Learn Like a Pirate: 21st Century Skills

Our LLAP book study is rapidly coming to a close, but it will be just in time to start the school year! I've got so many ideas swimming around in my head right now, and I can't wait to implement *most* of them in my room this upcoming school year.

Today's talk is all about 21st century skills. I'm sure most of us aren't new to 21st century skills, but I know that I immediately think of problem solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration, even though I know it extends far beyond these. Here's the scary part...my students are being taught to be a 21st century student by a teacher who definitely wasn't taught to be a 21st century student back in the day. Solarz even talks about how teachers "told [us] what to think about". Isn't it crazy how much the world has changed?

In LLAP, Solarz actually gives us insights into 34 different skills in 11 overarching categories that he wants his students to practice in his class. I won't delve into to all of them, but I do want to give you a snippet into some of my favorites that I am confident could be a focus in a second grade classroom.

Communication and Collaboration

• assume shared responsibility for collaborative work without dominating or letting others do all the work
• realize a group can accomplish more than an individual
• listen to and strongly consider the ideas of others
• be sensitive to the needs of your peers and do what you can to help them

Initiative and Self-Direction

• be resilient if your risk-taking isn't successful. Don't worry what others think.
• Know when risks are not worth taking
• View failure as an opportunity to learn (my favorite one!)
• stay focused on your task without distraction
• if you can't figure out something, ask someone for help

Social and Cross-Cultural Skills

• know when it is appropriate to listen and when to speak
• be humble, not a know-it-all
• be able to laugh at situations and yourself
• be able to turn embarrassment into laughter (I think we ALL need this one!)

One more thing I want to touch on is the importance of reflection. Solarz stresses that students "need to learn how to analyze themselves and each other, identify weak areas, and make plans to improve." His class as a whole sets goals, and then they set individual goals. This is something they devote time to every week, and he even has a step-by-step process that they follow. If you get a chance, you should definitely check it out.

And don't forget to check out the other bloggers for more insights into this chapter. It was a BIG one, so I can't wait to read their thoughts!

Happy Thursday!

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Learn Like A Pirate: Active Learning

It's time for another chapter of Learn Like a Pirate! I was late to the game last week, but you can check out my post HERE, where you will also find this great FREEBIE I made to go with the discussion about classroom jobs. Chapter 5 was definitely my favorite, so make sure and check it out!

When I'm thinking about what to blog about the reading, I really like to focus on what stood out most to me when I was reading. You know...that thing that when you read it you immediately text someone who will think it's just as amazing as you? 

So, maybe you don't do it at 1:39am like I do, but my teacher friend Shari is not surprised by this.  

But before I get to the story behind the text, I want to focus on something significant in this chapter. Solarz spends a great deal of time discussing Science Fairs. I'll be honest when I say that I thought Science Fairs were dead. Or optional. Or at least that's the way it was at my kids' school. If you wanted to you could, but it was to be completed at home on your own time with these vague instructions. And don't even bother asking questions because if you didn't understand the instructions, maybe you just shouldn't do anything at all for the Science Fair.

Sound familiar?

But, hey-I'm not going to put all the blame on the schools. I have 3 kids of my own, and seriously, the last thing I want to do after being at school all day is work on a science project. Ugh. Seriously.

So this is where LLAP comes into play. Solarz asks a serious question:

Aren't science fairs one of the best ways to do this? Solarz says that students become much more invested in the learning process when they are given time to explore interests of their own. Science fairs allow students to do just this and put the focus on science.

Here's the key (and the beginning of the connection to the middle of the night text):

The ENTIRE PROJECT must be done in school.

That's it. Pretty simple, right? And I'm pretty sure parents would appreciate it.

Of course, Solarz helps by supplying most of the needed materials and helps students collect data. Not to mention, additional help is always available from classmates. 

But this will take time away from instruction!!!

Only if you let it. Solarz allows students to work on projects before and after school and at recess. All the "paperwork" is done as a class, and he walks the students through a few steps each day and allows them some time to work.

But what if the students aren't working???

Solarz has deadlines to keep all the students on track. But, he also emphasizes that since they are in charge of choosing their projects, they are even more motivated to learn and more engaged. 

Now, remember that text to Shari? I told her that Solarz said that students lose ownership when they take work home. Think of how many times you have "helped" your own child. I know for a fact that I dominate projects at home. I am so guilty of taking ownership away from my boys. I thought it was better for them and quicker for me. Now I realize I wasn't really doing my kids a favor. In fact, I now realize it was an injustice to them. But talk about some serious mom guilt. Isn't it my JOB to help my kids? 

Well, instead of dwelling on that, I'm going to focus on the fact that Solarz also says that student skills will be able to mature because parents aren't there. Now-am I saying to be completely hands-off when it comes to homework or home projects? Absolutely not! But-I think it's time we-and especially I-start to understand that allowing kids to lead their own learning and make mistakes is valuable to the learning process. 

I also want to point out that Solarz is still there to oversee the entire process and give feedback to the students. But-I think the real truth lies in what students are able to do independently without the interference of adults. I can't wait to try it!

Well, lots of you are in Vegas, and I hope you're having a blast! I'm sitting here at the Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City listening to the sounds of kids sleeping after a hard day of playing.

And I would not want to be anywhere else. :)

PS: Don't forget to check out the blogs below for more insight into this chapter.

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Learn Like A Pirate: Responsibility

It's week 5 of the Learn Like A Pirate book study...and I have been so excited to share my thoughts on this chapter! Let's just get right to it, shall we?

Chapter 5 has been BY FAR my favorite chapter. It dives into student responsibilities, which are vital to the student-led classroom. But, how do we determine which responsibilities fall on the teacher, the whole class, or individual students? How do I decide which jobs need to actually be assigned to a single student versus a job that could be done by anyone? How can I make sure all those paper scraps get picked up off the floor? And pencils get sharpened? And the absent kids' chairs get stacked? (Because we've all heard, "But that's not my chair!" a million times.)

And-of course-how will this impact the student-led classroom? 

The first thing to point out is that Solarz has two categories for student responsibilities: classroom jobs and collaborative responsibilities. 

So what do you consider important jobs that must be done daily? I immediately thought of someone to dump the pencil sharpener. That thing drove me nuts this year. They would wait until it wouldn't sharpen anymore, and then they would insist it was broken. Oiy. And a mail person-if I waited until I had time to do it, it would never get done.

Solarz did mention these jobs, plus several more like an announcer, morning greeter, and an evaluator. The evaluator is my favorite since it allows students to reflect on their day and set a goal for the next day. That one will definitely be in my room this year.

But let's not forget about everything else that still needs to get done (like stacked chairs). This is where collaborative responsibility comes in.

Now, let me point out that in order for our students to recognize these collaborative responsibilities, we need to first identify them and give our students the opportunity to actually do them. This could include transitions between subjects, getting materials, answering the phone, and stacking chairs. 

But what happens when they neglect these responsibilities? Well, Solarz suggests a couple of things. You could do it for them, and then tell them you expect them to take responsibility for it in the future. You could ask a specific student to do it, then let them know someone else will do it the next time. If it still doesn't stick, you could make it a permanent job or simply allow natural consequences (like missing recess or being late to specials) to occur.

The chapter goes on to discuss the difference between routines and rituals, which I won't delve into, but you should definitely check out. To be honest, I never realized the difference until I read this chapter. Also, I was really intrigued by Solarz' end-of-day ritual. This is where that evaluator job becomes so important. Definitely check it out!

But, before I head out, I wanted to share the job cards I made for my class this year. They are pulled from the book, and I cannot wait to use them. You can click HERE or on the pictures below to download them for free. There is even a separate file with editable cards to add more jobs for your room. 

I hope you all have a happy holiday weekend! And don't forget to check out some other thoughts on this chapter.

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Learn Like A Pirate: Improvement versus Grades

How many times have you heard that in your classroom? Or my favorite from personal experience...

What do I get if I get a good grade?

Hey there, kiddo. How 'bout a quality education? Maybe a good future? How about just the satisfaction of knowing you've grown academically?

But I know what he's really talking about. Motivational collateral. This kid is fishing for a prize. He wants to see if his good grade will get him anything. He's probably trying to decide if the prize is even worth getting a good grade for. Ugh!

And you know the worst part? I actually created this monster. 

How many times have I rewarded excellent performance with prizes? Make a 100-pick a prize from the treasure chest! You made an A???? Here's a pencil!!! Everyone who was proficient or advanced gets a sticker for their sticker charts!!! Dum-dums for everyone!!!!

Sheesh. I'm starting to realize that I was the dum-dum. Or basically, what I was doing was really dumb-dumb.

I knew Chapter Four would be a good read for the simple reason that I am quite aware that I overemphasize grades. It's hard not to when you've worked in a pay-for-performance district. My specific pay depended on proficiency-not academic growth. I did whatever it took to motivate them to do their best (on the test). 

It hurts me to say that last part.

And I didn't have to read too far before I knew everything I'd been doing was wrong. Solarz wrote, "Unfortunately, when grades, rewards, or punishments are a child's only motivation for doing well in school, he or she will find ways to work the system and miss the educational value of the lesson." 

So what do I do? Let me share a few of Solarz's suggestions that I felt could be easily integrated into my classroom.

Of course this chapter discusses topics well beyond this, like e-portfolios and improving classroom behavior, but this is what really resonated with me this week as I begin to plan for the new school year. Don't forget to check out the other book study blogs below to get their take on this chapter. 

See you next week!

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Learn Like a Pirate: Give Me 5!!!

Dear Mr. Solarz-

It's Lori. The crazy teacher/blogger/book studier/control freak from the past 2 weeks. Can you believe I'm even still hanging in here? You know, all this crazy talk about student-led classrooms and collaborative environments and empowering students seems to have finally gotten to me. Congratulations. You broke me.

Finally.

And I couldn't be happier or more excited than I am right now.

I think it was your whole "Marble Theory". that did it You said we all have the same amount of marbles in our brain, and over time we allocate the marbles into different cups-some of which are very specialized. So I'm going to assume that my cup for "controlling tendencies" is pretty full. But-you know what? I think I have another cup that balances it out. And I think that cup is "adaptation". 

See, I can adapt like the best of them. I can make changes at the drop of a hat and make it seem like it was supposed to be that way all along. So that's what I'm going to do. Adapt. Change in order to survive.

Because if I want my students to survive out in the real world, this is what they need from me. So thank you.

Sincerely,

Lori the Learning Pirate (Argghhhhh!!!)

But before I head out...I do want to mention my favorite part of this chapter. We finally got to read more about the "Give Me Five" that had been mentioned several times. This is something I was very interested in because it initially seemed to me as an acceptable way to "shout out" during class, which has always a BIG no-no in my class. After reading more about it, I realized it was absolutely something I could do in my room.

Here were some examples of appropriate "Give Me Fives" used in Solarz's classroom:

1.   Letting others and the teacher know when it is or almost is time to transition.

2.   Polite suggestions for how to improve the class's behavior at a given time.

3.   Making a suggestion to improve the task they are working on. 

4.   To ask the whole class a question when no one in your group knows the answer.

5.   Offering to demonstrate a skill that others might need in the future. 

Of course, it's natural for me to worry that some students might not use "Give Me Fives" properly. Solarz points out that it takes a lot of time during the beginning of the year to teach the importance of respecting the power of the "Give Me Five" and not abusing the privilege of it. Immediate feedback can help to correct the behaviors, but remember to never underestimate the power of your "teacher stare" if students aren't respecting the privilege of the "Give Me Five". I can totally do this.

Definitely check out Ashley at The Primary Gal for her take on this chapter. She reflects on how to deal with conflict in student-led classrooms. You can click on the button below to head straight to her blog.

And don't forget to check out some of the other bloggers' interpretations of this chapter. You never know what great idea you'll come across for your classroom.

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Learn Like a Pirate-Got Concerns?

This-my friends-is an understatement. To say that I find committing to a student-led classroom absolutely terrifying does not even begin to cover it. I've actually caught myself beginning to sweat when I first starting contemplating the idea.

Seriously people...I was sweating like a gal who just ran a marathon. Except without that feeling of accomplishment. Unless you count the king-sized Hershey bar with almonds I finished off in under 3 minutes calm myself down. (It's the small victories.)

Okay, so obviously I have a problem. And that problem would be a control problem. (The eating a king-sized Hershey in under 3 minutes is a gift.) See...I like being in control. Of everything. It spans across my home life and work. I thrive off of it.

Why would I ever let it go? (Cue Elsa.)

Alright, alright. If you read my synopsis of Chapter One from last week, then this should be old news to you. But for those of you just now joining in, I have admitted to my problem and have committed to change. Why?

Because I want what's best for my students. Don't we all?

But I was scared of what might happen. All the doubts and questions flooded into my mind. Worse-case scenarios. What ifs...

Until I read Chapter Two.

Chapter Two laid it all out for me and dispelled EVERY SINGLE CONCERN I had coming into this. I'm not kidding-every single worry that popped into my mind had an answer that made me feel a thousand times more confident in my ability to make this happen.

I don't want to rehash the entire chapter, but I do want to point out my top 3 concerns, share some of the advice Paul Solarz, the author, provided, and give my thoughts:

• My students can't do this. Start small. Give simple jobs. Get them to do single tasks without reminders from you. Slowly build in more responsibility. (I was thinking there would be this massive dump of responsibility on the students. Just like most procedures and activities in the classroom, I need to allow students to build that "stamina" and gradually release them.)
• I don't want chaos. I have students who will ruin it for the class. Solarz discovered that problematic students can do amazingly well in student-led classrooms. He lists power and attention as the two main reasons students misbehave in the first place. A student-led classroom allows them to have both! (This actually makes total sense to me. It's hard to explain, but I want to say I've heard something similar to this before, like allow purposeful disruption. Ultimately, it will still take regular feedback from me and good modeling to limit inappropriate disruptions.)
• I can't fit it all into our curriculum. We'll never get through everything. Solarz suggest we begin by tweaking lessons so that students take on a more active role and teachers take on a more passive role. (We tweak lessons all the time. My thought is if I have to slowly build responsibility for the students, then surely I can slowly build into this idea.)

Chapter 2 goes on to discuss the additional positives of a student-led classroom like increased retention, more time for student feedback, and additional benefits for your teaching career. Seriously-if you get the chance-read it! (And don't forget to check out some additional thoughts by following the links below!)

But-before I head out-I want to leave you with my favorite quote from this chapter...

"Any progress you make toward empowering your students to become active leaders and doers, rather than passive followers who don't know how to think for themselves, will benefit their education." Paul Solarz, Learn Like A Pirate

No matter what happens, I know we will all be better because of it.

Have a great weekend!

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Learn Like A Pirate-Chapter 1

During my time as a teacher, I have heard this question many, many times. And you know what? I don't think I ever really knew for sure what it was. That's part of the reason I am so excited about this book study. Most of the time I feel as if there is just not enough time in the day to do everything myself. Wouldn't it be great to take something off of my plate and put it on my students' plates? And what if doing that actually benefitted the students more than me? Oh boy...Chapter One definitely got me fired up!

Confession time: I was raised in and still hold a very strong fondness of the traditional, teacher-led classroom. So, doing this will be SUPER HARD for me. I have always struggled with letting go of the reins to my students because...

What if they mess up?

What if they act up?

What if they don't do anything?

What if one student doesn't participate?

What if one student dominates over the other students?

But...I kept coming back to something I read in the introduction of the book. Students need to become risk-takers. How could I ever ask my students to take risks if I'm not willing to do the same? I mean, what might happen? 

Actually, they could...

Make their own decisions without consulting me.

Work together in meaningful tasks.

Listen to one another and ask questions without worry.

Take on more responsibility.

Celebrate and encourage one another.

Guide and lead one another.

Work hard for their teacher.

Seriously??? Why wouldn't I want this kind of learning environment? Ultimately, don't I want what's best for them?

I want my students to know that I care immensely about their success, which brings up another excellent point in Solarz's book. He says, "Student-led classrooms are only effective if students feel safe, appreciated, and connected to their teacher." If this is going to work, I also have to make sure that my students know how much I care for them and want them to succeed. I have to be willing to take a risk. 

So, here I go. I'm taking the risk. You think you might take the risk, too? 

I can't wait to join up again next week when we talk about some of the very questions that went through my head when I started thinking about a student-led classroom. Don't forget to check out some other perspectives on the book study by following some of the links to other blogs below. See you then!

But before you leave...want to win a $50 Target gift card to celebrate the book study? Enter in the giveaway below!

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