Why Debbie Ettel Made Me Cry

For those of you that know Debbie, I am sure you are shocked.  You are asking yourself what heinous act she commented to bring Hutch to tears.  Well, I will tell you.  It was last school year, but I can remember it like it was yesterday and every time I see her, I almost relive it...

Riverside Elementary was not my building at the beginning of the year.  When my colleague took a position filling in elsewhere in the district, I took on the building and its tech needs.  This was the first time I spoke with Debbie at any length.

It wasn't our first meeting, or even our second, when she made me cry.  It was late in the year and I was having a particularly bad day.  So in her defense, had I been having a better day, I may not have cried.  But on that particular day, that particularly bad day, it was all I could take.

Teachers and administrators had been nasty to me all day.  Parents and kids had been complaining.  Even my husband was not being very nice.  I felt unappreciated, unrecognized and unloved.

And then came Ms. Ettel.

And she... was so nice and sweet and caring and genuine that I could not take it.  She made me feel so smart and accomplished and good about myself.  I never want to leave her office or her company when I am there (she has to kick me out sometimes).  And so, as I walked to my car, I started to cry.

Why can't everybody be like Debbie?  I know she has had trials and tribulations and has probably been "wronged" and had her heart broken more than once, but no matter where she is, or what is attacking her, she is shining on the outside.  That must be exhausting, but I need her to know that I notice, and I need it, and I appreciate it.

So I boo-hoo-ed.  Mostly because I felt sorry for myself.  Why was I not surrounded by Debbie Ettels?  Maybe then, I could not appreciate her as much...

So that is how Debbie Ettel made me cry.  I never told her this story and she almost caught me writing it.  But to Debbie, from all of the teachers, administrators, parent, kids and people that you have made feel bad because there are not enough of you, Thank You.  You are my marigold and my Joy.

Being an adult sucks

The memes are all over about how hard it is to "adult".

           

But the truth of it is, no one is really prepared to be an adult.  The question if teachers are actually preparing kids for the real world is pointless.  Because NO ONE CAN PREPARE YOU.

I used to think that being an adult would eventually get easier.  I thought it was like tying your shoe or brushing your hair; the better you are at it, the easier it is.

But this is not true.

In fact, it is the opposite.  The better teacher you are, the harder your job is.  Crappy teachers (business people, any other profession) have it easy.  They come in, work their seven and a half hours, leave, go do grown-up things like watch the news, fix dinner and shower and brush their teeth.

I thought maybe I was doing it wrong.  After all, they say "work smarter, not harder."

THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING EVER.  Almost as dumb as becoming an adult.  Here's the thing: I have avoided actually become an adult, but even that has brought problems.  Besides a disturbing lack of hygiene, I can't spell and I get in trouble ALL THE TIME.  I am the 30-year-old version of No, David, Joey Pigza and Jack Henry.

It's like having a birthday.  You wake up and expect to feel different because you are a year older.  But you don't.  You feel the same as yesterday.

I will close with lyrics from Christina Perri because they are relevant and also because I will see her in concert next month and naturally I shout that out every time someone mentions her.  Or her songs. Or says any word that is a lyric of any of her songs...

"I'm so sorry it's not like me,

It's maturity that I'm lacking
So don't, don't let me go
Just let me know that growing up goes slow"

-Hutch

Google Classroom: An Intro & How to Turn off Email Notifications

This will be short and sweet, a lot like Google Classroom!  I have heard people say that an interface, program or app is "user friendly" but it is really true of Google Classroom and a lot of that is due to the simplicity.  Check out a quick video here:

Once you are in, click the top right to create (or join) a class.  For your students, they can download the app in the Google Chrome Store (or Apple Store!) or they can simply go to http://classroom.google.com and login (make sure they first time they select "Student" as their role.

After that you can start discussions or create assignments.  Attach files form your computer or from your Google Drive.  And (my FAV part) when you attach, you can choose if you  want the students to view a file (directions, rubric, story) edit the document together (collaboratively work on a google doc or drawing) or Google Classroom will AUTOMATICALLY create a copy in EACH STUDENT'S DRIVE! I love that part.  No more losing documents, no more share as view only so they can file, make a copy,  And when students "turn it in", no more searching your shared drive for the kid's document.

HERE A TIP:  When students comment on announcements (which you can turn off) it will email you.  Every.  Time.  Here how to shut that off:

Step 1 

Step 2 

Step 3 

In conclusion, I love Google Classroom.  The End.

Cornell Notes: Beyond the Lecture

This post was inspired by collegial conversations with +April Holder and by watching the amazing Jessica Langdon.  

I love it and think it is great when a school adopts a way of doing something across grade levels, subjects and content.  When this is done, however, it is easy to get stuck with the one way it was taught, modeled or introduced.  Sometimes this happens with the popular and organizational way of taking notes. Cornell Notes, that is.

Cornell Notes is a way to divide a piece of paper and organize note-taking.  You can read the interesting history behind it HERE.  As we adopt technology in our schools and classrooms, we begin to substitute the paper with online versions.  You can use Google Doc Templates (Or Microsoft Template) or create your own to share.  You can even differentiate Cornell Notes for your students.

And I know having the students do the summary at the end can be... frustrating at first for both the teacher and the students, but stick with it and set high expectations.  They will meet you there.

But the point of this blog is not to introduce Cornell Notes.

This blog is an invitation to move outside of lecture when using/teaching Cornell Notes.  While lecture is a great way to learn and practice Cornell notes, and is an important skill to use when a teacher is lecturing, there are other ways students can practice Cornell Notes.

Note Taking: Using a Variety of Sources

Jessica Langdon asked her students to use a variety of sources to complete Cornell Notes during their unit on Native Americans.  Results?  100% engagement as students moved through their textbook and a Symabloo of resources.  No lecture required:

  

    Kid Example                                                    Kid Example

Note Taking: More than texts and lectures

Here's a great resource for using Cornell Notes for Discussions, Field Trips, Guest Speakers and more.

Note Taking: Videos

Cornell Notes can even be used for summarizing and comparing video! Try BlendSpace (New to BlendSpace? Watch next month for a blog post on the GCCS Teaching Through Technology page by Teacher Librarian +Jill Sceifers  and a Teaching Tuesday session by +Melissa Stewart!)

Have students take notes as they watch with VideoNot! It connects with your Google Drive.  Have a click and take a look. (I learned this from an awesome Demo Slam by the infamous +Kyle Pace at a GAFE Summit).

Cornell Notes are grand, but don't get stuck in a rut.  No one-trick ponies here.  Stretching is just as important for the mind as it is the body.  Happy Cornell Noting! 

What Hiking Taught Me About Education... But It's Not What You Think

This is not a blog about how I was inspired to write about motivation and accomplishment after hiking in the wilderness.  It is not about the hard work that allows you to persevere in times of difficultly.

Oh, no.

This is about lies, deceit, and manipulation.  And yes, education.

Follow me, if you will, for just a little background knowledge.  I met my husband in January of 2011.  He decided it would be fun if we went to Gatlinburg, TN for a weekend trip.  I was excited; there is massive shopping down there.  But when we got down there, he wanted to hike.

"That sounds like a fab idea!" I responded.  We did go shopping after the hike so all was not lost.  But this turned out to be a thing.  The hiking.  It was a thing.  Twice a year we did this.  Then we got married.

It was the fall after our wedding, we were 4.5 miles into a 9 mile hike when I confessed: "I hate hiking."

He froze. "What?"

"I hate hiking.  In fact, I hate the smell of the outdoors. I also hate sweating and walking to turn around and walk back.  When your back is turned, I shake the pedometer so we can end it quicker." (I actually wrote that last part after my husband read my blog, so he still doesn't know that...)

