My Math Program, Ten Years in the Making

After ten years of teaching, numerous PD courses, books and online documents, I have finally hammered down my math program. When introducing a new math concept, students can feel overwhelmed or confused. I like to break down each math expectation with a weekly focus on each one (giving extra time if needed). Ten years later, this is the structure that I have enjoyed the most and find my students enjoy the most:

 

Monday- introduce concept with key terms, videos and 1-2 examples on the board 

Tuesday- practice questions on whiteboards where students ask for help if needed

Wednesday- “Thinking Classroom” collaborative task where students work on 1-2 problems with a group of 3-4 students 

Thursday- math task with 3-4 questions, one bonus with an extension into further concepts 

Friday- math games to further the concept on gimkit, kahoot or knowledgehook

 

Their math mark is based on a combination of observations, conversations and a weekly product. My favourite day by far is Wednesdays where I randomly assign groups with numbered popsicle sticks. Students meet their group mates at their wipebook and get started on their question. I will post the most recent questions we solved and some of their solutions. Before each lesson, I ask students “What makes a great collaborator?” Student answers vary but often include:

  • A great listener 
  • Someone who includes students who are not involved 
  • Someone who listens without judgement 
  • Someone who does the work

 

Then, I walk around and look for evidence of the student-generated collaboration criteria. I also ask them questions about their math responses, never telling them they are on the wrong track but asking them about their process. After they have found some solutions, I pause the groups and ask them to walk around the room to view the other solutions. Sometimes I ask them to point to the wipebook that had their favourite process or the most organized process. We never take up the answers or I never correct their boards. Students often correct their own once the view the other boards. At the end of the class, I call students out into the hall and have them comment on the student who they thought collaborated the best in their group. 

 

That is my version of the “Thinking Classroom” in math with a focus on collaboration. 

Question and Student Responses:

 

 

 

This question was created using ideas from openmiddle.com. 

YOᒐ

 

picture of a holiday JOY sign taken from behind so letters are shown in reverse
photo by author

No joy, no peace.
Know joy, know peace.
Perhaps this simplistic approach may lead some philosophers, I mean educators, to search for specific pieces of peace as part of putting their own life’s puzzle(s) together. Or maybe not. It’s good to have a choice in matters of this nature. 

As simple as the adapted axiom above reads, it becomes much more perplexing when, as, and if pondered.

Call it YOᒐ

So what happens when joy takes a holiday when doing the work that you love, and all that you are left with is its opposite? Without this becoming a full on self help post, I will attempt to work out my thoughts in the paragraphs below. 

At first blush, the answer comes with equal parts complexity, scheduled and unscheduled situations, and a litany of responses ranging from (over)reactionary to nuanced. I never said it was going to be easy, right. I also didn’t say it has to be difficult either. 

Finding our own versions of JOY while trying to avoid YOᒐ might as well be like trying to distil our own definition for the meaning of life. And you can’t use 42, Adams already gave us that one. What brings us JOY or YOᒐ is personal, elusive, and evolving. We are humans after all, and our tastes and needs are subject to change or be changed whether from inside or out? Joy will look different from one person to the next. One person’s perceived worst day ever, may only appear to someone else as an opportunity to gain knowledge and grow from the experience. 

The winter of my disco tents will lead to a rockin’ summer

Looking at JOY and YOᒐ as seasons instead of life sentences has been helpful for me. 

In fact it has become very clear that each and every day has the potential for us to take a time warped trip through the seasons complete with blizzards, droughts, refreshing rains, and warming sunlight. Whether we wither or weather the storms depends on first knowing who we are at the core and what emotional strengths we draw from to meet the demands of each day’s tempests.

Will I be ready with an umbrella for life’s downpours or will I be looking for towels because I left the windows down in my car? Will I be ready to shield myself with a supportive network of caring colleagues from the cold of self-doubt and discouragement when things are not working in the classroom or I am feeling unsure? Will I be ready with sunblock, glasses, and a hat to appreciate those warm days? How about you? With so much of our well being anchored in our mental health, it is crucial we know how to prepare and where to seek a proverbial shelter.

JOY is…

The feeling of sipping your coffee or tea when it is still hot, warm, or from the same day it was made. It is having all of your students in the classroom. It is a week of uninterrupted school life at the speed of learning. Joy is seeing the eyes of students light up when they accomplish a goal. Joy comes from having a purpose? Where it gets really good in our lives happens when we can combine what gives us joy, with what we love, with our purpose, and talents. This in essence is the Japanese concept of Ikigai.

For me, there is joy in knowing I am working in a space that I love and using the skills/gifts/scars/lessons thus far to occupy my place as an educator. Over the past 15+ years there has been far more JOY than YOᒐ too. It doesn’t mean that we are on easy street until our final days, but that each day we are presented with JOY or YOᒐ will be an opportunity to shine brightly or strengthen ourselves or one another.

As we navigate this season of low daylight and high workload, I just wanted to remind you all that you are purpose and passion in action. You are the light to so many even after the sun goes down. Thank you.

daring pt 2023

Saying goodbye to another year can stir up a lot of emotions. I found myself reflecting about a farewell post to share with you knowing it will be one more that brings me closer to the end of my time here on this platform.

This in itself is not yet a goodbye, as there are still 6 plus months of writing to come. It is, however, a great chance to look back and look forward from the precipice of one year’s end and towards a new year ahead. Maybe this is a function of age or some other memory related trope, but I will prattle on nevertheless.

As a result of this melancholic thinking I find myself asking, “what did I do in the past year that was daring as an educator, and what will I do in 2024 that will be daring as well”? I guess I need to consider what counts as daring because this can be construed as mere subjectivity if it does not mesh well with the minds of others as it is intended. Dare I go on? 

Daring can conjure up a lot of imaginary thinking from one to the next so before you conflate ‘daring’ with dangerous please read on.

Looking back on 2023

From an outsider’s point of view, 2023 couldn’t have been more normal considering the turmoil of the lockdown, online, and hybrid models we taught through in the years prior. The joy of not having to prepare and deliver lessons for two different grades of in-class and online learners while not having to worry so much about social distancing, masking, or illness was cause for much rejoicing. As 2023 started, it felt like we were really coming out of the pandemic and I was able to really focus on my students. 

This meant taking time to reimagine what learning needed to look like for students who experienced learning in a manner that had never been delivered to them before. Daring to go back to old(er) ways didn’t seem right with my students. They needed something else, and that came in the form of social emotional learning more than academics. 

So 2023 started off with more team oriented and collaborative projects that asked students to recapture their abilities to listen to one another to accomplish a goal with just as much importance as succeeding at learning the curriculum infused within it. My goal was to put the individual learner back into the spaces that were stolen from them by COVID19.

Admittedly, there was a lot of work to do when it came to assessment, but that in itself was also a chance to be a bit daring too. Before you dial 911, please remember that we were all given a new hand of cards to play with during the pandemic. What we knew beforehand was only going to serve as a starting point and not a return destination.

It was, to forgive the pun, like the beginning of new year. It was full of promise and without any mistakes in it. Assessment became a chance to have students see themselves reflected in how they wanted to show their learning. We took time to democratize rubrics and methods to demonstrate understanding. For us that meant fewer pencil and paper tests, more conversations and check-ins, more feedback, and many more chances to revisit learning. Instead of teaching, testing, and moving on we learned, lingered on what needed more time, unlearned, and relearned as often as needed.

Yes, we still managed to get the whole curriculum and it was a government mandated standardized testing year as well. 

I think that 2023 also allowed me to dare a little more boldly into my lessons when it came to social justice focused on BIPOC excellence and culturally responsive and relevant learning opportunities that went beyond the heroes and holidays. Instead of a single day or month, these conversations became part of our class logos, pathos, and ethos. Ultimately, it allowed my students to feel seen, heard, and empowered with greater understanding of one another which also led back to the social learning I set out to teach to start the year. 

Being able to work with my class to start 2023 carried over nicely from January to December even with my new, much quieter, cohort of students and I am seeing the fruits from taking those chances earlier in the year even though the delivery is definitely different for this group, the goal to teach to their social emotional needs first remained. 

On a personal level we sold our house, moved, and continue to unpack. In between all of that were 3 weeks of summer school teaching, and a quick trip to bury an uncle. Life did not skip a beat when it meted out the highs and lows of 2023. For all of them, I am thankful to be working in a wonderfully led and staffed school filled with caring and curious learners each daring to take the steps towards discovering and developing their talents.

My next post will look at how I might be daring in my classroom in 2024. I ask you all to consider that too and share your thoughts in the comments below.

what happened

Imagine a last week of school before the winter break that was so crammed with activities that when the bell sounded on the last day that there was applause and a collective exhale?

Imagine a last week of school that collected, organized, logged on a spreadsheet, and delivered over 600 non-perishable items to 2 local food banks?

Our class split into 3 groups (logistics, sales, and marketing). Each group developed and defined their roles in the project which included creating marketing materials such as posters to place around the school and daily announcements for the duration of the campaign. Our sales team was in charge of creating grade level appropriate presentations for grades K to 2, 3 to 5 and 6 to 8. Once the campaign started our logistics team collected the food from classes and drop off points, sorted them by type, checked for best before dates, and logged the items on to spreadsheets.

Imagine taking time for a kindergarten concert, a dance, and some class social activities? This included sending notes and games to our Sweet Secret Santa class in the school, and then joining them for a surprise shared read aloud. It also gave us a chance to cheer for their singing performances too.*

Imagine getting caught up on past work so that there was nothing to work on over the holiday? Perhaps it is a personal preference that has developed over the years, but I like to clean the homework house before extended breaks. It is not my goal to burden my scholars with busy work. Instead, I choose to encourage them to be helpful at home. I shared that washing dishes, doing laundry, using a vacuum, or tidying up will be good habits to start forming now in advance of those post secondary days away to come. 

Imagine having to do, not one, but 2 assessments on the last day before the break? That’s on me. I hate deferring good assessment opportunities for which all the prep has been put in. Plus we can all return to new learning once the break is over. 

Imagine not watching a single movie other than a few Bugs Bunny cartoons? If you want your kids to see movies in my class, then you are going to be disappointed. TED talks, short docs, creative animations or music videos (OK Go), and classic cartoon shorts are what you’ll find queued up. 

Imagine a team puzzle solving challenge that asked students to be leaders and encouragers when under pressure? I thought that this might be fun instead of playing a Kahoot or Blooket (both of which I really enjoy) for a change.

I found two 200 piece puzzles at the Dollar Store. The neat thing was that the puzzles were 150 cm x 30 cm in size. The large pieces made it easy for the 10 plus students to see who gathered around the large table to put it all together as quickly as they could. On the line, bragging rights and a bag of cherry blasters (gelatin free). My only advice was that good teams/leaders work hard at encouraging one another, not yell at each other. 

It was really interesting to watch the two teams (boys vs girls this time) work together. I witnessed two totally different, yet effective collaborative approaches. In my mind this activity was only going to take a half an hour to complete so I set it up before lunch thinking it would all be over just in time.

Nope. 15 minutes into their lunch time, students were still buzzing around their puzzle tables working on their team task before one team prevailed. Victorious and magnanimous they shared their prize.

Photos by author. Edited using Prisma app

Imagine tidying up the class so that it sparkles for our return? Sweeping (me), tech , art supplies, books, math manipulatives all organized, book boxes and lockers cleaned out, and chairs stacked in manageable piles (students). This ongoing chance to model responsible class stewardship never gets old. I always love the zen moments that come from sweeping.

Imagine saying happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and peace on earth? 

That’s what happened. 

p.s.
Imagine being home for two weeks? For some these weeks will be the toughest times where they may not feel as connected or seen as they might be at school. My hope is that all students and staff will come back rested and ready for the next 6 months at school. Wishing you all the best for a healthy 2024. 

* It’s been a while since I have seen a JK/SK concert which was so entertaining and out of the traditional Rudolph and Frosty box. Based on student and adult audience reactions, I was not alone in this opinion. 

Building Thinking Classrooms – The Ice Cream Problem

This year, my colleague and I have had the chance to participate in professional development from our Math Department around Building Thinking Classrooms. We’re learning about the 14 teaching practices for enhancing learning and working with teachers at our school on implementing the practices in junior classrooms. My colleague and I shared our learning around the first three practices and as a junior team, we agreed to work on the Ice Cream Problem – found on page 96 of the book – with students. In this post, I’m sharing a little about the first three practices and what I noticed when students worked through this problem. 

Types of Tasks

When it comes to building thinking classrooms, the goal is to give students thinking tasks. Thinking tasks require students to problem-solve. When we consider the Mathematical Processes in the Ontario Math Curriculum, to solve problems, students must: draw on their prior knowledge; try out different strategies; make connections; and reach conclusions. Building Thinking Classrooms suggests that we begin with engaging in non-curricular tasks and move into curricular tasks, as the culture of thinking begins to develop. I struggle a little with the categorization of some tasks being non-curricular because I often see mathematical thinking – particularly in the area of numeracy – in tasks that have been labelled non-curricular.

In the classes that I partner with, I’m absolutely amazed by the way that students are demonstrating their thinking as they have been working on solving the Ice Cream Problem. While the problem asks students to consider the combinations with 10 flavours, we started off with 5 and our first extension was to move into 6 flavours. I’ve seen different strategies used and I have also seen students reflecting on what they have done in the past when given an extension to the problem. I have one class that is particularly excited to come down to the library to solve problems that they see as different. It’s neat to see how excited they are to talk through and work through the problems in their groups. 

Looking for non-curricular tasks? Diana Hong has curated a number. There’s also a spreadsheet of curricular tasks and a site curated by Kyle Webb that you might find of use. 

Randomized Groups

On pages 44 and 45 of Building Thinking Classrooms, we learn about the benefits of randomized groupings based on what was noticed over time:

  • Willingness to collaborate – open to working with anyone they were placed with.
  • Elimination of social barriers – learning from and with other people allowed for the crossing of social boundaries and a greater awareness of others.
  • Increased knowledge mobility – sharing of ideas with others.
  • Increased enthusiasm for Math learning – as social barriers decreased, there was an increase in enthusiasm around Math in this type of way.
  • Reduced social stress – in the selecting of groups both for students who do and who do not have strong social bonds. 

Students know when they are being grouped by readiness or for any other reason. In order for students to believe in the randomness of groups, the groups have to be visibly random.  Using cards, popsicle sticks or Flippity, randomized groups are easy to create. Also, when students know what group they are in and where to meet their group, transitions are more easily facilitated. 

Groups of 3 are ideal in the junior classroom. I created simple emoji cards that I shuffle and hand out to students. Once they have their cards, they find the matching emoji at their workstations and get going on their task. I have been so impressed by how students just find their groups and get to work. Rarely have I had students comment on not wanting to be in a particular group or not wanting to work with someone. This could in part be because they know that groups are always changing and that they will most likely be working with someone else the next time they are given a task. 

Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces

Off and on, over the years I’ve used Wipebooks and the windows in our classroom as vertical non-permanent surfaces for students to work on. Whether or not I understood the “science” behind it, I noticed that students enjoyed seeing their work or solutions up on the wall and I also noticed that it helped students share their ideas or strategies with others more easily. It was up and visible to all. Also, as a teacher, I could literally see how students were working just by glancing around the classroom.

On pages 58 to 61 of the book we learn a little more about the findings based on using vertical non-permanent surfaces:

  • When students work on whiteboards, they can quickly erase any errors, which, for them, reduces the risk of trying something. 
  • Standing necessitates a better posture, which has been linked to improvements in mood and increases in energy. 
  • Having students work vertically makes their work visible to everyone in the room, thereby increasing the porosity between groups and heightening the possibility that ideas will move between groups.

For our Ice Cream Problem, I saw all three points in action. Students wrote, erased, re-wrote and organized their ideas with confidence. Groups that were stuck glanced around the room and got ideas from others to get them started or help them consider a different way of organizing their solutions. Students have really loved working on the Wipebooks and are often shocked by how quickly time flies when solving problems in their groups. 

This year we are on a journey to support students in their enjoyment of Math. Stay tuned as I’ll continue to share more about what I’m noticing in the coming months.

ETFO’s ICT Conference

This month I had the honour of facilitating a workshop at ETFO’s ICT Conference. This year the conference was offered through ETFO’s Women’s Programs and it was a great couple of days learning from and with teachers across Ontario. This conference has always been near and dear to my heart because it was the first ETFO conference that I presented at years ago. In this post, I’m sharing a little about my session and some ideas you might consider trying with students In this post, I’m sharing a little about my session and some ideas you might consider trying with students.

Creating Art with Google Drawings!

My session was entitled: Creating Art with Google Drawings! The goal was to offer teachers the opportunity to play with Drawings, to share ideas with one another, and to consider what they might take back to their classrooms to try with students. 

I started off the session with an overview of Google Drawings and its features. I shared a cheat sheet that could be used to further familiarize oneself with the tool. From there, we jumped into using Drawings and had some fun with it.

Creating a Picture Using Shapes

Math is all around us and why not learn about shapes while working on art? After all, shape is one of the elements of art. I shared a few books that I have used over the years to help students learn about and identify shapes in the real world:

From there, participants were tasked with using 3 or more shapes to create a picture. They were also asked to label the shapes in their picture. I created a simple landscape but it was really incredible to see how creative participants were and the images they created.

This video shares how you can make a colour block landscape if you are interested in trying out a similar activity with students. 

Creating a Mosaic

Mosaics are found all around the world. From mosques and murals to stairs and fountains, mosaics have served as a means to beautify a space and also to tell stories. I shared a few with participants to get us thinking about mosaics around the world.

  • Vietnam – The Ceramic Mosaic Mural
  • Iran – Shah Cheragh Holy Shrine
  • Switzerland – Mosaik Brunnen
  • Brazil – Selarón Steps 
  • South Africa – Piazza Mosaic

It was no easy feat and yet participants were ready to go and worked towards creating their own mosaics. Some chose birds and flowers while others chose rainbows and butterflies. Zooming in and becoming very familiar with Polyline, participants worked their way to creating incredible masterpieces. Here’s a video that walks you through the process if you are interested in trying it out for yourself or working on mosaics with students. 

Google Drawings is the ultimate blank canvas and an incredible tool for creation. During the conference, I had a great time working with incredible teachers and creating masterpieces using Drawings. If you haven’t attended in the past, please look out for next year’s ICT conference. It’s hands-on, and lots of fun, and hopefully, you walk away with a few things to try with students. Even though I was facilitating this year, our discussions led me to consider other ideas for creation with students.

All Good Things…

We’ve all heard the saying, “All good things must come to an end”.  Blogging for the Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning has been an honour and a learning experience. Starting in 2017, I wasn’t sure what I was walking into and yet, here we are in 2023 and I can honestly say that I have learned a great deal. This is my last year blogging for the Heart and Art and in this post, I will share some of what I have learned.

Black Women’s Voices Are Needed in Education

The title alone should suffice and really needs no explanation but I’m happy to go a little more in-depth. In June 2020, I wrote a post about Crazy Hair Day. In it, I shared personally about my hair journey and the number of Black women who reached out to share similar experiences and feelings around the day was shocking. Not because I saw myself as being the only one who experienced trauma in school related to hair but because there were so many and that in 2020, we still felt as though our voices and objections to these days were not being and continue to not be heard.

Black women have a lot to say in the world of education based on our lived experiences as students of the system and also as we navigate it as teachers. I believe that our experiences are unique and as we continue to have conversations related to equity, those experiences need to be heard and change needs to happen. While that post was written over 3 years ago and there were many conversations in schools happening around spirit days, I wonder what has changed. And that’s just one area that needs to be interrogated. How are Black women and their experiences in education being valued? There are certainly a number of policies that have been created and I’m interested in how that leads to action. 

Growing a Thicker Skin

Over the years, I’ve written a lot about work that I have done in the classroom. When I look back, it’s sometimes shocking to see what I have done in the past and how it’s no longer a practice that I would consider doing today. I’ve grown as an educator because of conversations I’ve had, books I’ve read and opportunities to reflect. 

Over the last couple of years, there have been people who have chosen to critique my work in public rather than having a conversation directly with me. While I know that my work is public and open to scrutiny as I post it, there are moments when it doesn’t sit right with me. It’s in times like these that I am learning to grow a thicker skin. It’s not that I’m above reproach but if you’re really interested in making me a better teacher, reach out. Share your incredible strategies and work with me. Comment on my post and let’s have a conversation. I sometimes find it interesting whose work gets critiqued and this is probably another reason why we might need to continue to listen to the voices of Black women.

Reflection in Practice is Essential

I mentioned before that there are some things that I have written about in the past that wouldn’t make the cut now. Blogging has etched these in my educational journey and I’m so grateful for it. I’ve seen ways in which I have grown over the years through reflection and it excites me. Taking time to be reflective and understanding ways in which I’ve needed to change my thoughts or actions has made me a better teacher. Teaching is a practice. In the words of Maya Angelou, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” We have so many opportunities to learn and grow in education. Let’s work towards doing better.

I look forward to what this year will bring in my blogging adventures. To those whom my work has impacted and whom I’ve had the privilege of meeting on this journey, thank you. Let’s have a great year!

P.A. day

Psst. The ‘s’ in P.A. is silent. Well that would be how many outside of education might see these days when staff are at schools while students frolic and faff about with their families. Nothing could be further from that misconception. I wonder if there are any educators left who can recall a time in their careers when these days didn’t exist. A quick search on the interwebs revealed very little information beyond some government pages. After this week’s learning, my full brain was not willing to click on for more.

It was a P.A. day in my school board and, in the spirit of “P.A.” days past, come with their share of work for educators at all phases of their careers. On the day’s menu: attention to countless operational matters, safety videos, wellness/mental health videos, and new curriculum/instructional insights. As anyone who has participated in this day in prior years this year’s “P.A..” day learning lineup seemed much more robust.

At my school, we met in the morning to discuss students at risk, sign off on safety plans, watch important video reminders related to our professional duty and safety. There we were 50+ together, synchronizing our minds on all aspects on so many important pieces to the puzzle picture we call education.

Hours of learning/refreshing our minds plus some prep time later, we were then given a chance to work through some fresh thinking on literacy and math by division. This included some instructional approaches to the new language curriculum, as well as some time to browse board curated math resources. With all the boxes ticked, there was just enough time for some planning during an afternoon prep time which included giving some feedback on an assignment.

It was a full day. As I worked through the day a couple of questions came to mind;
1a. Was this enough time to really allow the flood of content to permeate my cerebral space?
1b. If not, when do I find time to let that happen?
2. What was it like at other schools? How much time was spent in self-directed/exploratory activities around the new approaches in language and math? Was it enough? If there are others like me, when do we find that time to continue with this learning? Is there a life/work imbalance expected then?
3. With so much of the content prescribed from the system level, are there other approaches to consider in order to deliver the mandated compliance pieces while maximizing new learning opportunities?

For many of us, it is impossible to forget the stark differentiation between losing a finger or a toe and loss of limb in the Workplace Injury module, and those dearly departed ladder safety videos. I still wipe the rungs of my ladder because of them, even at home. Even as much of this familiar and important content has evolved, I felt overstimulated and overwhelmed with all of the learning that was prescribed for this “P.A.” day. Was I the only one? Was it the pace?

In the weeks and months to come, there will be more learning added, and I will have to proceed with it at my own pace as a learner. In some cases, it might already mesh with my learning style as I discovered that the suggested strategies for math learning have finally caught up with my teaching style.

I am happy to try out and learn new things, but even when I go to the grocery store and load up for a week or two, I have never cooked everything that was brought home for just one meal. That shared, it will be a couple of weeks before what I started will truly be processed and completed even though we were given a day. I guess this “elephant will be eaten one bite at time” (adapted from Desmond Tutu).

Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

“Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain” by Zaretta Hammond (2015) explores the intersection of culturally responsive teaching practices and brain research. The book delves into how teachers can better engage and support students from diverse cultural backgrounds by understanding how the brain processes information and responds to different instructional methods. It addresses the critical need for educators to acknowledge and embrace students’ cultural identities and backgrounds while fostering optimal learning experiences in the classroom. This book offers valuable insights into how educators can effectively engage diverse learners and create inclusive learning environments.

Cultural Diversity and Educational Equity:
The book begins by highlighting the importance of cultural diversity in the classroom and its direct impact on educational equity. It discusses how students from various cultural backgrounds bring unique perspectives, experiences, and learning styles, which educators can leverage to enrich learning. Hammond emphasizes the significance of understanding the cultural influences that shape students’ cognitive development and the role of educators in acknowledging and respecting these influences.

Neuroscience and Learning:
In the following chapters, the book delves into neuroscience and its implications for teaching practices. Hammond presents research findings that shed light on how the brain processes information differently based on cultural background and experiences. By understanding these neural mechanisms, educators can tailor their instructional methods to match the diverse needs of students, thereby optimizing learning outcomes.

The Cultural Learning Framework:
Hammond introduces the Cultural Learning Framework, a practical and evidence-based model designed to guide educators in implementing culturally responsive teaching strategies. The framework provides insights into understanding cultural norms, community dynamics, and the impact of stereotype threat on student performance. It also emphasizes the role of the teacher as a cultural broker, fostering trust and building strong relationships with students and their families.

Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Practice:
The book explores various culturally responsive pedagogical practices educators can integrate into their classrooms. Examples include incorporating culturally relevant texts, integrating students’ cultural practices into the curriculum, and promoting collaborative learning to encourage cultural exchange among students. Hammond emphasizes the significance of teaching students metacognitive strategies to develop self-regulation and critical thinking skills. Hammond provides practical examples and case studies throughout the book to illustrate how culturally responsive teaching and brain-based strategies can be implemented in various educational settings. The author emphasizes teachers’ continuous growth and development in their journey toward becoming culturally responsive practitioners.

Implicit Bias and Stereotype Threat:
Addressing the prevalent issue of implicit bias and stereotype threat, Hammond highlights these factors’ negative impact on student’s academic performance and self-esteem. The book offers practical guidance on how educators can identify and mitigate their biases and create an inclusive and supportive learning environment that fosters student success.

Professional Development and Teacher Training:
The book underscores the need for ongoing professional development and teacher training to equip educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement culturally responsive teaching practices effectively. It advocates for school-wide efforts to promote culturally responsive education and create a collaborative and supportive learning community for teachers and students.

Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain by Zaretta Hammond is an indispensable resource for educators and educational stakeholders seeking to create inclusive learning environments and improve academic outcomes for diverse student populations. By bridging the gap between neuroscience and culturally responsive teaching, Hammond offers practical and evidence-based strategies to nurture all students’ cognitive, emotional, and social development, regardless of their cultural backgrounds. Embracing cultural diversity in education empowers students and contributes to a more equitable and socially just society.

that kid

Created by DALL-E
a-class-photo-of-faceless-students-in-the-styles-of-Monet-Rembrandt-Kandinsky-and-Warhol prompt by author

I was thinking about that kid and I found myself getting emotional. 

You know the one. We all do. Whether the name(s) or face(s) you thought of are in your class this year or not. We all have one or two students who popped in there almost immediately. I am not going to sugar coat this either because it got emotional. When I think about that kid, my feelings range quite widely here. Anger, joy, sadness, peace, et al have all staked their claims in my amygdalae and other rose coloured spaces in my emotional thought centre.

My first “that kid” came when I was quite new to teaching. I probably owe them an apology for pushing too hard about their studies without considering how hard it must have been to be truly trying their best, but not meeting the expectations of which I was thoroughly* convinced were so clearly taught and put within reach. Like I mentioned above, an apology has been uttered on a couple of occasions for that learner into the universe. 

There are two other feelings that happens sometimes, relief and angst. Relief that you were able to make it through a year together and grow. Angst over what I missed or, straight up, got completely wrong. My most recent that kid reads like this: 

Is quiet – too quiet.
Sticks to the sidelines as if crazy glued there.
Struggles to start something, and struggles even more to finish.
Whether it is a transition, a sentence, or a math challenge mine has got me thinking about what I need to do differently next time because there will be a next time no matter how hard I work to learn the lessons from the past to use now and in the future.

As teachers, I’ve noticed that we tend to be pretty hard on ourselves much more often than we realize or care to admit. It’s who we are as reflective practitioners who seek to make things better for our learners. I have noticed that we fret far more about any flaws in our work even when there are few if any cracks in our foundations. We are constant works in progress alongside our students and we wear it on our sleeves when it doesn’t go well. 

Sometimes, that kid gifts you some victories too. You see, all that time spent investing in that kid can turn out to be a life enriching moment for you as an educator and even more so for that kid as a scholar. Since my first that kid nearly 15 years ago, I have marveled at hearing from students who are completing degrees at amazing schools and starting to write the next chapters of their lives. This week I ran into a student who will be doing just that.

To be honest, it wasn’t all sunshine and lollipops with this particular that kid. If poor choices, bad behaviour, and work avoidance were credit courses, this learner would be top of the class. Fast forward 6 years and they are about to begin a very challenging degree program at a top university. That could have only happened with significant support, responsibility, accountability, and commitment. In other words, the exact opposite to where they were back then. So what turned this scholar around? How did the switch get flipped, and who did the flipping? I was certainly thrilled to receive such news knowing that there would be more good things to come as a result of them finding their stride as a student. Whoever helped this “that kid” turn over a new leaf has changed one young person’s life not for good, but for great. 

I am also aware that there are some who will never get to experience an about face like the that kid above, and I need to take ownership of that and work to improve going forward. Maybe my next that kid will not fall through the cracks through their education? I know that there is always room to improve what and how we do this job of ours. I know that teachers have countless conversations in order to find and fit the complex puzzle pieces we know as students together. I know that there is no single strategy or approach that will reach 100% of our students. What we need to remind ourselves is that we come pretty close to perfection, and we do it across a decade plus of siloed collaboration, between the panels, whether we realize it or not. 

When you think about it, each of our students could have as many as 50 teachers over their K to 12 careers. Of course homeroom teachers occupy the bulk of those first 10 years yet that still means there are countless points of influential interaction to be had between an entire cast of educators all working in concert to make sure each that kid gets and gives the best. 

This job asks us to accept and understand that we often will never know how the work we put in with our students will support them in the future. Closure is not a luxury many elementary teachers ever have once our students move onward and beyond our schools, but that should not bring us down because there is always that kid who takes the time, after several years have gone by, to reach out and connect again: to share how much they appreciated what was taught to them in and out of the classroom all those years ago. 

 

*On a random note: the word thoroughly breaks down into tho roughly. So now my idea of thorough will always be considerate of whether I was thorough or tho rough