Day 1: In My Classroom I Am... 2016- April Blog A Day Challenge

Prompt: In my classroom I am...

I teach in New York City.  I have worked with hundreds of amazing kids over the last 10 years.  I have taught in 6 different physical spaces including two school auditoriums. 

Each physical space has provided a unique set of challenges and for that matter, inspiration.  Yesterday, I spent the first two periods with two of my 9th grade theatre classes and our amazing Teaching Artist, Albert from Theatre For A New Audience.  My kids have embarked on a semester long study of Pericles, a rarely read--let alone studied play by the notorious William Shakespeare.  In this classroom, I get to step back a bit and watch the kids grow and explore the Bard with a master teaching artist, actor and director.  I learn as much as teaching theater from these sessions as they are learning about performance and creation of theatre.  

When I go upstairs to the brightly lit rooms that I teach in through out the rest of the week, I slide back into the role of master teacher, but the learning I do continues there as well. Last week my 10th graders began student led lessons of the poetry of World War 1.  They are to prepare a 30 minute lesson that includes leveled discussion question and a check for understanding to assess the learning of their peers (and the effectiveness of their instruction). In my classroom I am a witness to their evolution as scholars. They are learning to learn independently from me, an essential step in the quest to prepare students for College and Careers.  

In my classroom I am a collaborator.  I work with teachers to day in and day out to support students and to support teacher growth.  The fresh eyes and insight new teachers bring to my experience push my thinking about HOW and WHY choices are made.  Not in the sense of defense of choice but for the purpose of modeling by doing.

In my classroom I am safe.  This is where I grow, where I thrive.  My classroom is where I have been able to heal after 5 surgeries in 3 years, always returning so soon because the energy in my teaching and learning community fuels my healing.  I know this about myself.  My colleagues, my mentors, my kids.

In my classroom, I am ALIVE.

2016 April Blog A Day Challenge!

Last year, as I was home recovering from my totally thyroidectomy, (the first of what proved to be many of the steps in the journey of conquering thyroid cancer) I found the heart of Twitter. It's not what you might think: news, gossip, pictures...the true heart of Twitter is actually the vast array of professional learning communities. There are a plethora of groups connecting, exchanging ideas, challenging each other and growing. Many of these groups are teachers.

I soon found @the_explicator and the 2015 April Blog A Day Challenge. This 30 day blogging challenge proved to be life changing for me and for my practice.

This year, I'm picking up again and I would love you to join me. Calling all teachers: take the challenge and try to write 30 blogs in 30 days. Get your brain up off the couch and work it out! Grow, stretch yourself and get inspired.

Sign up HERE.

Find the PROMPT OF THE DAY - HERE!

The first prompt is up if you are ready to dive in.

Mr. Allatta, Me and Mr. Hatlee @AFSENYC

Debate On Demand in AP Lang

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This year in AP Lang I have been experimenting with different forms of what I call On Demand Debate. I've never been one for traditional but I like the exercise of taking a position and sticking to it. I remember many wonderful late night conversations in college debating questions for the ages. Debate challenged my thinking and I learned how to hear new ideas and to play the devil's advocate.

This week we began unit 4- Gender and Language. In addition to introducing the research paper the kids will be doing over the next two months, we also spent the last few days talking about sex vs. gender, taking the BEM test and digging into the acceptance and popularization of "they" as a non-gender-specific pronoun. Some great conversations were had and I could tell that students were beginning to stretch their thinking.  

Mid week I asked them to write a 1 paragraph blog post (all my students have been keeping a blog this year for posting work and responding to peer work) on whether or not we should have gender. This morning, one of our science teachers, who I had consulted about gender and plant life and how terminology is used in science, let me know that one of my kids had come in this morning asking her what she thought about the topic. The good thinking was and is happening.

So, this afternoon for our Debate on Demand I took students through the following steps.

1. I introduced to additional articles on they and gave students 15 minutes to read and annotate.
2. In 10 groups of 3, students were given 10 minutes to craft a definitive position statement that has a clear thesis addressing the following prompt:  Should 'they' be adopted by institutions of higher learning as an option for all people?
3. After 10 minutes, each group selected a speaker and we went around the room, each group member standing and reading their position statement. Here are a few:

Group One
In our increasingly diverse world, more and more people are beginning to challenge the gender binary. In the workplace and education, transgender people are cast out and discriminated against. Like we came to accept immigrants in the 19th century, we must accept non-binary people, and respect their choices to be independent by allowing them to choose to use the “they” pronoun in all institutions of higher education.

Group Two
I think that “they” should be adopted by all the institution of higher learning as an option for all people because the word “they” doesn’t restrict genders and allows the user to freely label or be labeled. Though the word “they” sounds out of place in a sentence, it is fact grammatically correct and it should not be interpreted for its proper use in a sentence; but for the point it is trying to convey which is to take the feelings of others into account when addressing them. Using singular they is both grammatically correct and is also courteous.  As Davey Shlasko stated, “At the least, you won’t be an asshole to your genderqueer friends. At most, we just might change the world.”

Group Three
We believe that “they” should be adopted by all institutes of higher learning as an option for all people because every individual should be able to identify themselves however they please. Looking back at statistics generally trans individuals prefer this pronoun because they identify themselves as things other than male or female. According to “HOW USING ‘THEY’ AS A SINGULAR PRONOUN CAN CHANGE THE WORLD""...other people use "they" as a gender-neutral singular alternative, and this has proved comparatively easy for trans allies to respect.” Although the term 'they' is seen as grammatically incorrect, it allows for those who don’t side with either male or female to select what they want to be referred as.

After the first round of shares, each group got to cast a vote for the position they thought were the strongest. My class split the vote between three groups. Each group shared one more time. The winner by a landslide was this one:

 Freedom and equality are the cornerstone of American society and government. The grand idea that runs this nation is that individuals should be able to make their own choices and their freedom should be allowed so long as it does not infringe upon the freedom of others and the principles of equality. Taking that into account whether or not some agree with people’s gender identity choices is somewhat inconsequential. Since whether or not we agree with others we must as Americans respect their right to make their own choices. In sum, institutions of higher learning should provide for students the option to self-select their gender identity. We believe that this is consistent with the principles of freedom and equality upon which our nation is founded.

It was exciting to see them work with the content, collaborate to create a sound position and to take a risk in presenting their ideas. There are so many reasons why I teach but getting to end a long teaching day with this class, was one of the best reasons. Debate on Demand works, let me know if you try it!

Defense of Learning: Portfolios- Day One

Today was the first day of the oral Defense of Learning portfolio presentations.  I had to teach first period and I didn't get quite as many mentors/adults in to sit with groups, however in the end it was ok.  Day one was a success.  

Students came in dressed to impress, some in suits and ties others in dress pants and button downs.  It was clear that they meant business.  All I had given them going into today was the groups they would be presenting in.  They all had to be ready to go.  For the most part, they were.  Only a few students did not have hard copy of their portfolio-- the document that I collected at the end of the period.  All did however have their presentations ready and 14 students presented to panels of peers and adults today, justifying the grade and level of mastery they believe they have demonstrated for the semester.

In groups of 5, they sat around, some choosing to stand in front of their group and began.  Each student had 10 minutes to present their defense and then had an additional 5 minutes of questioning from the panel about their defense.  At the end of the 15 minutes, presenters stepped into the hallway to wait while the panel engaged in discussion of the effectiveness of their defense, looking at the presentation as well as the hard copy portfolio.

As a teacher, moments like this are always a risk.  Trying something new, being the first in my school to toss out numerical grades all together and ask students to rely on feedback alone to evolve and learn.  Risk aside, it is also exciting.  I know that they are growing but to learn it through reflection and analysis has proven to be far more effective than any feedback I could have written on a report card.  Today was an exceptional example of student ownership of learning.  

My principal, Seung was able to come in for part of the presentations today.  As a former English teacher himself, he has a clear understanding of the work and of the steps to move students at this level.  Shortly after his visit he sent out the following emil to the staff: 

Staff,

Today I had the privilege of observing students in the AP Language and Composition presenting their Defense of Learning about their performance of the Mastery Skills they are expected to work on in the class. 

I listened to Colin and Mamadou give their presentation to their peers and articulate their rationale of their level of performance and was privy to Vanaija, Bujar, and Nicholas discussing and evaluating Mamadou's presentation. Needless to say, I was so impressed with the student-led, student driven conversations and discussions that cognitively challenged and engaged every student in the class.... 

This is why we moved to Mastery-based learning and a wonderful example of what students can do when given the opportunity to take control of their learning. 

Congratulations to Meredith and her class on such an impressive display of intellectual discourse. 

It is true.  Last year and throughout the summer when I began to dig deep into Mastery learning, I came to believe that there are no half-measures when it comes to learning this way.  I know that this choice with my AP class, while challenging and far from perfect is on its way.  Tomorrow will be day two of presentations and then I will conference with students on Thursday and Friday to determine final semester grades.  When we come back after the Regents week I will debrief with students to determine what worked, what didn't and how we can make it better for second semester.

Defending Learning: The Big Push

It's Saturday morning and I am sitting in my classroom in Union Square waiting for a little more than half of my AP students to descend on my classroom for three hours of portfolio prep.  I picked up bagels and cream cheese, have fortified myself with an egg and cheese wrap, and my coffee awaits in my travel mug.  I am hoping for an epic morning of work.

I returned to work on Wednesday of this last week after a prolonged illness and unanticipated surgery- not once but twice right after new years.  I had a very different vision for what January was going to look like in my classes, but sometimes our bodies make different choices for us.  I was reminded that I do no good for my students if I am not healthy.  While I have had more challenges than many in the last two years, my students are what bring be back again and again.  While at the end of the day Friday, I was exhausted physically, mentally I was feeling better.

Tuesday will kick off the two-day portfolio extravaganza: AP Language and Composition - Defence of Learning.  I have invited mentors as well as teachers to sit in on panels to hear the oral defense and evaluate student arguments.  This is the FIRST time we are trying this as I continue to push forward with the #TTOG Mastery Learning Pilot at AFSE.  I created THIS DOCUMENT to help guide the panel in their participation and feedback for presenters.  Students have been told that professional attire is required and that no, sneakers don't count.  (Though having been to Facebook offices here in NYC, CS crowd tends to dress down.) "But I only own gym clothes, Miss."  It's time for my kids who are 6 months from senior year to Bare Down and Step-Up.

Thinking good thoughts for today and for next week.  It will be a crazy 4 days- then State Common Core English Exam the week after.  Fingers crossed!

Defending Learning: First Semester Portfolios- Kickoff (or Best Laid Plans...)

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As teachers we always have the best of intentions.  I know I do.  When I began the #ttog grading pilot in September I had lots of big lofty goals about what it would do for student learning and thinking about work in my class (AP Lang).  I don't know that I have had the buy-in that I had hoped for.  My 11th graders have rolled with it, indulging me and my big ideas as I try and wrap my mind and teaching around mastery based learning and going grade-less in high school.

There are a few things that are clear to me as I approach mid year:

1. I need better mechanisms for giving students feedback on their writing.
2. While my year long standards are great- and the rubrics I have designed actually are sound language they don't work in the day to day work for offering feedback and I need to work with students to create more "actionable" language that identifies the skills that go with standards and how to indicate where they are on a spectrum of mastery.
3.  I need to let go of the larger reading and writing goals I may have had (reading a book a month and writing a rhetorical analysis of it) and modify- selecting shorter pieces that are read and analyzed through similar process. 
4. Blogs ARE the way to go.  The work and transparency and access it provides for students has been exciting and inspiring.  When students go back and look at the work they have done this semester, hopefully (!) they will see growth from September.

All said, I have to work within the constraints of the public school system and this means awarding numeric grades at the end of the semester that will go on their semester report card and official transcripts. I created what I call a Defense of Learning (Check it out and let me know what you think!).  It is what AP Lang is all about: demonstrating how to use language to make a rhetorical appeal to a specific audience and persuade them to see things the way you do.  

I may have been overly ambitious- but we will see.

Today will be my first day back since students began the work last week for medical reasons, however I have high hopes and I am excited to see the work they are doing and thinking that is driving their DoL.

To be continued...

When CS Meets Theatre Arts or That Time I was In The New Yorker

Earlier in November I was interviewed by the talented writer Betsy Morais, a member of the editorial staff at The New Yorker Magazine.  She was doing a piece for the Talk of the Town section of the historic magazine about Mayor Bill de Blasio announcement that computer science education would be in all schools, at every grade level, within the next 10 years. We spent a few hours together at a CSNYC Meetup, coordinated by Sean Stern, my colleague at AFSE. I was able to tell her a little bit about the project I was working on that resulted in the following piece:  "Can an English Teacher Learn to Code?"  The answer is: YES!  Not very well yet, but I am learning to use Scratch.  It was such an honor to be in The New Yorker and I think she captured me well.  Funny thing was, the day of the interview, it was the first day of the flu that plagued me for a week.  I was just happy I came across slightly coherent.

The interesting thing is- the unit I am in the process of designing and implementing is a theatre unit. While I am also an English teacher, I am a drama teacher too.  I am a proud alumna of NYU's Educational Theatre program and (University of Arizona's Theatre Production BFA program).  Theatre is in my blood.  I will be the first to say that Scratch, while foreign, clicked (pun intended- make sure you check out Scratch). When I did the boot camp Sean set up last spring, my mind began racing about ways to integrate this into content classrooms.  Theatre is what came to mind first.  I began developing the unit this summer and into the fall and last week, my two blocks of 9th graders (about 60 kids) began the first two parts of the unit.  They were assigned brief scenes from movies - having just finished Shakespeare monologues- all movies that are kid friendly and have some great teen characters to portray. The first two steps are to work on character development, and to put the director hat on for the first time and begin creating stage pictures using blocking notation.  For these classes I am calling it "theatre code" as to work to bridge the gap between theatre and Computer Science. 

Today we spent the period with one of the two blocks in the theatre on campus, just playing and rehearsing and continuing to create blocking for their scenes.  It is exciting to see them start to make connections and start to create truly authentic scenes.

The next steps will be to do the paper prototyping step where they will create a flip book of every movement the characters make and how long it will take for each character to make the movement.  How fast are they talking/walking? I am excited to see how their work continues to develop and evolve through the end of the month and into January.  They will begin Scratch when we come back from the winter break.  Can't wait.

Any thoughts? Ideas? Insight?  Feel free to let me know!