THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. NOT!

There is a teacher shortage.

And just to be sure you understand, it's not that teachers don't want to teach.

It's not that there aren't enough teachers certified to teach.

It's that teachers don't wish to teach among the horrible conditions that exist in the public 

school system in the United States.

COVID, banning of books, restricting the teaching of American History, not "Black History",

"AMERICAN" history, micro-managing admin, "coaches" who have only taught in an actual classroom 

for 2 years, standardized testing, parent enablers, professional development that doesn't professionally 

develop anyone,disrespectful students, the list is endless.

Disclaimer: I am aware that all of these conditions do not occur in every school in the U.S.

So, what's the solution? How do we retain the teachers who have stayed, get the ones who have quit back, 

and encourage new educators to start?

What? Are you kidding? In some places, that's not even a thought. Just put bodies in the room. Right?

Anyone can teach. 

A few solutions from a classroom teacher.

*PAY us. Pay us like we went to college and have a degree or degrees. Whether you want to call 

teaching a job or not, it is a job. That whole "Teachers don't do it for the money...". Yes, we do. Our 

services are not free!

*Treat us with respect. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Aretha Franklin voice). Everybody. Admin, the media,

 parents, the public, and students. Respect our voice, our opinions, our knowledge, and our expertise.

*Provide our students with what they need. Why should teachers have to #clearthelist to get basic 

supplies for their classroom? Why isn't that being funded? No teacher should have to dig in their own 

pockets! 

*Listen to us. Sometimes, no, most of the time, we know what is best for our students. Knowing the 

latest education buzzwords does not make an Education expert make. "When I was in the 

classroom",loses its flavor after 2-3 years, sometimes sooner. 

In the end, the students are the ones who get the short end of the stick. They spend a year with bodies 

in the room. They might end up with a rotating list of bodies.

We have to do better. Bu,t will we?

Is Santa Burned? Are People of Color Represented in Your Classroom/School?

My teacher-friend hung a Black Santa in her room. One of her 4th graders asked her why Santa was burned. 

The other day, I received a presentation on the dangers inherent in social media. I scrolled through the slides, and then something made me scroll through the slides again.  There were 30 slides and there were no people of color. None. Are there no situations where people of color use social media?

Look around your classroom. Do your students of color see themselves? Do your other students see people of color?

I went into a classroom where the teacher's theme was superheroes. Superheroes were all over that room. Not one superhero of color.

And it doesn't matter what the population of your class is. People of color should be depicted in some way in order to acknowledge that they exist. That they matter. That their contributions to the world aren't only faces plastered as mug shots on the nightly news. And I'm not just talking about February. Every month, in every classroom, our children of color should see themselves or the students in your room should see people of color.

It is almost the end of 2021, and the fact that a Nigerian Medical student/artist went viral for drawing an illustration of a black baby in a womb is appalling. A black baby in a womb! He went viral. Why? People of color are not represented in textbooks and diagrams, and for many, this was the first time they had seen a black person in a medical illustration.

You might say, "It doesn't matter" or "What difference does it make?"

I remember growing up, watching television with nothing but white actors. Reading books with nothing but white characters. Learning history, from the majority of my teachers, that did not reflect the contributions of my ancestors. I remember taking a white sheet, twisting it on my head, and shaking it around, trying to mimic straight long, flowing hair. 

Because of this I am very deliberate about the images I use, the books I read aloud to my class, even the videos I show. I make sure that people of color are represented.

Be deliberate about what is hung in your room and around your school.

Be deliberate about the books you choose.

Be deliberate about the images you use in presentations or the videos you show.

Our children need to see representations of themselves, and other children need to see these as well.

Imagine the Impact:Productive, Positive, Post-Observation Meetings

My first year teaching in a NYC public school I sat down with what would now be considered a "student advisor" for my post-observation session. He asked me how I felt the lesson went. I told him I thought it went pretty well.

He replied snarkily, "You must think very highly of yourself."

Well actually, yeah, I did. I was 24 and confident as hell, I still am.I knew I had room for improvement, but I also knew my lesson went pretty well.

Was his comment helpful? Not at all.

I recently sat down for my post-observation with my current admin. How refreshing! It's not often that you get to sit down and have a productive, positive, discussion about what is observed in the allotted 45 minutes.

