5 Minutes Uninterrupted

The image above is used under a Creative Commons attribution license - credit goes to the creator, Live Life Happy, (c) June 25, 2012 and can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/deeplifequotes/7440757078 No changes were made to the original and this is for non-commercial use. The image contains the words "The most precious gift you can give someone is the gift of your TIME and ATTENTION". 

I have 19 students so far in my Grade 6-7 class. I was fortunate enough to consult their teachers from last year to gather some insights on how I can best serve them. I really appreciated how Lisa Daley and Brenda Kim took time to share their knowledge about the students that they led last year. A common refrain was that many students did not like to ask for help, even when it was needed and even when they realized they were floundering. I had dozens and dozens of questions as I rapidly prepared for my new teaching assignment, and a huge one was how I was to offer and provide assistance to students who were embarrassed or afraid to ask for it. 

I figured out a process that would destigmatize and normalize individualized teacher-student conversations. I haven't given it an official name yet, but I alternate between calling it "Exclusive Time" or "Uninterrupted Individual Time" or just "The 5 Minutes". I introduced it to my students like this: I told them that I wanted to conduct an experiment. I realized after the first few days of school together that it was possible for me to not actually have a meaningful interchange with a student beyond just a question and short answer unless I monitored myself. I declared that I wanted to ensure that I spent 5 minutes (meaningful moments) with each student. I asked them how long it would take for me to do this with everyone in the class and some replied that it would be nearly 100 minutes (5 minutes x almost 20 students). I pointed out that this would be nearly impossible to accomplish in a single day, so my goal was to spread out these "appointments" over the course of a week. Every student would receive 5 minutes of exclusive, uninterrupted, personal time to talk with the teacher.

Some students did not like this idea at all.

"What do we talk about?"

"Do we HAVE to do it?"

I reassured them that they could decide what the topic or focus of our conversation would be, and I insisted that everyone had to have a turn. I made myself a chart on paper, half-hidden behind the interactive white board, and I wrote a 5 beside a student's name after I'd have a chat. I used my cell phone as a timer and I would declare to the class that I was "off-limits" when I was about to have one of these talks.

I met my goal. I had private, uninterrupted conversations with every single student in my class. At the end, even the skeptical, reluctant students were comfortable. Some began their allotted time by stating "I don't know what to say". They were uneasy because they had never done something like this with a teacher before, but casual questions that weren't meant to be interrogations often jump-started the conversations.

What did we talk about? Once again, I want to respect the privacy of my students, so I can't go into detail. Some asked me questions about what this school year will be like. Some used the time to express their concerns. Some shared their passions and pastimes - for example, I discovered I have several gamers in the class. Some talked about their friends. Some asked for help with current assignments. A few asked when they could have their second 5-minute exclusive time. Many expressed astonishment that the five minutes went by so quickly.

I plan to keep doing this every week. It's said that we make time for the things that are important and if I claim that building positive relationships with my students are key, then I need to prove it by devoting time to it.

Appreciations and Accessories

 Alternate title: Affirmations and Expenses

Today's blog post can't be too long. I have too many things to do in my new role as the Grade 6-7 teacher to what-started-as-24-but-changed-to-21-and-possibly-19 students. I will also need to be very selective in what and how I write this blog in the near future. I must respect the privacy of my students. 

There are just too many people to thank for all the kind words, supportive texts, DMs and emails that have been sent my way over the past two weeks. People are so encouraging and understanding. I've had so many offers of pre-designed units and lesson ideas and files curated and collected by some talented teachers that, as my friend Wendy Burch Jones has commented to me, it is almost overwhelming. I know something about myself as an educator, which I actually said in a conversation (that turned out to be an interview) - I'm like a dog; I need to pee all over a lesson plan to mark it and make it mine. That's a good and a bad trait - it would be a lot simpler if I'd be willing to follow a script, with less preparation and more guaranteed results ... but if teaching was like movie-making, I'm more of a screenwriter/method actor than just a thespian that simply shows up and delivers lines. Having said that, I really liked the activity guidelines in This Book Is Anti-Racist (it's our non-fiction read-aloud) as well as the teaching suggestions from the TDSB's Grade 6-8 Integrated Unit with an Inquiry Focus. Who wrote that resource? They need some serious thanking themselves!

The appreciations that matter most right now are ones I didn't expect to receive - from the students and parents/guardians/caregivers of Room 206. I sent a welcome letter/email to the families, based on the one sent by my teaching "partner" (we can't be partners in the truest sense because we have to stay apart, but she helps me so much with answering my questions). I got a lovely quick note from a student who thanked me for providing embedded translations in my note so her mother could understand. I also received a lengthy letter from another student, filled with questions but also with such warmth and unexpected encouragement. (I've obtained permission from her to include the first little bit of her letter here on the blog.) We had staggered entry this week and I sent some photos of my Grade 7s on their first day of school; 40% of the parents wrote back with thanks for the visuals. The Homework survey was also well-received by parents - the students were less-than-thrilled that their parents were consulted because, in their opinions, their parents are going to request that there be a lot of homework!

The students have also boosted my spirits in unexpected ways. To reduce contact, I've given students all of their individual set of supplies, including some whiteboard marker bags/erasers that I sewed myself - thanks Kiersten McBurney, aka @mrsmcb_edu on Twitter for the excellent idea!

Whiteboard kits are ready to go! Ss can use the clip to turn the whiteboard into a clipboard, the sock on a ring acts as a wipe & holds the marker, & their Plickers card is held down on the back. Hoping this helps us keep track of our materials when we take our learning outside! pic.twitter.com/OCIJnqGPB1

— Kiersten McBurney (@mrsmcb_edu) September 10, 2020

As you might expect, the students doodle on the whiteboards. What I didn't expect was that they'd doodle *about* me. (There was another board that was more specific about the student's feelings about me, but I felt like it intruded on their privacy too much to share here. This sample doesn't reveal too much about the student except that he/she/they like to do shadow lettering.)

This leads me to the second portion of my blog title - there are so many accessories to assemble, and it can get somewhat expensive! I've spent a lot already on supplies and items that will make my teaching assignment easier. I know we are told not to spend our own money but I cannot wait for the distribution centre to ship items that I required ASAP. 

Some of these items weren't technically a requirement but were helpful for making people feel valued and not forgotten.

At this point, I want to make a shout-out to all (and trust me, there are MANY of them) teachers who, whether unwillingly or by choice, are teaching virtually this year. In my school board, they are only now discovering what grades they are teaching and how many students they will have. (This information only comes from them checking their Brightspace "class shells" and finding them pre-populated with student names.) These teachers are the "forgotten ones" - cast aside and asked to wait in limbo while those fortunate enough to obtain an in-person position quickly established entry protocols, recess routines, cohort groupings, supervision schedules, and other re-opening details. As I wrote last week, I found out my teaching assignment on Thursday, September 10. That gave me 7 days to assemble my classroom, contact families, and prepare lessons. Virtual teachers find out Saturday, September 19 (if they are lucky) and begin teaching on Tuesday, September 22 - with only 4 days notice or less. They have no access to OSRs (Ontario Student Records - they indicate if a student needs accommodations or modifications, as well as their academic history) or even home phone numbers to call the parents to introduce themselves. These virtual teachers weren't even provided with much guidelines for what to do prior to this point in time. The first day of in-person school was a difficult day for many of these teachers, who ached to return to the jobs they love. Everyone, from the virtual teachers sadly following Brightspace tutorials in their empty classrooms, to the in-person teachers cautiously explaining all the new requirements to their students, to the caretakers, administrators and office assistants, received a little treat.

What else have I bought? I've purchased fabric to make the whiteboard bags/erasers, the storage bins with lids for the students to contain their supplies, rulers that won't snap like the regular school ones do, books that I can use for my language program, and satchels that can hold my hand sanitizer when I meet my students outside. I was very lucky that Dean Roberts gifted me with his voice amplification system - that's been the best investment yet, and it was free for me due to the generosity of a colleague and friend, who I am going to miss very much. Instructing while wearing a mask and a face shield makes my voice quiet and muffled, so the microphone helps a lot.

This is another selfie I took with my new paraphernalia added to my outfit. (Since this photo, I added the phone holder lanyard I got as ECOO swag a number of years ago, because my phone can't fit in the satchel.) It makes me neck/shoulders/temples tired to have so many things attached or hanging, but I really need my hands free to take attendance (with gloved hands) or complete other tasks. You can also see in the background the storage container and a few of the whiteboard bags. (I bought whiteboards before but Dean again provided me with a class set I chose to use.) 

Quick selfie on my first day with students - voice and feet are tired and brain is whirling but heart is full pic.twitter.com/kzokg2Wg4n

— Diana Maliszewski (@MzMollyTL) September 16, 2020

This post is not a "humble brag". This post lists the appreciations I've received but also extends those appreciations back to the givers - you have no idea how important those comments have been to me as a person and as a teacher. This post is not intended to itemize all the personal funds I've spent to elicit sympathy; it's an indication that there's so much more "stuff" needed to do this job safely and "effectively" (more on that word hopefully next week). Best wishes to all educators on this weird and uncharted journey!

Rollercoaster

 "Write what you feel. You can edit afterwards."

This was my husband's advice to me, after I vocalized my angst at approaching this week's blog post. Since 2009, I collect my thoughts and reflections that relate to education here. This past week has been a week unlike any other in my career. 

Last week's blog was a very deliberate "just the facts, ma'am" sort of analysis. It needed to be, and that post was the cornerstone to what evolved into a small but growing reaction to the news about school libraries in Toronto. Wendy Burch Jones appeared on CBC Metro Morning on September 9 to discuss the issue. Quill and Quire ran an article about the issue on September 10, written by Shanda Deziel. Tanya Mok, from BlogTO, covered the topic on September 12 - the lead image for that article comes from my library.

That's not the complete story. That ignores much of the inner turmoil I've felt as we've careened through these last days before we finally see students and start the 2020-21 school year. I'm one of the lucky ones. I was told about my new teaching assignment on Thursday, September 10. There are still educators out there that have no idea what they are teaching. I'm also fortunate because I will get to teach in-person, at the site where I've been on staff since 2004. I know the students that I will be with this year. Last Friday afternoon, I phoned the families to let them know that I will be their child's classroom teacher. Most of the responses were pretty positive, albeit surprised. It's quite a change, because for what seems like forever, I've been their teacher-librarian.

This is so hard. I really worried about making my feelings so transparent. I don't want my students to think that I don't want to be with them. I do, but I'm also heartbroken, and nervous, and uncertain.

I have been a teacher-librarian for my entire career. Back when I started in 1997, my first full-time contract position was split - I was a 0.5 Grade 4-5 classroom teacher in the morning and a 0.5 teacher-librarian in the afternoon. I have always been a teacher-librarian. It is a part of my identity. I feel as if something has been ripped away from me. I've already gone over how detrimental (or, I'll say it here, devastating) the removal of school libraries will be to students and to teachers. It's earth-shaking to the teacher-librarians and other school library professionals that staff them.

I've been told I'm a good teacher. My students are in capable hands. I have a wonderful support network. I am beyond blessed that I will have the Grade 7-8 teacher, and the HSP/SERT/MART teacher to be my guides.

That still doesn't alleviate the pockets of panic that punctuate random moments of my days, as realization hits me like a punch in the gut. The last (and only) time I taught intermediate math on my own to a group of students that I was entirely responsible for was in 2004. The math curriculum has completely been revamped.  I am totally unfamiliar with what is to be covered in math. My colleagues have provided me with a tower of text books but I start to sweat whenever I glance at it. There's so much to know and so little time. 

Math is one of my three big concerns. Marking is my second worry. This is a cross-division assignment, which complicates matters (i.e. social studies in Grade 6 vs history and geography in Grade 7). The intermediate grades are notoriously heavy on assessment. I've seen the intermediate division teachers at my school lug home armloads of assignments to assess. I'm a slow marker on regular days and I fear that my evenings and weekends will be consumed with evaluations.

My third preoccupation is managing the flow of the day with the same group of students. For 24 years, I'm used to planning in 40 minute chunks and seeing students for a brief time and then sending them back to their home room. I've contributed to writing IEPs as a teacher-librarian, but never written one as the primary author. I don't know how to administer traditional formative assessments like the CASI test. (Thanks to Tracy Halliday for giving me a revolutionary perspective on this - I'm trying not to cause too much disruption but I hope I might be able to take your advice!) I've never attended an IPRC (unless it was as a parent for my own child). There are so many responsibilities that a classroom teacher has that I have not had to think about before, but now I must juggle.

Self-doubt is real, and compounded by the fact that I can't rely on some of my tried-and-true activities because of stupid COVID. One of my favourite community-building activities is to play 3-Ball Pass. Can we still play it, as long as we wear gloves? We are being so cautious at my school. We've spread out the desks as best as we can in our rooms. We have marked traffic patterns in the halls and spray-painted dots on the pavement outside to show where students stand in line to enter the building. xxx It is also super-challenging to see, hear and speak properly while wearing the face shield and the face masks.

As if there isn't enough to fret about, I'm also grieving what I feel is the usurpation of our fantastic Grade 6-7 teacher. I'm taking his room and in my heart it is still his room, not mine. He would know how to deliver this curriculum, because he's done it before. Due to seniority, I'm in and he's out. I feel awful about this.

While all of this is going on, I'm also trying my best to support my fellow teacher-librarians who are floundering. Confidence in times of uncertainty draws people to individuals like moths to a flame. I realize that I can keep a pretty level head in times of crisis and exude calm even though inside I may be not as composed. (Ask me about my first day of class when I took my Mentoring AQ.) I may not know about what it means to be a Grade 6-7 teacher, but I do know how to be a teacher-librarian and have been keeping abreast of the latest developments regarding school library decisions, so people turn to me because it looks like I have answers. That's not 100% true, but I can often provide advice when I cannot offer answers.

In 2016, I wrote about stress on my blog. I've become better at noticing the signs. Lately, stress responses manifest in certain new ways. In addition to running my fingers through my hair, I massage my hands a lot. Unlike others who are suffering from insomnia, I take long naps - partly because I'm exhausted, and partly because being unconscious means I don't have to deal with the thoughts zinging through my head. I giggle nervously when I speak, and sigh a lot. I ask my son, daughter, and husband for more hugs than usual. I have more headaches, and there's tension in my neck. 

I hear on Twitter from teachers in school boards that have already resumed classes that it will get better. We will rejoice in reconnecting and somehow forge new ways of learning and being together despite all these health and safety protocols. I hope it's true. In the meantime, I thank Queen's University for giving me a project that has kept me busy but stable, Animal Crossing New Horizons for allowing me to have fun and maintain a sense of order and predictability, and my family, friends and colleagues for reaching out, even when some of them are hurting or involved with their own personal problems. 

No School Libraries

 Let's get straight to the point - in elementary schools in the largest school board in Canada, the library allocation has been removed.

I'm trying to use terms that are factual and are neither hyperbolic nor emotionally manipulative.

I'm also working very hard to describe the impact this decision will have on others, not just me (a teacher-librarian).

This is difficult to do on many levels. My OAC English teacher once told our class that it is much more understandable for an audience to grasp the awful aspects of a situation if the story is told from one individual's perspective, instead of attempting to describe the magnitude of the situation for hundreds of thousands of people. It'd be easy for me to talk about how this will impact me - but it's not about me. It's not about teacher-librarians; it's about school libraries.

Another challenge is to find the right analogy to help those who are not in education understand the ramifications. This is where I wish I could borrow the brain of Jenn Apgar, who is so skilled at coining the perfect allegory. I don't want to attempt to say it's like a Kia dealership employee having to sell Jeeps and being expected to learn the ins and outs of these new vehicles in a week. I don't want to compare it to a heart surgeon who must transition to being a cancer specialist - because I don't know how those professions work, and I don't want to be presumptuous and claim that the comparisons are legitimate. Too many individuals do this, including our own premier who has complained that grocery store employees "stepped up" and teachers need to do the same.

I got a nail in my tire on Friday (the day I learned about this turn of events). Could that work as a metaphor? Or is it just "bad things happen in sets"?

So, despite these obstacles, let me try to explain why eliminating the allocation is extremely detrimental.

As I write this post, the day before Labour Day, school personnel will have less than a week to create classes, assign teachers to classes, design timetables and schedules, and devise the particulars to their COVID protocols (e.g. fire drills, entry procedures, recess routines, lunch duties, bathroom visits, hallway flow, etc.). Many educators will be moving to teaching virtually or teaching a class that was not their original assignment. Who might help them find resources to support their students? Usually educators turn to teacher-librarians and other school library professionals. No school library staffing means no support for classroom instructors. It's a shame because teacher-librarians and other school library professionals were ideal people to help with these transitions and changes, because of their training in digital tools, copyright compliance, literacy, and collaboration skills. The changes were supposed to reduce sizes. In many cases, class sizes have not become smaller. Instead we have a lot of stressed educators uncertain about who or what they are teaching, and no one officially to help them out with their mental health and well-being or any curriculum planning.

My board shared a fantastic document called "Library Learning Commons: Considerations for September 2020 - Teacher-Librarians, Library Collections, Library Spaces" and I thank the individuals who created it. It is extremely thorough in considering all the logistics related to accessing books and resources for learning, the physical library space, and how the teacher-librarian can work within the new realities of programming/support/leadership in a school that must take COVID into consideration. The great thing about this document is that it provided several options for operations, understanding that there is no one set formula that will work for every school community. The key, however, is to have designated school library professionals to ensure Health and Safety Protocols are followed. Spaces will become unsafe if they are not adequately staffed.

What about the students? Book exchange and instruction was going to be possible, albeit altered, both for in-school learning and online or remote learning. The document called "Strategies for Schools: Student Borrowing and Return of Books from School Libraries" outlined several possibilities - but none of this is possible without a school library professional. We can't have volunteers or students run the school libraries - it's unfair and unwise.

Losing school library staffing in elementary schools will have a huge impact on the Canadian publishing industry, vendors, authors, and other literary agents. I will not be able to run the Ontario Library Association's Forest of Reading programs if I am required to teach a class of students. I will not be able to research, examine, and purchase new resources. I will not be able to book author visits, even remote ones, when my priority is the group of learners I must care for and educate, especially with a curriculum new to me.

Let me make a few things clear. I am not angry at administrators. (On the contrary, I feel terrible for principals who are faced with horrible decisions to make.) I am disappointed but not furious with my school board (or other boards that have made this decision). Other school boards have been able to arrange to retain their school library professionals (such as Peel DSB) and I am not clear why this wasn't possible to mimic elsewhere. I am also not dismissing the other incredible programs that exist - e.g. music education. (My school's music teacher is devastated. So much joy comes from making music, from singing, from putting on performances - and all of these elements have been eliminated. I wrote about the positive mental health benefits to music in my blog a few weeks ago.) The difference, I contend, is that the position of a school library profession was not only possible to uphold in this environment, but more necessary than ever because of our current COVID environment.

I'll share some of the reactions I've seen on social media to this news ...

Without Library Learning Commons, our students lose so many viewpoints on the world, ways of learning, and countless tools to support their learning - and well-being. I am so sad to hear this.

— Jimmy Steele (@broadwayprofe) September 5, 2020

A school librarian is an educator who connects our school to the best resources in our library & online. They build a collection of engaging & thoughtful learning materials for our community. They are tech experts who team teach with staff & students. We need teacher-librarians. https://t.co/DmtwEXb1j3

— Lesley Pysklywec (@KinderclassNPS) September 6, 2020

For many years as a teacher-librarian -- besides helping students & staff w/ print & electronic resources -- I've tried also to curate a space that is a centre for equity and human rights. Where children see themselves & their families. I feel the loss of school libraries deeply.

— Gordon Nore (@gordonnore) September 6, 2020

We will be fine, but as noted by many, it is a blow to the love of reading, literacy/tech initiatives, mental health, equity and school community building to not staff (and close) school library hubs. Students will be so disappointed. https://t.co/Flft0kmsj2

— Diana Will Stork (@TLWillStork) September 5, 2020

This decision is felt by the school community. Students, staff & parents will miss access to print resources, the teacher librarian’s insight & a space to meet, to collaborate and to read. #libraries

— Lisa Lewis (@MmeLisa_Lewis) September 5, 2020

Still trying to wrap my head around it...the impact is quite far reaching even beyond our own school communities (as I discussed with @scholasticCDA yesterday when I cancelled my book fair). It’s a true shame. Hugs to you- know you’re strong, but we all need support through this.

— Jen Byrne (@jenniferkbyrne) September 5, 2020

So disappointed, gutted, sad and angry. This doesn’t only impact Teacher-Librarians it impacts all students because it means no more access to print resources for the whole school community. 😔

— Larissa Aradj, OCT (@MrsGeekChic) September 5, 2020

So, now what? As tempting as it is to try and make everyone happy by keeping the school library collection open and available, this just isn't possible. 

I'm relieved to hear that people are not taking this news lightly. Different groups are organizing and attempting to make it loud and clear that they have serious objections to this plan. I do not want to reveal anything that I do not have permission to share. I will update the blog if/when I am allowed to share more information about these efforts.

And I want to thank my friends and colleagues who have reached out to me, via text, DM, tweets, and more, to check to see that I am okay. This includes (but is not limited to) Fiona H, Andrea P, Beth L, Andrea S, Diana H, Kelly I, Larissa I, Munazzah S, Jenn B, Carrie C, Denise C, Dawn T, Jess L, Michelle S, Chelsea A, Tracey T, Wendy B, and more. Like many other educators in the same boat, I do not know what I am teaching. I am grateful that I still have a job physically in a building (unlike others I know), that I am not in a financially unstable position (unlike others I know), that I currently have my health (unlike others I know), and that my spouse and children are safe. As I said at our equity training last Thursday, it is possible to recognize two viewpoints that may appear to be at odds (back then, it was that it is unfair that BIPOC educators are often expected to do the heavy lifting and lead equity training, and/but/yet, it is problematic to have white educators take the lead during equity training; right now I can state that I am unhappy with the way that school libraries have been "shelved", while simultaneously expressing how difficult it is to adequately staff schools in a safe manner.) We will survive, but at what cost?

In the meantime, enjoy virtual photos of my Webkinz school music room and school library, since you won't see some of those spaces in action for a while.

ECOO Camp ON - "Just Try"

I miss seeing my friends. The most convenient place that I'd get to see my educator friends would be at conferences. Now that conferences are all virtual, I must make do with seeing them on screens. That's better than nothing. Combined with some new learning, that's also not that bad.

This promotional image was created by TDSB teacher-librarian David Hoang. I tried to Photoshop something like it but his turned out waaaaaaay better. "Just try" seems to be the unofficial theme of the conference. The conference planners took some big risks that didn't always go off smoothly, but they were valiant in their efforts.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020
1:00 p.m.

Welcome and Directions by Mary Walker Hope, Michelle Fenn and Andrew Forgrave

Summary: Mary, Michelle and Andrew gathered us all in the "main room" for some explanations and instructions. 

Microsoft Teams was the video conferencing tool the conference was employing to connect us. I had a brief training on how to use the basics a few days prior to help me as a presenter. Everything seemed to be in place.

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

1:30 pm 

Taking The Making Online with Jen Taylor

Summary (from website): 

Just when the momentum of our new Makerspace was building, Covid-19 arrived. How do we avoid losing that excitement and recapture the desire to Make, when it’s clear that come September, we will not be building robots or decorating cupcakes together? We go online, of course! Regardless of what school looks like in the fall, we'll need an online component to our Maker world. This session will explain how we are using Google Sites, WeVideo, Jamboard and other resources to encourage more Making and creating a digital companion to our school's physical Maker Culture.

The worst thing that could possibly happen in a virtual conference happened at this moment. None of the links to the "Team Rooms" worked. Presenters couldn't enter the virtual space. Participants couldn't join the workshops. Moderators (like my friend) were in the rooms by themselves with no one else present. It wasn't a complete disaster. 

Honestly, every one who has ever had tech issues knows exactly how every second of scrambling behind the scenes would have felt. Kudos to organizers & presenters! Great modelling for those of us who will be teaching hybrid models to breathe through it and keep problem solving.

— M. Keats (@ms_keats) August 25, 2020

I agree Tim. To see how people reached out with issues and peers responded with suggestions for solutions (close tabs / refresh browsers / erase cookies / try different browsers) ... that makes me feel good and kudos to @ecooorg for grace under pressure!

— Diana Maliszewski (@MzMollyTL) August 25, 2020

I was able to get into the session around 2:05 pm. Jen was an absolute trooper. She truncated her presentation and was able to provide some helpful tips to her audience.

3 Key Points: 

1) Although it won't be the same, making opportunities can still exist. For example, metal is a decent type of material to clean, so her LLC's button maker might still be able to be used, with lots of cleaning and "rest" in between. Teachers can run the machines on behalf of the students, so fewer hands are touching the items.

2) Consider creating individualized making kits for students. 

3) Use a Google Sites to keep the maker momentum going. Show the different ways of making, like canning. Jen will do a "Feature Teacher" where she profiles a different staff member each month and their making endeavors.

So What? Now What? 

I looked at my 2019-20 scrapbook album and saw all the collaborative maker projects that happened and got a bit sad. I will need to be as creative as Jen Taylor in adapting maker tasks for my elementary aged students. Maybe I can use some of the tools that Kenisha Bynoe and Angelique Thompson gave us during the ETFO Summer Academy session they ran.

Related Images:

Tuesday, August 25, 2020

3:30 p.m.

Failing without Fear during Emergency Distance Learning - Lesson Learned; a Principal, Teacher and Parent Experience with Chad Reay, Emma Reay and Jen Apgar

There were 2:30 pm sessions but I tried very hard to space out my time on the computer so I wouldn't get screen fatigue.

Summary (from website):

Jen Apgar (21st Century Technology Coach from UGDSB - @JenApgar) will host a panel discussion with Author and Principal Chad Reay and veteran Technology Coach and Intermediate teacher Emma Reay. Using questions and ideas from Chad’s book “Failure Without Fear - An educator’s guide to supporting all students” Jen will invite Chad and Emma to share stories and answer questions about their biggest failures as educators (and parents) during the Emergency Distance Learning, how they survived and thrived and what lessons they are taking with them as they continue to fail forward through September 2020 start up and beyond

3 Key Points: 

1) This kind of minsdet needs time to build, in a safe place. Do things like use the word failure and say when things are hard, because it's not lowering the bar, it's a chance to look at what we learned from the failures.

2) The emergency distance learning situation added extra pressure on educators because they didn't have their colleagues near them or with them to laugh off failures. Even tech-savvy educators faced obstacles.

3) As Brene Brown has said, being clear is kind; it is helpful to call someone out or in. Determine their level of readiness to hear feedback because often people will say "tell me anything" but not actually be in a state or place to accept constructive criticism. Try emojis for feedback or other tools. 

"The resistors had no choice, getting on the tech boat to avoid the pandemic flood!". Love this and interesting to see how it is unfolding. https://t.co/vzCAdC8VWb

— Zoe Branigan-Pipe (@zbpipe) August 25, 2020

I admire how honest @ReayofSunshine & @Chadreay are in reflecting with @JenApgar on failures during distance learning. “Made assumptions about people’s comfort levels ... communication ... we needed to stop, reflect, ask” #ECOOcampON

— Diana Maliszewski (@MzMollyTL) August 25, 2020

Jen's analogy was spot-on and the frank talk (e.g. "banter does not translate well online") from Emma and Chad were refreshing. I got even more out of the after-chat, where Emma and Chad described the extent to which their children embrace the failure mentality and how birth order can make this challenging.

So What? Now What?

I was super-lucky that Jen Apgar chose to use trivia questions as a way to select the book winners. I actually won the book prize. My next step is very clear - I want to read Chad Reay's book, Failure without Fear: An Educator's Guide to Supporting All Students. I think I may (depending on what or who I'm teaching!) use as a thematic inquiry the concept of failure.

Related Images:

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

9:00 a.m.

Breaking the Silence: Acknowledging the Truth and Empowering Diverse Community Voices by Dr Jenny Kay Dupuis

Summary (from website): 

Jenny Kay shares her journey behind what inspired and motivated her to break the silence and create the bestselling children’s book, I Am Not a Number. Sharing her reflections on working with family, community, and the literary world, she tells stories with considerations for responsibilities, ethics, and protocols. She will share her knowledge of the power of teaching, telling, and hearing difficult stories, including ones that focus on the realities of diversity, human rights, and social justice issues through diverse literature such as I Am Not a Number, in classrooms, libraries, and community spaces.

3 Key Points:

1) Stories are so important and need to be treated as such. She consulted with her family and with her community before she decided to share her grandmother's residential school experience story.

2) Jenny felt silenced in school. The stories told did not reflect her culture positively. (She mentioned a Halloween story and the bear wore a feather headdress as his costume.) Make sure there is representation, and positive representation.

3) Do not shy away from telling difficult stories. 

👉 'not shy away from book about difficult issues; this is censorship'. Ts: trauma-informed to share stories & realities to have culturally, emotionally & physically safe/caring conversations with Ss. This will strengthen knowledge & understanding of world around them#ECOOcampON pic.twitter.com/6vEz9TKxz7

— Zélia (@ZeliaMCT) August 26, 2020

So much to take away from today's #ECOOcampON keynote with @JennyKayDupuis
Among the "What now?" suggestions was her reminder to have books where our students can see and read about their own experiences, the experiences of their community & the experiences of their classmates. pic.twitter.com/O23DbJEXPP

— Diana Hale (@dianahalezoux) August 26, 2020

So What? Now What?

One of my tweets from the session focused on how school libraries can perpetuate misinformation, like Dr Dupuis described the "Aboriginal Peoples of the Past" section in her childhood library. This is in contrast to author Jason Reynold's assertion that school librarians are the source of combating racist ideas. Both can be true. Teacher-librarians do have the ability (as Jess Longthorne said in her tweet) to make sure all voices are heard because censorship has serious consequences. The thing is, just being a TL doesn't magically turn you into an anti-racist crusader. You have to make changes and do the work. I plan on doing a diversity audit of my print collection, once I'm allowed to work in the space again safely.

Related Images:

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

11:00 a.m.

Virtual Playdates: Social Connections and Learning Through a Screen with Aviva Dunsiger and Paula Crockett

Summary (from website):

The Kindergarten Program Document supports play-based learning, so what happens when school moves online? We explored small group virtual playdates to help support social-emotional expectations, as well as linking literacy and math to learning done at home. Hear about a few of our experiences as well as talk about other virtual playdate possibilities for kindergarten and beyond. Learning starts with relationships. How might these virtual playdates help solidify them for educators, parents, and kids?

3 Key Points:

1) Pay attention to your learners. Paula and Aviva noticed that fewer students were coming to full group session and they missed socializing with each other, which is why they created group play dates with smaller numbers (maximum 6 children so everyone could see each other on the screen) and shorter time (30 minutes).

2) Use nature as much as possible, as well as your student leaders. They took virtual nature walk, near the areas the children were familiar with (which was lucky, because Paula and Aviva live close to the school region). Paula collected things which led to students bringing their own collections. The student leaders helped other students to communicate more effectively online by asking questions of each other as they played, like "How many did you use?"

3) Remember to prepare for synchronous and a-synchronous scenarios. Not every family could "attend" at the same time so they would video tape the walks for students to watch later.

So What? Now What?

I love how reflective Paula and Aviva are together. I also greatly admire their respectful collaboration. As I was listening to their talk, I had a huge AHA which I promised to share in this blog. Their experiences, with learning how to play and interact socially with young children, mirrored the situation my sister and I face with choosing activities to engage my mother in during our virtual teas. Like Aviva and Paula, my sister and I are always thinking about things like materials, silence and time on a particular task (How much is enough? How much is too much?) I sent dice to my parents' house so we could play Tenzies, but they lost the materials. We can play Connect 4 because I can handle the materials and they can see it adequately and describe where they'd like me to place their game pieces. We monitor my mother's body language and comments during games like Spot It (which we have to modify because she forgets the names of items, so one card stays constant so she knows the words), to see if she has "had enough". We've discovered that she doesn't do well with more open-ended tasks unless someone is physically present and beside her (like with the Keva Planks). I'll need to watch how Aviva and Paula continue to support their young learners online because I can use these same strategies for my mom.

Related Images:

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

1:00 p.m.

Building Community and Belonging in a Distance Learning Environment by Maxime Thompson

Summary (from website):

A positive school culture bursts at the seams with student engagement and community. When schools in Ontario closed on March 14th, 2020 a huge piece of the community puzzle ceased to exist. In this presentation, I will talk about the four parts of an individual's self - physical, emotional, social, and spiritual - a teaching and concept I have learned from Dr Nicole Bell at Trent University. In a more traditional school setting teachers are adept at fostering and cultivating these four pieces, however, with digital learning and loss of physical closeness, it is more challenging to do. I will share a strategy that I have used to bring back the sense of belonging and community in a group of students through the creation of virtual clubs. I will talk about the power of Microsoft Teams, Global Competencies, and STEAM challenges as vehicles to give students purpose, belonging, and community connections that can be lost in the virtual world.

3 Key Points:

1) There are four parts to a human being: emotional, spiritual, social and physical. The goal of education should be to address/achieve a positive level in all of these areas.

2) Distance learning led to an unbalance and collective trauma for staff and students. Community cannot be created in curriculum but in joyful pursuits like clubs and teams.

3) Using tools such as MS Teams, FlipGrid, Mindomo, Minecraft and online class notebooks, virtual clubs can help bring back a sense of belonging and purpose. Max did this with Girls Who Game.

So What? Now What?

I need to create some clubs, so that students in different classes have a chance to socialize with each other. Maybe that Roblox Club the students have been asking me for could become a reality? I will need to see if tinyurl.com/yyaaplev will work - that's where Max posted her slide deck.

Thank you Diana! https://t.co/3y8RUkgSQC

— Max Thompson (@MaxTrottier) August 26, 2020

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

6:00 p.m.

Bells and Bug-Offs: The Benefits of ACNH and Why This Doesn't Equal In-Class Play by Diana Maliszewski

Summary (from website): 

Animal Crossing New Horizons is a video game that has found unexpected popularity during the pandemic. There are many wellness benefits and natural connections to various aspects of the curriculum (media literacy, numeracy, social studies, etc.). It has also been an unexpected source of equity activism, and political/social discourse. This presentation/guided discussion highlights some of the thinking and learning possibilities to this game but also suggests an odd twist; think twice before turning it into your classroom focus. Your presenter has logged over 85 hours (and counting) of time on the game and, as a founding member of the GamingEdus, has some insights to share. (For a sneak peek, see http://mondaymollymusings.blogspot.com/2020/05/animal-crossing-new-horizons-popularity.html)

3 Key Points:

1) There are many benefits to playing video games like ACNH (sense of achievement, relaxing, set own pace, sense of control, opportunity to socialize, creativity, etc.).

2) Just because video games like ACNH have tons of curriculum connections (Language, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc.), this does not mean you must play them in class. Unlike Minecraft, ACNH is only for the Switch (a pricey console), plus there are issues around sharing, game culture vs school culture, the adult colonization and monetizing of play, and more.

3) You can still incorporate ACNH in without playing it in class. Suggestions include using your shared enjoyment of the game as a building block for building relationships with students, reading materials, options in reading, writing, and mathematical tasks, displays, etc.

What a great way to end the day at #ECOOCampON! @MzMollyTL shared all about Animal Crossing (I'm already a big fan) and gave us encouragement and caution about using video games in our classrooms! (I've decided that Animal Crossing will make an appearance in the escape room)

— Lisa Rubini-LaForest 🌈 (@RubiniLaForest) August 26, 2020

So What? Now What?

A comment by my hard-working moderator (thank you again, Jason Lay!!) made me realize that even though I felt like the "gamification vs games based learning" conversation is an old one that doesn't need to be repeated, it's actually a distinction that still confuses people. Thankfully, I had the handy-dandy analogy by Jen Apgar to use to explain difference. I had so much fun speaking with Denise Colby on the phone as my GBL consultant. The next step is that we are going to reinvigorate the GamingEdus website. Andy Forgrave (ECOO president) is now hosting the site and my promise to myself is to add more content. We may even get the old members of GamingEdus play D&D together in the future! (I also want to thank Amanda and Sarah for trouble-shooting my Teams issues. I need to figure out a way to see the chat while presenting in Teams, and I have to do this before October 23!)

Thursday, August 27, 2020

10:00 a.m.

Connecting to Learning: The Virtual School Library Learning Commons with Jenn Brown and Beth Lyons

Summary (from website):

School library professionals across Ontario utilized existing virtual library learning commons to connect with staff, students and families during distance learning. Join OSLA council members to discuss this important collaborative tool for distance learning and beyond. Topics include: creating, updating and maintaining the virtual library learning commons, using webinars, virtual content curation and discussions to better understand school wide value of a virtual library learning commons.

3 Key Points:

1) The slide deck link can be found at bit.ly/ECOOvllcR1 and bit.ly/ECOOvllcOPEN - try creative ways of approaching usual practices, like virtual genius carts, or live readings with inquiry questions posted afterwards.

2) Try to personalize interactions. For example, make a video on how to find things in the VLLC, or use other tools like Apple Clips, Adobe Spark or Screencastify to reply to a query instead of an email.

3) Equity is not a side gig- it should be part of everything you do in the VLLC and SLLC.

There were so many sessions at the same time that I wanted to see (like Centralizing Student Wellness in the Virtual Classroom and Beyond by Timea Szoboszlai and The Global Learner: Creating Cross-Curricular Units that foster STEM and 21st Century competencies by Manprit Rai and Chelly Persad) but this one was focused directly on school libraries, so how could I pass it up?

So What? Now What? 

I need to continue to reach out to the larger Ontario school library community for support and inspiration.

Related Images:

Thursday, August 27, 2020

11:00 a.m.

Anti-Racism Through Media Literacy: Online and On-Ground Classroom Approaches by Michelle Solomon and Carol Arcus

Summary (from website):

Media literacy can identify constructed social and cultural biases, but how might it also mitigate against racism? This interactive session will discover and examine the roles of social and mainstream media in racist attitudes and activity, and also as positive forces for awareness and change. Rich teaching strategies include on-ground and on-line learning approaches, and the application of key media literacy concepts as a grounding framework.

3 Key Points:

1) Great tip for online presenting > use icons so viewers can be prepared for what will be asked of them (e.g. "respond in chat" or "take notes").

2) Understand these four terms: Hegemony, Anti-racist, Decolonization, and Media Literacy.

3) Media have so many layers (e.g. the Vanity Fair cover of Breonna Tayler - painting vs magazine cover vs other representations / Breonna as more than just her death / Breonna's image for consumerism, used to sell magazines / values promoted).

 

This is such an important statement to make in this session (@JennMacBrown you would love it) Thank you @msolomonteacher @arc3 @A_M_L_ #ECOOcampON pic.twitter.com/eUEBHFyVsS

— Diana Maliszewski (@MzMollyTL) August 27, 2020

“It’s not something you just be, it’s something you must do” says @msolomonteacher about term anti-racist (and don’t forget the joy; it’s not all doom and gloom) #ECOOcampON pic.twitter.com/JKhXPMsh3N

— Diana Maliszewski (@MzMollyTL) August 27, 2020

I didn’t know this piece either. I’ve been to see his house with my classes, I will have to include this from now on. https://t.co/CXjFtkUC8g

— Helen Lambert-Denis (@HelenLambertDen) August 27, 2020

"if we only look at the surface, we don't see the whole picture". How often have you thought about what the street signs in your neighbourhood convey? @msolomonteacher #antiracism #WOWECOOcampON #ECOOcampON

— Lisa Noble (@nobleknits2) August 27, 2020

So What? Now What?

I'm lucky that I know and am involved with AML. I'll continue to learn from their amazing members and ensure that my media lessons are opportunities to address inequities.

Appointments (as a moderator for a TDSB webinar and to get my hair cut) presented me from seeing several anticipated sessions. I'm making a list here so that I make sure I return to the recordings to hear their wise words.

• More Than a Selfie: Exploring Identity Through Photography by Tina Zita
• BOBs: Sure Things in Unsure Times by Noa Daniel
• Creating a Digital Toolkit to Support and Engage Literacy Learners by David Hoang and Casely Macdonald
• Taking An Extra-Curricular Online: My experience to help students stay connected during emergency remote learning by Nadine Osborne
• Teaching Students to be Critical Evaluators of Online Content by Ash Dwight

I only made it back in time for the last ten minutes or so of the closing keynote, which is why I'll refrain from giving it the usual "Summary / 3 Key Points / So What Now What" treatment.

Better late than never! Made it in time to hear “I want to create the box” and a Licks Burger reference (I loved that place) #ECOOcampON pic.twitter.com/WKdIoAzT1Q

— Diana Maliszewski (@MzMollyTL) August 27, 2020

Again, thank you so much to Mary, Michelle, Andy, all the committee members, all the presenters, all the moderators, all the vendors and all the attendees for making this risk a risk worth taking. 

#tdsbbt2020 Board PD? Why not?

On Tuesday, August 18, 2020, I was glued to my computer for most of the day. It was due to the Toronto District School Board's Beginning Teacher Conference.

Part of me was unsure that the event would still take place. After all, many educators don't know what they will be teaching (or even where). Why continue with professional learning when the sands are shifting so rapidly that we don't know if we are coming or going? I was glad that the event proceeded as planned.

The first element of #tdsbbt2020 that I was grateful for was the opening keynote. Cornelius Minor spoke to us from New York City and gave us words of hope and encouragement. He addressed our COVID reality and didn't ignore it. He told his audience that there is no one best way to address anti-racism work but that key components of any successful approach includes self-work, systemic awareness, active change making and powerful teaching.

One of his slides said "We are allowed to be angry, sad, unsure and scared. These things are human and appropriate. We don't have to get over it. We don't have to get used to this. We can change this reality." This statement was so liberating. We aren't denying our feelings but we are working on change for the better. He reminded us about all the positive changes that have occurred before and during the COVID crisis - things like demanding more diverse and inclusive books, using UDL (Universal Design for Learning) and CRRP (Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy) to improve our teaching practice, and examining our own biases and how schools mirror and perpetuate the same "isms" in society. He didn't let us off the hook, though. He says that we still have a long way to go and he has a theory as to why we haven't advanced as far as we possibly could.

I was torn between trying to just soak in his words and trying to capture his message so that I wouldn't forget it. I tweeted a few thoughts as he spoke using the #tdsbbt2020 hashtag to collate everyone's ideas. I wasn't the only one impressed with what Cornelius had to say.

“Beliefs that we would never say aloud but that have been part of teaching for generations” - thank you @MisterMinor for naming these ideologies that are pervasive and not acknowledged #tdsbbt2020 @ReshmaSomani @jenniferwatt65 (you don’t have to work to deserve recess or art) pic.twitter.com/2zxcTnt9E0

— Diana Maliszewski (@MzMollyTL) August 18, 2020

I don’t want to welcome you with platitudes, says @MisterMinor to new @tdsb educators at #tdsbbt2020 - he provides “imagination protocols” for us to serve our students; it is our moral obligation @ReshmaSomani @jenniferwatt65

— Diana Maliszewski (@MzMollyTL) August 18, 2020

"As a teacher, our job is to meet our Ss where they are and grow them into knowing" No such thing as they "should know" these things. Important point to remember as we start this scary school year. Thank you @MisterMinor for a moving and inspiring message! #TDSBBT2020

— Bonnie Tran (@MsTranClass) August 18, 2020

I've savoured Mister Minor's ideas before - I read his book We Got This and reflected at length on his statements and suggestions. My big thrill was that he now follows me on Twitter! Yippee!

You may wonder why I was at a Beginning Teachers' conference in the first place - after all, this September will mark my 24th year as a permanent contract teacher. I was lucky enough to hear Cornelius because I was helping to provide workshops. 

The morning session I was involved with was called "It's All Political: Media Literacy and our Texts, Talk and Teaching". I co-presented with Sarah Baynes from the Association for Media Literacy. The two hours flew by and the participants were active, thoughtful and insightful. If you want proof, all I have to do is show you this screen shot I took of the Jamboard, where participants listed some of the resources, found on www.aml.ca, that they planned on using in the fall, in whatever teaching situation they were given.

I want to thank Victoria Lau for taking this photo below and sharing it via Twitter. We recorded the session and will share the file with the participants later this week, but it was nice to see what the experience actually looked like from a different angle. Thank you so much to Sarah for doing a fantastic job presenting and to all the people who chose to attend this session!

 

Thank you @MzMollyTL and @A_M_L_ for sharing your experiences and resources in thinking about #equity as we unlearn, learn, and relearn about the media everywhere-lots to question and reflect upon.#TDSBBT2020 pic.twitter.com/FMu6XD214v

— Victoria Lau (@msvlau) August 19, 2020

After a quick lunch break, we were back again with a different workshop scheduled. This one had a lot of "moving parts" - a shared slide deck, two moderators, and seven panelists! Just like the morning, I was delighted with how well it went.

The session was called "Teacher-Librarians: Together with You on the Anti-Bias Education Journey". We deliberately did not record this session, because this was a workshop filled with personal stories and experiences that could not be simply consumed outside this special frame and time. 

I am deliberately not using the phrase "I am proud of the team" - one, because pride is a sin and two, because I cannot take any credit or claim their successes as my own. I am, however, absolutely thrilled and wowed with how the session went. There were so many powerful testimonies shared and so much wisdom in the room. Andrea Sykes, the TDSB Program Coordinator for Library and Learning Resources, commented afterwards that she wished that more people, and not just new teachers, were able to experience that workshop. We will have to investigate to see if we can make that possible.

Huge thanks to Moyah Walker, Jennifer Derr, Karen Devonish Mazzotta, Salma Nakhuda, Diana Will Stork, Rabia Khokhar, Kim Davidson, and Ian Lawrence for giving so much of your time and yourselves to this endeavor. Some of these individuals presented for the very first time and did a great job. Everyone on the panel at some point expressed some level of "who, me?" uncertainty but the combination of people was excellent and everyone contributed to some great learning. Thank you also to the small but appreciative and understanding audience that attended this session. 

I cannot end a reflection on the TDSB Beginning Teachers Conference without a shout-out to Reshma Somani. Reshma is the outgoing TDSB Program Coordinator for English, Literacy and Teaching and Leading Learning (did I get that long title correct?). We have never met in person and have only started talking to each other this past June when this conference started to take shape, but I am so grateful that our paths have crossed. Reshma worked tirelessly on this project (even during the summer, when she was supposed to be "off the clock"). We appreciate the resources that everyone involved will receive and we appreciate the learning that happened. Thank you Reshma (and Jennifer Watt and everyone else who helped make the day a success, despite the uncertainties in this coming school year.)