Legit

My teenagers use the word "legit". Is it a real word? We were recently on vacation and stopped by the Westin in St. Louis to pick up our rental car, then drove to our hotel, the Residence Inn. The kids described the Westin as "legit" as opposed to the Residence Inn, which I describe as "homey".


On my recent visit to Turning Point Learning Center, I considered the term legit as it relates to school. I would compare legit to the term authentic - closely related to real life. The learning activities I saw throughout the day are legit - not a one time special project, not put on as a show for visitors, but a real part of an authentic learning experience. I have visited the school for 10 days (more than any other visitor - my badge of honor). Each and everyday is full of learning opportunities that reflect real life - learning opportunities that are so engaging, I wish I were a young student again. Here are some great activities that I observed - just in the morning!
1. Brain Attack (my term) - Students are given 30 minutes to become an expert on a topic; this time it was some aspect of life in Haiti in preparation for the Global Nomads video conference. They work in a small group and share the responsibility for locating information, creating a deliverable (a paragraph description of the information) and adding the information to a Google document that is being collaboratively created by the whole class. The teacher is continually reminding the students to work together and work quickly. Talk about reflecting what many of us are expected to do in our "legit" jobs or other real life situations!
2. Teachers share how they organize the desktop of their computer with a tool called BumpTop 3D Desk Enhancement. They compare the desktop computer screen to the top of their desk at home or work and discuss their personal organizational styles and how this tool can enhance their own style. I know I could use a little more organization of my virtual and real desk tops.
3. Book Club - TPLC students are partnering with students at the local high school to read and discuss the book "The Art of Learning". Through Skype, both groups hold an interactive discussion about the first few chapters of the book. A book club is a natural extension of reading. I know when I am reading a book, I often feel compelled to share with others - my husband usually. When I find someone who has read the same book, I seek out that connection - What was your favorite part? Why do you think that happened? Did you like the ending? Sharing with each other is a natural or "legit" part of reading.
4. Collaborative Sticky Notes - Wallwisher is a website where users can post virtual sticky notes with brief messages or links to other websites. The teachers and students at TPLC prepared a wallwisher to share with students at the local university in the Introduction to Teaching course. In about 25 minutes, the class brainstormed a virtual collection of online presentation tools that (future) teachers could use to present information. The group agreed that the tools should be universal (not specific to Mac or PC). One student started the wall and others added sticky notes to create an amazing collection of tools - many of which I have never heard of! This activity reminded me of the power of collaboration - each of us adds a bit of what we know to make a powerful collection of knowledge. Thus what we know becomes more "legit". http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/intro2teaching

I want the learning for my college students to be legit. I have always tried to make the assignments in my class authentic - ones that closely relate to what they will actually do as teachers. Now I want to focus more on what they will do as learners when they are leaders in their own classroom.

I had the pleasure of visiting with Dr. Cyndi Danner Kuhn at Kansas State University. She teaches teacher education technology courses and assists faculty with learning to integrate technology into their teaching. Cyndi is a wealth of information when it comes to technology resources for teachers, and I felt very lucky to have the chance to visit with her. I wanted her to help me understand what it takes for teachers to successfully integrate technology into their teaching - beyond having the hardward. Throughout our discussion, she focused on these points.

1. The number one thing is for teachers to have access. All too often school districts put limits on the Internet that keep teachers from being able to successfully use technology in their teaching. Instead of blocking almost everything and letting only a few websites come through, the Internet should be open, with only a few sites (inappropriate ones) blocked. For many school districts, this is a huge shift in the thinking used to make such decisions.

2. Bravery and a willingness to take risks are crucial for teachers to step out of their technology comfort zone. Cyndi often spoke about the fact that success breeds success. When a teacher tries something new with technology and it's successful, he/she becomes excited and wants to try something else. This enthusiasm is often contagious to other colleagues, and then things just take off.

