In this post, I want to spend a little time reflecting on the focus we as educators place on the language of our students’ diagnoses. I am, in no way, suggesting that students should not be diagnosed, nor should there be less emphasis on responsible, thorough, and thoughtful assessment to comprehensively understand a student’s difficulties with learning. I am, however, wanted to encourage dialogue regarding how we use the “disability” language and the extent to which we focus on the particular diagnosis in our work with families and students.
I watched an activity once where a brilliant Special Educator gave each of her students a coffee can covered with paper. On the paper, the kids were asked to write or draw about the “labels” they had heard used to describe them as students and learners. Most identified the names of their disabilities and also included words that depicted how they viewed their abilities. Heartbreakingly, many included words like, “dumb,” “lazy,” “slow,” “disorganized,” “bad at school.” The teacher had the students stand in a circle and she told them that these “labels” were holding them back. The words we use about ourselves and one another matter, and it was time to rip off the bad labels. With a flourish the students ripped off their labels and then, with a clean sheet of paper attached to the can, the students created new labels for themselves and one another with truer words about themselves. Interestingly, the “bad” labels were all drawn with dark colors. Soon the room was filled with bright colors as the kids “labeled” themselves. I share this activity because I appreciated that the teacher confronted the issue of labels directly and fairly. She empowered her students face those labels - those words, feelings, and beliefs that make students give up on school and (worse) give up on themselves. It can be easy to forget how hurtful those words can be and how significantly they can dominate how a child thinks and feels about him or herself. This is especially true when those labels are the only thing that guarantees access to the supports in school they need. But I don’t want my students to have to confront those labels. I want to do that for them - erasing from their beliefs about themselves that they are somehow limited. And I want to confront those labels for every parent waits to ask for help from a school because they fear the “Label” that will be attached to their child, obscuring the full view of their child. So what is there to do about this? Well, it is clear that a lot of educators and administrators recognize this problem and are working to shift the paradigm. Schools that have integrated Positive Behavior Supports strive to provide just right and just-in-time intervention, giving students the support they need. Some schools, such as the one where I teach, have the flexibility and staffing to provide every student with just the right amount of support - no more, no less. We integrate the support from the beginning and back it off over time. More than anything, I want to encourage all those wonderful teachers in our world to remember what it means to a child and family to be “labeled.” And to make sure that the family and especially the child knows that you see him or her - fully and wholly. Kids are so much more than their diagnoses. If we forget that, how can we ever expect them to the brilliant work they are so capable of?
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Sometimes students need a little help recognizing just how much control they have to change their emotional state and improve how they feel. At The Leelanau School, we dedicated an afternoon to helping students practice mindfulness, relaxation strategies, and other strategies for maintaining a healthy emotional balance. Just as maintaining physical health takes effort, we believe in incorporating practices to stave off anxiety and feelings of depression. I was so excited to share with students about Carol Dweck's research into Growth Mindset. Her research shows that intelligence and learning ability are not static conditions - they can be changed over time with intentional practice. On our wellness day, I applied a Growth Mindset perspective to the Happiness Experiment. Learn more by clicking this link or viewing the slide show below.
This time of year, many teachers are starting to think about the start of school. For some, this means creating some exciting new lessons and engaging new assessments. For others, this means working up new materials and integrating new educational technology tools. If one of your goals is to improve your course syllabus, here are some tips and tools to try! You can view this Google Slide show below oraccess the full presentation and links here. Enjoy!
In light of all the research about nutrition and the functioning of the teenage learner, The Leelanau School has committed to healthy food practices to help our students feel their very best and incorporate healthy habits into their own routines. That said, we would never want our teens to feel as though our practices infringe upon their rights as intelligent young adults to make their own decisions. To this end, we have worked with the students to determine a balanced set of recommendations to encourage reasonable habits while honoring their preferences. One such policy is our "Sugary Drink" agreement. Here is what it looks like: Our Commitment to your WellnessResearch dedicated to the healthy minds and bodies for teenagers (and adults for that matter…) has proven the harmful effects of sugary beverages. The following policy honors this research and encourages everyone in The Leelanau School community to choose water and commit to reducing the sugar in our diets. Sugary drinks are not allowed in the Academic Building, Art Building, Dining Hall, and during School activities. This includes energy drinks, sodas, caffeine supplements, and similar drinks.
We do allow snacks in the Learning Commons, however we encourage you to choose fruits, vegetables, and high protein snacks. This is a learning space and not the place for candy, chips, or other treats. We post this policy in our classroom and use it as a reminder when students question the practice or forget and bring a soda to class. We also post infographics that help educate as well as remind us all why we commit to this agreement.
School days at Leelanau are full, exciting, and busy. In a small, independent school, we all wear a lot of "hats", meaning we all share a variety of responsibilities to make sure things are smooth and the kids get what they need. It is important to periodically take the time to reflect on how things are going. What is working? Celebrate it! What can be improved? Make a plan for improvement.
During one such reflection, I was asked to summarize "Learning at Leelanau" and prepare a small presentation to demonstrate what we do and how we do it. Please enjoy my summary in the presentation below or by clicking this link. When people learn that we live on the campus of a boarding school and have a house that is connected to a dorm, the reaction is predictable. You see, boarding schools are not as common here in the midwest as other parts of the country. “Wait… You live in a dorm? What is that like?” To tell you the truth, it is pretty wonderful. You see, we live in a house that is attached to a dorm because our School is a home away from home for our students. Though the goal is their increasing independence and ability to take care of themselves, they should never be without access to attentive adults. We invite the students to knock on our door whenever they need something. Sometimes, they need a spoon. Often, they have locked themselves out of their rooms. And occasionally, they just need an adult to notice them and ask them about their day. We give a lot as a family to make sure our students get what they need. But we get so much more in return. I would love to tell you about my five favorite things about living on a boarding school campus. 1. The commute. Before moving to northern Michigan, I endured a typical commute to work. It was always necessary to build in time to account for traffic and construction. Now, I can get from my home to “work” with a short walk - less than five minutes unless I decide to stroll to the beach on the way. 2. Our colleagues. Seriously. We have the best colleagues in the world. You see, when we moved to northern Michigan, we move four and a half hours away from our families. Our colleagues immediately became our support system. And we became a part of theirs. It is such a gift to live and work with people who share your values, work hard together, and take care of each other. That leads me to my next favorite thing about living here… 3. It takes a village... Have you ever heard the adage, “It takes a village to raise a child?” In a time when people share so much on social media, yet feel increasingly isolated, it is a gift to have a community in which to raise our son. His five years of life so far have been filled with doting teenagers, four beautiful seasons to enjoy, and a belief that strangers are simply friends we haven’t met yet. My husband and I are immersed in gratitude for the guidance, support, and reassurance of our colleagues as we journey through parenthood. These wonderful people willingly snuggled our little one when he was baby so we could eat a meal with both hands, run and play with him, and take an interest in whatever holds his attention - trains, dinosaurs, legos, race cars, construction vehicles… 4. Sharing meals I might be biased, but I think the food at our school is the best around! The food is locally sourced, healthy, diverse, and beautiful; our colleagues in the food and nutrition program are incredible. Not only is it a relief from finding the time to plan meals and cook, it allows us the opportunity to share meals with our colleagues and students - a chance to put away our tech and really enjoy laughing and talking with one another. 5. The fun. Joy, play, and fun are essential components of educating students and this is critically true in the education of teenagers. This means taking advantage of the beautiful place we live and the affordances of four beautiful seasons. Whether we are catching a sunset on the beach, talking around a fire, making Rice Crispy treats in the dorm, sledding, or playing Bubble Soccer, our family gets to join in the fun! Sometimes, teens can find it uncomfortable or awkward to join in a silly game. But when a five-year-old grabs your hand and pulls you toward the dance floor, it is easier to shed your insecurity. Sharing a dorm with ninth and tenth grade boys can be loud, unpredictable, and a little smelly. It can also be heartwarming, humbling, exciting, and fun. For these reasons, we wouldn’t trade it for anything. I originally wrote this post for the Leelanau School blog and it posted in October 2016. Always relevant, metacognitive practices are a staple in the daily life of Leelanau teachers and students. Please enjoy and leave a comment about those metacognitive practices in your life that help you be present, aware, and focused. One note: In the post below, you will see the name JD. This name refers to JD Friley, our esteemed (and now retired) Head of School. The Journey of the Megacognitive Learner –
Metacognition is a term that refers to the process of deliberately thinking about one’s own thinking. It means being conscious of not only what you are thinking about, but having awareness of how you are processing the information with the intention of improving your learning. You will no doubt have heard JD say that we focus as much on process as content; metacognitive strategies are a really important element of how we educate our learners. Really exciting research has shown that metacognition can be improved over time through practice and development. In fact, brain scans show more gray matter in the anterior prefrontal cortex (the area of the brain responsible for metacognition) in people who regularly engage in metacognitive strategies. Our Leelanau Learners come to our community with a variable range of metacognitive experiences. Some have attended schools in which metacognition is built into the culture; others have not encountered such strategies. Without metacognition, students can develop misconceptions about themselves and their abilities as learners. Through practice of these thinking strategies, students recognize that their academic struggles are skill problems, not intelligence problems! At Leelanau, we expect our Metacognitive Learners to use planning when approaching a task, to monitor their own understanding of the process, and to evaluate their progress toward the end of a task. We help students reflect on their learning, building awareness of their own best strategies. Here are 5 of the ways we support metacognitive learning at The Leelanau School.
Welcome to the beginning of my journey as a educational blogger! Thank you for taking a moment to peruse my musings. :) Blogging a new venture for me, but it is one that I undertake with sincerity and integrity. I would like to begin with a little about what brings me to this point.
This summer (2018) I am completing a Master of Arts in Education Degree (MAED) from Michigan State University (MSU). It is with a huge amount of support from my family and colleagues that I have accomplished this program. Not wanting to waste an ounce of all that I have learned, I decided that incorporating a habit of blogging would help me to continue the inquiry and reflective practice that I have come to love about graduate learning. The MAED program offered by MSU is incredibly supportive of graduate students who are also working professionals. I have been able to consider everything I have learned in the context of my own teaching practice and I have been able to incorporate my learning as best practices in my role as a Learning Specialist at a small, independent boarding high school. As I am sure you will see in this blog, I am completely in love with my School, colleagues, and students. My students are a significant reason why I work so hard to be a good teacher - I want to be the kind of teacher they deserve. To me this means that their time and effort spent in my classroom needs to be relevant and applicable beyond my classroom. I invite you to explore my professional portfolio (the site on which this blog is located) to learn more about me, my graduate school experience, and my goals. Check back for more posts and please connect with me using the contact page! Have a great day! -Becca |
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