Kristen Nan – Page 7 – T.R.U.E. G.R.I.T.

Do you tag your “PLN” when you post? Why? Please share with me!

I recently was given a challenge by someone whom I consider an incredible mentor in this crazy EDUawesome life of mine. The challenge was to make my writing so good that I wouldn’t need to tag anyone to my blog posts. I was floored! What about my relationships… my people? The ones that give me feedback, direction, and…

well enough said… challenge accepted. I cannot say no to a challenge! BRING IT!

It is so interesting to see how this unfolded for me…

My life as a blogger was born on September 27, 2017 during Round 3 #IMMOOC created by George Couros, author of Innovator’s Mindset. It was a natural path for me as I have been a lover of writing from the young age of eight. I wrote a lot as a child…

scraps of paper ( a LOT of scraps folded up as small as possible)

the back of composition notebooks

in my head… my safe place.

My first “legit” journal came in 1988 from a close friend. It was a birthday gift for my Sweet 16 (Thank you Amy). Whether it was intentional or simply a coincidence it was a priceless gift that I needed in my life. It was absolutely perfect… and it was for ME! MY EYES ONLY! This is where my darkest secrets were kept. Ones that I felt the world could not handle. This is where my break ups went down… my friendships were built… my dreams were first committed to a pencil mark. See, I never used pen… that was too final for me. I had to have the chance to let it all out and then tweak and code what I didn’t want others to really know if they stumbled across it. Yes, I still have it!

E2527BF5-732E-4614-8BFB-1E68450E73F9 — **This became my personal portfolio of emotions… my paper footprint.**

Fast Forward to 2017… the worst timing possible for me to give up MORE precious family time. I was just pulling myself back together from the loss of a dear friend, my beautiful extended family was living with me during a military transition in their life, my amazing mother in law had been ill with countless diagnoses including lung cancer, my dearest friend diagnosed with breast cancer, a commitment to book studies, a mentor, a Virtual Co-op, my sons need me, my husband needs me, and the list goes on and on.

So why sign up for IMMOOC? Best said by Tara Martin, the BookSnap Queen herself,

#IMMOOC Family Reunion

I like to describe #IMMOOC as a book study on steroids (aka huge muscles). This multifaceted learning EDventure is beyond mind-blowing due to the diverse talents, viewpoints, and experiences of each participant.

However, it’s so much more!

It really is about the connections; it’s ALL about the people. Every round, new members join the course, and together we become an EDU-family–spanning the globe. We encourage and challenge one another, and in many instances become face-to-face friends.

Round 3=#IMMOOC Family Reunion with new family members!

Including YOU!!

“No” simply wasn’t an option! See, I was a lurker Season 1 and 2. Why? Well, I didn’t know how to share my writing publicly. The only time I wrote I wrote for me… MY EYES ONLY!

Then came the first video… Alice Keeler! What a hoot! I couldn’t stop smiling, laughing, and learning! Wow, was this fun! I was nodding my head, talking to the computer, carrying on as if Alice was talking to just me… preaching the gospel of EDUtruth! The hour flew by and I was empowered to start my first blog.

What do I write? (That was my first question of course) That was when I knew I had to simply write from my heart… my experience… my belief. As one of my incredible mentors would say, write from “MY WHY!” This wasn’t about being right, or politically correct… it was about sharing… letting others into my world!

This was the day T.R.U.E. G.R.I.T. finally went down on paper. Prior to this moment, it was solely mine. In my head. My conversation. Mine to use in my classroom because it was my foundation for learning and so it became my philosophy for education. It was mine… and now it needed to be EVERYONE’S… at least an EDUspin for others!

Since that first blog, my writing and reflections have grown stronger, deeper, and more powerful for me. My thoughts need to come out. Just like the child in class that I pull to the side… where a journal is born… where we create a special cover for that “personal space” to write. Where we take a digital approach to this paper masterpiece and start blogging to connect… to build relationships in our isolated universe of thoughts!

So what about that challenge? To Tag or NOT to Tag? Here is how it went down:

Dec. 29th The Silence is Deafening no tags 175 views in 3 days

Dec. 30th The Elephant in the Room~ connecting with mental illness 142 views in 2 days with 6 educators tagged that are EDUconnected to this post

Jan. 1st #OneWord2018 pure “Goodness” no tags 36 views in 2 hours

Where does this leave me? I want to hear your thoughts. I know I need to follow my heart… because that is where others will “read” my writings. I love to blog, but it isn’t just about me. It revolves around my Why… and that in itself has changed. My Why is connected to people… my tags are different every time. They are personal. No doubt, there are a few that are tagged more often than others, but it is a connection. A relationship I have built. One that happened through #IMMOOC #tlap #DitchSummit and more!

