The Countdown, Part 2: Princeton, and Back to Reality

I'm seriously back dating this post.

Life as it's been for the past year finally came to a screeching halt about two months ago. I've been in decompression mode ever since. My last post left off at the Grounds for Sculpture, so I'll finish that trip while doing some flash forwards about returning to the classroom.

In between sessions, a group of us took a walking tour of Princeton University, one last "whose life is this anyway" moments. Walking among the ivy covered buildings on a quiet fall afternoon, where if the walls could talk, they would tell the tales of some of the world's most brilliant minds. I felt like one of the multi-colored leaves clinging tightly to the tree branches above us as we passed the towering halls and students consumed in making their way to the next class.

East Pyne Hall

Statue of John Witherspoon, Princeton's 5th president

Nassau Hall

Where's Berkeley?

***
College and career ready.  It's the new set of buzz words in education, and the driving force behind changes to standards, testing, and accountability. Students need to be competitive with their peers across the globe upon graduation from high school, and it's now or never. Coming back into the classroom on a full time schedule, in the midst of changes, stress, and uncertainty, while wrapping up my year representing West Virginia's students, has been the equivalent to being struck by a huge wave on the beach and being pulled into the ocean from its force. The wave is full of new things, different things, and all the emotions that people feel when they are bombarded, threatened by expectations that seem to be made up faster than they can be comprehended.

I think back to that afternoon on Princeton's campus, walking between some of the world's brightest young people. College and career ready. What truly makes you fit that mantra as a student? Is it knowing everything you need to know to pass a test? Is it proving on benchmark after benchmark that you've increased the expected number of data points?

What if we press and stress ourselves  and our students so much that, while they know everything they need to know, they have no desire, no curiosity, to take their learning further? I'd like to think that's what drives those who aspire to learn and improve - passion, perseverance, and curiosity. I recently wrote an article for EdSurge discussing how I feel the current state of testing is impeding what teachers need to have the freedom to do: teach.

***
There's a beautiful chapel on the Princeton Campus. When it was built, it was the second largest university chapel in the world, and the largest in the United States. Constructed of limestone from Pennsylvania and Indiana, it's not so much the Gothic architecture that is truly moving. A place of worship is a place to seek solace, to freely express beliefs, and the appearance of this structure among the historic buildings is a reminder of what many came to our country seeking long ago.

Princeton Chapel

***
I've run solely on adrenaline most of this year. And angst. Keeping it real, falling down between the train steps and platform in Germany two summers ago was just the beginning of living in high survival mode. I've just kept going, solving, improvising, and hoping that I wouldn't crack. There's been no recovery time in between. I've bared my soul to countless teachers and students this year about how I'm broken, because it was a message that needed to be heard and was just as important to be shared as anything instructional.

None of it has been easy or come easy. I look back at some of the situations from the past year, be it weather or people related, and I simply don't know how I got through it. I fight a very real beast every day. It's name is anxiety. I respect that religion and public school are separated, but I cannot deny that where I am and what I've been able to accomplish are a direct result of my faith. I did it - we  did it - but not without an immense amount of work. What I really need now to find is some balance - and some peace.
***

We continued our stroll down the sidewalks and buildings adjacent to the college campus. The wind started to pick up a bit by now as we took a walk through New England history.

President's Home

Nassau Club

Princeton Seminary

Dormitory

Albert Einstein's Home...and Berkeley

Exposed Beam Architecture 

Fade to Orange

Soon it was time to head back to say our good byes. Being pulled out of your classroom to travel alone and to make do by yourself as a "job" feels a little bit (just a little) like Tom Hanks' character in Cast Away, but instead of Wilson the volleyball, I have Berkeley the Bear (except I don't have deep, insightful conversations with Berkeley). How extraordinary to have had the opportunity to share this year with 53 other teachers that could relate to being abruptly named a spokesperson for the profession.

Lunch earlier that day with our groups from Scottsdale

Nebraska, Iowa, New Jersey, Maine, Ohio, and West Virginia

Final dinner with Virgin Islands, Delaware, Rhode Island, Arizona, Illinois, Texas, and Louisiana

***
"What's it like to be back? Do you miss it?"

I miss the people. I miss the faces and the stories that have now become memories, because they've become a part of my story. But the journey and all it entails is just something you travel once - and for good reason.

"How's it feel to be back with fifth graders all day long?"