He was crushed.  I had lied to him this whole time (actually, he never really asked me if I enjoyed hiking).  I had manipulated him into thinking I was a bunny of the wilderness just so he would marry me!  That's dramatic, but he was still confused, "But why do you do it?"

It started off that I did it because I loved my husband.  I wanted to be excited about things he was excited about.  I wanted to support him in hopes that he would support me (for those of you that know me you know that, in itself, can be a full-time job).

Wait!  Here's where the education part comes in!  I realized that, having endured the horrible smell and the sweat and the not shopping, that I liked accomplishing things. When 1 mile became 3 and then 9 and last weekend we did a 16 mile hike, I loved it!  I, and this is really horrible, you might want to skip to the next paragraph, I like feeling like I'm better than other people.  My therapist would say it's a cover for the fact that I can't accept myself for my flaws, but she doesn't read my blog.  I like being able to say, "Yeah, we hiked 13.5 miles with an elevation change of over 3,000 feet."  I leave out the part about how I could barely walk the next day.  But this is my story so I can tell it like I want to.  I had found my motivation for hiking.  No matter how, uh, unique it was.

There's more: and this is really educationally important.  On one hike there was a cemetery.  I LOVE cemeteries. We walked around and took pictures of the headstone.  When we got back to town, I noticed the names from the headstones were on business and streets around town.

Let me also confess that I HATE history.  I think it a horrible subject.  I am not doomed to repeat it as long as my mother is still alive.

BUT! here's the thing.  After seeing those names, I began to research.  Which turned into buying and reading books.  I was obsessed with deaths, disappearances, and feuds of the Smoky Mountains.  In all of my research I accidentally learned about immigration, emigration, prohibition, westward expansion, the industrial revolution, I could retell facts, dates, cause and effects, and not because I had to memorize anything.  It was because I was invested.

So, my point is this: We have to find out what inspires kids.  I love accomplishment and graveyards.  This has allowed me to love and be successful at hiking and history (ok, that's a stretch, but you get my point).  Some kids are easy and some are harder.  But find what they love.  In fact, I am so into this now I told my husband we could pretend to be homeless, er--I mean, we could go camping next time...

#NoExcuse, Tell Your Story, or Don't Cry About It

There has been a lot of talk about Twitter in Education.  Those of us who use it swear by it.  Those that don't can't understand why we do.

There are experts that will tell you why it's so awesome. Like Eric Sheninger and Steve Anderson.

But I had a conversation with my director about this topic.  For those who do not know him, @MrBrettClark is all atwitter about Twitter.  Someone had asked why.  There are the obvious reasons, as stated in the above links, that there are experts a mere little-blue-bird-click away.  Why reinvent the wheel when you can send a tweet and get back great resources?

But Clark brings up a great point.  Let's say that you are awesome teacher.  Chances are that you are not observed frequently by the administration.  I would often invite my admin in when my kids were about to do something spectacular, but they are very busy people and were not always able to make my awesomeness party.

Instead, they would step in when we were testing. Or worse.... HOUSEKEEPING.  There's nothing that makes your heart drop quicker than an administrator walking through your door while 30 students sit at desks silently putting pencil to paper taking a benchmark test.  You are behind your desk, frantically trying to update grades and parent contact logs.  When the door opens, you look up, make eye contact, and SPRING from your chair.  You walk around... to do what?  You whisper revision suggestions, remind students to put their names on their papers.  Admin questions a student, he shrugs, you face-palm.  Worst.  Observation.  Ever.

Or is it worse when they walk in while you are going over the calendar for next week, or reminding kids of missing assignments, or genuinely have a 5 minute lag in a week and a half of perfect transitions and lesson-planning?

Clark's point is this.  If these moments are what you count on, you only have yourself to blame.  If you are judged only on the walk-throughs that may or may not happen each semester, it's your own fault.  Why?!  Because Twitter, that's why.

If you are using Twitter, your awesomeness can be on display on the daily, yo.  Your administrators can follow what is happening in your class all the time.  Parents know that when their kids say "nothing", it's not nothing.

Your principal knows you make contact with awesome educators and network with peers.  He or she knows you collaborate because you tweeted that Google Hangout with that class from Nebraska.  The principal knows because parents say, "I love follow my student's class on twitter."

"But my principal's not on the Twitter."  Is that so?  Create a virtual Twitter outside your room where you print (yes, forgive me, I just said the P word) Tweets.  Embed tweets in newsletters.  Install a Twitter widget on your class webpage.  Twitter is a quick tool that says "I'm awesome, I'm connected, and I'm a life-long learner."  There are #NoExcuses.

Lastly, If I do not put a pic, Pinterest will automatically make my face the picture linked to this blog post.  So remember, balance your followers to those you follow.  Unless you are famous.

A Whale of a Thank You: A Short Reflection

I saw two of my kids yesterday, one at a gas station and one at a car parts store.  They both recognized me and asked how I was.  I returned the favor and asked about them and what they were doing.  

Mike liked to argue.  He made bad decisions and tried to make my classroom a zoo.  He was asked to leave school that year, but he did come back.  We made some break-throughs.  Once he found out I like the same music as he did, he saw me in a different light.  Once he realized that each day was new, and he had a clean slate, his behavior was different.  It wasn't paradise; we still had bad days.  But he knew I loved him no matter what.  Like all my starfish.  We still fought (I know better than to argue, but some days... it just feels good), but things were so much better after awhile.  

"Ms. Hutchinson!" 

"Mike!" 

We were genuinely glad to see each other.  I was happy to see him looking well and out of trouble.  He told me he had dropped out of school and had gotten his GED.  He was working and like his job.  We chatted and it seemed he didn't want to leave.  I told him to come see me anytime.  "But, where?!" he almost squealed.  He wanted to make sure he could get to me, should he ever need me.

I want all of my students to feel that way.

I said I saw two kids.  The other was a kid who made good grades and was on the track team (I was a coach).  He remembered my face, but not my name.  He was working his way through college.  The conversation was forced.  It was clear I had not made as much of an impact.  He was a starfish that didn't need saving.  Mike was a starfish that... was he saved?  He was happy and productive.  

I think back to the teachers in my life.  I needed saving, but not the way Mike did.  My kindergarten teacher was one of my most memorable.  Her name was Ms. Ash.  And she was amazing.

But the one who really understood me was Ms. Whaley.  She was our librarian, back before they were called media specialists.  She never had me in class, but she made me feel like I mattered.  When she would sign my passes, she would remind me that she loved making the letter K.  She would decorate with whales.  Her library was always inviting and she spoke to me like I was a human. This was middle school. The time where kids don't even feel human.

I was so awkward then.  I remember wearing a pink sweatsuit to school, but the only shoes I owned were black tennis shoes.  I am caught between "I wish I had a picture of that" and "just the mental image is too much."

Ms. Whaley never made me feel like a middle-schooler, but like an avid reader who appreciated the fine art of the written word.  We talked about books and movies and such.

She was replaced my last year there by Ms. Pop.  My heart was broken.  Ms. Pop was fun and down to earth, but she was not Ms. Whaley.

Maybe I am that starfish that didn't need saving as much as the next one.  But maybe those that were special to me still need to hear thanks.  So as part of teacher appreciation week, I would like to say thank you to Ms. Whaley, for making a difference.  I hear now she is a principal and is still making a difference.  When I hear her name is makes me smile.

I know we don't teach for the thank-yous.  That would be like teaching for the salary.  But that a teacher, past or present.

A special thanks as well to:

Ms. Kovert (3rd grade Reading)

Ms. Krall (3/4 GT)

Ms. Berry (11/12 English)

Senor Rife (Spanish I-IV)

Save the Teacher, Save the World