Avoid the Summer Slide

Reading:

SYNC is a audiobook program for teens 13+. Sign up and listen to many titles for free between May 5th and August 17th

PBSkids.org offers lots of interactive games for young learners

ABCya.com has reading activities for students in grades K-5

Funbrain.com reads stories of various levels out loud and has activities to play as well

National Geographic has wonderful, colorful stories and games

Writing:

Get a Pen Pal!  The International Pen Friends website allows you to sign up to get pen pals from around the world!

A wonderful list of writing prompts for rainy days and creative writers

Math:

The great activity to do that involves math is cooking!  Go to the local farmer’s market and whip up something in the kitchen for dinner - real life skill!

Plan a trip - Use google maps to plan a day trip.  Calculating distances is another real life skill!

Cool Math Games - tons of logic, math and skills games - all FREE

Hooda Math - free math games for all ages K-12.  

iXL - fee attached to this, but links to common core for students in grades K - 8. (math and ELA)

Virtual Field Trips:

Global Trek

Hershey’s Factory, Hershey PA

Museum of Natural History

Cities of the World

Incentives:

Barnes and Noble offers students a free book if they track what they read throughout the summer

Chuck E Cheese - Read 2 weeks and get 10 free tokens!

Half Price Books - Read 300 minutes in June and July and get a $5 voucher for books each month.

Check out your local public library- most offer summer incentive programs including free bikes, baseball games and food!

AND just for fun….FREE BOWLING!  

Would love to have others share their resources!!!

Kindness Matters

I recently wrote about my Dad, who was, and will always be, my idol.  He told when I graduated with my first master’s “It doesn’t matter how many letters you have behind your name, or how many people know your name, if you're a jerk, that’s all people will remember about you”.  WOW.  Kindness matters.  How true is that?

This week I received an award from a student recognizing me for being an outstanding educator. When calling his mom to thank her she said he calls me his “school mom”. This alone means the world to me.  Mom and I both started choking up as she shared stories of things that I had did or said to her or him this year.  None of them monumental in my opinion, just things that needed to be done, but it made me realize the impact that a person can have on a person.

I then started thinking about some of the amazingly kind things that others have done for me recently.

• The wife of my internship mentor @CharityDodd sent an email on my behalf for a job that I had applied for.  I haven't had the opportunity to meet her, but her taking the time to do this and help me shows her extreme kindness and willingness to help others. Kindness matters.

• My #CompelledTribe leader @jon_wennstrom has been so supportive this year. Again, someone I haven’t personally met, but someone I know that I can reach out to with questions and that will answer me with honesty and concrete advice.  Kindness matters.

• I think about my new friend @meremendoza1 who sends me daily messages of inspiration and encouragement.  “Hang in there”.  “Thank you for what you do”.  She inspires me by raising a family of ten, and STILL finds time to make sure that I am okay!  Kindness matters.

• My OSU professor @abanthony2 who emailed me a letter of encouragement. Rarely do you see a professor become someone you consider a friend. I am lucky to be supported by someone who believes in me and wants to help me in my next professional journey. Kindness matters.

All of these things make me think of what I can do to help others.  Leading into the summer I am going to make sure that people know I care and I'm willing to help. I'm willing to send a letter a reference, make a phone call, make a connection, meet a friend for lunch. Whatever it takes, because kindness matters.

Who Inspires You?

I just spent the entire day at a Special Olympics track meet. I saw athletes of all ages and abilities competing in running and field events despite the windy, cold Ohio weather.  These athletes were happy, ready and motivated to do their very best in every event they were in.  Many waited hours on the infield huddled together with us in blankets, but you never heard one negative word.  Just laughter and stories.  These athletes INSPIRE me.

As I was driving home with a happy, full heart, I couldn’t help but to reflect on others who have inspired me.  

My Dad, James Pierpoint - My dad never went to college, had no college degree, but was the smartest man I’ll ever know. I lost my dad six years ago this month and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him.  There’s rarely a day that I don’t wish I could pick up the phone and ask “What do you think about…”  “Did you hear...” “Can you believe…”. He'd have the answer.

My dad taught me from a very young age that I was going to have to fight a little bit more than everyone else if I wanted to succeed.  He never let me give up or quit trying. Those who truly know me know that accomplishing things such as swimming, tying my shoes, and riding a bike didn’t come as easy as they may for everyone else.  He instilled the “don’t feel sorry for yourself or let others feel sorry for you” mantra that I still carry today.

At my dad’s funeral, there was a line out the door of people waiting to say their final good-byes.  The funeral director later told us he was outside directing traffic! I realized that day that my dad inspired many people. I will never be close to the person my dad was, but I continue to be inspired by his words and my memories of him.

My Aunt, Barb Leeper -  My aunt is often referred to as the Rose Kennedy of the Pierpoint Clan.  She keeps us all together and has through some pretty difficult family struggles. She never waivers, never loses her calm, and keeps everyone focused and together.

Aunt Barb has always been “my favorite”.  Although I didn’t see her very often, I loved spending weekends and summers with her.  She and my uncle were both educators.  Together they showed me the love of education.  I remember my aunt driving to Columbus to get her administrator's degree, and then her superintendent's license.  I thought, I’m going to do this some day.  I was lucky to be able to see more of her when I was in undergrad, because my college was pretty close to where she lived.  Dinners with her proved that I was doing the right thing.  

As I became a teacher and as I worked on my administrative license, she has constantly supported me, bought me books and sent letters encouraging me on.  Although she’s retired now, I know that I can still call her and ask for her advice and support.  She will ALWAYS be my educational inspiration!

My Mentors - Dr. Susan Sears, Dr. Belinda Gimbert, Bobby Dodd, Sherri McCaul, Dianne Ryan and Bob Searles

I would NOT be where I am today without these education icons! Each of them has had an impact on me and has bettered me as a teacher, counselor and aspiring administrator. All of my mentors have shown what dedication and excellence looks like and have always motivated me to try harder and push myself further.

I may not reach the greatness of any of them either, but if I can inspire another educator they way they have, then I will at least feel purposeful and feel that what they have taught me was valued and appreciated!

I’m lucky to have, and had, ALL these people in my life.  I’m better because of each of them.  I can’t wait to meet the next person who influences me in such a way that I can add them to my list of inspirational people!

I encourage everyone to take a minute and think of someone or something that inspires you, and take just a few minutes to acknowledge them.  For the last 30 days I have been doing daily “shoutouts” celebrating others and it truly has been the best!  A kind word goes a long way!

What Makes a Great Teacher?

When thinking about Teacher Appreciation Week I decided to go to the experts, my students, and ask them their thoughts on what makes a great teacher.  The happiness I saw on their faces as they recalled memories of teachers and thought about great things teachers do proves that we are making a positive impact!

What makes a good teacher?

"A teacher needs to be entertaining and interested in what they are teaching.  We don’t want to watch videos every day or just listen to you read something.  We want you to sound like you like what you are doing."  AG ~ 10th grader

"They bring life stories into the lessons - something that relates. This helps me understand the lesson and remember it more" - SP ~ 10th grader

"They don’t have favorites.  We pick up on your body language." - JR ~ 9th grader

"Instead of saying “What are you going to do to fix your mistake?” great teachers gives us options and helps us through the process.  There is a reason we made the mistake." - IM - 10th grader

"A good teacher can be funny and have a good sense of humor, but they also know when to draw the line with students and make them tow the line in their class."  -  IB - 9th grade  

"Teachers that make personal connections and share personal stories about their families and lives makes the class feel more like a family than a bunch of students just sitting together in a room.  The sharing of our life stories with each other makes a better learning connection." -  MF - 9th grader

"Teachers that try to figure me out as a person are the ones I respect most.  They care about my health, my grades, and my personal life." -  DR 9th grader

"A teacher that I can trust and tell things to is important to me" - DB 9th grader

"A good teacher is nice to everyone, not racist, and gives people a chance.   Listen to the students and be reasonable with the students - be fair.  If you don’t like kids, you shouldn't be a teacher." - LA - 9th grader

"A great teacher is someone you know you can trust and that will be there when you need them." - CC - 10th grader

"A teacher that understands how we feel and can relate to what we go through as we deal with drama, problems, and friends in high school is a pretty good teacher in my opinion."  - MZ 9th grader.

"The best teacher I ever had put herself in my shoes. She would give me advice and she’d share personal similar situations that she had been through.  She was very understanding." - LR -10th grader

"No matter how the student acts or what they choose to do, the teacher doesn’t give up on them.  The teacher keeps encouraging the student to be their best even when they are at their worst."  - AG 10th

"A great teacher will take the time to work with you one-on-one when you can’t figure something out." - SC 9th grader

"The teacher tells you the truth even if it hurts. It made me realize I had to get my act together." - AP - 10th grader

"Great teachers go above and beyond for students that need an extra push. My favorite teachers teach because they want to, not because they have to."  - JK 11th grader

And the one that brought me to tears….

“That’s you Miss P. You care about me more than I care about myself sometimes.  Even when I act like a fool you don’t stop giving up on me”  - MU - 11th grader

Attitudes are Contagious!

Attitudes are contagious.  Is yours worth catching?

The end of the school year is upon us.  That may mean state testing, end of the year tests, observations, data collecting, meetings, rehearsals, and the list goes on and on. It’s a stressful time. You see it in your colleague's faces.  Time is stretched, and patience is being tested.  It’s been “that kind of day”.  You hear “How many more days?”

I admit, there are some days that aren’t as stellar as others, but I’ve decided that rather than counting down days, I’m going to make each of these remaining days count.  I’m not going to let the email bother me, nor will I let the remark turn my whole day upside down.  I won’t let the negativity consume me of what I want to accomplish.  I WILL find the positive in each day.

I won't drown in the end of the year rush. I will reflect on those who have helped me become a better, stronger person and I’m going to share with them why or how they have had a positive impact on me.  I’m going to celebrate others and cheer on their successes.  I’m going to encourage others and be as supportive as I can.  

Be ready - you just may be on the receiving side. Hopefully I can make someone's day a little brighter.

Are you doing the most for YOU?

At the end of the school year last year a 6th grade student proudly walked in with a beautiful potted peace lily for me.  I brought it home and watered it all summer and watched it grow and grow.  I knew I needed to replant it in another pot for it to thrive.  I did, and have continued to water it and watch it grow throughout the winter.  As I was watering it last weekend I realized that it once again needs a bigger pot in order for it to continue to flourish, bloom and grow.  

Much like my special peace lily, in order to grow and thrive, educators have to be actively participating and seeking out ways to learn and better themselves and their schools.  There are multiple opportunities for growth available if we seek them out.  Although beneficial, and important, professional learning doesn’t mean you have to seek out a conference or a workshop.  You can find the opportunity to learn from someone every day of the week.

Teacher Based Teams / Personal Learning Communities

Most of us are part of a Teacher Based Team (TBT) or a Personalized Learning Community (PLC) within our district.  We need to utilize this time we are given as true professional growth time for ourselves and our students. We need to look at data, share ideas with one another and give feedback for improvement.  I value time spent learning from my colleagues; encourage your building to have collaborative TBT/PLC share time where the entire staff can hear what each group is doing.

Social Media

I utilize social media daily.  Twitter has been instrumental in my professional growth this year. Reading articles from Ed Weekly or Edutopia keeps me on the front line of what is happening in education.  Additionally, following some of the most influential educators and leaders across the U.S. allows me to see what they are doing in their schools and gives me the opportunity to reflect on how I can do the same in my school.  Reading blogs of these same educators and leaders are the key to being successful.  I have mentioned many on my blog before, but you can find a large list of great leaders and educators with outstanding blogs from my homepage under the Compelled Tribe link.

Chat Groups

Participating in chat groups are crucial if you want to connect and learn with others.  You find these groups on Twitter about every day and for every area you can think of.  Teach science - there’s a science chat.  Teach special education, there’s SpEd chat.  Most states have their own weekly chats as well.  Topics vary each week, but the connections and ideas that are shared in these groups are some of the best.

Educational Service Centers

Ohio has Educational Service Centers (ESC) across the state that services school districts by offering professional development and resources.  Most of these offerings are free of charge to their participating school districts.  Consultants within the ESCs will also visit schools and offer resources and support to teachers and staff.  Their goal is to help support the students and teachers within the locality.  I have utilized my local ESC multiple times and the information I have received has been top notch.

I would love to hear from others what resources you use to grow professionally. Growth happens when we learn together!

