to loop with them, but what if they didn't like me enough to go with me?  How would parents react?

Fortunately, the announcement was the launch of what has become the best season of my career.  I told my students the good news on the first day of our week of spring student-led conferences.  To my surprise and joy, there were actual cheers when I told them Mrs. Herrera is letting us loop to 4th grade together.  I'm not one to show emotions easily, and it was all I could do to choke back tears as I watched kids look at each other, realize what I had announced, and celebrate the chance to stay together as a class.  Let me be clear, they were celebrating that they get to remain together as a class, not to have me as a teacher again.  It's not about me - it's all about that community feeling I mentioned earlier.  As the week continued I heard every night at conferences stories of excited 3rd graders running in the house to tell their parents they get to stay with their classmates one more year.  Even now, months later, I am experiencing the benefits of this opportunity.  Meet the Teacher Night was Wednesday, August 13th.  I wasn't sure anyone would come.  After all, we had met.  Then, as parents and students trickled through the door, Meet the Teacher Night became more like a family reunion.  We all caught up, shared stories from our summer, and discussed the year ahead.

But wait - it gets even better!  Not only am I excited to work with this amazing group of kids, I also get to add two new students to our learning community.  Their minds will bring us more perspectives and experiences and will certainly make our classroom an even better place to learn.  I am excited to move forward with friends old and new as a 4th grade teacher for the first time.  In addition, all this excitement reminds me of the responsibility I have.  I was not just excited when Mrs. Herrera broke the news about looping, I was also humbled.  Many of the parents I am working with are now entrusting me with not just one, but two years of their child's education.  The students in my room are expecting to grow and enjoy new experiences whether they had me last year or not.  My over-arching goal (consisting of several smaller goals, of course) for the year is to give all of these students and their families what they deserve:  my best effort, every minute of every day.

Along with excitement and a heightened feeling of responsibility, this year also brings with it a certain amount of fear.  I have mentioned on this blog before that I struggle with the fear of failure - so much that it has at times hurt me professionally.  Am I intimidated by learning a brand new curriculum?  Yes.  Do I worry about fitting in with a new team of teachers for the first time in 9 years?  Every night.  Is there a hint of anxiety about failing to help my students grow as much in 4th grade as they did in 3rd?  Absolutely...in fact, more than just a hint.  However, my fears can't even come close to outweighing the enthusiasm I get from thinking about how much growth we can make this year.  Here's to a new year and new challenges!