My Thing

So today, along with 215 other educators, I sat and learned from Cris Tovani.  We sat and learned together for an entire day.  While I was sitting there, I wondered what non-teachers would think of watching over 200 adults geeking out over literacy and thinking about how we can best help our students to learn.

There is a saying for people who drive Jeeps, "It's a Jeep thing, you wouldn't understand."

Today, I would have to adopt this saying and say, "It's a teacher thing, you wouldn't understand."

I am guessing all walks of life and vocations have their  ________ thing.  When thinking about it, I know beer drinkers, beer brewers, beer memorabilia collectors, and antique beer item collectors have their conference.  As do people that geek over Star War, Star Trek, and other Outer Space shows and movies.  There are comic geeks, music geeks, and even people who geek out over collecting live amphibians.

I guess what I am saying is, if it is "Your Thing", it doesn't matter what others might think about it.  The world is a wonderful place when we can dive into our interests, have our own celebrities (yes, in education we have celebrities like Cris Tovani, Carol Jago, Kelly Gallagher, Penny Kittle, and the list goes on and on), and spend countless dollars on what means so much to us in our world, and our lives.

There is also room for us to be proud of our "Thing" and any accomplishments that we have had as we practiced our "Thing."

For me, today, it was seeing my name on a board listing the past presidents of the educational council that I belong to...the Secondary Reading League.

Yes, that is my name on that board.  Pretty cool...to me.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Time with Mentors

I get to see one of my favorite mentors tonight and tomorrow...

The Literacy Expert, Cris Tovani!

The Secondary Reading Council of Illinois is having its annual Literacy Conference tomorrow and as Past-President of the organization, I will help to welcome over 200 educators from over 5 states to this incredible affair.

I have been following the work of Cris Tovani since becoming a teacher.  I have had the wonderful opportunities to learn from her in person at least 10 times.  We have become friends in the past few years and she has become one of my writing mentors for writing professional development oriented books and articles.

Tonight, I get to catch up with her and go to dinner with the board of our council and Cris as our guest of honor!

One of many perks of being extra involved in the wonderful world of education is getting to know and learn from people like Cris.  I can also include Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher to this list.  If you are not aware...these are all A-Listers!

I am thankful for these opportunities as they teach me so much, they inspire me, and motivate me to be the best educator, writer, and ME that I can be.  As I learn from these inspirations, I give back by teaching and mentoring others.

I really appreciate professional development as it fills my cup.  It gives me the energy and get my creativity fueled to get through the year as intentionally as possible.  Having PD at the end of November is an added bonus as it gives the needed push during the most difficult time of the year to be an educator.

I plan on really enjoying and learning tomorrow...

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Almost that time

333 Days ago, I set out to live true to my one-little-word for 2018..."Persist"  I decided on this word to push my writing and be more intentional in sitting down and writing, daily. 

There is a pad of paper in my house that says, "Write Daily" that somehow appeared today.

I have lived this mantra for now, 333 Days!

As I have promised myself the gift of finishing the daily writing for an entire year (365 days), I am finding myself becoming increasingly more eager to refocus my writing, my writing routines, my writing schedule, and my writing mindset.

I am chomping at the bit of getting to book writing.  My hunger is growing by the day.  I thirst to sit down and write for the long-term.  It is on my mind all day, everyday.  It is in my dreams.

Why wait?

The daily practice is what truly has lead me to this point of readiness.  I want to hold on to my promise, my accomplishment, my one little word.

As the days progress and I am able to get more time in...I plan on sharing my writing time between my blog and my book until the book all but replaces my blog time.  My goal is one blog post a week for 2019.

As I stew within the ideas of writing, I am plagued by one larger decision.  What am I going to write first?  I am not one to start a new project until one is complete.  I am sure it will work this way for writing as I want to steep in the ideas that I have until the book is a reality. 

Do I have book projects on the burner?  Yes, at least three.  Yes, people are waiting.  But...the writing thing has become more about my love for writing than the finished product that someone waits for.  It is not about doing it for an editor or publisher....It has become about me satisfying myself as a writer.

THIS, is how much I have grown as a writer in the past 333 Days.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

This IS my problem

I had a student come to me complaining about one of her classes.  I explained, as I always do, that I do not want to hear teacher bashing, but I will listen to her concerns.

She explained that she doesn't feel hear by her teacher.  That this teacher gives everyone a very strict and same answer to students when they come to her for help. 

She tells them to, "ask another student that gets it, I already taught this to you."

I am not okay with this response for many reasons.  I am very reflective, so the first thing that I do when a student has a concern is to try to complaint on...in other words, I ask myself if I do that.  Ummm, NO!  I would never think this, let alone say it to a student.