I laugh. a lot. I want my classroom to be a happy place. Something so simple is really quite necessary. Adolescence is a trying, confusing time for kids. And on top of that, you have to become career and college ready. The only antidote to all that "heavy" is to find the joy. One of the national teachers of the year encouraged us during our time at Princeton to go not where we feel pushed, but where we feel pulled.

My "pull" is to find the joy, not just for my students but for anyone who teaches. So much of the joy and light of this profession is being overshadowed by looming numbers, expectations, demands, and fear. Worst of all, is fear, because that poisons all the good that grows among the thorns. I feel pulled to lift others to where they deserve to be - I just need to let myself down for a bit to get some rest.

"Well, now what are you going to do?"

I guess we'll all have to wait and see.

Rewind Wednesday: Digital Learning Day

I write this as the snow begins to fall here in the Eastern Panhandle. The past week has been busy, but the weather is going to ground us for the next few days. I've had several wonderful experiences in the last seven days, so many that I'll have to split them into several posts. We'll start with Digital Learning Day.

February 5th was National Digital Learning Day, which promotes awareness and encourages the use of technology in our schools. It's a chance to showcase the amazing ways that teachers are able to connect their students to the world that ten years ago wasn't fathomable. So much has changed in how we can reach our students, in ways that those outside of the education community may not know about unless they visit a classroom on a regular basis.

Wired for success!

Part of my job as teacher of the year is to feature the classrooms in our state and draw attention to how our schools are moving forward with the tools of tomorrow. To recognize Digital Learning Day, I visited Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary in Charleston to conduct a lesson to second graders via video conference with three other second grade classrooms across the state. In addition to the students at Mary C. Snow in Kanawha County, students at Hollywood Elementary in Raleigh County, Burch Elementary in Mingo County, and Norwood Elementary in Harrison County learned about the state symbols of West Virginia and some of its landforms with the help of Berkeley the Bear. I have been meaning to write a blog post all about Berkeley and his mission this year, but things keep happening...maybe since I'll be snowed in the rest of the week, I will get around to it. Check out his blog in the meantime to see what he's been up to. Yes, the bear has a blog. Humor me.

When I arrived at Mary C. Snow, Gerald Comer, the academic coach, took me on a tour of the school. It is a beautiful, K-5 school with 500+ students. Everything about that school made me feel positive and proud to represent educators in West Virginia. Every child should have such a caring staff and exciting, vibrant atmosphere to learn. Something I loved particularly was how there were large, poster-sized pictures on the walls of their students in action. I think that is great for those visiting the school, such as those in the community, to see that when they walk in and immediately know what that school is all about.

Berkeley's ready for his big debut!

We held the video conference in the school's library. I was met as soon as I arrived by a lot of very hard working people that had coordinated this event, because making sure you have video conference software equipment in working condition from four locations AND internet access AND all schools accounted for AND the presentation on the computer AND the teacher of the year who lives four and a half hours away is no small feat. I appreciate all of the "people power" behind making Digital Learning Day successful.

Click here to go to the WVDE's YouTube clip of Digital Learning Day.

So at 10:00 the video conference began - and I was excited - because I miss the kids most of all this year, and what was I getting for 20 minutes? Four classrooms at once!!! Whoo-hoo! That's every teacher of the year's dream, if you are missing your own classroom. Of course, they were great. I love West Virginia, and I am looking forward to sharing Berkeley and all his buddies as they help young children learn about their beautiful state. This was the first time I presented Berkeley to students - didn't think about that until everything had started and I looked at all the cameras and the computer screen showing the other classrooms.

Introducing Berkeley and the rest of the state symbols :-) 

Talking about the Mountain State!

Movements for the landforms :-)

Talking with the other students across the state. Pretty amazing, wouldn't you say?

The best part :-)

Getting bookmarks with Berkeley's favorite facts about West Virginia!

Speaking to Eyewitness New after the event. I love this part of my job, because it's a chance for the public to hear from a teacher about what is going on in our schools - and there are so many good things they need to hear!

Back to all those hard working people. I go through theses "waves" of feeling that I don't deserve all of the goodness that has come to pass since October (has it really been that long?!), so I am very grateful to all of the helpers I come across the way. So I would like to thank the following people that made Digital Learning Day happen:
- Liza Cordeiro for coordinating the event and introducing me to the students
- Mellow Lee, the principal of Mary C. Snow Elementary, for allowing us to come to her wonderful school
- Gerald Comer, for letting me see and learn about your amazing school and how it serves the community
- Mark Williamson and his team from CISCO
- the team at CityNet in Morgantown that coordinated the video conference
- Brian Adkins, Shannon Poole, Leah Sparks, and Connie Mirgliotta from Kanawha County Schools and Anthony Gill from RESA III for their help in setting up the equipment and making the video conference run smoothly
- Greg Chapman from the WVDE who taped the event and put together the video
-  The students and teachers at Mary C. Snow, Norwood, Hollywood, and Burch Elementary Schools
- and last but not least Mark Moore, who took pictures and video for me, showed me how to get to the Capitol complex, parallel parked my car for me along the street because there was no parking at the Capitol complex (and I can't parallel park anymore...okay, ever), and put quarters in the meter so I didn't have to leave the meeting I attended after the Digital Learning Day event. Thankful...embarrassed to be such a pain...but absolutely thankful.

It was energizing to having my first "meeting" with students outside of Berkeley County through Digital Learning Day. Technology is the great equalizer and connector to bringing our classrooms and teachers together, and to kick off my message to school children this way is just a sign of all the great things to come - right after we dig ourselves out of another snowstorm.

National Teacher of the Year Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona

I missed "Snow Day Week" in West Virginia last week while attending the first national conference of the year with all of the other state teachers of the year across the country for 2014. It was held in Scottsdale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. Not only was it warm and dry (not rubbing it in, but getting off the plane in BWI was like stepping back into a refrigerator), but it was great professional development for teacher leaders. We had sessions on policy making, career lattices versus career ladders, public relations, and using social media. One day was also training on the new SMART technology products we will be receiving for our classroom as part of being named a state teacher of the year. It was also a chance for all of us to meet each other before April, when we will all be recognized at the White House.

The hotel where our conference was held. It had a very "groovy," 1960s vibe to the decor :-) 

Pool view

Palm trees - and sunshine!!!

Are you feeling warm yet?

Main Street 

Not the West Virginia hills, but still gorgeous

Arizona Canal

View from the rooftop of the Hotel Valley Ho

Fountain in the town square

Horseshoe Fountain

Pottery!

Cacti!

Another cactus - hey, we don't have these in West Virginia :-)

I am still a little wiped out from last week, in addition to the other engagements and appearances I've made this month (see next blog post). It's not so much being physically tired as much as it has been a lot of information in a short period of time - the Mental Olympics. There's a lot more I could say about this experience, except right now I'm still decompressing a bit. My favorite sessions were social media and using the media to share your message.

Opening Session

All of the State and Territory Teachers of the Year 

I am looking forward to using my new SMART board and document camera in my classroom - when I am home at Tomahawk again. All of the technology is in the projector - it will project on any flat, white surface, and you only have to use you finger to manipulate it. There is a cube that comes with the document camera that allows you to manipulate 3-D content on the SMART board. Amazing doesn't quite describe it.

The SMART Board in action

Document camera and "The Cube"

We had some free time in the evenings to see a lot of Scottsdale. Thursday is the Gallery Walk at night, where all of the art galleries are lit and open to showcase their work. It's beautiful to see the city all it up at night, right down to the palm trees.

Bronco Statue

Glass Blowing

We took a horse and carriage ridge around the city :-)

Andy Warhol Museum

Just a statue I thought looked neat in the dark :-)

Lights everywhere - they leave them up all year long!

Petunias in January? Yes, please!

Lights going all the way up the palms!

I also had the opportunity to meet Rae Ellen McKee, the 1991 West Virginia and National Teacher of the Year, at our closing dinner on Saturday night. Rae taught Title I Reading at Slanesville Elementary in Hampshire County. She now lives in Houston, Texas. I'm actually going to be presenting to the students at Slanesville Elementary next month.

"Paparazzi" shot after dinner

With Michele Foreman, 2001 National Teacher of the Year, and Rae McKee

With Monica Beane, WV Teacher of the Year coordinator, and Rae McKee

It was a very full, exciting four-and-a-half days...and I came right back into more things to share and represent the education profession to others this year. While I was in Scottsdale, my uncle passed away. He was my Aunt Dawn's brother. I didn't get to see him much, but before all of this started I came over and showed him my pictures from Germany this summer when I was with the Transatlantic Outreach Program. He had been to Germany during the era of Checkpoint Charlie, and loved comparing pictures decades apart. It's things like this that put a lot of things, like "awards season," in perspective. We get caught up in the moment, on a fast moving train, and then life happens and pulls you back to reality. What really matters is who you are to those closest to you. So I'm writing this with a sad spot in my heart - and a little guilt for being too zoned in on my own train ride.

One last picture of Arizona