The struggle to begin 2014

After all the snow and cold days second semester is in full swing.  It has been a struggle to get in the mind set for this semester and it seems my students  have this truggle as well.  I am determined not to let the struggle continue.  The goals I have set for 2014 are pushing me to not to give up on myself or on my students.  

1) Continue to build relationships:

Building relationships with my students has always be a goal and something that I strive to do everyday.  Each year I push myself to learn one personal item about each one of my students.  Having relationships with your students is a block for disruptions and behavior problems in the classroom.  With the relationships comes the respect with the respect comes the environment that fosters student learning.  A good relationship with your students is the core to successful learning environment.  I love the feeling with a student says “Mrs. Skiles, can I talk to you.” The feeling of out loud with my students makes me know I can accomplish anything.  I know they feel the same way. AMLE (Association of Middle Level Education) fosters the idea of building the relationships and the benefits that come along.  Following Dru Tomlin, Executive Director of AMLE, (@drutomlin_AMLE) tweets out insightful thoughts on building relationships, articles and resources. Any middle school educator or any educator needs to follow Dru on twitter.

2) Empathic Learning:

Saw a tweet by Sir Ken Robinson talking about needing empathy and not sympathy when discussing issues.  In my brain I linked this immediately to global issues.  The other day I heard one of my students say “I feel sorry for the people living in poverty.”  This was not the reaction I will was hoping.  Saying “I feel sorry” is a sympathetic reaction not an empathic reaction.  I would love to see more of a “What can I do to help?” “How can I make a change?” “I want to make a difference” reaction.  Having the feelings of being sorry does not help anyone. I can not remember a person saying “I’m sorry” and boom something magically happens. Wanting to make a change does help, can make a difference, can make that magically boom.  This semester my advisory has become a New Global Citizen team. This is my first step in moving  to an Empathic Learning (I just made that up!!).  Empathic Learning is my newest goal, maybe the most difficult.

3)Continue to focus on Content Literacy:

Content Literacy is near and dear to me, it is my soapbox.  I  hear teachers say all the time “I have to cover my curriculum” “There is too much content to cover.” “I have to do (fill in the blank) and get through all my curriculum.” I just want to say two simple words: Content Literacy.  Students learning how to read the content is the  number one learning focus in my classes.  If they can read nonfiction or any social science reading, they can learn all the content.  In one Social Studies Literacy lesson, I can cover and reach 3-4 of the objectives.  I have started writing Essential Targets, basically the big idea.  Inside is all the little content knowledge targets the students need to reach.  Getting through my curriculum is no longer a problem for me.  Also this links back to the Empathic Learning.  The students need to read, view and interact with people around the global.  Through Content Literacy the students become lifelong learners who want to make a change in the world.

4) Use Technology, Get Technology, Share Technology:

All teachers talk tech, I am going to walk tech.  Tech is a must in the classroom.  At  AMLE13, Mark Clements (@edunators) had a great slide (he probably borrowed it from someone that I can not remember).  The purpose of the slide was to provide middle level students are not lazy.  There was data on how much time students spend on gaming and how successful they are at gaming.  I know the point of the slide was to show the students needed to know the objective and be given to the tools to reach the objective.  I walked away with more, engage the students with a media they already enjoy. Combining technology and engagement will prove middle level students are not lazy, us, as educators, are.  A colleague who teaches ELA recently stated “I don’t blog.” Do what?  Blogging is one way to get students to write, even to read, for an ELA teacher blogging should becoming an essential.  In 2014, I want my students to experience: kidsblog, Go Animate,  National Geographic Education, Discovery Education, Google Apps including Google Hangouts and much more.  I would love to start a class Twitter.  Todd Bloch (love him! @blocht574) mentioned using Instagram in the classroom  or Snapchat, genius! Not only do I want to use the technology and get the technology I am determined to share the technology.  I just applied to be a  STAR Discovery Educator.  In the next 60 days I need to report that shared Discovery Education with colleagues…..who wants to be my Guinea Pigs? Part of my tech goal is to try my hardest to blog every week.  In those blogs I will discuss how I am doing in reaching my goals.  I look forward to sharing this information and receiving all feedback.

So I have big goals to accomplish in 2014.  Yes I struggled at the beginning of 2014 to get moving on the goals, but with my little family (Les and Miller), my students and my awesome PLN I am starting to move forward.