Relationships within my #PLN have transformed my way of teaching.

EDURelationship Facts:

I had 240ish connections in September 2017 (one year of being on twitter)
After IMMOOC I had 700ish
Before my SAS Conference in Hershey (December) I had 800ish connections
During the conference I went over 1,000
Today I have an amazing 1,244 connections to incredible educators on #Twitter alone!
I have 400 TIMES the connections from #Twitter than I personally had in my own district from the start of the 2017 school year

I now have published 24 blogs in just over 3 months. A sense of pride has emerged, a desire for more, a need to grow. Yet I am left wondering…

To Tag or Not to Tag… that is the question!

Please share your thoughts with me

Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

#OneWord2018 pure “GOODNESS”

January 1, 2018January 1, 2018 nankr1120

I’ve been pondering my #OneWord for 2018 over the last few days. Many words have spun through my mind, but yesterday I actually experienced one that spoke to me.

Pure “goodness” is what I witnessed as we drove home from the mountains in the frigid cold of winter.

A bitter day. A mere heat burst had just come through and lifted us up to 9 degrees. Not the type of weather you want to be out in.

As we sat in our cozy warm truck we thought nothing of the hours of driving ahead. Never once did we think we would need anyone but ourselves to make this simple journey home… one that has been driven countless times.

Never once did we think we would need to rely on goodness in this world. In a society that lives with such fear and ugliness.

Do you worry? Do you fear harm coming your way… often wondering if pure goodness still walks the earth. I am not a natural worrier, but I do have others in my life that are… that find it difficult to trust, especially once they are scarred by fear.

I live in the moment. Generally not worrying about what lies ahead.

I believe in good.

The moral compass of goodness.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that the world is not filled with kindness and those paying it forward. But as much as I feel goodness is a lot like acts of kindness, I do see a difference. As I create and instill this value with my students, these random acts can be calculated and in the safety of our own terms and conditions. Yes, they are amazing and wonderful and need to happen… even if we have to create the opportunity ourselves. However, I feel goodness spontaneously spills over in a moment… not necessarily a choice but rather a “moral or value” to live by.

goodness (ˈɡʊdnɪs)
n
1. the state or quality of being good
2. generosity; kindness
3. moral excellence; piety; virtue

Pure goodness is what I felt yesterday… moral excellence in another person.

As we drove down the highway, our check engine light came on and we had to pull over. Just as we came to a stop, we put our hazards on warning others of our situation. That’s when I witnessed goodness… a vehicle pulled up behind us without hesitation. Let’s face it, most people drive right by those in need… most likely assuming everyone travels with a phone these days and the chance of something bad happening overpowers the good.

We were lucky enough to not need assistance so we waved him along. He waved back and off he went down the highway. Pure Goodness rang through me. I had warmth in my soul. It felt to me to be beyond a random act of kindness. To me it felt that the traveler lived in the moment of goodness… the right thing to do… so pure.

This moment stayed with me for the rest of the ride. I never actually met the person, nor did he physically do anything to impact me, but his goodness had a lasting effect. The kind that changes the world. The kind that changes it for the better!

So I choose GOODNESS… PURE GOODNESS! I want to be able to give another person that same rekindled spirit and belief that there is goodness in the world. I want to act on what I believe and not live in fear of what the world has shown us through the lens of destruction. I myself have been a part of that destruction on a smaller scale. Maybe not news worthy, but so not okay nontheless. Oh, I mess up… life gets tricky. I have chosen a less admirable path over time… truth. I make no excuses. I own it. Now, I am empowered… with a better choice. I will take this opportunity and I will own it!

As Pirate leaders and teachers, we refer back to a compass quite often as we steer learning and leading within our districts and communities. Having my compass continuously point to good is so challenging when I am faced with negativity and unkind words. It is so crippling to have others choose negativity towards my actions of an open mindset. A mindset I have been blessed with through the actions of George Couros, the author and speaker that is changing the face of education with an educational best seller “Innovator’s Mindset”.

This year my compass will point to goodness. The pure kind to which my actions will live in every moment. I won’t overthink the reaction. I will not fear the negative closed mindset of individuals too afraid to create positive change. I will not fear being disliked. I will not fear being called out by closed mindsets. So go ahead…

Call me out…

because I will become the good! Compass set… I will strive for pure goodness!

for more #EMPOWERING music CLICK HERE

Domain 2: Classroom Environment, Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

The Elephant in the Room~ connecting with mental illness

December 30, 2017November 1, 2021 nankr1120

the quiet one… the loud one

the picker… the tapper

the distracted… the focused

the respectful… the belligerent

the rule follower… rule breaker

the meticulous risk taker!

There are so many ways I have heard this elephant described. I could probably add 100 more terms and phrases to this list without hesitation. It is usually followed up with…

he doesn’t look like anything is bothering him

he just checks out

he wouldn’t have to ask so many questions if he just paid attention

he just won’t let it go

and my favorite… how does he continue to earn poor grades when he is so bright? Twice Exceptional? But if I’m being honest the statement is more like… this is what gifted looks like? #truth

How do you describe mental illness? How do you view the elephant in the room? I know an elephant. I have raised an elephant who is best friend’s with my incredible son. My son met his elephant at the age of 8. Prior to this friendship, my son was a compliant rule follower… a straight A student… a role model for others. Yes, they are separate… their own. My son. Mental Illness.

Then the day came. The meeting. The joint kinship. The one that introduced my son to distractions, rule breaking, meticulous ways, perfection, and repeated behaviors to sooth and calm his new friend the elephant.

I saw the changes.

I saw the elephant!

My gut knew from an early age that the tendencies were there… the kinship… the illness. They were one with their own identities. Our family walked on eggshells of anxiety… we reassured to the point of exhaustion, we centered our lives around the elephant in the room without saying a word. We started to speak it’s language. We fed it. We calmed it and tucked it in at night. We were literally raising an elephant alongside our beautiful son…

the elephant in our room…

OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

We faced it head on. Therapy 5-7 days a week. We exposed ourselves and our son to his anxiety. Yet, the whack-a-mole effect of OCD did not go away. It simply became a part of our existence. Yes, our existence.

This is what we as educators need to understand… the elephant is NOT GOING AWAY!

Need I mention that I have a background in Special Education. An emphasis in Emotional Support. A Masters Degree in MOM… yet listening to fellow colleagues struggle with the elephant in the room leaves me… speechless.

So where do we go from here?

Let’s start by acknowledging that mental illness is a part of OUR lives. NOT just a child’s life… OUR LIVES! We are in this together. We must educate ourselves. We must find a way to understand a child’s way… their being in order to educate them to the best of THEIR ability! To bring out their best… to let their light shine so bright that it puts their elephant in their shadow (in place of just the opposite.) They deserve it!

Have you ever tried to walk in their shoes?

My son battles mental illness better than many adults I have come into contact with in my lifetime. He has strength. He has courage. He has empathy. He has GRIT.

He said to me, “Mom, tell my story… it will help other kids.”

Yes, Trent, I will.

Uncategorized

The silence is DEAFENING

December 29, 2017December 31, 2017 nankr1120

no sounds of tags jingling

no thud as he lays on the ground

no whimpering or nudging to be scratched on his back end

no lapping of water

no wet face from the licks of love

no best friend to mend our broken hearts

The silence is deafening…

7E39FB22-681B-4ACF-AAAA-6E580361AAF6 the silence of death. Death of our precious Chocolate Lab Sarge. He was more than a dog… he made our family a family of five again. This time all boys and me.

His life with us started in 2011. At the time our Weimaraner Lily went into congestive heart failure and we had to help her to a better place by putting her down. We did everything to hold on to her… selfishly unable to let her go. Visits to the ER, medicine on top of medicine… why? We needed her… we couldn’t let go of a love so deep. When the day came to put her down, I held her in the backseat of the car while my husband drove.

I knew right then that I had to rescue a dog from that awful moment… the moment of being put down and ending a life. One for many that is too early and without reason as the shelters were overflowing with homeless animals.

Days, weeks, and months passed before I decided to stop off at the Humane Society. The silence without Lily was deafening. I needed to break the silence… I needed to fill the void in my heart. I walked the concrete floor listening to the barking, scratching, and whines of many. Then I rounded the bend to the last row of dogs. I thought the cage was empty because no one greeted me at the fence begging me to take them home. Instead, in the back corner of the cage laid a beautiful Chocolate Lab unwilling to even look my way. I immediately needed in… I had to just pet him and show him the love he seemed to be without. He still didn’t move. The staff said he was a drop off, terribly depressed, and would be put down in a couple of days if he didn’t find a home. Put down? But why… they guessed he was 3-4 years old and had a lifetime ahead of him if only he could find a home.

