Wonder Surrounds Us: Cultivating Habits of Discovery in Learners

On July 1, 2020July 1, 2020 By LaurenKaufman21In 4. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, 5. Community of Care and Support for Students, 8. Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community, Professional Standards For Educational Leaders, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Living in a Learning Bubble

I have to admit that the last several months have felt like we were confined to our own pandemic learning bubbles. At times it even felt like being trapped in a bubble of chaos, uncertainty, overconsumption of technology, along with many other layers of unknowns. Something interesting to know about bubbles is that they are free and not attached to anything. They are always round because there are forces pushing on the bubble from the inside and the outside in equal directions. Also, spheres happen to be the strongest and most efficient shape in nature. Did anyone feel the forces pushing on your bubble from the inside and the outside? While the forces were pushing on our patience and our will to persevere, we still managed to remain strong and resilient. Why? We are educators. We are in the business of multitasking and developing solutions to many kinds of challenges, all while keeping our students’ best interests at the core of everything we do. Now take a journey back in time…remember when you were just a child and you intently watched a bubble float through the air and wondered how long it could glide along before it popped? That curiosity made you feel energized, invigorated, and enthralled because you knew it was bound to happen. Do you recall the feeling you had when it finally happened? You probably felt a sense of excitement and motivation to blow more bubbles and rediscover that same feeling. Well, within the constraints of the pandemic learning bubble, we were all wondering how long it would take for the bubble of chaos to pop. And now that we’ve started to emerge from our bubbles, we find ourselves anxious to go outside, explore our new worlds, and take a well-deserved break from the virtual bubbles we have been living in.

Wonder Surrounds Us

As things begin to open up and we start to feel some sense of normalcy, many families have been wondering how they will keep their children engaged in learning over the summer months since regular summer plans may have been interrupted. Family friends, (especially those with primary school-age children) have been inquiring about how to capitalize on their children’s inquisitive qualities and keep their summer filled with meaningful experiences. From my very own personal experience, the best way to keep my own children engaged in learning is to make them feel like they are not really working at all! One of the gifts the pandemic brought to many, is that it was an opportunity to slow down and appreciate the more simple things. The feeling of slowing down has prompted us to think, observe, and reflect, perhaps even just a little bit more than we have before. If you really stop and look around, you may recognize that there are wonders all around us! What do I mean by that? Well, there are opportunities to learn in authentic and relevant ways that do not have to feel like you are doing anything extraneous! This learning can be done with children naturally by utilizing nature and daily routines to model our own curiosities through dialogue that is critical to the cognitive development and growth of learners. Curiosity is a state of mind that turbocharges thinking, exploration, wonder, and the ability to question. Think about this…when a child picks something up, opens a drawer, explores the environment around them, asks informational questions, this evokes powerful discussions and stories. When children generate their own questions, they are more likely to pay closer attention, process information more efficiently, connect new and old knowledge, work harder and persist longer, and employ more effective learning strategies. Additionally, this exploration of the world is a unique opportunity to enhance learners’ language skills, increase their vocabulary, and help them express their thoughts and feelings. Check out a short article by Ann Murphy Paul titled How To Simulate Curiosity to learn more about practical ways to use curiosity to drive learning. It is vital to keep in mind that the best questions don’t always have answers; they usually lead to even more questions. All of this thinking about emerging from our virtual learning bubbles and tapping into learners’ curiosities sparked some memories about some inquiry work I did with young learners about how we can cultivate habits of discovery within our natural surroundings. Here is the book that inspired this learning: A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades by Georgia Heard and Jennifer McDonough and some ideas to keep learning fun and energizing throughout the summer months and beyond!

Ideas for Cultivating Habits of Discovery

Think about the places you visit in your everyday life!

2. Use this template as a conversation guide, sketch, or writing guide as you discuss these places:

3. Other Conversation Prompts to Use with Children:

4. Enrich Conversations by Using Colorful Language:

Spark Curiosity with these Activities:

Discovery Table: Gather items from around your house from outside (leaves, toys, flowers, plants, food) and put them on the table. Use the See, Think, Wonder template, and the Conversation Prompts to drive the learning! Learners can orally share their thinking, sketch, and/or jot down their ideas in a wonder journal!

Example of the Discovery Table Conversation

2. Observation Window: Look outside of any window (house, car, store) and observe what you see. Look outside of the window at different times of the day, and as the seasons change and notice how the sights have either stayed the same or transformed into something else. Use the See, Think, Wonder template, and the Conversation Prompts to drive the learning discussion! Learners can orally share their thinking, sketch, and/or jot down their ideas in a wonder journal!

Example of the Observation Window Conversation:

3. Supermarket Sights: Make the supermarket a learning experience for your child. As you navigate around the market, use the See, Think, Wonder template and conversation prompts to drive the conversation about the different types of foods you see. This is also a good opportunity to embed math language and concepts into the conversation. Strengthen your child’s number sense by weighing the foods, counting and adding the cost of the items, etc…).

Example of Supermarket Sights Conversation:

Literature Connections

Using literature as an entry point for making connections to learning, building vocabulary, and forging deeper conversations is always encouraged! Books offer learners a chance to process and discuss various topics through different lenses. Literature opens doors to new ideas that children may want to explore further through self-directed inquiry. Here are some book suggestions to support and enhance these authentic learning experiences!

Leveraging Learning Opportunities

As we continue to emerge from our virtual bubbles and take time to honor and leverage learners’ curiosities within their own surroundings, you may notice that the process can lead to the development of deeper understandings and efficacy. When children are supported and provided with opportunities to integrate past and present experiences that are meaningful to them, they are empowered with the ability to design their own learning paths. No matter what learning environment we are in (traditional, remote, summer), it is important to use this time to take advantage of learners’ interests, questions, and wonders. Wonder IS contagious when you are looking at it from the eyes of a child and learning with them side by side. If you want to feel that excitement and awe about the world, think back to the times you were waiting for those perfectly round bubbles to pop and just look around you… because wonder is all around us!

Boosting Student Engagement Through Meaningful Science Literacy Experiences

On June 23, 2020June 24, 2020 By LaurenKaufman21In 1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values, 4. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, 5. Community of Care and Support for Students, 6. Professional Capacity of School Personnel, 7. Professional Community for Teachers and Staff, Professional Standards For Educational Leaders, UncategorizedLeave a comment

My Confession

I have a confession to make…I am a literacy nerd. I have another confession to make…I used to despise most things involving literacy. You may be wondering how someone who now lives and breathes all things literacy once felt that way. As I reflect on the evolution of my learning journey (grade school-present), I can clearly recognize the possibilities that caused these feelings to transpire. One of these reasons is that I felt trapped in traditional learning environments that celebrated the consumption of information instead of embracing meaningful and relevant learning experiences that were applicable to the real world. Of course, there were some outstanding exceptions, but for the most part, conventional practices stifled me. Visually, it was suffocating too. You should have seen the inside of my desk; it was overcrowded and stacked to the brim with the entire curriculum. Heavy, outdated, and in some cases, obsolete textbooks in every subject area (social studies, math, science, reading, and the list goes on) devoured my day. Learning mostly felt like a task, a burden, a mental weight that smothered me. Acquiring content knowledge across various subject areas was heavily focused on memorizing countless facts, regurgitating them orally, in my notebook, and/or on an assessment, only to completely forget that information, and its purpose a day or two later. And even as a child, I can recollect that learning just didn’t always feel fun, it didn’t always feel useful, and at times, it certainly didn’t feel worthwhile. Don’t get me wrong, I do not feel there was any ill intent to sabotage my growth and development as a learner. At that time, perhaps teaching and learning practices were not as focused on capitalizing on curiosity, wonder, honoring students’ passions and interests, and keeping learners at the heart of all decision making.

Discovering The Curious Classroom

When I became an educator, I didn’t want my previous feelings about literacy to reflect the way I approached teaching and learning practices for students and colleagues. It has always been my mission to create cross-curricular, learner-driven spaces that foster student agency, value student choice, and voice while empowering students to view themselves as key drivers of their own learning. With that being said, a few years ago, a colleague recommended the book The Curious Classroom: 10 Structures for Teaching with Student-Directed Inquiry by Harvey “Smokey” Daniels. Not too long after this book discovery, I attended his conference where Daniels charismatically and passionately brought the authentic ideas in his book to life! I was instantly captivated by his realistic, motivating, and engaging approaches to inquiry-based learning that could make an immediate impact on students’ social, emotional, and academic potential. He suggests several ways to implement accessible structures that are not meant to replace existing practices but transform them in responsive classroom environments. I was especially intrigued by the innovative ways to build curiosity for curricular subjects that may not immediately influence learners.

Taking a Science Literacy Journey with 3rd Grade Classes

Promptly, I joined forces with a few classroom teachers to explore and experiment with practical, exciting ideas to motivate students during their science literacy blocks. Some of the strategies we implemented were suggestions presented in the book The Curious Classroom. One of the reasons we embarked on this experience was to build the curiosity for curricular subjects in exciting and motivating ways. Another reason was to honor and utilize the students’ questions to drive the learning for science topics. Although these particular learning experiences were done with 3rd-grade classes on the topic of Forces and Motion, it is important to note that this learning can easily be translated to any grade level or subject area.

Ss explored Forces & Motion in @ErinHutton__ ‘s 3rd gr class by observing #phenomena, video, & used practical experiences to sketch everything they know about the topic. Ss taught one another using their sketches & presented them to the class! #Lindell #NGSS @principal711 pic.twitter.com/2gtbMkLFC6

— Lauren Kaufman (@Lau7210) May 1, 2019

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Grounding the Work

When embarking on this experience, it was important to ground the work in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) because more than ever before, science education is central to our lives. Science literacy is critical to making sense of complex topics that affect our world. Science is at the heart of designing, innovating, and creating jobs for the future. Read here for more information on why Science Standards matter.

Through a collaborative, state-led process, new K-12 science standards have been developed that are rich in both content and practice, and arranged in a coherent manner across disciplines and grades to provide all students an internationally benchmarked science education. The NGSS were released in 2013 and are being implemented in states and districts across the nation. -NGSS

Ideas for Sparking Curiosity and Boosting Student Engagement

Drawing: If you are looking for a way to have students remember something, then have them draw it! According to the article The Science of Drawing and Memory, researchers have found that drawing helps a person process information by using multiple pathways (visual, semantic, and kinesthetic). This is a powerful way to double the recall of information and boost memory. Before you begin investigating a science topic, search for a video that introduces the concept. After students watch the video, have them draw what they learned from the experience. I have found that learners enjoy getting to show their thinking through pictures. For some, it builds their confidence instead of having to show their learning/thinking in more traditional ways. Repeat this throughout the learning process. You can also have the students view the video in the middle and end of a topic as a way to assess what they have learned. You may notice that the learners are adding more tier 3 vocabulary, details to their drawings, and are highlighting more complex concepts. Use this information to drive your next teaching moves!

Video We Used

Students’ Drawings/Learning

Phenomena: For a scientist, phenomena is an observable event (i.e. a fall/autumn day, slip/fall, organisms eating, seasonal patterns). By using phenomena, students are motivated to explain the topic, and the focus of learning shifts from learning about a topic to figuring out why or how something happens. The focus is not just on the phenomenon itself. It is the phenomenon plus the student-generated questions about the phenomenon that guides the learning and teaching. The practice of asking questions or identifying problems becomes a critical part of trying to figure something out. Utilize phenomena and a “See, Think, Wonder” template, at the beginning, middle, and end of a unit to see how the learning has progressed.

Links to Phenomena We Used

Find more NGSS phenomena here

Students’ See, Think, Wonder Templates

Dialogue Journals: This is a fantastic way to get students to informally write about any topic with a partner or group while developing relationships and building stronger connections with teachers and peers. Learners will start with a question, comment, or thought about the topic by including content knowledge and content-specific vocabulary. Learners respond to one another and should keep the dialogue going. Dialogue journals are a low pressure way for students to develop writing fluency, stamina, and confidence. Teachers can participate by giving feedback to the learners and/or participate in the writing process.

Dialogue Journal information from: The Best-Kept Teaching Secret: How Written Conversations Engage Kids, Activate Learning, Grow Fluent Writers…K-12 by Harvey “Smokey” Daniels and Elaine Daniels

Students’ Dialogue Journals

Some Final Thoughts/Observations

All of the learning experiences I shared were received extremely well among all of the students who participated in them. I observed every student actively and willingly participating, sharing, and whole-heartedly engaged. Many were even empowered to explore various topics further through their own inquiry process because of the motivation these activities provided in safe, fun learning environments that embraced a learner-centered philosophy. Although we are still uncertain about what our learning spaces will look like and feel like in September, what I do know is that all of these learning suggestions are possible in both physical or remote learning environments. No matter where we are, we will always work hard towards meeting students where they are AND give students exactly what they need to thrive as learners. ALWAYS.

Riding the Waves of Change

On June 18, 2020June 18, 2020 By LaurenKaufman21In 1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values, 10. School Improvement, 2. Ethics and Professional Norms, 3. Equity and Cultural Responsiveness, 4. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, 5. Community of Care and Support for Students, 8. Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community, 9. Operations and Management, Professional Standards For Educational Leaders, Uncategorized

The Crashing Waves of Change

The other day I was sitting on the Long Beach Boardwalk carefully watching the waves of the ocean crash on the sandy shoreline. As I observed the formation of each wave, I couldn’t help but notice their different heights, lengths, and sizes. I stared at each wave carefully, from the crest (top) to the trough (bottom). No two waves ever looked exactly the same. And while I was caught up in a peaceful daze, I could hear the sounds of these perfectly formed waves steadily breaking on the shore. Mesmerized by the moment, I quickly searched for the definition of a wave: A wave can be described as a disturbance that travels through a medium from one location to another location. Having lived by the beach my whole life, I wondered why I had never considered searching for the definition of a wave. Why was I feeling so compelled to at that very moment? The word “disturbance” caught my attention in the definition. I hadn’t expected to see that word connected to a wave. Nevertheless, it felt fitting to my world, as there are many aspects of my life and the lives of others that have recently been disturbed and turned upside down by recent historical events in our country. In education, we had been moved from one location (physical environments with human contact) to another location (remote learning in our personal spaces). I clearly recognize that my perception of life has shifted over the last several months due to a few professional changes that were out of my control. These unpredictable changes have caused me to lean into an intersection in my life that I hadn’t quite anticipated. There is no doubt about it, my perspectives on many topics have taken on a whole new meaning. As a result, I naturally began slowing down to find a new appreciation for the simple things I hadn’t taken the time to notice before. While captivated by these thoughts, I continued to watch the waves. I began thinking about the ocean’s ecosystem and how there is a whole other world that exists below the vast blue ocean surface. It is easy to look at the surface of anything and make impulsive judgments based on what we are able to see. But it is the inner workings and interactions below the surface that could be complicated, fragile, and complex. Unless you are intimately involved in the inner workings of those interactions, it could be difficult to make sense of them.

Change is Inevitable

Since I have been in education for 15 years, I find myself regularly taking a journey back in time to reflect on the educator I was, the educator I currently am, and the educator I want to be. Have you ever revisited parts of your life and thought about what has changed and what has stayed the same? When I take a close look at my life in increments of five years, I clearly recognize how change has impacted my life and has manifested over the course of time. And while I may not have agreed with how some of these changes were approached and/or implemented, they happened. I admit that on the surface, I could hold my head up high, and exude confidence and a positive spirit; the truth is, I have every reason to be grateful for any opportunities I have been afforded. I also recognize that I have developed the innate ability to find the strength to overcome challenges that will stretch my capacity to create new and better things. These are the moments where I cannot just observe the waves, but dive in and push myself below the surface. Why is that? Well, the only constant in life is change. Change is inevitable, disturbances are inevitable, and our ecosystems are often interrupted. Sometimes, you do not ask for those disturbances; the change is done to you, and for you. Then, there are times when you actively seek the changes and disruptions you are looking for. I still and always will find it fascinating that some of the people who are riding life’s waves with me were not in my life just five years ago. Not only are these people riding waves with me, but they are empowering me to reach below the pretty looking surface. These are the people who are an integral part of my internal ecosystem and help me make sense of the changes I have encountered. Together, we are troubleshooting, having critical conversations, pushing one another to think differently, and encouraging each other to live life with passion and purpose, way below the surface.

Embracing the New Opportunities for Change

While I have been caught up in the experience of change, I stumbled upon Katie Martin’s blog titled, Now is the Time to Design a New Accountability System. She discusses how she has observed educators working hard to embrace the unexpected changes the world has endured. There has been an undeniable focus on students’ mental health, meeting them where there are, and a priority to continue building relationships and staying personally connected in a virtual world. She recognized that the unexpected change that was “done to us” has forced all stakeholders to envision new and better ways of approaching teaching and learning practices. “There has been more empathy, more innovation, and more learning and our education has shifted more in the last 2 months than in the last hundred years. In the midst of chaos, we have the opportunity to evolve. There are many unknowns but it’s not time to despair. It is time to organize, prioritize, and come together in solidarity to create a new way forward.” Katie Martin brilliantly suggests that we should think about designing a new accountability ecosystem as we continue to welcome the changes to the way we approach curriculum, instruction, assessment, and various interactions within these new systems and environments.

Understanding Our New Ecosystems

I can appreciate the way Katie Martin used the term “ecosystem” because it brought me back to the thinking I had done as I stared at the waves crashing onto the shoreline. I thought about how understanding the ocean’s ecosystem is important because it affects everyone. Did you know that the ocean influences the weather all over the earth and produces about 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe? I have found that many of the changes that I have observed throughout my educational career may have not always considered the effects particular changes could have on an entire breathing school culture and community. With that being said, I have felt inspired to ask the question, “Did it take a pandemic to plunge below the surface of our educational ecosystems?” We owe it to our students, our colleagues, and our community to continuously dive below the surface. This involves researching, asking good questions, and including the various stakeholders who are living and interacting with the experiences on the frontlines. These are the educators who will shed some light and perspective on what actually exists below the surface. As we move forward in an ever-changing educational landscape and make teaching and learning practices more accessible for students, families, and educators, it could also be a good time to revalue decisions that involve change. Go below the surface, explore the inner workings of the system…there is so much more to take in.

Reimagining the Magic of the Workshop Model

On May 26, 2020May 26, 2020 By LaurenKaufman21In 1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values, 10. School Improvement, 4. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, 6. Professional Capacity of School Personnel, 7. Professional Community for Teachers and Staff, 8. Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community, Uncategorized2 Comments

A Galaxy of Shooting Stars

Entering a classroom that embraces the reading and writing workshop model is like walking into a galaxy blanketed in magic. Each learner is like a shooting star that heats up and glows as new learning orbits through the classroom atmosphere. You could feel a sense of wonder, observation, and exploration as teachers and students delve into a new skill and strategy. You could sense a special thrill as students are empowered to move towards independence. It’s the type of teaching framework that builds community, human connection, and cultivates powerful relationships. The workshop model is strongly connected to authentic literature, various genres, and relevant learning experiences. It’s the type of practice that rallies learners together in safe cozy spaces. It is a universe surrounded by accessible stacks of books in colorful bins and bookcases. It is a place you can usually find an easel with chart paper and your favorite markers (my preference is Mr. Sketch). If you are entering a true workshop classroom, be prepared to enter a world where both teachers and students are viewed as learners.

“I have a big secret for you readers…YOU are the BOSS of your reading!” I wish you could see their faces… EMPOWERED! @michelleroot17 your Ss know what the workshop looks like, sounds like, feels like… ✨♥️🙌 @Hernandez237I @sharonlynn651 #Lido pic.twitter.com/vkr9wmpuIT

— Lauren Kaufman (@Lau7210) October 30, 2019

Missing My Universe

Lately, I miss everything about the feeling of being in a reading and writing workshop environment. I miss the in-person feeling of collaborating with teachers to plan minilessons. I miss the feeling of sifting through a plethora of mentor texts and read alouds to find just the right one to model a teaching point. I miss the feeling of being surrounded by teachers and students in various classrooms as we work together to enhance learning experiences for learners. I miss telling stories to make the connection between previous learning and new learning. I miss seeing the moments of awe in students’ faces as they realize they are learning something they haven’t thought about before. I miss demonstrating a skill and a strategy and then reading a portion of a mentor text in my most dramatic character voice. I miss the active engagement where students make approximations, encounter productive struggle, and seek guidance and support from their peers. I miss saying “off you go” and watching students rush to their reading/writing spots buzzing about books or talking to friends about details they are anxious to include in their writing. I miss sweeping and scanning the room to check for understanding and making sure that all of the learners are involved in meaningful literacy practices. I miss the sudden hush of the room as readers and writers become absorbed in their own learning atmospheres. I miss connecting with learners during 1:1 conferencing, researching their learning, naming their strengths, and co-creating literacy goals. I miss it all, I do.