My concern for the students in this class is that the teacher is-

...Not teaching with clarity.

...Not being flexible.

...Not listening to the needs of the students.

...Not willing to give extra help to those that ask for it.

...Not differentiating lessons.

...Not teaching for the students, but instead, teaching for herself.

This idea of "I covered it and now I am done" is such a traditional and old school way of looking at one's self as a teacher...I am very surprised that this is being done.

Of course, I would not jump to believe a student concern based on a single student...but in this case, the student was joined with at least a dozen other students that are in the same class with similar if not exactly the same concerns.

What can I do?

I can encourage these students to talk with the teacher and let them know of their concerns.  I can also offer my time to try to help them to the best of my ability as I am not one to say or think, "This is not my problem."  Instead, I am one to say or think, "This is my solution..."

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Last four weeks

I have not been with my students for almost a week due to the holiday and snow day.  What does that mean?  Either my students are going to be sleepy zombies or off of the wall crazy.

Breaks in learning for my learners have always posed a challenge.  I am not sure if non-teachers realize the impact of transitions into and out of breaks.  It is not easy...

Students are out of practice for the school schedule including wake up and sleep times.

Students are out of practice with regards to focus.

Students are out of practice with the use of their minds and critical thought.

Students are needing the momentum of rigorous learning back.

Students are eager to whine about the amount of work we are putting on them.

In this case, as there are four weeks until the next break...which is a two week break with three weekends- Students are already looking ahead to the break and less willing to take advantage of this time to tackle continuous good learning.

So, what does this mean?

It means that I will have to be extra alert.  I will have to be positive and engaging.  I will have to motivate with energy as I express the value of this time that we have together.  Some teachers tend to hold grades over students' heads as these four weeks end in finals and final grades for the semester.  I do not believe that this motivates students.  In fact, I believe that this overwhelms students causing them to shut down and take on a defeatist mindset.  I will not do this to my students.

We must be real and realistic about the situation.  It is what it is.  We are in this together and regardless of obstacles, we must make the best of this time.  I will cheerlead my students into momentum as we finish 2018 in a positive and successful manner.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Colors of our Lenses

As we sit and anticipate the first snow storm of the year, the emotions noted in social media and by friends are all over the place.

First, I have friends that are doing their best to come home from a long week of travel, but the two Chicago Airports are already slimming down the number of flights.  My friends are planning on getting home later in the week.  Not very happy, but taking things in stride.

Next, I have lots of friends that have spend the day getting their snow shovels, ice-salt, and snow blowers ready for the possible snow.

Finally, I have students and fellow teachers watching the news as if they have a chance of winning the lottery to see...hoping for...the possibility of a snow day.

According to the various news and weather channels, the National Weather Service, and some German model of weather, in my area we will get somewhere between 1 and 12 inches of snow.

The thing that gives students hope and commuters worry is the timing of the storm.  Most are saying that it will fall between 11p-7a...which means right at the time for all to commute to where they are supposed to go.

My mindset on it all...

What will be, will be.  My snow blower is ready and full of gas.  I have my alarm set to get up very early to move the snow in expectation of going to school.  Note- I teach 4 miles from home.

The real note here?

We all look at events like the possibility of a snow storm through our own lens.  For some, the storm is an unwelcome basket of negative possibilities.  Some others, the storm is the potential of rest and fun.

Perspective.  Needs.  Mindset.  It all defines the colors of our lenses.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

In-Between time

Well...we are in the midst of the holiday season.  Just like everything else in life, it will be and is...fleeting.

Time is fleeting.  It is always on the move.  What we too often forget is that there are two ways in which to "use" time.  We can hurry it along and rush it to get to something that we are excited to get to...OR... we can live in the moment, savoring the ticks of the clock as if each one has its own distinct flavor. 

When we hurry, we never taste life.  We live for tomorrow and the future in general.  We go through life looking out the window as if we are in a car moving 70 miles per hour.  There is so much life that we are missing when we allow our lives to become that blur.  There are so many snapshots of life in the moments that make up that blur.

When we are kids, we can't wait for the exciting things to happen.  We can't wait until vacation or the holiday, the gifts, the party.  When we are older, we would do almost anything to have those moments in-between back.  There should be some sort of bucket that those wasted moments collect so we can use them when we are older, wiser, more ready and needing to have those moments.

Since the reality is, they are gone...we would be best served to start now, whenever now is for us, to stop and notice the moments in-between.  That is where the real life lives.  It is there for us to become aware of it, to notice it, to give it importance and priority.

If we can give this gift to ourselves, maybe we would slow down and become more grateful.  Maybe we wouldn't waste so much time in anger or complaints about life.  Maybe we can intentionally be satisfied with life and enjoy what we have been given.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Human Interaction

I can remember holiday shopping as a kid.  I had fun seeing all of the people, the decorations, the whole "Mall Experience."

