I Will Never...

I don't know about most people, but God has this way of getting me to do things I never thought I'd do and making me think it was my idea until it's too late.  Two things I said I would never do:

1) Coach: I hate coaches. I know this insults some, but, starting tomorrow, I will be in that category so nobody else can complain. 
Now this one I KNOW has to be God's work.  Why would I say I would coach soccer?  First, the extent of my soccer knowledge is based on semi-participating in a couple soccer seasons, both of which I abhorred, by the way.  I'd rather eat grass than kick a ball on it (only semi- exaggerating, too).  Second, I don't DO sports and I most decisively do NOT do coaching.  But, through some covert process, God got me here and now I'm thinking, "Ok, what does a coach do?"  Covert ideas God used to get me to coach:
     a) I want to spend more non-teaching time with students.  I want to have fun and hang out and build relationship.
     b) If I run with the girls, the time can replace my gym time on Tuesday and Thursday, leaving me with no less time after school on those days.  No loss!
     c) I get to touch grass... kind of. And breathe the fresh air more... kind of.

2) Ever since my orchestra director in middle school pulled out a picture of her two dogs and introduced them as her family, I was determined not to refer to a pet as a member of the family.  If I don't have my own family, just skip the introducing the family step.  I'm so ashamed that this slipped out of my mouth a couple times.  "Prince, come to mommy," gasp, did I just say that?  This issue has been solved, though, because we have found our beloved Prince a real home with a genuine backyard and people who will be home more than a couple hours every day.

And so, if you ever catch yourself saying "I will never," realize that you might just be telling a lie. I did.

SoftAware

·      What software applications do you use regularly in your teaching practice? 

I felt mighty proud the other day.  That doesn't happen often because I think I'm a pretty ordinary person and ordinary people just feel ordinary most of the time.  BUT, today students were creating projects using the computers.  One group had several questions that I was actually able to answer.  After one answer, a student stated, "Wow, Ms. Orner, you, like, know everything."  Now, let me just say, I don't hear this very often.  I teach 3 subjects in middle school, which means, let's be honest (that's what I do), I'm not exactly an "expert" in all of them.  I teach. I'm not like, "the English person" or "the math person" or "that geography girl."  I'm "that middle school teacher."  And I like it that way.  When my students ask me questions about this, I tell them I only teach because I care that they learn about life.  In reality, Math, English, and Geography are great, but what I really get excited about is teaching greater life truths through those avenues. 

Getting back to the point. Even though my students aren't exactly technology gurus, I was thankful that, because of this wonderful "Technology in Education" class, I could help my students. They were really impressed with the whole "Creative Commons" business. In today's assignment one group was creating a glog and the others were working on PowerPoints.  The students had made glogs once before and fell in love with its cutsey creativity.  On a project about community, one student made a Christmas theme.  When asked why she used Christmas trees as her background, she responded, "Well, people like to get together with family and friends at Christmas time, so it's like community." I have such clever students.  Another one had some Nintendo characters as the background, but that explanation, or lack thereof, wasn't quite on the same level :)

If I had summarize what applications I use regularly in my classes, it would have to be narrowed the following:

- PowerPoint: I use them for the rare lecture to teach students how to take notes. Students also use them for projects.

- Wikispaces: I'm working on making this one more regular and beneficial, but it pops up in class often.

- Glogster: I use it as a project option for my students

- Microsoft Word: It's great for essays and, well, essays.

- Microsoft Excel: Once a year my math class pulls it out to make cool graphs.

- Youtube: self explanatory, I think.

- Allrecipes.com: Not sure if this counts, but when we have culture days in Geography, I use it to find recipes for the food I make.

- Grooveshark: It's great for motivating students to be quiet and listen to the music :)

Now the true colors of my knowledge are shown when I admit that I don't know how many of the items I listed are actually software applications.

·      What other software skills would you like to improve to increase your professional efficacy?  

Facebook. I want to teach the students to start their own fake protest (within the school) and spread their message to other students without using word of mouth. Unfortunately, Facebook is blocked here...I don't know why. [Long side note insert: At my school among the teachers we have a "Sarcasm Sign."  It's not actually a sign, one simply has to hold up the hands as if holding a sign.  This arm motion indicates that the speaker is using sarcasm...'cuz sometimes it's hard to tell (I think we got this from "Big Bang Theory").  Here I hold up a Sarcasm Sign about the comments above, just in case you couldn't catch the tone. End long side note]. After my experiment with Prezi, I'm not sure if I can add that to my list of skills I want to improve, unless improve means the outcome is at least two times better and the process at least ten times faster.  I suppose I should say that I want to work on making a podcast, but I don't, and that's that.  Even though I use it now, I would really like to improve the use of Wikispaces to make it more effective and engaging for the students.  Right now it is mostly being used as an avenue for them to see each others' work and for me to post documents that the students can view at home.

·      Propose an action plan to improve these skills.  

Ok, as long as I don't have to write a goal :)  My action plan (if you are reading and aren't interested in education, skip this part. It is serious and NOT funny, and thus boring unless you like to know what teachers do to improve their lessons with software applications):

In my next English unit in 7th grade the students will be reading "Crispin: the Cross of Lead."  As an introduction to this unit, students research 14th century England so they can understand the setting of the book. I want to research ways to use Wikispaces effectively and view example wikis for inspiration.

BORING PART OVER.

Used

All you people who have gone through mid-life crisis, let me tell you something:  you're a little late!  I feel as though the last couple months I've been going through mid-20s crisis.  
What is mid-20s crisis? It's when you stop, look at yourself, and say "now what?"  I ask "is this really what I want to be doing...forever... (which is a stupid question, really, because that's assuming that I get to plan my own life...and I don't).

So lately I've been kind of smoggy headed; not just because I live in Wuhan, but because there are so many things floating around up there, that no one thing has pulled through like it usually does. I like to think of myself as a person of vision.  And I guess I also like to think that "vision" is really just another way of saying "faith."  If you think about it, faith is trusting God: who He is and what He is doing (I'm so glad I can write the word "God" because I'm using my VPN and it's looks like somebody is writing this from California... muhahaha... censoring, I have you beat).  Vision is looking to that "something" that God is doing/going to do.  Vision is knowing God is working, but it doesn't necessarily mean we always know how, by what means, or to what end.  That's why I think the two, faith and vision, are tied together so closely.  This year, however, my vision has been a bit foggy. My faith was great, but for a while I lost sight of what God was doing.  I thought that vision meant I had to know what God was doing rather than being alert to see.  The last few months I've been so caught up in seeing way ahead (where am I gonna be in 5 years?) that I've lost sight of what I'm doing now; and what God is doing now. I've lost the vision that should come as a booster to faith, as though, if I can't see way ahead, what's the use in looking.


I am a teacher!  Yes.  But lately my sight has been on this side of teaching: standards, lesson plans, appropriate assessment, individualized lessons, etc.  I'm gonna be honest here (because what's the point of having a blog and just writing what everyone expects?) and say I had begun to dislike teaching... even dread teaching.  Gasp! My beloved profession and passion, unbeloved and dispassionate.  But why?


I lost sight of being used.  Let me say it again, because it's really important.  I lost sight of being used.  I lost my vision because vision involves looking for how God is using His people, and I wasn't looking for that because I have been more concerned about how God is going to be using me in 5 years.  I'm using the past tense here, but it makes it seem so far in away.  "Lost," past tense, as in, like 15 minutes ago I realized this.  Why do I dread going back to school?  Not because I'm not rested, not because I don't want to be with students (I love them!), but because teaching started to become standards and assessments.  Teaching was mysteriously transformed from a "how can I be used" profession to a what can I use to be a better teacher profession...standards... benchmarks... assessments... Sigh!  How have I let myself come to this?


So what is it about teaching that I love? I will recap here as a reminder to myself and so you can remind me when I forget later on:

• students: they make me laugh, they have "aha" moments, they teach me and stretch me and challenge me
• surrender: I'm sure there are other professions, but this one in particular is quite efficient in turning eyes to the only one who can bring real heart change and Who can provide real daily strength and wisdom
• holidays: honestly, I do like having summers "off", that's always nice, but it's definitely at the bottom of the list
• I don't have to sit at a desk all day: I get to talk to people...that's always good.
• Mostly just the first point and all that comes with it

Back to "being used."  If I want to regain my vision, I can only turn my sight back to being used.  Teaching involves planning and standards and assessments, but that is not the whole.  That is just a means.  I know I'm being quite daring in saying this, but I also believe one could, just maybe, be a good teacher without these things.  My mom was a good teacher of life and I know she didn't sit down with my dad when I was born and create a list of standards and benchmarks for each year of my life.  Things happen, people teach.  Now, I know we need standards and benchmarks, but maybe only just because my supervisor says (and his, and his, etc.).  They're good, but they're not the heart of teaching.  But I think most educators would agree with that...I hope.


All you out there who don't teach and think this doesn't apply to you, guess again.  Being used is the main message here.  I don't care what you do; God can use you.  When you get into the grind of "life" and "work" and all that jazz, remember to be used.  That's what life is about.  


This is my vision, make it yours: to be used.

Into the 21st Century

Scenario 1:

"Dearest students, today we will be beginning our non-fiction unit.  Exciting activities to come include reading your own choice of biography or autobiography (as long as the library has it), looking at print and non-print advertising, and writing...duh duh duuuuuuhhh...your own memoir.  This is one of my favorite units (along with all my other favorites) because I get to learn about your lives." 

Students groan.  Hands raise.

"But, like, what do we write about...ish?" 

"You write about you, about your life, about something you've learned from all you've been through.  You get to tell the world who you are!"

Raised hand. "But, uh, I haven't, like, really learned anything.  I'm only in middle school."

Teacher: "Exactly, and that's why...wait, what?!!!!  You haven't learned anything from life?  You live in China.  You've traveled the world. You speak three languages...and you haven't LEARNED anything?!!!" 

Teacher enters freak out mode.   

This 100% true story is brought to you by TFTFCS (Teachers for Twenty-First Century Skills).  Do I feel ready for a scenario like this in which students have to critically assess their own lives and find something they've learned?  No, it's like pulling teeth.  Teaching critical, creative thinking requires a whole lot of critical, creative thinking.

Scenario Two:

Johnny (whining): "Ms. Orner, Bobby isn't helping our group. He just sits there."

Bobby (angered): "I was, but then they said I wasn't doing it right, so I stopped."

Johnny: "Yeah, but you weren't doing it right and our group would have lost..."

Bobby: "Well, I liked mine bett....

Ms. Orner (holding hands up in pacification): "Now Johnny, did you hear what Bobby said?"

Johnny: "No."

Ms. Orner: "Bobby, did you hear what Johnny said?"

Bobby: "No."

Ms. Orner: "Arright, let's start at the beginning."

Am I ready to teach middle school students the social skills necessary to collaborate in groups and share opinions respectfully?  Only by the grace of God.

Scenario 3:

Studious Sally: "Ms. Orner, I'm trying to arrange these photos to make the letter 'M' for my advertisement.  I can't get the photos to touch so it is easy to read.  Can you help me?"

Need I say more?

How well prepared do I feel for 21st century teaching and learning? I don't know, maybe about as ready as any of the Joe Shmoe's out there.  Who ever feels ready for the future?  Probably only people who could use a little talking down.  I'm sure there's a personality label for those people.  I remember appreciating when Kris Allen won American Idol.  The station played back his first audition when they asked him if he was the next American Idol. He responded "well, maybe. I'm sure there are people out there better than me."  And he won. I, for one, really appreciate that.  Was he prepared for the future, probably not, but he won. And he did it with a realistic attitude.  I, with Kris Allen, will say, "I'm not ready, but here I come."

The great thing about teaching 6th and 7th grade is that I can assess how much my students retain from year to year.  Every year I am amazed at the difference between the two grades.  I swear there is some magical transformation that occurs during that summer after 6th grade.  Visualize with me:

Enter 6th grade classroom 4 minutes before the bell: 

Tammy, running into the classroom and sprawling all supplies on the floor, "Am I late?"

Jose, tripping over Tammy as he enters, runs to get his favorite seat and sits down.  He pulls out his eraser to play with for approximately 3 minutes and then looks up to the teacher: "Do I need anything for class?" Meanwhile, Tammy digs through her supplies to make sure she has all necessary items for the next 3 classes while Jose runs to his locker.  30 seconds later he runs back. "I can't find my locker key."  Jose searches while Tammy begins giving detailed account of all the time she spent on homework and all the reasons her assignments are late.  Bell rings.  Jose runs in and asks to go to the bathroom.

Enter 7th grade classroom 1 minutes before the bell.  

Susie: "Ms. Orner, what are we doing today?"

Luke, pulling out his homework, "where do we turn in our work, Ms. Orner?" "Don't forget we have a spelling quiz today...."

So I know, students are leaving my class changed.  Am I the magical ingredient? Not solely.  Are they ready for the 21st century?  No, but they're only in 6th (or 7th grade) and they have a year's worth of learning more than last year. 

And what are my challenges and strengths?  This is a slightly awkward question for a public post!  Dear world, I train my kids well to face the reality of the world, along with the joys and difficulties that come with it.  I help students dig deep to find their own creativity and intelligence.  Oh, and by the way, I face everyday wondering how I am going to answer each difficult question about life (and grammar [and even 6th grade math, let's be honest]).  And I pray to God for wisdom when Bobby and Johnny can't work in a group again and Studious Sally asks me about formatting and somebody used the wiki to invite a friend to a chat room.  And world, please understand, I do the best I can...one day at a time.

Introducing Me (yep, that's a Nick Jonas song my students listen to)

I hereby set forth to concoct interesting responses to each and every question required for my masters class.  May there never be a lethargic yawn, henceforth and forevermore, on this blog.

I always love to begin things with a bit of a confession (actually, I've never done it before, but "no time like the present").  No, the confession is not that this entire page is oddly indented simply because I don't know how to reformat it to be normal (it is just the beginning of the course).  Now is the time for me to state: I sometimes scoff at technology. Come now, we all know that we're training students today for "jobs that don't yet exist," so really what we must do is go beyond the technology itself and on to the important lessons we really want kids to learn: you're not all that "and a bag of chips" (as one of my students wrote recently), your homework is not the most difficult thing you will face in life, you don't know more than your parents, you do have a story to tell and it's interesting, your classmates aren't as stupid as you think they are, your teacher probably isn't as smart as you think he/she is...and so on.  But alas, standards are there for a reason: so teachers know what methods (as in topics) to use to teach the students these valuable lessons of life.  On with my confession, I'm a user.  Yes, sometimes I use technology simply to make it look like I can teach with technology.  Who hasn't done this?: "Okay students, we now have a wikispaces page!" (Ecstatic cheering follows).  Next, an exciting week of helping students set up said wiki and teaching them to use it properly.  Finally, we get to the first assignment and what do we do?  I don't know, but they're excited about it. "Aright guys, your homework is, uh, to answer the grammar questions posted on the wiki on your designated page.  Don't look at each others' pages for answers." (Thinks to self: gee, wish I'd thought of that slight downfall before this moment)

Now, I can honestly say that some of that other "stuff" (I don't let my students use that word so I decided to use it here in case one of them ever sees it so they can get mad at me) like collaboration, creativity, and responsibility, those are some exciting concepts to teach.  Joyous is the day that a teacher looks upon a class which is actually creatively collaborating responsibly.  In all seriousness, it happens and it is my greatest joy to know that all is not lost in this generation.  If they have a computer in the midst of them, then grand. If not, that's okay (with me), too. And now, moving on. (Dear prof, if that does not answer the question, I'm sorry. I was having too much fun being witty.  Please let me know, for the future, if my wit is becoming a hindrance).

·      "What are the barriers to technology use in your professional setting?"  

Speaking of using technology in an educational setting, let me set up two scenarios for us all to laugh together. I will henceforth switch to third person so that nobody will be incriminated by any of the information that follows (namely, me).

1) The teacher had prepared with her (or his, who knows?) students for literature night for a good 3 weeks.  The students were excited to break out of the mold and prepare a video of scenes from "The Outsiders" that support their theme, "nothing gold can stay."  Students had spent extra time editing the video to add sound effects and to provide smooth transitions from scene to scene.  All had told their parents to come and were enthusiastic to show off the work they had prepared for the night.  Teacher shows up 20 minutes before the "show" begins to set up a sole projector and speakers.  Teacher has trouble and, after 5 minutes, seeks help.  Resident technology guru teacher arrives to help and, after 10 minutes, seeks official technology dude.  Official technology dude is found, 5 minutes later, and arrives to proclaim the projector broken.  Now, five minutes into our 15 minute slot, we decide to forge ahead.  Teacher holds up the laptop to the 30 or so parents to see the video.  Parents and students leave disappointed.  Teacher wants to kick projector and pronounce a vow to never depend on it again.

2) In an effort to make this brief: students always say their printer/internet/e-mail/wikispaces/any form of technology needed to complete an assignment was not working the night before the project is due. So weird, I know, but maybe the electric/internet companies are sabotaging them...or me.

·      "How does the Biblical directive to “fear not” apply to you as far as technology use?"

I remember when Y2K was approaching and everybody was freaked out that we wouldn't have any electricity.  Then nothing happened.  Here I am, 11 years later (has it really been that long?) thinking the opposite: what if the electricity keeps up?  I don't fear alien invasion; if anything, I fear internet invasion.  I'm afraid, already, that I will become one of those old fogies that scoffs (wait, did I already use that term somewhere) at the younger generation's "goodies."  My grandparents still don't go to movie theaters.  I still haven't seen a 3D movie.  In 10 years, I don't want to be "that" person who still hasn't owned an i-touch, or even worse yet, the only one who condemns the use of the i-touch.  God has been sovereign over the world for, oh, say, 10,000+ years (notice, that includes all you ppl who think it has been billions, too), and I know that He isn't about to give up on humankind because we use technology.  I trust He will make of this world what He will, when He will, and I'm just along for the ride.  Hopefully, I'll learn as I go, and, yes, even one day own my very own i-touch (or just wait for them to come out with the i-think...you just have to think it, and it's there on the screen).

·      "What are your personal goals as you begin this class on technology?"

Oh man, anyone who knows me well, or works with me, knows I have this "thing" about goals.  Since this is an educational page, I'll not take the time and space to write out all my thoughts on the matter...at this time. Rather, I shall create some "personal goals" for the class.

1. I want to learn.  Now, some people would say that's a silly goal. It isn't even measurable.  The cool thing about learning is, though, that I don't know what I will learn.  This leaves open a whole realm of things to learn that I didn't think I could even learn.  It's kind of like training kids for job that doesn't exist yet.

2. I would like to scoff less at technology and love it more.  Again, my supervisor at school would probably say this isn't measurable, either.  How about this?  By the end of this course, I would like to be at most a 3 on a scale of 1-10 in how much I scoff at technology (1 being the least, 10 the most) and at least a 6 on the scale of loving technology.  I will accomplish this by continuing to write this blog and by learning (see how useful it is?) in my class.

3. I would like my professor to not hate me (at most a 5 on the scale of hating: 1 being the least, 10 being the most) for writing such long and sometimes not-so-on-topic posts on my blog.

4. It is my goal to make an A.  Come on, now! Everyone's thinking it, but I bet nobody else wrote it.