I sat down at the dinner table that night with this conversation at the tip of my tongue, ready to share. Eric, my husband, truly wanted another Weimaraner or possibly a German Short Hair… both at the mercy of a waiting list for pups not even born yet. I pleaded my case and ended with a deal of one visit to meet this precious saint. If they didn’t bond then I would let it go. We got into the car and headed to the Humane Society. When they brought him into the meet and greet room, the depressed, shy, and heart broken 80 pound pup went straight to Eric and climbed up on his lap.

This was the day he became Sarge Nan.

Since that day, Sarge’s sole purpose in life was to love us! No matter what our day was like, Sarge guaranteed us a welcome home party fit for kings and a queen. Where we were, he was…

being tripped over while making a meal

spotted stealing your warm seat on the couch

tip toeing into your bed in a stealth manner that you never realized 80 pounds of pure love just took up your limited bed space until you fell out

found sliding down the front hill over and over like a built in playground slide made just for him

loving up each of us at all times

Who rescued who?

Sarge was an angel sent to us… he was a healer. He was medicine in the rarest form. He was a soul filler. HE was a RESCUER!

He was truly healthy until Thanksgiving. Then we started to notice the same signs in him as we had seen in Lily. We prayed we were wrong, but our guts knew different. We took in every moment with him. We gave up our spot in bed. The couch was all his until he couldn’t physically get himself up on it anymore. He ate what he wanted when he wanted as long as he would eat. I limited my use of social media and found myself searching for more moments. Time I could never get back. Many asked me where I was for a chat or even a remark to a post. I was pretty hard on myself for not finishing the last 2 PD videos for the Ditch Summit. Family was coming in to stay and I didn’t know how to balance the joy of the holiday with the pain I was feeling inside. The pain written all over my face every time I would wake up or come home just hoping that he would be there to greet me.

caf91dfee9399d434779a30765948fda I made sure that I thanked him every chance that I could. I thanked him for loving me, for being the one constant we each needed in our lives, for always knowing just what to say in all situations, for being patient and kind, and for loving us unconditionally. I took advantage of all moments.

Then, I selfishly asked him to hold on through Christmas Day… and then I would let him go. I couldn’t bare seeing my family crumble over the loss of our loved one. He held on… he was strong for all of us. Then the day came. The one that I had been dreading. I knew I had to call the vet. It was time. Time to say goodbye. How have we been left with the cruel decision of laying him down to rest when that is what we saved him from?

I prepared my boys the best that I could. I knew they needed the precious time that I had gifted myself. We fed him as many treats as he would take. We hugged him and kissed him. Trent, my eldest son, and I took him for one last short walk and then helped him in the car. That ride… that dreaded ride.

For the first time in weeks, Sarge found comfort in this ride. He laid down and was at peace… it was as if he was now thanking us. Thanking us for unselfishly letting him go.

Good Bye my friend… our lives will never be the same. You were a gift in every sense of the word. Go run, play, and roll down the hills that await you!

The Silence without Sarge is Deafening… our world shattered by love ❤️ #OurHeartsBelongToSarge

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, Domain 2: Classroom Environment, Domain 3: Instruction, Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

Make it a GOOD YEAR: BLIMP Worthy

December 27, 2017December 31, 2017 nankr1120

Did you ever catch a glimpse of the Goodyear Blimp and think WOWZA… now that is AMAZING! Think about it… simply stated this MASSIVE balloon floats through the sky and takes your eyes off of just about anything that you are doing! Did you ever read the history of the blimp? The key words are “momentum, unique, expand, and creation!” Sound familiar? The ride in education is just as eye opening!

What if our students caught a glimpse of the New Year that is about to begin in our very own classroom AND had that same reaction? Wouldn’t that be EPIC? That’s what I am aiming for… I most definitely want to BRING IT in 2018! I am committed to making learning BLIMP Worthy for my students!

I decided to go back to my T.R.U.E G.R.I.T foundation and from there I build my “G” for new Goals! I have learned over time to keep my goals attainable with a twist of Risk that could possibly fail, but worthy of learning through. Overall this year, I am honing in on the T and R in T.R.U.E and G and R in G.R.I.T.

T: Take Risks! I am a natural born risk taker so this area can be… let’s just say interesting for me. I am a sharer by nature because that is the way I learn. I love to attend conferences, but I never once thought of speaking at one myself until one day I was hooked when this one simple idea was planted in my head. So… I took a risk… I submitted my first proposal to speak at a conference in February and was approved this past month. Risk! I must model this for my students, colleagues, and my PLF! I will own it, whether that makes it a hit or not is yet to be seen, but I will BRING IT to The Mid-Atlantic Conference on Personalized Learning (MACPL) right here in Pittsburgh!