Even as I got older, there was something to be said for the good parts of being out amongst people during this time of the year.  Sure, there were always impatient people, angry people, self-entitled people, and well...those other groups.

Even if I was running behind in my shopping, I would get myself in the mindset that I am about the embark on a journey.  No expectations other than to enjoy the journey.  If I find what I need- Bonus!

As I talked with many people about their Black Friday shopping plans, I found something interesting to be the norm.  All of these people that we setting out to get the deals were not intending on buying gifts for others...they were going out to buy for themselves. 

Things have changed since I was a kid.  Things that I never could have imagined.

We are taking the social out of society!

An incredible amount of people shop online to "avoid the lines."  This feels unhealthy in so many ways.  First, we are not getting out an interacting with people.  So what?  I see people getting out of practice with the art of conversation or appropriate social behavior for that matter.  People work from home, shop from home, Netflix and Hulu.  Even when they are out, they are attached to others artificially by means of the screen.

One of the issues that I am noticing with our society if that our version of reality is no longer built upon the real world.  We believe and create our world view based on those that are on the outside reporting the world to us through their bias and world view.  This is not okay.

Society cannot stand without social interactions.  We need to stand in long lines and have human interaction.  We need to practice our courtesies and human emotions in the real world.  We need to allow ourselves to get frustrated and impatient to practice our responses.  We are losing all of this by closing ourselves off to the real world while we let our screens dictate who we are in our "reality of virtual lives."  ...because our virtual lives have become our reality.

Sure, shop online.  Most malls have gone out of business.  But let's be mindful of the social element of life.

-Human Interaction.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Give Thanks tomorrow.

Thanksgiving.

The day to give Thanks.

I know this historically was not the reason for the creation of the day.  There were many things leading up to the creation of this holiday.  The Pilgrims of Plimoth (original spelling), The Revolutionary War, Lincoln after Gettysburg, the Americanization of the money making parts of this and most holidays...

Yes, this is the day that we are expected to intentionally give thanks for what we have, what we had, and where we are.

But...

What about all of the other days?  Is this a case that if we are thankful more than one Thursday in November that we get some type of emotional bonus somehow?

I believe the reality is that being thankful is a mindset.

We choose the look at things negatively or positively in our day-to-day life.  If we are intentional about waking up each day and practicing a mantra of thankful existence, we live every day in the truth of our thankfulness.

Is it really enough to only seek thankfulness once a year?

No... it is not healthy.

I find people who have very little to be much happier than people who have lots.  In essence, they have less to worry about.  Worry is the enemy of thankful.  It puts us in a mindset that we have little or nothing to be thankful for.  If we decide to see the world through thankful eyes while also deciding to spread this idea of thankfulness for no specific reason, but thankfulness itself...

Imagine our mental health.  Imagine our quality of life.  Imagine how contagious this can be.

I think I will decide to live these words.  I will be intentional in my thankfulness.  Even when things are rough, there is always something to be thankful for.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Power of Caring

I was recently in a conversation that asked the question, "if you could have anything for your school, what would you wish for?"

Most answers were tech driven.  Some were new textbooks.  Some were about special seating and chairs, tables, etc.

What I found interesting was that nobody answered the question the way that I did.  These are caring people and all.

How did I answer the question?

I said the following-

I would want to have a staff that always put the students first.  When negotiating contracts, worrying about schedules and days off, and even pay...put the kids first.

I would want a staff that would be aware enough to see the needs in our students and reach out when they felt that they needed a coat, new shoes, or even food.

I would want a staff that looked at the entire education process filtered through the eyes of our students.  I would want absolute empathy as a foundation in the way that we approach our students academically and behaviorally.

I would want parents that had the time to care about and prioritize education, the education of their kids.  I would want them to incorporate the love of reading, learning, and discovering new things into their daily lives- NOT because it was expected, but because it was their way of living.

Are great resources important and essential to learning and growth?
Sure!  But all of the tech in the world, with the fastest wifi on the planet, cannot replace the power of a caring teaching that makes their students first priority along with invested parents that put true value on education.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteacy
@LevineWrites

Happy for Break

Most students that I encountered today were smiling, laughing, and in good moods. 

Why?

We see this just before all breaks.  Fall, Winter, Spring, and of course...Summer.

But what is the real reason for this immediate mood shift?

It is due to the immediate recognition that stress has lifted and they can take a break from the amount of stressors being put on them by their learning process.  They know they have a break and can breathe.  They can be in the moment.  They can be mindful of a liberating sense of happiness and can just "Be" for a moment.  For the next few days there will be no test, limited homework, and the ability to see and feel a life beyond the stress.

Why can't we figure out a way to bring some of these feelings into the regular school days?  Why isn't it a priority to make sure that we are nurturing the minds of our students with the comfort that these breaks bring to them.

I know...because the stress comes from the work itself.  This includes the testing and the pressure to perform. 

But...

Does it have to?

If we believe this, then it must be true that all people who work hate their jobs and careers.  They hate waking up each morning to do their life's work.  I don't but this.  I love what I do.  Most creative people live to create...and that is their life's work.  Why can't we find a way to channel some of what makes people happy, even when they have to work and have the natural stressors that come with responsibility, to our learning environments and schools?

Is there a way?

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Educational Artist

There is nothing like being recognized by your administrators for the hard work that you put into your craft.  When they can see there is "Art" to what you craft as lessons and that it is natural in flow, even though their is learned intention throughout the planning.  When they see the true nature of the depth of knowledge that you have for your students which allows a level of trust in them which in turn, allows for absolute discovery in learning...

That, my friends, is a nice feeling.

It is not secret that I am a professional development junkie, and that I use my classroom as a laboratory in a sense, to improve and experiment with educational methods. 

Yes, I do believe that I am an educational artist. One who paints with thinking and the elicitation of curiosity on a canvass of young minds held by my students.

I believe that teaching is an art, is a study of psychology, is a love of taking risks and ever growing, and a love for the process of learning.

Have I arrived?

A huge NO!

I have only begun to learn and become the teacher that I want to.  I now feel like I finally have two feet planted firmly on the path to becoming an excellent and inspirational educator. 

I look forward to the grow that is yet to come.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Some Suffer

As the holiday season begins tomorrow, having only two school days and then Thanksgiving break, I am thoughtful of those students that will likely not have the kind of holidays that we expect our students to have.

Some will be sitting in a one-room hotel room with their family as they have no home.

Some will be visiting an incarcerated loved one, maybe a parent.

Some will be watching siblings as their parent or parents must work to make ends meet.

Some will be limited on food and things to be thankful for.

Some will be hiding in a corner as their parents are drunk or doing drugs.

Some will be suffering from untreated anxiety.

Some will be sobbing from untreated depression.

Some will be thinking about suicide.

I know, this is NOT what the holidays are about.  This is not the positivity that should come with the holidays.

But...

We need to look within and reflect upon our part in those students going through the things that I have listed above.  What can we do to help?  What agencies or organizations can we link our students and families to in order to make the best of a bad situation.

If anything else, let's be aware that these things might be hiding behind a fake smile on several of our students.  Let's connect with each of our students to let them know they are valued, that we care, and we will do anything in our power to help them through these times.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Middle School Madness

Ask any adult, what time period as a student was roughest for you...and the most common answer will be during Middle School.

What makes Middle School so difficult for us?

It is a time of transition.

We are changing quickly physically and emotionally with a side order of socially.

We have a need to try on life and experiment with what we believe is adult behavior, but we do not have all of the instructions as of yet.

The range of physical maturity in school ranges from kids that look like they are in 3rd grade to freshman in college.  This is the case for both boys and girls.

We start getting interested in dating.  And if we are not quite ready, the social pressure might cause us to go through the phone book asking every person of our gender of choice out within a month's time.

Our bodies created unwanted things.  Like- gas, acne, and body odor.  Girls get their periods and boys get unwanted erections.  The common piece here is the art of embarrassment.

As middle school students are trying to navigate fitting in, finding themselves, becoming social, etc...they are also seeing a huge increase in expectations.  Their parents are seeing them as different and more capable, thus creating new-found responsibilities.  The amount of change in middle school academic expectations  are seen by many as a time where the bridge is crossed between elementary school work to high school expectations.  The pace can cause breakdowns.

In the past couple of decades, there have been things like advisory and homeroom to make light attempts at helping students through these times.  The need for counselors and social workers in middle schools has more than tripled in these two decades.  The internal and external pressures bring our kids towards the breaking point.  It is no wonder we are seeing more and more middle school students on anxiety meds and antidepressants. 

Let's be aware of what our students are going through with a patient empathetic awareness and build connections to start to learn first hand what our students need.  If not us...then who?

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Discovery

Today was a good teaching day.  I used one of my trademark methods of students discovery-

Instead of intentionally going step by step with the how-to of using specific skills with my students, I allowed them to work independently, then compare answers and thinking.  Then they were to decide which answer was the strongest and why it was strongest.  Next, my students had conversation about what they were learning from the activity by responding to the statement..."I learned that ...."

I find that this is the optimum way of giving students best and most lasting ownership of their learning.  They come to realize application of their learning first hand as opposed to learning a superficial definition or concept.  Most important, my students are learning from each other.  They are sharing ideas and building trust in each others abilities.

Another benefit from this methodology is that student become comfortable with failure...or the NOT YET.  They realize that not understanding or having the best answer at first in not the focus...instead, the learning and growth in the process and on the journey is actually the focus.

During debriefing today with my students, as I ask them for feedback of the day's lesson and how it worked for them, even my students with the "I must get everything correct or I am a failure" mentality left feeling comfortable with the process over the immediate outcome.  They were clearly about to articulate the noticeable growth in real time.

This entire process is transferable in skills for my students.  They can apply this process to learning in general.

Some might argue that this is not a perfect learning environment as it is not controllable in intention and purpose.  I might agree if a teacher did not know and trust their students and have to trust of the students...but I feel that this is the definition of true learning and the essence of metacognition.

Think it through.  Be aware of the possibilities.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Stressing

As I was doing some research for a Twitter chat that I will be hosting for schools in the Philippines tomorrow, much of the research that I found...I think I didn't want to have confirmed.

The chat is about the stress that our students are currently under.  The amount of stress proposed by all studies is more than anyone should ever have to go through.  It is certainly a wonder that our students have any brain space at all in which to call on to allow them to learn.

One article starts by explaining that our students are getting less sleep than other generations.  The blame falls on such things as video games, screen time, communication with friends...and then goes on to household expectations, babysitting, and taking on adult roles due to family economic stressors.

Another study shows that the amount of students walking around with diagnosed or undiagnosed depression, anxiety, and panic disorder is at an all time high due to societal pressures. This changes hormones in our students which can affect everything from acne to mood swings.

One logical stressor affecting our students today is their teachers.  What I mean by this is when their teachers are stressed due to higher demands on them such as growth in data and pushing more curriculum onto their students, it directly impacts the stress levels of the students.  Our students mirror our affect and anxiety.  Our moods directly impact our students and then, due to teacher frustration, causes teachers to become angered, which in turn...becomes a vicious cycle.

Finally, the old standard teen stressor-fitting in is as alive and well as it has ever been.  Students are trying to find themselves and fit into more categories of what they consider normal than every before.  As our world becomes more comfortable with fluid sexuality, our students are often lost in trying to fit into this world as well, or at least in trying to assure themselves who and what they are at any given moment.

We must be aware of these stressors as teachers.  To help our students...our whole students.  Not only as students needing to be educated, but as people that are walking on a tightrope that feels as though they have no safety net.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Being Absent

It isn't easy being ill when you are a teacher. Yes, I have the flu and it doesn't seem like it is going away any time soon.

The frustration starts when you wake up ill and have to hope to get a great substitute teacher (we call them guest teachers).  There is very much a shortage of these wonderful people and the really good ones go very quickly.

Then, once you have put in for your substitute, you must create the plans.  As I do not believe in busy work or wasted days, showing a movie is never even a thought.  I do my best to recreate the exact plans that I had for my students originally.  Luckily, we use Google Classroom so I can send my students exactly what they will need to be successful...almost as if I was there.  If there is a specific mini-lesson that I can support with a short video clip or reading, I will include this in their work.

Beyond the work, their is the guilt.  Not being there for my students is never easy for me.  I feel like I am letting them down somehow.  The next day I will be met with a whole lot of, "Why weren't you here yesterday."  In which I will apologize for being ill in hopes that we can move beyond this loss and continue our work together.

Then, there are the emails.  About 50-60 each day.  Once the junk is sorted, I must go through and do triage on these emails.  I must respond to parents immediately, then to administrators, then to peers.  I must decide what is pressing and somehow make up this work that the emails have created as the week progresses.

Of course, if meetings were missed, I will have to catch up and sometimes reschedule these meetings.  If they were about students, I will do what I can to catch those who attended the meeting as soon as possible to meet the needs of my students.

Finally, my classroom.  It is never the same as when I finish a day.  Each day, I set things up for the following day.  When I am gone, my room typically feels as if it was left a mess.  I have to straighten things out, go through the notes left by the substitute teacher, and try to get ready for the day...all before the bells ring and students and staff are requiring my attention.

Is it easier to go to school feeling ill- Yes. But not when you have the flu.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Creativity

Today, I asked my students to create something with their thinking and learning.  What I wanted them to create was simple, but when I asked them to create, with collaboration, they became excited.

There is something about allowing students to think for themselves and use what they are learning in a creative manner that seems to energize my students.

Creativity is freeing.  It allows us to individualize our thinking and take things in directions that mean something to us.  All too often, we are asked to achieve things in such a way that there is only one correct way to do so.  Allowing creativity opens the doors of possibility and knocks down the walls that contain us.  It is an exercise that we all should gift ourselves when possible.

