tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31439741798938932712024-03-13T16:36:14.678-07:00The Fearless ClassroomJoli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-733413914022177882015-09-13T04:54:00.002-07:002015-09-13T04:54:16.685-07:004th Graders Reaching Out for ChangeThree weeks into a new school year, fifteen world-changing and dedicated fourth-grade students used their voices to write letters and a petition to convince Coca-Cola to run affirmations on their products rather than names and seemingly frivolously labels. Please help us reach the Coca-Cola company by signing our petition and sharing it on social media. We want everyone who walks down the soda aisles, purchases Coca-Cola products, or stands in line at a store to see messages of hope and self-worth. It is amazing what can happen when people consciously or subconsciously take in affirmations daily. It truly can change the world.<br />
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Please go to our <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WcvzQ205lxMfYEN4g5o9_T9m71wZm4Qumi4SUwll5I0/viewform?usp=send_form" target="_blank">Petition </a> and help us change the world!Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-82906672229365500802015-03-01T09:42:00.002-08:002015-03-01T10:01:55.053-08:00Ten-Year-Old Genius Needs His Voice Heard<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
This writer comes from meager means and his hope and belief in possible is weak. He doesn't see his genius. I have worked hard this year to give him choices to discover his own voice. Now, I need your help convincing this kid to get in front of the camera, deliver his TED-ed Club speech, and help it go viral…when you read it you will understand. I have been going back and forth with this boy all year. Convincing him that he has tremendous gifts and so much to tell the world has been extremely challenging. He has a lot of walls. But through patience and love and celebrating and tears, we've come to a place of trust and mutual admiration. Remember, this is a 10-year-old boy who doesn't have much of the support in his life to give him the idea that he may actually be one to change the world for the better. So, with his permission, I am posting his work here. Please take the time to read it, share it, convince others to do the same. I want SOMEONE SOMEWHERE to get in touch with this brilliant mind of his and convince him that writing, singer/song writing is in his future….and it can truly change the world. If you or someone you know is willing to give this genius boy a chance…please send them my contact info. PS the 2 poems are not research…they are his own creative genius, and this was his response to the Martin, Brown, and Garner cases.</div>
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Racial Injustice<br />
by: D. C.<br />
TED-ed Club Speech</div>
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Once Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Now Martin Luther King, Jr. is dead. Martin Luther King, Jr. didn’t just have his famous dream…he had a vision. In 1963, he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech for equal rights and freedoms for all Americans, especially for black Americans. That was fifty-two years ago. Our country has fought wars over civil rights, passed laws for civil rights, and has had many people influence and inspire people to support civil rights. And yet, in 2015, we are still struggling to have peace and civil rights for all.</div>
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Have you seen the news lately? Young African American boys are being gunned down at alarming rates. As a young boy this is the reality I wake up to everyday. I worry about being criticized for my skin color. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “I have a dream that one day people will NOT be judged by the color of their skin but by the contents of their character.”</div>
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Historically, there are more black males in prisons than whites. More police involved shootings with black suspects. According to CNN, young black boys ages 15-19 are killed by police-involved shootings at a rate of 30 to 1 compared to whites of the same age group.</div>
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Underestimated boys<br />
Thrown around like discarded toys.<br />
While the rest are being spoiled,<br />
WE are being foiled.<br />
Not understood while they are over stood.<br />
We are just trying to be the Little Engine that Could.<br />
Forever forgotten (pause)<br />
When I’m rappin’ I’m not stoppin’<br />
But when I make it, they’ll quickly awaken<br />
Act so afraid<br />
But every second I’m brave.<br />
Someone, please come save us from this grave.<br />
Real story, so people give us joy,<br />
While our lives are being destroyed.<br />
Einstein educated? Not so much.<br />
But I’m trying to keep on rollin’<br />
As our lives is being stolen.</div>
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Martin Luther King also said, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people, but the silence over that by the good people.”</div>
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I am speaking out because maybe my twelve-year-old voice will be heard. I write, I rap, I speak, I beg, I cry, I plead for my voice, Martin Luther’s voice, Rosa Parks’s voice, Harriet Tubman’s voice, Frederick Douglass’s voice, our collective voices to finally be heard.</div>
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Most recently, the news reports of Eric Garner, Treyvon Martin, Michael Brown have brought civil rights and racial inequality to light again. The concern is that in all of these situations, there were really no full videos of the situations. No real definitive evidence as to what actually happened. So I am proposing a new bill. I propose that a camera that has the ability to send a 360 degree view of all surroundings be installed on the top of all police cars. Uniform cameras have been considered, but they are just as limited as dashcam videos. So I propose mounting a camera on the barrel of the officer’s gun. That way the video shows exactly where the bullet was shot and the scene just before the gun was used.</div>
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In spite of the history, and the fact that we are still unwilling or unable to work as a country to educate, protect, and help build our African American communities both economically and restore their trust, we still must remain hopeful. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” Martin Luther’s voice swirls in my mind. Infinite hope.</div>
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Racism is still happening today<br />
That’s a shame<br />
Martin Luther King<br />
Settled that straight.<br />
Through my eyes all I see is</div>
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Homicide<br />
My faith has died inside<br />
Cases are messes<br />
my anger possesses<br />
The lies the bind<br />
(with a laugh and shaking your head) what destruction you find<br />
in the blind mind</div>
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They started stranglin’<br />
(He can’t breathe)<br />
(I can’t breathe)<br />
we (pause) can’t breathe)</div>
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Dude was slangin’<br />
It ain’t like he was gang bangin’<br />
He was just tryin’ to get some change.<br />
(What is done can’t be changed)<br />
(Now his family’s lives are forever changed)<br />
(We need a different change)<br />
(You say, “Try to be the change?”)<br />
(Maybe he WAS the change)</div>
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They just claim self-defense<br />
But it is we who need defendin’<br />
They walk away shameless<br />
As we get put away infamous<br />
put in the books and wait<br />
And wait.<br />
We stand and wait, and can’t help but hate<br />
What America has come to today.<br />
We just go away<br />
Nameless.</div>
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But, as Martin Luther King said, “In the end we will remember NOT the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”<br />
I am silent no more. But I choose love. “Hate is too great a burden to bear.”</div>
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And here is another one:</div>
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Harriet Tubman<br />
by D. C.</div>
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Harriet Tubman was trapped in chains<br />
Waiting patiently to be saved<br />
But after years of unending darkness<br />
she realized that there was no being saved.<br />
She had to be her own hero.</div>
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Slavery is a black box filled with<br />
loneliness and disappointment.<br />
But Harriet was hopeful.<br />
Day in and day out, she thought<br />
How unfair to be mistreated and beaten;<br />
the objects and whips tearing flesh.</div>
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But she found a way to break through the black box<br />
by biting back the calloused hand that fed and beat her.<br />
Her light piercing through the cracks in the box<br />
chiseling away the weak spots that come from hands<br />
too numb from the loss of feeling and death.</div>
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Her light danced and swirled with sunrays<br />
as she watched the box crumbled around her scarred feet.</div>
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Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-56933763558286534532014-11-25T17:42:00.001-08:002014-11-25T17:49:21.983-08:00Reflecting on Ferguson<h3>
<i><a href="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/ellendegen451776.html?src=t_compassion" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; line-height: 26px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="view quote">If we're destroying our trees and destroying our environment and hurting animals and hurting one another and all that stuff, there's got to be a very powerful energy to fight that. I think we need more love in the world. We need more kindness, more compassion, more joy, more laughter. I definitely want to contribute to that.</a></i></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<i>---Ellen DeGeneres</i></h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">As I reflect on the tragic circumstances surrounding Ferguson, MI I can't help but think of how I, a 5th grader teacher, can make a positive impact. Thinking of how some of the citizens reacted to the decision not to indict the officer in question left many of us speechless. But really, how would we expect them to behave? This is a community with limited resources and par to sub par educational experiences. What have they been taught? They see our government react with violence, they see talk shows that glorify fighting on the stage, they hear lyrics of songs that celebrate violence. They have learned, like many others have, that if you don't like what someone else does, fight. Talking gets you nowhere. </span><br />
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So I have to ask myself, how am I contributing to this mentality or am I teaching an alternative mentality? I teach at a Title 1 school and many of my students have expressed frustration with their peers and teachers and life circumstances with anger and threats of violence. I believe it is simply because they know of no other way to have their voices heard and their feeling validated. </div>
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This situation in Ferguson is an opportunity for educators everywhere to inject compassion-based, service-based, empathy projects into their classroom and on their campuses. We must teach our students how to be the hope in the hopeless, the help in the helpless. We must teach them alternative ways of expressing their frustrations, how to be part of the solution. </div>
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What I have listened to all day, the day after the violence and looting ensued after the decision was announced, is a lot of complaining, fear, condemnation, and blaming. However, not once have I heard anyone show compassion, validate the feelings of ALL of the citizens, or offer a solution. So I am offering a solution. </div>
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Have your students learn to communicate their feelings and frustrations calmly and with assertiveness. Teach them HOW to speak in a way that grabs the listener's attention without being threatening. Teach your students to LISTEN with empathy; to hear with their hearts and put their own anger aside enough to truly listen. We must teach them to negotiate, compromise, and problem solve by considering all angles of the problem. </div>
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With absolutely no judgment on either side of this tragic situation, I simply feel compassion for all parties. The police officer is human and we all make mistakes. Whether this was his mistake or not is not for me to judge. He took a child's life. The judgment he will certainly face is far greater than anything I might say. And what I could say would serve no purpose. Michael Brown lost his life. Regardless of his actions, it is not my place to judge him either. His family is suffering the greatest loss possible. Blaming him serves no purpose. The citizens who are peacefully protesting are making a point, but could there be a better solution? That would be a conversation necessary to have. As for the looters and violent citizens, I am in no place to judge them either. They are filled with fear, resentment, anger, feelings of betrayal, and feel hopeless and helpless. <br />
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As an educator, I commit to contribute to the solution by modeling, encouraging, and TEACHING empathy and compassion with communication and listening skills. All of us MATTER. It is time we start cultivating a fearlessness within ourselves to set our egos aside and to come together with mutual respect and empathy to solve these problems. My hope is that uniting together as educators, we can change the world one heart at a time. </div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.-- Dalai Lama</i></h3>
Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-53768362190877486362014-11-10T16:25:00.000-08:002014-11-10T16:27:05.720-08:00Don't Give Up. STEP UP!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 23.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">To my 5<sup>th</sup> grade students,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I always tell you that in the Fearless Classroom you won’t
fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That we have each other’s backs
and that we will succeed together no matter what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tell you that I don’t worry about the
learning that takes place in our classroom because I know the level to I teach.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that isn’t exact 100% true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth is I am very worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truth is we are not being as successful as we
could be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I always tell you that when you want to confront something you
need to look at it from all angles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
need to approach a problem with a solution or a bunch of solutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Complaints don’t fix anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Words without action are meaningless. I need
to share with you how I feel about teaching and then I can tell you why I worry
so much about you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As an
educator, I am torn between wanting to educate children to be thinkers,
explorers, and curious souls, and covering the curriculum. Being fearless
means taking a leap of faith, a well-calculated risk, that the curriculum is
secondary to the education I will be providing. It is believing that I,
the teacher, am actually the weakest source of information I could give to my
students, but the most powerful of idea-generators, question-posers,
genius-cultivators, and that, in fact, it is YOU, the students, who are capable
of learning without me. I must allow failure to always be an option in
our classroom. I must commit to fail, disappoint, and make mistakes
eagerly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I must fail
to stop learning, fail to settle for less than my own best or yours, fail to be
satisfied with our work. I must disappoint you when you think that I will
back down when you fight against your best and against the opportunities you
are given in my class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I MUST make
mistakes. Make them daily...in front of you and let you engage in
solutions <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">with</i> me. It is a
necessary tool in learning to struggle through a challenge in order to find
authentic learning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I believe this so fully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And this is why I am so afraid for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I care about you more than you realize and more than you probably care
about yourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It never has been and
never will be about what you do or accomplish in my classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not in this career, I don’t come to
school excited everyday because I think something I say or do will suddenly
morph you into a student who for the rest of his or her life will embrace every
piece of information as if it were the last most delicious morsel of food every
eaten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I do care about the kind of
people you will be when you leave me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
remind you daily that you matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I
mean is that you matter in a way that no book or website or poem or math
problem could ever matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You matter
more than any test score or grade or academic achievement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is because you matter so much to me and
to this world that I must tell you that I can no longer sit by quietly and
watch what isn’t happening to you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Don’t get me wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
vital to your future that you learn the reading passages and poems and
fractions and science experiments and historical events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowledge is power and you can’t go anywhere
in life without knowledge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you don’t
need me for that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have resources
available to you right now at the press of a button that will give you all of
that information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not coming to
my class solely for information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can
see why you would not care to attend regularly or not understand what the point
is if you are thinking that this is all you are expected to gain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">You come to my class to learn something so much more
important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something that you cannot
learn on the internet or from an app or from a book even.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You come to learn your impact in this
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your place of importance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your ability to have influence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are here to be as much of a teacher as a
student and to figure out who you are and can be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">So I ask you this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do
you approach problems?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean what
happens when you forget your lunch in the car?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What happens when you can’t find a paper that is due?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you react when a friend tells a lie
about you or betrays your trust?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do
you react when you tell the truth about something and no one believes you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you react when what we do in here gets
tough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really tough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you have no idea what to do next or how
to even begin?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who are you then?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 23.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">You see, my dear students, THIS is what you come to this
classroom to learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You must learn who
you are and who you can be in order to negotiate these moments wisely, fairly,
and maturely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about growing up a
little and seeing struggle as a gift, as a chance to grow and become greater than
you think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a chance to impact
others and your own life in a positive way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because you need to know that life will go on after 5<sup>th</sup> grade
and all of the thing you think are horrible will not matter in a year or
5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl or boy who has your heart
now will not have a name in your memory by college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the lost opportunities to try and give
some extra effort that you brush off because you don’t feel like it or think it
isn’t important will hold no worth in your memories as the years go forth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But life is a rollercoaster of ups and downs
and it is in those downs that these experiences will either ease your anxiety
or strike fear in your heart. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 23.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">In my lifetime I have loved and lost, seen friends and loved
ones die, I have had bad things said about me and I have not been
believed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have given up when things
got tough and I have quit trying a far too many things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the one thing I wish I had learned in
school was how to tackle life when life roars at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Being fearless is about embracing changes and challenges as
steppingstones to success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about
not backing down but facing them head on with the determination and tenacity
needed to come out having given your all to persevering through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THIS is what being fearless is all about and
what is going to be your legacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
your preparation for life after school, far more than the content we discuss<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 23.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">I don’t want to see you give up in these moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You matter in this world and the world needs
your contribution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without your
contribution this world won’t be as effective, compassionate, connected, or
beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is quite the
responsibility to take on, isn’t it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But
man, are you worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Man, are you
capable of that and so much more! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 23.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Don’t give up when it gets too difficult in class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Step up, rather, and do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do the task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It doesn’t matter if you get it correct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That will come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But don’t give up
on what you COULD do by allowing your doubt to stop you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t give up on that person you can be who
doesn’t back down from a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is YOUR education and YOUR intelligence that is in YOUR hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can give you the task and the information,
but it is up to you what you do with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t give up, STEP up for yourself, your education, and your own
intelligence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Don’t give up by leaving class when things get tough or
boring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t use the bathroom as an
excuse to avoid challenges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>STEP
UP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Step up to drown out the voice in
your head telling you that you can’t or shouldn’t have to try this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have the PRIVLEDGE of going to school
without worry and without limitations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So many have been denied this privilege and some have even been hurt and
killed trying to just have a chance to learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Don’t give up on this opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>STEP UP and embrace it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>STEP UP
and honor it with your fullest effort to attend and try and fail and try
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t about just showing
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s about being present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a gift to learn in this country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Don’t give up by using defense tactics like sarcasm, back talk,
and disrespect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We ask you to walk
quietly in the hallway to honor the learning of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t about compliance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether you listen to us or not isn’t the
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about stepping up for each
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about stepping up so that
our campus can honor the privilege of learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is so you can step up and once again be the person who can be counted
on to honor others respectfully and maturely. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Be the hope you want to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Be the change you deserve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be the
person you and only you know you can be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Be YOUR own hero.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you allow
doubt or mood or negative attitudes to stop you, you’re giving up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’re quitting and giving in to being powerless and voiceless later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And no one who ever gave up ever did anything
worth mentioning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YOU matter more than giving
up on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 23.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">So here is my commitment to you as we move forward in this
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as you are in my classroom
and beyond that even, as long as you are part of my life, I refuse to give up
on you or to allow you to give up on yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My job is to give you the chance to be determined, courageous, tenacious,
and respectful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My job is to create
opportunities for you to step up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
opportunities may be difficult, they may angry you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may challenge you beyond your comfort
zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They may scare you and make you
feel incapable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is until you don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because you stepped up. You didn’t make
excuses, you didn’t back down, you didn’t give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You stared the challenge straight in the eye
and stepped up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 13.0pt;">DON’T GIVE UP, STEP UP!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-72901575810708231942014-11-04T11:58:00.002-08:002014-11-04T11:58:09.736-08:00Trending What MattersAfter hearing about the "Alex from Target" phenomenon, I had a conflicted reaction of moral duality. On one hand, it demonstrated the power of social media. Imagine that 250,000+ people in this world now know of this one kid from Texas simply because one girl thought he was attractive enough to post a photo of him on social media. Having anything go "viral" is a demonstration in the sheer power of what the right tweet through the right channels can have on something. But unfortunately, often the viral effect happens to damaging and humiliating events. The case of Alex simply exemplifies our society's relentless obsession with looks. I began to wonder what message was being sent to our young people, particularly our girls. Will this "Alex from Target" effect perpetuate the selfie epidemic in our girls? Will they amp up their obsessive display of self-objectifying photos just to have others build their egos so that they feel adequate and important? What are we celebrating? What are we encouraging?<br />
<br />
As an educator, it is my obligation to use current events, particularly ones that impact my students directly, to, in the very least, get them to thinking and examining these events more critically. They can draw their own conclusions, but I want them having deep and meaningful conversations about it. <br />
<br />
I brought this topic to my 5th graders. <br />
<br />
We talked about harnessing the power of social media for something more meaningful than selfies and viral photos and videos. We discussed what makes a person beautiful and how beauty comes in all forms and all manifestations. We listed humor, compassion, kindness, talent, effort, sacrifice and faith as ways beauty can be displayed. I was inspired to hear that they really tried to stray away from physical beauty. But there IS a need to discuss the positives of celebrating your most beautiful self too. We need to recognize and celebrate the beautiful parts of us.<br />
<br />
And so the "OUR Beauty Project" began.<br />
<br />
We have been learning about poetry and today's form was a diamante. The topic was about defining beauty. They were charged with creating a diamante about beauty and giving me a statement about what they find most attractive about themselves and why. Then I asked them to respond to how they would capitalize on the sudden exposure to fame and 250,000+ followers to change the world. Here are the results of this exercise.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Kaden:</h4>
"Popularity shouldn't be based on your looks. It is your character, honesty, respect for yourself and others, and compassion that matter and make you important."<br />
<br />
<h4>
Miniyah:</h4>
"Beauty is perfectly imperfect."<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Fake</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>hidden, masked</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>veiling, misleading, changing</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>a million bucks can't buy a heart of gold</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>inspiring, world-changing, creating</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>natural simple</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Real</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I would encourage people to step away from their phones, stop texting and taking selfies, and trying to impress social media with your looks and do something to make the world better. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<h4>
Kylie:</h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">"My eyes are beautiful not because they are a pretty blue but because they see truth."</span></h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Outside beauty</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>altered, deceitful</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>fibbing, improving, covering </b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Your truth lies inside of you</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>charming, shining, sharing</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>real, individual</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>inner beauty</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Ebony</b><b style="font-style: italic;">:</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>pretty</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>gorgeous, lovely</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>sparkling, glowing, charming</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>grace is beneath the skin</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>hiding, disgusting, hating</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>unattractive, deceptive</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>ugly</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><br /></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Sophie</b>:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"I would tell my followers, 'YOU are important! Share this.'"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Ugly</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>negative, impure</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>repelling, distrusting, changing</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>the cup is half full</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>charming, loving, laughing</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>positivity, graceful</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>good-natured</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Emilie</b>:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"I would tell them to follow their true self and live life."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Outer Beauty</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>untrustworthy, cruel</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>self-loving, faking, deceiving</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>true beauty is true to yourself</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>caring, loving, sharing</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>unselfish, good </i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>inner beauty</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Alexis</b>:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"Cherish this one day. This is the day God has given you. Start a viral revolution! Befriend someone unpopular at school and start lifting them up."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Kalia</b>:</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"My smile changes the world because it is how happiness populates."</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>outer beauty</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>pretty fake</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>hiding, faking, worrying</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>you don't need validation</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>caring, loving, helping</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>kind-hearted loving</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>inner beauty</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Devan</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">:</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="font-weight: bold;">"My ears are </i><b><i>beautiful because they hear the truth in people."</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Fake</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>pseudo, phony</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>veiling, suppressing, cloaking</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>fake is a break</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>shining amazing alluring</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>exquisiteness glamour</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>beauty</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Anonymous<i>:</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Belonging</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>possessive, gorgeous</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>boasting, bragging, gloating</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>it's the inside beauty that counts</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>caring, admiring, respecting</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>cheerful, compassionate</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>character</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i>Jola:</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Makeup</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>fake, outer</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>lying, hiding, trying</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>wolf in sheep's clothing</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>impacting, expressing, seeing</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>true, inside</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>natural</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i>Chris M.:</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>popular</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>cruel, spoiled</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>bullying, stunning, hurting</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>don't judge a book by its cover</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>caring, listening, loving</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>thoughtful, genius</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>alone</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-88861350571078145172014-10-19T15:54:00.004-07:002014-10-19T16:06:34.301-07:00Stop Setting Goals with Your Students<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Start Setting Intentions</h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"Don't do anything unless you INTEND to do it. "--Oprah Winfrey</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For the longest I can remember as an educator, setting goals has been something that we do as a way to not only track student progress, but to give them ownership of their own educational progress. What we hope happens when setting goals with kids is that they will focus on something attainable and strive to achieve it. Some do, some don't. There never seemed to be a real draw or significant result from setting goals. I even tried having students set their own goals each week and define how they would achieve them. Still, nothing significant. Sure they were aware of their academic status, where they needed to go and where they needed to be. But why didn't this act of setting goals work like we all hoped it would? I don't have the answer, but I think I have an alternative that might elicit a better result. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our classrooms are in service of our students' stories. Think about that. Their stories matter. As humans, we often become what we believe. Our students become what we help them believe. If we want them to rise to meet the life and success we want for them and that they deserve, we must change our focus and beliefs. Setting goals fundamentally has a flawed perspective. We focus on our deficits, figure out a limited place of achievement, set our sights on that place, and work to get there. We begin with a deficit viewpoint. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So what if we stop setting goals and start setting intentions? Webster's Dictionary defines intention as a having a course or action as one's purpose or objective<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="line-height: 15px;">. The course of action becomes their purpose. If students focused their minds everyday on their intention to learn something, achieve something…if they name it, see it, feel that success…would they achieve at higher rates? We shall see. It is certainly worth making reflection questions and our classroom content objective our intentions each day. Ask your students, "What do you intend to learn today?" </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 15px;">When we think about the way things tend to be however we perceive them to be…you may have seen the quote about change your attitude, change your life?…well, what if our educational system, our states, our districts, our campuses, our classrooms, our teacher's lounges, our PTOs, our communities all perceive our student outcome success or failure as a reflection of our intention? How might our attitudes about student work, objectives, lesson planning, etc. change? If it isn't what we want, we MUST change our intention. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 15px;">As an educator, I must reflect honestly about what my intentions are when I write plans, give assessments, give feedback, communicate data. Is my intention to comply with campus and administrative expectations? Is my intention to one up a colleague? Is my intention to keep my students busy and quiet? Or is my intention to give them the most unforgettable learning experience I can offer them? Is my intention to create the opportunities for my students to discover their own potential, to experience new learning, to make connections and delve deeper into content? </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 15px;">It is our responsibility to check our intentions daily…in everything we do. Without our intentions being focused on the positive potential in our classroom and within our students, we are setting up a reachable goal of the same old same old. But why wouldn't we, along with our students, want to rise to our greatest potential? </span></span></div>
<div>
<div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Excellence is the best deterrent of negative "stuff" so…be excellent!</span></span></h2>
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Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-41416533950111053382014-09-14T11:22:00.001-07:002014-09-14T11:22:23.438-07:00Fearless Gamification = Creative Collaboration!<h2 style="text-align: center;">
"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." <em>- Henry Ford</em></h2>
<div>
<em><br /></em></div>
<div>
<em>When students walk into a classroom feeling less than confident and capable about their academic abilities, one MUST consider why. What has happened in their lives as students that has created such cynicism? As an educator myself, I do not believe there is one answer that can adequately bring clarity. However, ALL answers are PART of the truth. Perhaps assumptions were made and allowed misconceptions to slip by, perhaps the curriculum wasn't written well enough to ensure longevity in the students' memories, perhaps their personal lives at home are a larger focus for them </em><i>than school is. This is not a blame game. The fact is, many students around our country feel this way and the finger can be pointed directly at ourselves. You see, regardless of the reason for a child to be shut down, cynical, jaded, unengaged, and unenthusiastic, it is OUR JOB as their current teachers to reignite that flame of hope and excitement for learning; because WE ARE HERE TODAY and they matter.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<div>
<i>I am often asked about how to do The Fearless Classroom rotations in ELAR when there is Reader's Workshop and Writer's workshop and they need sustained times for both skills to gain stamina and to really hone their skills. To that, I am writing this post is to demonstrate one simple activity you can do with your students, the reluctant and the eager alike, to get them discussing reading, collaboratively working together, and writing for a purpose.</i></div>
<div>
<i><br /></i></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The Case of the Slain Green Dragon</span></i></h4>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>Using a fifth grade level detective story from <a href="http://www.extrareading.com/" target="_blank">extrareading.com </a>, students were grouped together heterogeneously based on academic reading levels. I believe that there is a time and place for homogeneous groupings, but I also want my more skilled students to be an inspiration and support for my lesser skilled students because we ALL had skills we needs to work on and we are all in this together. Students were charged with solving the crime of the slain endangered green dragon in the kingdom. I am dressed as the head of the Department of SIOG (Significantly Important Operational Geniuses) who has come to the class to ask for their help and to brief them on their mission...</i></div>
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<i>There were five suspects and several eye witnesses. Students read through several pages of eye-witness accounts, testimony, and evidence, collaboratively took notes, asked questions, created charts and drawings, and worked together to make sense of what might have happened. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbihyOZitMEUKv5maK-wIq4vtlN3RtRgMuj00PJSQhxO3KNHmXQkHz878LKWPP5yFwuVXhKCn60EVj_wZ-ew0vJ-16Sc3_E9C7cSvYi0wHbTCB3CtMGvDCi_JLdSn30Z33Ewd1daLRTI8/s1600/20140905_110118_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbihyOZitMEUKv5maK-wIq4vtlN3RtRgMuj00PJSQhxO3KNHmXQkHz878LKWPP5yFwuVXhKCn60EVj_wZ-ew0vJ-16Sc3_E9C7cSvYi0wHbTCB3CtMGvDCi_JLdSn30Z33Ewd1daLRTI8/s1600/20140905_110118_resized.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a><i>Students of all reading levels were able to participate. Some read the text part by part, some elicited excellent and thought-provoking questions, some provided possible angles and alternative explanations based on the testimony. Whatever their contribution, everyone participated and felt successful. </i></div>
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<i>Some groups succeeded in figuring out the actual truth to what happened to the poor dragon. Others did not. However, the level of engagement, the level of conversation and negotiation with textual evidence, the respectful collaboration that occurred during this activity was far more important than the right answer. </i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkF-S2n_BrOP4MeV65BO3mb3dluRvzM_fR4IoVS8p6dxMtYniCyaMLg7DlN9tUwOV1XowYQgqV0utLg8yV0pyxdK5LE14zfG8Brh8QzxS7c679Hy-bwtHmjDu042Q6MZI_IL5LFiOSYk/s1600/20140905_092759_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilkF-S2n_BrOP4MeV65BO3mb3dluRvzM_fR4IoVS8p6dxMtYniCyaMLg7DlN9tUwOV1XowYQgqV0utLg8yV0pyxdK5LE14zfG8Brh8QzxS7c679Hy-bwtHmjDu042Q6MZI_IL5LFiOSYk/s1600/20140905_092759_resized.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>THIS is what I mean by being an "idea-driven" rather than an "answer-driven" classroom. Sometimes, especially in learning situations, it is more about the journey and experience of the activity than the correct answer that makes the greatest impact on students. </i></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3mvTihNkirM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Notice where they are working, that all students are engaged and a variety of strategies and approaches are being used to solve the problem.</div>
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<i>So be fearless in your approach, release the students to their own learning. Set up an environment in which all students feel safe to take risks, supported by you and their peers in their thinking, and where effort and authentic chances are rewarded. Answers aren't always the most important thing. Sure they have their place…like on assessments…but if we don't teach kids to LOVE learning and to feel capable and free to explore EVERY angle of problems, then we are simply teaching them that there is always an answer and that if they can't figure it out, they must not be capable. This unspoken and hopefully unintentional lesson happens daily in our classes… and we must not allow for it anymore. Be fearless, let your students be fearless. They deserve the chance.</i></div>
Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-44623466847165178382014-09-11T10:30:00.001-07:002014-09-11T10:36:45.115-07:00Looking Back to Remember…Looking Forward in Hope to Honor<h3 style="text-align: center;">
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<!--StartFragment-->
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<b><i><span style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our
deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our
darkness that most frightens us."</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 19pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 18.7pt;">
<b><i><span style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">--Marianne Williamson</span></i></b><b><span style="font-size: 19pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"> When we ask of our students, "Who do you want to be?"
we often get answers like, "rich, famous, professional athlete,
singer…" Why not ask them who are you not to be? </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">It is of no service to the world or oneself to pretend to be too
small to make a significant impact. There is no magnitude
in shriveling into minute insignificant wisps because we are afraid
that our light will be too powerful for others to appreciate and receive
well. Enlightenment is not about diminishing each other and
ourselves. The younger the child is the more they embrace and celebrate
and believe in their light and genius. They focus on it, create and
sustain it, they play with it and cherish it. They honor and protect it.
But somewhere along the line, they also lose it. We were born to
light this world and to share our genius with each other. It is our
purpose. And when one of us accepts our own light, love, and genius
within, we can begin to open the way for others to do the same. Being
fearless requires pushing forward with all of our light and abolishing
self-doubt. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;">On this, the 13th anniversary of the September 11, 2001
attacks on the US, we look back to remember. We look back not to
dwell in the darkness of that day, but to study the light and the hope that
manifested within that day. As a 5th grade teacher, it is a difficult
task to teach such a tragic and personally significant topic to children who
weren't even born yet. They don't have the heart-wrenching connection
that kids do who were aware of the events on that day. But nonetheless,
empathy is something we can teach. So we read stories, watched
video clips that were age and school appropriate, but we also talked
and shared concerns about why this happened and how we can help it from never
happening again. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #131313; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Still,</span><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> I pondered how to teach kids who were either not born yet
or just, how impactful 9/11 was and how important it is that we remain humbled
and grateful, vigilant to changing the world for the better, and steadfast in
our charge and commitment to creating a world of compassionate genius. </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">9/11 can be a tricky and scary topic to teach kids. They need to
feel safe in their world while still made aware of the potential dangers. I
need to be careful to keep it objective…maybe? What is it that I REALLY want
them to take away from these learning experiences? I started to see personal
stories from surviving family members of victims of 9/11…maybe those could be
our reading passages? But then again, I didn't want to focus on the sadness of
that day…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">I pondered on….</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">So my decision…I taught it through letter writing. I wanted my
students to write letters to their future selves. To the leaders, the thinkers,
the inventors, the changers that they will be. Thank them for the changes in
our global culture…conceptualize the world they WANT and DESERVE. Thank the
future "them" for the compassion and peaceful world they created.
Thank them for tolerance and celebration of difference and uniqueness. Thank
them for believing in human potential, human kindness, and love. I wanted them
to see the world they want not only in their minds and written words but also
in their hearts. I wanted them to conceptualize and hold fast to that image and
feeling of having the world they will create, if only we just give them the
chance. I don't want them to be a generation of letter writers about how they
lost someone in an attack. I don't want them to be a generation of letter
writers questioning why this continues to happen. I wanted them to write
letters explaining how and why they were the generation that figured it
out…that changed the world…that created the world we've tried to destroy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> You may say I'm a dreamer (yeah yeah yeah I know the lyrics)…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">but I DO believe in the genius of kids. And if we, with all our
cynicism and jaded judgment, can listen and learn and get out of their way…to
just love them and show them HOW to love each other by learning to LOVE each
other too…we might just get this ball rolling…..I do believe it is THAT simple.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 19.9pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Capitals; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Chancery";"><br /></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 19.9pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Capitals; font-size: 24.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Apple Chancery";">CHOOSE
to matter. Because, in fact, YOU do.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Here are some of the resulting
letters from 5th graders who have begun to see the glimmer of their light and
the possible impact of their contribution to the world.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for learning how
to control your temper. In fact, all you have control over is yourself
and your reactions. Learning this has helped our world become more peaceful
because when you don't get upset others don't get upset either. This
helps people who have sadness in their hearts believe in a more powerful emotion:
hope. Hope is so important to keep alive. Hope is the change and
LOVE is the way we give hope to others. Thank you for always being an
example of this.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">D. C.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for working hard
and studying. You have accomplished your dreams and the world is
better for it. Through your work as a medical researcher, you have not
only come up with years of advancements in cancer treatment, but after
persevering through failure after failure, you've found a cure! You have
shown people to never give up on their dreams and that
with perseverance anything is possible.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">N. A.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for helping to
create a world where special needs people are included and treated fairly.
Thank you for creating an organization that everyone wants to be a
part of because everyone is included and loved. Thank you for
giving special needs people a chance to share their genius and light with the
world. Because of your example, you have changed the world for every
person.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A. Y.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for feeding hungry
children by collecting canned food and making sandwiches. No child should
ever be hungry and because of you, no child who ever has known you has
ever gone hungry. You may not have changed the whole world, but you
changed the world for those kids. Thank you!</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A. B.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for becoming a
police officer who doesn't just make sure people follow the laws, but who helps
them to not break the laws again. Police officers can be a lot like
teachers. They can teach people how to be better. They can give
them resources and show them better ways of thinking. You have been
a great example of how we can use our passions to create a more positive world.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">C. D.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for impacting
other children by listening to them and allowing them to be who they are.
You have tried to experience every person's story. The rich,
the poor, the black, the white, Christian and atheist. You have
given everyone a chance to share who they are and made them feel like they
mattered. This changed the world.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">J. O.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for keeping
kindness in your heart and the respect you have. Thank you for living in
love and never forgetting that you matter to the world. You never doubted
yourself which is why you accomplished more than you ever thought you could.
Thank you for not giving up on us.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A. C.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for becoming a
scientist. Your contribution to children around the world who cannot
afford care and medicine has created a world where no child dies from
illness without a fighting chance. Your work is important.
Your work matters. </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">E. B. </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for building a
community park where the homeless can safely go to find shelters that
are nice and make them feel like they are home. Thank you for
putting in a garden that feeds the homeless while they are there.
Thank you for giving them a chance to grow things in the garden so that
they learn that they are important to this world too. You have made a
difference in their lives.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">J. V.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for becoming
a veterinarian and rehabilitating rescued animals to be used as service
pets for children who are sick, people with special needs, elderly people, and
prisoners. Animals are friends and they make people feel good and calm.
They can give children hope, help people with special needs feel more
accepted in the world, give elderly people someone to be with when they get
lonely, and can help give prisoners hope and a purpose so they won't feel
like they have to always be a prisoner. You are very special and the
world is a better place because of you.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">S. M.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Dear Future Self,</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Thank you for learning to
sing and using it to sing lullabies to babies who are in the NICU.
They need joy and they need to hear happiness. Your voice in giving
babies who are born early a chance to live.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">M. Y.</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #2a313c; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-81103778959474797682014-08-28T10:58:00.004-07:002014-08-28T10:58:23.611-07:00Being the Change<h3>
5th Graders Start the School Year Off with Gestures of Kindness</h3>
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Being a Choose2Matter classroom in a new grade level on a new campus, it was important for me, the teacher, to ignite the passion for making a difference in the world from day one. TODAY. Today is the day to be the change you want to see in the world. </div>
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This first week of school, the entire 5th grade, chose to matter to the rest of the students on our campus. Each day, we focused on making a difference in the lives of our friends. Monday, we focused on Kindergarten. In order to encourage our kinder friends to love reading and to feel supported by us, we created popsicle stick word pointers. On the stick, we wrote inspirational quotes to remind them that they are important to us. </div>
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The kindergartners were so excited to have "the big kids" share something that the 5th graders made special for them. Each 5th grader approached a kindergartener by saying something to the effect of, "I made this special for you. You are important to me and this school and I expect greg things from you! You matter in this world!" The smiles on ALL of the kids' faces told me that this idea would be a success.</div>
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On Tuesday, we focused on our first graders. We created bead and string abacus as a way to support their math thinking. We strung colorful beads onto string and tied the string off so that the beads could be easily moved back and forth in a variety of sets. Using these manipulatives, students can count, add, subtract, and even write multi-addend equations! <br />
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Giving these abacuses to the first graders brightened their days and told them in a small way (maybe bigger!) that we want them to be successful. It showed them that we are here to encourage them and their learning matters to us too!</div>
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On Wednesday, we set our hearts on second grade. We wanted our second graders to enjoy reading, to find a passion and love for reading. We wanted them to be reminded of our support and encouragement for them as readers. We created corner page bookmarks that looked like googly-eyed monsters! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxu2_IzOiNLpqsoHP1jnajxOwoP3OOhnyZsJgzuifmEbRXUKN2BR7Joo3RrmkVqqqhqnPhk_HleqBlBzQTGRtDJ_t4PZsid6Ff3ETVtQKO07wuNJqW3UNrqsHooAd8xLrq55qPRG2kAg/s1600/20140828_124032_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxu2_IzOiNLpqsoHP1jnajxOwoP3OOhnyZsJgzuifmEbRXUKN2BR7Joo3RrmkVqqqhqnPhk_HleqBlBzQTGRtDJ_t4PZsid6Ff3ETVtQKO07wuNJqW3UNrqsHooAd8xLrq55qPRG2kAg/s1600/20140828_124032_resized.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lDiL88LkKBIlS_9HmOXcidNp_73GX7Ns16xJMc0BKMCeh8Ddqg_AW53OzqGMzn1wOLdHBZd9-z0HvUf-CoRuyszwzsfaxa86pgTWBiLjqgqEzNYA4Ok8K1bDk4-IBjWf6q7hDwcTJC0/s1600/20140828_124106_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lDiL88LkKBIlS_9HmOXcidNp_73GX7Ns16xJMc0BKMCeh8Ddqg_AW53OzqGMzn1wOLdHBZd9-z0HvUf-CoRuyszwzsfaxa86pgTWBiLjqgqEzNYA4Ok8K1bDk4-IBjWf6q7hDwcTJC0/s1600/20140828_124106_resized.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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These adorable bookmarks actually inspired many of the second graders to go home and read just so that they could use their bookmarks! On the back of their monsters we added an inspirational saying to remind them that reading is important and so are they!</div>
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Thursday and Friday we created ribboned bookmarks with inspiring quotes and sentiments for our third and fourth graders. Again, this week was all about creating a sense of belonging and community among the entire school. Students need to feel that not only are they important to their own classroom teacher, but to every adult and child on campus. Our fifth graders may have been the ones giving of their time and creativity this week, but we received so much in return. </div>
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Here are quotes from some of the 5th graders about what they experienced in this exercise in compassion:</div>
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"What I do matters in this world. And it is better when you consider others instead of just yourself. It feels good to help others because it is the right thing to do to help others." --Jacob</h4>
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"Doing for others actually helped me to believe in myself. I felt good because caring for others means something." --Ebony</h4>
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"I realized that I can make a difference in the world. I could't believe that my little craft could actually mean so much to someone else. It made me think that if I do bigger things it will mean even more." --Alliyah</h4>
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Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-32311625167175673402014-08-24T15:31:00.001-07:002014-08-24T15:31:24.461-07:00It's Not Just About Changing Lives…It's About Saving Them<i></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I've been making a list of the things they don't teach you at school. They don't teach you how to love somebody. They don't teach you how to be famous. They don't teach you how to be rich or how to be poor. They don't teach you how to walk away from someone you don't love any longer. They don't teach you how to know what's going on in someone else's mind. They don't teach you what to say to someone who's dying. They don't teach you anything worth knowing.<br />--Neil Galman</span></i></h1>
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<span style="color: #232323; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Over the summer I received a phone call that would change the course of both me as a professional and of the Fearless Classroom. On the other end of the call was a voice echoing my philosophy as an educator. But what struck to the core of me was the statement, "This is about saving these kids' lives." Instantly, the enthusiasm I felt waning and the cynicism beginning to break down my usually optimistic walls were gone. Yes! Of course! This is WHY I became a teacher in the first place! We don't get into this profession for the easy. We want to make a difference, to change the lives of children for the better. We STAY because of the easy, but we COME BACK and we get EXCITED because of the challenge of reaching children, giving them unforgettable learning experiences, and creating opportunities that they may never have been given had they not been in our classrooms. But to think of it as actually "saving lives," well, it just put it into perspective again for me. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #232323; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>My new principal gave me a chance to lead a team, but I never realized the gift she was giving me. I have four like-minded passionate educators willing to get out of their comfort zones, try anything, and who believes in the genius in all kids. But more than that, the entire staff feels the same way. There is a sense of freedom, collaboration, support, and a genuine shared vision for saving lives through creative and innovative learning experiences. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #232323; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>On this eve before the new school year begins, I am reflecting on my goals for the year, and my gratitude for this incredible opportunity. We begin tomorrow. My students will find their passions, their voices, and their genius this year and the world will forever be changed because of their work. </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #232323; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>In preparation for the new year:</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #232323; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>I wanted my classroom to feel like home for my students. I wanted them to find a peaceful place in my classroom in which they can learn, communicate, explore, and make discoveries. The results of my efforts are as follows: </i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxKgnWCQnNnAXGAXNXngoVHej8OZWdQh_2nrNci4MwqiM-fKuLS5uaoKZnZCidWtlD3G3QxijnS7xoNZxYLCPAIRIxSGvMLsAkqRa7FB8_g-7OOrum3z3GE4RSuXnS4opfK5W-xUxOQs/s1600/20140821_165119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxKgnWCQnNnAXGAXNXngoVHej8OZWdQh_2nrNci4MwqiM-fKuLS5uaoKZnZCidWtlD3G3QxijnS7xoNZxYLCPAIRIxSGvMLsAkqRa7FB8_g-7OOrum3z3GE4RSuXnS4opfK5W-xUxOQs/s1600/20140821_165119.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a> </div>
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It is important that students know that they matter, that they have something unique and important to say. My job isn't necessarily to teach them the curriculum but rather WHO they can be and HOW they can achieve their dreams THROUGH curriculum infused with experiences. This concept and the You Matter Manifesto comes from <a href="http://www.angelamaiers.com/" target="_blank">Angela Maiers</a>. And if you don't know it by know, please go to her webpage and become familiar with her and her amazing work!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXmihXjoWaj3JIHdg257O9988OZq2eik4cNSfuHwP2-vAIByXDrXGLnliCvDWMHzarmbLvDpcy2n_rwG_HpIsjUz4Y62KJm6qUlFwCaiPYuoA9N5FsfKHe4qDOhvEBWqBfgUMtO6utWs/s1600/20140821_165137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkXmihXjoWaj3JIHdg257O9988OZq2eik4cNSfuHwP2-vAIByXDrXGLnliCvDWMHzarmbLvDpcy2n_rwG_HpIsjUz4Y62KJm6qUlFwCaiPYuoA9N5FsfKHe4qDOhvEBWqBfgUMtO6utWs/s1600/20140821_165137.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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Part of being Fearless is knowing what BRAVERY truly means. It isn't about walking through life without careful consideration for consequences and dangers. It isn't about doing whatever we want without care for repercussions. To be fearless, to be brave, is to keep going when doubt tries to stop you. It is believing in your goals and your purpose and never letting naysayers stifle your ambitions.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsrGwOIBXsQ0YvLuIR03cNHJSCIqjs6MisrDHbAKcjo5nQqoMq-FKdhJi-t_HVFczwYXK80m8zMErsxQTr-Sq2M2KaVTbWyRVbKYBifxg2Ads5DaZBn_g-VES8o5d7uUbwSx7YlTRKsA/s1600/20140821_165033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsrGwOIBXsQ0YvLuIR03cNHJSCIqjs6MisrDHbAKcjo5nQqoMq-FKdhJi-t_HVFczwYXK80m8zMErsxQTr-Sq2M2KaVTbWyRVbKYBifxg2Ads5DaZBn_g-VES8o5d7uUbwSx7YlTRKsA/s1600/20140821_165033.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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In the Fearless Classroom, we must research and collaborate in order to refine our vision, our passions, and our learning. This corner is perfectly suited for just that!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmBMKzGYaTjwMxqky6CJ-ik7PD6kAssham49swQeK8se-W7Zo_gyLtpCIn9qb-HVgEcskO-TV25rIoKWrXDDvjyTammmDjqTFs-NF7Cs2nyILvU-lcUluI6sn20l7yUtN0rNULRkgRLY/s1600/20140821_165059-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmBMKzGYaTjwMxqky6CJ-ik7PD6kAssham49swQeK8se-W7Zo_gyLtpCIn9qb-HVgEcskO-TV25rIoKWrXDDvjyTammmDjqTFs-NF7Cs2nyILvU-lcUluI6sn20l7yUtN0rNULRkgRLY/s1600/20140821_165059-2.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a> </div>
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Inspired by <a href="https://www.isteconference.org/2015/" target="_blank">ISTE</a>'s Bloggers Cafe, I created this collaboration and networking area for my students so that they could share ideas and learn from each other in a comfortable space.</div>
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Another aspect to my classroom is gamification. This year's game is called, Call of Duty: The Compassion Crusade. Students are charged with missions where compassion for others and purposeful learning are necessary and expected. They receive a game guide upon arrival the first day and our first mission is a week long effort to welcome every student on our campus with a gift and a promise that as the leaders of the campus, our 5th graders will support and encourage their younger peers. Our motto: We are the change.</div>
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We are making <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/parko/popsicle-stick-activities/" target="_blank">popsicle stick</a> word pointers for the Kindergarteners. These easy to make crafts will encourage our new friends to enjoy reading and will remind them that their 5th grade buddies are expecting genius contributions from them :D We are writing simple inspiring phrases on the sticks such as, "You Matter!," "I'm proud of you!," and "I believe in you!"</div>
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For the first graders, we are creating bead and string <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNC24N1ij2g" target="_blank">abacuses</a>. We want to encourage our first grade friends to learn by doing and to know that sometimes we all need a little support in our learning. When they use their abacus, we hope they know that we are supporting them as well.</div>
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For our second through fifth graders, we are creating Monster corner <a href="http://tallystreasury.com/2011/02/corner-page-bookmarks-3/" target="_blank">bookmarks</a>! We encourage learning though research and exploration. We hope that the monsters inspire our friends to keep reading, keep learning, and to always remain fearless!</div>
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It is our vision as a 5th grade team that </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1. Students are inspired when they have the opportunity to discover and develop their impact on the world around them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">2. Students become empowered when they create, collaborate, communicate, and critically think about their learning.</span></div>
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The Fearless Five are ready for the new year to begin. Curiosity, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Connections, Community, and Compassion are the Great Cs of our 5th grade culture. And I, for one, and beyond excited to witness the genius that is bound to be discovered and developed this year.</div>
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Stay Fearless because YOU MATTER and the world NEEDS your contribution!</div>
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Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-24153332714747090392014-08-03T21:34:00.001-07:002014-08-03T21:34:22.888-07:00Turning a New Leaf2014-2015 begins a new journey with a new campus, new students, new opportunities. The Fearless Classroom continues to evolve and improve. If you're looking for the previous posts from the past few years, they have been turned into a book! You can <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s/ref=is_box_?k=joli+barker" target="_blank">pre-order</a> now and the release date is October 26, 2014. I am looking forward to the next chapter of the Fearless Classroom as we embark on an adventure of purpose and service based education! STAY TUNED!Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-37885894184187074112014-02-04T16:16:00.004-08:002014-02-04T16:39:31.661-08:00A Fearless 3rd Grade Author's StoryThe following is the work of a 3rd grader who disliked writing and believed he wasn't good at it. He blocked himself from letting go of the fear of not writing what he thought the teacher WANTED him to write, or of getting words misspelled, or of making a mistake. My approach to writing is to first, just write. Write about anything. Write to a prompt, get off topic, get back on topic, start over, but just write. Once you have something you feel is worth expanding, expand. revise until you feel it is the story you wanted to tell, or the story you never knew was in you. Edit on a computer to help you find the errors more easily. Publish with pride and celebrate your genius. This approach freed this student to write this brilliant story. With his permission, I am honored to share it with you here:<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">Homerun Henry</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">By:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> Ethan K.</span></b></div>
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Whooooosh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thump!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry felt himself melt into the catcher’s
mitt like a freshly cracked egg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry
was the fastest baseball in the league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone watched as he became a blur of white and red each time he was
thrown toward the batter’s box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Batters
feared him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They knew that he was the
“Strikeout Superstar” and they knew there was no hope of them ever hitting
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry was the most famous baseball
to ever play the game. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
But Henry was very unhappy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He dreamed of soaring through the air like a wingless bird, high above
the cheering crowd, the bright lights, the amazed players, and eventually over
the fence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry wanted to be a
homerun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Speed was always Henry’s gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the moment he was brought out onto the
practice field, he was speeding past every bat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Henry didn’t feel very special though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Always flying into the catcher’s mitt and never flying out to the
field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
He tried to slow himself down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would spin himself backwards but that just
made him faster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowd would cheer,
“Fastball! Fastball!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ‘watch it go
past’ ball!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tried wiggling around in
the air but this did nothing to stop him from zooming over the plate and into
the mitt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Change up! Change up! Take
you glove and hang it up!” the crowd would roar. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had always heard that the fastest way to
get somewhere is a straight line, so he figured he would take a wide arching
approach toward the batter to slow down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Again, all he heard was the thud of the glove around him and the screams
from the crowd as the yelled, “Curve it! Swerve it! But you can’t hit it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He even tried to use the dirt to slow himself
down but everyone just called him “Wild Man”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nothing he did ever slowed him down enough for a batter to hit him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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At night, after the games, after the crowds were gone and the
lights were darkened, surrounded by silence and stars, he dreamed of the land
beyond the fences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had heard it was a
beautiful place where baseballs could be whatever they wanted to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Daddies and Mommies would throw them back and
forth with their sons and daughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Young children would roll them or try to bounce them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dogs would fetch the baseballs and bring them
back all slobbery wet to the dog’s owner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It sounded like the most magnificent World Series kind of place to
Henry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Henry had had enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He didn’t want to play anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was ready to give up on him dream of being a homerun and just settle
for hanging out with the old worn out practice balls in the practice ball bucket
for the rest of his days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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The next day was another game day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry didn’t even want to leave the locker
where he stayed when he wasn’t playing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But the crowd had come to see the “Strikeout Superstar” and he had no
choice but to go out to the pitcher’s mound and get ready for the first
pitch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
The first three pitches were just like all of the others from
every game before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Strike one!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strike two! Strike three!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re out!” the umpire grunted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry was miserable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when the next batter prepared for the
windup, Henry felt a cool, crisp breeze swirl around him like a cloud
whispering encouragement to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
As Henry zipped through the air toward the batter, he felt
the force of the wind pushing back on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It became stronger and stronger!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was actually slowing him down!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Henry perked up and focused on the sweet spot of the bat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
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CRACK!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
hit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry soared through the air, over
the cheering crowd, over the bright lights, high above the amazed players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t believe the view!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw the fence ahead but he had never been
this close to it before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doubt started
to creep into his thoughts like a snake slithering quietly through grass. </div>
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<br /></div>
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“I won’t make it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
won’t make it, “he thought to himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Suddenly, he saw the fence getting closer and closer as he began to fall
farther and farther down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as he
dropped toward the ground he saw the fence pass by him and he thought, “I made
it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am finally a homerun!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Henry landed on a soft bed of sweet, fresh clovers and sat
wide-eyed staring at the beauty that surrounded him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
But just as quickly as the joy and excitement filled his new
homerun self, a sinking feeling crept in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were no daddies or mommies throwing him back and forth with their
sons or daughters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no young
children to roll him or bounce him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
there were no dogs to fetch him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Henry
was all alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
“Being a homerun isn’t what I thought it would be,” he
thought to himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe being the
strikeout superstar was what I was made to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Just as Henry began to wish to be returned to the field where
all of his fans and friends had always been, someone picked him up and threw
him back over the fence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Henry landed in the outfield next to the center fielder’s
cleats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The smell of the field, the
cheers from the crowd, the grit of the dirt felt to Henry like being
autographed by all of the people he loved the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
Henry was thrown back to the pitcher’s mound, but this time
he was excited to get back in the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And as Henry raced toward the catcher’s mitt once again he knew that he
was exactly what he was meant to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
with one more THWACK! into the mitt, Henry smiled and thought to himself, “I’m
home.” </div>
Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-18902435606604504352014-01-09T13:42:00.002-08:002014-01-09T15:38:45.076-08:00How the Tale of Despereaux and Choosing to Matter Brought Fearlessness to a Whole New Level of Genius<div style="text-align: center;">
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I was quite serendipitously presented with a thoughtful
question last night on social media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Angela Maiers asked, <span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">“</span>How big is your brave?<span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a question that I immediately felt
would be interesting to bring to my third graders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even more perfectly coincidental is the fact
that we just began reading The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo as a novel study this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Book one discusses light vs. dark, perfidy and bravery, and judging someone's differences unfairly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This question of how big one<span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">'</span>s
bravery is was a perfect tie in!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the
drive to work this morning, the radio hosts were discussing <span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">“</span>the
world<span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">'</span>s most difficult question to answer.<span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The question, they said, is, <span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">“</span>What
is your favorite feature about yourself?<span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The discussion explored how confidence tends
to be viewed negatively in our society and that young people, especially young
girls, are taught early to keep such musings to themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure we are capable of showering others with
compliments, but to actually compliment ourselves can be tough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What will others think?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How would we be perceived?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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I began thinking that this too might be an
interesting conversation to have with my third graders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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So when my Fearless Geniuses walked into class this morning, we finished
Book One of The Tale of Despereaux.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
analyzed theme, discussed character<span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"></span>s and their traits,
learned new vocabulary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We empathized
and shared how the story affected us as we read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, I unveiled these two writing prompts:</div>
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<h4 class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>What is your favorite thing about yourself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is your favorite physical feature and
why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is your favorite <span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">“</span>heart<span style="font-family: "MS 明朝","serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">”</span>
feature and why?</h4>
<h4 class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How big
is your brave?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></h4>
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They had the opportunity to not only support their thesis
statements by discussing textual evidence from the book, but to explore a
deeper examination of themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
results of this highly engaging writing assignment are as follows:</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;">Abby: </span></i></div>
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In the Tale of Despereaux, Despereaux is judged because he has big ears, is small, and was born with his eyes open. Even his family judged him. These are things that made him special and different. When I think of my own physical features I think I would choose my hair as my favorite. It is curly and I always think it is funny when girls with straight hair curl their hair to make it curly and girls with curly hair always want to straighten it to make it straight. I love my curly hair. I can wear it back and show my face or I can wear it down and show off the curls. Either way I feel pretty.</div>
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Despereaux also has a different kind of character. He sees the world as some place beautiful and not dangerous. He enjoys the light and music and a good book. He loves with all of his heart and no matter what. He is a lot like I am in this way. I am passionate about my education but I am also passionate and loyal to my family and friends. I would not commit perfidy against any of my family or friends. I am compassionate and would help them rather than betray them. Despereaux is a very brave when he speaks in front of the King and professes his love for the princess, when he faces the Mouse Council, and when he finds himself all alone in the dark dungeon. His brave is very big. My brave is not that big. Sure I can speak to people from other countries and classes and even give speeches in front of my own friends, but I also have a hard time being brave enough to really put myself out there and take risks when it comes to my work. I know I am smart. I am a genius. But being fearless is tough sometimes. I still get scared, but when I decide to push through it I always end up feeling a little braver than before. </div>
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<i>Camaren</i>:</div>
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Despereaux was made fun of a lot. Just because he had differences like big ears and being small everyone looked at him differently. I don't think I look different from other people much. What I do like about myself are my hands. My hands can do a lot of things. They can hold a baseball bat and hit the ball far. They can write my thoughts and tell my stories. My hands can help a friend feel better. My hands make my mom smile when they hold hers. Despereaux is a kind and curious mouse. His heart is innocent. He doesn't understand why others don't like him. I am kind too. When I play sports I am a good sport and tell the other players good game no matter what. I try not to get mad when other people are not nice to me because being fearless means to find opportunities to set an example. I know that my kindness makes the world a better place. Despereaux is a very brave mouse. He has a lot more guts than he should being so small. I think it is his confidence that makes him so brave. He believes in himself. I have learned that even though things can be challenging at times, I am capable of figuring it out. My bravery has grown since being in the Fearless Classroom.</div>
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<i><br />Valerie:</i></div>
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In the Tale of Despereaux, Despareaux has many things about him that make other characters make fun of him. He has to be really brave to not let it get to him. I think I am pretty and I especially like my hair. But there have been times when other people have tried to make me feel ugly with their words. I usually feel hurt and think that maybe they are right. But after hearing our discussions about it being okay to celebrate what makes us special and after hearing what we think makes Despereaux special, now I feel special and I don't think I will let people make me feel bad anymore. I think my brave is growing.<i></i></div>
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<i>Eleasiah:</i></div>
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Just like Despereaux, I have fears. I am afraid of losing friends, not doing well in school, not being good enough, not being liked. But I don't let these fears stop me from being who I am. I may not be the smartest or the prettiest but I am still me. I am a good friend. I am a smart and work hard. I am a great reader. I have a loving heart and believe in the good in people. I think if I were in a story there would be a lot of light around my character too. My favorite feature are my eyes because they are like mirrors of my heart. My favorite heart feature is my loving heart. I am a good friend. My bravery is really big because I am fearless. Not fearless as in having no fears, just fearless in that I don't let fears stop me.</div>
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<i>Ava</i>:</div>
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I think I am brave because I will stand up for myself and my friends. I have been brave for the past two years in class because I have had to work really hard and sometimes it wasn't easy at all. I am brave when I go on stage to sing in front of a lot of people. I am strong and courageous. My brave is my song.</div>
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Bethany:</div>
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My favorite feature is my vocal cords. They are the best gift I have. Not only can I sing beautifully but my words help make the world a better place. I am brave because I choose words that lift people up but I am also truthful. Despereaux was honest and loved music just like I do.</div>
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I would like to think that my best feature is my passion for educating kids and creating fearless thinkers and compassionate young people. My BRAVE is LARGE and abundant because being fearless has lead me to some extraordinary experiences so far! </div>
Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-41388176351856942362013-09-06T11:33:00.001-07:002013-09-06T11:33:19.934-07:00The 4 Fearless W's (and an H) of Difference Making<div style="text-align: center;">
<h2>
<span class="bqQuoteLink"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3143974179893893271" title="view quote">One
person can make a difference. In fact, it's not only possible for one
person to make a difference, it's essential that one person makes a
difference. And believe it or not, that person is you.</a></span><span class="bodybold"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3143974179893893271" title="view author"> ~~Bob Riley</a></span></h2>
</div>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
As we approach the <a href="http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/" target="_blank">International Dot Day </a>and through our discussions of <a href="http://www.angelamaiers.com/2008/10/classroom-hab-2.html" target="_blank">Habitudes by Angela Maiers</a> and the <a href="http://choose2matter.org/" target="_blank">Choose 2 Matter</a> movement, I wanted to bring to light for my students that anything we want to accomplish, we can. Our ELAR topics this week revolved around fiction, story arcs, and writing good paragraphs, but I wanted to connect this learning to an opportunity to commit to matter in our community. Thus, the "Four Fearless W's (and an H) of Difference Making" was born.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<h3>
WHO</h3>
</div>
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Who we are is essential to the difference we will make. Who we think we are may or may not be who we authentically are, but embarking on a journey to making a positive difference in the lives of others most certainly will shine a light on one's true self. So I asked my fearless geniuses this question: </div>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
"WHO are you? Look beyond the obvious answers of 'I'm a third grader. I am a girl. I am a soccer player.' Look inside. What will your mark be on this world? You are the dot that will become the artwork of our future. Your thoughts, dreams, hopes, passions, and genius matter and will make a significant positive impact on at least one other person. You've already changed me for the better. Just by what you've accomplished in my classroom over the past 2 weeks, you've already taught me so much about how to improve as a teacher. So again, who are you?"</div>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
As a class we brainstormed WHO we are and decided on one name that collectively encompassed who we felt we were or wanted to become: </div>
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</div>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;">
<b>GENPACT</b> </div>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: center; text-decoration: none;">
(GEN for Genius and PACT as the combined ending of IMPACT)</div>
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<br /></div>
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<h3>
WHAT<span class="bqQuoteLink"> </span></h3>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span class="bqQuoteLink"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3143974179893893271" title="view quote">Think
twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the
seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.</a></span><span class="bodybold"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3143974179893893271" title="view author"> ~~Napoleon Hill</a></span></h4>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
What we do and say directly impacts another person whether we mean for it to or not. Even a simple look can change a person's mood from sad to happy or vise versa. So I asked my class how they wanted to impact the world this year. "With passion, ingenuity, commitment, and a fearless determination to succeed, we can accomplish anything we put our minds to," I said. "So what is it that you would like to accomplish this year. It can be anything you want. Think about what would fill your heart and make a difference in the life of at least one other person."</div>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
They brainstormed. discussed, became active and alive with excitement about all the possibilities of things that they wanted to accomplish this year. We wrote down every option and then narrowed them down to 2 fun, "just for us" projects and 3 "Just for the world" projects. Here is what we committed to accomplishing:</div>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Just for us:</b></div>
<ul>
<li>Build a working go-kart</li>
<li>publish a book</li>
</ul>
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<b> </b></div>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<b>Just for the world:</b></div>
<ul>
<li>Organize, lead, and carry out a Military Care Package event to send a minimum of 100 care packages to our servicemen and women. </li>
<li>Raise $20,000 for Relay for Life in honor of 4 staff members who are survivors and countless other family members and friends we have lost to the disease.</li>
<li>Raise awareness about global slavery with a focus on child slavery through technology and social media.</li>
</ul>
<div id="r1PostCPBlock" style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<h3>
WHEN:</h3>
</div>
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Once one sets a goal, one must also make it measurable and set a time line. By giving yourself a deadline, you work harder and stay focused on the task and goal at hand. </div>
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<li>We want to be published or at least have our book submitted to a publisher by March 15, 2014. We want to have the $20,000 raised for Relay for Life by Banquet Night which should be in February. </li>
<li>We want to have our go-kart built by May 10, 2014. </li>
<li>We want to have our technology projects for the global slavery awareness project completed by April 2014.</li>
<li>We want to have the military care packages completed and sent to arrive on or before December 25, 2013.</li>
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WHY:</h3>
Why we do or say something is arguably more important than the word or action itself. It is from our intention that we determine the ultimate effects of what we do. It determines not only how the difference we make is perceived and received, but also how we, ourselves, receive the effect. We must choose to matter based on our passions and a genuine desire to make positive contributions to our community and not on possible recognition or reward. This is a difficult term to resolve when you are asking children, with all their wide-eyed, untainted, hopeful dreaming minds, to determine what is really driving their want to participate in these projects. So I asked them, "WHY do you care?":<br />
Regarding the go-kart:<br />
"It would be cool to actually build something like that together. Can you imagine!? All of us working on something that big and then being able to ride it!? Besides, we could maybe donate it to a shelter when we are finished so that other kids could ride it."<br />
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Regarding the published book:<br />
"Why don't we write a book about kids for kids...about how we all matter...about how no matter where we come from, live, what we have, how we look, we can do something special."<br />
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Regarding the military packages:<br />
"I would be really sad to be away from my family especially if my life were always in danger. It would make me feel good to help (a serviceman or woman) feel like they were appreciated." <br />
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Regarding Relay for Life:<br />
"We have lost a teacher, Mrs. Barker's husband, a 4th grader, and grandparents, cousins, friends, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters to cancer. We have a counselor, many teachers, and several students on campus who are survivors. Our school has really been affected by cancer. We want it to end! We have never raised that much money as a campus before. Wouldn't it be cool to hand over a check for $20,000 just from our class?!"<br />
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Regarding the Slavery Project:<br />
"I saw something on the news the other day about children in another country who were slaves! I thought slavery ended when they were freed by President Lincoln! I talked to my mom about it and she said this happens a lot in other places and that I should feel grateful. I do, but I want to stop it from happening to anyone."<br />
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HOW:</h3>
How are we going to accomplish all of these wonderful goals? It is great to dream and wish, but how can we realize our dreams? This too is a tough question to process for a 3rd grader. In a culture like ours, with instant gratification a norm, I anticipated a shallow discussion. Shame on me for underestimating the power of a passion-driven conversation. I asked, "This is all well and good, but how in the world are we going to accomplish all of this?"<br />
Their response?<br />
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<b><i>"How can we not?"</i></b></h4>
We committed to accomplishing these goals through thoughtful collaboration, communication, diligent hard work, and fearless determination. I committed to creating projects that address our TEKS but also connect to our goals. <br />
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We are ready.<br />
We are passionate.<br />
We are....<br />
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FEARLESS!</div>
Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3143974179893893271.post-573928254068290552013-05-11T08:49:00.002-07:002013-05-11T08:49:21.887-07:00Choose Your Path to Learning: The Unlockable Feature<div id="trainer-tip">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNr0Luoo-OfnQIKr3THSfYrUCfS7BN0d1wetNpA1lNHr6zJM_EJCYW91e34tk6a291yh9tUH7oGLO_5LzbfrjzL3qQ3WMPQlTNsqKcDwbNYr1-g2wYjyVEAMcaHhy7B4nVoSEgqULUD24/s1600/photo-39.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNr0Luoo-OfnQIKr3THSfYrUCfS7BN0d1wetNpA1lNHr6zJM_EJCYW91e34tk6a291yh9tUH7oGLO_5LzbfrjzL3qQ3WMPQlTNsqKcDwbNYr1-g2wYjyVEAMcaHhy7B4nVoSEgqULUD24/s320/photo-39.JPG" width="248" /></a></div>
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Just as we all have choices about how we get to our destinations, so too do our students' differing learning needs offer opportunities for choices in how they reach their educational destinations. In an effort to improve the gamification concept of the Fearless Classroom, XBROX 360, in quarter 4, I have added the "unlockable feature" of "Choose Your Own Path to Learning." Not only does this feature enhance the ICAP rotations but it allows students to have a voice in how they achieve the goal. </div>
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Choose Your Own Path to Learning works by providing up to three choices from which students may choose to navigate their learning experience. These choices come in the form of QR code choices, activity choices, or schedule choices. Students are given the freedom to explore topics from a variety of angles and thus gain a unique, self-individualized learning experience. </div>
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Behind the QR codes are secret missions through which students will explore topics using real-world applications such as designing a race car made of recycled materials that must qualify through given force and motion parameters or designing a racetrack whose frictional force requirements determine the distance and pace at which something must travel. Or perhaps the mission asks students to create a training video on the most effective strategies for solving multi-step word problems. The beauty of this approach is that if a student scans a code and doesn't feel confident in his/her ability to successfully produce the end result of one mission, he/she can scan another and make a choice. All codes address the same topic and skill set, but in a variety of ways. It is a digitalized, mini-version of old school menus.<br />
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With activity choices, students are only given a topic question and given the choice of up to three different expression outlets. Web 2.0 tools, art, or gaming, for example, are given as activity choices for answering the following sample question: How is a sphere similar to a rectangular prism? Students can also propose new activities to challenge each other to step outside of their comfort zones. If a student proposes a challenge that gets picked up and successfully completed, he/she earns an unlockable feature on his/her wikispace like custom colors, layout, and featured spot on the menu bar. <br />
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Finally, with schedule choice options, students write their own work schedule. They are given the learning objectives for the level but the AR and QR codes offer choices of where they can go next. For example, a student might scan the first QR code after reading a selection on force and motion as it pertains to gravitational pull. The code takes him to a Voki who offers a choice, "Go to mini-games and complete the genius minute to win it activity within 60 seconds to advance on to the next mission, OR you may select a task card from the challenge basket and complete the activity. The choice is yours!" One path will take a bit longer, but both advance them through the game level to the same destination.<br />
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This does take a lot of preparation ahead of time, but my second graders feel more in control and thus far more motivated and engaged in class with this new feature. They have become pros at the game so, this is a great way to add some fresh new excitement to a game they play everyday. </div>
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Joli Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09227662903432099231noreply@blogger.com0