Testing High School

High School became real for my students today.  They visited the high school that they will be attending for what we call a "step up day."  That is to say- they experienced high school and sat and talked to groups of students about the high school experience.

Most students are amazed by the enormous quantity of things to get involved in at high school compared to middle school.  I like to encourage my students to really get involved.  There is so much life to be lived while in high school and I want my students to squeeze every drop of life they can out of the experience.

It is of no surprise that all of my past students complain that high school flies by way too fast.  I love to have them talk to students in the process to make this as real for my kids as possible.  I can say whatever...but students that are in it can make it that much more real for my current students.

When my students come back from this experience, they are excited.  They are scared.  They are overwhelmed.  They want to start tomorrow.

Which...makes teaching a little difficult for the next four weeks...

But...

I will get them back with engaging lessons and humor...and caring....and connections.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Not-so-ready for what's next...

This time of the school year is a time of push and pull.  My students are counting the days of school left and day-dreaming about Summer Break.  Meanwhile, they are tearful that the year is ending and reflecting on what they will strongly miss about the year, the students, the growth. Those moving to High School are expressing fear, anxiety, and denial about the new world that they are about to enter.

I wish...

We had some type of program, protocol, or simple plan to help these students with this transition.

Yes-

All of the new buzz and research is about allowing students to feel the struggles of life so they can grow from it...

But...

Many are in so much anxiety that I worry about their ability to have a quality of life at the moment.  I also worry about the support, or lack of support, at the start of next year when these students are thrown into the pool of their next chapter without a lifesaver of sorts.

My plan...

Daily supportive talks showing that there are people who care and want them to feel safe in this transition. 

Open door for extensive individual talks to help my students see their confidence.

Matching students with adults that can help them through the transition.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#MIndfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Sensitive Celebrations

As we head into the time of the year that students are celebrated for the academic achievements, we see a lot of parent, family, and friend involvement in the lives of our students.  This is certainly wonderful!

But...

Not all of my students have parents, families, or friends to celebrate with.  Not all of my students will go to the class trips, have graduation gifts waiting for them, or have nice graduation parties.  There just isn't the money.  Some students have only one...or no parents. For some students, this type of celebration is not a priority.

As we celebrate with our students during this wonderful time of the year, we need to keep this in mind.  Maybe even give those students that don't have what others have- a little extra attention.

It is a difficult balance.  All of our students have different needs and this time of year, we need to remember this as much and maybe even more than preparing a lesson that differentiates for all students.

I plan on being more present, more aware, and more compassionate in the weeks to come.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Somewhere to Turn

Not too long ago, a student approached me about her anxiety.  She explained that she can't talk to her parents about her anxiety because they are a major part of the anxiety itself (expectations).  She said that she talks to the school counselor, but she doesn't feel heard.

This student asked to stay after class and talk.  She explained her anxieties and issues with the adults in her life that do not seem to truly hear here when she expresses herself.  She finally explained that she had no other option than to come to me.  She said that she knew I would listen, because who I am and how I care about my students.

I listened to her....and she left me stuck.

I can't talk to her parents as she will get in trouble due to their style of communication and expectations.

I can't talk to the counselor because the student feels betrayed by them.

Being a teacher, sometimes means that you are put into a position of being stuck.  Caring and listening, with very little options other than to continue being there for the student.

I have a few possible options and outlets to refer her to...but in the meantime, I will be there for her as a sounding board to help her feel understood.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Wasted Year

I had a student come to me today with an deflated look on their face.

I asked the student, "what's up?"

They went on about the following:

Mr. Levine.  I feel really bad that I am just now deciding to take this school year seriously.  I have great teachers that really care about me and they teach in a way that makes others want to learn. I have been a bad student this year and I am afraid to go on to 8th grade.  I think I didn't do enough with my work this year to grow like others have.  I really wasted this year and I feel like a loser because of it.

I'm really sorry, Mr. Levine.  There are less than five weeks of school left and I am scared.

I pulled up this student's grades and sat down next to her.  We looked at her performance and her growth since the start of the year.  We looked at her writing and her assessments.  We looked at her growth and how she really did learn this year...

I know she is now feeling that she could have done better this year with more self-motivation...but, I can now capitalize on the fact that she is ready to become more of a student and continue with this momentum next year.

She left my class feeling determined. 

It was a good day.


Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Connection

Students can be unpredictable.  I once had a student that...the more you pushed him to do well, he did the opposite.  He pushed back so hard at the pressure of doing what was expected that he ended up getting in trouble in all of his classes. 

From here, he was put on a special program that monitored his behaviors.  A list of steps of intervention was included.  The problem- the interventions made him angry, act out, and his academic performance fell.  The harder staff pushed, the harder he pushed back.

His parents were caught in the same spiral.  The school staff and his parents were at a loss.

Instead of following the program, I decided to simply show his positive attention.  I completely ignored the negative behaviors according to the plan and did my best to help isolate his behaviors from bothering his peers.

The result...Connection and better behaviors.

He was no angel...ever.  But- he was manageable and able to do an amount of work that I was not able to get out of him under his plan.

Maybe this isn't the approach to take with all kids, but the kids that are pushing back are often really trying to communicate that they need the connection and caring...love...a relationship.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Too much Stuff

As I look around my classroom this time of year, I notice things that I am tired of looking at.  This is the time of year that I wonder why I have kept things for such a long while.  I reflect on why and when I got the “stuff” and also consider how long it has been since I used it or paid any attention to the item.

I am not a packrat by any stretch of the imagination.  If I lived and existed my own way…I would be quite a minimalist.  I do not like living in or near clutter.  But, for some reason, it shows up.

Students and parents buy me gifts each year.  They are all wonderful and appreciated very much.  I appreciate and respect the items so much that I display them each year.  Some have been with me for as long as I have been teaching.

Through the years, some things break.  Some things get dirty. Some things just fall apart.  It feels good to get rid of some of the old to make room for the new.  As far as the gifts, I will hold on to them until the end of my teaching…and maybe then some.

Interesting, how stuff accumulates.  It just keeps on coming.  So much for minimalism this year…but as I take down my classroom this year, I expect to have a few loads of garbage to take out.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy

@LevineWrites

8th grade- itis.

8th grade-itis is setting in.  It is an affliction that infects 8th graders as they get closer to ending their Middle School career.

What does it look like?

Laziness.

Lack of motivation.

Signs of deafness toward teachers.

An itchy middle finger.

Compulsion to break rules.

A grandiose sense that they are invincible.

Poor choices.

The list goes on....

If you have seen this before, or its relative- Senioritis, you know what I am talking about.

As we move into this time of epidemic, please remember- they are only kids testing life as they grow through a rite of passage and stage of human development.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Empathy

Empathy is an essential part of being human.  From what I understand, we are the only animals that can practice empathy.  Even though all humans are apparently capable of empathy, I am finding it more and more common that people choose NOT to practice this human art.

Empathy- putting yourself in one's shoes.  Understanding what it feels like to be another person as they go through whatever it is that they are going through.  It is a human condition!

In our world of fast food, remote controls, drive throughs, we are certainly aiming towards losing this human condition.  We are becoming the ME culture.  We are becoming so selfish that we are losing the capacity to feel for others, to understand and show empathy for their suffering.

"As long as it doesn't effect me, I am good"

I see this on social media and hear it on the news...

Maybe it is because I am a teacher.

Maybe it is because I was a Therapist in another time.

Maybe it is because the way I was raised...or born.

I DON'T choose to be empathic, I just AM.

We need connections and relationships.  We need others.  We are not designed to be isolated in our own minds and concerns.

To Be Continued...


Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

World Teachers

I engage in many types of Twitter Chats about various teaching subjects.  I see this as part of my reflective professional development that boosts my teaching and thinking.  I participate in 3-9 chats per week.

Last night, I was lucky enough to catch a chat put on by teachers from the Philippines.  The chat was at 9:30 am their time and 8:30 pm our time.

What I noticed throughout the chat was that generally speaking, anywhere in the world...we all struggle with similar issues.  We wonder if we are using the best approaches to meet the needs of the students.  We all want to make sure that our students are going to be ready for college and the world that they will enter after.

I felt empowered to share what works for me, for Illinois, and for the States with these wonderful educators from the Philippines.

I left the chat feeling like I have tapped into such a wonderful world of educator thinking and reflection.  I felt proud to be included in such a bond with educators around the world.

I am a teacher, a teacher of students and the world.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

A touch of Spring

Okay...the weather was nice today.  It reminded my kids that it is Spring and the end of the school year is in sight.  My students showed me exactly what I am in for during the last 26 days of school.

Limited Attention.

"I am done" attitude.

Slow work.

Lack of digging deep into their skills.

But also...

Laughter.

Smiles.

Less feelings of stress.

That feeling like you want to dance.


I know today was the first day of nice weather and it woke my kids up.  I know this.  I know the novelty will wear a bit in the coming days.

I will not give up on my lessons.

I will not give up on my students.

I will continue to teach the skills and content and have my students read, write, and think until I get every last possible drop of learning out of them...not because I am mean, but because I care.


Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Compassion-Seeking

I have been watching the interactions between students and other teachers lately.

Why?

I wanted to see if student compassion-seeking was visible.

Answer... Very much so.

If we take a step back and look at the way that our students greet us, ask us questions, say hi to us in the hallways- what you will see are:

Students looking for approval.

Students wanting to be cared for and heard.

Students that want to be loved and nurtured.

Students that are looking for someone to see them as important.

Students that want to matter to someone they respect.


Sometimes this kind of thing is easier to watch from the outside first.  Then, take a reflective look at what happens when students approach you.

For me, this little exercise has given me more insight into what student looking for something from me looks and feels like so I can truly be there and present for my students.


Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Missing the Growth

I have had a rough year this year when it comes to attendance at school.  I have had various illnesses, and major injury, and other life circumstances.  I have taken my usual extent of days of for various Professional Development at Illinois Reading Council Conference, Secondary Reading League Conference, NCTE, and many other smaller scaled meetings.

In truth, I am not even willing to count up the days that I have missed.  I am embarrassed and feel terribly about it.

What bothers me the most is the fact that I let my students down and missed watching them grow.

Did they meet academic goals?

Yes!  Most of my data for my students this year is amongst the top in the district.

But learning is so much more than the academic growth. 

I have come to see my classroom as a place of growth in life understanding.  I often have students come back to me and explain how the ways in which we learn and the openness to have students be heard was life changing for them.

I allow students to speak their minds, have opinions, and challenge their own (older) thinking.

This cannot happen when I am not there.  There is so much more to my class than the academics.

Can I make it up to them?  No.

Can I forgive myself?  Working on it.


Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Notebook Memories

Many of my students asked if it was time to toss their notebooks today.  They showed me several spiral notebooks with warn out tops and springs with the words, Social Studies- Levine on them.

My initial reaction was, "Sure, why not?"

Then, after a few seconds of thought I said, "Wait, maybe you might want to hold on to them."

These notebooks are filled with social studies notes.  They are also filled with memories, their memories of who they were and what they thought this year.

I explain the following to them:

You know, you might want to hold on to those.  When I was younger, I kept all of my notebooks and folders and when I was a bit older and getting ready to move...I found them.  Looking at them reminded me of who I was back then.  I studied my handwriting back then.  I looked at my methods of taking notes.  I enjoyed looking at the side notes that I wrote to myself or someone sitting next to me.  I listened to my voice of my writing and wondered what I was thinking when I wrote this...what or who was important to me back then.

Also, many of my past students have contacted me in the past and told me that they used the notes from my class for their high school and even college classes.  

You never know...you may want to save them...

Or, maybe your parents or guardians might save them for you.

All but one of them kept their notebooks today.

It made me smile and remember...

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

A mess of a Day

Today was a mess.  I am not sure where to start because there are so many elements to the mess...

We found out last minute that grades are due today-

I had many kids absent the day after break-

Staff members are sick or injured-

The kids came back stressed-

Many of my kids are worried sick about war with Russia-

My kids left my classroom a complete mess-

My breathing is terrible due to the weather-

And...

My toilet is flushing itself.

It is so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of a messy day like today.  It is easy to get stressed or even to celebrate the problems with complaints and moaning insights.  Instead, I gave myself a gift today...

I smiled. 

I told the kids that I missed them.  I asked them to work for me today.  I told them the sucky weather will make them enjoy the nice weather in the coming weeks even more, and appreciate it when it comes.

I breathed.

I took a step back and enjoyed the sounds of kids laughing.  I shut my eyes when it was quiet and smiled inside.  I took a deep breath and assured myself that it was a good day.

Was it?  Of course not!  But I made it as good as I could have.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Lonely Students

I always go out of my way to take care of the "lonely student."  This student is the one that usually sits alone when it is time to choose someone to work with.  They are quiet and seem content to work alone.  They are often the student with seemingly very few friends.

I have been spending some time reflecting on what I can do for these students.  Some are very good students, very responsible.  Some are lacking in many areas including academics and self-care.

I have noticed that these students, my students in 7th or 8th grade share one thing in common...they seem resilient.  They appear to let things bounce off of them easier and have thicker skin.  Maybe this is a front to their real sadness due to be lonely?  Maybe they are used to telling themselves that they are fine working alone and would rather be alone.

Or, Maybe they are the ones that are learning due to being alone that life isn't always easy and they can take care of themselves.  Maybe...they are getting lessons in life that the other students are missing due to having friends and feeling included and thus, are not seeing life as it truly can be.

I have been reading a lot lately about letting students fail to build those emotional "callouses" that will help them be more resilient in life.  I am not sure how I feel about this yet.

Do I want to take care of my kids and not see them hurt for them?  Or me?

I certainly do not like seeing students in any kind of pain, but it is growth that I really am looking to guide my students through.

Maybe the lonely students are on to something?

I need more reflective thinking on this...


Be Mindful.

Peace.

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Being with the Rain

When I was a kid, I used to love to sit in the garage in the summer and watch the rain.  I guess I did more than watch the rain, I might say that I became one with the rain.

I watched it in its patterns.

I listened to it in the sounds that it reminded me of... Sizzling bacon, frying catfish, a hissing cat...

I smelled it at it had a fresh smell, often with a hint of pepper coming from the nearby trees.

I felt the cold humidity coming from it, even on the warmest of days.

I engulfed myself in the pulsing lightning strikes as they made their way across the sky.


As I grew older, when it rained, I stayed inside.  What a waste of such a wonderful felt sense it is to spend aa rain inside.  Of course, now when it rains, I do the inside stuff.  I no longer take the time to meditate right next to the rain...along with the rain.

It is time to get back to the rain...

It is time to enjoy the very simple natural things in life.  It is the way to truly enjoy life and let go of all of the stress in life.  It is time to take care of me...

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Communication

Communication is an interesting thing.  We all need to communicate as that is the way that we get our points across or our needs met.  Communication can be hard.  It often takes a certain delicate touch to make sure that we are assertive without being aggressive.  Our points must be clear to be truly heard.

I use the term delicate.

I do so purposely as if we push too hard, we can break the relationship or at least cause it harm. If we are too gentle, we leave ourselves to feel unheard and sometimes taken advantage of.

These ideas are very evident in our adult relationships...

But... What about our relationships with kids?

Do we use the sensitivity that is essential to fostering the relationship?

Do we balance that fine line and watch that we don't become too aggressive?

Are we considering that our students do not have the experience in communication that we have, nor have they mastered the art of communication in all if its balance?

I have to say that most adults that I know have yet to get here.

I have made a promise to myself to be more intentionally aware of my communication with my students the rest of the year. I want balance in my messages to my students and at the same time, I want to be a good model for them.

Of course, this is so important to our students that are not getting the balanced communication from home and are often not heard.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Spring Changes in Middle School

As I walked out into the yard today, I saw buds on the trees on this, the first day that actually feels like Spring.

Spring is such a time of renewal.  Even though weather can be unpredictable, we know that in the Midwest, Spring will eventually come.  Sometimes it only lasts a day and then we are heavy into the mid-80s, but there will be Spring none the less.

Spring is also an interesting time in Middle School. 

The relationships come out!!!

Yes, this is the wonderful time of year when the boys, who have been acting quite immature all year to this point, notice the girls.

New Distractions.

New Behaviors.

New things to watch for in the hallways.

New Concerns.

And...

New Drama.

It is all so interesting from ab outsiders point of view.  It is the dance of the bumble bee in a sense.  The innate mating ritual that humans go through.

Middle School is the pinnacle of Spring- Change!

It is also the time of year that 6th graders Do NOT discover deodorant nearly fast enough!

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

A Motivation Mindset?

I have really been doing a lot of reflecting on Mindset lately.  I have participated in a few Twitter chats about it.  The overall thinking is that there are two types of educational Mindsets- Fixed and Growth.  Fixed is the belief that you are as good or smart as you are going to be.  Growth is a belief that with the right things in place, you can push yourself and challenge yourself towards growth.

As I watch my students with both of these lenses, I have to say that I am seeing much more than these two mindsets have to offer.  I am also seeing an unmotivated and motivated mindset.  Just because a student is under the belief system that they can grow, there is an underlying question of motivation.

Much of this motivation comes from belief systems, I would agree, but what I am seeing is more of a historical apathy in education that stands in the way, even when growth is seen as possible.

So...what does this mean?

It means that from my observations, I will make attempts to create motivation in my learners prior to addressing the fixed or growth mindsets.

Now- how to produce motivation?

I am planning on starting with being real with students and have them make choices...some choices they feel that they don't need to make just yet.

This is a process.

It is heavy on my mind as I reflect on mindset.

I plan on being successful.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

100th blog post of the year

This blog post marks my 100th consecutive day blogging this year.  This is the 100th day of the year 2018.

My journey started just before the first of the year, when I chose the One Little Word-Persist.

I wanted to make a pact with myself to persist in life, in school, but mostly in my writing.

I write this little bite of my day or life to reflect briefly on where my mind is on any given day.  These pieces are what I call RAW... In other words, right after written.  I do not go back and do any type of revisions or corrections.  They are very much my first drafts....my only drafts.

I write them right after school, where I do not give any thought to them until I open the blog page and am ready to write.  I set the "cue" to write by turning on my little lamp and turning on the SPA radio which is Sirrius XM Channel 68.

Then I am ready to write.

I write my blog.

I find a quote that fits what I need and post it.

I then, either write an article or work in one of my book works in progress.

100 days in a row.  We will see if I can do another 100.  Or maybe even 265?

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Break

Today was my first true day off as it was a snowy first day of Spring Break.

I compiled a Monday-List which had a handful of things for me to do today.  By the end of the errand outing, the original list had more than doubled.  Two things were moved to tomorrow.

On breaks, when I know that I am not going anywhere, I like to try to make an appointment each day.  First, it gets me up and going with a purpose.  Also, it motivates me to get the small running around done since I am out anyway.

As teachers, we tend to put things off until breaks.  It feels like since we will have that given time off, we can let go of a few things here and there during the school year knowing that it will be done "over break"...

For me, very often my breaks are so full that by going back to school, I am actually taking a break from the massive pile of accomplishments that I spent the break doing.

The web and flow of a teacher's life even keeps chaos within a routine.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Better in the Middle

I was looking at our state school report card through a third party that rates schools in each state.  We were in the upper half of Middle Schools in the state. 

I, like everyone, want to feel proud of the school that I teach at...

I want to feel like my massive work-passion is worth while.

After looking further into what makes schools #1 (Which are about 20 minutes from me), I found some interesting and concerning information.


 The school that performed best had (compared to my school):

* Almost NO diversity
* Almost four times the wealth in the community
* Students that had both parents living at home
* Over double spent per student
* Higher paid teachers
* A longer school day
* Massive parent involvement
* Almost NO free and reduced lunches
* Teacher to student ration of 1:9

Not making excuses, but these things matter!

What did this new knowledge end up meaning to me?

I am more proud of our school and staff than ever before.  We are, in many cases, very much opposite of these high performing and high rated school, but our kids are doing very well under the circumstances.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Focus on the Positive

It is this week every year that it hits me...I will never see some of my current students again.

Many will stop and see me next year.  Some will find me on social media through the years.  Some will come and visit, some will call me out of the blue.  Some will contact me for a letter of recommendation, some will contact me and take me to lunch.

Through the years, I have had thousands of students in my classes and many other students that have come to know me through my hallway antics and DJing school dances.

These are two completely significant feelings as a teacher.

-The Joy of keeping on touch with past students and following their journey...

And...

-The hurt of losing touch with students that meant so much to you for those 180 days.

I used to mourn the end of the year because of the hurt.

For the past few years, I have taught myself to enjoy the relationships and connections that continue.

Focus on the positive.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Self Care

As I begin my late Spring Break tonight, I am reminded how important it is to take care of oneself.

When life is going at 200 miles per hour and you barely have enough time to eat or sleep, taking care of yourself is rarely a priority.  Some of us tell ourselves that we will take care of ourselves...

- During Summer Vacation

-When we retire

-As soon as (    ) is done

-As soon as (   ) changes

Then, we do the obvious.  We forget that this was our plan and promise to ourselves.  In fact, we quickly fill up the calendar and before we know it...our break is over and we are back to the old routine.  Or worse...sick...or even worse...no longer around.

We can't wait until then to take care of ourselves.

While I am on my Spring Break, I am going to take some time away from mediation, exercise, and writing to put a plan into place that makes sure that taking care of me is a new and improved priority. 

Why?

I will be more to others if I am more to myself.  I can teach, write, and connect better.  That is what I want.  I am not nearly ready for the alternatives...the consequences of not taking care of ME.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Being Remembered as a Teacher

I went to get my taxes done at the local guy.  He is from our town and everyone loves him.  he is swamped and has many people from town working (there are a lot of CPAs).

I like to be early for my appointments...regardless of what kind of appointment it is.  I sat down and there were no others in the waiting room.  A nice younger couple sat near me and we smiled at each other.

A few minutes later, the door opened and another couple came in and sat down.  They looked up and screamed, "Mark, how are you?"  Then they proceeded to tell me how their son was doing in college.  They were shortly called in for their appointment.

A few minutes later, another couple came in.  They immediately stopped in and said, "Mr. Levine, we were just talking about you.  The kids are coming back from college and asked how you were doing."
They went into the front office.

A few minutes later, one of the CPAs came out. "Dude, I thought that was you.  How are you?"  He went and named all nice of his kids and told me how they were doing.

Yes- he has nine kids and I taught them all.

It was almost time for my appointment and the first couple asked me if I was the mayor of the town, or a doctor.

I said, "No, I am just a local teacher."

The woman responded, "You must me more than just a teacher the way that you are apparently loved by this community.  We are new to this town and certainly hope our kids gets you as his teacher."

Although I had to pay the government more taxes, I left the appointment with a smile on my face.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Sunny Dis-Engagement

Does the weather effect engagement in school?

Umm, yes it does.

Through the years, much like when I worked in the medical field or with law enforcement, I have seen various external forces at work with people.  For example, the full moon creates more crime and more ER visits. Some research shows this to be untrue, while other research...especially if you work in these fields certainly validates this thinking and looks to be true.

At school, in my classes (Middle School), when it is sunny and on the path towards Spring-Summer, students lose engagement.  Throw in a rainy day, a cloudy day, or even a mid-April snowfall and the engagement comes back.  It's magic.  Or...it is attention.

I know I feel better when the sun is shining.  I also know my mind wonders more when the sun is shining.  I tend to "summer daydream" when the sun shines while I am much more present when it is a gloomy, rainy day.

It happens to all of us.  It certainly makes sense that it happens to our kids.  This is especially true when the nice weather also represents drawing near the end of the school year.  Kids get excited about their summer...AND... the coming new year and new grade level.

To all of this, I am inspired to follow the kids' lead.  If it is sunny- let's daydream a little.  There will still be time for learning when we come back to reality.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Feeling Secure in Routine

"Mr. Levine, I don't like this week and last week.  I don't like having days when I don't have your class.  It makes me sad and I don't want to be sad."

This was a quote from one of my 7th grade students today as she caught me in the hall between classes.

We have been on a wacky schedule due to PARCC state testing for the past two weeks.  I have only been able to see some of my classes every other day.  It is a stretch from the daily routine for me and my students.

I really don't like when my students are feeling that something is off.  This student was feeling like her world was off kilter a bit.  That makes me sad...for her, and for all students that are going through this.  We cannot forget that for many of our students, school is their only place that they feel safe.  It is the place that they can count on food, warmth, and routine.  When we mess with any element of this...it leaves some of our students feeling uneasy.

Sure, it made my heart smile when she said that she misses my class.  Who wouldn't miss my class.  It is a caring, fun environment with so much learning going on that you can feel it.

But-

It made me sad that she missed my class to help her feel secure.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Looking Forward

I am not sure if this is true for all of my teacher friends, but this time of year is when the people in my district find out what their teaching assignments will be for the next year.  Sadly, it is also the time of the year that some teachers find out that they are no longer teaching due to changes in staffing.

It certainly is a nervous time.

What makes it a bit more nerve-wrecking is that the assignments as tentative until the following school year. 

Yes- anything can happen to create a massive overhaul of the assignments.

So...

After a while, you learn to take it all in stride.  Look at any news as temporary and unstable and not make any steadfast plans until the new school year.

Is this any way to live?

Yes!

What other career can you reinvent yourself to this degree every August and wind down with new direction in June?

The thing that really matters...

Not what classroom or grade you will teach?  Not what time you have lunch.  Not what kids you will or will not have...

But-

You get to be a teacher next year.  You get to inspire learners towards their own growth.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites

Dreaming Ideas

Lately I have been waking up with incredible article and book ideas (at about 2am).  When I wake up, it is really a roll of the dice whether or not it truly is the amazing idea that I thought it was when it came to me magically in my dream.

I have long been interested in Lucid Dreaming.  Lucid Dreaming is, or at least a part of it is, where you direct a part of your dream and take it where you want to go.  I am not so great at this...yet.  But...I have been thinking about mindfulness and mindset so much lately, that my dreams have been creating ideas for articles and chapters in a book that I am working on.

Being a teacher, who writes, and creates theories of education, is a fun and creative life.

I enjoy the ideas that come to me while I am sleeping.

Maybe...just maybe...one day...  one of my dreams will buy me a new car?

Happy Easter, Passover, April Fools Day, Start of Spring, and for some- Spring Break!


Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites