tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-405313295454848322024-03-05T00:58:32.141-08:00Teacher-y ConfessionsReal, Raw, AuthenticWhitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-68762264863390691682016-06-03T08:25:00.001-07:002016-06-03T08:25:12.739-07:004 Top Things my Gifted Students Taught Me this School YearThere's no doubt, as a teacher, that the students in your care over the course of 10 months have the ability to change your life. They utterly, completely, drastically, and beautifully change the way you think about life; the way you view and think about children; the way you approach your profession; even the very ways you speak, walk, act, and function. Trust me, there have been several times when I've been stopped short doing something because of how I realized the way I am now doing it has changed from the way I used to do it. The way I learn in a teacher conference. The way I walk down the hallway. The way I speak to someone I do not know. The way I help my husband edit his cover letter. Teaching and the experiences you have as a teacher truly have the ability to affect everything about your life.<br />
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Each group that you teach is also extraordinarily unique. There was never a group of students like it before, and there will never be a group of students like it again. Like a wave on the ocean, it all pushes forward together, and then when it retreats back it isn't the same wave anymore. The water exchanges, the sand, rocks, shells, and organisms shift, and the next one is going to be different, even if it falls in the same place and location around your feet.<br />
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My group of students this year have changed me, helped to shape me, mold me, and refine me. God used them as sharpening tools for my own refinement and growth not only as a teacher, but as an adult and a soon-to-be-mommy. You always hear sayings like, "I thought I was here to teach them...in reality, they were here to teach me." I truly do think that it is a relationship where students and teachers alike learn from one another, a beautiful example of interdependence, and this group was evidence to me of that. As I look back on our time together, important lessons surface to my mind and make me dance inside with rejoicing.<br />
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1) <b><i>Don't limit a child...they can do more than you probably think they can.</i></b> There were many times this year that instead of saying no or trying to redirect a student's idea or project proposal, I refrained. Sometimes painfully! I waited to see if they could be successful with what they wanted to do or try, or how they wanted to show their learning. I watched them problem solve or realize their initial idea wouldn't work and then fix it to make it work. This takes a lot of control out of the hands of the teacher and puts it in the student's hands, and that is hard to do at first-- but then you step back and see what they created on their own and think, "Boy, am I glad I didn't limit them and tell them no."<br />
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2) <i><b>The power of communication and how to problem solve.</b> </i>One thing we spent countless hours on this year was learning how to communicate with others. I have often focused on this in previous years, but this year it was a huge goal of mine to spend lots of time in this area. Gifted children have a more difficult time than their same-aged peers communicating. While celebrating who they are, we also have to help them learn how to function and communicate in society with others. This covered everything from:<br />
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<li>active listening- looking at the speaker, eye contact and gestures, commenting on other's stories instead of inserting your own and making their story suddenly all about you; </li>
<li>telling someone when they've upset you- what they did and how it made you feel, what you both think would make it better, apologizing by not just saying sorry but identifying the action and future action step (I'm sorry I took the jumprope you were using. Next time I will wait my turn or find another one to use.); </li>
<li>sharing ideas or thoughts with a partner or group you are collaborating with</li>
<li>self awareness- knowing when there is something wrong or upsetting you and being able to verbalize it calmly, knowing when you need a cool down time and asking for it, knowing when you need to work out a problem with a friend and asking to be able to go solve it out in the hallway; </li>
<li>learning how to communicate with adults- greeting adults that greet you, telling an adult good morning in the hallway, speaking to the cafeteria workers and telling them please and thank you, not ignoring or walking by an adult as they are talking to you or asking you a question but responding</li>
<li>being able to compliment others on the great things they have done, knowing when it's time to celebrate the accomplishments of others instead of our own</li>
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I notice more than ever the inability for humans to communicate appropriately and effectively with others. Our Facebook feeds are filled with hateful comments and our face-to-face interactions are full of people glued to their cell phones when the person across from them is trying to tell them a story. I even used that as an example this year, about how much it bothers my husband when he is trying to talk to me and my attention is on my phone! I watched my students grow tremendously in their understanding of communication skills over the course of the school year, and it blew me away how important these skills are for children to learn and practice frequently. It takes consistency and work over time, but the fruit of it was so powerful. This is something I will definitely carry with me into motherhood with my own children. </div>
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3) <i><b>The importance of validating students' feelings before trying to help them cope with their feelings.</b></i> This year, more than ever, I had to really embrace this practice in my classroom. With 20 highly gifted students with unique sensitivities and emotions, the classroom could become a flood zone if it wanted to, and it also could become an unsafe place for these children to be if they weren't allowed to feel what they were feeling. Let me unpack that a bit. Have you ever felt depressed or sad or lonely for someone only to tell you something to the effect of, "Oh, don't worry about that." or "That's nothing to be upset about." or "Come on, that's silly to feel that way." Yeah...I don't know about you, but when people tell me those things, it either deeply hurts me or makes me feel angry, like what I'm experiencing or feeling isn't real or worthwhile. We have to think about children and their feelings in the same way. When a student shared that the dog in the book I was reading aloud made her think of the dog that she used to have when she was little that died and her eyes start welling up with tears, the last thing I should do is tell her "Oh, that happened a long time ago though. You don't need to be sad. It's ok. He's in a better place." or something along those lines. What she needs to hear is something VALIDATING. That her emotions, feelings, rawness, are REAL. Something like, "I understand that is a real thing that happened to you, and that your feelings are real. It's okay to be sad about something we've lost. How can I or others help you, or what do you need?" Usually, just hearing that what they are feeling is real and validated helps a child to start to move on. You don't want to dwell there, and cause them to stay in that place for too long, or it can turn into hours of crying in your classroom or a student taking advantage of a situation. But offering validation before offering ways to cope and push through is a must, especially for our highly sensitive gifted students. We don't want them to feel like we don't care, or that their sadness or feelings are something we can shrug off. You can then help give them options, or even they can then verbalize that maybe taking a moment in the corner, getting a pillow to sit on, or sitting by a friend can help them cope in the moment. And that's that.<br />
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I think too often to dry up tears or move on to what's next, we can jump straight to the coping piece without validating first. We try to offer a solution instead of just starting by saying, I hear you...I see you...I think that's all others want sometimes, to just feel heard and seen in their pain or feelings.<br />
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4) <b style="font-style: italic;">The importance and value of community when its time to celebrate as well as when things go south or unexpected.</b> Building a class community and class family does not happen naturally or overnight. It is something you "build," like a home from its starting foundation. You can build this through several different means: sharing literature together and discussing books; engaging in shared, collaborative experiences like science labs or STEM challenges; but I think the main way we developed and built our community was in taking the time to circle up EVERY day as a class and share things we are feeling, thinking, or doing in our lives, as well as taking the time to stop throughout the day to talk if we needed to. Sometimes we have so much to do in a given day that we don't stop and "smell the roses" with our students. We have to let ourselves be okay with stopping and talking with our students if the opportunity arises, to be transparent with one another, to discuss our families or connections, to talk through a bad situation or moment in class, to reconnect and realign if things aren't going right that day, to even "start over" fresh if nothing is clicking. We can't get to really know each other that well if we don't allow for these natural moments and breaks in our day to day class life. I used to be so driven by keeping a schedule and having everything aligned perfectly that I bet we all missed out on some pretty amazing moments or relationship building in past years. This year, I think my students showed me the importance and the okay-ness of things not always following the timeline- and how the rewards of that surpassed getting that project done on schedule.<br />
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A lot of things happened in our classroom this year beyond your typical birthdays or getting new pets or friends moving away. I truly believe that due to the community our class had built, we were able to be there for one another in ways I haven't witnessed before. My students were able to surround me and my baby throughout my entire pregnancy with love, affection, and care. They learned how to help me and our classroom when my mobility wasn't what it used to be, and when the baby was growing bigger ("We need to get all the trash off the floor so Mrs. R doesn't have to squish Baby Theo picking it up!). When I unexpectedly had to go on bed rest and be gone the last 5 weeks of the school year, they mourned with me and spent our last afternoon together making things for the baby and writing notes to me, at their request. They then asked to Skype and FaceTime with me a couple of times a week when I was on rest at home- they asked- not because they were told to, because they wanted to keep me as part of the community we had built together.<br />
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They also experienced how to be there for a friend going through a despairingly hard time. A student's dad unexpectedly passed away recently, and the class community we had built together allowed them to truly surround him and care for him when it happened. They weren't forced to write him cards or to attend the funeral with their parents, they ASKED to. They deeply loved and cared for their friend in his pain, and knew him well enough to know how he feels loved and cared for best. Having to be at home on bed rest when this happened was extremely difficult, but hearing about how they were taking care of him day to day allowed me to find peace in not being able to be physically there for him. The students were taking him under their wing and providing a safe, loving place for him- showing their ability to express empathy and sympathy and camaraderie as mere first graders.<br />
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All humans need community to thrive, and that includes our students.<br />
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Thank you, ASPIRE 1 students of 2015-2016, for the lessons, memories, and moments I can look back on and think, "Wow, I got to be a part of that."<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-23720506328283081792016-05-04T11:55:00.000-07:002016-05-04T12:56:58.787-07:00#WhyITaught: By a Teacher on Bed RestEver since I got the news last week that I was to be on restricted rest the remainder of my pregnancy and not return to teaching for the rest of the year, each day has been a jumble of tears.<br />
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For me, the past two weeks have been a whirlwind. There is a surreal feeling surrounding my soul that everything that has happened, and is happening now, isn't actually happening. Trying to wrap my brain around what has occurred and where God has led me to is proving confusing and difficult.<br />
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With only 24 hours after receiving the news to try to decide what I needed to do to be prepared, how I was going to say goodbye to my precious 20 students and their parents and families, how I was going to say goodbye to my beloved staff, all without over-stressing myself and going into real labor...the past few days have been nothing but an attempt to process in between moments of fear, doubt, uncertainty, and lots of kleenex.<br />
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But the most sobering reality of all is that I didn't <i>only</i> say goodbye to my beloved first graders, their families, and my out-of-this-world coworkers.<br />
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I said goodbye to my teaching career. For now, at least. After six of the most rewarding, stretching, unfathomably meaningful years of my life.<br />
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This week is Teacher Appreciation Week in our nation, and there is a hashtag on Twitter circulating around called #whyiteach. So today, I want to reflect and pay tribute to those six years that I got to share and spend my days with our nation's most precious resource: children. I know I will forever be a teacher, and I may even perhaps return to the classroom one day, but instead of writing about #WhyITeach, this will be rather "#WhyITaught."<br />
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A lot of people don't understand why someone would want to teach. The pay isn't necessarily high, the hours aren't what you expect, and the emotional and personal sacrifices that you have to make in order to be effective and organized and prepared are many. You are constantly in a limbo, being pulled in several directions, having to make hard choices. You surrender a lot of your personal "me time," as going to a yoga class after school, for example, takes a backseat after conferencing with parents or prepping for that fun science lab tomorrow. Your heart breaks and mourns with your students as they experience the hardships of life. You don't really have the freedom to do basic things like eat your lunch in a timely fashion, or even go to the bathroom when you need to. You and your pride, self-worth, identity, and ego are daily put on the chopping block. You don't always please everyone and sometimes people are very unhappy with you if you don't do everything just right.<br />
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Yes, there is all of that. And a lot more probably, but I don't want to focus on the negative anymore. One of the rules in our classroom has always been "I will have positive energy, not negative!" and I think it's time to ramp up this post towards the former.<br />
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#WhyITaught:<br />
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1) Because children are <i>worth fighting for</i>. They are worth us fighting for their education, their growth, and their feelings. These children are but that- children- and need advocates all around them, in the home and at school. As a teacher, I was able to be an advocate and help foster the development of each child I taught. I was able to help them build their character, mindset, and grow in their ability to love. I was able to see their hearts change over time and grow in kindness, strength, empathy, and courage. To me, nothing, nothing, <i>nothing</i> beats this.<br />
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2) Because our work is <i>meaningful.</i> Not one day can a teacher go into work and leave saying, "Man, that day was pointless." Each day holds such meaning. Each day is an opportunity for students (and teachers, alike) to learn something new, to grow in perseverance and character, to make others smile, to gain a new friend, to leave each day changed by the things experienced. We are helping to make huge differences in the lives of others when we step foot into our workplace each day.<br />
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3) Because it is <i>life giving</i>. Your days as a teacher are spent pouring into others, yes, but what you receive in return fills your cup up beyond your understanding. The rewards might not be monetary or physical. They might just be a child crying in your arms as you comfort them, because they feel safe with you there; a heartfelt handwritten note secretly left on your desk about how much a child loves you; an email from a parent about how you have changed their child's life; a sense of accomplishment and joy when you see your students engaged and excited about learning and school; a postcard from a student you taught three years ago arriving in your mailbox just to say hi and update you on his life; sitting around a student's family dinner table as they invite you into their lives and home; watching a student in their element, such as being invited to a baseball game or a diving meet; hearing a student say "I love you" or "I feel so safe with you, Mrs. Rubinson"; this list could go on and on, but as I reminisce about my days as a teacher and think back on my experiences, these are the things that I hold onto and remember.<br />
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4) Because I got to spend my days <i>loving children</i>. Caring for them. Knowing them, their hearts, their minds, their likes and dislikes, their fears and worries, their interests and things that got them excited. I got to be a stepping stone on their paths of life. I got to be a part of children's hearts. And they are forever parts of mine. They have changed me. They have helped me grow, too. They have taught me so much about forgiveness, grace, and mercy. They have shown me the perils of perfectionism and how it is okay to make mistakes as long as we learn from them and they change us for the better next time. They have illuminated and brought to the surface parts of my heart and mind that needed serious mending and redeeming. Children have the tendency to do this to us as adults. They are great sharpening tools.<br />
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So, #WhyITaught? In short, I was able to have my life changed forever by 119 students over the course of the past 6 years in our classrooms, and by far many more who I did not even teach but interacted with on a daily basis. I learned more about God's love for me as his child through the love I was able to feel and experience for my own students. I have been stretched, tested, and pushed to limits of my own that I did not even know could exist. For all of this, I am eternally grateful and thank my heavenly Father each day for the love he has for me, in that he knew it would bring me so much joy to be a teacher, and he led me to this profession and life.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-49220174392650598802016-02-08T13:30:00.001-08:002016-02-08T13:32:08.902-08:00Confessions of a Pregnant TeacherConfession: my last blog post was written back in September. There have been several times that I have had an inspirational idea for a blog post, or have had something I desperately felt needed to be shared. But, another confession: it has taken everything in me just to get through each day, that the blogging part of me has ceased to exist until now.<br />
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Let's back it up a little bit. I have been wanting to write about this journey for so long now, but have lacked the exact words and timing to say it. I feel like that time has finally come. The following is a very personal post, not about education, but about life, and a good God who hears us.<br />
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Last year, I wrote a few posts at the beginning of the year that regarded goal setting, what worked + what didn't work for me in the previous year, my "word" for the upcoming year, and so on. That practice of writing and reflecting was so imperative to my growth as a person, teacher, wife, friend, etc. at the time and I am so glad that I did it. As I think back on the year 2015, I can only really think of one major theme. This is a theme I have shared with a few people already, but I really do feel that 2015 was the year that I truly witnessed and believed, whole-heartedly, that our God is a God who HEARS.<br />
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God hears us. He hears our cries, our pleas, our hearts, our worries and fears, he hears about our hopes and dreams. He actually hears them when we don't even say them or acknowledge them out loud. Our great God, who knitted us together in our mother's womb, knows our desires, knows how we tick, knows our thoughts before they even enter our minds or mouths. This past year was such evidence that God is a God who hears us...and, who hears <i>me.</i><br />
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For so long I have battled the feeling that God is not for me, and that he must be constantly disappointed in me. I have battled this unbelief, and have chosen more times than not to believe a lie, that God is against me and that when I sin or when I fall short, he is shaking his head in shame. Our God, if we are his children, does not do this, though. He does not see us through any other lens than the lens of the blood of Christ. He loves us. He does not get upset when we find joy in what he has given us. He does not get frustrated when we enjoy the <i>life</i> he has so graciously given us. I think that I was so scared to enjoy the little things in life, the small joys and celebrations, because I thought that I was enjoying those things more than I was enjoying him. But through this past year, God has shown me that this isn't true. That he is for me, and that his grace covers me like a blanket of white.<br />
