Covid has forced educators to take portions of their instruction, or all of their instruction, online. It’s quite an adjustment for all concerned. But imagine, and perhaps you’ve faced this, that a significant portion of your student’s home technology setup is inadequate, or non-existent. What do you?
In this episode, we’ll ask Jalen Wells this question. Jalen teaches history at Great Mills High School in Great Mills, Maryland. Many of his students have such technological obstacles. Covid has multiplied exponentially this digital divide. Jalen will talk about what his school has done and what he has done to help these students.
jmwells@smcps.org
And, I must exercise full disclosure. Jalen will become my son-in-law next summer. I’m so excited about the prospect of having another teacher in the family. And, a high school Social Studies teacher like I was to boot. I’m fascinated by his teaching journey and we talk about it a lot. As Jalen describes his struggles teaching students virtually in this interview, consider your students. What obstacles do they face? What adjustments can you make? Who can you look to for help? The past six months have presented unbelievable challenges to learning. Perhaps, this episode will inspire a solution that you can implement to help your students tomorrow.
Episode Template:
The Problem:
Many students have significant obstacles to virtual learning.
The Solution:
Identify who needs help and utilize resources to find solutions.
What you can do Tomorrow:
Make a list of your students who face virtual learning obstacles.
Create a roster of communication options.
Form a problem-solving group of like-minded colleagues. Together, you can brainstorm solutions.
Investigate ways to leverage tools housed in your learning management system.
Virtual learning has created challenges. Your solutions to these challenges has the potential to make you a better educator.
Clockwise from upper left…Emily Montgomery, Christian Manna, Bernard Johnson, and your humble narrator James Sturtevant
The first time I was a participant in a Zoom call, I was so impressed. It felt so futuristic. I thought highly of it and was excited to do another.
Covid however, like with many things we treasure, wiped out this euphoria. Zoom calls sprouted up everywhere. I grew to dread the dreaded Zoom call invitation. Here are some reasons why:
They’re too many participants.
They’re not engaging.
They’re too long.
Most are time and place bound.
In this episode, I’ll offer a remedy to each of these problems. Here are four objectives that I follow in my engaging Zoom call quest:
small intimate experiences
highly engaging preparation and discussion prompts
30 minute call limit
recorded and made available to non-participants
I’d like to take each of these objectives and go into a bit more depth.
Small Intimate Experience
I’ve been on calls that had over 50 participants. In these experiences, only the organizers were talking. Granted, questions were raised in the chat feed, but there were few of those and they did not command much attention. I, like many of the participants, muted my video feed and worked on other things while the call droned on in the background. The participants in this scenario are more an audience. That’s not what you want. I say limit the number of participants to 4 or 5.
Highly Engaging Preparation and Discussion Prompts
Engaging topics is an obvious key to a successful Zoom call. I accomplish topic engagement in 2 ways:
I make certain that participants consume outstanding preparation material prior to the conversation.
I inspire call participants with great prompts during the call.
30 Minute Call Limit
This is just common sense. Keep the call short. I was recently on a 90 minute call. After 30 minutes, I couldn’t wait to get away from my computer.
Recorded and Made Available to Non-Participants
I have 20 students in my class. My Zoom calls generally consist of 4 participants. Zoom gives you the option to record the call, which is awesome! One major drawback to Zoom calls that consist of the entire class is trying to get everyone in front of their computers at a certain time which is outside the class meeting time. A smaller participant Zoom call can be recorded and then be delivered as an on-demand resource to the remainder of the students. They can then watch in their own time and at their own pace. I then prompt the non-participating students to submit a written reflection inspired by the prompts in the Zoom call.
In this episode, 3 students Bernard Johnson, Christian Manna, and Emily Montgomery will describe their experiences with my Zoom call template, both as a discussion participant and watching the recorded convo and writing a reflection.
This interview also mirrors one of our Zoom call discussions, because it’s a Skype Team Chat and all of us are in different locations.
Episode Template
The Problem:
Zoom calls need to be more engaging.
The Solution:
Apply the 4 objectives described in this episode
Your Next Steps:
Find 4 student volunteers willing to engage in a Zoom call
Find an engaging topic, assign the students a resource to consume prior to the chat, and then create some provocative prompts based on the resource.
Record the chat and then make it available to the other students in your class.
Challenge the non-participating students to write a reflection based on the recorded call.
Conducting engaging virtual class discussions is an essential skill in modern education. You may as well get great at it!
In the fall of 1979, I was a freshman in a college dorm trying to adjust to my new surroundings. One thing that I’ve always done to ground myself has been to play the music that I love. I grew up in a small town in Southeastern Ohio that was not diverse. And yet, my musical taste was totally urban. I loved the Isley Brothers and the Brothers Johnson and Earth Wind and Fire.
One transformational afternoon, I put on some of my jams, which inspired a guy a couple of doors down to walk to my room, pop his head in, and then joyously proclaim, “I can’t believe you’re listening to these jams. I didn’t think anyone on this floor loved the Isley Brothers.” That guy was Vince Trocchia and a lifelong friendship evolved from this initial interaction.
In October of that magical year, Vince invited me to his house for dinner. I eagerly accepted. I was treated to a magnificent Italian meal and met Vince’s wonderful family. I was so intrigued by his dad Robert.
Robert Trocchia rtrocchia@twc.com
Robert was the iconic local music teacher at Fairfield Union High School in Breman, Ohio.
His choir from a small Ohio town:
Performed in many of the great cathedrals in the western world
Appeared on nearly fifty TV shows
And was named one of the top high school choirs in the United States.
It was evident from the moment that I met him how much Robert loved his life. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my future at this point, but his example impacted me. I viewed him as immensely rich. This evaluation had nothing to do with his stock portfolio.
Robert is now 86-years-old. You would never guess that when you listen to his powerful voice. He seems exactly the same to me as he did forty years ago.
When I learned that Robert authored a book about teaching, I knew that I had to get it and that I had to have him as a guest on this podcast. Mountaintop Moments is a wonderful book for any teacher, at any grade level, teaching any subject. Embrace the message of this wise sage!
What you can do Tomorrow:
Select a book to help in your quest to become a better educator.
Ask for a piece of advice from a veteran educator.
Inject a fun activity into tomorrow’s lesson.
Set a wonderful example for your students
Veteran educators like Robert are national treasures. Follow Robert’s directives and thrive in this noble calling.
Formative assessment is one the greatest gifts you can give your students. The research is clear–formative assessment helps kids learn. Here are screenshots from a recent lecture I gave students. These slides reference the research of Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam.
Unfortunately, formative assessment is not done enough. I believe that part of the problem is that teachers simply don’t know enough about it, or how to do it. I was unclear on both of these counts a decade ago. It makes me sad to think of all the students who matriculated through my class before I became aware of this powerful tactic.
Hopefully, this episode will inspire and enlighten you. I finally have students joining me once again. Aurora Dollins, Brianna Pasco, and Alex Staton are students in my Assessment class at Muskingum University. I love interviewing Education majors because they have a unique perspective. They get what it’s like to be a student, but they are constantly evaluating how they will utilize approaches and tools once they become instructors.
ALex Statton, Aurora Dollins, and Briana Pasco
Aside from the ideas of these awesome young women, I want to offer additional help in your quest to craft engaging and relevant formative assessments, Here’s an outstanding link to a slide presentation created by David Wees which includes 56 ideas for formative assessment.
Episode Template
The Problem:
Formative assessment is not utilized enough.
The Solution:
Start including formative assessments with each unit you teach.
What you can do Tomorrow:
Search David Wees’ link for an engaging and relevant option.
Try it.
Debrief students and gameplan on how you can improve.
Formative assessment is backed by research. Your challenge is to make it engaging and relevant.
My new book Teaching in Magenta aids teachers in the creation of deep well-being and profound joy. My Path 44 describes a method to gain some peace and perspective in the midst of a hectic day:
Path 44
It was late March in Ohio. My wife and I were on spring break, and the weather was beautiful. We decided to take a hike, and as Roberta Flack once sang, “Watch winter turn to spring.” It was invigorating. It reminded me of one year when I had my planning period the last period of the day. On days when it wasn’t raining or snowing or below freezing, which describes a lot of days in Ohio, I would leave school and walk to our stadium. I would then stroll one lap around the track. After my lap, I’d return to my room and be productive. It was awesome. I’m going to start doing that again. Today, carve out fifteen minutes to leave the institutional atmosphere of the school and energize yourself outside.