3. Underlying the integration of technology into instruction is an attitude of sharing. This attitude is not limited to education though. There is a whole culture of sharing that encompasses the Internet. Blogs, tweets, Facebook, emails, vodcasts, videos, all reflect a person's desire to share with others. Do these things represent an innate need to be heard? Cyndi emphasizes the importance of having students create projects that can be shared with others. This act of sharing causes students to step up the quality of their work a couple of notches, since they know that others will be seeing it. Sharing also gives us a reason to create something - not just because it's an assignment from the teacher. Cyndi emphasized that there are tons of free resources where students can create projects to share with others. It makes me almost ashamed that I have been teaching the students in my language arts classes about publishing student writing in only paper form.

4. An important realization for teachers must be that things that are created for the Web are not ever really finished. We must help students move away from the notion that you complete a project and it's finished. Things like wikispaces and blogs are works in progress. Along this same line is the realization that there are several ways a project could be created on the Web and one way is not the "right" way. I think sometimes teachers hold back on using technology because they are not sure what is the "right" or best way. Do I share this information on a website, in a blog, on a wiki, or through a podcast? Each one is different and can be used effectively, depending on your purpose.

Above all, Cyndi emphasized that integrating technology should be fun for the teacher and students. Having fun is what seems to drive Cyndi to continue in this work, and her enthusiasm is contagious. I came home and was going on and on to my husband about the cool resources she shared with me!

http://www.cyndidannerkuhn.info/CDK/Home.html - Cyndi's webpage including links to her college class, blog, contact information, and the free newsletter she publishes

http://technologykeys.wikispaces.com/ - Wiki created by Cyndi and Mary Frazier that has TONS of resources for teachers

Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy

Part of my visit to Nevada took me to the Andre Agassi College Preparatory School in Las Vegas. Begun in 2000, this school exists for the sole purpose of helping students who might not be successful in school graduate and go to college. Those who graduate have the honor of walking across this skywalk as part of their graduation ceremony. Students at the school are selected through a weighted lottery system, giving first priority to students who live within a two mile radius of the school. Beginning in Kindergarten through high school, the school stresses high academic expectations and a value on education. Three state-of-the-art buildings make up the secured campus, where there is an emphasis on art and music as exhibited by the artwork in the hallways (professionals and students), the orchestra, Suzuki violin classes for elementary students and the African drumming class taught by an African who returned to Africa one summer to have the drums for the class hand-made.

I spent most of my time with the Kindergarten teachers, where they were celebrating Nevada Read Week by dressing up as a favorite book character. One of the K teachers is dressed as Clifford. The students were just finishing writing time as I entered. For several, they are recopying a rough draft that has been edited by the teacher in blue pen. They are able to work independently as the teacher conferences with individuals. Between the two classrooms there are three teachers. One is a floating teacher who goes back and forth, working with small groups of students. She was an apprentice last year through a program sponsored by Beachum where new teachers are hired for about half salary as they serve under a more experienced teacher. The program was discontinued, but AACPA elected to hire an aid for each classroom and a full time teacher for K, where they have 39 students. The students are grouped for reading into four groups – the first grade aid takes one group. Also, they are grouped into 3 groups for phonics and some math.
Kindergarten students come for a month in the summer before K starts. There they are taught about the structure of school and begin on the K curriculum. The academic expectations for the school are very high, so by October the Kindergarten students are beginning on the first grade curriculum. They use Saxon phonics and math, and I watched the students using first grade materials.

The Board of Directors sets the academic expectations for the school, but the K teachers can adjust the schedule and teaching activities to best meet these expectations. For instance, at the beginning of the year, they spend a lot of time on handwriting, to teach letter formation, and this is usually taught first thing in the morning. Then after a month or two, they back off from handwriting and move it to the end of the day, and process writing becomes more important. They have the professional freedom to make such decisions, and the two K classrooms operate jointly when making these decisions. Since the students move back and forth between the classrooms for grouping, all three of the teachers know all of the students. They discuss student progress frequently. I heard a discussion of a student’s writing, and how she had three disjointed sentences instead of three sentences on topic, like another student. They talked about how to help the one student move to this level.

