Shift This by Joy Kirr gave me the support that I was looking for to make the changes that I had been thinking of. Some things had already happened in Room 1113. The teacher desk was long gone, the seating had been flexible for over a year, the Leadership Roles were in place....

But reading her book helped me to make some LEAPS to empower my students even more.

Mrs. Bryson's room was no longer in existence. Instead, we learn in Room 1113.

The students make choices and suggestions. They use the Idea Button and call Class Council Meetings.

Behavior has changed, support from both students and parents has increased...it is our room, our world, our learning.

Thank you, Joy!

Shift This by Joyce Kirr - The first reflection.

10/10/2017

Shift = shifting your practice for better teaching & learning.
Shifting choice and voice to students.
Shifting the responsibility for learning to the students.

Interview about 'Shifting' from Joy Kirr through the Principal Center Radio

Shift This - The Book

First Couple of chapters

First of all, I can see why this book comes so highly recommended. It’s easy to read, straightforward, and full of those kind of anecdotes that show you that this is really written by a classroom teacher. The reality stands out, clearly. That’s always so helpful, when you’re reading it in a tired state of mind, looking for those little nuggets of wisdom that are going to help you to better your craft.

And I was tired as I started reading this. Actually, I started reading it a couple weeks ago, was really enjoying the chapter, but never quite finished it. Last night, I decided that if I was going to do this properly, I should start at the beginning again. So I did. I was in that state of mind that one is after several hours of planning. I was slightly numb in the brain, eyes heavy - probably not the best time to start reading. However, I woke up, and started taking notes and thinking as my mind moved towards how I can “shift” my teaching. The timing in fact proved pertinent, as I was able to immediately ask myself the question, why am I working so many hours? Joyce asked us to ask such questions, and that one is top of my list.

Can I accomplish my goal without working so many hours?

The scene is set, with Joyce sharing questions that she and her teachers ask as they consider their classroom experiences. The questions we all have, like, “Why don’t they do their homework? Why do I have to repeat instructions 20 times? Why don’t they read?” All those things that I think every ELA teacher asks on a daily basis. The bottom line is, if we are all saying them, then clearly we all need to shift our thinking and our practice. Rather like those who continue to teach grammar with daily learning activities, even though everyone’s been doing that for the last five years of the children’s lives, and they still don’t know how to put a period at the end of the sentence, or capitalize the letter I....if it doesn’t work, fix it. If it does, consider ‘why’, and how you can take that information and make it better - and apply to those things that are NOT working.

Shifting Would Be Good For Me Too!

As Joyce talks about small shifts leading to larger shifts, my thoughts started ticking. From the shift I’ve already taken with classroom set up, to shifts with reading and writing, there is no doubt that this book is going to affect my teaching.

One of the starting places is, what questions do you ask about your teaching practice? I had no trouble filling out that section. The biggest one I’m struggling with is, why am I literally working all weekend? Partly, I know, because I’m so tired during planning that I get nothing done at school, but also, why is this taking me so long? Why did I literally spend eight hours, nonstop, giving feedback and grading on Saturday? When will I ever be allowed to give myself a day to go do something fun - OR when will take that day without stressing the whole time about how I’m going to get get my work done? Problem is, I believe in what I’m doing, I don’t necessarily want to cut the corners that some cut. I don’t want to reduce the feedback, and I want to increase personalization not decrease it. So this book is going to be interesting.

My Vision As I Read

This book is going to help me solve some dilemmas and answer some questions - or at least leave me in the direction where I can find solutions myself.

That’s the plan!

Wish me luck 👍

Essential questions for ME as I work through our big picture and day-to-day planning.

Shift This Blog

The BlogNear the end of the year, not every child moves his or her name over at the start of the class. I can still take quick attendance, and if it's not a question I feel will spark real conversation, I...

Keep Shifting!

Final Reflection after reading Shift This by Joy Kirr

12/1/2017

Keep Shifting! ultimate goal - student directed Learning

I finished the book, and am fired up and ready to great things...but now I need to move beyond excitement and into implementation. I have shifted here and there, made tweaks, but I have so much further to go. I’ve done the ‘easy’ things, like making my desk a student workstation, allowing for flexible seating options, giving students say over their room, surveying, gathering reports from kids on my performance, asking how can I help? Sending weekly parent communications...but what about the tough stuff?

Create Passion

As Joy says,”Passions lead to purpose.” The question is, how to find the passion. I have my passions in place, I need to awaken passion in my students. I am reminded of my EdCamp experience considering essential questions - it’s that underlying goal of giving a real reason to learn. Authenticity, not just playing school. Who wants to learn about how to write an argumentative essay? Rather, who wants to learn how to argue that your soccer player is the best in the world, or that fidget spinners should be allowed in class? I definitely need to tweak those reasons to learn. I have a lot of work ahead of me this summer! My goal thus far has been to engage. I need to challenge myself beyond merely engaging interest, moving toward creating passion.

Joy focuses each time each quarter for a genius hour type endeavor. As compared to the more typical teacher-generated question of project-based learning, she opts for the student generated learning of genius hour.

Students get to discover their passions in a Genius Hour set up. I have done this to a minimal level in literacy - a good beginning. Our gifted kids experience this in their Gifted Literacy, but doesn’t EVERY kid deserve to explore their passions? In fact, might it not be MORE important for the struggling student to engage with something they are passionate about? Talk about a rhetorical question!

Does Passion Have to be a Separate Entity?

Now I need to think how to pull this into my content lessons. Can I engage passion without a specific Genius Hour project, or can I combine content with a personal challenge. Time is never my friend, adding is rarely an option - but student passion and personalizing the experience, is the ultimate goal. At the same time, I need to remember the deer-in-the-headlight look of my sixth graders when suddenly given choice after their more regulated elementary experience. I must keep options wide open, but be prepared to scaffold more (which is where I fell with Choice Board activity earlier this year. Great challenge, but expectations were too high for some).

I have often suggested to my CPT, instead of specific texts for assessments, can we not offer choice? Why shouldn’t student X be able to argue that Barcelona is better than Real Madrid, or Messi is better than Maradona? As long as they are mastering the standard....plus, how much more interesting for me to grade. The articles we found last year were solid and mostly engaging, but why not help that handful that really struggle? Aren’t they the ones who most need that choice anyway? I can’t imagine what it’s like to have to suffer through school daily. I had a job that I wanted to get out of once, and that is as close as I can get to understanding. We teachers tend to be the type who enjoyed school. I have to remember, that for many of my kids it’s a daily struggle.

There's the BIG IDEA - focus on teaching the child, don't just concentrate on the curriculum. We get so fired up about standards...that we forget the child's needs. Student ownership allows us to embed the curriculum and create learning.

Ignite Curiosity

Joy suggest giving opportunities to create, allow and encourage students to take risks - take away the fear of failure.

Allow them to learn how to learn!

Which is what I try to do - and I just want to get beyond, “Is this graded? Is this a summative or a formative?” Far be it from me to be defeatist, but I sometimes feel that I am stymied until we get rid of grades. Oh to be able to truly grade the STANDARD, not by rubric. Another post there - and I’ve already opened the door to discussion with admin.

Thought Starters from Joy:

Set them up by igniting curiosity.
Give the Opportunity to share what they love.
make them feel that they matter, and that their opinion counts.
Reflection is often where the most learning happens.

So, how do I begin?

Many links, many books, so little time!

I need to search through tools that I can use in lieu of our more typical teaching. What can I do next semester? Why wait?

Joy’s Questions to ask:

Is the shift purposeful?
Have you defined the purpose?
Why did you make the shift?
What are your goals?
How is this shift learner-centered?
How is it personalized?
How did this shift affect your students?
What other effects have you noticed?

I need to list my shifts and reflect on each of these bullet points.

Final Thoughts.

I can do this. I CAN do this. I NEED to do this. Time to start considering next semester. We start with pronouns. Why do we even do this as a stand-alone unit? Don’t pronouns exist all the time?

So much to change, so much ahead. But I love this stuff! My plan is to keep making the small shifts, moving towards some major overhauls next year. The biggest shift to fight for is the hardest of all, grading. I’ll get there.

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