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This lesson and understanding has largely come about due to the fact that God heard my prayers and knew my heart and gave me a child. Graciously. I did nothing to deserve being blessed with a child growing in my womb. I have done nothing to deserve that child growing healthily, strong, stable, beautifully. Yet he has given out of his abundant love and grace. Given after a sad, mournful season of dealing with heartbreak and loss after a confusing and disheartening miscarriage. Given after years of worry and doubt due to illnesses, issues, and misdiagnoses that I would have a difficult time conceiving a child. The past several years were marked by prayer for the future opening and blessing of my womb. And he gave. I walked so carefully through the past 5 months of pregnancy like I was walking on eggshells, thinking that at any moment, I could lose the little life that was inside of me, just as I had lost one before him. Yet God has heard us. He has heard our prayers, and has sustained this life within me, and for that I can only sing hallelujah and praise him.<br />
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Since I could remember, I wanted to love and be loved. I prayed ferociously and probably more than I ever prayed for anything to one day be married. I filled journals with pages of my heart's desires and longings. I wrote all about the kind of husband I desired to be my companion for life. And then, unexpectedly, Andrew arrived in my life. After six months of telling him we weren't meant for each other and that I wasn't interested in him, we began dating, and got married 15 months later. God <i>heard</i> me. He <i>heard my prayers and answered them</i> in a far more beautiful way that I ever could have contrived on my own.<br />
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God, all along, has heard me. He has listened. He has brought me to my knees lately as I have been recognizing how attentive he has been, and how well and intimately he knows me, because even when he has given me hardships and trials, they were specifically for me and my good, to learn and grow and be molded and shaped.<br />
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So really, this is a post of praise. Praise and glory to a good, good Father. I have been quite absent from the blogging world because I have deliberately taken several steps back from my professional life to enjoy the gifts and blessings that he has given me in my personal life. I have discovered more and more the delicate balance that exists in enjoying my teaching career and my vocation, and enjoying my husband, family, friendships, and now this new little baby inside of me. Who, although has brought several weeks of vomiting, nausea, sickness, pain, and occasional ER visits, is kicking and sucking his thumb and waving at me as I look at his little one-pound body on the sonogram machine. God has opened my eyes to the beauty and joy in life around me, and has shown me that even in the smallest of things, he <i>listens</i> and <i>hears</i> me. He hears the deepest longings and prayers of my heart. He hears the constant thoughts bouncing around in my mind. He hears. How comforting it is to know that the creator and holder of the universe hears us, his people, and loves us.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-75534708903696341312015-09-05T13:33:00.001-07:002015-09-05T13:37:29.227-07:00What Did We Do at School Today?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Often, parents want to know what their child did at school everyday.<br />
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This is completely, 100% understandable, and it is their right to know. It is their baby who they are graciously sending off to school every morning. They have a lot of hopes and dreams for their child. They have a lot of wonderings and questions about their child. Will my child make friends? Will my child be kind? Will my child learn new things?<br />
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It is so difficult, however, to answer the question, "What did my child do at school today?" because, if I answer you honestly, this is what it would look like.<br />
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It wouldn't look like a seamless, followed-to-the-exact-minute schedule.<br />
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It wouldn't look like your child sitting at a desk all day long, doing long calculations, reading a textbook, working in a workbook, or doing lots of worksheets.<br />
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It wouldn't look like a perfectly silent and quiet classroom, with all 19 children obeying and following and listening to every direction.<br />
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<i>It looks like this...</i></div>
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Today, I greeted each of your children at the door as they entered and got ready for their day. I want them to know that I see them, that I know they are there, and that their presence at school today is celebrated.<br />
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Today, I led your children in exercises of independence and organization. I taught them how to unpack their backpacks everyday, put their take-home folders in the right basket, get their iPad ready for the day, and get started on their morning work. You see, we are working on doing things by ourselves, instead of having others do them for us. We also practiced how to gather all of our needed materials for math class by ourselves, which starts right after announcements are over.<br />
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But, after announcements were over, I led your children in understanding the "why" behind saying the US and Texas pledges, as well as why we observe a moment of silence. Lots of them were still trying to sit down or continue to work during these things, or talking or making noises during the moment of silence to be funny. We discussed the importance of respecting our state, country, and fallen soldiers who have fought to protect our freedoms. We discussed the freedom of getting to go to school, to learn, to worship the way we want, to dress the way we do, to marry the person we want. We practiced doing the pledge and moment of silence after these discussions, and your children showed ample respect.<br />
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Today, we had math class. During math, we talked about what good mathematicians do. We learned the value in double checking our work. We learned how to organize our thinking about numbers and place value. We learned how to take our time to do a good job. We learned how to download an app and how to use it the right way. We used the app to show the place value of numbers up to 120 and beyond, because I let your children pick their own number and show me all that they could do. Then, we worked on your child's individual math goal that they had set at the beginning of the year. I pulled each child one at a time to work with them individually on their specific goal. I taught one-on-one lessons about multiplication, division, and triple digit subtraction with borrowing-- because those were your children's goals, and I'm not going to stop them from going beyond the curriculum if they can. While they weren't with me, they were doing challenging problem solving questions or logic puzzles in groups. When math was over, I could barely break them away from their focus. They were so into their learning.<br />
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Today, we had snack time, because your children get hungry mid morning and I want to listen to that. Their basic needs must be met before learning can happen, so I let them have a snack.<br />
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Today, our class circled up and I told them good morning by name and that I was glad they were here today. We talked about how we are feeling today, because sometimes children can carry in hurt or pain or confusion or anger to the classroom, and this is a time to check in and help them overcome those things.<br />
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We talked about who we become when we enter this classroom, and who we want to be. Among the answers from your children were: thinkers, dreamers, learners, writers, authors, scientists, friends, artists, readers, loved, and important. I never want them to forget the possibilities within.<br />
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We talked about our favorite parts of the week, and reflected as a group on the wonderful things we had done together in class. We laughed together, practiced listening skills and how to make eye contact with others, how to wait our turn when someone else is talking, how to respond to someone's story or thought, and how to show respect in a group and value everyone's voice.<br />
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Today, we did a brief but fun calendar time. I asked your children questions like "what number month of the year is the month of June/September/December" or "what would the code date be 6 days from today?" because I know that your children already know the months of the year or how to write today's code date, so I added some depth to it.<br />
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Today, we talked about character, how to start a chain reaction of kindness, and read the book "Each Kindness" together, which is about a little girl who lost her chance to show kindness to another child, and it was too late. We talked about being brave and showing courage by being kind. We made text-to-self connections to our own life as we read, and commented on how parts of the book reminded us of things in our own lives. We deeply felt the sorrow at the end of the book. You could've heard a pin drop as I closed the book. I nearly cried after reading the last page. We shared that moment together and understood the depth and importance of being kind to others.<br />
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Today, we each made an artistic expression of the word "BRAVE" and decided how we would have courage and be kind this year. We wrote our response on our "BRAVE" posters and used our creativity and art skills to construct a masterpiece. We talked about being brave in making new friends, or standing up to others who are bullying or being unkind. We discussed intellectual courage and being brave with our ideas and our thinking, how to push our brains in new ways this year that we haven't pushed them before. This is so important for us to discuss, because this year will be hard. This year, your child won't coast by. They will have their thinking challenged by other classmates. They will have to grow in strength and reasoning in their intellect.<br />
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Today, I held 3 separate children while they cried.<br />
Today, I rubbed a child's back while gently redirecting him to make a better choice.<br />
Today, I put a bandaid on a child's scrape, wrote 3 nurse passes for ice packs or sore throats, and felt 2 foreheads for warmth.<br />
Today, I walked around the playground and located every one of my children, and made sure that they had someone to play with. I helped connect them with other children if they didn't, and helped them practice social skills in joining in play or requesting to play, or inviting others to play.<br />
Today, I gave countless hugs.<br />
Today, I calmed a child down while they had a panic attack in the corner.<br />
Today, I walked many children through the lunch line and made sure that they had a balanced meal and encouraged them to get fruits and vegetables, and not just sweets and snacks.<br />
Today, I noticed lots of good choices made by your child, and had them mark down those good choices and reflect on them.<br />
Today, I helped sprinkle a whole lot of glitter on your child's artwork, lovingly and carefully trying to stick to the design they wanted.<br />
Today, I taught your children how to clean up after themselves and take care of their classroom.<br />
Today, I lined your children up at the end of the day and told them how much I loved them, thanked them for a fabulous day of learning, and told them how much I would miss them over the weekend.<br />
Today, I listened to your child groan because they wouldn't get to go to school for the next three days. I listened as your child told me they would miss me and school and their friends. I hugged and high-fived your child as they walked out the door.<br />
Today, I made sure your child got home safely and got to where they needed to be.<br />
Today, I hung up your child's Brave poster and marveled at their words. I thanked God for each one of them. I prayed for a year of growth and learning.<br />
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The past couple of weeks, we have explored the science lab and tools a scientist uses; we have built stamina in reading independently; we have read aloud many beloved books and creative chapter books, and shared rich moments diving into literature; we have focused on building our classroom community and seeing how we are all connected to one another; we have talked about the importance of rules and their purpose, and debated over whether rules should ever be broken; we have slowly started to set up our iPads, learned how to download our own apps, are still learning how to use an app independently, and are still trying to type in our own passwords correctly. We are learning how to brainstorm and think creatively and see things in more than one way. We are learning how to not get stuck as a writer, and discussing ideas of what to write about. We are sharing our passions and interests and starting to research the things we love most.<br />
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We have done so many things over the past two weeks since school began.<br />
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So, when you ask your child or me what we did at school today, it is a really loaded question. That is why sometimes your child gives you a brief and non-informative answer. That is why my weekly newsletter recapping the week and discussing what learning is to come next week leaves you with lingering questions. Because what we do, everyday, is so much more than a blurb about an objective; it is so much more than what a picture can capture.<br />
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And I can't wait to see what the many days to come will hold.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-20423117100056511422015-08-04T13:51:00.002-07:002015-08-04T13:59:19.136-07:00My 6 Hopes for Year Six<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The past week I have been up to my classroom a handful of times: unpacking boxes, sorting math manipulatives in their little baskets, stapling borders, and making runs to the Dollar Tree and Teacher's Tools. And as I work away at setting up this room, there is something really important that I don't want to forget. This isn't MY classroom- it's theirs. It's ours. Together.<br />
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What are my hopes for year six? It is honestly crazy to type that out. I remember starting out on this journey of teaching, August 25th, 2010. It was the same day my parents became officially divorced. It was a month before I would even get my first paycheck, and my coworker next door was generously buying me staple groceries to help me get by. It was a month after ending a relationship that crushed me. And on August 25th, 2010, I met my first group of students. They were eager, excited, enthusiastic, and brilliant. We were like peas and carrots, those children and me. They brought healing and purpose to my life that I couldn't have imagined. They gave me a new identity of sorts- "teacher."<br />
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The past five years have not been about me, though. Sure, the teacher can really influence a room, but it's the kids that make it. The kids are the ones who create what you will have together for the next nine-ish months. They are the heartbeat and soul of any class, and I find it so funny that I used to think I was.<br />
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So as I decorate and place things and hang things and staple things and so forth...I have to continually ask myself, "Is this going to help the room feel like theirs? Is this going to enable us to learn and grow together?" Because if it won't, I don't need to put it up on a wall. And this goes for far more than just classroom decor, this goes for lessons and activities and experiments and PBLs and group work in the future-- is it going to help my students own their learning, and feel like its theirs?<br />
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So, as I am constantly reflecting on every little detail of our little learning zone, I also have been reflecting on what I hope for and desire this year. Here are my 6 hopes for year six.<br />
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<i><b>1) Build strong, beautiful relationships</b></i> with each of my 19 awesome students. I stinkin' love children and what I love about them is that they are each a unique ray of light in our world. They bring sunshine wherever they go, and their childlike outlook on life is refreshing and sweet. I love getting to know them- about their families, their likes and dislikes, their passions and dreams, their goals and hopes, their fears and worries, their ideas and imaginations...I love how they are each wired so specifically, so distinctively, so intentionally. There will never be another child like any of the children I have the honor to teach, and there has never been, nor will there ever be another class like this one again. I want to relish in it and not compare it, not try to make it something it isn't, but to love what it is, and help it to flourish and thrive.<br />
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<i><b>2) Give the classroom back to my students</b></i>, and allow it to be theirs for the taking, the learning, the growing, the shaping. Allow it to be their space and learning laboratory, their space to grow in, their space to learn more about who they are and how to think and what they feel. I want it to be a space where they feel SAFE to be who they are and learn and ask questions and explore.<br />
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<i><b>3) Fill each day with positivity.</b></i> I read "The Energy Bus" this summer by Jon Gordon, and I want to be a CEO (Central Energy Officer) for our classroom by promoting strong positive energy, humor, laughter, silly moments, moments to breath and smile and take in the goodness of life. I also want my students to climb aboard our classroom "Energy Bus," and help energize and encourage one another throughout the day.<br />
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<i><b>4) Promote community, kindness, trust, and strong bonds between the students.</b></i> I want our class to know one another so deeply and well, and build such a tight-knit community that if one of them is absent, the absence is felt- whether the student's ideas or contributions to discussions or learning times aren't being heard, other students are sad about not getting to play and learn with him or her, and the student's overall presence is missed. I want our students to trust one another and me, and to feel safe, loved, and cared for in their classroom environment. I want students to leave our classroom having a better understanding of how to be a friend- how to play with others, how to see things from other perspectives, how a kind word is never wasted, how to be inclusive and accepting of differences, how to THINK before we speak, how to communicate well, how to work with others, how to serve one another, and how integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is looking.<br />
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<i><b>5) Be more flexible </b></i>with balancing state standard need-to-knows and independent/passion learning time. I want to not worry so much about "covering" every single state standard and by doing so cause stress and anxiety in our classroom (as well as super full days), but to focus on the most important ones and go deep with them with my students. I always try to make sure we hit every standard during the year, but it can sometimes get in the way of real student discovery and self-led learning. I want to make sure there is a balance, because I believe in both. It's important for students to leave our classroom having learned what they needed to learn, but also for them to leave our classroom with a deep understanding of their own personal passions and interests, and the capabilities to research, explore, and go farther with those on their own. In a nutshell, providing time for more student choice and voice, and not feeling guilty about it!<br />
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">6) Self-reflect and embrace reality. </i>I want to constantly ask myself the question, "Would I want to be a student in this classroom?" I want to be able to problem solve if the answer is no, to be able to think creatively and design solutions that will help students learn better and love learning more. I want to ask students, parents, and teachers for feedback, and be willing to receive it. I want to grow thicker skin and push towards my own goals and change for the better.<br />
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To my 19 students of year six- I am ready for you, and I am so excited to be your teacher.</div>
Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-46168871965355546632015-07-07T12:24:00.003-07:002015-07-07T15:22:24.461-07:00What I Wish I'd Done with GT Kids in the Regular Classroom: #1 and #4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Good afternoon! Andrew and I just returned from a loooooong stretch of vacation. We were in Chicago (for both of us, it was our first time there) for 5 days and then Austin for 4 days. Both were restful, adventurous, and beautiful, but it feels good to be back home and back into a rhythm.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">I mentioned on my previous post that I would go further in depth with each of the 9 things I listed that I wish I would've done in my regular classroom with my gifted students. I am going to further explain #1 and #4 first as a starting point, and I think they go nicely together, since inquiry and exploration in science and
social studies includes a lot of student voice and choice in content, process,
and product. The following post is a bit on the longer side, but I wanted to make sure to provide lots of examples and explanations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><b><span style="color: black;">Advocating for Student Voice and Choice in the Classroom</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><b><span style="color: black;">Using Inquiry, Wonder Walls, Research, and Self-Led
Experimentation</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Classroom with Mike: very little student
voice/choice, and science/social studies time was a lot of direct instruction
with very few inquiry components, if any at all. Mike was not given the chance
to share how he wanted to meet a standard or choose what kind of product he
would make to show his learning. Mike was not given the chance to give me
feedback as an educator or propose possible changes that could make learning
for him better-- I didn't know at the time the importance of letting my students do so. Mike had very little space for asking above-and-beyond
questions that he could actually find answers to on his own. I did not set up
our science and social studies learning to be inquiry and discovery-based,
which resulted in boredom and detachment during lessons. Oh, if only I knew
then what I know now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><i>Student voice and choice</i> is a hot topic right
now in many educational circles. We are seeing it pop up everywhere. Our
district had a passionate Twitter chat all about it in May that blew us all
away. We are seeing how crucial it is that students are given a voice- the
ability to speak up, be brave, ask questions, share ideas, give examples,
communicate needs and desires, and provide feedback on how the learning is
going. This feedback can include commenting on a teacher's teaching methods or
practice, to how they would change something in the classroom, whether it be
the set-up of the desks or the book project that was assigned. When students
are allowed this freedom to speak up respectfully and share what is on their
minds, teachers are allowed the opportunity to hear from the best critic of all- their
own students. You see, our students are not just receivers of information or
visitors to our classroom. They are to be the center, and they have a right to
say when something could be made different for the betterment of the learning
environment. That doesn't mean they bark rudely at you or tell you what you are
doing is stupid, because that gets nobody anywhere. At the beginning of this past year, some students after hearing that they had this freedom to speak into what we were doing as a class used it as merely an opportunity to complain or comment without any back-up or alternative plan-- and when I would ask them how they could envision something better or to give specifics, they could not. We all quickly learned that feedback isn't feedback if it's just noise.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">From day one, it is important to model and practice with students how
to ask specific questions, how to provide and share new ideas or ways to do something
differently, and how to give teachers constructive and helpful feedback. Opening up that line of communication builds a
level of mutual trust and respect that is out of this world. It empowers
students to be the owners of their learning experiences. It empowers them and produces boldness and leadership, to allow them to take on learning with their own two
hands. The teacher is a facilitator, a guide, a mentor, a coach, a scaffolder,
there every step of the way-- but now the students are in charge of their own
learning and excited about it. They have a say! They have freedom! They can
work in groups or by themselves if they want, they can go to the bathroom or
sharpen a pencil when they desire, they can show their learning by making a
movie or a model or a brochure, they <b><u>can</u></b>. Sure, there may be times where you as the educator know what is best for them and give them certain parameters-- you come to know when these times are; for example, the child who <i>never</i> works alone and always with others, or the child who wants to make a second 3D model that week and hasn't even finished their first-- you tend to pick up on these patterns and intervene when it is fitting. But when it comes to the learning process, there's not a lot
of can't's that should be present anymore. With all children, especially gifted
learners, they need this freedom. They need to be allowed a voice and choice in
how they learn. Not just receivers of what we give them, but creators, doers,
thinkers, makers, dreamers, full of ideas and possibilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">More on student voice and choice in
content/process/product throughout the next several paragraphs, but I want to
take a moment and talk about <i><u>the importance of science and social
studies</u></i>. The first has to do with the way the world works around us, and
all the things in it. The second has to do with the way communities and people
work together, and how it has been done and how it has evolved and changed in
our appropriate communities and the world over many years. When you boil it
down, science and social studies teach us how to better understand our world-
so they are super important! These are often subjects we skimp on (or skip
completely) due to the nature of the fact that reading and math are so
foundational and necessary, plus due to the fact that our students take
standardized tests in these subjects sooner in their educational careers. So we
spend little time on science and social studies or we try to integrate them
into our ELAR block, but it just makes me sad that these subjects often get the
shaft. To do science and social studies REALLY well, you can't just read a book
about it. You can't just read a passage and answer comprehension questions
about it. You have to incorporate inquiry- the process of starting with
questioning, then walking through exploration, experimentation, and discovering
answers to your questions along the way. You also have to incorporate <b><i>*wonder*</i></b> in
science and social studies instruction. "I wonder how our life is
different today because of historical figures and their contributions in the
past? What would it be like without them?" "I wonder how objects in
the sky move over a 24 hour period? How does the sky change?" It opens up
so much opportunity for exploration and discovery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Here is how to use inquiry, wonder walls,
research, and self-led experimentation in science and social studies while
incorporating student voice and choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><u>1) Gain Prior Knowledge.</u></span></b><span style="color: black;"> I should've done this so much more often with Mike and the
learners in my classroom. It seems so simple, but when we as teachers construct
an amazing lesson plan and then think about the what-if, "What if my
students already know all of this and my planning time was wasted?", we
often can shy away from this very important step. This means that as a teacher, part of your job is to
introduce the learning standard or target, and then gain what prior
knowledge or ideas they already have coming into the unit. This is so important
to do with gifted learners. They often come in already having the knowledge and
having mastered the standard before anything else is said. When you ask what
they already know, they can sometimes be an encyclopedia of information. My students often times know more than me, and I have learned to be okay with that! When I
asked them what they knew about magnets, for example, I gave them about 3-4
minutes to write down their thoughts on sticky notes and post them to the
board. They have a class number, so they would write their number in the corner
so I would know whose was whose. After reading them all, I quickly realized
which of my students already knew everything we needed to know about magnets-
that they can push or pull objects, attract and pull objects made of iron,
repelling/pushing happens when two similar poles are put together, and
pulling/attracting happens when opposite poles are put together...and so on and
so forth...and I laughed and realized that if I had made them sit there through
a week's worth of magnet books and videos and lessons then they would've been
bored and poor behaviors would have started to pop out and they would've been
trying so hard to move on to something new. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">So what happens if you gain prior knowledge and
your gifted students plus others know the information, but some do not? You <i>differentiate
the discovery in content, process, and product. </i>Here's how:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><u>2) Create a Wonder Wall.</u></span></b><span style="color: black;"> Whether a child knows everything there is to know about
Abraham Lincoln or types of energy, there is always more to know or wonder
about. Allow your students to wonder and ask new questions! These questions can
be ones they can research or find out as you go, or they can be ones that turn
into self-led experiments that are performed over a longer period of
time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Plants Example: Our first grade science standard
is to identify and compare the parts of plants, a pretty simple one that could
be done easily in one day with an associated worksheet that gifted students
would find pointless and then quickly ask when they can go back to their coding
app or finish the comic book they are working on about the ten tallest
buildings in the world. #giftedinterests<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">So, we gained some prior knowledge- what do we
already know about plants and their parts? After finding out what my students
knew and didn't know, I then knew how to go from there. As we would continue in
our plant unit, the ones who didn't know would simply be the ones who I watched
more closely as we engaged in the exploring and discovery pieces-- were they
picking up the information they needed, and were they discovering it on their own?
When they researched, were they finding answers? If they weren't, then of
course I could do some one-on-one instruction with them or small
grouping. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Then we all started to ask more questions-- this
takes us into choice in <b><u><i>content</i></u></b>, what the students learn.
Students often want to learn so much more, if we let them and get out of the
way. If after generating prior knowledge you have students wanting to know more
and go beyond the standard, you begin a wonder wall. ALL students can
participate in a Wonder Wall, even the ones who don't have the basic content
mastered yet. Wondering creates opportunities for learning, ones that we as
teachers may not have even imagined. Creating a "Wonder Wall" is
easy-- this can be at any space in the room. It can be a bulletin board; it can
be a poster board you laminate and can put up or take down; or even a section
of your white board. A Wonder Wall is most effective when it is always
available, so that students can use post-it notes and jot down a wondering at
any time during the day to stick up there and work with later. It is wonderful
because whenever a child has a question they are wondering about and we may not
have the time to go deep into it at that moment, we can all say, "Wonder
Wall!" and the child can happily, excitedly go write it down and stick it
up on the board to be explored at a later time. It is helpful because it
doesn't dismiss the above-and-beyond questions, and it promises students that
they can find out the things they want to know and will be given time to do so.
They can explore their questions during an RtI Block or as a fast finisher
activity, or during independent study-- you will find the time. However, you
can be intentional with what the questions will be used for-- will they be a
simple search one day on KidRex.org (a kid-friendly search engine), or will the
questions be turned into experiments or independent study?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><o:p>^ An experiment from this past year that was birthed out of a wonder wall question</o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><u>3) Self-Led
Experimentation. </u></span></b><span style="color: black;">So with plants we
asked- What do plants need to survive? What does a seed need to
germinate/sprout? (These first two questions I generated for class-wide experimentation.) Then they came up with the rest: Can seeds grow without any oxygen? How much space do seeds
need to grow? How much soil do seeds need to grow and survive? If you give a
plant too much water, will it die? We made hypotheses and predicted what we
thought would happen if we tested any of these questions. We then set up
inquiry-based experiments that the students chose- this is the <b><u><i>process</i></u> </b>of
learning the content they want to explore, and they <b><i><u>chose</u></i></b> how
they wanted to do it- and their experiments were all based on one of the
questions they asked on the Wonder Wall. They got into teams, told me the
materials they needed to perform their experiments, used proper science tools,
set their experiments up and put them in an area of the room by a window, or
perhaps in a closet, if they were testing the effects of no sunlight. Next to
their experiment they wrote their Wonder Wall question on an index card and
propped it up next to the experiment, so all would know what the experiment was
testing. As we watched and observed these plant experiments, taking notes and recording
what we noticed and new learning (my students couldn't believe that seeds only
need water to germinate/sprout-- nothing more-- it was on many of their
"top things I learned in first grade" lists), we dove into the plant
parts and compared them to one another in each of the several experiments going
on. After the two weeks of watching, observing, and recording what we noticed,
we shared our findings to one another in our teams-- what we had discovered, if
our question had been answered or if there was further exploration to do. My
students loved this part because they were in charge of their question, their
experiment, and their discovery-- they were the scientists, and I was the
facilitator on the side. They owned it!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><u>4) Research.</u> </span></b><span style="color: black;">I asked how else we could find out information about plant parts and
their functions, so students decided to research in teams (more <b>process </b>decisions- how the students want to learn)
by using various web sites and videos explaining the parts of plants and their
functions. They asked if we could use a class shared Google Doc to type down
notes about each plant part as they found information. Some asked if they could
just take notes on post-its, and others in their science journals -->
more <b>choice in process.</b> This is another area you can differentiate in- the process of how children learn something does not always look the same for all the students in your class. While some students may feel comfortable and ready to go and research on their own, some are not-- and this could be a time where when others are independently researching, you can pull individuals or small groups to research together or to do a mini-lesson or reteach. It is important to provide <b><u><i>choice</i></u></b> in this way, even for gifted students, because sometimes they aren't ready or willing to go learn on their own in various cases. Sometimes they want you to teach them something directly, and that's ok!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">^ Snapshot of part of the notes on class shared Google Doc</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><b><u>5) Assessment/How Students Show Their Learning and Understanding:</u> </b></span>Along the way, students created different <b><i><u>products</u></i>-</b> ways
to show their learning of plants and their parts. There are so many ways students can show learning along the way of course, and you can do continual formative assessment as you work through the study. However, as a summative (in lieu of a paper/pencil test) you can often ask students how they want to show you that they've learned. Sometimes they can just orally tell you. Sometimes you can just pull them one-on-one and them show you they know. But sometimes, they want to come up with something created and original- hence, a product.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Students started their plant products at the beginning of
the unit as opposed to at the end of the unit. They updated their creations and worked on them as they learned and gained new understandings. This allows the students time to actually create a sophisticated product, instead of cramming it in at the end of a study. (Note: If I were to do it again, maybe we could've made this into some sort of PBL with an audience, but I don't think it is necessarily needed here. When you incorporate inquiry and self-selected experimentation and research, it can be very real-life and real-world to younger children.) They chose their own products, from creating life-size plant models to posters to books to digital
products, labeling parts and describing their functions. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Allowing <b><u><i>choice in product</i></u></b> is
so important for gifted learners. They often have ideas of how they could show
their learning, but we can limit them by always providing the means. From the
beginning of the year, I slowly teach one product at a time. I started out last
year with PicCollage to make collages with text, then recorded products such as
Doceri, ChatterpixKids, Shadow Puppet, or iMovie. After introducing these,
students already have a good amount of choice in their products early in the
year. No digital tools? No problem. Introduce other ones at first, like a
poster, a foldable, or a book. You can add additional product choices to your
students' tool belt as you introduce them, and by mid-year, they have a wide
array of products: advertisements, poems, iMovies, collages, posters, Popplets
(digital webs), brochures, dioramas, models, Important Books, comic strips, and
more. You can even have a list of these with visual aides for children so that
when the time arises for them to choose, they remember what they have to pick
from. Product choice is also super helpful with any student. I have a twice-exceptional student who struggled with writing on paper, but when he was allowed to explore other ways to show his learning, he blossomed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">^ Examples of different products- these were from our independent study animal research projects: a triple diorama, an informational poster, and a 3D model with facts attached- student chosen, student created</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">I had one student create a plant model out of
construction paper that was beyond any idea I had. He made a huge paper plant with
a flower, leaves, a stem, and roots coming out of the bottom. The plant was in
a round paper pot, where if you opened a side door on the pot, you could see
the roots inside and read about them. He wrote about each of the other parts as
well and attached it to the model. He was so proud of what he had done and was
showing off his product to everyone in the class and talking about it with
other teachers he would pass in the hallway. Boy, am I glad I didn't give him a
worksheet to label...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">If you are used to a 5E model when approaching inquiry- Engage, Explore, Explain, Evaluate, and Elaborate- you can find this flow in the above approach. Engage/explore often go together in generating prior knowledge and wonder wall questions and in the experimentation/hands-on activities. Explain/Evaluate occur as students are learning from their hands-on experiences and teachers are providing understanding as they go, as well as through research and study of the content along the way. Evaluation is occurring every step of the way because you started with what your kids knew or didn't know yet, monitored and gauged their learning through observation and seeing their notes and journals, and also through the products and ways they show their understanding throughout. Elaborate really goes well with the Wonder Wall questioning and experimentation-- because a lot of those questions and experiments/studies that come from them are going above and beyond the learning standard anyway.</span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">So...who's ready to do some science right now? Because after typing all of this out, it's making those parts of my brain click wildly! I hope that this post has provided some clarity on #1 and #4 in my list. There are other examples or ways that we included the components of inquiry and of student voice and choice in the classroom, but this post is already packed full enough. Feel free to ask any questions or share ways you've done these things in the past. </span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Note #1: It is really helpful to find learning standards that go together so that you can reach all of them within one "unit." This is the approach PBL takes as well, to clump those together (cross-curricular as well!) so that you're not doing this entire process for one lone standard.</span></o:p></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">*Note #2: I also want to say that this was a year-long process for me of learning how to do these things well. At the beginning of the year I was afraid to let go of all my teacher-control, and I hadn't quite figured out how to best approach science from an inquiry standpoint. But by the end of the year, I felt that my students had helped me somewhat figure it out. Next year we will continue to work on these things and find our flow as a new class, but I am excited that we had this past year full of wondering!</span></o:p></div>
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-86969631338901476322015-07-01T13:30:00.003-07:002015-07-01T13:42:04.171-07:009 Things I Wish I'd Done for GT Kids in the Regular Classroom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On April 22, 2015, I was still awake late into the night. I could not stop tossing and turning. The wheels in my mind were spinning madly as I couldn't help but think about and make a list, which I entitled, "What I would've done differently with *Mike." (*Mike's name has been changed for privacy reasons.)<br />
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You see, Mike was a child in my class last year, my 4th year of teaching in a general ed, regular first grade classroom. He was insanely off-the-charts gifted. He could do mathematical calculations on a fourth grade level using only mental math. He made the spelling bee and made it through several rounds against fourth and fifth graders. However, he was also the one you might have found hiding under the tables though or running away down the halls, pouting in a corner and refusing to get up. He was the one who was dying inside, looking for a creative or cognitive outlet, wanting to explore and go farther, deeper, higher-- and couldn't.<br />
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Truthfully, sadly, and honestly...the classroom environment that I had set up only met his needs in <i>minimal</i> ways. It was the best that I could do at the time. I really thought I was doing everything I could for the gifted learners in our classroom. I understood gifted children, so I tried to help them learn in the best ways possible. But when I also had children in our classroom who were at the complete opposite end of the bell curve, meeting educational needs as one human being gets very tough, tricky, and you have to make choices.<br />
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As an educator, I was always determined to not let my gifted students fall through the cracks. I never wanted to be someone that said, "Oh, they'll be fine-- they always pick up on things and I don't need to worry about them," or the person that made them be peer tutors or teach others the content all day long. Those students are not meant to be tutors or teachers when they are in the classroom. They are meant to be learners, and if the regular curriculum and content is too basic for them, we as educators are supposed to create learning experiences for them where actual growth and exploration and innovation is taking place. Not just giving them more work or sticking an upper-grade level math workbook in their face. Which, I sadly admit, was a last resort at a very low point for me last year.<br />
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When teachers are given a wide range of student abilities- cognitive, social/emotional, physical- and then expected to spin 22 plates all at the same time every day, it is near impossible to meet all the needs of your classroom. However, I made a list of 9 things that late evening on April 22nd of the things I would've done differently for Mike in the general education classroom. Things that would not have sucked me dry of time and resources. Things that would have been small fixes to big problems that needed solving. Things that would not have cost me lots of money. Things that could be made or implemented in a very little amount of time. Things I know now that I wish I would've known then. Things that could have made a big difference in his life, and allowed him to learn at the heights he was capable of.<br />
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<b>9 Things I Wish I'd Done for GT Kids in the Regular Classroom</b></div>
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1) Allow student choice and voice in the classroom, specifically in giving children leadership opportunities to have ownership over the classroom and their learning- how they are to reach learning standards and goals in regards to content/process/product<br />
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2) Social/Emotional: Promoting a growth mindset + grit in our gifted students (think gifted perfectionists, gifted underachievers, gifted children who haven't been challenged before and when challenged give up quickly, and so on), as well as attending to the intellectual traits of a gifted learner (traits such as needed humility, perseverance in challenge, courage with ideas, confidence in reason, and independence in thinking)<br />
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3) Self-Assessment with a Cupcake Grading Scale to promote a gifted learner's best work at all times, not just "getting it done"<br />
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4) Using Prior Knowledge, Inquiry, Wonder Walls, Research, and Self-Led Experimentation in Science <b><u><i>and</i></u></b> Social Studies<br />
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5) Making Work and Learning Meaningful through Audience and PBL<br />
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6) Creativity in Content: Time to Build, Create, and Explore + Coding<br />
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7) Pre-testing + Creative Choice Menus added to the Math Curriculum<br />
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8) ELAR Fixes: Daily Five in a Must Do/Can Do format with Self Timers + Depth and Complexity added to our love of reading<br />
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9) Time for Passion Projects + Independent Study based on interest<br />
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I realized after starting to write about each of the 9 things that each of them basically needs its own post, because of how in depth they need to be explained! So, I leave you today with the short list, and I will explain each in depth over my next several posts. Also know that since I teach elementary school, my thoughts and ideas stem from that background. Some of the ideas can pertain to any grade level, but some of them are more specific to the primary grades.<br />
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Although there are so many strategies and options available for classroom teachers in regards to meeting their gifted learners' needs, a teacher is only one person in a classroom of many. There are many needs to meet, and my hope is to provide clarity and real-life, actually-tried-and-tested ways to meet the needs of your gifted learners in a regular classroom. It is hard, and differentiation is not easy, but it is worth it. <b><i>They</i></b>- your gifted students- <b><i>are worth it</i></b>. Your gifted students will thank you, and they will learn at new levels and in ways they haven't been able to before.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-36776812575693890652015-05-25T11:44:00.000-07:002015-05-25T11:44:39.379-07:00Asking for Feedback<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So I just did something a little scary. I just sent out my first ever End of Year Parent Survey to all of my students' parents.<br />
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And I asked some hard questions. Ones that I might be afraid to read the answers to. Ones that I might have been hesitant to even include on the survey at all.<br />
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But, what I've been reading and learning is that when we are willing to ask the hard questions in order to receive quality, helpful feedback, AND when we are willing to read the responses to those questions- we are given an opportunity to grow. Learn. Change. All for the better!<br />
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I don't want to be someone who is so afraid to ask for feedback because of what might be said, that I end up not doing it at all.<br />
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Here is my <a href="http://goo.gl/forms/6z9xXC9uzk" target="_blank">End of Year Parent Survey</a> that I just sent out. I adapted it from <a href="http://pernillesripp.com/2013/05/06/my-parent-end-of-year-survey/" target="_blank">Pernille Ripp's</a> parent survey that she kindly sent my way via Twitter. Feel free to use or adapt it if you would like.<br />
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The only way to grow is to make mistakes, to fail, and to learn from those mistakes and moments of failure. Perfectionism stops growth. Perfectionism says I have nothing to work on or get better at. If I am perfect, then I'm not growing. We must be willing as educators to ask for and listen to feedback, whether from parents, students, colleagues or administrators.<br />
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Next up, I will be creating a shorter Google form for my students to fill out about me. I look forward to their insight!<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-13406851695140930772015-05-15T13:17:00.001-07:002015-05-15T13:17:26.367-07:00Where have all the school days gone?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I lived in Russia for a summer, a friend I met there named Sasha recorded a few songs with me. He picked out the songs: Ain't No Sunshine and Where Have All the Flowers Gone? It is a sweet and fond memory of mine today. In that moment, a Russian voice and an American voice came together and made sweet harmony. That was one of many moments that made those weeks so beautiful that summer.<br />
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In light of the year winding down, Where Have All the Flowers Gone? came to mind...and made me ask, where have all the school days gone? I can't believe it is already May. Sitting in my empty classroom right now after a most exciting field day, the pit in my stomach is beginning- the pit that usually comes creeping in as the end of the school year draws close.<br />
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I always am in awe that I am given the opportunity to be a teacher. That I get to spend my days with the most precious gifts and learn with and from them. That I get to be a part of their lives. That I get to be a stepping stone on their path. That I get to know them deeply and that I get to love them. Any child I teach will forever have an impact on my life. It still is something that, when I get the quiet moments to reflect, can take my breath away. I get to be a part of <i>lives</i>. Lives that will one day change the world.<br />
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Where have all the school days gone<br />
As time is passing<br />
Where have all the school days gone<br />
It pains me so<br />
Where have all the school days gone<br />
Gone to summer, every one<br />
Hearts that I know and love<br />
Hearts that have forever changed mine.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-11897053614425294092015-03-20T14:58:00.002-07:002015-03-20T15:07:06.528-07:00Short and Sweet Reflection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Days like today and weeks like this past week are ones I want to capture and remember always. This week we learned about four different types of energy- sound, heat, light, and electrical. And now...on this rainy Friday afternoon...I feel like I have been zapped of any energy that I have! :)<br />
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However, in reflection, I feel so thankful for a career where I get to laugh and grow with children who constantly make me smile. Examples from today:<br />
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This morning at our school pep rally, our principal commented on how there are only 9 weeks left of school (which, honestly, is crazy) and everyone in the gym starts cheering and hollering and I am watching my kids, thinking they will join suit. And I kid you not when I say this. Not one of them does. I watched as they sat there pretty motionless on the floor, save a few shoulder sags. And, get this- 3 or so of them actually turned around to catch my eye and gave me a sad face. What this tells me is that I have achieved one of my top goals as a teacher this year- <i>for my children to love learning and love coming to school.</i> For a teacher of gifted students, this is a huge undertaking, and from the reactions I witnessed today, I felt victory.<br />
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Later today I go to pick up my students from lunch and the cafeteria monitor stops me as I'm walking to pick them up. She's giggling a bit as she's talking to me, but I don't catch on until I turn around and finally see what her laughter is hinting about. Backstory: You see, my kids have started to really like to surprise me on random occasions. They are always looking for ways to catch me off guard or play harmless little surprise tricks on me. And we always just end up laughing, a lot, and I can't help but feel all warm inside of my soul because it's 1) so awesome that they feel comfortable enough with me and they care enough about the relationship we have to where they would want to have these little "inside-joke" moments together, and 2) because they clearly are thinking of ways to make me and one another laugh or smile throughout the day, which shows a lot about the growing selflessness of their hearts. We talk a lot about being selfless in here, and thinking of others- not only ourselves.<br />
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Anyway, I turn around from the monitor and see them all pretending to be asleep, every single one of them, in different positions laying their heads down and pretend-snoozing at the tables. I play along and say something to the affect of, "What's going on here?!" and they all respond "SURPRISE! We got you!" and they are all giggling and laughing and smiling and I can't help but do it, too. And we happily move along.<br />
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We love one another so much and have become such a little family in here. Our days aren't perfect, but that's what makes them good, because if you're perfect you can't GROW. And our days are packed full of growth and learning.<br />
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I am still in disbelief that I get to be their teacher.</div>
Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-61448173406009097782015-03-15T13:07:00.002-07:002015-03-15T13:13:53.544-07:00Giftedness: A Deeper Look at the Controversial Label<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Good afternoon, everyone! I am writing to you from my little duplex in Fort Worth, Texas on this cool, cloudy day in March. I am still waiting and longing for elongated periods of sunshine. The past few weeks with insane winter weather and rain have been so dark and gloomy. I'm ready for a change! There is something about sunshine and sunlight that speaks to my soul. It allows me to come alive, as if I've been in hibernation and now is the time to awaken. It also reminds me of the eternal light that I will one day experience.<br />
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There were a few comments posted on one of my previous blog posts that I haven't been able to shake since. I decided they were the perfect comments to spark another piece of writing about a topic that really gets the gears in my mind turning in regards to giftedness.<br />
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The comments argued and proposed that the label "gifted and talented" is detrimental to the labeled child and to other non-labeled children, is elitist and misinforming, and that such a label ought not to exist. The comments also suggested that giftedness is something that is merely the outcome of growing up in a privileged home where parents or caregivers had the opportunity to expose their children early to learning and thus gave them opportunities that other less-privileged children were not given.<br />
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So this urges the following questions: Is giftedness/gifted-and-talented-ness a label that is understood by others? What does "giftedness" or being "gifted and talented" suggest or mean? Is giftedness something developed due to the environment you are raised in, or is it something innate within a human being?<br />
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Before opening up all of these cans of worms, I would like to ask for us all to broaden and open our minds and view this conversation through multiple perspectives. I also would like to remind you that I am no expert, nor am I a person who has done deep, in-depth psychological studies at a doctorate degree level. I am simply a highly-gifted adult who is a teacher of the highly-gifted, who spends all of my days Monday-Friday from 7:30-3:30 with highly-gifted children, and thus my expertise solely derives from the fact that I daily have hands-on experience with this type of child, this type of learner, this type of thinker, this type of creator, this type of doer...and that I myself was and am what they are.<br />
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The label of "giftedness" or being "gifted and talented" is a tricky one that I'd like to unpack with you. When a child is labeled as such, it simply means that they show a general intellectual ability- a way of thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning, whether critically, analytically, creatively, intuitively- that is higher or more advanced than their same aged peers. What it does NOT mean is that they are the highest readers or mathematicians in the class. What is does NOT mean is that they are the students with the highest grades or the ones on stage as a valedictorian. (Can a gifted child be the highest reader or valedictorian?, yes, they can, but <b><i>giftedness does not necessitate high achievement</i></b>.) Thus, when a child shows a way of thinking and processing the world that is extraordinarily different than that of their same-aged peers, they are given the label of giftedness. Gifted = a different way of thinking and processing the world around you.<br />
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I think that the label "gifted and talented" is deeply misunderstood by others, whether they are educators, parents, siblings, or friends. Children labeled gifted and talented DOES NOT mean that they are the smart ones, the better ones, or the only ones with gifts and talents, and that someone who is not identified as "GT" has nothing to offer the world. Far, far from it. There are gifts and talents, passions and interests, things that motivate and move us all in different ways, and as humans not one of us is created the same way as someone else. We are all unique, and just because a child is not identified as "gifted and talented" does not mean they do not have gifts or talents or specific areas of strength.<br />
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I honestly was sitting here trying to think of a better label or term for giftedness, but in many of the ideas that popped up the definition could fall short. I agree that the term and the label can be misleading and suggest that someone without that label has no gifts or talents, so maybe there's just blame in the name, but for now, that's the term that our society uses, and I think we need to learn to call a spade a spade. <u>The term exists to identify children with certain educational needs so that they will be given opportunities to have those needs met</u>, and that needs to be communicated better. I also think that teachers and parents of the gifted need to truly acknowledge what the distinction means and teach their children what it means, so that all involved can talk about it and approach it in a humble, understanding way. When children who are GT are using it to put down or belittle others, or when students who are GT are told their whole lives that they aren't living up to their label, we have a real problem with what giftedness really is. We are seeing it as something it's not, and we are using it to cause division or wrongly motivate a person to achieve or do better. We also have a real problem in communicating what it is to others, and feelings or comments that exude elitism exist because of poor communication.<br />
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This is something that the program I work for aims to redirect as it works with gifted children and their families. We are trying to better define what giftedness is and means for all involved, and to teach the children in the program what it means to be gifted and how to cope with it as they grow up. We discuss things with them such as humility, confidence, empathy, viewing things through multiple perspectives, emotionality/sensitivity, and viewing mistakes as opportunities for growth and learning. We are trying to knock down the widespread belief that gifted children are high-achieving, extremely self-motivated, the ones who go above-and-beyond what is expected, the ones who never experience defeat or struggle, the ones who have the easy road, the ones who always get things the first time, the ones who don't have to try or work as hard...because all of those are myths. Spend a day in a class full of them, and you will quickly see that all of those are beliefs held by society that hold zero water.<br />
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My response to situations that I hear of children being put down or hurt because they are not "gifted" or "special" is that the school, students, teachers, and parents are misrepresenting what giftedness is, and what a pull-out program is for. It is not a program for the children who are better than everyone else, or smarter than everyone else. It is, or ought to be, a program that engages a gifted thinker and meets the educational needs that a gifted child has due to the way they think and process. Just like we have pull-out programs or integrated specialists that work with children with their speech, or dyslexia, or a learning disability, or programs that allow students to "telescope" by jumping ahead a grade or two in mathematics because they are ahead of their grade-level curriculum, all of those opportunities are designed to meet children where they are and give them the educational support to grow and improve and have their own specific learning needs met. There is no difference in a gifted and talented program- it is meant to achieve the same goal, to meet the needs of a gifted thinker and learner and help them grow and improve.<br />
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As to the question of whether giftedness is something developed through an upbringing of privilege or something innate, I would like to present the following argument. The first four years of my teaching career were spent teaching first grade at a low-income, Title 1 campus. The students I taught largely came from single-parent or blended families and backgrounds of poverty (not all, but the majority). These were children that had been in and out of foster homes, living with grandparents or distant aunts or their fourth father figure, taking care of themselves because no adult was ever around to cook them dinner or give them a bath. These were children who would come to school hungry, who hadn't eaten since lunch at school the day before. Some were children whose parents hadn't graduated high school, or whose parents were unable to teach early literacy due to language barriers. Like I said earlier, this was true not for all, but for many of the children that came through our doors. Children who were not born to privilege, did not get the opportunity of being taught early at home how to read or write, whose first time holding a pencil or a crayon was day 1 of kindergarten. And yet...there were gifted thinkers among them. Children who saw and processed the world in a unique, gifted way. Children who had extremely advanced vocabularies and high-level, curious, deep questions. Giftedness is not something reserved for the elite, for the wealthy, for those with plush or privileged upbringings. It is, in my humble opinion, something a person was created with, a mind that they were given, just as we all are given our unique minds and gifts and talents.<br />
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I could write also arguing against the talent development paradigm of giftedness, but alas, that may be another post for another time. :) As always, thank you for being part of this conversation, and in true conversational fashion, feel free to sound off in the comments your thoughts, questions, or ideas. I promise never to delete a comment that simply disagrees with what I've stated, but I reserve the right to remove ones that are downright hateful, derogatory, crude, or are in no way helpful towards the conversation.<br />
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In conclusion, I hope that the world of giftedness can continue to be explored and explained in ways that others can embrace and accept. Despite the controversial nature of the label, my goal is to help others have a redeemed, honest view and understanding of its meaning, and for the children labeled as such (as well as their parents, teachers, and peers) to understand what it means for themselves.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-59994418275054930252015-02-17T14:29:00.002-08:002015-02-17T17:15:01.029-08:00A Case for Self-Contained, Highly-Gifted Classrooms<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wow. I am tremendously humbled and thankful for all who took time to read my previous post 9 Things I Wish People Knew About Highly Gifted Children. As I was posting it a little over a week ago, I was sitting in my pajamas on my couch at home with a thermometer in my mouth, fighting a sinus infection, and mumbling to my husband, "This will probably be my least read post in a while." Ha!<br />
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It turns out that the topic of gifted and talented education is a hot one. And I would even venture to say that the topic of individualized, differentiated education for all is an even hotter one. I know that sounds so idealistic, and we live in such a realist society- often causing us to feel trapped by the system- and even though I have been a public school teacher for 5 years and have done all that I can to spin the system in a positive way and not put it down, I think that the system largely has failed the outliers. (Outliers further explained below in my bell curve examples)<br />
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However, instead of complaining about the pitfalls of the education system of our country, I want to share with you <i>what my school district is doing</i>. I work for Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District in Texas, and this is my first year in the district (5th year of teaching overall). They are doing incredible things because they are redefining education for our students. There is NO one-size-fits-all in education. Different students = different areas of passion and interest and ability = different opportunities for education available. The ASPIRE Academy for the Highly Gifted is only one of many programs in our district being built to better meet the needs and gifts of our students. You should've seen my jaw drop in disbelief several times when I went through our district new-hire orientation. I couldn't believe the opportunities that this district creates for its children! To check out more about what GCISD is doing, go <a href="http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Page/25284" target="_blank">here</a> or <a href="http://www.gcisd-k12.org/site/Default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=70&PageID=33158&ViewID=7b97f7ed-8e5e-4120-848f-a8b4987d588f&FlexDataID=63420" target="_blank">here</a> or <a href="http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Page/27522" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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What I teach for is the district's ASPIRE Academy, which is a school within a school for the highly gifted. Our academy is in its second year of existence, and our first and fifth grade classes are in its first year of existence in the program. Students from all over the district can apply, and if they are accepted they are bused in from their home campuses to our home school where our academy is housed. They spend their instructional time in a classroom together, but our specials/enrichment classes and recesses are mixed with the other grade level classes at our school. Students can also apply from out-of-district and be accepted into our program, and all they have to do is pay tuition for being out-of-district (which, compared to other private schools in the area, is extremely low). A lot of people often worry that moving schools or being bused from a home school is too hard on a gifted child, but for my personal class, I have not experienced that yet. Our kids are so excited to be at school, and they create new friendships so quickly with their peers that it almost goes by unnoticed.<br />
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Instead of our highly gifted population getting pulled out by a gifted specialist for 2 hours a week (side-note: I am not advocating that these specialist positions do not need to exist, nor am I communicating that their job or role in a school is unnecessary)- our highly gifted population is housed within classrooms that compact curriculum, accelerate content, individualize learning goals, and teach with the gifted child in mind, incorporating gifted instructional strategies and activities that stimulate and challenge the brain while moving up the ladder of higher level thinking in Bloom's Taxonomy. We do it all- we teach the state standards while simultaneously approaching them through a gifted lens, pacing through them as needed. We use Thinking Hats, we use FFOE, we teach and discuss Intellectual Traits, we use choice menus and boards and incorporate independent study into our daily routine, we use Depth and Complexity Icons and learning strategies...we are doing the best we can to infuse the structures and strategies best used for teaching gifted children while at the same time making sure they leave us knowing what they need to do as decided by the state. Whew!<br />
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We don't typically keep our kids in lower-levels of thinking, reporting or telling information, but have them take the things they learn or discover to higher levels, by applying it, synthesizing it, evaluating or creating something new to show their learning and gifts and strengths. Self-led and student-driven, our students take ownership of their learning, and work at a pace that fits their needs. We move quickly, we go deeper, we stretch wider with more complexity, and we cut out all of the fluff stuff. We do things that matter, especially to them- things that intrigue them and play on their interests, things that progress them to the next level of thinking, things that they don't groan about or say "I already know this." If we ever get to something they have already mastered, we assess that and quickly move on- we don't expect them to stay there. The freedom we are given to do these things in our classroom keeps our students engaged, learning at new levels and learning new content, and I am excited to say that none of my students have ever told me that they are bored in our room.<br />
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GCISD has recognized the need for a specialized program and classroom like this, and they didn't stop at it just being an idea- they gave that idea life. And now, because of people who gave it life, we are serving about 90 highly gifted students in our academy whose needs are daily being met.<br />
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It's not about being elitist- sometimes people think that putting gifted children in their own category or in their own room can be, but think of it this way. A bell curve measuring general intellectual ability (GIA) has a mean/average score of 100, scores within the average range being that of 85-115. A child with a learning disability typically falls below the 70-85 range, two standard deviations below the mean or greater. These children are served in ways that aide them in learning alongside of their disability, with best fit practices and specialists and classrooms and curriculum designed for their needs.<br />
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On the other side of the bell curve, two standard deviations away from the mean, are gifted children. A gifted child typically has a GIA of 130 or higher, and a <i>highly gifted</i> child has a GIA of 140+. This highly gifted population is who our academy serves. These are the children that are already designing airports in foreign countries and researching issues about cancer and leukemia and playing the piano like a college student. These are the children who encompass that list of 9 attributes in my previous post so fiercely that it begs a separate classroom for them to thrive in. It begs a separate classroom for them to learn alongside their intellectual peers, challenge one another, and not be forgotten or underserved because of all the other needs in the classroom.<br />
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I would know- I taught regular first grade for four years. With all of the needs thrown into a single classroom, and with students in your room on every point of the bell curve explained above, the task of differentiation and individualization is one of near impossibility. You do the best you can, but at some point during the day, every day, there is at least 1 child whose needs aren't being met. There is at least 1 child who isn't being challenged enough, who isn't being helped or scaffolded enough, who isn't being motivated enough, and so on. It's just...the truth. You can work yourself blue in the face, stay until 10pm every night, but you will nearly kill yourself trying. (I have.) It's because of this sad reality that gifted children are often not getting their needs met. They usually are given the same work, assignments, tasks, readings, etc. as other children (and respond to these things in different ways- obediently or begrudgingly, yet the reality that they remain unchallenged still exists), sit through the same lessons as everyone else, and maybe they might have some small project on the side or a bumped up math workshop game, but the <i>bulk</i> of their instructional day is not on their intellectual level. I know this because <i>I've been there. </i>I'm not judging other teachers in the regular classroom and picking at them, writing about what they are and aren't doing well, because I know they do all that they can. I don't blame them- it would be like blaming a stay-at-home-mom for not seeing one child getting into all of the art supplies and drawing on the walls because she was in the other room changing another child's diaper. Sometimes you just can't be everything, and things happen. I just know this to be the case because I've been in that place, and it's just an impossible task to challenge a gifted child <u><b><i>all</i> <i>day long, in content, process, and product- not just one of those, but in all three</i></b></u>. Not to mention, some state laws of response to intervention (RtI) say that a teacher with struggling students must work with those students individually or in a small group 30 minutes per day at least 4 days per week (sometimes more) that is outside of the normal small group reading or math time- and state laws mostly adhere to spending additional time with those struggling with content, not excelling beyond it. There aren't laws in place for X amount of time spent per week challenging a gifted child. And, because our gifted children are seen as "okay" and the ones not struggling, they get less of our teacher time. Struggling students receive the most of a teacher's time in any given day, and it's not that they don't need it- but what about the rest? (Side note: Sometimes our gifted children are <i>also </i>struggling students in various content areas. Remember, giftedness does not equal high achieving. However, even a struggling gifted child has different ways their needs could be met, and it does not mean that they struggle in every academic area.)<br />
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Imagine how much farther, deeper, wider a gifted child could go if they received 30 minutes of individual or small group instruction on their academic/cognitive level per day- outside of normal small group reading or math time- just to focus on their individual needs as a gifted child. And that's just 30 minutes per day! Now imagine how much farther, deeper, and wider a gifted child could go if they received their <i><u><b>entire instructional day</b></u></i> on their academic and cognitive, intellectual level <i>with peers on their similar level</i> so that a teacher can move them all along at an accelerated, exciting pace. <i>That's what my colleagues and I get to do everyday for our students. </i><br />
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The reason I write this is because many of the comments pulled at my heartstrings and lit a fire within me- and I do feel like God has given me more of a platform to speak out due to the unusual and rare nature of what I am getting to do in this specialized classroom. Programs like ours just don't really exist in a widespread way. You can find a few here and there- in North Texas, we've located 3- and my hope is that hearing about our program lights a fire within you to make a change in your local district or school, or present it as an idea that also could be given life. I pray that more programs like ours can exist to better serve the needs of our gifted thinkers.<br />
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In the meantime...what do we do? I know of gifted specialists that work tirelessly to meet the needs of the gifted children at their campuses. I know that it isn't necessarily enough for these children, but it <i>is </i>a gift that they are there to serve students in whatever way they can. I also know that many enrichment programs and opportunities for learning outside of the regular school day exist in many districts. Yes, it's still not enough...it doesn't solve the problem...and I wish I had a better answer beyond that. I also know that there is a long way to go for all types of learners- there is no argument here on that point- but since I teach gifted children, I am focusing my writing on them. I bet that many out there teach in specialized settings or programs that better serve dyslexia or learning disabilities, or that have thoughts on how it could be better. I encourage you to write or speak out, too- start designing and dreaming and putting your ideas out there to others who alongside of you will breathe life into them.<br />
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I plan on writing more posts in response to the many comments received on my last post, not to mention writing more about exciting things going on in my classroom and life- that is still very important to me, because really this blog started as a reflection tool for my teaching and personal life, and I don't want to stray too far away from that. But now that I have received many thoughtful questions and insight from others across the globe, one thing is for certain- I need to keep writing about gifted education. I invite you to continue to tune in, but to kindly remember that I do not claim to be an expert on any of this, nor do I claim to know how it all works. This is only my first year on this journey of being an exclusive teacher of the gifted (and it sure has been a new + exciting one!), but I do not claim to know all of the answers. So-- if you would like to travel alongside me on this path-- please accept that I am a broken, imperfect woman who is working on dying to myself everyday instead of striving to be perfect; who is trying to be faithful with what God has given me; who is trying to be a voice advocating for this misunderstood group of humankind.<br />
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If you teach for or know of a program like ours, reach out to me in the comments below. We are dying to collaborate and communicate with teachers teaching in exclusive gifted academies or schools. If you just would like to add to the conversation, continue to post. My students blog in our classroom and they love the thrill of receiving a comment- it means that their voice was heard, and someone took the time to read what they have to say and is sharing back. I shamelessly admit to the same thrill. It's not a self-defining thing, as if I define a post's worth on the amount of comments it receives, but it is an exhilarating thing to <i>communicate globally about global ideas</i> and learn from others around the world. I learned so much and was able to reflect greatly on giftedness thanks to the input of others!<br />
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Now it is time for me to get ready for tomorrow's day of learning. We only have a half day due to student-led conferences in the afternoon, but I am super excited for what we have in store this week and next. I will tell you about one thing the students and I are <i>pumped </i>about and then I will go- we are spending the next two weeks on a Dr. Seuss Book <a href="http://challonge.com/seussbooks" target="_blank">Challonge</a> Tournament (yes, "Challonge" is spelled correctly- that's the name of the web site; it's a strategy I heard about from Ian <a href="http://www.byrdseed.com/" target="_blank">Byrd</a> at the TAGT conference and tweaked to fit our study). We created a bracket of 8 Dr. Seuss books and are having them compete against one another until the students determine a final winner. Students have to respond to each match-up and write a statement of which book should win and why, using reasoning and text evidence. As books advance to the semi-finals, the statements written by the children will get longer as they defend their choices, and for the final match-up, their argument of why they chose their particular winner will be done in one of an array of writing choices, such as a dice poem or acrostic or couplets or important-book style (help with ideas from my campus gifted specialist). Also, whatever book wins in their individual bracket they will then go deeper with as they choose from a tic-tac-toe menu of Depth and Complexity higher-level activities I created. They will also construct a life-size painting of one of the book's characters to go in the hall for our first grade Dr. Seuss Parade at the school. Whew! We also are learning about public officials currently in social studies and researching their different roles and responsibilities, comparing and contrasting them and then picking one office to run for- the students are designing their own individual campaigns that will explain why you would vote for them, what they would do while in office, and how they would change their city/state/country for the better.<br />
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Okay- I know I just wrote about two things instead of one- but there are lots of fun things buzzing around here in ASPIRE! Once again, I am thankful for the days I get to spend with these children, I am thankful for the gift of children, I am thankful for education, and I am thankful for a district who thought "outside-the-box" for its students to redefine what education looks like.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-5718328548808890252015-02-07T15:56:00.003-08:002015-02-09T12:22:07.883-08:009 Things I Wish People Knew About Highly-Gifted Children<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This year I embarked on a new journey, a first of its kind in many ways- to teach a self-contained class of identified highly-gifted and talented first graders. They don't get pulled out by a gifted specialist 2 hours a week- they spend all of their school days, Monday-Friday, in a classroom together, homogeneously grouped and challenged with their highly-gifted peers. In this little class of 11 students, we learn, we challenge ourselves, and we grow. Here are a few things I have learned over the years of teaching pockets of gifted children, but things that I have more clearly defined opinions about since I started teaching this unique demographic this year.<br />
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1. They often feel misunderstood...and they often don't even understand themselves.<br />
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2. Their development is asynchronous- meaning that just because their cognitive and intellectual development is off the charts, that doesn't mean that other parts of their development (social, emotional) have caught up.<br />
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3. That being said, they are more emotional than most children their age- meaning, that they feel things, think things, and experience things much more deeply, differently, than a child their age should. They internalize everything, connect everything, and are quick to remember- slow to forget.<br />
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4. They have <i>very</i> specific areas of interest and passion, and love when others cultivate those things in them rather than try to drive or squish it out of them. And, if you can connect anything they do to their interests or passions, chances are, they will enjoy it more and be more willing to do it. (For example, my student doesn't want to write an Eric Carle pattern book? Well, what if it was about Minecraft? Sea animals? Argentina? Bingo- now they are writing, because you tapped into their interest.)<br />
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5. They don't need to be told, "You are so smart!" They need to be encouraged for the process they take to get somewhere, for their effort and perseverance through a task, for their ability to view mistakes as learning opportunities rather than extreme failure and loss. When they are told their whole lives how smart they are, the moment they struggle with something it is an identity crisis for them- they utterly break down and are so hard on themselves, because since they are smart, they should be able to do it, right? No...they struggle like anyone else, and they don't know everything- so the more we do to help them understand the value of effort, endurance, patience, and growth- the better.<br />
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6. When they say things kind of off-hand and bluntly, or interrupt you when you are telling them about something, or are honest to the point of brutal- they really aren't trying to be mean or disrespectful. They are just honest and extremely literal, can be quick-witted due to the constant connections they are making in their brains, and love sharing the world inside said brain with you. So the next time one catches you off-guard with a brunt of a comment or correction or observation, breathe, count to 3, and address them patiently. They really weren't trying to upset you or overstep your authority- they are just expressing their little creative, wheel-turning minds. This is something I've learned through experience this year with my students, that they aren't often trying to cross boundaries but rather are just wanting to share.<br />
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7. They have their own amazing ideas- and they would love the freedom to use, share, implement, and try them out. Sometimes these children can feel caged in by being told what they have to do to achieve a goal or show their learning, and often they have their own ideas of how they want to show you what they know! That's why student choice is so important. Sometimes I can barely let the learning standard or "I Can" statement leave my mouth before they have ideas flowing about how they want to work towards said standard. The thing is, highly-gifted children have their own ideas and innovative ways about how they want to explore and experience the world around them- and they need to be able to have the choice and voice to do so. Within boundaries of course, but these kids need the freedom to work towards a goal or a learning standard in a way that works best for them, or a path that they themselves pave.<br />
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For example: (first grade learning standards- origins of holidays and celebrations of Thanksgiving, reading fluency, listening/speaking skills)<br />
Me: We are going to read a Reader's Theatre about the First Thanksgiving. I've already highlighted your parts for you to make it easier to see when it's your turn to read.<br />
Students: *do a first read through of their parts*<br />
Students: *glance around at one another quietly*<br />
Student: "This...isn't a very long play. We don't have many lines."<br />
Other students: "Yeah, we agree. Can we write two new scenes to the play and create props, costumes, and sets for it to perform for our parents?"<br />
...and thus, a play was born. AND they were amazing.<br />
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Or, take this example:<br />
Student: "Mrs. Rubinson, on Read-and-Roll I rolled a 6, and it says to write a review of the book or chapter after I'm done...can I create a catchy advertisement for the book on my iPad using PicCollage that reviews the book and tells others why they should read it?"<br />
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8. Just because they are highly-gifted doesn't necessarily mean they are high-achieving. It just means they think and see the world differently- mostly through making connections.<br />
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9. They still need their parents, teachers, coaches, friends...they may be capable of much, but they still need leaders in their life to facilitate, scaffold, love, and guide them. A more open-minded and creative approach ought to be used when dealing with highly-gifted children in order for their creativity and ideas and dreams to bloom and grow, and, like #1 up there says, they often feel misunderstood and don't often understand themselves- so they need the people in their lives to be their biggest fans.<br />
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I love that I get the opportunity to teach, love, shape, instruct, guide, mold, influence, and develop first grade highly-gifted children. I love what they have taught me so far about their little worlds and minds, and I love getting to share it with you.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com147tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-57273571932338201032015-01-25T16:17:00.000-08:002015-01-25T18:54:51.094-08:00What Worked and Didn't Work in 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On this windy but sunny Sunday, I am on my couch curled up with a cable-knit blanket, a cup of tea, and a thermometer as I anxiously check my temperature every half hour or so. Missing school tomorrow will be tough, since my room isn't totally ready for a substitute. That's what lesson planning on the weekends has come to- a feeling of unpreparedness and a bit of scrambling on Monday mornings. Without an ASPIRE team to plan first grade lessons with, these things take a lot more time than usual- but it is definitely something I want to aim for + change this year.<br />
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As I reflect on 2014, I think back on a year full of change, hardship, bottom-of-the-barrel-ness, and submission. I daily had to submit to the will of God to not take me out of the pit I was in, and see it as his love and goodness towards me. You see, God had a lot to teach me- and I had to be in the pit to learn it.<br />
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<b><u>What Worked in 2014:</u></b><br />
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-<i>Biblical counseling</i>. I had never been to counseling before, and always felt that I wasn't weak or low enough to seek it out. Last year I battled those feelings as Andrew and I embarked on a journey towards healing and redemption with my anxiety and depression. I could not be more thankful for the time spent with our counselor as he pushed us towards Jesus, asked me hard questions, gave me amazing resources that spoke truth and volumes to me, and helped me move positively towards joy and believing that Christ is sufficient for my life. I realized how little I actually believed that, and it has been life-changing to know that Christ IS sufficient for my life- he is good, and I don't have to look elsewhere for satisfaction. And, the fact that he is good, means that he is also FOR my good- that anything that comes in my life is God's goodness towards me, even trial and tribulation, hardship and tears. God is good and he is for me, not against me, and clinging to this truth has been water to my soul.<br />
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-<i>Reflective conversations with coworkers</i>. Whether it was my old team at Foster Village, endless afternoons of bouncing ideas and thoughts off of my friend Jessica, or problem solving in my liaison Jeanette's office, reflective conversations held a lot of weight in my growth, mindset, mind shift, and learning last year. I was able to get out of my own head and let my thoughts and reflections fly, and had amazing friends to receive them and help me sort through them.<br />
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-<i>Moving schools/changing jobs</i>. It was a difficult transition at first, one that made me question everything I had done- had I made the right choice? Was this really for me? I had left Foster Village in a pretty fragile state, and the school year I was leaving behind had been my most difficult one yet. I loved my students at FVE, but this past year left me wondering if the teaching profession was truly for me. The passion and zeal I had once had was zapped after last year, and I spent the summer and time in counseling picking up the pieces. Needless to say, when I had moved I realized how much I missed all the students and relationships I had built at Foster Village despite the hardships, and I felt quite lonely as I began my journey as a Glenhope Gator. The position I have is in its first year of existence, and nothing like it exists nearby- which creates isolation + a feeling of being on my own island. I also had nothing to springboard off of, as no teacher had blazed this trail before me. I wasn't sure that this was the dream job I had signed up for, and I spent from August-November in this back-and-forth pendulum state of being as I dug into every resource + book + blog that I could to stay afloat. However, as the months passed and I came to absolutely love and treasure my students, it was in December that I called Jessica and told her, "It is back! My passion for teaching is back! I love being a teacher!" I think the first few months at Glenhope were reminiscent of my first year as a teacher in general- just laying groundwork and creating everything from scratch, but as I have grown this year I have learned where to look, what to prioritize, how to meet my kids' needs, and how to just plain enjoy my days with children in the classroom again. Moving schools was the change I needed to "begin again" (T Swift reference- one of many to come in this blog) and stretch my wings to see what I was truly capable of as a teacher. This job requires a lot of independence and critical thinking, creativity + problem solving + innovation to try to meet the educational and social/emotional needs of highly gifted students, but I have come to see that I am exactly where I am supposed to be, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else at this time. It's fascinating to be around these children who think and respond to things like I do, to see the world through a gifted lens and always want to explore + go deeper with things. I feel like I get to be the teacher I've always wanted to be when I am with them. So, despite the workload and the late nights, moving schools worked for me (and Andrew) in 2014. It helped my passion for teaching to return and it also helped our marriage in that I wasn't so distraught and distracted by the daily ongoings of school that I couldn't function or be present when I was at home.<br />
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-<a href="http://www.un-fancy.com/" target="_blank"><i>Un-Fancy</i></a>. My friend Caroline Joy Rector is the author + creator of this amazing minimalist fashion blog and I have so much to thank her for. Not only has she helped me better budget + plan for my wardrobe, but her philosophies have spilled over into many areas of my life. For one, she has helped me to find and feel confident about my personal style, while being minimalist and not breaking the bank for clothing. As I followed her step-by-step process in building a capsule wardrobe, emptied my closet full of things that I never wore or felt-guilty-for getting-rid-of-but-I-would-really-never-wear-it-again type pieces, and discovered what clothing made me feel like ME- I now get up in the mornings to get ready for school or my day and have a choice of clothing that I absolutely love and feel best in, all with the purpose of having less but feeling like you've always got something to wear. Secondly, it has really helped Andrew and me as we look at our finances: I allow myself to shop for one season at a time, sticking to a budget, and then not shop for another 3 months until the next season rolls around. Win-win for both of us- I find a few new pieces for my wardrobe and he is happy that we stuck to a friendly amount. Lastly, un-fancy has also helped me battle comparisons and those self-imposed standards and fears that I put on myself and think that others are judging me for. I had a friend message me today as she was shopping for diaper bags for her soon-to-be little one, and she said: "I know it's striped...and I have so many things with stripes. But I am taking the advice from your fashion blogger and embracing that I love stripes, stripes are me, and it's ok to have lots of things with stripes!" Visit Caroline's blog (link above) if you are interested to know more.<br />
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-<i>The eldership process.</i> Andrew spent the last full year going through our church's candidacy for pastor eldership, and I was able to join him for many of the steps along the way. Whether it was at a training or equipping meeting, a night of fellowship and getting to know other pastor-elders at the church, or sitting beside him as he struggled through and grew through his assignments, I loved being able to support my husband in his calling. Andrew has felt the call to pastor a church since he became a believer at the age of 18, and 10 years later things are beginning to come to fruition. This process also strengthened our marriage as we were asked many tough questions and had to reflect on our relationship constantly. The pastor-elders of The City Church have been so gracious to us, and now Andrew is officially installed as a pastor-elder as of last week. We are both thankful for the growth we are both experiencing as he steps into this role.<br />
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-<i>YOGA!</i> In 2014 I took a yoga class over the summer and fell in love with yoga forever. I take classes at Karmany Yoga on Hulen, and the classes can be the best parts of my week. Sometimes accompanied by my friend Erin and sometimes alone, yoga was the exercise method I had been craving and looking for. I had tried gym memberships that never got used, and honestly, getting on a machine or lifting weights was one of the least appealing things I could think of doing. I knew I needed to stay in shape and keep my heart healthy and build muscle, but how was I going to do that in a way that didn't make me cringe? The power yoga classes I go to do just that. I get to build + lengthen + strengthen muscles, stretch + build flexibility, and slow down after a long day or long week. I am a proud yogi, and I love it.<br />
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<b><u>What Didn't Work in 2014</u></b><br />
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-<i>Time management</i>. This stretches over many, many pockets of our life. My inability to manage time well in general makes this one particularly hard for me. We did not manage our time well in balancing time spent with family vs. friends (both of our immediate families are local, as well as our church family- and that's a lot to balance). We did not manage our time well in balancing time with others vs. ourselves (our calendar filled up so quickly each week, and we were often left without even one night alone to spend together). We did not manage our time well in balancing alone time- I am more of an introvert who, after spending all of my days with children and others, needs time to write, play music, read, go to yoga, sit at a coffee shop, and just decompress...where as Andrew is more of an extrovert, always wanting to be together or with others, and doesn't need as much alone time since he works at a desk all day and is often alone. We did not manage our time well in balancing work vs. play- there would be many-a-time when assignments for church or lesson plans or things we needed to get done were overpowered by time for play and recreation, but then on the flip-side, there would be many-a-time where assignments + work + lesson plans were over-prioritized and we went for a full week without any rest or time for fun. Overall, time management is a big goal for us in 2015.<br />
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-<i>My over-worked summer</i>. When school is out, a teacher really just needs to rest up for the next school year. I know that people often judge teachers for having a full 2 months off in the summertime, but it is so. necessary. I love everything summer: pools, water, sun, towels, sunscreen, being outside, parks, just everything summer. I feel like Olaf in that I could probably write a song myself about how much I love summer! And this past summer, I did not get to fully enjoy the season I love the most because I honestly worked for most of it. Truthfully, I love my friends, and I love their kids, and I love serving and helping them out- but I was exhausted last summer. I had originally set aside 2 weeks in June for teaching swimming lessons, and I don't want to seem ungrateful for what did happen because it was more than I expected and I was honored to do it- but what was supposed to be 2 weeks grew to 5 weeks, and what was only 2 weeks of swimming lessons turned to 5 weeks of swimming lessons + nannying my friend's kids across town 2-3 days per week. And then July rolled around and I had 5 weeks straight of training for my new job, and then school started. So, I did not get to really rest or recreate last summer, and I was beat when school began. As much as I love teaching swim to my friends' precious kiddos, it was a good/hard lesson in learning my capacity and when to say no.<br />
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-<i>Chasing perfectionism and control. </i>See that word up there? It's one of my words for 2015. I want to CHASE after my Jesus. I want to CHASE after the things that bring me life, not death. Most of the anxiety and depression I dealt with last year come down to these two things. Chasing them does not bring life. Chasing them does not bring joy. Chasing them is going against what God says is true: that Christ is made perfect in my weakness, and when I am weak then HE is strong; that God is sovereign over all things, and through him and to him and for him are all things, who could be his counselor?, who knows the mind of the Lord?; that I am to not boast in anything but the death and resurrection of Jesus; that I am an imperfect sinner who has been called and made righteous through Christ, and that Christ lives in me and I in him. None of those life-giving truths cater to chasing perfectionism and control. Not one. All that chasing those things did for me was drive me into a deeper pit and create more disbelief. Things I am still learning and fighting today.<br />
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My reflective Sunday is now coming to a close, and I need to rest up and watch a lot of Lost this afternoon to kick the low-grade fever I'm experiencing. I challenge and ask you these things: What worked or didn't work for you in 2014?<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-61289280355919371702015-01-19T14:35:00.000-08:002015-01-19T14:45:17.702-08:00"Done is Better Than Perfect"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Good afternoon! I am writing to you from my little tranquil historic home in Fort Worth, Texas, as the sun is peeking through the blinds and Ed Sheeran is gracefully crooning over my computer speakers. Today is MLK, Jr. holiday, and my fellow coworkers and I have the blessing to stay home and enjoy this beautiful day in January, where the temperature is 71 degrees and the sky is a periwinkle blue. I love days like today, where I get to just stay in my pajamas and slippers all day, sip hot herbal tea, see my husband on his lunch break, not put on a stitch of makeup, and just have some time to enjoy breathing, living, and thinking. Oh boy, do I do a lot of thinking on these kinds of days.<br />
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Some days of thinking are healthier and more productive than others. Some days of thinking leave me in a big ball of stress or self-doubt. Today is one of those thinking days that is the former- healthy, productive, and positive.<br />
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I have spent the past 5 hours or so once again rearranging my class's scope and sequence for the rest of the year, planning out a PBL on historical figures in the US, contacting a teacher in Pennsylvania about Skypeing with her class to share information about our beloved states, and creating several documents to go along with everything. This year has been such a whirlwind of trying to combine elements of Gifted/Talented education and strategies into the Texas state standards and expectations. I have clung to my precious Bloom's Taxonomy verb charts and higher-level question stems, built a PLN on Twitter to connect with other educators across the world for their expertise, filled journals with pages and pages of ideas- to only then be frustrated to have to choose between the ideas!- and spent many dear hours piecing together units that try to be as cross-curricular as possible. Evidence below:<br />
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I have learned so much this year, and have grown tremendously as an educator. I admit that some days are easier than others, when I revel in the fact that I get the chance to use my own innovativeness and creativity to create learning experiences for my students that I would have loved as a child. Some days I wonder if the work will ever end. Sometimes the thought that I have so far to go and so much to do and build can paralyze me into inaction. I then don't take any steps forward, and end up even more behind than before.<br />
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But the other day I saw this when perusing <a href="http://laracasey.com/blog/" target="_blank">Lara Casey's blog</a>, as well as a blog by my friend <a href="http://caseychappell.com/" target="_blank">Casey Chappell</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="color: purple; font-size: large;">DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT</span></b></div>
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And my life, once again, was changed.</div>
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So often as a woman, wife, friend, and teacher, I think that everything I do needs to be done perfectly. And sometimes, this disables me from doing anything at all. I find that if I can't do it to the fullest extent that it could be, I shy away from doing it completely- and time passes, days go by, and I still haven't done it. This manifests itself in so many ways in my life.</div>
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"I can't sit down and write music...I won't have enough time to make it a good song." "I can't start the laundry...I won't have enough time to fold it all so it won't have any wrinkles." "I can't cook that meal...it won't taste as good as that blogger made it taste." "I can't teach this unit...I don't have a perfect lesson plan stuffed with higher-level Bloom's questions and GT strategies and Thinking Hats and FFOE and art/writing/any connections and I won't do this topic justice..."</div>
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Sigh. Paralyzed from taking any action. But now...I recognize that getting things DONE is better than getting them done PERFECTLY. Because, frankly, I'm teaching myself this as I write it- nothing ever will be, or can be, perfect. Ever.</div>
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Getting things DONE doesn't mean that I do them half-way or in an incomplete, lazy fashion. I get them done to the best of my ability and celebrate the fact that I at least tried. I at least completed the task, put in my best effort, and am moving forward.</div>
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This, my friends, is my theme for 2015. Make it Happen. Done is better than perfect. It is <i>so growth mindset-</i> don't you think? We can't keep growing if we are stuck in the same place disabled by our own perfectionism or self-imposed standards. Growth happens when we make things happen. Despite them being imperfect.</div>
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My colleague and saving grace this year, Jeanette, taught me about Growth Mindset, a philosophy created by Carol Dweck, earlier this year on the second day of school when I was crying hopelessly in her office. Growth mindset has utterly and indefinitely changed my life forever. You see, the whole idea is that we as humans are continually growing and changing. Where we are now is not where we will always be. The lesson we screwed up on today isn't the measure of us as a teacher- it doesn't mean that we are terrible and should never teach again. The fight I had with my husband isn't the measure of our marriage- it doesn't mean that things are in disrepair and that we will never come out of it, or that I am a failure as a wife. </div>
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No, these minor setbacks, these mistakes, these experiences, are all to serve the purpose of helping us to GROW. That lesson I messed up in the classroom? Because of it, I now know: What to not do in the future, what TO DO in the future instead, and how to change or tweak the lesson to be more successful. Now the next time I teach it, it will be better. That fight I had with Andrew? Because of it, I now know: what hurts Andrew and what to avoid doing in the future, ways I can love and respect Andrew better, things I need to repent for and ask for forgiveness for, and a deeper appreciation for him as my spouse.</div>
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Growth. Viewing mistakes and failures as opportunities for growth and change. This not only has changed me as a wife, teacher, and friend, but also as a daughter of the King. He doesn't look down on me with utter disgust and disappointment like I've always wrongly pictured him doing. He looks at me with compassion and love, teaching me and constantly using my sin and failure to conform me into the image of Jesus, gently leading me back as his lost sheep to his grand pasture.</div>
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And honestly, the biggest charge I'm taking from all of this is to "set my mind on things above" and not on things of the earth. Just like Romans 8 tells me, setting my mind on the flesh- death, despair, failure, sin- worry, stress, setbacks, disqualifications, accusations- whenever I set my mind on those things, you bet they sure don't bring me peace. It is when I set my mind on things above- love, hope, growth, sanctification, beauty, trust, rest, life, endurance, perseverance, character, all wrapped up in my beautiful Savior- that is when I do experience true peace that comes from Jesus.</div>
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So, as I continue on this journey of life, growth, and change, I am following Lara Casey's charge to reflect on a few things: What worked in 2014, what didn't work in 2014, and my yes and no list for 2015. I can't wait to post these things as I reflect and think on them all, and for 2015 to be the year where I am no longer paralyzed by inaction, but invigorated and inspired to do, be, create, learn, explore, <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">LIVE</span></b></i>.</div>
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-31550161661854555362015-01-19T13:51:00.001-08:002015-02-13T14:05:27.459-08:00My Night With a First Grader<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Every year, my school has a silent auction to raise money for our school's PTA. The items to bid on do not only include trips to DisneyWorld or massages at a local spa, but the teachers themselves offer up a night out (usually in a group or with a team). Children then have the opportunity to happily bid on an evening spent bowling, getting pedicures, or catching the latest G rated film with the person who earlier that day taught them a math lesson.<br />
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Along with my vertical gifted/talented team, we created a "Game and Movie Night" that children were able to bid on. I remember laughing out of surprise when I received word on who won a night out with me, the ol' teach.<br />
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*Charlie is a student who I can honestly say has the ability to challenge my own thinking while at the same time make me melt into a puddle. He is a bold and bright leader, the kind of kid who can rule the school. All the other kids like him, want to be around him, follow his lead, think he is funny, and so forth. When I go around in a circle each day telling my students individually "good morning" and "I love you," he is the student that doesn't say "I love you" back because it's just not cool for such a cool guy to do so. But every now and then he will let it slip without thinking and quickly cover his mouth and turn bright red and pretend like nothing ever happened. Oh, and his MIND...he is one of the most well-spoken, intellectual children I have ever come across at the age of 7. He has the communication skills of an adult and can explain some of the most intricate topics or define higher-level vocabulary like it's nobody's business. He is just all around a cool kid, and a joy to teach.<br />
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So imagine my surprise when he bid on a night with me! I, not being very cool, got the chance to hang out with this super cool kid along with my coworkers and their winning bidders. I was really excited for the opportunity to get to let loose and have a laid-back night with a student- to see him more in his element without the pressures of school and work and projects and such. The night came, and there Charlie was in the library, waiting for me with a wooden chess board in hand.<br />
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We ate pizza, had lots of chocolate, watched a movie about math (which our highly gifted kids couldn't get over and kept talking about afterwards...no need for Frozen when you have Donald Duck in Mathematics Land, you know), and played hilarious games. And we laughed. A lot. I don't know if I've laughed that hard in a long time. At one point I was actually crying and wiping my eyes. Charlie totally let his walls down too and had a blast with the other children, teachers, and me. And when your student's parent comes to pick him up at 8:30 pm and he says he doesn't want to leave or go home...you silently cheer on the inside because you know that means they find time with you, or time at school, valuable.<br />
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I write about this night on here because I just don't want to forget how <b>cool</b> it was to spend time with a student outside of school hours and just be real in front of them. It made me reflect on how I want to be more "real" and transparent on a daily basis in the classroom, to let my students see the real Mrs. Rubinson- that I am a human being that can laugh, make mistakes and learn from them, have fun and relax and not constantly succumb to the pressures of test scores or perfectionism. I will never forget last school year when one of my students saw me laughing one day and mentioned, "Mrs. Rubinson, you're laughing! I never see you laugh." It struck such a powerful chord with me and I was determined to never let that be the case again. This year, laughing is a daily occurrence in our classroom- I make sure of it- because it's <u>okay</u>. Building relationships and classroom community isn't just about everything being perfectly timed and scheduled, or about rules and expectations constantly being followed to where humor and laughter can't be a part of your daily routine. I know my tendencies to always want to prove myself, to always want to appear to have it perfectly together, to always want to be in control of my surroundings- and those are tendencies that I don't want to pass on to my students. I want to pass on laughter. Love. Kindness. Honesty. Respect. Joy. Thankfulness for each day, even if a lesson goes awry or something falls apart.<br />
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My kids have taught me so much this year, as my students always do every year, and I thank them deeply for it. The perspective of 6-7 year olds can rival my own at times when their simplistic realities defeat my complicated tangle of distractions and mess of thoughts.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-31770754521476236912015-01-04T15:24:00.000-08:002015-01-04T15:50:53.495-08:00The Right Thing is Not Always the Easiest<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ever heard this before:<br />
<b><i>"What is the right thing to do isn't always the easiest thing to do." </i></b><br />
Or some version of that type of saying?<br />
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I feel that this is a lesson we teach our students as they travel through our classrooms- teaching them to have courage, to stand up for themselves and for one another, to do the right thing even when it is hard. I know that I say things like this at least weekly, if not daily- and sometimes choosing the right thing to do is super difficult and it takes a lot of self control, perseverance, and understanding on one's part. These are things that we as educators should be teaching and empowering children to be able to do on their own, so that when the time comes and they are alone with a choice to make, they can make the right one.<br />
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However, I don't think this life lesson is one that needs to be forgotten as an adult, especially in the teaching profession.<br />
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A buzzword and common practice among educators today is collaboration. Collaboration is a beautiful thing that, if done well, can make the phrase "two heads are better than one" come to life. I had the pleasure of collaborating with an incredible colleague for 4 years at my past school, and it was a joy and immense opportunity for growth and learning to have someone next door to me to reflect daily with, share ideas with, bounce lessons off of one another with, share struggles and triumphs with. I know that because of the time spent putting our heads together I became a better teacher for my students, and we took our learning experiences farther than I could have on my own.<br />
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This being said, collaboration is a thrilling process that can result in brilliance, and is something that I miss this year being on my own little island. (I teach a self-contained class of highly gifted and talented first graders, and it is the only class of its kind in my district). However, <i>collaboration is only worthwhile when it is done well</i>. Collaboration is only true, worthwhile collaboration when members involved leave with new knowledge/understanding, a task to try, or learning of their own that they <b>only</b> <b>could gain</b> by the practice of respectfully sharing and creating new ideas with others. Collaboration is when every member of the group respectfully contributes meaning and experience to the task or discussion at hand, where ideas and thoughts of members are heard and respected by other members, where any existing problems are solved and solutions are created. <b>Together</b>.<br />
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How unfortunate it is when collaboration takes a wrong turn and a teacher's voice is silenced. It seems that doing the right thing for our students is often the unpopular thing amongst many others around us; where actually being positive about our job and teaching children, or desiring to try new lessons, or attempting a unique idea is frowned at, laughed at, scoffed at, or brushed off. That sometimes it is just the easier thing to stay quiet and aloof in a meeting instead of asserting your thoughts or ideas. That sometimes it is just the easier thing to go with the flow of a group instead of doing what you truly believe is best for children. True collaboration shouldn't result in those things, and when "collaborating" causes a member of the group to have to choose between what is right and what is easy, it shouldn't be called collaboration in the first place.<br />
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Today, I charge us, the educators of children, to <i>just</i> <i>do it</i>: do what is best for children, no matter the cost, no matter the opposition. In the words of Taylor Swift, haters are gonna hate- and we just need to shake it off. <b>Because these kids are worth it</b>. They are worth us doing the right thing for them, even if it means facing disapproval or unpopularity from others. When it comes down to it, what we do everyday affects lives. A student's <b>life is precious.</b> Think about that a second- it's a <b>LIFE</b>! A life, a mind, a soul, a heart, a person. This is a life that we are helping to build and shape, and if we truly value it, we need to fight for the very best for them.<br />
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It will take a lot of courage and confidence to be able to do this well and to always try to do what is right for children, instead of what is easiest.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-59094700534243997162014-12-28T13:02:00.001-08:002014-12-28T16:58:56.304-08:00Imitation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I will always remember this moment. It was in March 2013 right after our annual Texas Public Schools Week celebration. You see, during this particular week every year, the school would invite parents and guardians to come and enjoy a morning in our classrooms, to watch their children engage in a typical morning routine, see how they interact with each other and with me, and get a glimpse of what life is like in our little first grade classroom. My mother also came on this particular morning because she always delights in seeing my students and me in action.<br />
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As the visiting time was coming to a close, the children were excitedly shuffling about, and the parents were making their ways to the door to leave, I had one parent mention the following to my mother before she left. "Now that I've spent a morning in the classroom, it is so clear to me that my son completely imitates everything that Mrs. Rubinson does back at home. From her mannerisms to the way she says things, the vocabulary she uses to the songs she sings, he does it all. Now I know where he's picked it all up from!"<br />
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Imitation. We, as teachers, will be imitated by our students. For 9 months a year, 5 days a week, 7+ hours a day, our students will imitate us. And what they imitate will aide in developing them into who they will become.<br />
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You see, as educators, we are so. much. more. than just implementers of the state standards.<br />
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We do so much more than analyze data, group students for RtI purposes, and document our daily minutes spent in small group intervention.<br />
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We give so much more than tests, quizzes, grades, projects- we give <i>ourselves</i>. And the thing is, if these children are truly imitators of the people around them, our job does not simply call us to develop lessons, but our job calls us to develop <i>children</i>.<br />
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My favorite thing about being a teacher I can sum up in these few words: I love getting to develop children into who they are meant to be. And this means that I must, must, <i>must</i> be someone worthy of imitation.<br />
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(This cannot be achieved for my-particular-self apart from my Heavenly Father, and I've learned that the hard way.)<br />
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Mistakes will be made, and I've learned this year how to discuss them with my students instead of hide them. To learn from figures such as Thomas Edison: "I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." And they imitate that, too. They imitate how we not only as teachers, but as adults, respond to failure or mistakes, how we react to change, how we celebrate growth and progress, how we speak towards others (children <i>and</i> colleagues), how we process through a think-aloud, how we persevere through difficult tasks...the list goes on.<br />
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I wish that more educators would recognize this incredible opportunity to shape young lives forever. I wish that instead of students sitting in desks doing mounds of worksheets that they would be sitting at the feet of their teacher, stretching their minds and growing their character. I wish that instead of teachers watching the clock for lunch and dismissal, or anxiously counting down the days until summer break, that they would see time as precious and fleeting, and that we only have so much of it to spend with these little ones before they continue on their way, our classroom a mere stepping stone on their life journey. Because our children may learn to watch the clock or count down the days, too, because we do- and in that, they may grow to believe that neither school nor learning are experiences they want to be a part of. You see? Everything we do...<br />
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I hope that I never undervalue my role as a <i>developer who is imitated by young children.</i></div>
Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-4906417109551262822014-05-03T14:40:00.002-07:002014-05-03T14:47:24.916-07:002013-2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
People always told me to keep a blog, so that when the going got rough, I could look back on all the wonderful memories and be reminded why I love teaching and everything will be ok.<br />
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Whenever they would tell me this though, I would kind of shrug it off and think, it will never been that bad to where I am hopelessly grasping at straws, at any memento or blog post or note from a student or picture, that will give me hope back in this profession.<br />
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Well, guess what I just did?<br />
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Read my old blog posts.<br />
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And it reminded me to love again. To laugh again. To thank God for the gifts he has given me by giving me these 22 students. To remember that it won't always be like this...or like that!<br />
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Because honestly, it has been like *that* this year. I just read back to my second year posts and saw where it said, "We have finally found our groove..." and I've just been waiting, waiting, waiting for that groove to be found with my current group of kiddos. My heart cries out in pain each day for the small handful of students in my room who are just as confused as I am as to why things just aren't clicking. Just aren't working.<br />
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Working myself into a pit of anxiety and despair, I have become bitter. The other day I thought about the story of Naomi in Ruth, and how she changed her name to Mara (which means bitter) due to the hand that God had dealt her and thought, maybe I should be named Mara. Which then made me think that she lost her husband and her two sons, far greater despair than I have ever known, and then compared to my unruly field day experience or math lesson gone wrong, I am no longer convinced that I am even worthy of such name change.<br />
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And thus the cycle starts again. Beating myself up for feeling the way I do, telling myself I shouldn't be feeling this way, but then still feeling that way, and then being angry at myself for multiple reasons. It's a continuous spiral that I would rather not continue, but then the days pass on and the sun rises again and for the rest of my contracted 180 days I am expected to return, with a smile, to my front door at classroom P104 for another 8 hours of educating the most challenging group of children I have taught. There's nothing else to do, and I am faced with the daunting task of making it through another day. I ask myself, am I going to have anything thrown at me today? Is ______ going to make it through the day? Is ______ going to fit and tantrum all day or not? Is _______ going to yell at me or others? Are they going to learn today? Are we even accomplishing ANYTHING?<br />
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And then the moments happen. They are rare. But when they happen, they are AMAZING. The moments when we make it through a lesson without anyone yelling at each other, at me, or tantruming in the corner. The moments of disbelief when I am individually testing and I look up and everyone is actually doing what they are supposed to do, not destroying property or picking on someone else. The moments like this: yesterday we had a science day where we did volcano experiments and simulations. My kids were beyond ecstatic, their joy was real and felt, their intrigue and enthusiasm were unmatched. The laughter, excitement, and thrill that pulsed through each of my students was real, was authentic, was raw and made me remember WHY I love teaching again.<br />
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This year I've tied more shoes, wiped more tears, given more hugs, called more parents, high-fived more hands, tutored more, cried more, questioned more...but ultimately, I feel like I've given more. I've expended every single bit of myself that I could have. I've done all that I could do for these children. I've tried more ways than ever before to help them succeed, not only academically but behaviorally. But it still doesn't feel like I've given enough. At all.<br />
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Do you know why?<br />
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Because I've tried to do it on my own. And this is one reason why God is so important. Because it doesn't matter what we do. It doesn't matter what we try, what new ideas or approaches we use, how long we stay at school, if we stand at the door every morning or not, if we wear jeans one day and dress down from our usual professional attire. All of these elements I have tried to control for so long, and as much as they matter (if at all), God matters A WHOLE lot more. And He is going to do what He sees fit. He rules this world and all that is in it, and if He doesn't find it fitting or pleasing for our class to "find our groove" before the year is over, there is a reason. And I need to keep remembering this sobering truth, that God does as He pleases, and His will is going to be done, and I can't try to finagle things without Him and His beautiful outstretched hands.<br />
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And I can't forget that He loves me. That it is all done for my good according to His purpose. So all I ask is that Lord, you will bless the last 22 days I have with my 22 students at Foster Village Elementary, the last 22 days I will spend in this school. Help me to not be self consumed or inwardly focused, but create for us 22 days of beautiful learning and joy that we will look back on for years to come with fondness and reminiscent favor. All I want is for my current 22 students to know the Lord, love one another and find joy in life. Use me as an instrument for that purpose.<br />
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All of this to say, keeping a blog, having a place to store cherished thoughts and memories about what we do...teaching...is worth it. Because even though this post may be depressing, it felt good to let it out and it is part of it all. And there are also pages of past entries that fill me with gladness and remind me that the teaching profession is not hopeless, but FULL of hope. Bursting with hope at the seams.<br />