I was taken aback when my admin said, "Ok, let's look at this first standard. What would you give yourself?" 

I am usually very confident about my lessons and how they are perceived. However, after years of being observed, and fighting to get the score I believe I deserved, I guess my level of confidence has been slightly diminished.

After years of feeling like every observation was going to be turned into a "gotcha", which would then turn into me writing rebuttals, and evidence to support said rebuttal, I didn't know how to respond.

I always say I don't care about those numbers. 4 or a 3, who cares? As long as I am not given a 2 or a 1,it doesn't matter.  But when I know I am good, and I deserve a 4, whether I admit it or not, I want my 4.

So when I was asked, I felt I deserved a 4 for the standard. But instead of saying that, I stuttered, flustered, and floundered for words. But she pushed. 

"Tell me what you think you deserve, and tell me why." 

And I did. I told her I deserve a 4 because... And when I was done, she agreed. Not only did she agree, but she pointed out things that happened during my lesson that I didn't even realize I did to meet the criteria for a 4.

And we continued... It was such a positive encounter.

Understand, when I teach, or when I am being observed, those numbers are not in my head at all. I just do what I do. Engage my learners to the best of my ability, in any and every way I can, Make sure they are learning in a safe, warm, environment. 

But when I sit down for a post-observation meeting, I want it to be a discussion about what is happening in my classroom, where I can grow, and of course what positive things are happening. I hate those numbers that are applied to my teaching, but as of right now, it is what it is.

Oh, back to that "student advisor." circa 1984. After he made those comments,I heard nothing he said, so that post observation was useless. I was angry. I went back to my classroom and ranted to my colleague. Then I typed up a letter to my principal about what was said to me, and how I felt about it. I can't remember if we had a meeting, but the end result was that he was told he would never observe me again.

It's been so long since I had a productive post-observation meeting, I forgot what they can look and sound like. If only, they could all be this way. Imagine the impact. 

What If All Educators Just Quit?

I have watched videos, read letters, and listened to testimonies from educators who have quit. Media outlets relentlessly lament the fact that teachers are quitting in droves.

I understand the "why" of quitting, except for the "no chance for advancement" part, as if being a classroom teacher is the bottom of the barrel and you have to work your way up from there. But let's leave that to another post, shall we?

Conditions are horrible for teachers. They were horrible before the pandemic, and they are horribler, even more horrible now. I read the stories and posts of educators in the field. I am fortunate to work in a district that pretty much treats us as human and professionals. Not saying there isn't work to be done, but the things I deal with pale in comparison to the stories I have heard or read.

Educators being forced to teach remotely from the building, (ridiculous!), little pay, long hours, (Yes, there is a choice, but then to stay sane, you kinda don't), disrespect from kids, parents, admin, the school board, the media, the list is endless. The idea that educators are ALL things, babysitters, pyschologists, custodians, mental health counselors, oh yeah, and teachers. There is no way this cannot weigh on a person. 

A daily parade of wants and needs, dumped on their shoulders. Educators are given instructions and platitudes, from people who have not been inside a classroom for years, or have never been in one. #SELFCARE, the buzzword that is carelessly tossed about, as educators flounder beneath the weight of all that is placed on them. 

Care for self? When? How? Where? There is a teacher shortage, substitutes can't be found, and colleagues "hate you" because you take a day. 

With all this, I truly understand the "why."

But what happens to our students if we all quit?

I know. That's their problem, right? They should have treated us right while we were there. Too bad,so sad.

But here's a thought. Let's not forget the educators who have not quit. The ones who have decided to stay.

Maybe they haven't quit because of their dedication to the profession. 

Maybe they haven't quit because they enjoy teaching.

Maybe they haven't quit because they worry about what would happen to their students without them.

Maybe they haven't quit because they need their job, their benefits, the summer months off. 

The majority of them are there, fighting the good fight, educating our youth. We need to work on doing better for those still in the trenches. How about we focus on those who are still in the classroom? 

We know every teacher, everywhere, is not going to quit en masse. But, the conditions under which they work have got to be improved! You want to keep them?

Think about all the reasons educators quit. Use those reasons to work on finding solutions that will keep the ones who are still there.

Because think about it. What if...we all quit?

My Year of Teaching Virtually

I hated virtual teaching.

I said it. I hated it.

You think it would have been easy because I am considered "tech-savvy." Integrating tech when I teach is second nature for me. So, this should have been easy. Right?