Thinking about my lesson for 1st grade- #Lindell this week! T U for pushing my thinking during our time together @plugo514 & @ClancyJoanna…missed you @hpuckhaber23 & @MrsPiersonLB-will catch up tomorrow! Looking forward to our work together! #ProudToBeLB #LBSummitChallenge pic.twitter.com/q8C8DRP4el

— Lauren Kaufman (@Lau7210) October 22, 2019

Reading conferences build S-T relationships, allow the T to collect information about Ss’ reading behaviors, strengths, & areas for growth! Anecdotal notes support the T in designing precise, intentional instruction! 📝 @MRSSGRAHAM2 @WestSchoolLBNY @LorraineRadice1 #LBLITCoach💫 pic.twitter.com/STAYhlwFb1

— Lauren Kaufman (@Lau7210) December 17, 2019

Facing a New Reality

And just like stars disappearing in the sky, that magical feeling, that comfortable space dissolved and suddenly morphed into a new reality. Sadly, there were no shooting stars for me to rally together in a reading huddle. There were no teachers to physically sit next to and plan our next minilesson. There was no classroom library or anchor chart stand sitting next to a comfortable rug. My internal dialogue asked myself, “How can I possibly emulate the magic of the workshop experience in a remote learning environment? “What can I do to support teachers to help their students feel engaged, empowered, and supported in this ‘new’ environment?” I rolled up my sleeves and began searching my usual “go-to” blogs for remote learning ideas. I latched onto Jennifer Gonzalez’s Cult of Pedagogy blog post: Distance Learning: A Gently Curated Collection of Resources for Teachers and was drawn in by the section “Options For Delivering Content.” This blog post inspired my journey of reimagining the workshop model and what the virtual minilesson could be. It was then that I quickly began my exploration of creating pre-recorded minilessons on various digital platforms.

Reimagining the Workshop Remotely

Suddenly, my dining room table became a recording studio and my new virtual universe. My workshop environment reimagined now encompasses a laptop, a document camera, some books from my sons’ personal book collections, stacks of colorful post-it notes in all different sizes for my Teachers College Reading and Writing Project inspired mini anchor charts, and lots of sharpies. And then, there’s the process for creating the magic in pre-recorded minilessons.

Experiencing the Process

After doing some research about pre-recording minilessons and experiencing the process, I’d like to share some ideas that have worked:

Pick a comfortable digital platform: Lately many educators are asking me what digital platform for recording is “the best”. My answer: pick one that is easy for you to navigate and gets the job done. I like to use Zoom or Google Meet. That’s just my preference!
Connect with learners: Build trust and engagement by being animated and inviting. In other words, make it a performance and captivate your learners!
Be yourself: Speak naturally and don’t speak too slowly. The video can always be revisited for clarification.
Timing: Keep videos short! 6-8 minutes, if possible. Learners will disengage with long, drawn-out lessons. Recording several shorter videos, than fewer longer ones will be more effective for learning.
Be visual: Too many words are not good-it’s cognitive overload! Use clear, appealing visuals that will support the learning.
Create intentional interaction: Pause the video at intentional places so learners can think. Embedding thought-provoking questions will encourage learners to reflect on their learning.
Present a challenge: At the end of the video, leave the learners with a challenge so they can apply what you just taught them during independent practice!

It is paramount to recognize that the pre-recording of minilessons is not going to be a perfect operation. Learning is not linear, it’s a messy process. Also, giving yourself space to make your own connections for learning and growth throughout the experience is essential. It may feel reaffirming to know that when you keep the learners at the heart of decision making and continuously respond to their needs no matter where the learning environment exists; the magic of the Reading and Writing Workshop has the potential to live on.

Embracing Transformation

I do believe that there WILL be good that will come out of reimagining the workshop model. I think it’s fair to ask yourself, “What parts of this experience could I utilize to ultimately transform the teaching and learning practices I currently employ? “How can I capitalize on this opportunity to learn new things that will ultimately benefit student learning?” And then there will come a day when just as fast as the stars disappeared, the magic of the workshop will suddenly reappear and embrace you. Once again, the shooting stars will heat up and glow, orbit around the room, and WILL shine brighter than ever before.

Swimming in a Sea of Change

On April 27, 2020May 16, 2020 By LaurenKaufman21In 1. Mission, Vision, and Core Values, 4. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, 6. Professional Capacity of School Personnel, 7. Professional Community for Teachers and Staff, Uncategorized1 Comment

Revolving Doors

Education is a perpetual revolving door of change. Every time the door rotates, new learners walkthrough, discoveries loom, fresh learning tools/platforms emerge, and technological advances burst into our worlds. We are continuously swimming in a boundless sea of eternal possibilities. As we tread in the water, we find ourselves looking around, grasping for the right answers, and searching for the people who will hold out a life vest and swim with us. These are the people who have faith in our ability to believe in ourselves; they lift us up, empower us to take the lead on decision making, and let us spread our wings by sharing with others. And while the doors endlessly turn and transformation ensues, we recognize that education begins with people; not protocols, not a curriculum, not instruction, not technology, not evaluations, and certainly not assessments. We need to ask ourselves, what can we learn today that will strengthen our ability to amplify the social, emotional, and academic capacity of our students? Who will support our efforts and give us permission to sink in the ocean and then push ourselves up for air so we can swim again?

A Commitment to Transformation

When you become an educator, you are committing to a journey of lifelong leadership, learning, and growth that stretches far beyond the required traditional years of schooling. It is a mindset and professional obligation to push yourself down a path of innovation, creativity, risk-taking, and reflection. How can we work to create professional learning communities that value collaboration, open dialogue, reciprocity, and a willingness to share instructional practices with one another? Becoming a part of professional learning communities will ultimately transform your practices and propel you forward so that you positively influence your colleagues and students. You see, you can’t wait for growth to come to you; if you want to make an immediate impact, you have to be willing to proactively seek it out!

Finding My Life Vest

When I stumbled upon the book, The Innovator’s Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity by George Couros, I knew I had found my life vest. I felt as if George was speaking right to my core. As I read his book, my whole educational journey flashed before my eyes. I became deeply reflective about my own successes, challenges, and failures. I thought about what I could have done differently to positively impact my students and colleagues and wished I could go back in time to make adjustments to some of the choices I made. I thought about the present and the future and how I can use my learning to elevate others in intentional, meaningful, and relevant ways. His philosophy and mindset are what every educator and person who comes in contact with learners should hear. Every time I read another line in the book, I would write it down in my journal and share it with whoever would listen. In my heart, I knew this book could be a key driver in moving teaching and learning practices forward in my school district. After all, the district vision statement supports innovation, risk-taking, collaboration, and creativity; I wanted to help bring this vision to life.

Living the Innovator’s Mindset

When I became the Mentor Coordinator in my school district, one of my goals was to use the book The Innovator’s Mindset to inspire and empower new teachers and their mentors to be lead learners, share their special gifts with others, and not be afraid of success! These are the educators who consistently model professionalism, have strong interpersonal skills, value collaboration, are empathetic, compassionate, reflective, and responsive to ALL learners’ needs. These are the educators who will ultimately become the hub and driving force behind the development of powerful professional learning communities. With them by your side, you will build social and professional capital, strengthen collective efficacy, and empower educators to improve the learning outcomes for ALL students. To me, these educators will be able to embrace the 8 Characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset; they will become connected and networked educators while making a positive impact on school culture, their colleagues, and the students and community we serve.

Long Beach Public Schools Mentors LBPS Mentors and Mentees

Finding the Courage

I am so grateful to have connected with George Couros. He has the natural ability to rally people together, lead with empathy, empower educators to fail forward, be resilient, encourage risk-taking, and challenge people to create new and better things. One of my favorite quotes from Couros is, “Change is the opportunity to do something amazing!” He truly does inspire me to embody the change I want to see. When you are open to inviting new perspectives that stretch beyond the walls of your classroom and school district, you ARE embracing innovation. Finding the courage to believe in yourself while motivating and inspiring others, showing bravery and strength in your convictions, and creating collaborative learning communities are the heart of continuous personal and professional growth. And, as the perpetual revolving door of change keeps spinning in the education world, we manage to keep ourselves afloat in the boundless sea filled with eternal possibilities; Suddenly, we realize that the door of transformation has always been open. Sometimes it just takes the inspiration and optimism from the right people to help you recognize that you are your our own life vest and are READY to swim!