It's All About Relationships

Mrs. Brant-Terry

 

Building trusting relationships takes time and focused intention.  This includes building student, staff, parents, peer and community relationships. Coming into a new school or a new school year, it is important to remember your actions are far more important than your words.  Once you have trusting relationships established it makes having those difficult and courageous conversations easier.  Some ways I try to build relationships include:

 

1)      I greet our junior students at the door every morning and say goodnight at the front door at the end of every day.  This allows me to see and respond to those who may have had a difficult start or end to their day. It lets me hear the things the children are excited about at home and at school.  It helps them to feel valued and important.
2)      Holding regular meetings with our school team and parents of special needs students helps to address concerns or questions in a timely manner and keep the lines of communication open.  Each meeting ends with setting our next meeting date and time.   
3)      When a school concern arises, the first thing I ask myself is where did the communication breakdown? How can I/we clear up the miscommunication?  I then gather information, ask a lot of questions, gain clarification and take steps to keep everyone informed.
4)      When I make a mistake and/or have over looked something in the busyness of my day I apologize to those involved and I fix it.  
5)      When a child has had a difficult day, I make sure we touch base the next morning to let him/her know I am so glad to see them and that today is a brand new day.
6)      When a child is struggling I let him/her know I am ready to listen when he/she is ready. I give them time in a safe place (my office) to gain composure and get ready to problem solve. When they are ready, we talk. Sometimes it may take until the next morning before they are ready to process, calm down and make things right and that is okay.
7)      I make phone calls to parents to celebrate as well as to keep them informed of difficulties.  I ask parents to discuss difficulties with their child and to NOT give additional consequences.  If a child has had consequences at school and fixed the concern, it is over.  It is our job as the adults to support our children to fix their mistakes, learn from their mistakes and move on.
8)      I reach out to the local community to invite them to come into our school and share their expertise but I also want to make sure it is enjoyable for them as well.  I want their experience to be a positive one and to know how much our school appreciates their time and talents. 
9)      I try to make sure I never ask anyone to do something I am not prepared to do myself. I remember I am a role model at all times.  Children are watching and learning from us.
10)   I also keep in the back of my mind May Angelou’s quote:

 People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

 I challenge my students to be the reason someone  goes home and says “I had a great day!”

Miss Brant

The month of November was my first practicum placement - and it was phenomenal! I was surrounded by energetic Grade 2 babies, in an amazing school, with the most supportive and innovative Associate Teacher I could have asked for. The reason for our most recent blog post delay was because I simply didn't know how to articulate my experience. But when mom suggested a post about the significance of relationships in the classroom, I realized that this is embodies our educational philosophy, and captures what I strove to accomplish in my four-week placement.

So how did I attempt to establish relationships and make the learning meaningful to my Grade 2s during my placement?

1) Created authentic and relevant learning experiences for the students.
While I many taught "on the fly" lessons, I also taught a Social Studies unit, focusing on celebrations and traditions. To make it meaningful and relevant to the students, however, I focused on the countries and traditions my students and their families connect with. I was so fortunate to have students from Somalia, Laos, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines - the list goes on!

One of Scott's many videos!

 

We started with our friend "Scott" who was travelling around the world learning about traditions, and he needed the kids' help. Each day our classroom received a package from Scott, containing information about the countries he was visiting and the traditions he was learning about. This "package" included an activity and letter back to Scott - which we had to complete within the time frame, in order to get our package the next day!

Each day we learned about a new tradition - and each student got to hear their own name heard their own name when Scott "visited" their country over the course of the two weeks! My students were SO thrilled when it was "their" day, and were so excited when their heard their peers names too. They took a lot of pride in sharing their knowledge about the traditions as well!

As our culminating activity, my kids created a classroom "Traditions Quilt". Here they got to decorate their own "quilt piece" out of cardstock paper, with represented those traditions (cultural, family, school, etc.) which they valued. This allowed my students to take ownership of their traditions - whether we learned about them as a class, or not.

Our "Traditions Quilt" - highlighting those traditions we value most.

 

You can view my Unit Plan here!

2) To Stop Saying "Okay, but..." and To Start Saying "Yes, and..."
I think it is an innate human quality to love the crazy things kids say - if we let them feel safe enough to speak, they will teach us much more than we teach them. But the key is listening to what they have to say, and allowing the conversation and the learning opportunity to be determined by what they offer. In other words, I challenged myself to stop dismissing misconceptions or tangents students provided during discussion time, and to instead validate and explore their ideas. I spend a lot of time on my lesson plans; they're detailed, I have crafts, and I have a strict timeline to "learn" as much as possible within the time block. But, by giving myself permission to explore a student-initiated tangent, or to take the time to have a student to answer their own question, I quickly realized how much more engaged my students were. Student-driven lessons encourage our students to feel connected to the material we are covering in class, and to make them feel that their interests and ideas are truly valued.


3) Take an Interest in their Interests
Children are naturally curious and passionate, and while our interests aren't necessarily compatible, that doesn't mean I can't attempt to understand their interests.  

Do I really care why R2D2 is better than C-3PO? No, because I'm pretty sure I fell asleep during every Star Wars movie I've ever had to sit through.

19 letters for 19 students.

But - Do I really care that my boy who never reads found a Star Wars book in the library and is following me around with his book? Of course - there is no greater feeling than watching a kid's face light up about a book.

On the last day of my practicum, I wrote each student a letter, explaining one thing they taught me, and one thing I will miss the most. This was a wonderful culmination for both the students and myself - because they took so much pride in teaching the teacher something, and they saw that I truly did listen when they told me all about Star Wars and pine cones and the soccer game at recess.







4) Listening to When They've Had Enough
I loved that my Associate Teacher had such a loving and trusting relationship with her students. She was confident enough to ask them "Can you handle this? Or do you need a break?" and her students would give her a really honest answer. Initially, it concerned me that I would get into the heart of a lesson and one of my students would say "I need a break." So, when is it time to put away the math, and bring out Go Noodle?  Whenever my students told me so - I never saw them abuse the right to have a body break (or sometimes just a mental break). It was a beautifully reciprocal relationship; they told me how they were honestly feeling, and they felt safe enough to trust me because they knew I would listen.

How we feel about our kids isn't as important as how they experience those feelings and how they regard the way we treat them.  Alfie Kohn

 

All I Really Need to Know (To Teach) I Learned in Kindergarten

Today was the day I (or rather "we") have dreamed about for years...my first day of my practicum placement!
 
I was so full of excitement, nerves, and the "first-day jitters." I simply cannot believe my "first day" has come and gone already.
 

So what advice did my mom give me for my first day of student teaching?

The same advice she gave me my first day of school.

 

First Day of Kindergarten: Miss Brant,
Mrs. Brant-Terry, and "big brother."

First Day of Student Teaching:
6am FaceTime




1. Listen to the Teacher
Mrs. Brant-Terry: Watch the teacher.  Listen to her.  What are the non-verbal cues she gives to the children.  How does she release the responsibility to the children?  What are the routines established in the classroom, in the school, on the school yard?  Replicate her words and actions. Remember you are here to learn. 
Miss Brant: Our Associate Teachers have the experience and most importantly know what works best for their kids – so I believe we benefit from our placement most when we wholeheartedly embrace everything our Associate Teacher does. They are trusting us in their classroom to follow their lead and reinforce their classroom routines - and while they turn to us for the excitement and fresh ideas student teachers have, it is not our responsibility to impose our ideas of how the classroom is to run. Moreover, we are here to learn new teaching practices, and we can’t do this if we stay inside our comfort zone. For example, I found out on Thursday that my Associate Teacher is on a first-name basis with her students, and while this is something I have never experienced before, I thought it was a wonderful learning opportunity for me to gain a new perspective by embracing and mimicking exactly what my Associate Teacher practices in her classroom.

2. Put Away Your Toys
Mrs. Brant-Terry:  Be completely prepared for each and every day (have everything ready the night before), but be flexible.  Anything you have taught make sure you mark.  Clean up after yourself.  Help to keep a tidy classroom. Always ask "Is there anything else I can do?"   Remember you are always modelling for your children.  Your actions speak FAR louder than your words. 

Miss Brant: Some of the best learning happens when the kids are creative – and creativity is often messy! Nevertheless, we are citizens of our school, and contribute to the overall learning atmosphere of the school. If our classrooms are cluttered or messy, it may not be a safe space for our students, and it certainly is not respectful of other staff, including teachers and custodians. We are models for our students every day.

3. Hold Hands When You’re Crossing the Street
Mrs. Brant-Terry:   You are going into a building with a ton of expertise.  Ask questions, ask teachers, ask the kids.  Absorb as much as you  can.  Ask  if you can take pictures of classrooms. Make sure you are offering/giving as much as you are taking.  Help in anyway you can.  If there is a night time event happening at the school, offer to go and help.  Find out who needs the support and give it.  Now is your time to establish a collaborative mind set. Ask for help, give help, and thank people for their help. 
Miss Brant: As teachers we are often used to taking the lead and feeling in control – and I personally really struggle with asking for help. Nevertheless, we are the first to encourage our students to take risks and ask questions when they need help…so why is this so hard for us? Practicum is such a rare and invaluable professional development opportunity, where we can take risks in a safe and control environment with an experienced educator – so why not collaborate, but let our Associate Teacher show us the way?

4. Share With Your Friends
Mrs. Brant-Terry: Share all of the resources you have.  Offer your help.  Be sure to stay in contact with your other friends out on practicum.  Many hands make light work. Talk through your questions, your concerns, your "a ha" moments. 
Miss Brant: As many of our university teachers have pointed out, at teacher’s college we are so fortunate to be in a constant network of professional development. While administrators and teachers certainly strive to create this network in schools, I doubt I will ever have another opportunity in my career when I have the time to I co-create and share lesson and unit plans at such a rate. Secondly, I hope to never lose the amazing network we have established as a class, and would definitely encourage other student teachers to cherish and utilize this collaboration. A few of our teachers at teacher ed. encourage us to share our lesson and day plans with each other – and I am so grateful for this! Our language teacher has had us create and share entire day plans to use when we supply teach. As a result, I now have nearly 40 day plans ranging from Kindergarten to Grade 6 curriculum, accessible to me on Google Docs. What a dream!

 

5. Be Kind
Mrs. Brant-Terry:

Go in to your school with the belief that everyone is doing their very best for the children. Remember that every parent is sending the best kid they have. Always consider that you may be the only person who made that child feel like they matter that day. Tell them "I am so glad you are here" and mean it. Remember even when they struggle that every day is a brand new day. When you leave the school make sure you acknowledge the gift of time and experience that your Associate teacher gave you. Make sure you tell the principal what you find most welcoming about their school.

Miss Brant: Teaching is one of those few jobs where you cannot have an “off” day – we must give nothing but our best every day. Our students deal with a multitude of difficult situations outside of the classroom, so we strive to create a safe learning space for our students – but this cannot be achieved if we allow life’s pressures to affect what we give our students. We ask our students to give their very best, every day, even when things get tough; we must offer the same in return. Some days we are exhausted – physically, emotionally and mentally – but this should never compromise the love and joy we bring to our students lives.

6. Believe in Yourself 
Mrs. Brant-Terry:
I believe in you....always. Some things will be very easy and some things will really difficult. You have got to persevere, put a smile on your face and give it your all. Always remember that I believe in you, you must always believe in yourself. With each new experience, you are putting one more item in your back pack of experience, that you will draw on time and time again to get you through similar situations and to help others in similar situations. Don't be afraid to ask for advice, learn from your mistakes (yes you will make mistakes, you will always make mistakes), and move on. When you make a mistake do what we ask our kids to, fix it and make a plan for next time. Love yourself and believe in yourself.  Two things to keep in mind, QTIP- quit taking it personally and remember rule number 6 - don't take yourself too seriously.  
Miss Brant: Today was one of those days when my unwavering faith in my capabilities was shaken: new kids, new school, AND a new supply teacher in for the day. While the kids were phenomenal considering their very new routine, it was still a hectic day. Nevertheless, my mantra for today was: "I can do this." Why? Because it had to be. I have 20 students depending on me to handle each situation that gets thrown my way. It's not an option to walk away from a difficult situation, and it's not an option to not believe in myself. I have so much to learn about being an educator, but if I don't allow myself to embrace this  lifelong learning process I can never unleash my hidden potential.

,

Growth Mindsets = Achievement + Hard work + Believing in yourself

Mrs. Brant-Terry

Growth Mindsets


Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck has done a great deal of research on achievement and success and the importance of mindset. In a fixed mindset people believe their intelligence or talents are fixed.  People with fixed mindsets are very limited in their thinking, avoid challenges and give up easily.  In a growth mindset people believe through hard work and resilience they can develop their mind.  Their brains and talents are just the beginning. People with growth mindsets accept that mistakes are a way to gain new knowledge and abilities. 

 

Teaching through a growth mindset lens helps motivation, 

initiative and resilience to thrive. 


Overview of "I grow my brain" co-created with staff and students

 

Many of my staff and I , have been exploring  inquiry learning and Jo Boaler’s work on teaching math  with a growth mindset. This year our whole school goal is “I grow my brain” by digging deeper into the learning skill, initiative, which we report on.  (The two previous years we focused on the learning skill, responsibility).  



Our teachers worked with all of our students to determine what “I grow my brain”, looks like , sounds like, feels like, what am I thinking when I am growing my brain and how this changes me as a student.   We used the short video Brain Jump with Ned the Neuron: Challenges Grow Your Brain - YouTube one of our primary teachers discovered, to springboard our discussions with our students.  


What "growing our brain" sounds like

What "growing our brain" sounds like


Once we compiled all of students’ thinking a master chart was created (chart format based on Sandra Dean’s Respect  and Resiliency work, more can be found here) and posted throughout our school and copies sent home with our students to discuss with their parents.  Since we have begun this school focus in the fall of 2014, our teachers are using “I grow my brain” language, and our students are using “I grow my brain language”. 



It is so exciting to hear my staff and students talking about “growing my brain”.   On our school Facebook page we regularly celebrate how “we are growing our brains”.

How does "growing my brain" change the way I am a student?

Miss Brant

Growth Mindsets in Practice

Since Mrs. Brant-Terry first explained to me the concept of Growth Mindsets, I was immediately intrigued by the theory, but had a hard time imagining it in practice. Nevertheless, I began to hear it about the significance of a Growth Mindset more and more in education, including from influential educators who have dedicated their life’s work to developing growth mindsets, such as Jo Boaler and her YouCubed "Revolution”.

Nevertheless, I soon began to hear about the success mom was having at her school, and how not only were the kids responding positively to the “Grow Your Brain” philosophy, but how they kids were using the language for ”Growing Your Brain”.

This made me really excited, and when I saw a bulletin board on Twitter demonstrating how we can transform our fixed mindset statements into growth mindset statements, I knew Mrs. Brant-Terry would run with it and create something truly inspirational!

Our examples of "not growing my brain"

With Friday’s off this semester, I am often in Mrs. Brant-Terry’s school volunteering. So on the drive into school at 7:00am, we discussed the tweet, and how we can create own version of the bulletin board  make it meaningful to the staff and students.

We ultimately created two displays, one section for “When I say this I am not growing my brain…” and one for “When I say this I am growing my brain...” We decided we would demonstrate what "not growing our brain" statements look like - but we would allow our students to share what "growing our brain" statements look (and sound) like to them.




Our first student post: "I will try before I judge"

After writing out what "not growing my brain” statements sound like, I cut out some thought bubbles on bright paper, and began to hang our display up in front of the main office. In the MIDDLE of hanging up our display, a student came running up and shouted “Hey Miss Brant – what IS that??!” Thrilled to be our first student, he enthusiastically wrote our first example of how we grow our brain.

 

 

Near the end of the day - more students wrote about how
 they grow their brain

 

Throughout the day students continued to come up to us and announce “Hey Miss Brant and Mrs. Brant-Terry, I have something else I want to put up on the wall!”



By the end of the day, the “When I say this I am growing my brain…” display was overflowing with student comments, and sharing how they grow their brain.



How to Use Your Professional Portfolio - The Trick to Landing That Teaching Job

Miss Brant

What to Include in Your Professional Portfolio

What is a Professional Portfolio?
A professional portfolio is a quick snapshot of you as a teacher, which (if used correctly) adds an effective and unique element to your interview.

What should you include?
I cannot offer any professional advice, but these are some of my reflections, drawing upon my personal portfolio experiences:

Professional Portfolio = PEER

• Philosophy
• Experience
• Examples
• Report

Philosophy  = Include your philosophy for education - what is your overarching purpose for teaching? This could be a personal statement, a short quote, or a popular educational practice (think Angela Maiers' "You Matter" manifesto).

 

Experience = Demonstrate relevant experience through a variety of mediums and in a variety of contexts. We all have teaching experience (practicum) - so what experiences have you had which make you invaluable and irreplaceable?

 

Examples = The more specific, the better. Examples help you articulate your experiences in a concrete and effective manner.

 

Report = Include those documents which capture who you are as a teacher: lesson plans; behaviour plan; assessment and evaluation practices; AQ/ABQ certificates; etc.

 

Above all, don't wait for the interviewer to ask for your portfolio - it might not happen - so take the initiative and use it to help make your answers memorable and comprehensive.

 

Mrs. Brant-Terry

How to Use Your Professional Portfolio

 

It seems so often people put so much time and energy in creating their story of their professional journey (their Professional Portfolio) only to come into an interview and not open it once. 

 

1. A portfolio can be such a powerful addition to your interview responses. 

Your portfolio is your evidence.

 

The pieces you choose are your visual story to accompany your oral responses. 

2. Earmark those pieces that share your beliefs in areas such as programming, assessment and evaluation, accommodating and modifying programs, collaboration with your peers and communication with parents.

3. When a question arises that addresses these areas, use your portfolio pieces to share your story. They will keep you grounded and able to answer the questions posed, concisely and with confidence. 

4. Keep your portfolio current.  Each time you have an exemplary example, add it.  When you go to your interviews, weed out your pieces, keeping it as current as possible.

Happy portfolio use!!