Except, I hated it.

We started our mornings with our 5 minute Waiting Room, then moved on to our Virtual Morning Meeting. We played games on Gimkit, Quizizz, 99Math, and all the new and improved sites that were meant to engage the students in the square boxes.

We created books on Book Creator, went on virtual field trips, (even made homemade ice cream), collaborated on Jamboard and in Breakout Rooms, and worked on assignments posted in Schoology. 

I worked hard to make sure the year was not a loss. (As so many seem to think. I beg to differ..)

But, something was missing.

The best tech in the world couldn't replace it.

The greeting at the door.

The buzz as students greeted friends and got ready for the day.

The gathering at the kidney table, for those who needed just a little more help.

Raised hands. "Real" ones.

Laughter. (These kids didn't laugh on ZOOM, no matter how corny my jokes were.)

The scrape of moving chairs.

Hugs.

Field trips. Outside. In buildings.

Walking down the hall.

Working. (Me seeing you working, or not.)

Social interactions. Aaaah yes, social interactions!

I have a few years of teaching left, and I hope I never have to teach virtually again. 

My year of teaching virtually. Hated it!

Courtesy of Canva: Classroom Yearbook

I wanted my virtual students to have a yearbook. As a 5th grade team, we created a 5th grade yearbook with Snapfish, but I wanted them to have a CLASS yearbook. It wouldn't be filled with pictures of all the wonderful things we did together, because...we were together on a computer, but I still wanted to put something together.

What did I put in a yearbook for a virtual class, you ask?

Page 1- Cover with image of the our school

Page 2- Message from the Teacher

Page 3- Messages they sent me during Teacher Appreciation Week. (Clipped Jamboard stickies.)

Page 4- Message from the Class President

Page 5 - Recognition/Awards

Page 6 - "Remember When...? I asked my students to name their favorite memories.

Page 7+ We placed a quote the students chose, or made up, and their favorite memory from elementary school,on our Celebration slides. I just copied and pasted them onto the Canva page. I gave thestudents access to, "A Quotation a Day", document. I also included 2 pictures, sent by their parents,one as an infant or toddler, and a recent picture.

Page 26 - A graphic about 6th grade and a box titled,"Personal Message from Mrs.Mims." I only had 18 students, so writing the messages didn't take too much time.

The yearbook is pretty basic, because I was short on time, but it really looked good. I used the color copier, and 32 lb paper. Check out the sample. I used my pics to demonstrate p.7, I wish I had thought to do that in their yearbook.:)

I worked on the yearbook for about a week. I chose a Canva template, and if you have ever used Canva,you know that it is pretty easy to use. If you are new to Canva, they have a tutorial to introduce you to the features.

Take advantage of the FREE CANVA Educator plan they offer.

I am looking forward to creating one next year when I am back with my students in "real life.":)

Head, Shoulders, No Knees and Toes. Teaching Virtually.

I miss my class. :( 

I miss being with my class. 

I see them every day, cameras, on, cameras off. A glimpse here, a glimpse there.

I saw them once, some of them, when they met me at the school to pick up their "gifts" I got from DonorsChoose. 

We saw each other in "real life!" So exciting!

I miss getting up and going out the door, fighting traffic, road raging at those who wish to make me late.

I miss rushing to get ready because I am not the teacher who is there an hour before school starts.

I miss chatting with my colleagues.

I miss high-fiving my students and teaching them that saying "Good Morning" when someone says it to you is normal.

I miss my planning time that moves at twice the speed of light.

I miss small group at the kidney table. Small group in class vs. Breakout rooms? Small group wins every. time.

I miss moving between and around  desks.

I miss my gorgeous carpet, along with all the flexible seating you could ask for!

I miss students at desks, on the couch, at the standing desk, the rocking chair,...

I miss the snow falling while we are still at school, and everyone, including me, being distracted.

I miss my name called one thousand, two thousand times a day.

I miss having my students actually complete their work because I am there. I am present. 

I miss the dropping off, and the picking up of my students, constantly, throughout the day.

I miss the secretary's smile and cheerful greeting.

Once I get back, I will probably yearn for the time I was home.

I know it is what is best. I know I am fortunate that I have the opportunity to teach from home.

But still, I miss my class.

I miss being with my class.:(

"Outside the Topic" Student Connections in a Virtual World.

It's funny how students take things you say every day and turn it into "a thing."

Every morning I share the Morning Meeting slide with my class. (I tweaked someone else's template).I always try to connect the topic to the National Day or things that are going on in the world.  In order to give my class a chance to talk about what they want to talk about, I would say,"Who has something to share outside of the topic?

Well, one day, I forgot to say this."Ummm, Mrs.Mims, we didn't share outside the topic!" 

And thus, "Outside the Topic" was born.

Student voice. Student Choice.

In this virtual world, we have to give them something. 

Give them a chance to talk about anything, and (almost)everything, they want.
From the heartwrenching share about a mom's battle with thyroid cancer, watching the basement renovation unfold with daily updates, as well as listening to the devastation caused by fallng into lava and losing everything!  (Minecraft,people😀). He cried that night,but then he got over it by playing a different game.

It's just a way, every day, for my kids to be themselves.

A way we can connect, outside the topic.

We Are Not Superheroes, We Are Teachers.(Poem dedicated to teachers everywhere!)

I tell you, Amanda Gorman, really inspired me. I haven't written a poem in years!

We are not  Superheroes.

We cannot leap 

Tall buildings in a single bound.

But, we can leap over obstacles

placed in the way

Of us "being best".

We cannot run at the speed of light.

But, watch how quickly we can

Pivot.

Virtual, Hybrid, Face to Face.

We do not have laser beams that shoot from our eyes.

But,

These eyes. 

Can shoot

Love,

Compassion,

Smiles, you can't see behind a mask.

They can convey

"Excuse me?" 

In any language.

We don't have super hearing.

But, we could hear our teaching career calling from far, far away.

These ears always hear what was said, even if it's muttered.

We can't lift a car.

But we can lift our students,

so that they meet our

high,

higher,

highest expectations.

Lift them out of whatever they may be feeling, 

that has them down.

If even for a moment.

Our body is not impervious to weapons.

But, foolishness from

Kids?

Parents?

Admin?

And those who know absolutely nothing about teaching?

We let it bounce off and come back stronger.

We are not SuperHeroes. 

We don't wear, or need, a cape.

We can suffer... emotionally and physically,

Just like you.

We are not your SuperHeroes.

We are TEACHERS.

Written by Lisa Mims

1/23/2021

Should We Let Go of EXPECTATIONS?

There was a post on Twitter about a mother who sent her kid to school knowing they had tested positive for COVID.

As I am wont to do, I dived into the comments.

 A constant stream ran through the thread, noone should be upset with the adult. Instead we should blame society, the school, etc...., anyone but this adult who made the choice to send a kid to school with COVID.

Have we gone too far with expecting very little, or nothing at all, from our students and parents?

Was it too much to expect this parent to keep her child home when he had COVID? A disease that could be fatal to his classmates, their family, the teacher, and his/her family?

And this "not expecting much",didn't start during the pandemic, this "low or no" expectations, started years ago. 

Why can't I expect my students to be on time? 

To complete their work and do it to the best of their ability?

To ask for help if they need it? 

To not lie on their beds while they are learning?

Why can't I expect my parents to read the notices I send home and respond?

To attend parent-teacher conferences?

To support their child to the best of their ability?

To ask for help if they need it?

And I know, we have to be flexible, especially now. I know everyone has a different situation, especially now. But this didn't start with COVID.

How many times have teachers found themselves blamed by a parent for their child's lack of progress, after not meeting any of the classroom expectations? And this, after the teacher has bent over backwards for the student and the parent?

What happens to our students later in life, when they have flowed through a world where noone expected anything of them? How do they adapt to a world where suddenly there are expectations that they are required to meet?

I have expectations for ALL of my students. Sometimes they are all able to meet them, and sometimes they are not.But the expectation is there. 

Here's an example. I start class at 8:45 a.m. I open my Waiting Room at 8:40 a.m. which has a timer counting off the minutes. I expect my students to be on at 8:45 a.m. because that is when I start Morning Meeting. In the beginning, they would wander in whenever. By the 2nd month, most, if not all, are there at 8:45 a.m. every day. (5th graders)

If they're late, I don't fuss, I greet them. I don't know the circumstance that made them late. If it becomes constant, we have a conversation. (That's why building relationships are so important.)