R: Resilience~ Be Tough! This amazing movement in education is tough! Push back from all angles makes it so challenging to move forward. Each day brings a different hurdle…

Educators who have a different philosophy or simply fear the change.
Parents that are left with questions of uncertainty for the change is so skewed from their own experiences in the classroom.
Students who find the simple change in structure challenging by bringing an unknown to their compliant predictable world.

We must be tough… we must keep our focus on every child and stand strong for what every child deserves! How do I stay resilient?

I will continue to surround myself with positive mindsets and goal driven educators through twitter chats, Voxer PD groups, book studies, conferences and other possibilities on the horizon. I will remind myself of what I have been taught by incredible educators in my life and will seek new relationships to create a stronger mind within myself!

G: Goals! Blimp Worthy Goals!

My #1 goal is: To find the standards to which I am accountable for beyond my professional portfolio that reflects the Danielson Framework
Create categories in my blog so that I can build a portfolio of my learning, as well as my teaching by connecting my actions to the betterment of education.
Create a blog for my class on WordPress!
Place #EDUAwesome books in the hands of others! Share my blessings of the many DBC books in my possession so that others can see “Change is as an opportunity to do something AMAZING!” –George Couros
Bring 30 Second Pitch to other classrooms! I must open doors for students beyond my own room… they need options so that each child can make choices as to where their learning can go. In place of the compliance that traps a child into being dependent upon a teachers response of yes or no, we need independent thinkers that are empowered to create opportunities! Empowerment… that is what I believe future employers dream of in an employee and the 30 Second Pitch can Bring It! #growth

R: Responsible! I am accountable for how I serve my students, leading my team (Lead Like A Pirate), and how others feel about the change in education via my positive projection. I will foster goodness through my conversations, actions, and teaching. I will hold myself accountable for thinking inside the box in which I serve, while continuing to break down the walls of a closed mindset in education!

I am looking forward to a GOOD YEAR… what can you do to create the same for you and your students?

Domain 2: Classroom Environment

Guaranteed Impact: make it POSITIVE!

December 23, 2017June 21, 2019 nankr1120

When a child walks into your life, what thoughts race through your head? Are they thoughts of…

excitement? Excitement for the opportunity to have someone’s precious child in your life. A chance to make a difference. A gift of time to impact their life… to open doors and encourage them to walk through!

wonder? Wonder of who they are under that smile… frown… or look of fear. Wonder of how you will connect and build a relationship that will set sail the journey of learning together.

worry? Worried that you may not be able to connect. Worry that they may be the most challenging student you have had to date. Worried that their own life may hold them back from trusting you. Worry that you don’t have enough time in a day to make a difference.

judgement? Judgement of who they are…

When you walk into a child’s life, are their thoughts the same? Are you setting the stage for a relationship with EVERY child…

Do you make school exciting? Do you give them a reason to be there?

Do you create a connection to every child or do they wonder why they don’t fit in your world like others do?

Do you foster a caring environment? One that eliminates worry from their life… possibly the only stretch of time in their day to let their shoulders down.

Do your students feel judged? Or do you give every child a “Planet Fitness: Judgement Free Zone”?

This Christmas I received a very special gift from a very quiet and reserved child. A child that walked into my room withdrawn, with limited social interaction, lack of engagement, and little interest in school. None of this due to home life… as a matter of fact he comes from a beautiful loving family that builds him up and sets him off each day to conquer the world trusting that his teacher will bring out his best.

This precious child handed me a special gift. Then he did something that caught me off guard… he insisted on opening it for me, which warmed my heart to the core because he was so invested in the moment. He unwrapped a snow globe that took my breath away. It had a 3 dimensional silver snowflake with the words WISH*LOVE*HOPE that sparkled while music played and snow floated effortlessly within the globe. He said, “Oh Mrs. Nan, I know the snow globe is nice, but look what it says to you.” To which I looked at the inscription that read:

“Students may forget what you said, but never how you made them feel.”

Tears of joy streamed down my face. Not the first time my students have seen my emotions. Why? Because they impact my life!

Over the months we connected. We found his passion of art and embedded it into his learning through sketch-noting (THANK YOU Carrie Baughcum @HeckAwesome in my EDUAwesome @Twitter PLF) This child is now engaged. He is building relationships stemming from the one that we created together. He is happy to be in school and moving his bright mind forward with each given day. He is a #LeadLearner with Sketchnoting, #MakeyMakey and #Osmo in class. He has found relevance in learning and a purpose for being a part of a learning community. He is empowered!

I start my Christmas vacation with heart full… of love and joy for I know that I have lived by my own advice…

You WILL have impact on EVERY child… it is up to you whether it is POSITIVE or negative!

So with that I leave us with my favorite George Couros quote from one of my favorite books, Innovator’s Mindset:

Merry Christmas! May your holiday be as bright and beautiful as YOU!

Domain 2: Classroom Environment

Our Students Are Our Customers: Service Counts!

December 9, 2017December 31, 2017 nankr1120

As I was checking into my room for a recent conference, I found my customer service to be over the top fabulous. I was greeted with a smile, my questions were answered with ease, and to top it off I was given an opportunity to upgrade at the same cost. What more could I possibly ask for? Well within minutes, I needed directions to my room to which the concierge was pleasant and more than willing to help. This amazing customer service left me smiling… I was delighted to be there! The atmosphere was pleasant, everyone greeted me with kindness, and I was left with the feeling of importance.

As I checked out days later, I overheard an irritated woman share her disgust over the refrigerator outage that occurred in her room. Immediately, the manager stepped in and offered reimbursement for any loss that she may have had in food. Within minutes she was calm, appreciative, and relieved to hear that her concern was taken seriously. What could have lasted minutes, dwindled to a moment based on the incredible customer service she received.

I then went to have breakfast. My waitress noticed me sitting down and welcomed me at once. Her prompt attention to me, delivered with a friendly smile, gave me the feeling that this simply was a place where people enjoyed working. She buzzed around working effortlessly and making my time worth hers.

Then it happened… she noticed a line of jewelry that I was wearing. One that is not common within the states and not easy to come by without being close to a rather large city. She complimented the pieces that I was wearing and asked me if I liked them. I raved about each piece as I love the uniqueness they deliver. She then told me she owns 3 pieces that have each broken in some way. Right then I knew what was coming next. See, this company is unique to its customer service or lack there of. Unless you order and return to the main store they are unable to fix or replace any of their pieces. I have never known the downside to this service as I haven’t needed it, but this woman can tell a different story. It was then that she said as much as she loves the look, she will no longer purchase their work. She elaborated on her dissatisfaction in their service. She simply felt that her needs were not met and in turn cannot trust the product or the makers.

This left me thinking about my customers… my students.

Do I make them feel important?

Do I answer their questions?

Do I listen to their needs?

What do you think great customer service look like in the classroom?

Here are 6 Key Rules I have created within my classroom to deliver the service I feel my students deserve. How do I know if it works? I survey them!

Patience! Without this we lose them from the very start. We must walk the walk like a grandparent does with their grandchild… slow and steady. As if the entire universe just stopped and we have nothing but time. The minute you speed up, become agitated or frustrated, you have now left that child’s needs behind and made this about you. Be patient… their time is valuable too!
Attentiveness: BE PRESENT! Look them in the eyes. Do not allow others to distract you… their words are your teacher! If you want to know what they need or what bothers them you need to listen attentively!
Knowledge of Product: Whatever it is that they are in need of you must be able to deliver a knowledgeable response. That doesn’t mean you need to have all the answers, but you need to be able to be open and honest with them that if you don’t you will be putting this concern to the top of your list and yes, you will be getting back to them in a timely manner.
Positive Vibes: If you cannot be positive when working with children PLEASE take your business elsewhere! They don’t sign up for negativity and if they come packaged with it, YOU should be the one that puts positive vibes in their world! Bottom line is YOU will have an impact on every child… it is up to you if it is POSITIVE or negative. Choose wisely… every child depends on it!
Handle the Unknown: Teachers can write books on the things that children say… so be prepared. There is not a blueprint to the day in the life of a teacher with 27 different little people with 27 different backgrounds, let alone “starts” to their day. BUT there is ONE constant… YOU! BE PREPARED to handle the unknown with kindness and grace. You will pay it forward without a doubt!
Willingness to Learn: PLEASE acknowledge that you do not know everything… open your mind and your students’ minds to growing and learning together! Be willing to learn something new and never underestimate the power of learning from your students. They are a force to reckon with as long as you force yourself to recognize they may know something you don’t!

6+ I cant help but think there should be just one more take away to customer service in a classroom… DON’T TAKE IT PERSONAL! The minute you think it is about you, you have lost the battle. There will always be a child hurting, worried, frightened, (or worse) that ends up letting it out with their behavior. That behavior is not about you! It is about the child. Go back to #2 and learn about the child!

In the end customer service is about one thing… the customer! What are we doing to maintain customer satisfaction in our classrooms? Are our customers “delighted to be there”?

Do we greet them with a smile?

Do they get up”grades” to their learning?

Do we leave them smiling?

Are they left feeling important?

If we don’t know, we need to survey them!

What if your students made a video that reflected your customer service?

Would it look like this? #NoSoupForYou

or this? #positive

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, Domain 3: Instruction

less us… MORE THEM!

December 5, 2017December 31, 2017 nankr1120

Hot Topic!

Education Reimagined!

Small Shifts!

Questions/Comments are circling like a shark around its prey. How have students learned up to this point… before the “new wave” in education? You know, the new wave of student centered learning. Are teachers not important anymore? What is the role of the teacher now? What will happen next… students won’t even need a book? (well, let’s talk about that another time with Matt Miller)

Maybe the question to get you thinking right now should be…

Who wants to wake up every day knowing that the place you are going to is about to talk your ear off for 7+ hours expecting you to absorb, process, and regurgitate that knowledge to show competency? Oh and by the way, look like your having fun AND stay out of trouble!

Better yet, do you want a cap on your learning? Do you want to be directly instructed without any choice? Instruction based solely on age and grade?

Ummm, not me! I honestly sit baffled by the practice of teaching at times. Do you think that direct instruction is the key to success? If I tried to learn how to tie my shoes through lecture, I would no doubt fail and fall (over my shoelaces)! Give me a shoe! Let me use MY shoe! Show me the laces and create a sense of curiosity and understanding that becomes purposeful and relevant to the task. Then I may be able to apply myself differently. Direct instruction leaves a learner feeling:

bored
small
stagnant
data defined
frustrated
misunderstood
isolated- like their answer most likely is not the ONE that you are looking for
invisible

Or would you like your learning to factor in your ability? your needs? your passions?

So let’s shift our mindsets to student centered. Let’s leave our learners feeling:

empowered
relevant
purposeful
supported
wondrous
connected
open-minded
competent

Today’s session on “Education Reimagined” ( Randy Ziegenfuss and Lynn Fuini-Hetten #SASInstitute2017), left me feeling more empowered and energized. Acknowledging that competency is not capped off by a grade level. Empowering learners to grow beyond their mastered skills. Isn’t that what you want from a day of professional development… a day of learning! This was relevant to my classroom. This serves a purpose to my students so that when I return to the classroom I can continue to connect learning and interests, fighting the fight for growth in every child… facilitating the learning of all students! Learning has 27 different definitions for my class this year… empowering 27 students to find their passion and light the world on fire becomes my purpose each day.

My go to “take-away” for quick implementation of this approach is:

… inquiry-based learning that generates this shift. One that spawns curiosity. One that requires critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication, and the reward of relevance! One that requires the focus on students and not the teacher!

An excellent way to shift the center of teaching is through Project-Based Learning. It is an in-depth investigation of a real world topic. It is tailored to each student’s passion, which in turn fuels their learning. It is then driven home through the creation of a student chosen project that will then be shown to their chosen authentic audience. The voice and choice embedded in this alone is the creator of small shifts.

less is more

less teacher centered

more student centered

small shifts for the greater good

Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

The Power of a Keynote: an investment in our future!

December 4, 2017December 31, 2017 nankr1120

Why does one go to a conference? What draws a person in? The conference mailings arrive weekly in my mailbox at school. For some I open, but for most I toss them straight into the garbage. In order for it to grab my attention it needs to provide me with more than my daily growth within my PLN and twitter. (Twitter alone nurtures my love for teaching and can be done from the comforts of my home.) It cannot just be a buzz word. It must be legit. So for me it is the keynote. The person chosen must be relevant to teaching and learning… not only for my students, but for me.

So how did #SASInstitute2017 get it right? For starters, they sought out one of the most powerful influences in education today… George Couros, author of Innovator’s Mindset!

George is key to my attendance. It really is that simple. I am an educator making positive change in the classroom. I am pushing myself forward every day without a conference, so for one to grab my attention, be worth my financial investment, and hold value to my students and to me, it must have impact!

IMPACT: the kind that pulls on every emotion possible! The kind that changes me for the better!

Truths that were spoken by George… hard core truth:

Truth: “Learning is your job so stop whining and settle down.” (I about jumped up and gave him a standing ovation!)

Truth: “If you do not have a twitter account you are no longer relevant to teaching!”

Truth: “If you still have a computer lab, the question is do you have a pencil lab too?”

Truth: “Isolation is now a CHOICE that educators make!”

Truth: “Do kids do it because of school or in spite of it?”

Truth: “Data driven is the stupidest term in education!”

Truth: “Stop making excuses!”

Truth: “What serves kids the best?”

Truth: “Make the positive so loud that the negative becomes almost impossible to hear!”

