Privilege

We hear a lot of talk about privilege...racially, economically, socially, etc. but just what is privilege?What does it look like?  Why is it such a hard concept to discuss or admit?  The following is a very poignant video giving us a very real look at privilege.

There are many details that can be discussed and analyzed with this video, but the fact of the matter stands that some of us were born with more privilege than others and that can have deep impact on our lives.  I have a favorite quote that hangs right above my desk; I do not know who to attribute it to so my apologies, but I will leave you with it, "privilege is when you think something is not a problem because it is not a problem to you personally."

Teaching Perspectives

Today teachers are not only working with a very diverse group of students in their classroom, but are also preparing those students to work within this vast diversity in their adults lives.  Experts have spoken to the need for teaching perspectives and the current/future development of a global economy.   To learn more attend the upcoming Global Education Conference, a round the clock online conference, Monday, November 16 through Thursday, November 19, 2015.  Educators from all over the globe offer and attend webinars presented around the clock and in multiple languages to discuss global issues and strategies in education.  

Some members of our teacher class with our server, Miguel.
http://www.mipatriaecuador.com/index.html

All teachers agree it is important to teach their students how to understand various perspectives, but do not know how to make it happen or have to focus so much on content that it is overwhelming to think to add more.  To better prepare themselves for teaching to a multi-cultural classroom, the best thing teachers can do is to go experience these cultures and learn new perspectives for themselves.  To support teachers in this goal, I started teaching a new staff development class for the West Des Moines Community Schools, called Culturally Responsive Teaching.  Teachers will spend the semester working through multi-cultural simulations, visiting with people from multi-cultural perspectives (in their homes, at festivals, and in the classroom), and experiencing various religious houses of worship. Our first experience included lunch at Mi Patria, an Ecuadorian restaurant in West Des Moines, IA.  The meal was delicious and personally, I was thrilled to get a hug from a former student of mine, who was our server!!  I will be sharing more of our experiences throughout the semester, as well as thoughts from the teachers in the class.  

Ecuadorian Vegetarian Meal at Mi Patria

To get started in your classroom, here are some resources that I have found helpful:  

• Perspectives for a Diverse America--a literacy program from Teaching Tolerance (lesson plan support)
• Preparing for Cultural Diversity: Resources for Teachers --Edutopia blog post  
• Diverse Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners --Chapter 2 excerpt from Educating Everybody's Children: Diverse Teaching Strategies For Diverse Learners, Revised And Expanded 2nd Edition, Robert Cole

Want to try a new instructional tool this year?

We all know there is a plethora of tools available to teachers on the web.  It can be so overwhelming to try a new one in the classroom.  Just the task of finding a tool that works for the lesson, matching our goals and tasks, can be very difficult.  Here are a few recommendations for tools that are user-friendly and offer multiple benefits to a classroom.

Edpuzzle  

Using videos from multiple sources, YouTube, Khan Academy, Crash Course, Ted, Vimeo, even your own videos; crop, edit, and pause to ask the students questions.  Students can easily join with a class code, view your edited videos, complete the provided assessments, and you will receive instant feedback with their responses.

Nearpod  

Create an interactive presentation that can be published to students.  The presentation can include text, images, videos, pdfs, etc.   You can also include various types of questions for assessments and get instant feedback.  This tool does offer other formatting options, but you have to purchase an upgrade to use the more advanced options.  The free account does include most tools you would want to use on a regular basis.

Blendspace  

Create an online interactive lesson for students.  Lesson can include documents, videos from YouTube, images, embed presentations, upload from Dropbox & Google Drive,  Share the lessons with students with just a hyperlink or by posting on the web.  Can also embed the lesson onto a wiki page or blog.

81Dash  

A teacher created back-channel tool for classroom discussions.  Create a chat room and share the link to the room on Google Classroom.  The chat room can be locked once all students have joined.  Students are allowed 160 characters for each post.  The transcript can be downloaded and archived for future use.  Teachers can add tasks for students to complete during the chat.  Students can also keep personal notes to be used before, during, or after the chat.  

Instructional Coaching Reflection--Year One

As a teacher, I always spent those first few days of summer break in quiet reflection of the school year.  I remembered the celebrations, the challenges, the tears, and the exuberant screams of joy each student brought to my life.  I processed my teaching, thinking back on the lessons and the student responses to those lessons, jotting down ideas and things to change for the upcoming school year.  It was so important to me to look over the big picture of the whole year with knowledge and calmness only hindsight can offer.

Today marks the end of my first year as an instructional coach.  As I look back my year, I am overwhelmed by the kindness, curiosity, and courage of my fellow teachers.  Throughout my year, I saw teachers staying up until all hours of the night to make their lessons just right and trying out a new tool in their classroom, trusting a coach to support them through the learning process.  Staying late after school to create authentic projects to better engage their students.  Teachers willing to do anything and everything to help their students find success in their classroom.  I feel so fortunate to be a part of their lives and thrilled to be a witness to all the amazing things that happen daily at my school.  The following video is an "oldie but goodie" and should be watched on a regular basis by teachers so they never lose sight of just what all the hard work is for!!  We truly do make a difference!!  Thank you for a wonderful year!!