I will ADJUST where necessary, especially now. 

I will BE FLEXIBLE, especially now.

 I'm just not letting go.

Image provided by unDraw

"12 days of Christmas" Mini Math Activity- Christmas Price Index (CPI) 2022

Christmas is here! Or the holidays, the break, or whatever you wish to call it.

But one thing is for sure, whatever you call it, the kids are excited, and you still have to teach!

So I figured, why not use something that goes with the theme? Something the kids could get excited about? Something that involved Math, but not endless computation or word problems?

The PNC Christmas Price Index was perfect for what I wanted to do.
They have a site for educators complete with lesson plans.
It's geared toward middle and high school students, so I modified it for my 5th graders.

I used the information they provided on the Price Index and created a table  for the students to fill out using the information in the Price Index.


We  sang the "12 Days of Christmas" before we began. (See video below).

They really enjoyed  creating their own "12 Days of Christmas" chart  I revised the chart again a little this year. Most of them shopped online. .
The holidays are always hectic. This is a great way to maintain structure, but also allow the kids to have fun!

Schoology Updates with a Dash of Bitmoji!

When I learned how to create a Bitmoji slide, it was a game-changer for me. 

When I learned how to add the slide to Schoology and post as an update, I was over the moon! 

Yes, it's the little things. 😎

So, every week , I change my updates. I saved the template, so all I have to do is switch out the image.Ta-da! 

My updates include the message on the board, our "quote of the week" poster, somewhere to sit, and myself,  via Bitmoji, with my motivating message. It's not interactive, just an image. If you want interactive, this video is great.

I change my Bitmoji every week, the walls and floor sometimes, and the furniture.

This week, I added a window because we studied moon phases, and I wanted to make them aware of the Penumbral Lunar Eclipse.

It's just something easy that I do to give my students something to look at when they enter Schoology for the umpteenth time. 

And a little creativity to help me keep my sanity in this virtual classroom world!

"If It Was Raining Meatballs..."

I know DESMOS was made  for Math , but I have been using it for my Morning Meeting activities. I try to switch up the things that I post for them to do.

I found this list of "50 Icebreaker Questions for Kids" during my frantic search for ways to break the ice in September. 

The question that  most recently caught my eye was, "If it was raining meatballs, would you eat them?" 

Their responses made me laugh!

I needed to laugh. I needed to have that moment where the computer was my friend, and not my foe. Just that moment in time, where the stress melted away, and I sat at my desk, flanked by three computers and a monitor, and laughed at my kids' responses.

"No, because no one knows where it came from. And I don't really like meatballs."

"No, because you don't know where those meatballs been."

"I would not eat those meatballs because I don't know where they came from. Somebody could have put something in them."

"Yeah, I would get a plate and eat."

"I would not eat them because they are all on the floor. Plus the Coronavirus and all that is going on..."

"No, who knows where they have been. They might be rotten, taste horrible, be raw, who knows?"

"Yes, I would eat them, but straight out the sky, not off the ground."

"Depends on if they're cooked properly and if they're not vegan. If they taste good, and it's real meat, I don't see why not. I get it if you don't know where they came from...but it's free meatballs.' (My favorite!)

I need more moments like this. WE need more moments like this. 

If it was raining meatballs, would you eat them? :)

The "WAITING ROOM"

 I open my Zoom "door" at 8:40 a.m. every morning. Alexa helps me stay on track. My planning period is at 8 a.m., and sometimes, as you know, we get wrapped up in what we are doing and lose track of time.

Any way, one day as I was immersed  in the Bitmoji  FB group, and I came across a digital "Waiting Room."("Sharing is caring!"). 

 I was like, this is so cool, I want this for my students. I did what I so often do, I copied it and modified it a little. It had the rules, like "Mute Yourself" , a cool electronic timer, a Bitmoji character, and these really cool colors.

Well, a few days later a colleague of mine shared another digital "Waiting Room". No rules. Just a welcoming place to start the morning. And I was like, this is so cool, I want THIS for my students. And of course I copied it and modified it, but I kept the welcoming spirit of it, no rules like, "Mute Yourself."

So now, I have a very cool "Waiting Room". It has the very cool electronic timer, our Quote of the Week, our tools for the day, and of course, my Bitmoji character. (Don't tell anyone, but I change her clothes every week).😉I add messages when necessary.

My 5th graders hang out in there for 5 minutes before class starts. I am muted and my video is off, and that's their time. I sit in front of the screen, with my headset on, chilling, listening. And yes, they know I am there.

Sometimes they talk to each other, most times they don't. Except for my one darling who gets on, bright and cheerful every morning, and gives everyone a rundown of whatever he chooses. Every morning. It makes my day, his innocence.

Update: They talked to him today! Persistance is everything!:)

This was an easy way to make their mornings a little easier in this virtual environment. 💖

Digital "Getting to Know You" IceBreakers

It's time to go back to school.

And whether you are face-to face or virtual, making connections with your students is vital.

Here are a few digital  ideas for getting to know your students and/or letting your students get to know you. 

1. BINGO.

The great thing about BINGOBaker is that there are thousands of ready-made cards or you can create your own BINGO. You can post images, text, and numbers on the BINGO card. 

There is a $14.99 LIFETIME fee if you want all the extras. I chose to go with the extras, which are very cool! There are also very simple directions on how to set it up and play on the site. (Looking at my old posts I realized I had written about Bingobaker in 2013)

You will want to generate your own card for this one. If you are creating  a teacher card, you can post numbers, images, and text that apply to you. As you and your students play, talk about some of the things so your kids get to know you. It is a lot of fun! 

You can also create a student one using information you gather from your students. Use Google Forms, Padlet, or Google Slides to get information from them. You will learn a lot about them in a short amount of time, and have fun doing it!

Sample of a 3 X 3 grid.

2. Quizizz, Kahoot, or Gimkit Game

I like making these so my kids could see how much they actually think they know about me.:) 

These three games all have the same quiz game format.All of them are FREE, but Kahoot and Gimkit have a premium version. FREE works.

When you play Kahoot, you will have to share your screen during a a live game.

Quizizz and Gimkit can be played live by sharing the code. 

They can all be played by students on their own.

After you look them over, you can decide which one is best for you. 

My students love Gimkit because they can "make" money. 

After playing the Teacher game, make sure you give the students a chance to ask you questions about what they learned.

Here's a sample of my "How Well Do You Know Mrs. Mims?"

And of course, these games can be adapted by inputting student info so the kids could learn about each other.

3. DOOZY

Teachers and students do not need an account. This makes it easy to play a game with your students. The students just input the required code.I love the fact that I could add rounds. Reminds me of Jeopardy in quiz form. If you want to use it for quizzes, keep in mind that it doesn't save data. I created a "How Well Do You Know Mrs.Mims?", but using rounds. The first round is "Favorites", next round is "Numbers", etc...

4. JeopardyLabs - Online Jeopardy

Who doesn't love Jeopardy? 

JeopardyLabs has thousands of pre-made games. There is a $20 LIFETIME fee, which I feel is worth it.

This is more of a "Getting to Know the School/Class" game. I usually don't play it until the second week of school.

I add classroom procedure, staff, etc...

I let the kids work in teams, (team-building), and they have a great time.

Of course, if you are virtual, you will have to share your screen.

Reopening Schools: A Decision to Die For!

Would I die for my students? 
Probably.
Teachers have placed themselves in harm's way for their students countless times.

But, not like this.
Not in a situation where decisions could be made that would keep our students and educators safe. 

A 61 year old educator in Arizonza was infected with COVID19, along  with two other educators who were working in the same classroom.  She died.They still don't know if she got it from her family, and bought it into the classroom, or if she contracted it from another teacher.

It doesn't matter. With all the precautions, all three teachers were still infected.

Our "Secretary of Education" Besty Devos states that we shouldn't worry.
“If there’s a short-term flare-up for a few days, that’s a different situation than planning for an entire school year in anticipation for something that hasn’t happened,” she told CNN host Dana Bash. “Kids have got to be back at school, they’ve got to be back in the classroom. Working families have got to have their kids back in school.”

What do you notice? 
I notice that she does not mention the fact that educators or school personnel can get sick. I notice that she is worried about two things. Kids have to go to school and their working parents need to have them in school. No education personnel are mentioned.

What do you wonder?
I wonder if she cares if educators, or any staff member,that works in the school, becomes ill or dies?
I wonder if she thinks we are dispensable?

I dislike remote learning. Intensely. 
I miss seeing the kids face to face. 
But none of those emotions are reasons to be sent into a classroom when our safety cannot be guaranteed. A situation where there are more questions than answers.

My heart bleeds for the teacher who has to go to work. It's easy to say don't go. 

But when you have to feed your family, the rent or mortgage is due, the bills have to be paid, and you are told to report to work, what are your options?

Take a minute to read this article from NEA,"Returning Safely to In-Person Instruction:What Educators Need to Know" to get an idea of what your rights are.

Remember the good old days?

March 2020? 

Everyone thought teachers were heroes? 

Now they want us to be martyrs.

Would I die for my students? Probably.

But not from  COVID-19.

Shut Up and Teach!:Silence is Golden?

This tweet. (See below)

When I read it, someone else had retweeted it, the first thing that stood out to me was her use of the simile, "like wild animals." Hmmmm.....

So she, and I am sure she is not the only one, has a problem, because educators aren't being silent about the issues America has with systemic racism. Educators had the audacity to bring what is happening in the world into #Edutwitter! Gasp!

She doesn't believe that educators should post their anger, sadness, their emotions, that they should continue to "share resources and build each other up, and model digital citizenship." (She said model digital citizenship and then compared educators to wild animals)

WTH? ANOTHER black man was killed by a police officer!!!!! 

And the world exploded. The world!

And educators should continue to just share resources and ignore the fact that the world is changing? Eyes are being opened?  Why shouldn't this happen on #Edutwitter? We are teaching black and brown children, and they need an ally.

Sharing resources is not all there is.

We should be sharing, even if it makes people uncomfortable, sharing how to be antiracist, sharing how we are feeling, and sharing ideas on what can be done to help the situation.

When I read this tweet, I immediately thought of  Laura Ingraham telling Lebron to "shut up and dribble."

Fortunately, educators are not being silent. They are speaking out, they are using their voices. 

We will not "shut up and teach.", we will not turn a blind eye to what is happening, and we will definitely not be silent!

This Remote Teaching/Learning Thing!

Just a hodgepodge of thoughts/opinions here!
Thank goodness I have always been a fan of integrating tech in my classroom, that has made this remote teaching/learning situation a WHOLE lot less stressful for me! Whew!

However, I feel for teachers who were not prepared for this, and find it very difficult to navigate this terrain. Especially when it just happened out of nowhere, there was no time to prepare, the expectations are crazy(in some places), and companies are coming at you.Buy/Use my Distance/Remote/Virtual Learning tool! Take my Distance/Remote/Virtual webinar!

If you are an educator showing what you are doing during this time in order to help others, thank you. If you are "showing off?" STOP. You are making other teachers feel "less than."  Have you seen the "Not Every Teacher" image?

Why would someone think it was a good idea to have teachers create a classroom setting virtually? I mean the "sit in front of the kids for hours" type of setting?

Why would teachers give kids SO much work? Especially middle school and high school? Is it required?

Why are kids with devices not completing assignments? My friend had to talk me down from stressing about this. Almost there.

We need to do something to make the education system equitable. I read where some students are still waiting for devices. In April, I mean May?  I am fortunate to work in a district where we were already 1:1. They made sure every kid who needed a device got one. And no, I do not teach in a wealthy district.

I went into this thing thinking I was going to teach 3 subjects a day,  I got over that quickly. Now, I do one subject a day for about an hour. I use what I think will engage. I start with Morning Meeting,(I got this template from Matt Bergman), and edited it.I do a little activity. A fun example, my students love Estimation Clipboard, very cool Math Estimation slides. And then I teach ELA or Math.

I decided I am going to start Math with a Mystery Science video, I miss teaching Science. My kids miss Science.School has to be more than ELA and Math. Nearpod and I are besties. My other buddies are Classdojo, Scholastic Online, Gimkit, Jognog(Not for long though, my FREEBIE is expiring-Boo hoo), Quizizz, and Quizlet, just to name a few.

But those links mean nothing without my kids. The majority come faithfully, even if most don't work outside of "class." It gives us a little bit of "normalcy", I guess. They are pretty quiet, so I let them use the chat to participate. I don't care if they wear a hoodie, or wrap up in a blanket, or show the top of their head. I don't require video, but if you don't answer or answer in the chat, after a while I do know you are not actually there. smh. I do share my screen, so they can show their work, but I switch it right back!

