PLT Climate Change Workshop

Class Photo-U of M Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in Bethel, MN

I attended this workshop to learn more about climate change.  In the current Energy and the Environment curriculum we discuss alternative forms of energy and why we need to make the change from fossil fuels and one reason stated is due to climate change.  However, we don't really go into what this is and/or provide facts on this controversial topic.  I am excited to now have those facts to share with students in the form of many hands-on lessons.  I would highly recommend Project Learning Tree's workshops.  You get an opportunity to experience the lessons and receive lots of great resources to take back to the classroom.  It is a bit of a drive to Bethel, MN but it is worth it!  Plus, once

  you’ve attended a PLT workshop you’re eligible to apply for a $1,000 PLT GreenWorks grants, to plant trees at your schoolyard, buy student equipment for monitoring school pollution or energy use, integrate a composting program at your school, etc. Applications due Sep. 30.  



We’re at that dreaded time of year. The ability gap is getting wider. Personalities are getting bigger. Habits, both in us and our students, are becoming entrenched. Winter break is over. Spring break is still a distant dream. Testing is just around the corner.  In many ways, we feel control in our classroom slipping away.

Picture with me that one student who just has you at your wit’s end.  Every teacher has one.  No matter how hard you work with this student, and no matter how much you prod him, at the end of the quarter his missing work list is still longer than his completed work.  When you think of this student, most likely the thought that comes to mind is “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.”  This student doesn’t want to succeed. You can’t help but think he’s resisting just to spite you.

It turns out, it probably has nothing to do with you.

There are many factors in motivation.  Self-determination theory can help us understand what is driving our students’ choices.  It states that every person needs to feel competence, autonomy and relatedness in order to remain engaged in the classroom.

A key factor that determines whether we begin a task is our perceived competence, or self-efficacy.  We have to believe that if we exert effort, we will be able to accomplish the task.  To try and fail is more frightening than to not try at all.  We’re always searching for the Goldilocks window in tasks.  Just challenging enough that we have a sense of pride in accomplishing them, but not so difficult that we fear failure.
Yesterday in class I noticed that one of my violin students was playing the entire class period without her left hand.  Her entire repertoire for the day was combinations of D and A. My first thought was, “seriously??” and I almost called her out on it.   But then I remembered how big the knowledge gap she was facing was.

The distance between her current ability and the tasks I was asking of her was like the Grand Canyon.  

When I looked through the window of her understanding, I noticed she was playing the right string at the right time, completely in sync with her neighbors.  Pretty impressive considering she can’t read music or name the notes on the violin!  What I saw as laziness was actually her coping mechanism.  She was simplifying the task at hand to something she could accomplish.  I can work with this.

We all want to have control of our lives.

Who among us hasn’t sat in a staff meeting or training and thought, “I could be doing such better things with my time right now”?

We all have to do things we don’t want to do.  Nobody wakes up in the morning and thinks, “I can’t wait to do the dishes!”  As adults we’ve learned to deal with it.  However, when the balance between things we choose to do and things we have to do tips toward the have to’s, we become resistant.

We can help ourselves by giving kids control wherever we can.  Offering choice doesn’t mean disorganization or chaos.  On the contrary, teachers who offer autonomy spend a lot of time teaching kids organizational skills and procedures.  They’ve coached their students in deep thinking and making choices.

Not all autonomy is created equal

When we think of giving students choice in the classroom, we often think of what is referred to as organizational or procedural autonomy.  Organizational autonomy gives students the freedom to move about about the room and control the space.  Procedural autonomy is the choice of how to approach a task.  While both of these types of autonomy give students the feeling that they belong in the space, the effects on motivation are minimal.

The greatest way that we can engage students in the classroom is to support their cognitive autonomy.  Take the time to listen to their ideas.  Allow them choice in what to study to the greatest extent possible.  Once in a while, allow the class to become sidetracked in order to answer a burning question.  Be willing to say, “I don’t know the answer to question, but let’s look into it together tomorrow.”

Teachers who demonstrate that they value their students’ ideas, and believe in their students’ ability to think, have students who think deeply.

Their classes run right up to the bell with deep conversation.  Their students demonstrate more creativity and problem solving in their answers.  Many of us believe we have to teach kids to think creatively.  Research shows, however, that most kids come to school with curiosity and creative ideas.  We usually school it out of them by trying to control the conversation.  We focus too heavily on the end product we have in mind, and don’t give kids a chance to take a winding road to their final understanding.

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We all want to belong.

When we were new to our school building, most of us hung out on the sidelines of the action.  We didn’t volunteer for committees, and we didn’t help organize the school dance. As we become more a part of the school family, we take more interest in what is going on.

The same holds true for our students.  They need to feel relatedness in the classroom in order to fully engage.  Adolescents in particular struggle to connect in school.  While their social development is causing them to spend most of their time thinking about their peer group and whether they fit in, teachers are asking them to be quiet and work individually. We ask them to keep their conversations on topic all of the time.  Let’s be real.  Who does that?

We need to strike a balance with our students.  We need to provide them time to discover their individual identity and their confidence in who they are as a person.  We need to allow their social web to develop, and help them feel valued in their peer circle.  We need to treat them with the same respect we’d show our adult peers.

It’s not about me.  Or is it?

My students’ resistance to doing their work and engaging mentally in class isn’t about me. That is to say, it isn’t done to spite me.  It isn’t done with malice, or even out of laziness. But, it is really about me.  For my students, there’s a disconnect between what they feel are their needs and what I’m asking of them.  So, as my worship leader likes to say,

“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.  But, you can make him thirsty!”

The truth is, we don’t need to make our kids thirsty.  They already come that way.  We just have to stop drowning them in milk when they’re craving orange juice!

AuthorLori RingenQuoteCategoriesUncategorizedPosted onFEBRUARY 4, 2017Leave a commentEdit

The Power of Reflection - Katie Lenz

Dear Staff,

Here is a courageous, personal reflection from a colleague at Friedell. Katie Lenz has shared some of the difficult choices she has made to stretch herself as a professional and her students as learners. This is a glimpse into an educator's mindset and continuous journey. Her story may resonate with you as it did with us.

With love,

Your Instructional Team

Jacque, Erin, & Laura

Name: Katie Lenz

Years in teaching, subject, grade levels, and schools: I was a substitute teacher for 2 years and have officially been teaching Physical Education for the past 10 years. I have taught under contract at John Adams, Willow Creek, Mayo and Friedell. I had a long surgical leave placement at Sunset Terrace and taught summer school at Kellogg.

Why did you choose to be an educator? My former physical education teachers were wonderful mentors and played a strong role in me wanting to work with youth. They showed me the positives of building relationships with students and the influence and impact that can have on someone. I wanted to have the same impact on youth and declared a Youth Ministry Major as a freshman in college. My passion for athletics and being physically fit outweighed my passion for working in a church and I quickly changed to a Physical Education Major with a minor in Theological and Biblical Studies – this switched to Health Education at the last minute J

How are you a different educator now than you were (pick one: last year, several years ago, when you first started teaching)?  I am a more humble teacher now than I was several years ago and even a year ago. Educators can’t be stagnant with their teaching styles, what they teach and how they teach. Unfortunately, I was stagnant for a period of time because I was confident with what I was doing was “good enough.” Students being active in class is a high priority, but mostly, I want students to learn the value of being active, staying physically fit, and becoming a lifelong fitness learner.  I am willing to try new things, put in the effort needed to make new ideas successful and learn from failure in order for students be fruitful learners.

Describe a mindset that you had about teaching and learning that has changed. Why did it change?  Change is hard for me and my attitude used to be that if it isn’t broken, why fix it? This isn’t always a good attitude to have as an educator because we need to be willing to change, adapt, modify and improve in order to best meet the needs of our students. The minute we think we have perfected something is the minute we stop learning and we are doing a disservice to students. I want to be a teacher that changes with the times, understands why there is a need for change and be willing to take the necessary steps to change. Laura Willis, and the rest of the staff at Friedell, has greatly influenced the change in my mindset. I am surrounded by excellent educators who I admire and learn from. Excellence at Friedell isn’t a demand, but it is my personal expectation that I strive for.

What new ideas have you tried in your classroom during these past few years that have energized you and your teaching?

2016-2017school year has been a year of change in my teaching and grading. Students are graded on their proficiency levels of the Physical Education National Standards. This is a complete understanding shift for students, guardians, and me and has been a struggle at the start. Typically, PE grades are/were based off of behaviors (on time, dress, attitude, effort, language, etc) and now I am basing grades off of knowledge. Students are not graded on how well they do something, but rather their understanding of technique, rules, and gaining an understanding of why something is done. Ex. Students are not graded on how many times they can throw a softball and hit a target but if they can perform and have correct form and why that form is important.

Someone that challenges me is.....my instructional coach. Laura possesses the qualities of a great coach by knowing how hard to push a person and when to take a step back before pushing again. Her passion for teaching educators is contagious and makes me want to strive to be a better teacher.

In what ways do you feel you want to improve professionally? I have improved professionally by being willing to change and try new things. Formative assessments have played a major role this year and I feel have benefited both the students and myself.

What quote, person, or book, etc. inspires you? Why? “Maybe it’s not always about trying to fix something broken. Maybe it’s about starting over and creating something better.”  Change is hard for me and my attitude used to be that if it isn’t broken, why fix it? This isn’t always a good attitude to have as an educator because we need to be willing to change, adapt, modify and improve in order to best meet the needs of our students. The minute we think we have perfected something is the minute we stop learning and we are doing a disservice to students.

Finish this sentence: My students....make me want to put my head in a door and slam it one minute and make my glass overflow the next – joys of middle schoolers J

What is the best thing about working at Friedell? The best thing about working at Friedell is the staff.  My career has allowed me to work in a handful of different buildings with great educators, however, the staff at Friedell is special. Friedell’s staff has a “team” mindset and works so well together for the greater good of the students – that is the key…the students. What is done at Friedell is truly for the best intensions of the students and can only be carried out by the staff.  Many of my closest friends are at Friedell and I would be lost personally and professionally without them.  

Hacking Writing: Part 2

Hacking Writing: Part 2

Recently I joined a chat based on minecraft. I have been interested in using games as a way pique student interest in writing. During the chat I was …

https://durginelteacher.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/hacking-writing-part-2)