Nothing I saw at the school was innovative or unique. Of course the facilities were top of the line, and materials were not in short supply. So I found myself wondering what made this school special. How were these teachers able to move the students at an accelerated pace? First, more time. The school day is extended. Other schools in Las Vegas get out of school at 1:30 while AACPA gets out at 3:30, not to mention the Kindergarten students coming for a month in the summer. Second, the quality of the teachers. The two teachers I visited with had experience and knowledge. One had finished her masters degree and one was working on hers. Third, class size. With three teachers and 39 students, more individualized attention could be given to students. Fourth, high expectations. The ultimate goal of the program is for these children to graduate from college. Instilling this value begins in Kindergarten. I heard one teacher give an explanation of what a banker does – helping students to “see” what the possibilities are for their futures. Fifth, parent involvement. Parents are expected to do 12 hours of volunteer work each school year. These parents are involved and their dedication is seen and passed on to their children. I think sixth on the list is facilities/materials. Having these things is helpful and gives a message to the students that education is important.

One has to look up to see the skywalk in the photo. I think this symbolizes having the students look up for their dreams, which clearly is promoted by the school. I am impressed with what they can accomplish and with Andre Agassi's commitment to education.

This week I have traveled to Boulder City, Nevada, a small town outside of Las Vegas. My close friend I have known since college is a first grade teacher at a small Christian school, and she and the other faculty members have graciously hosted me for the better part of the week. My friend Pam taught first grade for a few years after graduation, and then took time away from school to raise her children. Last year she returned to teaching and now has a combination class of 15 first and second graders. When I asked if I could visit, we began making plans for things she would like to do in her classroom, but there never seems to be enough time. This week, we have begun journal writing, created a listening center, had an author's study of Dr. Seuss' works, and set up a computer center. We have apparently inspired many of the children to write, as seen by all of the wonderful writing pieces they have shared with us. I think Pam has enjoyed the new ideas, and I know I have enjoyed the opportunity to participate in all the aspects of her classroom - including going to the office for a can of Lysol, observing two students arguing over a rock, and cleaning up guinea pig droppings. How quickly I had forgotten the glamour that is elementary school! I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend an extended time with children though. I have said before that teaching is like riding a bike, and it's comforting to know that I can still do it!

Grace Christian Academy has four classroom teachers and about 40 students. The school uses a Christian-based curriculum, something that is new to me. I am very comfortable with the daily chapel time which includes lots of singing and the prayer at the end of the day, along with the references throughout the day to values and morals. I think a small private school, like this one, fills a niche in a community and provides an alternative for children and families. I can't help but wonder if schools that are alternatives to the public schools will not become more popular over the next few years as public schools are pressed to meet the expectations for No Child Left Behind. The limit on the Kindergarten classroom is 10 students for a
3 1/2 hour program. Just think of the individual attention those students receive!

One of the most amazing things I have seen this week is the emphasis on handwriting and the second grader's fluent use of cursive. I would have never guessed that first graders could be introduced to cursive and second graders could be writing full sentences in cursive by the beginning of March.

Today I had the opportunity to read to the Kindergarteners and visit with their teacher, Mary Jo Zapolski. She is 71 years old has been teaching for 38 years in both public and private schools at Kindergarten and First Grade. It was a pure pleasure to talk with her about the ways she teaches language arts to the young learners in her class. Mary Jo feels she has been called to teach, and, although small, her classroom is bright and happy place of learning. We talked about my role as a teacher of teachers, and she offered a bit of advice to my students. She is a firm believer that good classroom management is the key to success in teaching. New teachers should set their expectations with students from the first day and then continue to remind them of those expectations. Mary Jo plans to continue teaching as long as she is enjoying herself and can give to the students. She shared a comment that made me smile, although I don't think these are originally her words. "I wish the history of my life were written on my resume rather than written on my face."