Being a teacher, I am given quite a bit of autonomy.  I get to create lessons for my students.  Granted, there are parameters that I must stay in including standards and content.  In other words, I am told the WHAT, but I get to create the HOW.

For me, that is where the Art of teaching comes to play.  There is an art to the creation of the lessons, but there is also an art to the dance of the instruction itself.  It is an artistic dance between teacher and students and if you are great at what you do...between student and student.

Too often, we take things like creativity in teaching for granted.  We teach...and that is about it.  But if we remain awake, and intentional about our ART... and notice and appreciate our freedom to create, we might become even more creative...and enjoy what we do just a little bit more.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

This Journey

As I am rounding out the last weeks of my one year goal of daily writing, I have realized how ready I am to write.  What I am ready to write are my books.  This practice has allowed me the growth that I have needed to know myself as a writer.  I know what I need personally from my writing and I am ready to finish the writing projects that I have started and move completely into the writing model that I have designed for myself.

I am a writer.

Today, I started organizing my book project files.  For me, this is my cue to reflect on what my first dive will be into and where my daily commitment will rest.  As finishing or restarting a book on professional development and understanding is calling to me, I will do this prior to any "creative" work in fiction...but...fiction waits for me as well.

So will there be blog posts from me during this process...after January 1st?

Yes, but they will be more involved, more developed, and much more in-depth in their scope and topics.  I will write about teaching and the writing process as it speaks to me.  I will write about once each week to maintain what I have started in this journey.

Persist.

This past year, my "one little word" has be the word, persist.  I have focused my life around my blog in this light, but I have allowed other areas of my life to get lazy...which is fine. I am not sure what my next one little word will be for next year, but it is my goal to be more inclusive of other areas of my life.

The message.

Writing has pushed me into even more reflectiveness than I thought was possible.  It has allowed me to learn from my writing...about myself and what I want in life.  I have a little coaching from others as well.  I am proud that I have stuck with this journey and I am itching to get to the next step of this journey.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Grace

Teachers require Grace.

The continual pressure to perform seems to get greater every passing year.

Trying to help students to grow and learn that come to us with so much Trauma is a never ending mountain to climb.

We are always doing a balancing act between making students like us as we build connections as a foundation for learning while making sure that we are true to the standards, making our administrators happy, not upsetting parents, and paying attention to where we fit on the Danielson Model of what makes for a good teacher.

We have to be aware of our roles in dangerous situations such as fires, tornadoes, and now...active shooters.

Most schools have some type of competitiveness and drama between staff.

We are often pawns in the negotiations of the Union and Board to be treated fairly and be paid a decent wage.

We must work in continual professional development to meet our requirements of some 120 hours of PD every 5-years (In Illinois).

We are always wondering if there will be a retirement fund available when it is our turn to use the funds.

We must endure the ever-changing directives and new initiatives that seem to fall from the sky but are valued by the district because they cost them millions of dollars.

Let me restate my initial statement.  Teachers that are invested with their hearts and soul require Grace.  Of course there will always be those that are in it for the short term, summers off, and the expectation to move into some type of management in 5-years.

I am being real today.  I am being reflective.

So...

Given the choice of caring or not caring, I still choose to care and carry all of the stressors and burdens listed above...if I get to continue to be a teacher that cares and offers my students the kind of teacher they deserve.  I will afford myself the grace that I need.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Such a Teacher

I had a student come up to me during passing period.  This student is amazingly smart and insightful. 

She looked at me and said, "You are such a teacher."  I said, "Yes, yes I am."

She then asked, "If you knew what you know about teaching now, when you first were deciding to become a teacher, would you still have decided to become a teacher?"

I laughed.  I smiled.  I said, "Yes, of course.  Teaching isn't a job and it is way more than a career.  Teaching is a way of life.  It is who I am."

My student looked back up at me and said, "Makes sense.  I couldn't imagine you doing anything else."

I agree.  I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else as well.  Even though I have had a basket full of careers, not jobs in my life...teaching is what I have always done and who I have always been.

My teaching career started when I was in the 6th grade.  I was starting middle school and right across from the school was a very old elementary school.  They were running a pilot for children from the ages of 4-6 years old.  This pilot was called Safety Town and was about helping kids learn about safety in their neighborhood, near roads and driveways, etc.

We were able to sign up for two-week sessions.  I signed up for all 5.  This was a voluntary program that paid nothing and really had little motivating factors other than to help the small kids learn how to be safe.  It was run by our police department.

I love it.  As I think back to my many jobs and careers, I have taught in all of them.  When I decided to go back to school for yet another degree...It all made sense to me.  My entire life had been training me to be the best possible teacher I could ever imagine being.

I really am..."Such a Teacher!"

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Feedback

As I finished with a mini-lesson and my students got to work one day this past week, I sat down and watched them all working.  I wondered what learning is to my students...what does it look like?  What does it feel like?  What a gift it might be to be able to see their learning through their eyes.

Think about how much we might learn about our instruction and the effects of our words and strategies.  Would we see what we thought we might see?  Would we be surprised?

I spend a lot of time being real with my students asking for feedback, but... I wonder how real it is and how accurate the feedback might be.  My students tend to want to see me happy and might be telling me what they think I may want to hear.  Or...not.  I can't really know.

So...

I have been thinking about video taping myself.  I have been looking at using one of those new style of video cameras that follow you while you move.  I believe they even have a wearable microphone so I would be able to hear my conferring with students.

I am not sure if it would be the same or have the same effect as knowing the effect that my teaching has on my students, but it would allow me to be critical of my teaching while learning what I can improve upon in a safe, non-evaluative way.

Yes, I want to be the best teacher that I can be.  I want to be effective.  I am a believer that the more aware I am of what I am doing, intentionally, the better and more effective I can be for my students.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Imposter Syndrome

At my parent teacher conferences, during conversations with the parents of honors students and the students themselves, it dawned on me that these students truly fit into my definition of "Imposter Syndrome" students.

Below is one of my favorite reads about this phenomenon.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-impostor-syndrome/

Basically, the person feels like a fake....like they are not nearly as smart as their teacher or others believe them to be.  They are often down on themselves and are fearing that the world will find them out...that they are not smart at all, and in fact, quite the opposite.

For my students, this can come from various places and events in their lives.  It can come from words spoken by parents, by things said by teachers, by times that they have become confused and failed feeling that this is really who they are.  Where it comes from is important to become aware of, but most essential is recognizing that it exists and making attempts to support this type of person or learner.

Some of the things that I am helping my students with are the following:

*  Stop comparing themselves to others in their classes.
*  Let go of some of the perfectionism.
*  Always be the true YOU.
*  Challenge negative thoughts.
*  Become more aware when you are doing it.
*  Talk to others about it...especially others doing it, you are NOT alone!

I sat down and watched the following video with these students.  They were in tears and saw themselves all over this video clip.  Of course, it is a TED talk.  It is worth a watch if you are a teacher or parent.

https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_cox_what_is_imposter_syndrome_and_how_can_you_combat_it?language=en

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Best me

I am a very reflective teacher.  I reflect in the moment about what I can do to help my students by becoming clearer in my instruction and also, making on-the-fly changes to help support my students.  I reflect each Sunday night while I am creating plans for the next week on instruction.  I reflect when I do any type of professional development from- reading professional books, to engaging in Twitter chats.  I do my most when attending a professional conference.

But...

For some reason, during my evaluation week where my administrators come in and rate me on so many different little elements of my instruction and life as an educator...my reflections become cloudy.  They become clouded with doubt and even apathy.  Even though evaluations have moved beyond administrators only looking at a 40-minute snapshot and deciding if I am a worthwhile educator, with the 2-year look into my teaching, the actual formal visit to rate me makes my attitude change.  I get frustrated.

I get frustrated because my administrators know my teaching, my relationships with students, and my results in the case of data and growth outcomes.

For me, I truly believe that this visit if more of a formality, but it still frustrates me.  I guess it always will.

So...

Is there a remedy?

Not really, but I can be intentional in my attitude and approach.  I can make sure that I show up with a positive attitude and simply be me...have fun...enjoy my students...and just do what I do to get my regular results with my students.

In reviewing what I am thinking, and wrote above, I see that this is clearly a mindset that I allow myself to fall into when I allow myself to leave my intentional self.

Being who I am...on purpose...makes me the BEST me!

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Contacting Parents

The past two days were parent teacher conferences.  I really and truly enjoy parent teacher conferences for many reasons.  I get the meet the parents behind the student.  I get to brag about the students.  I get to offer suggestions of challenge and growth.  I get to partner with parents on positive change moving forward...

One thing that happened at so many of my conferences that I do not really remember happening before.  Parents teared up and even cried.  Mom's, grandparents, and yes...even dad's teared up for their students. 

There was so much pride for their students' work and who their students are becoming.  They are proud of not only their grades and growth, but the individuals that are free-thinking, critical-thinking, and leaders.  The tears and very kind words will certainly get me through some of the rough times ahead.

One of my parents, in which I have taught three of her daughters, told me that I am an inspiration to all of the kids that I teach, the parents of those kids, and the community in which I serve.

Okay...

I cried with those comments.

As teachers, we need to remember the value of parent contact.  We need to be more intentional at every opportunity, to make some sort of contact with parents.  As a middle school teacher...this does not happen nearly enough.  From what I hear, there is even less at the High School level.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Expectations

I am finding more and more evidence with my students that students will rise up or down to meet expectations. 

I created what would be considered an extremely rigorous lesson using complex text in secondary and primary sources forms.  My students dove right in.  I decided not to tell them ahead of time that this is the most complex text that we have used all year.  I, instead, waited to see and hear what their struggles were and dealt with them as they came up.

It wasn’t until the end of the lesson and the success of the challenging work that they put in that I explained to them what they had just accomplished.  When they asked me why I would put them through this tough work, I simply replied…”Because I believe in you.”

We need to demonstrate that we believe in our students’ abilities and trust that they will do their best to step up to the levels that we set for them.  If we set the bar low, they will only rise to that level.  If we set it too low, we may create complacent students and stand in the way of their forward momentum in future grades.

It is up to us to believe our students CAN. And if they are not there yet, we need to remind them it is a matter of time and work…because it isn’t about IF, it is about YET.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy

@LevineWrites

Without

More and more, our students come to us without breakfast, without clean clothes, without enough sleep, and without enough love at home.  Of course, this is not the rule or the majority, but it defines enough of our students to be bothersome and require attention!

Students as I have mentioned above are not coming to school with a priority of learning.  They are coming for safety, for food, and very often, for love.  They are not getting their most basic needs met at home for various reasons.  The reasons are many...including single parent household, the need to babysit for parent(s), at home- drug use, abuse of any and all kinds, and limited showing of affection or attention.

I have rarely ever heard a teacher or staff member say, "It's not our problem."

It IS our problem.  It might not be our fault, but it certainly IS our problem.

We are not only charged with the responsibilities of educating our students, but we are also their caretakers.  If not us...then who?

It is pretty simple to understand and fully realize that students that are missing these basic elements in their lives will have difficulty learning.  They have nothing to sustain them enough to have the mind or mindset to learn.

Students also learn to mask these issues.  We have to be alert and aware to the sings that our students are not getting what they need.  We have to look for minor or major changes in them.

Are their clothes dirty?

Do they look sick, pale, tired,

Are they losing weight?

Are the constantly absent or tardy?

Are they lacking energy?

Do they seem depressed and uninterested?

There are so many possible needs that our students bring with them.  We are often the warmest, quietest, safest places that offer clean water, food, and a sense of safety.  We should never take this for granted or let this slip by our attention.  We must be intentional in our attention to our students to note even any minor changes...and then seek out their needs in the most caring and careful ways possible.

I will be there for my students...not only until I retire, but until I am no more.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Courage

I have been thinking about what it is like to be one of my students lately.  I am thinking that one attribute that is so very often overlooked that my students carry is that of courage.

Courage.

It is not easy to be a student in our world.  They must set aside concerns, worries, anxieties on a daily basis.  It is aa wonder that they even come to school and are courageous enough to leave the house in the morning.

Meanwhile, students come to school and are bullied or caught up in drama.  This daily struggle is not easy for anyone, but in Middle School...it is exaggerated in a huge way.

My students are always asked to take risks, step out of their comfort zones and push themselves into situations that they have never experienced before.  For my students, it take tons of courage to present in front of their peers.  In fact, many adults find that this takes a lot of courage.

It is very much our role (the role of teachers) to inspire courage.  We must model it and reinforce diving into courage allowing our students to trust that we have their backs and will take good care of them as they take these risks.

Clinical Students

I currently have a clinical student doing 50 hours of observation, etc. from a local University.  I so enjoy getting to know new thinking in education as well as what the expectations are for new teachers.  Yes, in a selfish way helping a new teaching student helps me to keep my finger on the pulse of education to make sure that I am keeping up with things...so far, so good!

My student is a great guy.  He isn't afraid to get into learning with my students.  He is great at asking questions to get at the deeper meanings of why things are done as they are.  We get to debrief each day as I ask him two questions...

What did you notice?


What do you wonder?


I have come to believe that these two questions are powerful enough to get a person reflecting on what they are seeing, learning, and curious about towards growth.  I use these questions often with my students as well to get at deeper meanings of what they are learning.

I have been very lucky with clinical students and students teachers throughout my career.  Most have gone on to wonderful paths as teachers.  Some as coaches that do a little teaching on the side.  One as a museum curator.  And...one or two that just were not cut out for the profession,  but that is a conversation for another time.  The main idea here is that I enjoy seeing new teachers through the rough times, the learning and curious times, and the times where what they want to do as a teacher isn't always clear.

As I look towards retirement, I am hopeful that I will get to have one more full session student teacher.  I want to pass on what I can and help one more person that I believe in to reach their dreams.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites