‘will the test count against us’?

 Shelly Webb

          “Will the test count against us,” a third-grader asked me when we were reviewing for the upcoming PARCC Math Assessment? She thought this was a simple question and wanted a simple answer. I told her that it wouldn’t really count “against” her, but it would just show a picture of what all she had learned. But wow, was that a loaded question!

          After I answered her question then my own mind started racing…”will the test count against ME, the teacher”, “will I be viewed as a failure if 80% of my students don’t pass it”? I continued mentally processing, “I have 25 kids so five can fail, which five will that be”? I actually looked around the room and quickly counted…I saw potentially seven students that may have a tough time passing this test. Then I thought, “what if seven don’t pass, what percentage is that of 25”!

          I could have continued in that thought pattern all day long, but I forced myself to STOP.

It is a stressful concept to grasp when you realize that twenty-five, eight or nine-year-old kids that you have taught for a year will be taking an OAA, PARCC, STAR and SLO to measure their growth and achievement. Whether I like it or not, test scores do reflect back on me. But despite this, I am trying to focus on the fact that what I do every day is what defines me as a teacher more so than a test score.

          In my opinion, the biggest measure I am defined by is how my students perceive me and the relationship I have with them. I want my students to ‘know’ that I care and think about them more than the six hours a day I have them in class. I want to be defined by the fact that I know my kids on a personal level, I know their strengths, their weaknesses and their personality. I know how to get them motivated and what shuts them down. I know their learning style; I know who gets it better ‘visually’ and who gets it better ‘by listening’. I know which kids prefer ‘hands on’ learning and which ones don’t. I can tell by the look on their faces, if there’s a problem or concern. It’s amazing how well you get to know someone that you work together with every day and that is exactly what we do…work together.

          I realize that my student’s attitude towards learning will define me much more than the score they receive on a test. I want to see myself through their eyes. I love it at the end of the day, when the one child that I’ve had to speak to three or four times or dock some recess time from, hugs me bye and still says, “You’re the best teacher”. Now I’m not sure if he really means it or if he is just trying to make amends for a rough day, but I love it because even though I’ve scolded him, he still ‘knows’ I genuinely care about him and I am up for a hug.

          I want to be defined by the expectations I set, the tears I prevent and the ones I wipe away. I want to be defined by the math concepts they finally understand, the number of books they read, the narratives they write and the critical thinking skills they develop. I want to be defined by their laughter when I make a lame joke (and most of my jokes are pretty lame). I want to be defined for how I make my kids feel about learning and themselves.

          I full well understand that test scores are vitally important and those scores will be a reflection on how well I have presented and taught the standards. But I do realize it is just one piece of the overall picture. There are so many other issues and goals during the course of a year, and the individual child that I see and interact with every day is my top priority. I want to always see the ‘child’ and not a potential test score. Every student deserves that and every teacher deserves it as well.   

Biggest Thief of Life, 'TIME'

 by Shelly Webb

The greatest thief to ever burglarize the human race does so without raising a single weapon or breaking into a single building, home, garage or store. He is a quiet thief, subtle, cunning and undetected. We base much of our life on him and allow his constraints to prioritize most of our days. His name is ‘time’ and he alone has perpetrated more crimes against humanity than most of us realize.

The problem with ‘time’ is you don’t understand his power until it’s too late. You might notice him occasionally lurking at your bathroom mirror. You’re brushing your teeth or applying mascara when you suddenly catch the glimpse of a small line beginning to form at the corner of your eye.

But, you’re busy. You glance at the line, wonder what it is and how it got there and then rush out on your way.

You pick up your three-year-old at preschool and celebrate the fact that she can finally write her own name, all the while the thief, ‘time’, smirks in the backseat. Only he realizes the significance of this accomplishment. Only he sees how quickly Kindergarten will come, junior high and graduation. You’re just happy she can write her name…finally because…it’s about time.

Summer days seem shorter, months begin to fly by and you start understanding that ‘time’ is moving at a much faster pace than he once did. Then, one day you reach for the phone book and find yourself squinting. You ask your high schooler, yes the one that used to be a preschooler a short time ago, “why are they making the font in the phone books so small now”? And in response to your question, ‘time’ laughs out loud and adds another line to your face. So you buy reading glasses and wrinkle cream and hope for the best, but the thief continues to rob and steal. You find yourself getting your hair colored every five weeks now instead of six and choosing comfortable shoes over fashionable ones. And ‘time’ is humored by your state of denial and vain efforts to slow him down.

Birthdays slip by, anniversaries come and grandparents die, pictures are taken, videos created and 28 New Year’s Eve parties later…you’re a grandma!

And at this point, you start to develop a little more fear and respect for ‘time’ and his little game. You know now that all the events in life, the joyous and the sad are presented in part, by this great thief. He is the uninvited, unseen guest at every dinner and every vacation. He introduces us to new vocabulary like cholesterol, annuity, retirement and ‘son-in-law’.

Ironically, we spend most of life trying to manage ‘time’ only to actual be managed by him. Time to work, time to rest, time to spend with friends, time for kids, time for fun, time to plan, time to learn time management and eventually just coveting time for bed. It’s hard to believe that such a tiny word, ‘time’, can possess so much power and influence over life.

‘Time’ is a thief, there is little doubt about that…but for every antagonist there is a protagonist and this story is no different. Another tiny word…called ‘memories’ is able to diminish ‘time’ and weaken his cold grip.

‘Memories’ are the ultimate weapon against ‘time’, because they are actually created by ‘time’; something ‘time’ probably hates in the same way Voldemort hated that he transposed some his power to Harry when he tried to kill him.

‘Memories’ are powerful and can be replayed over and over in your heart and head where ‘time’ cannot touch. ‘Memories’ can capture ‘time’ and hold him in perspective. ‘Memories’ can transcend the damage ‘time’ can do into a glorious time of reminiscing. ‘Time’ may be a thief, but ‘Memories’ bring back everything ‘time’ steals and does so with laughter and joy.

I believe that the memories we make with the time we are given are priceless treasures that cannot be stolen forever. They are always there, embedded deep within our hearts, whether or not we can express them or recall them, they are there bridging the gaps that ‘time’ creates. Spend your time wisely in 2015 and make great memories whether you have the time or not.

Could the real power in the classroom be-- ‘connecting’

          “Mrs. Webb, we’re broke,” the sweet, little voice blatantly shared on the second day of school, “our van won’t run and my dad lost his job and now we’re even out of milk now.”

Before I really had time to process the worry her face showed, I heard the truth spilling out of my mouth, “Ugh I’ve been broke before,” I quietly told her. “It’s not fun, is it?”

          She looked surprised. I’m sure she was trying to decide if I was telling her the truth or not. It was just she and I, so I elaborated. I explained to her that when I was in fourth grade, my family was having a rough time with money. I told her my dad did not have a job at that time and it was really hard, especially at Christmas and Birthdays. I gave a few more personal details and let her know that I completely understood how she had to be feeling.

          Oddly enough, this conversation brought a slight smile to her face. I think she felt encouraged or eased in the fact that I actually connected with her dilemma. She found relief in knowing that I had lived a similar experience and it had turned out okay eventually.

          Even though it’s a big term that children are completely unaware of, “socio-economics” can be as crucial to their success in school as the actual curriculum they are being taught. The little information I shared that day about my own childhood was true so I know first-hand.

When you are a child, sitting in a classroom with the knowledge that the electricity at your house is no longer in service because the bill was not paid, you really don’t care about finding the unknown factor in a multiplication sentence. You are not concerned with comprehending the main idea of a text or the neat, little acronym your teacher just wrote on the board to recall the names of the planets.

          We are all familiar with Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model, developed in 1948. We realize that basic needs must be taken care of first, before an individual can move on or care about the non-basic needs such as esteem and self-actualization. In other words knowing your math facts or spelling words takes a back seat when “you’re broke and there was no milk for your cereal that morning”.

          I recently ran across a powerful article entitled, “Social Networks: What Maslow Misses” written by Pamela Rutledge, Ph.D., M.B.A., Director of the Media Psychology Research Center. In this article, Rutledge ascertains that Maslow’s model “doesn’t give enough credit to the role of social connection.”

          Rutledge agrees that the human brain is driven by a basic instinct to survive and that this need trumps all others. She also agrees with levels of Maslow’s model and how humans move through those levels, however she states, “But here’s the problem with Maslow’s hierarchy. None of these needs — starting with basic survival on up — are possible without social connection and collaboration”.

          While the crux of the article is to shed light on the importance of social connections within Maslow’s model, and how social media can serve as a medium for both goals, I believe simply “making a connection” with individual students can impact everything else you do.

          If a child believes you understand there’s more to their life than what goes on from 9:15 to 3:20 and that you care, you become a safe zone, a refuge, a person they connect with; and that is what every individual of any age needs.

           Connections are key to making a difference in any job, situation or with any individual. As humans, we need to feel like others understand us, know where we’re coming from and what we’re struggling with and more importantly that they care.

          Whether someone is eight or eighty, they’re facing a struggle. Should eight-year-olds be worried about financial needs? Of course not, but kids are very aware of what is going on in their family and household. They know when mom and dad argue and what they argue about; they know if grandpa or grandma has a health problem and how serious that problem may be; they know if money is tight, if dad is getting laid off, or about any other trouble the family could be facing.

          Expecting every child to come to school one-hundred percent focused on the task at hand is unrealistic; but connecting with their concerns and taking a few minutes to convey the message, “I know it’s tough right now and I can relate,” might make the burden seem a little lighter. I believe if a child knows their teacher “gets it” (has some insight into their world), and cares, that in itself can be a powerful motivator.

          “Connecting and collaborating”---are these actions worthy to be included somewhere within Maslow’s model? I am not sure how Maslow would feel about it, but when it comes to communication we have learned as a society that connecting and collaborating are essential to success globally whether the topic is business, technology, education ect…, so maybe it’s essential to students as well.

My "ONE WORD"

          A friend of mine shared an email with me recently. The email was from her principal and contained a short YOUTUBE video about a motivational project known as ONE WORD. In addition to a ‘project’, “One Word” is also a book written by Mike Ashcraft, senior pastor at Port City Community Church in Wilmington, NC.  

          The concept of Ashcraft’s “One Word” campaign is for individuals to pick one word that will inspire them all year. As Ashcraft points out on his website and in his book, one word is more, simple and feasible to stay focused on than a list of goals, objectives or resolutions. He believes that picking just one word can bring your life, career, family and the way you live into perspective and keep you focused on what matters most.

          This concept got my attention immediately and I knew the exact ‘one word’ I needed to choose for my own one word journey…my one word is “TODAY”.

          You see, I have spent most of my adult life thinking about ‘tomorrow’, ‘next week’, ‘next month’, ‘next year’. I focus on so many future events and I analyze so many ‘what if questions’ that I rob myself of the daily blessings I should be enjoying.

I focused for months on whether I would ever get my degree and then once I did, I began to focus on whether I would ever find a job. Now I have a job and I am focusing on ‘how will I teach all these standards’ and ‘how will my students perform on these new tests’.

          It’s overwhelming to live in the future. When I investigated this ‘One Word’ campaign on my own, I evaluated all my goals, hopes, worries and plans in search of my ‘one word’. I realized that I could not mentally process and ponder all the issues and goals I have at one time. I chose the word, ‘TODAY’ to remind me to focus only on what is happening each day. To make my plans, face my fears and address what is occurring in my life on a daily basis.

          ‘TODAY’ is liberating. ‘TODAY’, I can handle. ‘TODAY’ I can make a difference. Growing up in church, I have heard the Bible verse from Matthew 6:34 quoted a thousand times, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” But trying to actually ‘not think about tomorrow’ is difficult for me. I am a planner, I like to know what’s going on and I want to do things right and reach my goals.

          I am ecstatic to finally have a job teaching third graders, but I am also nervous. I really care. I want to do a great job. I want to be a positive influence. I want to see them succeed. I know that obsessing and worrying will do nothing to accomplish any of my goals. It will only make me anxious and fearful, two emotions with which, unfortunately I have great experience.

          I am choosing to hang on to ‘TODAY’ when I feel overwhelmed. ‘TODAY’ will be my mantra, my one word. I will teach ‘TODAY’. I will do my best ‘TODAY’. I will enjoy and embrace ‘TODAY’. There will be times when I might cry ‘TODAY’ or feel frustrated ‘TODAY’, but I know I can be victorious ‘TODAY’. Tomorrow, next week, next month…well I really can’t focus on the future if I am giving all my efforts to the present-- and the present will need all my efforts.

          This is going to be a tough challenge for me because I am by nature impatient and I’ve always wanted a crystal ball (although I would be too scared to look into it). So if you see me fretting or notice me getting off track, take a second to simply say, “Shelly TODAY” and you will help me greatly. I know I can handle ‘TODAY’ and if I can stay there I can be exactly what God wants me to be each and every TODAY.

Two Sides to an Interview

Sitting in an interview can be an eye opening experience. As a prospective teacher I am on a mission to learn everything I can about your school, what you think of your students, their parents, your staff, your curriculum director, the common core and many other topics that will directly affect me if I come to work for you. Through observation and questions I can begin to determine what is most important to those in the administrative positions and whether or not it aligns with my own philosophy of education.  

If you ask me several questions dealing with the subject of “how do you handle trouble-making students”, I begin to assume you view “many” of your students as “trouble makers”. If you ask me several questions along the lines of “how do you respond to unhappy parents”, I begin to think there are lots of unhappy parents in your district. At that point I start wondering “why” parents are unhappy and “why” students are making trouble.

I am aware that every classroom comes fully equipped with one or more students that do not seem interested in learning but I believe it is my job to build a rapport so I can make learning interesting to them. When kids feel valued, they tend to add value to the learning process. If they think they “matter”, then things will start “mattering” to them.

As a prospective employee I want to hear questions about ‘teaching philosophies’, ‘differentiation’, and ‘guided reading’. I want to learn about your building and staff, the strengths of your curriculum and which areas your students need the most help. I am more interested to know how technology is used in your classrooms than how parent volunteers are screened and fingerprinted.

Please don’t tell me that I can be “flexible with my teaching” by spending more instruction time with the struggling students than with the higher ones. As a parent of a ‘higher one’ that offends me. I believe every child has learning needs regardless of what level they are assessed. A higher child needs to grow the same span as a struggling child. In short it is my job to grow every child, to encourage them to stretch and reach beyond where they think they can. I view my top student just as much of a learner as I view my most struggling student.

And finally, please understand I am not looking for “any” position. I want to shine. I want to inspire and engage kids. I want to make them think, not memorize, I want to make them problem solve, not work a formula. I want to challenge them to find different ways to the right answer.

While I appreciate every interview and every show of interest, I too, am conducting my own interview during our time. You’re looking at me, I’m looking at you. I want to find where I can make the biggest impact and shine the brightest. That may or may not be in your building or in this particular grade level, but when it’s the right place and the right time, we will both know it and it will be magic.

In memory of my mom

Today, April 26, marks 22 years since my mom died at the young age of 50. But yesterday marked the final time I actually had a conversation with her, as her last day on this earth was spent in a coma state for the most part. I remember that last day when she was awake and talking. I remember hugging her good-bye and my dad walking me and my then twenty month old daughter to the parking garage at the Cleveland Clinic.

I remember her last words to me, simple then, but profound now. "Baby be careful driving home, I love you and goodness sake will you please smile and be happy, you always look so sad"? I thought about what she said all the way home and was bothered that she would request me to smile and be happy. I wanted to scream, "you're dying, and I will never be happy again". Was she crazy? How could she even mutter the word, "happy".

All I wanted was for her to get better. I wanted her to hold me and be there to see my daughter grow up. I wanted Thanksgiving Dinners and Christmas Eves and birthdays. I wanted Sunday dinners, cookouts and Easter egg hunts. I wanted cancer to be defeated by some miraculous drug or new discovery.

I realized over the years that life is a collection of roles and that with each role we play a part. And even though we are the same player, the parts are all different. The tears I shed then and now are the tears of a child. Regardless of my age when I think about my mom or dad for that matter I am one-hundred percent a child, scared, sad and craving their arms. When I see my own children worried about something or unhappy, I am a mom, telling them  like she told me, "smile, be happy, it will be okay". I want more than anything for them to be happy even if things are a mess.

At the time I was baffled how my mom could for one second be concerned with my countenance and sadness when she was literally dying with each passing day. I would wonder, does she not know, does she not care, why does it matter to her right now if I'm happy or sad? The truth is she completely knew how sick she was. She saw it in the mirror, she saw it on the scales, in the faces of doctors, nurses and family members. But despite her situation and the fact that life was slipping away everyday, her top priority was still her kids. The week before she had reminded me three times from her hospital bed, to please make sure my younger sister had a cake the next day for her 21st birthday. I promised she would but again kept thinking, why? Why does a birthday matter when you have such bad cancer? Would my sister even want a cake? Would anyone care or think about her birthday? Well, my mom did and to her it was a moment to celebrate.

I know now that parents really can't help putting their children first even if they are facing uphill battles themselves. Two days before my dad died it was Déjà vu, as he struggled to breathe but said in short, quick words, "I'm worried about you, will you be okay? Read your Bible." I thought then that even though I would soon be without any parent at all, I had been so blessed and lucky to have the ones I had. Even in death they loved me, my sisters and brother so much. Our emotional state and well being was more important to them both than the disease ravishing their bodies.

I am grateful I had them as long as I did. I learned as much about love and life during their final hours as I did during their entire lifetime. I believe with all my heart I will see them again. I look at photos of them often, think about them daily and hope they know I am happy and okay.

The difference one year and $300 million can make

Last month the governor and legislative leaders in the state of New York agreed to finance ‘prekindergarten’ throughout New York City at a rate of $300 million a year, which equals to roughly $10,000 per four-year-old. The goal is to provide free, full-day, high-quality prekindergarten classes to an expected 53,000 four-year-olds beginning September 2014.

While the cost sounds outrageous and unaffordable, it will be interesting to see how many other cities jump on board to offer prekindergarten to all four-year-olds within their areas. I believe prekindergarten is the next big mandate being considered in most state departments of education and with good reason.

Research is clear that early intervention in education is a key ingredient to successful learning. The demands placed on Kindergarten students today, is more intense than at any point in the past. Being ready to learn when you walk through the door on the first day of school is a necessary condition for any Kindergartener. If they come to school and can already identify letters, numbers, sounds and basic sight words they are off to a running start. On the flip side those that enter the classroom without that foundation are starting from square one and spending valuable time building that foundation while others are moving on.

In an attempt to give every Kindergartener the very best start, a free, high-quality prekindergarten class makes sense, but how to fund these types of programs is where the rubber meets the road. Few Americans want to pay more taxes and many would say, “I did not attend prekindergarten and learned just fine”, which may be true…but not true today.

In years past Kindergarten was a time to become acclimated with the general concept of school. It was held every day for half of the day, or every other day for a full day. There was snack time, nap time, play time, art and stories. This type of agenda has completely disappeared from any and all Kindergarten programs. Today Kindergarteners are taught how to read, write, do mathematical equations and spell countless words. They spend time on computers, iPads and Netbooks. They learn to log in, log out and find a website. They still learn many social aspects of life and how to problem solve, but on a different and more advanced level than in the past.

I commend New York for recognizing the need to prepare students for Kindergarten when they turn four-years-old. I understand this is a pilot type program and that funding early education for 53,000 four-year-olds in one city is a huge effort; but I believe it is the right effort to make at this point. I hope other states will dig deep and try to come up with plans to fund prekindergarten opportunities for all four-year-olds. The earlier learning is introduced through the classroom the more successful students will become as they embark on primary education. Every child deserves the very best start when it comes to education whether they live in New York City or a rural village. I hope Ohio takes note and the politicians can find a way to finance such an important endeavor.