Because People Get to See What I Did

As both an educator in K-12 and a parent, I often think about the way I view completed student work. Most nights, I quickly look at my children's graded work, find something to help them improve on, and then tell them good job. The whole process lasts less than 2 minutes. I then think about who saw that work. The child did the work, the teacher graded it, the parents looked at it (hopefully). That means that three people were involved in the process and saw the completed work. Three. Is that a problem? I think so.

The platforms that exist today in our world are unbelievable. It is hard to keep up with all of the options that are out there for educators and students. No longer can we expect a student to complete work individually, turn it in for a grade, and then take it home. Three. There have to be more than three people that see the outcome of learning for each student. Gone are the days of book reports that summarize an author's writing and identify the main events or plot in a text. We have to challenge ourselves to find other ways for students to share and publish their work.

Today, there are kids who have made videos and posted them to youtube and they have thousands of views. Some are more complex than others, but kids love having an audience, and this is one platform for them to showcase themselves and/or their work. Blogging is another area where kids have started to explore. Many authors post and respond to kid blogs about their books, which encourages kids to keep writing! It also validates their work and effort.

Why is three not okay? Why should we do something different? Our world has changed and kids now have the opportunity to share, create and collaborate with others outside of their classrooms, communities, states and countries. Kids want something bigger and they want to be heard. And kids remind us of the hope and optimism in our world. I will never forget a kid interview I had with MM. We were working on book trailers and he was one of our trailblazers. This kid listened to everything we taught him and before we expected it, he was teaching others. He taught kids in the Geek Squad after school, he taught kids in his class in the hall, he even taught his teacher. We provided an outlet for him that he needed and was searching for in school. He was a kid who was bright, but needed a focus. When I was asking him questions for a video we were making, he answered with the obligatory responses, until he responded with the words that I will never forget and that made me freeze.

Because People Get to See What I Did from Ryan Eckart on Vimeo.

Making Learning Come Alive!

How often do we really think about the learning going on in our schools? How often to we question the status quo and wonder what it could be like if we did things differently? As an administrator, I see many students that are compliant, but is that what we want? I came across this info graphic that spoke directly to the idea of making learning come alive in our schools. Where do we want students to be and what do we want them to produce and how do we want them to achieve?

Teachers are a wealth of knowledge, and often they are also the most tired person at the end of the day. As schools, we should empower students to inquire about their interests and explore options for learning that best suit them and their educational needs. Won't students get the benefit when they are invested fully in what they are learning? We have to be risk takers as educators and start turning over the classroom to the students. The process of making this change takes time, commitment and dedication from all parties involved. When you read through your twitter feed today, look at how many students are in charge of their learning. Our students at every school in every city and town are capable rising to these expectations.

Learning is different today and many times I hear that the fun has been taken out of school. If we believe this continuum of engagement, classrooms will be lively with discussion and collaboration as students work towards creating products and outcomes in which they are invested. We must empower our teachers to be able to explore the talents and interests of their students so that learning changes in each of our classrooms to a model of Learner-Driven.

Thanks to Barbara Bray & Kathleen McClaskey for the thought provoking graphic!

Flexible Seating in the classroom

It is hard to sit at work all day long. Many teachers are moving towards "flexible seating" in their classrooms. When I was a Principal, most teachers used traditional seating with chairs and desks or tables. Research tells us that the attention span of a child is not often longer than their age. We also know that we can't teach in rows of desks and expect that to work for everyone. Flexible seating in the classroom gives teachers the chance to allow student choice, which in turn could improve focus, attention and productivity while in school. Think about yourself. How do you work best? Can you sit in one place for a long time and be comfortable? What does that place look like? Is it a traditional chair, or is it a couch or even the floor? I am encouraged by administrators and teachers who are willing to try something different to help their students become more engaged and excited about school and the products they create. I could stand for hours at a counter and work, but how often do I get that chance? Most places aren't set up for work in this manner. http://legacyelementary.blogspot.com/2016/02/all-in-on-flexible-seating-and-why-you.html This school in North Dakota is working on flexible seating in classrooms, and based on some brain research, it might be a great idea!