Truth: “CHANGE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING AMAZING!”

The energy in itself… the mere magnitude of educators buzzing with enthusiasm has drawn me in to conversation. Conversation that I don’t normally engage in. (Don’t laugh too hard… I have the gift of gab, but I’m talking about the choice to put myself in conversation.) The truth is, I don’t like the downers… the fun suckers… closed mindsets. Most groups I have encountered at school conferences have always included closed mindsets. One that sucks the positive life right from my soul. But this conference is different… the buzz is about George. His truths. His innovative practices. His doors he opened… for us! His relationships he nurtured… with us. In turn, I have engaged beyond the keynote… into small groups… lunches… dinners… downtime. I came with an amazing group of educators, connected with my twitter family, and am growing each day with incredible educators! The power of a keynote has created an opportunity for me to do amazing things!

8598AFC1-22E6-497D-8BFB-D2F1B270C5C1 — Game Changer: George Couros and yours truly!

Fabulous colleague and goal driven friend, Donna Steff

Domain 1: Planning and Preparation, Domain 3: Instruction, Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

Creating Change Agents

November 28, 2017December 31, 2017 nankr1120

Most often people choose teaching as a profession because they want to create change… change for the better! Some will even tell you that their own experience was so negative they felt compelled to become “the change” that children need in the classroom.

Do you feel our children deserve more… do they need more? If so the question is… are we delivering instruction in a way that will create this opportunity?

I often wonder why so many graduates are cramming for interviews. Literally, I have witnessed interviewees grab hold of books such as Innovator’s Mindset (George Couros), Teach Like A Pirate (Dave Burgess) and STEAMMakers (Jacie Maslyk) right before interviews in order to gain the edge on hiring.

Why are they cramming?

Do you feel our future teachers continue to prepare the same way as teachers did 5… 10… even 50+ years ago? Are we helping to create change or are we still teaching and learning in a way that is no longer relevant in today’s society?

If we are given the opportunity to create change in education why wait until teachers are graduated and in the trenches to fire them up with incredible learning opportunities?

Let’s look at what current educators are doing to move the world of education forward and in turn pass this practice down to our future educators.

Let’s connect with future teachers.

Let’s make change.

Dave and Shelley Burgess of Dave Burgess Consulting Inc. have gifted education with a platform that works as a springboard for innovative teaching. Are these revolutionary resources accessible to every college student preparing to be a teacher?

If not, we must ask ourselves a very important question… Why are we preparing our future with the same mindset we are trying to alter?

Are we creating experiences for our students? Are we still using the traditional checklist that no longer reflects the future of our students or better yet the future of the work force!?

What is guiding our future teaching practices?

In my opinion, you cannot advance a student’s depth of knowledge with a five day death march of a story that was taken from the required/chosen anthology.

Has anyone asked their students? Do students really want to read the same story over and over for mastery? Mastery of what? Who needs skill when you can memorize the central idea of a story by reading and rereading day after day?

Don’t get me wrong, we are all in tune with Bloom’s Taxonomy and how to embed higher level thinking into the traditional way of learning, but that is simply not good enough anymore! Our children deserve more… they need more and we must deliver our instruction differently to serve them the best possible way. Our children need to be engaged in their learning where by they are empowered to move their education forward by choice and not through compliance.

It is not a free for all… there is accountability for all of us. There is definitely a place and purpose for philosophy, domains, and pedagogy. But who ever said that it had to come from the same mindset and discipline that was used all those years ago. We must have accountability to change with the times! As George Couros of Innovator’s Mindset so eloquently states,

“Change is an opportunity to do something AMAZING!”

Over the last two school years, I have had the privilege of being a virtual cooperating teacher for future educators of Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. Education majors are required to take a technology course their freshman year. One of the professors is Dr. Sam Fecich and she is a change agent! She is connecting our future teachers to classrooms while instilling skills for both the future leaders in education as well as the current classroom teacher. Her students are building their PLN (Professional Learning Network) on twitter and engaging in meaningful learning with a variety of resources including books posted above. Dr. Sam, along with the education department of GCC, is making change in current practice… investing in our future!

If we really want to educate future teachers to be AMAZING CHANGE AGENTS we need to communicate at all levels. Colleges, universities, public and private school systems, along with the community and work force… we must sit down at the same table and break bread together. We need to share in the same meal, prepared by the same hands, and with immense compassion and understanding have the conversation that WE share in the responsibility to MAKE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER!

Why?

Because…

When you know better, you do better!

Tag: Kristen Nan

To TAG or NOT To TAG… that is the question!

#IMMOOC Family Reunion