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Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-26760717306365778442013-02-13T15:46:00.002-08:002014-12-28T13:27:17.880-08:00Mrs. R is Back in Action...with the Arts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is INCREDIBLE the amount of thought I have put into this blog. The past 2 years were filled with cute stories, adventures of interestingly named students, moments of vulnerability and vented frustration, and memories of times abroad and times in classroom P104.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I can't tell you how many blogs I have begrudgingly perused in haste as I try to find the latest and greatest way to teach or introduce new content. I think there are a lot of people with great ideas out there. But more times than none, I would browse until I was blue. "How do other teachers REALLY do all of those incredibly time consuming, high-preparatory activities with many, many 6 year old children, and still have their sanity?" I would ask myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Nevertheless, I love all the ideas that people have and share so openly and freely with others. I knew I wanted to do somewhat of the same, but still maintain my blog as more of a confessional space than one to post freebies (yet, who knows, maybe one day this will lead down that road!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, here is my confession today: CHILDREN LEARN THROUGH THE ARTS SO WE SHOULD BE DOING THEM MORE IN THE CLASSROOM.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I don't mean have a full day of 15 art activities and get no instruction taught. The trend that education is taking under its wing is to only look at the Texas Essential Knowledge Standards, known as the TEKS, pick and pull them apart until you are sweating about each verb and description in each standard and figuring out how you are going to assess that standard, then planning out learning activities along the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's all about planning with the end in mind. The end is the standard being met through a means of testing or assessing that the children know it. But...what about the stuff that gets you there?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is what I'm talking about. I was that kid who really, really sucked at soccer. I couldn't dribble a ball, and anything coming at me whether thrown or flying was automatically ducked. I still get pretty bothered with myself that my 3-year-old nephew can swing at a golf ball and actually make contact with it, where I still swing and get air. *sigh*</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But what I DID do well were <strong>the arts</strong>. Art. Drawing. Painting. Sculpting. Oil pastels and colored pencils were my loves. Singing. Music, beats, rhythms, rhymes, poetry, playing instruments, reading notes on a page, making melodies. Dance. Movement, rhythm, ballet, tap, spinning, twirling, you name it. Dramatic play. Acting, being dramatic, playing house and coming up with Barbie doll scenarios and full-on performances a little too well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Kids love these mediums and can learn through these mediums too. We don't need to ban them from schools or be told that they are a waste of time and don't correlate with curriculum. We need to find legitimate ways to integrate them into the content we are teaching to reinforce the skills that need to be taught, learned, and mastered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Let the artistic flair begin!</span></div>
Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-11486216378279578602012-05-20T13:35:00.000-07:002012-05-20T13:40:15.136-07:00The Nostalgia of my 2nd Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's so funny the things that make you nostalgic. For me, just now, it was putting in a load of laundry and deciding which work pants I needed to wash and iron for the week. Then, I remembered that we are allowed to wear jeans all week on our last week of school. And I stopped, and slowly lowered the pants into the washer, and started to cry.<br />
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As women, we get emotional over things that we just don't understand. Last week I couldn't stop crying over how much I love my fiance. Today, I teared up 4 times during worship at church, barely choking out the beautiful lyrics about our Savior's redeeming love. Those two are understandable. But today, I could barely lower my grey pair of J. Crew chinos into the washing machine without losing it.<br />
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I can't believe that I only have 5 days left with these incredible 20 children. This year has been so unexplainably challenging for me. I have had so many days where I've wondered if the teaching profession is for me. I've spent countless days after school wondering when their reading levels would go higher, questioning my teaching methods of the day, going crazy about all the paperwork that I still hadn't done. I went from a class who came to me with little respect for others and hardly any discipline, to a class who is serving one another, loving one another, actually loving to learn and all performing in math and reading at exceptional levels. We have come. so. far. It's hard to explain to outsiders exactly how far we have come, but to break it down for you would be impossible.<br />
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There were moments when I couldn't take another minute and I wanted to get out as fast as I could. I had visions of me ducking behind a large trashcan and not coming back out to teach. I had a hard time finding funny or cute things my kids would do or say because I was so immersed in correcting their behavior. But those months of endless redirection have paid off, and they are maturing into sweet, caring, respectful children. I am experiencing an immeasurable amount of joy and pride for my kids. They have done it. They are ready for 2nd grade. They treat others the way they want to be treated. They show interest in learning and are beginning to self-motivate themselves to learn and do and create and be. They have learned how to serve others and put others before themselves. Where there was once no light at the end of the tunnel, it is so clearly seen now...<br />
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Now, that I have to let them go.<br />
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I thought I'd be ready for the year to be over, and I am in many ways (getting married this summer, being a pool rat, being able to learn more and create things over the summer and start fresh). And yes, I am ready for the year to be over, but I'm not ready to pass on these children. Just like last year, the thought of passing them on to someone else scares me, but I know that they are not my children. They are the Lord's, and all I've been in their lives is a small light of his love, which has been entirely through his grace on me and the spirit within me. I have been a small part to play in the grand scheme of their lives, and all I can do is continue to put them into the Father's hands and pray for their little hearts and lives to grow and mature and know Jesus as their savior who loves them more than anyone ever could.<br />
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So as I put the work clothes away and reflect on another year of teaching, I know that God has given me exactly what, and who, I needed. My 20 students of P104, I needed you this year. You have allowed me to learn amazing lessons of patience, endurance, strength, courage; dependence on the Lord and the giving up of human power and strength; how to let God be the king of my classroom, instead of myself; how to love others for exactly who and what they are; and so many more. I love you, and I will always believe in you, be here for you, and care for you.<br />
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Until next year...when I become Mrs. Rubinson and my students have a difficult time with that last name...I pray for this last week to be filled with sweet moments with my precious little ones. Thank you for reading and allowing me to share my life with you.<br />
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<br /></div>Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-79321547551238426122012-04-26T14:06:00.001-07:002012-04-26T14:09:23.771-07:00God LOVES us...wildly, passionately, completely<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Another day at the daily grind and I'm frustrated. Doing TPRI (first grade standardized test, where the teacher has to individually pull students for 15-20 minutes and test them on reading skills) and feeling like there have been major holes or gaps in my teaching somewhere because I KNOW that my kids can read the word "cut," they are just not doing it... <br />
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Not to mention, feelings of inadequacy and constant comparison to other teachers that I know are so great and successful... <br />
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I thought this year would be much easier than the first, and I thought that I would be able to hang loose. It has not been so, and spending a whole school year racking my brain coming up with new things to motivate my passive students has been so exhausting. Tiring. Causing me to question, am I really doing this? Is this really what I should be doing, is this really me? <br />
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But in the midst of the chaos, confusion, moments of crying to my teammates and feelings of doubt, GOD LOVES ME. Wildly, passionately, completely loves me and loves me with no hesitation, no doubt. He shows me in the most beautiful ways. <br />
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There is a freshman college student who I met last year as he was one of our class's high school PALS. We ran into each other at 24 Hour Fitness this past August and began talking, got into some interesting conversation about Jesus and he asked if he could come volunteer at the school for volunteer hours. After that he began working as a leader in the after school program, stopping by to say hello and having intense or growth-inspiring discussions about the Lord. Through these interactions, this college freshman has fully 100% put his faith in Jesus Christ and is now applying to work at a Christian summer camp to tell children about Jesus, as well as ministering to his classmates at TCC and telling them that Jesus is the real deal, and there is no other way. <br />
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Or take the 6 year old student I have who I have been encouraging and praising regarding his writing the past few weeks. This afternoon, I was tired. I had had it. I was DONE. And he comes up to me when we are packing up our backpacks and handing out folders, and I'm so busy rushing about trying to get 20 kids out the door, when he hands me a piece of paper. <br />
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"Miss Leiss, look how much writing I did." <br />
"That looks great, sweetie," I say as I am still moving about, cleaning things up. <br />
"...will you read it please?" <br />
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I am SO, so glad that I decided to stop my madness and take a moment to read it. This is what it said. <br />
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"Thank you for all of thees things Jesus. we All love you Jesus. We hope you never diae on the cros. and nowon hates you Jesus." <br />
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I melted and I told him, "This is so wonderful. It truly touches my heart and I'm so glad you wrote this. But I have something to tell you. Jesus DID die on the cross already, and it's a good thing, because since he died on the cross, now we can know him and live with him forever in heaven. We aren't good as people, but he was perfect. And him dying on the cross allows us to be perfect with him one day." <br />
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See what I mean? ANY GOOD THAT I DO IS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY BY THE GRACE, THE GOOD, AMAZING GRACE OF GOD! Because my tendency is to let my stress and frustrations overshadow the good around me. And he, he is SO good. And he loves me, wildly, passionately, completely, because he allows me to take part in his reconciliation of the world; even on the worst of days, he shows me the beauty that he is. <br />
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You make beautiful things out of the dust You make beautiful things out of us You make me new You are making me new</div>Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-30867800106675216542012-03-15T13:03:00.002-07:002012-03-15T13:12:35.443-07:00The Search for God in ALL ThingsIt's amazing how inspiration can come and go for a writer. And for some reason, my inspiration the past few months has been lost. Lost in the chaos and schedules, lost in the planning and doing. I've forgotten how to just be, how to breathe in and breathe out this thing called life, and how to catch glimpses of our great God in even the simplest of events or moments.<br /><br />I kept telling myself that nothing was noteworthy of being posted or written about, that there was very little about my every-days that should be blogged for anyone's enjoyment. However, in this process I have simply resisted seeking God in my day-to-day routine, conversations with students, laughter with my incredible and creative colleagues, and hours of being alone in my classroom after school, where the blasting of Shane and Shane Pandora Radio drowns out my thoughts and allows me to rest, somewhat, in the tranquility of another day being done and over with, gearing up for yet another to come.<br /><br />But I've been so wrong. The past 4 months have been life-changing. My students and I have finally found a groove together, like mismatching puzzle pieces finally fitting together creating this beautiful picture of learning and love. I also became an engaged woman on the day of my last post (!) and have since been planning out the rest of our lives together with the help of my super cute and SUPER understanding fiancee. Things have changed so much, and with spring upon us I feel a sense of newness and rebirth around me. Feeling like I've been stuck behind a steering wheel trucking through mud with no end in sight, the sun has brought new ground to tread on. The road towards becoming a Godly wife, as well as learning fruits of the spirit such as patience, gentleness, and kindness through the everyday lessons God teaches me through my 20 students, has been challenging but sweet as honey.<br /><br />I can't wait to begin finding, searching, clawing through the dirtiness of this world and seeing God EVERYWHERE in the midst of it all. For this world is full of brokenness, and broken things, and God is on a daily, hourly, every moment-ly mission to restore that brokenness and restore all things to himself. What a beautiful God we serve, and I hope to join in that mission well.<br /><br />I have ten weeks left of this school year to find beauty and promise in my classroom, my students, my everyday life before summer comes. May the search begin; or, perhaps, may God begin his revealing power to show me his goodness!Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-33281729928584774562011-12-02T08:54:00.001-08:002011-12-02T09:12:48.408-08:00OpportunitiesThere are so many mornings when I am on my way to school, possibly doing my mascara in the car or fumbling with my stack of graded papers that had slid off the passenger seat into a huge lump on the floor of my car, that I pray for God to give me strength, patience, and understanding that day. What I have come to find out, though, is that when you ask the Lord for things like strength...patience...understanding...to be slow to anger...He doesn't just hand it over to you. Rather, he gives you the opportunities to learn and acquire and build those requested traits.<br /><br />These opportunities to learn how to be patient are not easy. It's not like God says, Oh, you want patience? I will give it to you, without first making you face your sin and see the situations and moments where you aren't patient, and give you the opportunity to BE patient! To practice being patient, to learn how to be patient are very hard feats. But I am really thankful that God is giving me these opportunities, to be strengthened by him and to figure out how to simply just TRUST him. <br /><br />My boyfriend told me that God wasn't king of my classroom; I had been living like I was the king of my classroom, that I have the utmost control over all of it and all that goes on and I couldn't just let go of it. The slaving away into the night and finding little time for fellowship, friendship, and rest has caught up with me a few times this semester, including last night when I found myself in the ER for the 3rd time in the past year for severe chest pain, which turned out to be esophageal spasms caused by stress. Almost passing out 3 times in the waiting room and wondering if I was going to live to see the next day, hour, minute, with a very worried boyfriend and mother by my side, it was yet another opportunity. God is so gracious to us, in that when he sees that we desperately need to surrender control and allow him to be king of our lives- every aspect of it- he gives us the opportunities to do so, because we are too dang weak and stubborn to do it without him intervening. So now as I sit at home and pray that the substitute at school is handling my rowdy yet lovable group of 20 first graders, I'm given the chance to learn to let go and trust God. That he is king of that classroom, that despite me he continues to work and guard it and rule over it.<br /><br />The past month or so has been really amazing for me and my kids. We seem to finally have found our groove together, and things are still not perfectly smooth but a lot smoother. I feel like joy has been restored to me that I didn't have the first two or so months of school, and I no longer sit and question my calling or abilities to be a teacher. I know that God has led me to this school, this place, this group of children, and it is by his grace that I am what I am; they are what they are; and we gotta figure it out. Slowly but surely, our reading levels have gone up and leaders have stepped up in our class finally, leading others to doing the right thing. I'm proud of them and our slow progress is still progress. We also have had a lot of fun together; I feel like we laugh and sing and hug all day long, and although there are still times of stress or frustration, God has given me the opportunities to practice self control and submission and patience, so that I don't freak out over it. <br /><br />I also have to admit that I am having a heck of a lot of fun doing crafty things this year. Last year they seriously stressed me out, but, I mean, the two days before Thanksgiving break this year were like a craft-a-palooza in my room. And I had a blast. I also admit that my kids and I had a 3-4 minute long dance party to a techno Nouns song last week, and I got some robots, some moonwalking, and some really spastic movements that I'm not sure you can call dancing. :) I'm beginning to see that I don't have to be just like other teachers I've seen or observed or taught with; that I don't have to fit into some perfect mold of a teacher; that I don't have to worry and fret that someone from admin is going to walk in at any time and think I'm a failure. Because I'm not. I'm finally beginning to embrace this gift that God has given me and stop throwing it back in his face. And I also am very strict about making myself leave by 5:30 so that I can internalize that I am not just a teacher, but a roommate, a sister, a daughter, a friend...a disciple.<br /><br />Two weeks left until Christmas break. Gotta go make some snowmen and handprint Santas!Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40531329545484832.post-69665503942575115492011-11-04T11:42:00.000-07:002011-11-04T11:57:21.870-07:00The TRUE Confessions"and why wouldn't you want to blog about this?<br />it shows people you're a human<br />and a teacher facing true trial<br />that's exactly what people want to read about."<br /><br />Okay, Sadie Barton. Okay, world.<br /><br />These...are the TRUE confessions...of a first grade teacher. Perhaps writing down the trials and the hardships that I am facing will help me to constructively, with the grace of God, fix them.<br /><br />---<br /><br />Everyday for the past few months, I have woken up in deep and utter prayer. Crying out to my Jesus for patience, peace, joy, happiness. For my students to be obedient, for my students to want to be at school, for my students to WANT to learn, and be able to learn. Please Lord, help us today. Be with us today. Be with my kids today...<br /><br />I have felt for some time that my blogs were not authentic, and that if I did not post creative, cute stories of funny things my kids do or say, or sweet things that happen at school, that people would not want to read. Nor would people be interested. I have left this untouched, because of the lack of joy in what I do this year. The confessions I have right now at this point of the year are this: when is it going to finally click? When is it going to get better? <br /><br />I feel like an Israelite wandering the wilderness, wondering when I'm going to get to the promise land, IF I'm going to get there at all. I have never done something this hard in my life, nor taken on a task such as this before. Maybe I have felt helpless from time to time, but for a beating day in and day out and no end in sight until next May, that is a really long time to feel helpless. I have tried anything and everything I can think of. I've changed how I teach time and time again, tried different ways to learn and do daily activities, different incentives...what have I done wrong this year? Where is the joyful first grade teacher I was? I long for her, and I miss her. I miss going to school feeling that what I do has a purpose and a positive, true effect on others.<br /><br />But right now, I feel like my students look at me blankly as I do any and everything I can to get them engaged in learning, all in vain. This year, the passivity that I sense in the room is too much to handle. I love them, every single one; but it's almost as if they have no will or want to learn. This is a huge obstacle that I have to face, and one that I have yet to figure out. What is it going to take? How many times do I have to change myself or try to figure out what I'm not doing right or what I could do better? It has begun an ongoing spiral of frustration towards teaching, something that I know I love doing, something that I know the Lord has given me to do for his kingdom, but something that, over the past few months, has sucked me dry of joy.<br /><br />I pray that through the writing and praying and seeking of truth that God will reveal to me the reality of my situation, and that he will continually remind me that the answer is to love Him and be loved by Him alone.Whitley Rubinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15033040162601385893noreply@blogger.com1