Today, I’ll interview someone who couldn’t agree more. In fact, she wrote a book about obtaining this tranquility and clarity.
Dr. Dorothy VanderJagt and I have recently become friends. Dorothy is veteran educator from the great state of Michigan. She’s been a middle school teacher, an elementary principal, a central office administrator, and a college professor. That’s, a lot of perspective.
Dorothy VanderJact
Two months ago, her brand new book Permission to Pause was released. Her timing was perfect. This book will help discombobulated teachers get their bearings and evolve into a state of well-being. While her timing on releasing this book is perfect, it’s worthy COVID or not. Dr. Dorothy wants teachers to pause and reflect. I’m a big fan. In this episode, she’ll tell you why it’s important to pause and reflect and how you can do it!
Ask yourself these questions:
Now that school has started, do I feel overwhelmed?
Do I find my mood impacting interactions with my family and students?
Am I not doing as good a job on any one thing because I’m pulled in so many directions?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, Dr. Dorothy’s book is available for a house call.
Path 9 in my new book Teaching in Magenta is about Venerating a Veteran. I’m going to read Path 9:
One negative aspect of aging is the feeling that you’re losing relevance. I’m fortunate in that younger teachers sometimes reach out to me for guidance. When they do, it makes me feel awesome. I try to give them solid advice, and many are grateful. What they don’t realize is how energizing it is for me when they ask. Today, seek out an older colleague and pay them a compliment or ask for advice. You’ll be doing them (and you) a great service, and they just may give you a wonderful suggestion.
Today’s episode is in the spirit of Path 9. Recent episodes that I’ve produced about specific paths in my book have been short. This one, is an exception. This is an extensive conversation with Pennsylvania teaching and coaching legend David Crowell. So–while I’m certainly venerating a veteran, we delve into the provocative topic of motivation. How can educators motivate students? Because this topic is so rich and important, we went on for a bit.
David Crowell dcrowell@rcn.com
I learned about Coach Crowell from my friend the innovative instructional coach Michael Brilla. Michael has been a guest on this podcast twice and like a lot of my guests, we’ve become friends. Michael predicted that Coach Crowell and I would hit it off. He was right! There was only one divergence, however. Coach is more nostalgic than me. But other than that, I found myself doing a lot of head-nodding as I listened to David stress the transformational potential of relationships.
Reach out to a veteran educator in your building. Present a problem and ask for help.
You may just get a great solution. Regardless of whether you utilize what your seasoned colleague suggests, the mere request itself will be a bonding experience that will benefit you both.
Well–ready or not, school will be starting soon, For some, it’s already has started. My first day of classes is next Wednesday. Many colleges, like mine, are in session for 3 months and then adjourn at Thanksgiving and then resume in January. It’ll be the longest winter break that I’ve ever experienced. That part sounds pretty awesome.
If you’re like me, the idea of jumping back in the saddle comes with mixed feelings. I’m glad I’m returning, but I haven’t been physically in front of students for months. I’m looking forward to it, but there’s a tinge of, Can I still do this? I imagine I’m not alone in this emotion. My prediction is that vast majority of us will feel thrilled to be back in our natural habitat.
On a TYPICAL 1st day of school, educators often incorporate some type of prompt which challenges students to reflect on their summer vacation. This year won’t be a typical 1st day of school.
If students reflect on the last few months, they may come up with some pretty negative stuff: My grandmother passed. My dad lost his job. I lost my track season last spring.
How about a prompt that challenges students to take inventory of growth? Perhaps, you could prime the pump by describing a way that you evolved during this dreadful pandemic: My wife and I became closer. I got in great shape. I tried an number of new recipes many of which I loved.
Certainly don’t force optimism in your students. If some have experienced nightmares, don’t stifle that expression. But also encourage optimism.
I love the image below of the boxwoods in front of my house. They were getting huge so a few weeks ago I pruned them–significantly. Guess what. That was traumatic for them. I thought I’d overdone it. But check them out now. They’re bouncing back with vigor and will soon create a more attractive lush boxwood hedge! Challenge your students to inventory their potential. How did they grow over this pandemic?
When I was writing Teaching in Magenta, I crafted Path 40 for readers experiencing challenges.
Path 40: Take Inventory
Most days, both positive and negative things happen to you. Acknowledging that simple phenomenon is an important step. Unfortunately, negative experiences seem to deliver more impact. It could be a confrontation, or a critical comment from a student, a parent, or your principal. Or, it could be something more nuanced, such as you having had high hopes for a lesson that didn’t end up engaging your kids. Regardless, I’ll wager that many subtle positives materialize during the day that you don’t fully acknowledge. Today, take stock of the colleague who asks about your family, the student who completes her assignment for the first time in weeks, and the kid who you thought didn’t like you that gave you a smile. If you do this regularly, you just might find yourself smiling more often as well.
I wrote Path 40 in 2019, long before I’d heard the word COVID. I had no idea then what 2020 would bring. But I knew then and I know now that challenging days are in my future. Just like my poor boxwoods that I almost left for dead, but are returning like champions.
How have you grown during this pandemic? If you’re willing to share how you’ve grown, or perhaps how you’ll coax students to share, hop over to the Magenta Teacher Community and lets us know what you’re up to!
A few Christmases ago, my daughter-in-law Niki bought me a book. It was a small volume by the Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh entitled How to Walk. I thought the gift was cool, but it didn’t make a huge impression. It wasn’t like I immediately isolated myself and dove into its pages. Instead, it sat by my desk unopened until spring break. Then, one mellow morning when I wasn’t required to bolt out the door and make it to school before my bus duty, it caught my eye, and I casually opened it.
I was instantly intrigued because each page taught a lesson about walking mindfully. Each lesson was short—a couple of paragraphs. Each short narrative encouraged the reader to walk mindfully through one of life’s various challenges. I read a page and applied the directives that day. It was a joy! The next day, I read another page and applied it. That’s all it took. I was hooked. I was impressed with how little time it took to consume each page, but the directives were powerful and profoundly impacted me. I also loved the rough sketches that accompanied many of the narratives. I thought to myself, Wouldn’t it be cool to write a book like this?
For the next five weeks, I’m going to try an experiment. My new book Teaching in Magenta was inspired by Niki’s gift. My book is divided into 5 sections based on qualities of magenta:
Compassion
Optimism
Balance
Adaptability
Contentment
I’m going to read 1 path from a different section each week. Today, I’ll focus on Path 57, which can be found in the section on Balance.
It’s important to emphasize that this book is short. It’s only 16,000 words. Each of the 100 paths is roughly 100 to 150 words. It’s meant to be consumed slowly. Just as I read How to Walk and then applied a lesson each day, you should allow this book to stretch out over a period of time, like a 9 weeks, or a semester.
Pardon the self-promotion, but I love this brief Amazon review posted by an elementary principal:
As an Elementary Principal, I am constantly trying to find new and unique ways to engage with my staff, parents, and students. Teaching in Magenta provides an abundance of ideas to help build relationships and focus on the most important aspects of being in education! I don’t have a lot of time to read so books that are straight to the point, thought provoking, and practical are my go to! This book is exactly that! I would recommend this book to not only educators but anyone who looking for strategies to build strong relationships with others!
So without further delay, here’s Path 57:
During a busy school day, do you ever feel like you’re swimming in people? Your classes are big, the halls are packed, the lunch room is a sea of humanity, and the parking lot is a bottleneck. And to top it off, you desperately have to use the facilities between periods, so you hustle down to the bathroom in the faculty lounge only to find it occupied, the door locked. You need a break! Teachers are givers, but how about today, for just one period, being a taker? Check to see if any student needs you during your planning period. If none do, close the door, turn out the lights, and meditate, or look at the internet, or watch stupid videos, or buy something on Amazon, and allow the world outside your door to evaporate.
I was always struck by the safety instructions on flights prior to takeoff. Passengers were instructed on what to do if the oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling. You were directed to put your mask on first before you helped your children. Wow! This goes against every parent’s nature, but you can’t save your kids if you suffocate.
Teachers need to apply this analogy to their day. Think about it. You can’t help students if you’re a wreck. You simply must find balance and take care of yourself. A great way to do that is to schedule some personal enrichment time every day. I used to take a short nap during my planning period. That short snooze was pure bliss. I’m, in no way shape or form consider, a slacker. I give a lot to my school and my students. I’m entitled to a little Me Time. I always woke up energized ready to embrace my next class. My nap made me a better teacher.
What do you do to maintain your sanity? Please don’t be embarrassed about this. Self care is essential.
I’d be interested to know how you grab some sanity during the day. To that end, a new collaboration community has been set up as a virtual agora. The Magenta Teacher Community is a place where you can share ideas and collaborate with fellow educators. Sure–you can respond to my prompts, but how about issuing some of your own, or better yet, create some brand new paths to Teaching in Magenta!
Teaching this year is going to be so much more challenging. Make certain to occasionally close that door and take care of yourself.
Imagine that you and I step into an elevator together. Secured under my arm is a copy of my new book Teaching in Magenta. You notice the book and ask me about it.
Your question instantly makes me realize a couple of things:
This is a classic scenario for an elevator pitch.
I better make these next few seconds count before the doors open and you disappear.
This book provides 100 ways to CREATE a magnificent day in the classroom. Once you start stringing some Magenta Days together, you and your students will experience profound well-being and deep joy.
Thankfully, you receive my pitch positively and then inquire, “That sounds interesting. Why did you write it? Why is Magenta in the title? How does one teach in magenta?”
This podcast answers those questions.
I’m so excited to bring you this new book Teaching in Magenta. Over the next few weeks, I’ll do 5 short podcasts which detail paths directly from the book. I’m going to help you create 5 magnificent days in your classroom. But today, I’m going to lay some groundwork.
Please check out my book Teaching in Magenta. And if you’re not ready to hit the buy now button on Amazon, but you’re intrigued and you’re willing to listen more as we ride the elevator up a few more floors, check back soon and I’ll describe one path to create a magnificent day for you and your students.
I was a Poli-Sci and History major in college. My senior year, I made the decision to obtain a teaching certificate. I wasn’t certain what I was going to do, so I decided that I could teach a few years while I sorted it out.
One of my first Education classes was Audio Visual Resources. We learned such mystical skills as using a laminator, threading a movie projector, producing copies on a mimeograph machine, and manipulating a film strip. Even at the time, these technologies seemed dated. I couldn’t believe that I was paying tuition for this. That was an easy A. I had other Education classes that were relevant and challenging, but I secured my teaching certificate without too much sweat and promptly forgot about my preparation experiences once I got my first teaching job.
Many educators have similar stories. I’ve heard many a colleague describe their teacher preparation majors as a series of irrelevant hopes that they had to jump through. And this, dear reader, is where Dr. Traci Tuttle makes a dramatic entrance. Traci is the Education Department Chair at Muskingum University.
ttuttle@muskingum.edu
Traci totally understands frustrations with educator preparation programs. She experienced them too. Consequently, she’s highly motivated to create a different experience for the Education majors at Muskingum. In this episode she talks about this some, but what really motivates her is her objective to foster partnerships with K-12 educators. I believe she gets this because she spent many years as a K-12 teacher.
You’re going to enjoy this convo and hopefully it will inspire you to seek out a partnership with an institution of higher learning.
Episode Template
The Problem:
There needs to be more collaboration between Institutions of higher learning and K-12 educators.
The Solution:
Facilitate this collaboration by reaching out to an institution of higher learning.
What you can do Tomorrow:
Craft a letter of introduction and include an invitation to collaborate.
Send this invitation to a number of institutions of higher learning.
Inform your principal that you would like to mentor a student teacher and your class is open for field experiences.
Every time I invite visitors to my class, I grow as a teacher. Every time that I’ve visited a learning environment, I grew as a teacher.
