Alice came to a fork in the road. “Which road do I take?” she asked. “Where do you want to go?” responded the Cheshire cat. “I don’t know,” Alice answered. “Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.” ~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Many of us use the start of the new school year to refine our vision of the difference we hope to make in our buildings and in the field as a whole. How…
She’s been a fellow of the WNY Young Writers’ Studio for three years now. Every August, she devotes a week of her life to the study of what learning communities are and how she’s grown as a result of her participation in ours. She comes back every other month throughout the school year. She visits our ning almost daily. She connects herself to those who can help her, and she reaches out to do the…
Over the last few years, I’ve come to realize that my greatest duty as a teacher in any capacity is to create the conditions that enable relevant (or at the very least meaningful) and engaging learning and work. These words possess a distinct and critical meaning, too. This conclusion led me to another important discovery: I need to become very critical of my own practices and processes as well as those that are imposed upon…
Over the last several years, I’ve come to rely on the ARCS framework, created by Communities for Learning, for nearly all of my professional planning. I use it to establish a baseline assessment of the groups I work with, to determine entry points into our work together, to strategically plan, and to assess the influence of our efforts over time. This framework has also transformed the shape and structure of the professional learning experiences that…
“Meaning, like beauty, lies both within and outside us. The same experience might be more meaningful for some students than others because of differences in their interests, personal experiences, readiness, and existing relationship with the teacher and with what is being taught. That said, as learners, we all derive greater meaning from experiences that are engaging, relevant, and authentic.” “Meaningfulness relates to but is not the same as relevance. It concerns the extent to which…
“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles with it.” –Winston Churchill This is one of my favorite pictures from last week’s Studio sessions. It was just one small moment that tucked itself into a flurry of other activity, but this visual speaks volumes. One of the interns in our program, Nate, is conferencing with two writers in our community about their vision and their goals while a local school administrator listens in. As…
Photo Credit: Laura Stockman Summer is a time unto itself. In our family, we draw deep boundaries around the months of June, July, and August. The rhythm of our life together changes, and while the pace never seems to slow, the content of our days becomes distinctly different. It’s a disruption I long for every year–one that seems to slow me down and wake me up simultaneously. Sometimes, this feels unsettling. Over the course of…
Just hopping online quickly to share the images captured at last week’s Celebration of Writing! Congratulations to the fellows of the WNY Young Writers’ Studio for a year AND a day well spent. Thanks for sharing all that you’ve learned and helping make the day a success. See you soon!
Just a reminder….because June 5th is rapidly approaching! The WNY Young Writers’ Studio Celebration of Writing is a free event that is open to the public. Join us on June 5th as our fellows lead informal sessions on writing strategies, ideas, and technology tools. A few highlights from the draft of the day’s events: Teachers from Alden, Lockport, and Depew will be leading sessions on the use of writer’s notebooks in the classrooms, service-learning and…
Been thinking on the question I posed at the end of this post. I’m beginning to wonder if some of the more critical “21st Century Skills” that we need to foster in our kids and in ourselves include the ability to assess and effectively respond to the stress created by some of these realities….what would you add? Overwhelming choice and opportunity–because we are bombarded by options, whether it is brands of ketchup on a supermarket…