A Call for Authenticity

 I am amidst a professional struggle between systematic behavior approaches and a conviction for authenticity. I know I can't be the only one. Please tell me I'm not.

School Wide Approach:
When using a systems thinking methodology, I understand why a system (school building, for instance) would desire a more standardized response to behavior supports: consistency, equality, reliable outcomes. Creating common expectations and prescribing how to respond to various behaviors helps ensure students will be treated fairly regardless of who they are and who is responding to them. Without a systems approach, measures could be far too widespread and unreliable. Consider this:

At 8:00 Susie runs down the hall. Mrs. Apple, a more relaxed teacher, smiles at Susie and tells her to have a great day. Later, at 12:00, Susie runs down the hall to be confronted by Mr. Mad, who yells at her and gives her detention. She tells her friend about this, who suggests Susie only walk in the halls when Mr. Mad is around.

In this scenario, the only thing Susie learns is to avoid Mr. Mad because she thinks he's a jerk. When a school adopts a common matrix of expectations, it not only helps students, it encourages staff to streamline their expectations. And as a teacher who doesn't always see what the big deal is about running in the halls, it prevents people like me from only caring once someone gets hurt. I'll be the first to admit that I need common expectations, otherwise my passivity could lead to larger problems.

What Mr. Mad needs in the earlier scenario is a systematic response to when students do not follow the agreed upon expectations. Yelling and doling detention for running in the hall seems harsh, particularly when a first offense. A lot of schools run into the issue of varied consequences for the same misbehavior, and are rightfully called out for their selective disciplining. Would it be fair for Susie to receive detention for running, when the same consequence was given to Joe for kicking and swearing at a teacher? I would argue no.

A Call for Authenticity:
So what's my struggle, then, if I agree with school wide behavior supports? I just wonder if prescribed responses can be further tailored to better foster genuine interactions with kids and adults. I wonder if schools have taken this too strongly, creating scripted dialogues that feel robotic at times, to the extent that kids may very well begin to tune them out. An example:

At 8:00 Susie runs down the hall. Mrs. Apple, Susie's former teacher, remembers she needs to remind Susie of the expectations. The conversation goes as follows:

Mrs. Apple: Susie, I noticed you were running in the hall. As you may know, the expectation at our school is to always walk in the hall...

Susie: Okay...(starts walking away)

Mrs. Apple: Hold on Susie, I'm not done. Here at school, we want you to be safe at all times. To help you, let's practice walking up and down the hall.

(They walk up and down the hall)

Mrs. Apple: Thank you for being safe at our school. I noticed, that when we practiced you used safe walking feet and had your voice off. Here's a slip of paper.

(Susie rolls her eyes and walks away)

A couple of points here. First, I would argue this is a more effective approach to stop Susie from running in the future, than earlier when she ignored the misbehavior. This would especially be more effective if Mrs. Apple can 'catch' Susie walking later on and give her positive praise. However, the conversation (namely, Susie being talked to) seems extremely insincere. This is Susie's former teacher we are talking about, they have love and experience behind them, couldn't this have been handled in a way to better respect that relationship? Should scripted responses be saved for only adults that lack that relationship, or does it need to be school wide? Can schools use a systems approach while still honoring that children are human beings that learn language and conversational skills from us, their mentors?

To play devil's advocate with myself, I also question if my call for authenticity leads to too varied of responses. But if we are truly preparing children for the 'real world' (I love that we use that term as if school is part of the fake world-an issue all in itself), wouldn't we want them to engage with people that are different? I'm not being rhetorical here, I really want to know. And, for those kids that depend on school as their only reliable, stable environment, do we harm or help them when we script how we talk to them? Can't we be reliable, stable, loving, proactive, AND authentic with kids? I think we can. To me, it would look like this:

Mrs. Apple: Hi, Susie! How's your sister?

Susie: Fine I guess, she turned two.

Mrs. Apple: Great! I can't wait to be her teacher one day. Susie, I want you to be safe and need you to walk in the hallway.

Susie: Okay.

Mrs. Apple: Can you practice walking in the halls for me? I'd really appreciate it

Susie: Okay. Bye, Mrs. Apple!

Mrs. Apple: Bye, hun-and hey thanks for walking.

Notice this exchange took about as long as when she gave her scripted response. You may wonder how to systemize this scenario, can it be done? What would this look like from a systems perspective? To me, it would be extremely doable. As a leader, I would encourage my staff to engage with the child, state you need them to correct the behavior, and then acknowledge the correction. A simple formula:

Desired behavior = authenticity + statement of change + acknowledgement

Still prescribed, but leaves room for genuine exchange.

*This is not a direct critique of any particular establishment, just a response and reflection on what I've noticed to be a larger trend in education*

Be the Change

Let's face it-public schools have a bad reputation. Britney Spears circa 2007 bad.

   Some of the negative press is deserved, and it is known that a major transformation (note, not reformation) is necessary to best serve today's students. The systematic changes needed to achieve this goal are far too complex and conditional for this blogger to touch on at the moment, but I'd like to get back to our reputation.
   The media and public opinion of our school system is nothing if not disheartening. If we are all on the same team, with ONE common goal (prepare all American children for their best future), why are we distracting ourselves with the constant finger pointing? What does it serve to defame our most important institution?
   For one, because schools are so vital to our country, the public has every right to feel cheated and angry when they think schools are failing their children. There is so much at stake, with an ever-heavy burden thrust upon the shoulders of those responsible for our future. It makes sense for people to become vocal in response to what they hear or think they know.
   But is it all bad? And more tragic, is it all true? As a public school teacher, I feel bombarded with articles, videos, infographics, and Facebook posts circulating around that are not only completely absurd, they're so willingly accepted as objective news. Trust me, if I believed everything I heard, saw, or read about education, I'd be livid as well. How can we dispel this negative (and false) press without coming off as defensive or attacking? Has this always been an obstacle for educators, or has it been propelled by the information over-sharing era?
   Don't get me wrong, many of the circulating untruths are inconsequential, but in a system completely dependent of the government and its taxpayers we are remiss if think public opinion is unimportant. We want to work with the public, to shine the light of truth, and listen to their concerns. If we continue an 'us vs. them' mentality, we ultimately fail the children.
   So what's my point? My point is a call to action from those in education: teachers, leaders, classified staff, students. If enough is publicized about what's wrong with schools, we are responsible for sharing all that is right in schools. Privacy rights in mind, I encourage you to share the wonderful things going on at your school or in your classroom. Be the positive PR representative your school so desperately needs. Answer questions, clarify misconceptions respectfully, be the change. More importantly (I can't overstate this), please stop being negative. Every time you post on social media that you dread Monday, you need a bottle of wine after how bad your students were, or about how frustrating your district is, you are broadcasting to the public they are right in their presumptions about public schools and their educators. I'm no saint, I've been guilty of this to a degree, but that's why I'm trying to be the change I want to see.
   My new mission is to share one positive/clarifying thing about public schools each day. So far, I have found that in the process of sharing, I inherently instill more love for what I have been called to do-teach children.


What message are you giving?

 

Down the Rabbit Hole-my misadventure with the masses

   Albert Einstein once said, "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity." A few days ago, this kindergarten teacher learned a valuable lesson regarding the pitfalls of technology exceeding humanity. I was perusing my Facebook newsfeed when I stumbled upon a Sports Center article about a young female that is generating publicity with her impressive baseball skills. It was a harmlessly written piece that included a video clip of the player on the field and an interview where she expresses her desire to continue doing what she loves. It was objective, credible, and not entirely the reason I am writing this post today. I am writing because after reading the article, I did something I rarely do...I read the comments. And then I did something I NEVER do...I wrote my own.
   I prefer not to go into explicit details about the content of the comments I read, but I will share that they were horribly degrading and offensive. Complete strangers (male and female) to this young girl were ripping her limb from limb with derogatory terms and crass jokes. Some opinions went on to attack the entire female population, baseball as a sport, and specific MLB players. It was truly eye opening how hateful the masses can be when protected by the veil of 'anonymity.'
   Against my better judgement I reached out. I primarily expressed my disappointment and a couple counter arguments pertaining to a few conspiracies stated in the thread (women were trying to take sports away from men). No hate was expressed, nor foul language, nor personal attack. I still felt a little steamed about the whole thing, but writing my feelings and hoping I made an impact was somewhat gratifying. I did not yet regret my decision to comment.
   I was baffled when multiple notifications on my iPhone started popping up. There were those in support of my comment, a few desiring to enter a 'friendly' debate regarding my arguments, but most notifications were those of hate. The hurt I felt for the baseball player just hours before was being mirrored back to me as I was called unspeakable names, reamed for arguments that I did not make, and most often told to shut up. After the initial sting of personal attack subsided, and the anger associated with indecipherable and nonsensical arguments that COMPLETELY took my comment out of context subsided, I put on my educator hat.
   In a society where freedom of speech is taken to entirely new levels, and the internet serves as an outlet to express any type of hate desired, how can we teach our students to use the internet respectfully and responsibly? Better yet, how can we prepare our students for some of the unnecessary hatred they may encounter while online, while still pointing them towards the right path? As a kindergarten teacher I know my first steps include teaching empathy towards others, and using a critically inquisitive mind when filtering any 'information' or opinions they encounter. How does your building facilitate digital citizenship and empathy education?

*In regards to the backlash I received, I responded to a friendly debater a couple times and then decided to walk away from the thread. I knew that if I continued, I would only become more frustrated as I plummeted down the rabbit hole.

Dear Parents

Dear Parents (Past, Present, and Future),

   Thank you. Thank you for bestowing me the honor of spending time with whom you love most in this world. Thank you for trusting me, and allowing me to teach and love your child. Many wonderful things happen in our classroom each day, and your little one is an essential part of that community. The things I hear daily are hilarious, adorable, heartwarming, and sometimes heartbreaking; I'm constantly thinking I need to share them but alas the day is so busy I often forget before the blaring of the dismissal bell. Also, thank you for understanding if I forget to check the communication folder or print the snack schedule on time. I can promise that when it comes between making copies or spending my prep time with a child in need, I will always choose the child. Sometimes that's your child, but know that I never mind.

   I appreciate our partnership more than I ever imagined. When I was in college studying to be a teacher, I never considered how much I would benefit from (and enjoy) the collaboration with families in school. Truth is, you are far more influential on your child than I will ever be. You already knew that, but when we combine forces we are unstoppable advocates for children! Whether you have volunteered in our classroom, taken time to meet with me in person, or responded to a phone call or Facebook message...thank you. You are incredibly busy, but often find time outside your hectic schedule, you are amazing. You may have already noticed, but I am far from the perfect teacher (see late snack schedules above). I need your partnership, because every time I speak with one of you, I know my students a little better. I learn better ways to serve them. With each open conversation, you make me a better educator. I can only hope to have reciprocated half the support for your home.

   Speaking of flaws, your child sees me make mistakes each day. I never mind when they are pointed out, because it provides me an opportunity to model recovering from a setback. I aspire to inspire every student to have a growth mindset, to understand they can learn and grow from their mistakes. Many students were shocked when I told them nobody was perfect ('But my mom says I am!'), but I explained that to be perfect would be exhausting. I want my class to know they are in a safe place to take risks and fall down and get themselves back up. I want my class to be perfectly imperfect, a collection of scholars learning from one another.

   As the year comes to a close, know that your child will forever be cherished. My passion in education has always centered around fostering a space for creativity and a love for learning. I hope your child carries that to the next school year and beyond. I hope that you continue to collaborate with teachers and invest in our school. I hope you always feel comfortable voicing concern or successes. Also, I hope that your child visits me in the fall, because I will be standing there with arms wide open.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Baranowski
 

Get Gritty and Grow

   Before, when I would hear the word 'grit' I would think of Clint Eastwood. A strong, silent figure standing in solidarity with a cigarette and a 5 o'clock shadow; this embodiment of grit refuses to smile and takes no prisoners. Tough and strong, grit is essentially a cowboy. So how did my association of the word grit evolve from Clint Eastwood to the resilient five year old that still raises her hand after offering an incorrect answer? Let me explain...


Students with Grit

   The hot topic in education as of late is teaching students to be more gritty. We are slowly backing away from adhering to each student's intelligence modality and guiding them to think outside their neurological comfort zone. Encouraging students to make mistakes and pick themselves up afterwards will build a more resilient and courageous child. Rather than driving towards a product of high achievement, we are now putting more thought into the process itself. To me, this enables students to learn from their mistakes and adapt to the post-education world with more ease. Angela Duckworth, the pioneer in 'grit research,' highlighted in her TED talk that grittiness is tied to endurance. Duckworth says:

"Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in, day out, not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years, and working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint."

   In her research, Duckworth also noted grit to be a stronger indicator of success than IQ score. Students that refuse to give up or shut down after a failure are more likely to follow through on their goals and dreams. Embracing a growth mindset will also help students achieve more grittiness; when they understand that intelligence is not fixed, but can be developed, students are more likely to invest in their learning (and thinking).

 
Gritty Balance

   Why limit the concept of grit to just our students? As a teacher recently aware just how fixed my mindset has been, can I be grittier about helping my students achieve grit? Though building wide culture takes years to mold and cultivate, it's time we become more gritty. This can pose as a challenge for many schools in the era of accountability. With emphasis on test scores at an all time high, it's difficult to nurture the process when so much demand is on the final product. We find ourselves in a constant trade off of depth of understanding versus breadth of material. Teachers and school leaders will need to find that balance between appeasing test score expectations and planting the seeds of grit. The initial stages will be tough, as instructional time will need to be supplemented with 'Grit 101.' However, after the first blossom, we will see students applying what they've learned and persevering. We could enjoy the fruits of our labor.


Collaboration


How does your building facilitate grit?

Welcome

Reader,

   I am nothing if not a curious person. All my life I have wondered and wandered; it's a trait annoying to many and revered by few. Luckily, I managed to find a life calling that best suits these inquisitive needs when I became an educator. Education is the domain for lifelong learning and wonderment. Fortunate are those that are given the opportunity to fulfill the curiosities of students while feeding their own. I am not alone in acknowledging that my best learning has come from a classroom of kindergarten students. Timing for this new teacher is ideal as this is an amazing moment in education for those that wonder; we are on the precipice of trends in education that are leading us to a path of innovation and dynamic growth. I have so many questions about this path and where it will take us I just might burst. In the best way, of course.

  Through this blog I will explore my new learning pertaining to education systems while also sharing my experiences in developing into a better classroom teacher. Foolish is the educator that remains stagnant and satisfied, and I fail to see how exploring educational leadership could not also double as a new perspective on teaching. Included in the near future will be posts regarding (but not limited to):

• growth mindset
• guaranteed and viable curriculum
• climate and culture
• standards based learning
• competency based education

  Share with me in this journey of questioning and wondering. Participate and allow for some collaborative discussions. I look forward to learning with you, my readers.

The Inquisitive Educator,

Bri Baranowski