6 Tips for making the most out of your internship/student teaching year

As I come to the end of my school administration internship I have started to reflect on what I did differently this time than the previous times as an intern and as a student teacher.  I fully believe that we must grow and help one another, so hopefully I can offer some tips that made my most recent internship experience a valuable learning opportunity.

Use social media

Joining Twitter has been one of the best educational choices I have made. Building a Personal Learning Network (PLN) will help you grow as an educator and as a professional.  You must connect with others in the field.  Joining chat groups is instrumental.  You will connect and meet others in the field and learn from their experiences and knowledge.  Some great chat groups include #satchat, #edchat, #edbeat, #TEDEdchat.  Most states have their own chats too - I’m partial to #ohedchat. Then find one that specifically relates to you: #spedchat, #apchat, #leadupchat.  You can easily find a chat every night.

You can also utilize other forms of social media - Instagram, Facebook, Voxer (Voxer offers a lot of interactive chat groups as well). There are great videos on YouTube you can use in your classrooms and schools. Find the time to learn from these free resources!

Read, Read, Read

Yes, more than likely you’ll be reading for classes that you’re taking, but you need to read more than that.  It is important to know the pedagogy behind what you are studying, but you need to know the practical side as well.   There are great, quick reads from people in the field that will improve what you do on a daily basis.  You can find short articles from Ed Week and Edutopia.  Educator’s personal blogs are another great resource (see below).  Again, make the time to improve and grow yourself.

Blog

There are hundreds of great educators and leaders that write phenomenal blogs about personal experiences, educational insights, current issues in education, and tips and strategies for innovation. They do this to help others grow.  These educators and leaders are the same ones that you see at national conferences! You can learn from them each week by simply following their blogs.  Here are just a few that I personally follow (again, found through Twitter): Bobby Dodd, Neil Gupta, Jennifer Hogan, Jimmy Casas, Craig Vroom, Jonathon Wennstrom, George Couros.  Each of these blogs will lead you to many more.  

You should also try blogging yourself.  I am just beginning my blogging journey, and recently joined a blogging tribe #compelledtribe.  Even if you're not at the same level as the above mentioned leaders, you have experiences to share and a story to tell.

Connect with Others

This is more than connecting with others through social media, this is actually face-to-face time connecting with others.  More than likely you will do your required internship / student teaching time in a designated location with a designated mentor.  That’s not enough.  It’s unlikely that your job will be in the exact position you're assigned to.  Stretch yourself - during planning time, visit other grade levels and/or departments. Days off; not this year.  Visit schools that are open.  I emailed principals at all levels this year and asked if I could shadow them for a day.  A good leader/teacher won’t deny you an opportunity to learn. Observe and work with as many people as you can so you can see as many aspects to the job as you can. 

Journal

Start a personal journal.  Reflect on things that you see in your school or other’s classrooms.  Reflect on what you read about.  Write about what you want to try or accomplish when you get the job of your dreams.  When you see or read about something great, write it down.  Write down all the advice and strategies that you hear from others. Take pictures and put them in your journal.  Inspirational quotes are great too!

Find A Mentor

This by far is the best advice I can offer.  Do some research.  Who are experts in the field you are going into?  Reach out to these people and ask if they would be willing to work with you and mentor you. You may be placed with a teacher or a leader, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find further opportunities on your own.

I literally sent out an email to my now mentor last spring.  I simply asked if he’d be willing to work with me in an untraditional internship setting. Exceptional leaders who are passionate about their profession will want to work with you and build the profession.  A great mentor may be one you don’t see every day or even every week, but one that you can email or message with “Help!”, “What if…” “What do you think about…”.  A great mentor is honest and won’t provide “fluff”, but truthful advice that makes you think and will move you forward to your ultimate goal.

This is your year, make the most of it.  It will be exhausting, time consuming, and draining, but if you feel those things, it’s also likely you’re moving in the right direction!

Good luck!

You have to try to GROW!

A year ago, I sadly couldn’t even tell you how to “tweet”.  That was for people a lot cooler than me.  A blog?  Ummm... that’s what journalists did right?  An EdCamp?  Do I have to sleep in a tent?  EdChat groups?  Aren’t chat groups what college kids participate in that aren’t really appropriate??????

That was a year ago, and I have grown leaps and bounds! I found a mentor that introduced me to all these types of communicating. I am super excited to now be part of the Compelled Blogging Tribe to grow and learn with other educators and leaders across the United States.

I have to admit that I went into all of these new types of learning and growing slowly, and that’s ok!  I attended my first EdCamp last summer and just listened and watched, but I connected with people and started to follow them on Twitter. I then started participating in EdChat groups by watching at first. I then realized we all have different perspectives and the chat groups are great places to share these.  I grow and learn the most through these!

I then hesitantly started a blog.  “No one is going to read it” I thought, “I don’t have important/breakthrough ideas to share”.  But I reframed my thinking and kept going.  EVERYONE has a story.  EVERYONE has something to share.  We don’t have to be scholars, we just have to be willing to share and be willing to learn and grow with others.  

So, here I go.  I encourage my friends to do the same - it's ok to start slow, but don't be afraid to try.  I may not be a tech genius (still can’t figure out Voxer), but I’m excited to share my story and learn and grow from others!

Happy Blogging!!

Inspirational Leader

I just learned that an exceptionally great administrator I once had passed away.  My heart is heavy and I started reflecting on all the great things about him that made him a great leader.

Bob was a man of integrity. You knew where he stood on issues, but he always welcomed dialog between staff.  Under his leadership was probably the only time I’ve worked as a teacher where the teacher and administration had a healthy, striving, collaborative relationship. We were there to support one another.  There was no pointing fingers or blame, we worked together to better the school and help the students and each other. There was no divide between us, we were a family.

I can recall many vivid images of Bob eating at the lunch table with students, tying shoes, giving hugs to kids as they got off  the bus, high fiving down the hallway, pushing wheelchairs, putting band aids on boo-boos, playing kickball in the gym, dressing in costume at Halloween (different every year!), and drying tears.  

As a leader he did the same for staff; dried tears, advocated for resources, gave constructive feedback, brought in treats for long nights or just as a thank you. Yes, this was before OTES, but he made time for us.  If something was wrong he talked with us, not to us.  You never felt attacked or less of a person by him, you felt motivated to do better and wanted to do more.  He encouraged us to follow our dreams.  He shared personal stories. He made school feel like home.

It was Bob that encouraged me to go back to school and work on my master’s in school counseling. “You can do this”, “I will help”.  And he did.  He’d email me links to articles he had read, helped connect me with people in other districts to talk to and to shadow for a day.  He even mock interviewed me and gave me tips.  I literally was in tears when I had to resign to fulfill my yearlong internship commitment.  He hugged me and said “you’ve got this!” and sent me on my way with a beautiful letter and a letter of recommendation. I still have both letters and I will always treasure them.

I ran into Bob a few years later when he came to my new school - both of us in new positions.  I was thrilled to see him of course and told him how much of an inspiration he was to me.  Both being in a hurry, we went our ways.  The next time I saw Bob was at my father’s funeral.  Yes, he read the newspaper, made the connection and came to support me. I was moved to tears (as I am once again as I type this).  Again, I thanked him for being who he was and promised myself to really take the time to show my appreciation of him.

Then I heard this news.  I missed my opportunity, but I have learned an extremely valuable lesson.  First, to appreciate every lesson learned from those you respect and admire.  To write them down and practice and incorporate the lessons daily in your life.  But most importantly, to tell those people why they made a difference, to take the time to thank them, to honor them.

We need more leaders like Bob.  Thank you Bob - I hope to someday be as exceptional as you!

Spread the Word to End the Word

I look forward to the first Wednesday in March every year.  It is special to me because it celebrates special people.  It’s not a Hallmark holiday, but maybe should be.  Most don’t even know what the first Wednesday in March represents…

Spread the Word to End the Word.

The “R” word.  

Although it’s definitely not as common anymore, I cringe when when I hear “that’s retarded” or hear a person referenced as a “retard”.  Say it around me and more than likely we’ll have a conversation.

I work with special needs students, and have for the past 17 years of my incredible teaching journey.  I can’t imagine not working with these magnificently, differently abled students. They bring joy to my life and make me a better teacher and person.  

I encourage everyone to celebrate March 2nd this year and pledge to Spread the Word to End the Word.  Spend time with some differently abled students, let them bring sunshine into your world. Share a video with your class, promote it within your school. Take the lead in ENDING THE WORD!

You can find many great resources at  www.r-word.org