I wanted to name this blog, "Everything I needed to know in Life I Learned at Recess" however, that sounded a bit too familar and probably not far reaching enough as recess was only for 15 minutes twice a day.So instead, here are some lessons at recess that I learned that I will share with you.
Recess, that unstructured social time, used to create a whole host of learning opportunities for elementary students.One of the most traumatic was the day I tried to scale a 7 ft. fence while I was being chased. I learned that when someone pulls you down off the fence, your arm might get hurt on the way down. A call to my mother, a trip to the hospital and a six inch scar on the back of my right arm to helped me remember that lesson. I learned that you shouldn't get impatient with children who take their time climbing up the slide, and if you do and you "take cuts" someone will catch you, and suspend you from using the slide. I learned that when you call a heavy third grader "fatso" and pat his stomach at the same time, that two people get hurt, the victim and myself, when I was caught and my parents were called. I learned that if a boy gives you your first kiss on the playground, that it better not be in view of your teacher or your parents will get called. I learned that sneaking over to the Meijer convenience store at lunch recess to buy candy may have gotten me a sweet treat, but it also got me a trip to the principal's office. I also learned that jumping from a swing when it is at its highest point puts you smack into the sand, and gives you sore knees and a mouthful. Another lesson I learned was that when it was a school rule to stay out of the empty hollow next to the playground that it was for my own safety. As I ventured into the hollow, I was cut on glass that lay littered all over. That was another trip to the principal's office, this time for band-aids. Another student taught me that getting off the teeter-tooter without informing your partner leads to a big let down - ouch! I also learned that you shouldn't hang from the monkey bars with a skirt on because it embarrasses everyone.
These are just a few of the lessons I learned at recess. I'm sure they have helped me survive my adult life. :) Can you think of any lessons that you learned at recess?

Recess has been a part of the school culture since the beginning of time, well as long as there have been schools, there has been recess. Why was recess created? It appears that educators recognized that children needed a time to "unwind" have unstructured time, and have a part of their day that children could control. Along with the physical and social benefits of recess, it gives everyone, including the teacher, a break from the daily routine. In that vain, why have so many schools struggled with what to do about recess. It appears that it is the first item on the cutting board when more time is needed for instruction. Other schools think recess should be organized, others think it should include literacy moments. Limits are put on recess time such as: only 15 minutes after lunch, only if the weather is above 32 degrees, only if the student has been "good," finished his work and earned a time for recess. Other schools where I worked had recess twice a day and at lunchtime and stayed in only if it were below 20 degrees or it was raining. So many different opinions about recess. What shall we do about recess?
Since you asked, here are my rules about recess:

1) There will be outside recess everyday unless it is raining or below 20 degrees, then it is inside recess in the gym.
2) Recess will be twice a day for 15 minutes.
3) Recess will never be organized
4) Recess will be free play, unstructured with lots of screaming, yelling and running around
5) Recess will be given to everyone and never taken away for any reason
6) Recess won't end until children go to middle school
7) There will be playground equipment and plenty of toys to have fun with at recess time

Are there any rules I have forgotten? Let me know. Gotta go, it's time for recess!

There is alot of talking going on, but is anyone listening? The Marion Community Schools are having a communication issue. The administration is talking, are the teachers listening? The teachers are talking, is the administration listening? Parents and students are taking sides, but the issue doesn't seem to get resolved. It appears that there needs to be a "coming together of both sides" for the good of the children. The School Board and Administration seem to be saying that they are running out of money. The schools are shrinking as a result of the city losing population. Less money is being funneled to the schools from the State and property taxes. Something needs to change. The teachers seem to be saying that they haven't had a contract and feel disrespected by more demands and less money and an Administration that doesn't understand their point of view. The parents seem to be saying that they want to hold unto what the schools have. Nobody wants to steer away from their viewpoints, however, the stance that each group has taken, has put the whole agenda on hold.
Perhaps it is time for a giant meeting. It appears that there is severe misunderstanding on all sides and that a "Town Hall" meeting to explain where the school corporation has been and where it is headed is needed. This situation of "Us vs. Them" is not moving anyone in the right direction. Change is in order. How it is handled makes all the difference. Information from both sides is vital. Respect for differing viewpoints is in order. What is at stake? The future of Marion. Marion will move as far forward as the schools do. The Mayor has a point, some people are choosing to push Marion aside for other places to live or educate their children. Something needs to happen to save our schools. This issue is too important for GIANT pride to get in the way. Can we talk? Yes, I think it's time.

Sarcasm. Is there a place for using this in the classroom? If we think about what it means it has words like "sneeringly,slyly, jest or mock a person, situation or thing." (Wikipedia) So in that line of thinking, should a teacher use it toward a student? A student toward a teacher? A student toward another student? We discussed this in class the other day with some of these issues coming up: You need to know your audience, can they withstand sarcasm? Do they think it is funny? Others said, no, it is hurtful, especially with younger children. Others said, gifted and talented students use sarcasm all of the time, they understand the irony and humor in the situation and love the banter. So what about the special education student? Do they understand the abstractness of the content? Wouldn't they take it in a more concrete way? We also discussed the various situations in our K-12 years where we felt humiliated by a person or a situation and how that has affected us to this day.
With so many questions, we came up with one answer. There is no room in the classroom for sarcasm. We decided that it makes someone a victim, and gives permission by its very presence for others to "pick on" that person too. Whether it is student to teacher, teacher to student or student to student. If someone feels like a victim, someone else feels powerful over that person. Is that a situation we want in a classroom? Do we want that kind of climate for our students who are trying to flourish emotionally? I stumbled upon this quote that many of you probably have seen, but it really makes the point of establishing a safe, interactive environment for our students.
"“I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.” Haim Ginnot. With that said, I think this is the kind of teacher I want for my children.

This past weekend, I mourned the passing of an incredible teacher. Both in the sense that she was a trained teacher, but more in the sense of what she taught me and the lessons I learned by having her in my life. My Aunt Ted lived to be 101 years old. Now none of us would be selfish enough to wish that we had more time with her, however, her passing was a big bump in the road for all of us. Her life was an inspiration, even up to the end when she was ready to leave and join her husband in heaven. She was a trained teacher, having gone to University (now Western Michigan University) for what was then a two-year program. She taught in a one-room schoolhouse until her marriage, at which time she was not allowed to teach and be married at the same time. She would devote the rest of her life to her husband, an artist and illustrator, and to her four sons. Every moment she spent on Earth she enjoyed. She never complained, except in a way that we would all complain. How when you get older you loose "your boyish shape or too bad my knees are giving out." She was optimistic, adventurous and loving. She sailed around the world with her husband and children for a year at a time, taking the boys out of school and teaching them while traveling. She was the original multitasker. She could make clothes, applesauce, knit a scarf, make rugs and help her husband write a comic strip all in the same day. She was the original recycler and found a use for everything including apple peels. She was active in her church and community, Shakespeare Society being one of her favorite activities. She was also known to climb trees to pick grapefruit until she was 80.
But what I will miss most is how I felt when I was around her. Even though she had been a widow for 33 years, she has never complained about losing her companion. Every moment with her with a learning opportunity. She never left you without teaching you something new, and frequently you were exhausted because her stories were thorough and complete. She would say, "Now lookie here, I need to tell you about this......." and the rest was a morning full of information. But what I remember most is how she made me feel. She made me feel that no matter what I did or said or if I failed in some way, that there was always a new moment to repair or move beyond. That no matter what happened, she loved me and thought I was marvelous. She made me think that I could achieve anything I wanted. In her way, she helped me see that everyday is a celebration and an adventure to be lived. That getting old, is part of the destination, but not the end. That every interaction with another should be about love and acceptance, and fun! Yes, one of the greatest teachers in my life just left us, but the lessons I learned at her knee and her side, will always remain with me. What a good teacher she was! She will be fondly remembered and missed.

As we work to improve our stewardship of the Earth we've been charged to take care of, we are constantly looking for new ways to conserve resources. Television, radio, and newspapers tell us how to be environmentally responsible in our homes and in our habits. As we pass along this legacy, the one of caring for God's creation, how do we do that in a meaningful way to our children? I think we should look to the schools to help provide a daily routine that shows students how to conserve and be responsible for the environment. Where should we start? When I was in school, the first Earth Day was mandated. Our school took the day off and teachers and students spent the day picking up litter along roads, highways and parks. That memory stayed with me to this day, the sight of my classmates working together to improve the beauty of a roadside, plus spending the day outside was a real treat! On that day, we all felt like we contributed to cleaning up the Earth.
Many schools have recycling programs facilitated by student volunteers. We understand WHAT to do with the paper we use, but what can we do to REDUCE the amount of paper we use? Fewer paper copies, more electronic communication and more face to face interaction with colleagues,students and parents. Investigate ways to recycle plastic and metal products that the school uses. We can teach students to turn lights off when they leave a room, turn off computer strips, as well as unplug appliances when not in use. Turn the water off a few seconds earlier and not spend so much time at the drinking fountain with the water running while talking with their friends. We can also work on walking and riding bikes to the store or to friends houses to conserve fuel. You might visit this website that helps children learn about the environment and gives suggestions about how they can contribute to this much needed effort. See http://www.epa.gov/kids/, a site that teachers, students and parents will enjoy.
These are just a few ideas that come to mind to help children learn to care for the environment as they become future caretakers. Do you have any ideas that would be helpful in teaching the children how to be "green conscious?" Let me know.

As a teacher working in several different school systems in several different states, I have been exposed to all different types of "teacherwear." My definition of "teacherwear" is what teachers are allowed to wear to school on the days that they teach their students. Most districts I worked in, didn't have a dress code that was stressed. Everyone dressed appropriately wearing no jeans, no sweatshirts, no midriffs exposed, no low-cut shirts or pants, no sneakers except for field trips. Teachers by profession, are a very sensible group of people when it comes to dressing for their work. Many teachers do lunch duty, playground duty, sit on the floor with their students and stand most of the day. They wear what works with their physical activity level, but staying within the bounds of what is professional looking and not to be confused as a student.
My last few assignments in schools in Indiana have stressed a dress code. One school I worked in stated absolutely no jeans or jean skirts ever, except when students weren't present. Another school, no jeans, no sweatshirts, no flip-flops except on Fridays. Of course no shorts, except maybe on field day. Why has there been a need to enforce a dress code as of late. My observation is that some teachers were dressing in jeans frequently, sweatshirts, sweatpants and flip-flops and looking a little too much like their students.
I once worked in a school where the students wore uniforms and wondered if the teachers should wear the same things? Many school systems are now implementing dress codes for teachers such as Nashville, Tennessee, schools in Texas and California. If students have dress codes, should teachers have dress codes? Should we assume that teachers will dress appropriately for school and not be demanded to do so? College teacher education programs go as far as telling their students not to have face piercings or multiple color hair along with the standard no jeans, sweatshirts, shirts with offensive sayings or tummy showing. As society as a whole becomes more casual, how casual should our teachers be in their dress?
What do you think about dress codes for teachers? Is it necessary? Let me know what you think.

A friend of mine in New York sent me this website. It's a short presentation with music, beautiful pictures and text, but it is mostly a message about how one spends their time in life between their birthdate and the death date, better known as the "dash."
As a teacher or parent think about how you will contribute to the "dash" in the life of children. The website is: www.dashpoemmovie.com
Enjoy!

I recently attended the Hall of Fame Classic Game in Newcastle with my visiting family. The reason, the Number One ranked Marion Giants were playing a Number Two ranked New Albany. As I watched the boys play, their movements, their facial expressions, their body langauge, I was curious about what it takes to get to that level of play. Do they sleep, dream and eat basketball? Do they do it because it makes them feel better? Do they work hard because the coach tells them to? What makes a winning team? Why do some students excel at sports and others at academics? Some students are fortunate enough to excel at both; what makes them tick?
It appears that some of our boys are students of basketball. They plan, they strategize, they work hard, they practice and most of all, they have a passion for the game. If what it takes to make a Number One team could be transferred into classroom skills, our classrooms would have a winning strategy! What would it take to make every student excel, work hard and strive to be a Number One student in the classroom? Can we use the same techniques to motivate students to achieve at school, study, participate and enjoy learning?
Marion has such a basketball tradition of excellence. Can we transfer some of that into the classroom and become a Number One Academic School? Lots of questions. Do you have any answers?

It was recently announced that a collaboration of philanthropical organizations are teaming together to create a series of fellowships to lure top level math and science students into the teaching profession. The Lilly Foundation along with Annenberg and Carnegie Foundations are taking the lead with this idea by encouraging those students involved in these fellowships to teach in high need schools including inner city and rural areas. The state level project will begin in Indiana with four of our state universities involved in training these professionals at the graduate level. A national fellowship will be available to other top students at four top colleges outside of Indiana. Their goal is to not only lure top students into the profession, but also transform the teaching profession. This is a great idea with money from private organizations helping to promote teaching. However, where will these teachers go? In Marion alone this year, 52 teachers were "laid off." When these "best and brightest" teacher candidates get ready to teach, Marion won't be able to take advantage of them with downsizing of staff and student populations. Marion isn't the only school system that is experiencing these difficulties. Indianapolis Public Schools are shrinking. A job here, a job there, how will Indiana benefit from the talents of these young professionals? So, will these teacher candidates find jobs outside of Indiana after being trained in Indiana? Will the Indiana brain drain continue even with a giant initiative partially funded by Lilly? Let me know what are your thoughts are on this issue.