Rethinking Mathematics Instruction

Throughout my teaching career I have seen so many students enter my high school math classes with a firm belief in their ability (or lack thereof) to do math.  I can’t count the number of parents who have sat down at conferences and opened with, “Well, I wasn’t any good at math, so it makes sense my child struggles.”  I have always been saddened by this attitude and felt the negative self-fulfilling prophecy was undermining students’ learning.  I tried in vague and individual ways to address this, but never took it to a formalized, systematic level to maximize the impact.

I have also always struggled with the apathy many students feel toward mathematics.  It is often something “to get through” on their way to something bigger and better.  I think part of this is how students have felt about mathematics, but I also believe it is about the disconnect of classroom mathematics to the real world.  While I have always felt my mathematical Achilles heel is practical application, I know my students need it both to engage deeply with the content and to improve their attitudes and overall learning.  Again, I wanted to make changes, but never felt successful in my attempts.

After reading Carol Dweck’s Mindset:  The New Psychology of Success (2007), I found myself nodding a lot and agreeing with her research.  I had always felt many of her findings, but never really articulated them.  However, I still didn’t really see the immediate application to my math concerns.  I was just stronger in my beliefs but no closer to a significant change in my classroom.  However, when I read Jo Boaler’s Mathematical Mindsets (2016), I began to see ways to change my instruction to be explicit and systematic about improving my students’ learning and attitudes about mathematics.

One key moment for me was when Boaler described how math is perceived as a performance subject with right and wrong answers.  This was a stop-point for me-it made so much sense to me but I had never thought of math in that way.  Yet, I believe this perception is the key to addressing both of my concerns.  If I can turn math back into a collaborative, logical, inquiry experience with multiple paths to solutions, I might be able to change some of my students’ minds and re-open doors for their future that they felt were closed because they “weren’t any good in math.”

This was the moment where I finally saw some tangible ideas that showed me how the changes I wanted to make might look and gave me some ideas how those changes could truly impact learning.  This is where my genius hour project finally took shape.  I hope to create inquiry tasks for each unit in order to cultivate more positive attitudes about mathematics and deepen the learning of the concepts.   I have several articles and research studies to read on deep learning that I hope will also give me ideas and insight into how to improve my instruction.

I still worry about my own lack of knowledge with real world applications, but I am willing to set that aside to move forward.  I have decided that I have been willing to incorporate technologies that I didn’t fully feel comfortable with and learned along with the students, so this will be the same.  I can’t ask my students to be uncomfortable and take risks if I am not willing to do so myself and model it openly.  Standford University’s YouCubed.com will be one source I turn to for ideas, as well as the wealth of teaching ideas available on edutopia.org.

The additional element in all this research and change is a new look at grading and assessment.  After attending the three day FIRST institute conference this summer which focused on grading and assessment, I believe we have to look different at how, when, and why we assess kids.  Boaler also addresses this assessment issue as being overwhelmingly negative and not motivating for most students.  Our math department has made some change in assessment by moving to mastery with retesting options and clearly identified standards, yet students still equate the scale scores with a letter grade.  I hope to work with my department on ways to continue to move away from scores which demotivate and move toward constructive feedback.  I could envision a system where students track their own progress through the objectives and control their own paths to learning.  After a summative exam, I want students to reflect on their learning process and progress.  I think so many of our students consider themselves powerless in education-they have fixed mindsets about what they can do (and have done) to improve their learning.  If they are empowered to choose learning paths on their own, they may begin to see their own success as a direct outcome.  However, I need to always be sure to emphasize growth and progress or this will all just be another grade chase with no real change beyond some superficial elements.

I am still struggling with the exact “product” of my genius hour project.  I have two or three different ideas that I want to implement, so I need to decide if I am going to phase in the changes (measuring success as I go) or if I am going to make a major, multi-faceted change.  As I start to work out the actual details, I think the best plan will appear.  I also will be sitting down with my department to talk about what they plan to do in response to Boaler’s book as we read it at as a summer book study.  We may choose a department approach that will address some of my ideas which will improve impact both in scope and design (more heads are better than 1!)

Motivation

Creating an engaging classroom and motivating students are top concerns for most educators.  They are topics of blogs, PD sessions, books, and staff lunch tables.  My question has always been what happens between those beautiful elementary years when students are curious and excited to learn and my high school classroom where compliance, apathy, and grade chasing rule the day?

I believe a few things are at play.  One-we have “taught” students who is “good” at school and who isn’t.  The current system values such a narrow band of learning that by high school, many students are disenfranchised and have a fixed mindset about what they can and cannot do.  Two-our curriculum and assessments are often disengaged from any tangible, real application or skill students see as relevant.

There are likely many other factors, but I think we could address, system-wide, these two factors, dramatic changes would be seen.  If students were taught and coached with growth mindset philosophies, given opportunities to have successful failure and learn through a variety of paths, by high school we might see more resilient, open-minded learners, ready for the challenging course work of the 21^st century.  We could foster the types of critical thinking we all say we want in our classes but are frustrated when it doesn’t happen.  We could move from (re)teaching basics (which are important) and repetitive topics to deeper thinking, application, critical tasks in each content area.  If we can change the way we assess students and report on those assessments, I think we will be one giant leap forward in changing our students’ perceptions and experiences in school.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a purist in many ways.  I think all students should be exposed to some ideas like Shakespeare, economics, mathematics, and chemistry.  I think self-direction and autonomy are great, but if you have parented a toddler, you know that kids like what is familiar.  If left to their own devices, chicken nuggets would be the main stay of most toddlers’ diets.  As parents, it is our obligation to expose our children to new experiences, even when they don’t like it or think they want it.  Often, that one forced bite of something new (which they would not do willingly) becomes next week’s favorite food.  Maybe it’s the 12^th bite that gets them, or maybe they never acquire a taste for broccoli, but the point is we must push them beyond their comfort zone.  Put them on the bike, promise to hold on, knowing we will break that promise for their own good.

I think education is the same.  We should absolutely honor and encourage students’ interests and talents, but we also have an obligation to open new doors to them, introduce them to new skills and topics, even if they might not “willingly” choose them.  I had no idea as a HS student that I would end up as a teacher.  I took classes I liked and did well in because it made me feel good about myself and steered clear (when I could) of those that I didn’t like and struggled with because who likes that feeling?  I think this is part of our disengagement problem, students and our system have created fixed mindsets and roles for students which have closed doors.  We do not encourage curiosity and open-mindedness, risk-taking and exploration.  Will anyone every TRULY need Shakespeare?  (No, unless you are English teacher J).  Does that mean reading his work is an archaic tradition which has no merit in today’s world?  No.  Yet, some students will approach it with the mindset “I won’t ever need this.”  We need to change both the way we teach these concepts and the attitudes students bring to the content.  We don’t know what kids will or won’t need in their future because the world is changing too rapidly.  We need to foster a love of learning because we do know they will have to be able to keep up with rapid change.  We need to foster critical thinking because in a world of too much information, they will need to be able to filter and sort through the rubbish to find the golden nuggets.  We need to cultivate open-mindedness to look beyond the familiar and comfortable because that is where the true answers for our world’s problems are going to be found.

Reflections on "Reluctant Learners"

If we're not talking technology these days, we are talking about engagement and reluctant learners.  In a district twitter chat #byronedchat April 6, my colleague @nposh2117 challenged the group by asking us to define reluctant learners.  A great discussion ensued, but it left me thinking about those kids for the next few days.

I think education has fallen into a bad habit of trying to label a broad set of behaviors because people believe if you can label it, you can clearly "fix" it.  Several great colleagues chimed in offering their interpretations:  

@RockyChat3 aptly defined a reluctant learner as "someone who doesn't move thru a prescribed curriculum as expected...which is an awful def."

@JanelleGroehler offered "Ss who has difficulty or doesn't have confidence in their skills or knowledge in engaging in the curric."

The Twitter conversation moved to a more difficult conversation of our expectations, as teachers and as a system.  Real challenges were posed as to what role conformity plays in our perceptions of "reluctance" and if conformance is really the goal.  Do "good" students conform to our expectations and "bad" students not?  Or is our goal to help the students learn by meeting them where they are?

I responded that night, and still believe, that this term is applied to a wide variety of kids for a wide variety of reasons-too wide to "fix" with a single solution, even one as temptingly neat and tidy as to just "increase engagement."  I see kids who are "reluctant" for so many reasons that to label them all the same is a tragic dis-service.  In twenty years of teaching, I have seen "reluctance" in:

• students with high intelligence
• students with low self-esteem
• students with learning disabilities
• students with bad home situations
• students with personal issues
• students who cannot see their futures
• students who hate school, the subject, me, or some combination thereof
• students. period.

I believe in being proactive in all things, and reaching students is no different.  I don't want to respond to behaviors or performances after the fact and respond only to the symptom, not the cause.  I truly believe the key to reaching all learners is through relationships.  Once solid relationships are built, then keys to the real causes of a student's "reluctance" can be uncovered and only then can real solutions be sought.  It may be as simple as needing encouragement, a different why, a different presentation, or a whole new structure.  

We can't treat these kids all the same, there is no magic method, system, or technology to "cure" them, especially since many of them don't need "curing" at all.  They need teachers and administrators who care about students as individuals, who are willing to engage with students in dialogue about their learning, and who will take risks to ensure learning for every student.

Focus on Kids

My last couple blogs have been focused on my learning and struggles to improve my transparency and become connected.  This week, I'd like to shift back to kids (way more my comfort zone!) and update my genius hour project progress.

The project:

I am very proud and excited about this project.  I am teaching this course (Science Fiction elective) for the first time, and I completely reworked the curriculum this summer.  My project is two-fold.  After reading a few shorter selections of sci-fi, I had student choose an area of interest (passion) to research.  The only parameter is that it had to relate to sci-fi, but that really means anything since sci-fi has such broad applications and appeal.  After the research and presentations, students are going to write their own sci-fi short stories.  They can use their research in their stories or they can draw on the "experts" in the room to help with the “science” in their stories.

Progress:

I had several checkpoints with students during the research process:  topic proposal, rough draft outline, 1-1 conferencing in the lab, and small group coaching on public speaking and visual aids.  I have had many moments of being very nervous about what will (or more will not) happen, but at each juncture, the students surprised me.  Their topics were diverse and interesting, and they were invested in the work.

I confess I wasn't sure on the "genius/passion" part of the project initially.  I felt maybe the kids had just picked topics just to pick them.  But, during the small group public speaking coaching sessions, I actually saw the "passion" moments happen.  Several students were clearly nervous and unprepared, but when I started to ask them about their slides and project, they would hit on subject and just begin talking, deeply, smoothly, passionately about their subjects.   They forgot they were "presenting" and just spoke from the heart. It was tangible and amazing.  It confirmed my commitment to this project.

One additional twist I threw at the students was that I planned to live-stream their presentations.  This set off a flurry of panic and apprehension, much more than I had anticipated.  It offered a great opportunity to talk frankly with the kids about how most of them were not really motivated by what their teachers thought, but if they had a real audience, they cared more.  They didn't like it, but they agreed.

Once presentations started, again (as always) the kids amazed me.  I had worried my time limit (10-15 minutes) was too long, yet almost every student made time easily.  I have shared the links with parents, and I know a few created accounts and watched their child’s performance.

Concerns & Adjustments:

I had a plan to use a spreadsheet to track sources and daily work progress that I did not follow through on implementing.  I think this (in some form) would be a good addition, and I will look to add this next time.  I also had initially planned that students would turn in a formal outline of their presentation; I also let this go by the wayside.  I worried the kids had too much on their plates; however, after seeing their presentations, I think this would have helped a few of the weaker presentations become stronger.

I admit the pressure and expectation that I felt when I posted the upcoming live stream events and saw that event get retweeted out was extremely scary.  Yet, it all went smoothly, and I believe it to be a successful learning moment for myself and my students.

As with any new project, I made a list of “Do” and “Don’t” for next time.  In fact, I have passed the course on to be taught by a colleague this quarter, and I have shared my perspectives with her.  She will put her twist on them, and this strength in sharing will ultimately make the project even better.  

Confession

Confession:
I am a recovering workaholic, with strong relapse tendencies.  I like to be in control and project confidence and competence.  This "transparent & connected" educator flies in the face of these traits.

I am struggling.  And yes, it took me a week to write that simple sentence and even consider posting it.  January marked the beginning of my 20th year in education, and I find the tasks and prospects of "connected educator" among the most daunting of my career.  Melodramatic? Maybe, but coming from a very real place.

I have been fortunate to have amazing mentors and colleagues on my educational journey, and I have spent my career relying heavily and successfully on trusted people I've known--people who I know, whose work I could see, whose difference I could feel.  It is a mind-shift to look to strangers for advice and learning, people I do not know, people whose impact I can't see and feel, people based on a photo and profile.  We work in a relationship-centered career, and I am no different than my kids when it comes to connected with people.  I am not sure how to find and make those deep connections online and in blips of 144 characters.

Besides relationships, thinking about taking in information in broad-strokes is also different for me.  I am a more "search and destroy" information seeker.  I head out on a specific mission, with a specific goal, and I search (usually relentlessly) until I find what I need right now.  This new perspective asks me to take in information in broader strokes, in a "I might need this someday" approach.  Admittedly, I am a bit more drawn to this side of connecting, but in the next breath it is extremely overwhelming because you cannot take everything in.  Choices must be made, limits drawn.  So where? When? and By what criteria can I choose?

Don't get me wrong, I am willing to take risks I believe in, risks I believe are good for kids.  I am passionate about giving my students the best opportunities and learning experience I can.  However, we all have a finite amount of time, and in that time we have to fit an endless list of to do items:  plan, grade, analyze data, write/revise curriculum, innovate our classrooms, attend meetings, be a parent, spouse, friend, child, sibling...Where does the time to connect happen?  What is worth giving up to add this in?  I want a value-add for my time, and I don't want social media to overtake my life.  In everything I choose to do, I always commit (or not) based on a direct impact to my classroom.

So the journey continues-change is uncomfortable, and unless we are willing to live in the discomfort, we can't continue the journey.  It all isn't about how I find a path or meaning in this new aspect of education.  It's about the fact that I will put myself out there, push my limits and comforts, and be better simply for that fact.

Exposed

Transparency is scary...Many of us have heard the public speaking advice to "Just imagine the audience in their underwear."  I feel like I am living that, except I am the only one in my underwear and everyone is staring.

Don't get me wrong, I actually am among the few who enjoy public speaking, and I have done large presentation on my classroom, innovations, and teaching experiences.  But, it has always been an after-the-fact, in-hindsight, results-known, all-things-in-control setting...which is definitely not this connected, transparent educator model I am exploring.  I have always considered myself a Go Big or Go Home Girl, and I have taken big risks in my classroom, but other than my colleagues and my (supportive) administrator-no one was looking.  If it didn't go well, I could privately lick my wounds, regroup, and try again. 

In putting myself "out there, in the moment," I feel a pressure to perform (and succeed).  This model calls for a public accountability for my plans and my students' learning.  It is a significant cultural (and maybe generational) shift to allow and encourage people to watch my learning unfold in the moment, live and unedited.

It has taken me a week to work up the nerve to complete this blog.  I have had a draft sitting, ready and waiting, but I was judging and critiquing myself-Do I have anything to really say? Is it going well? Am I failing?  Am I ready to share regardless?  

So an update on my Genius Hour project:

Day 1-As I made my introductions to my juniors and seniors, I was rewarded with bored, reluctant faces about the prospects of a typical, staid research project in yet another English class.  As I worked to garner interest by describing how they had (almost) total choice in topic and direction, a few faces lit up and even the most resentful soften to at least "it could be worse." However, when I got to the presentation part and mentioned "live streaming" I faced total panic and disbelief.  I was suddenly bombarded with questions and worries and, frankly, pure teen fear.  Again, loud and clear confirmation that audience matters.  I had raised the stakes, put them on the public stage, accountable for their own learning.  What was just going to be another mundane task for them suddenly became so much more.  The students actually asked me why I would do that to them, so I frankly told them that I knew many of them didn't really care and weren’t motivated what I thought, so I was going to give them an audience they did care about, and despite their anxiety, many of them acknowledged the truth in this.  I also assured them I would provide the support they needed to be successful presenters, and now instead of a "lesson" in public speaking, they were happy to know they would be given knowledge and skills to be successful, in large part because it suddenly mattered.

Day 2-I sent the kids off Day 1 with the homework to have a topic idea or two for class the next day.  Frankly, I felt they were not engaged and was worried about what they would or would not have for topics.  As usual, they surprised me with varied, original, and meaningful topics, ranging from technology in the ag industry to loss of family values because of social media to time travel and black holes.  I was reminded that often the biggest obstacle in a student's path is the teacher-we need to lay a path then simply get out of the way.

Days 3-8-Topic proposals and research are now in full swing and taking shape nicely.  They are engaged and looking for experts to contact.  They are drafting outlines and beginning to ask about presentation formats.  Rough drafts of outlines are due in a couple days, so I will have a better view of how they are all progressing.  I know not all of them are fully committed, but since they are working in their own areas of interest, I know my engagement and commitment are higher than without that choice or the presentation audience. 

My homework in the next few days is going to be feeling out potential audiences and logistics of streaming.  I also want to conference 1:1 with each student in the next two class periods to offer support and give feedback.

After reading "Creative Endurance" by John Spencer @spencerideas, and watching Ewan McIntosh's @ewanmcintosh TedX speech "Problem Finders," I am more determined than ever to push the often apathetic, overly-conditioned, just-tell-me-what's-on-the-test juniors and seniors back into the mindsets of joyous learners from their elementary years...even if I have to feel like I am in my underwear to do it.

Embracing Reluctance

The past week has given me some perspective on the tasks I am facing with becoming a connected educator.  As usual, it is the "soft" objectives which often mean the most in our learning journeys.

I realized that the frustration, fear, and overwhelmedness that I am feeling is likely the same as my student feel when I throw them a new challenge or task outside of their comfort zone.  I see them become too overwhelmed to start, too disconnected to see the relevance, too afraid of failure to even try.  I truly feel their pain right now as I have to admit feeling all of those things when trying to figure out how to create and leverage an effective PLN (in addition to keeping the rest of my life on the rails).  So from this moment of empathy and sympathy, I gave myself the same "lecture" I would give my students, perhaps even a little more sternly as I should (and do!) know better.

So pity party aside, I began to focus on my genius hour project and how I can leverage connectedness both as a teacher and facilitator of these projects.  I have a clear vision of what I want and hope the students could do, but getting there is going to be another challenge.  I know from experience that I am walking a tightrope of structure and freedom, requirements and possibilities.  With too little guidance, students will get lost; with too much, I kill the essence of the task.

I initially turned to my comfort zone of internet searching, and while I did find some ideas and guidance, I knew I needed to go beyond comfort and familiarity.  So starting simple, I found the Twitter #geniushour and added it to my TweetDeck.  I also posted a tweet (cry) for help on how to implement genious hour in the high school because so much seems to be geared to elementary and middle school.  The first Thursday of the month is that hashtag's chat, and I think I will give it a try. I just might lurk, I might jump in, but I can honestly say that I am feeling better about the potential of finding a mangeable way to be connected but not be consumed.