I do let them know I will not compete with their cell phone or television. Choose. One of my students wrote in the chat, "I choose class." I caught him looking up at the television. Does he not realize teachers have these uncanny powers?

I use Zoom. Yes, even after the panic. Zoom was not created for educators. They were not ready. But they quickly adapted and put security into place that has protected me and my kiddos.There is no perfect tool. Hackers will be hackers. Use the waiting room, the password, don't let anyone share your screen...

This remote teaching/learnming thing has taught me some things.
Robots will never take over teaching.
I miss my my classroom with the kids in it. :(

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"I Don't See Color":Why Educators Should Acknowledge the Race & Ethnicity of Students.

"I don't see color".

This was a phrase that was used by a teacher in a Facebook discussion regarding an article about
why more teachers of color are needed. The educator in the group took offense because
she felt that she didn't see color in her classroom, therefore the race of the teacher
should not matter. That's the part that resounded with me.

 We all see color, it's something that can't be avoided.

There is nothing wrong with "seeing color." It's a natural way we use to identify our fellow human beings.
I once had a teacher describe a student  with every identifying feature, but their race. I finally asked her
the student's race.Did she believe that I would misinterpret the identification of the student's race as racist? 

"Seeing color" becomes an issue, when along with a person's racial identity, we focus on the stereotypes
that go along with it. When we assume the Latino children can't speak English, or that they
are in the country illegally.When we assume the black children are dumb, and their parents are drug addicts
and/or alcoholics. Even when we think our stereotypes are "positive", it can still cause anxiety.
For example, the myth that the Asian and Indian children are smart and will always excel in class.

In the article, "Color Blindness" the author states that,"race and ethnicity often play important roles in
children's identities and contribute to their culture, their behavior, and their beliefs." Therefore,how
can we,as educators, ignore something that is a huge part of who our students are?

Building relationships with our students is the most important thing we can do in our classrooms.
How can we build relationships if we ignore a central part of who our students are?

If you "see color", you are more likely to have representation of all students in your classroom.

If you "see color", you will make sure that what you teach provides role models for all students.

If you "see color", you will make sure that a student does not feel uncomfortable in your classroom,
especially if they are the "only one."

If you "see color", you will, more than likely, recognize the cultural dynamics of the
students in your room, and understand that they may not mirror yours. 

I deliberately make sure the images I use in my classroom, represent all my students. When my Muslim
students fast during Ramadan, I find a place for them outside of the lunchroom. I read stories that reflect
the cultural diversity of my room. Little things, that mean a lot. Look around your room, do the images
in your room represent all your students?

We are all human, and whether we admit it or not, we take our biases into our classrooms.
That being said, a teacher who is aware of her/his biases, should do their
best to make sure that the color of their students does not "color" their view of them. Instead, it should
enhance the view, and help develop a stronger connection between themselves and their students.

Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.

Date: Monday, January 5, 2020

Place: My classroom

Student: Mrs.Mims, could we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for Christmas and I just want to read it.

Here's what's funny, and by funny, I mean ironic. During the break, I was thinking about how I had pretty much eliminated Read to Self from our daily schedule. (Don't worry, I did not spend my entire break thinking about work.😉)

What had happened was... there were so many other obligations to be met, and it just kinda, sorta, disappeared, vanished, was gone.
However, a lot of these obligations were taking place in front of a computer; Dreambox, Imagine Learning, completing their assignments on Schoology, and of course, digital reading websites. I am all for integrating tech, but this was getting to be a little too much screen time.

They needed to read. Just read. Read a book.

I do have Book Club on Mondays and Fridays. Thanks to DonorsChoose, I have plenty of novels the students  can access. But, it's not the same as curling up in a video chair, couch, those comfy flexible seats we just got from, yeah, DonorsChoose, and reading on their own.

Every day. And yes I mean every day, since we have returned from break, that kid I mentioned above, comes to tell me how many more pages he has read during our Read to Self time. Or someone will point out one of our Vocabulary words. Or they will tell me something great that happened in their story. Or, they will share something with a classmate. Or... I could go on and on about how valuable this time is, if... we want to create READERS, and not test takers.

I'm not saying my kids aren't ever going to get reading passages. As much as I detest it, SBAC is real. But, with no regrets, I am going to continue to give them their 15 minutes and let them read to, and by, themselves.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash