Diane Quirk, instructional technology specialist, sent this reference for us to read:
Interesting observations from this writer who asks learners what and how they want to learn:
http://www.techlearning.com/blogs.aspx?id=15776
Good Morning Janie,
Thank you again for your advice. I taped and watched the video of me teaching. WOW, what an eye opener. In my mind I had GANAG lesson plans but it did not come across in my instruction. I also, realized that I repeated directions not twice or three times but often four or five times. It was really helpful to see me in action. I would love to send you the video of me teaching if you would like or I will just go forward with the changes I discovered.
Thanks,
Jennifer Weber
On an interesting variation on "If you build, it they will come," I believe that if you can get them to school (in the 21st Century), they will learn.
Linda (teacher in urban high school) writes:
“I feel tired and hopeless. What do I mean by hopeless? Everything is going wrong. Nothing is going my way. I’ve heard it said that everyone has their day. Everyone has a time when everything seems like it is going just right. When is my day going to come? What do I mean by my day? I mean when am I going to get a break?......How do I feel now?... I feel empty.”
The above is an excerpt from Proprioceptive Writing of one of our seniors, whose already challenging life took a serious turn for the worse last year when he was falsely accused, arrested and taken to Riker’s Island for six months. Ever since then, things have gone "downhill" including his mom losing her job because she was constantly visiting him in jail, and his current worry about day to day money. He is a bright young man, big and tough-looking but a puppy in many ways, a sad, hurt puppy.
I say, “Hello, sweet sir,” on the rare day that he does show up to class; I hesitate to wake him as he puts his head down in a sleep that suggests an emotional exhaustion and escape more than a flippant disrespect or indifference. I don’t know what to do for him, if or how I can help him to help himself. He reminds me of failure, both of ours. I am at an impasse. How can I help to reawaken a belief in “possibility”, without which his future becomes one more inevitable grim statistic?
I know that Hellen Keller is right when she says, "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope and confidence."
In response to Linda's request for help:
When am I going to get a break?
That student phrase catches my attention in a general way. I work in the urban schools and see all of these promises of "college tuition" for urban students who finish school; this is even offered at the middle school level.
But, one of the biggest problems with school performance is attendance -- it is hard to get to school when you miss the bus and don't have resources; it is difficult for a parent who has a special education child -- especially in inclement weather when s/he does not have multiple alternatives to get a student to school. When a child misses school, he or she does not learn (curriculum) that day and loses ground over time.
Attendance may be the hinge point. I would not only offer the college tuition carrot, but instead, the bus/taxi/transportation money to get the students to school (where they can also get food).
Once we get the students to the school, research shows that teachers like Linda teach them very well, indeed.
The new book arrived today and so did two emails from principals:
Okay, I had a good one happen today. I had a teacher––actually she is a speech pathologist that helps also with teaching severe-needs children––come in and ask for the ganag design. I don’t supervise her directly, but she wanted it so I gave her a down-and-dirty synopsis of how to use it and said I’d love to come watch how it works with high-needs kids. I was kind of pumped about that. I think it’s a sign that ganag is pretty much everywhere in our school DNA.
And another principal writes:
We had one of our best staff development sessions this past week. We took our staff down the GANAG(H), path. (by the way we add H at the end for homework)
Anyway, our staff loved it. So much that I am buying your book, Improving Student Learning, One Teacher at a Time, for the entire staff. They want to do a book study.
Also, we have GAG, down to a tee, but still have much to learn.
My brother, Bobby, the principal, sent me a message that is important if you are working on your curriculum documents, your instruction, or the overall vision of a school. He shared this speech with his staff and indicated that they are working in his school to "be Athenian."
http://www.ditext.com/postman/mgs.html