Why are we adopting new curricula not based in Understanding by Design?

If great teaching is an art, do we not need the best tools to paint the best paintings?

If great teaching is a sport, would the best equipment be essential to form the ideal athlete?

Ponder these momentarily. For as the school year has begun, these are questions we must consider. 

Unfortunately, many components of education have become a business- unit plans, testing, and even schools themselves. It is essential that we, as educators, discern between new resources that are useful and those that are useless.

And don't get me wrong- there are many new resources that are incredible, especially those created by fellow instructors. I have found many ideas on www.teacherspayteachers.com (Lovin' Lit especially), online learning communities, non for profit companies (Facing History and Ourselves), blogs, and most importantly, articles highlighting research-based best practices.

But for the myriad of options, why are so many not based in Understanding by Design (UbD)? This seems like common sense, but is often not the case.

When I was in college, backwards design was presented as a way to teach, not the way. Times have changed. It is accepted in urban public schools that using backwards design is paramount. It is an established theory as sound as gravity; no more should teachers go to their classrooms each morning asking themselves what they should be doing that day, but instead go in ready for planning that embeds their Essential Questions, Enduring Understandings, is tied to the appropriate standards, and is linked to the upcoming summative and formative assessments.

UbD template

This idea has been met with resistance from many, mainly because it is a lot of work. But that perspective changes when we begin to realize how much unnecessary work is created by postponing our lesson plans and scrambling to create assessments and activities. Yes, creating and executing a great UbD unit takes work; but that work pays off. We see it in how students grow, how much they learn, and the assessments that we give. (To clarify- assessments does not necessarily mean standardized tests. Yes, students take these, but the assessments you create for your students can be a test, project, argumentative writing essay, Socratic circle, collage, etc.)

If all of this is true, why then do we have curriculum being developed today that does not utilize backwards design effectively, and sometimes does not use it at all?

I recently was considering a new curriculum for my classroom. It was presented as cutting edge, tied to new standards, and revolutionary in the way we teach. I was instantly curious.

I spoke with some representatives and curriculum coordinators from the company and received some introductory materials. After listening to how great the unit was, I noticed that were was not a UbD template. I asked where the unit planning was, and I was presented with a scope and sequence. I cannot emphasize this enough- scope and sequence is NOT UbD. Scope and sequence, if done effectively, could be Stage 3 of UbD, but that is it. It is stale and ineffective. Scripted lessons and guides to what we should teach each day do not employ backwards design. It was clear that there were no Essential Questions or Enduring Understandings, so I asked about formative and summative assessments. Multiple people gave me different responses, and none of them were clear. What did become obvious was that there weren't any.

Instantly I realized that the curriculum was not contemporary, despite being advertised as embedded with modern standards. Paul Bambrick-Santoyo asserted in Driven by Data that standards are meaningless until you define how they will be assessed. (I should note that I disagree with many of his implications and certain aspects of this book, but this point is absolutely correct.) In fact, with changing standards but old curricula, many teachers have been instructed to utilize old textbooks and materials but employ new standards into their lessons and planning. Is this possible? Yes- but it takes a great deal of planning and intense work with backwards mapping.

Does that mean that Bambrick-Santoyo's claim holds true in every grade and subject? Absolutely. As teachers, we define how rigorous our curriculum and assessments are. We also see how many schools are projected to have higher test scores and better teaching, when in fact, the teaching has become watered down. It has become marketing. In a city where schools are closed and opened in the blink of an eye, new propaganda is released on a constant basis to taut the merits of a school. As the results are spun and often leaving out crucial information, it becomes clear that something has been hidden. And regardless of what data is being kept quiet, we know that great teaching begins with great planning. And if that planning is not rooted in backwards design, we should not be paying money for new curricula, no matter what standards are embedded in them. 

What Do Great Teachers Do Differently to Manage Classrooms?

Instructor demonstrating Threshold, a simple and effective technique to start class.

Don't smile until winter break. Don't ever laugh. Make sure you scream in their faces to keep them in line. Raise your voice to get their attention.

This was the advice I got my first year teaching, and like everyone's first year, it had its challenges. One class in particular stood out to me. It had the most challenging kids in the whole school. One of them was sent to the office for playing with a lighter in class. Instead he walked out of the building and went home. Another kid would crawl on the floor to avoid doing work. And arguably the two most challenging students in the entire school were placed together in the class. I had to break up fights and call security frequently. I often asked myself what I was thinking signing up for this.

I'm still at the same school with similar students. There has not been a shift in the student population. And I have none of the problems that I did my first year. And there's no superpower inside of me.

Before I continue, I'd like to emphasize that my experiences pails in comparison to many's. Students punching teachers, teachers being chased by parents, and verbal threats have occurred in schools, and they still do. 

You can't have learning with chaos. You can't have a successful school where students are throwing desks. Most importantly, it's significantly more difficult for students to become life-long learners in environments where their basic needs aren't being met.

But in discussing the challenges of urban schools, let's not generalize and simplify complex problems. We shouldn't say, "All they see is people hanging out on the corner", or, "They don't want to be anything besides rappers or basketball players." That is akin to going to a country you've never been and complaining because you don't understand the language. You cannot use rhetoric and distorted statistics to try to understand communities of which you do not belong. 

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs sums up the situation well. Many students in urban communities do not have their basic physical needs met, so it becomes clear that their perception of school may be different from those in more affluent neighborhoods. Is that an excuse and a reason to lower expectations? No; it's simply acknowledging facts so that we can better deal with the circumstances that arise in our classrooms.

Let's return to classroom management. There are various philosophies and success stories, but there are certain qualities that remain in all of them that I have observed in great teachers:

1. Great teachers utilize emotional constancy. When you raise your voice, you are sending a message to the kids that they've gotten to you. You are visibly and audibly frazzled, and showing those signs will not only make you less professional, but it also signals the students that you've cracked and they have won the battle. This frames the debate with a connotation that should be absent from it to begin with; the classroom is a struggle for power. It's not. You are in control. You are in charge. That does not mean you are tyrannical or maniacal; it means that there is a clear position of authority within the four walls in which you teach. There can be ambiguity there.

Being consistent emotionally means that we don't present a rollercoaster of emotions. When the student does not achieve mastery, we Normalize Error. We don't shame. We show them that errors are not only normal, but essential in the process of becoming great. Simultaneously, we use Precise Praise when students answer correctly. We don't need to scream with joy; we can use a simply, "Good work!" to show that we appreciate what they have done. When teachers go overboard with complements, we send a message of low expectations; we weren't expecting you to get it right, so we will make up for it by smothering you with unnecessary complements. 

2. Great teachers make their expectations clear. This is, without a doubt, the most important component of classroom management. While the other points are important, this supersedes them immensely.

Research has shown us the importance of making expectations clear in the first weeks of school. It's important that we remind students of our expectations throughout the year and constantly hold them accountable in appropriate ways. Instead of reprimanding a student in a negative way, we can remind them, "Which conversation level should you be at?" and issue a consequence if necessary.

The term consequence has a negative connotation. But they don't have to be punitive. If we do not issue consequences, we send the message to our students that they can do whatever they please. We need to have consequences for a safe school. (We must also remember that consequences can be positive as well- class points, "scholar dollars", or my own "SWAG" awards- Scholars Working Always Great.)

CHAMP is, in my opinion, the best system for making expectations clear. I have mentioned it in other posts, but here are two sample posters explaining CHAMP(S) and conversation levels:

Sample CHAMPS poster. I have posted the ones I have made in my room. I had not seen the S added previously. This is optional, but I like the idea of talking about "success" to frame expectations in a positive manner.

Example of possible conversation CHAMP voice levels

The S for "success" is new. Some schools use it and others don't. While I am big on encouraging success and using positive framing, I do not use it in my classroom, because it's different from the other components. "Success" is not an expectation; it's the results of meeting and exceeding expectations. Let's break down each part of CHAMP for indepentant and group work.

C- Conversation. At what level should your students be speaking? I posted the sample above with five conversation levels, but I actually only use three in my room- 0 (silence), 1 (small group voice, or the "6 inch rule"), 2 (whole class voice). This is a simple, straightforward way to make clear what the volume in a class should be for a given activity. For example, when students enter and complete their Do Nows they're at a 0, when they are working in their groups they're at a 1, and when presenting to the class or reading aloud during guided reading they're at a 2.

H- Help. How do students ask for assistance? During independent work they can raise their hand or use the "book signal", which is taking a book and standing it upwards on their desk. (For some reason they really seem to enjoy doing this.) They can also use "seat signals"- crossing their fingers if they need to use the washroom (make sure to have a sign-out sheet ready by the door), holding up an unsharpened pencil (which can be swapped with pre-sharpened pencils), and twirling a finger in the air might mean they have dropped something and need to pick it up, possibly leaving their desk. You can use non-verbal corrections and indicators to communicate to avoid disrupting your lesson. For example, sometimes I put my hand up like a stop sign, indicating "hold on", or I might flash five fingers, meaning to wait five minutes. These are great procedural tools to help maintain the pacing of your lesson.

During group work, students can "ask three before me" if they have a question. I have used those exact words when students ask a question during group/partner work; "Did you ask three before me?" Sometimes they forget and then return to their groups and are able to determine the information they needed. If not, provide assistance as necessary.

A- Activity. What are they working on? What is the product that you will see? How will you know students are working on what they are supposed to be? This goes hand in hand with the objective; what will students be able to see and do? You should make it clear what you are expecting to get out of the lesson (such as by reading the objective aloud) and how you will be assessing this. For example, are student writing on sticky notes during a close read and then answering text-dependent questions? Will they be completing an experiment modeling chemical and mechanical breakdown using antacid tablets and vinegar, and afterwards, will they be completing some kind of analysis? Students need to be clear on what they are doing.

M- Movement. Student should be clear on where they can go in the classroom, for what purpose, and when they can go to certain places. Keep this in mind when running centers/stations, or if you have a small classroom and have some students working outside. If you are doing a project, you want the materials easily accessible. Finally, if it is independent work, students should be clear that they are to stay in their seats. Again, they can use seat signals if they need help.

P- Participation. This is how students will demonstrate that they are participating- discussion records in literature circles, answering analysis questions for a science experiment, or creating mathematical models with manipulatives. Keep in mind as well if they are working independently or in groups. Finally, model what participation looks like, especially in groups. Show them what model participation would look like. To create accountability, I have a CHAMP managers accountability sheet that I have my "managers" complete each week for their group members, including themselves.

If students are not meeting the CHAMP expectations, they can receive a "strike", "demerit", change their "color", or whatever consequence is appropriate. That is the immediate consequence. If they recieve a certain number of demerits in a week, they might recieve a detention. It is paramount that students be held accountable to their actions and that you follow through with consequences. This will set the tone for your classroom. Again, consequences can be positive as well, including for meeting and exceeding your CHAMP expectations. You could give them some extra free time, give them a coupon to switch seats with a peer for the day, or another appropriate incentive.  This can be for the entire class as well.

3. Great teachers use Positive Framing. This is also crucial. When we use positive framing, we do not yell at students. We do not scream. We not only remain calm, but when students need redirection (which some inevitably will), we do so firmly but with care. We can still be "strict" and loving simultaneously. You can use other techniques like Right Means Right and No Opt Out to help frame scenarios in a positive manner. Correcting errors in simple ways can be done- "That would be a good example of a round character, do you remember how that's different from a dynamic character?" You could also "stretch it" by saying, "Great work, can you remind me why a dynamic character can never be static?"

Again, being positive doesn't mean that you aren't clear or that you aren't "strict". You can still assert your expectations with clarity- just make sure you do so in a positive manner.

4. Great teachers assign appropriate consequences and rewards as necessary. We enable negative behavior if we allow the improper behavior to continue without immediate consequences. Again, this could be in the form of demerits, "strikes", loss of "class points", etc. We simply do not want to send the message to our students that anything goes.

There's been an ongoing debate about the use of rewards in classrooms; should we use them or not, and what message do we send students if we use them?

I used to not believe in rewards, and that they often turned into a form of bribery. We want to promote intrinsic motivation, I thought, and rewards are extrinsic motivation. That is true, and we do not want our students to exceed expectations, not just meet them. But we have to ask ourselves, what motivates us to do what we do each day? While I love teaching, I also need to make money. Here I have intrinsic motivation (I want to be the best that I can) as well as extrinsic (I need to support my family). While we want students to be motivated, sometimes sparking that drive is difficult. I believe that, when used appropriately, rewards can help do this. Remember that rewards are a form of consequences. If all our consequences are negative, we show students that we will not reward them for pushing themselves. Yes, the thought of an A will motivate our students who are driven, but it may not push others to study. In an ideal society, rewards would not be necessary in schools. But this is far from an ideal society, and rewards can help push students to be accountable.

5. Great teachers treat all students treated equally and fairly and are cognizant of inherent biases to create a diverse community of learners. This seems like a no-brainer, but often occurs, particularly with white teachers in urban schools. I remember the first time I read Peggy McIntosh's essay on white privilege and was absolutely stunned. I had always thought of racism in an overt, blunt manner, but never as a system which was inherently set up to provide myself advantages and people of color disadvantages. It was a life-changing read. Lisa Delpit's "The Silenced Dialogue" was another essay that left me speechless, because it not only applied these ideas to education, but it showed the perspectives of many educators of color, and how I had directly abused my "cultural capital" in ways I had never intended.

It is critical for us to be aware of our entrenched prejudices- to confront them, and ultimately examine them. Only then can we be honest with ourselves. Biases can be entrenched to the point where we become oblivious. All teachers want to have successful classrooms, but we ultimately may be holding our students when we harbor prejudices, however minor they may seem.

Once we have recognized our defects, it is paramount that we implement a classroom environment free of bias. You might consider how often you call on students of a specific gender, race, socioeconomic background, sexual preference, proficiency with English (or native language), and those with or without learning and behavioral disabilities.

Finally, we cannot afford to be colorblind, nor can our students. Too many teachers politely tell themselves things like, "I don't see race". This is not only naive, but can be outright dangerous in a classroom. To pretend that Eric Garner's race was not a factor in his death is false; to suggest so in a classroom can be detrimental to students. I have witnessed teachers and administrators try to sweep racial problems under the rug. The problem does not go away; the problem grows until it can no longer be ignored. Please, for the dignity and respect of our students, do not ignore the cultural chasms that may exist in classrooms. Confront, learn, and ultimately grow from them. As a professor once told me, "It is not our students who must adapt to us, but we who must adapt to our students."

6. Great teachers do not shame students when they are "wrong". I have talked about this a great deal with normalizing error. There is not much to say here that I have not written about previously; don't shame students, period. I have worked in schools where screaming at students for an incorrect answer was the norm. This continues the self-fulfilling prophecy that holds back many of our students from success. They fall into a cycle of learned helplessness. They receive the message that they can't do it repeatedly and it becomes ingrained in their psyche.

We know that great teachers are constantly checking for understanding. As a huge proponent of Cold Call, I believe that frequent informal assessments are one of the keys to successful differentiated instruction. Students need to feel comfortable when speaking and sharing their answers. Great teachers instill confidence and a classroom climate where it's not only acceptable to make mistakes, but is encouraged, because the effort is what we are looking for, second to ability.

7. Great teachers convey the importance of procedures to students from day one and throughout the year. Whether you've been teaching for decades or will start in the fall, you've likely heard how critical procedures are. The First Days Of School (Wong) was drilled into my head when I student taught, and has been a staple for teachers since it's publication. The author is relentless in his assertion of the critical nature of procedures on the first day of school. While Wong's signature text may seem outdated in certain aspects, his emphasis is not. Procedures are critical to the success of a classroom.

Studies have shown that the classrooms with the least amount of management problems occur when the teachers modeled their expectations and how they expect students to function in the classroom. Consider if you have clear, set procedures for the following:

-Entering the classroom

-Exiting the classroom

-What students should do if they need a sharp pencil 

-Entering tardy

-Walking through hallways and taking restroom breaks as a class

-Obtaining various classroom supplies 

-Accessing and returning books

-When to copy down homework and where to write it

-Writing headings

-Mainting a discipline system

-Class jobs

-All components of CHAMP

These are just a few examples. I love Seat Signals. They are fantastic for independent work. Regardless of your procedures, make sure you have systems for everything. The more consistent you are with clearly enforcing and modeling procedures, the more successful your classroom will be.

8. Great teachers prevent problems before they start. I recently was teaching in a classroom at another school over the summer, when I heard a fight break out into the hallway between two third grade boys. The teacher was oblivious to the situation and started blaming the boys for her lack of attention. This classroom constantly has problems, especially noise issues. Yet other classrooms in the school, with the same student population, do not have problems. In fact, these classes are models for behavior- in urban classrooms and beyond.

Ultimately, student behavior falls on us. Yes, there are extreme cases, but 99% of the time, student misbehavior is a result of teacher inattention. In another classroom, the teacher stepped outside and left the students alone with a student observer. Another fight broke out. Another teacher simply had students on iPads for hours. They were instructed to do an independent activity. The teacher was simply at her desk on her phone and I'm sure you can guess that the students became off task.

Great teachers investigate for conflict. They are always scanning and taking note of possible trouble before it starts. They have eyes on the backs of their heads. They are always aware that something can go wrong, but they work to prevent problems before they start. There is no reason that a classroom in a high-poverty neighborhood cannot function just as seemlessly as one in an affluent suburb.

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Classroom management problems burn teachers out more than anything else. Many of us were not adequately prepared in college to meet the needs of an overcrowded, under-resourced schools in a low-income neighborhood. That does not validate some sort of patronizing "Teach For America" style narrative or being a savior; it is simply repudiating this notion that "those kids" are the problem. Nor is it a means to suggest privatization, charter schools, education "reform" policies, and massive budget cuts. No, it is none of those things. It means we don't make excuses. In an ineffective classroom the teacher is the problem, and in an effective classroom the teacher is the solution.

No Opt Out: Classroom Management, Self-Esteem, and Differentiation

I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.

-Michael Jordan

If you mess up on the first day of school, there is no going back. Your entire year can be ruined instantly.

The first weeks, days, hours, and even seconds are crucial to a successful school year. Your students will pick up on your mannerisms. They will "size you up" and assess your competency in classroom management, whether or not you are ready for it.

First day of class. You are shaking students hands at the door and introduce yourself. Now is the time to begin teaching procedures. Many teachers begin with "icebreakers". (These activities are a good way for students to get to know each other, but I strongly recommend that you stress the procedural component of the activity and not the classroom environment. You can create that environment of comfort between your students, but I strongly recommend with beginning with procedures.) Let's say after you model how to enter and exit the classroom (which I refer to as First Five and Last Five) you have your students stand in a circle and say their name one at a time, and then something they like beginning with the first letter of their name. ("I'm Mr. Friedberg and I like mangoes.") The next person says their name, something they like, and the person before them. ("He's Mr. Friedberg, he likes mangoes, and I'm Gabriella and I like guitars.") But what happens when you get to the student who refuses. What do you do? Whatever words you say will indicate to the class your authority; are you going to maintain it, or are you going to give it up to a student who is trying to test you?

This is where No Opt Out comes in. It's the first technique in the controversial Teach Like A Champion, which is essential to my classroom. When I was in college, student taught, and became a substitute teacher, I knew all the slogans and catchphrases to use in interviews. I knew to mention "data driven instruction" and "high expectations". But what exactly do "high expectations" look like, especially in an urban classroom? No Opt Out is critical to maintaining strong behavioral standards, in addition to helping build students' self-esteem. Here is how Lemov defines the technique:

A sequence that begins with a student unable to answer a question should end with the student answering that question as often as possible.

Let's first examine defiance and return back to our icebreaker scenario. A student may say, "I don't know", "I don't want to do this", or "I don't like anything". In all three instances, the student is trying to take control of the classroom. Power should never be negotiated. Before I became a teacher I worked for years at a local community center. My former boss was one of the best disciplinarians. I have ever seen. As she put it, "Either you're in charge or the kids are. You decide."

Like Cold Call, the technique is incredibly simple with deep implications. Essentially, use the technique to have a student answer your question or respond to your direction.

It's important to realize that when a student says, "I don't know", they may be unsure of an answer or they may be defiant. Identifying this circumstance is crucial to rectifying it.

In a successful urban classroom, or any classroom for that matter, power is never negotiated. This does not mean that you need to be punitive; you should not be. In fact I strongly use Positive Framing in everything I do. I want my students to feel welcomed and excited to learn. Simultaneously, that does not mean that I let up on  being "strict". That term often has a negative connotation. I view being strict as making my expectations crystal clear and holding my students high to what they need to do. It does not have to be anything more or less than that.

Let's return to our first day scenario. You get to a student who tries to test you. He responds, "I'm not doing this,"

What is happening? He's trying to take power from you. This is where you cannot negotiate and where you can use No Opt Out. Calmly say to the student, "Alex, I'm going to ask you one more time. Either you're going to participate or you're going to be in detention after school. Now, what is your name and what do you like?"

Now it's become clear. You refuse to give up power. The majority of the time, most students should probably respond to your request- that is, if you have developed a strong classroom climate where you are the clear authority. If you have not done that, your power can begin to crumble. If the student still won't budge, it is imperative to follow up with your consequence. Whatever we do, we send a message to our students. The message sent is either this teacher means business or this year is going to be a joke.

Now let's begin to examine using this technique for when a student actually does not know. Let's say you're cold-calling students. Lemov asserts that there are for ways to respond when they cannot (or refuse to) answer:

Format 1. You provide the answer; your student repeats the answer. 
Format 2. Another student provides the answer; the initial student repeats the answer.
Format 3. You provide a cue; your student uses it to find the answer. 
Format 4. Another student provides a cue; the initial student uses it to find the answer.

In my eighth grade language arts class we are reading The Book Thief. Let's say you do a close read on a passage in the beginning of the book. Liesel Meminger finds out that her father was taken away. After the students respond with sticky notes based on Common Core question stems. You begin with a simple question using cold call. "Why was Liesel's father taken away (pause) Fabian?" The student replies that they don't know. Using all four formats, here is how you could possibly respond:

Student: I'm not sure.
Teacher: He was a communist.
Student: Oh that's right,
Teacher: What was he?
Student: A communist.
Teacher: Excellent.

Student A: I don't know.
(Cold Call another student) Teacher: Help him out (pause) Janine.
Student B: Her father was a communist.
(Teacher points back or gives a brief verbal cue to Student A)
Student A: Her father was a communist.
Teacher: Right!

Student: He was Jewish?
Teacher: Good try, but remember, he wasn't Jewish. What were some of the other groups targeted by Hitler?
Student: Poles, the mentally challenged, trade unionists... oh, communists! He was a communist.
Teacher: Good job, Fabian!

Student A: He was a gypsy?
(Cold Call another student) Teacher: He was not, but he was a member of a certain group. Who else did Hitler target besides those of a certain ethnicity (pause) Carlos?
Student B: He went after gay people and people of different political groups.
Teacher: Good. Now what was one of the main groups Hitler targeted Fabian?
Student A: Oh, communists!
Teacher: Good, give me a complete sentence, please.
Student A: Liesel's father was a communist.
Teacher: Great work!

One of the great things that I love about No Opt Out is that it can be used to build students' confidence. As I mentioned in my cold call post, questioning techniques should not be used to make students feel ashamed, but to help make them feel better. The technique emphasizes having the student answer correctly. That's what it's all about, and when students can answer correctly they can feel proud of themselves.

As you differentiate questioning techniques, you can differentiate using No Opt Out as well. My favorite "format" is 4, where another student provides a cue for their peer, and that the question is answered. (This creates a high ratio.) For example, if you ask a higher level question and the student does not get it, you can cold call a student that you believe could appropriately answer. You can also do this with a lower question. You want to create a "culture of error" where everyone participates and feels comfortable in speaking.

Students need to know that it's not only to try and fail; it's expected. Many students suffer from learned helplessness. The more we can destigmatize getting a question "wrong", the more we can push students to answer questions correctly. Our students won't become Michael Jordans if they are afraid to miss some free throws. And in order to succeed, we need to give them lots of opportunities to take free throws. They will miss some, but with proper support, they will be less afraid to take shots.

Why #Blacklivesmatter is a Part of My Classroom

I can't breathe.

-Eric Garner

Part I- Subjectivity

I had a teacher in high school that became like a father to me. He took me under his wing. He mentored me and guided me, and eventually helped me to get a full scholarship to a private college.

That school was Kansas City Art Institute. I visited it and broke down. Not only did I not want to attend this school (no disrespect to the institution), but I also realized that art degrees are not functional for the most part. I still love to draw, but I did not want to spend four years and lots of money on a degree I would not use. (That said, I never want to discourage my students from persuing their dreams, and if one of them wanted to attend art school I would support them completely.)

But the ultimate fear existed in how I would tell my teacher that I decided not to attend this school. Trepidation seeped into every fiber of my body. 

As expected, he did not take it well. But I also came to realize that he had shaped me in his image. A year later I went to visit the school, only to hear condescending comments from him about the choice I had made. As my hero began to fall from grace, I realized that his AP art history class was extremely subjective- obsessing over the French classisicts and the imagery of Western life, while, with the exception of the Edo woodcuts of Japan, completely ignoring the rest of the world. In addition to the racism rooted in this philosophy, it was clear that he was infusing his own opinion into the class by openly criticizing or praising various works based on his own opinions. There was no objectivity.

Reflecting upon this sick individual, it became clear to me that as teachers, it is our duty to try to have students think independently. Trying to make them copies of ourselves is harmful not only to them, but to us as well.

Part II- Black Lives Matter

Yesterday it was revealed that multiple officers from the Baltimore Police Department will be charged in the death of Freddie Gray.

While this looks like a remnant of hope, not only am I skeptical of the results, but Mr. Gray is still dead. I'm not sure what consolation, if any, this will bring to his family.

Even in death, black men are dehumanized and degraded. Just days ago, there were a slew of political pundits and commentators theorizing that he had somehow caused his own injuries. "Suicide" was too offensive of a word and it was too soon to use, but there were lots of other assertions that redefined ignorance. Rush Limbaugh pointed out, "Look at how many times the police did not kill Freddie Gray." Yes, they should be commended for that, whereas Mr. Limbaugh was arrested for prescription drug fraud, yet it's somehow not "amazing" that he was not killed or is not in jail.

Whites constantly attack the "decline of the two parent household" in black families, black on black crime, or the problems that plague many communities of color. My biggest problem with this sort of logic is this- nobody is saying that black on black crime is not a problem. But for one, as a white man, I don't believe it is my job to lecture black people on what to do in their own communities. And two, this obscures the larger issue- the racist system in which we live; a black man kills a black man and goes to jail, and when a white police officer kills a black man he receives paid administrative leave.

Finally, why black lives matter? Don't all lives matter? Of course all lives matter, all people matter. No one is disputing that remotely. We say black lives matter because those are the ones that clearly do not matter in America today. We do not have a pattern of unarmed white men being killed by police officers. If the problem was equal, if "reverse racism" existed, if somehow Africans had conquered Europeans, then yes, "all lives matter" would be a valid claim. But that's not what has occurred over centuries, and it's certainly not what's happening in America today.

Part III- #BlackLivesMatter In the Classroom

How do we balance these two seemingly different schools of thought based on subjectivity and objectivity?

First, we need to create a classroom environment where all views are tolerated. Kids should be able to express their disagreement without fearing retribution from their classmates in teacher. I saw this in my own classroom this week. A (Hispanic) student journaled about how #alllivesmatter is a more powerful hashtag/concept than #blacklivesmatter. She was the only student in my classroom who had this opinion. Nonetheless, her peers all clapped for her response afterwards for her well-thought response. It was a powerful reminder that all students should feel accepted, no matter which position they take.

One of the ways to do this is to focus on counterarguments in essay writing. When students write, they should be able to take in the totality of views in order to maintain an informed opinion.

We can also stress the importance of compassion. When reading To Kill A Mockingbird, my coworker had the class evaluate all of the characters' courage on a scale of 1-10 during the trail. When Mayella was brought up, the entire class instantly said that she should get a 1. Their teacher emphasized empathy. Look at what Mayella has experienced. Consider what her father has done to her. Look at their living conditions, as well as their stigma in Maycomb. The students saw that courage can take many forms and can be subtle. It's important to recognize that even outside of conversations on race, it's important to be feel compassion even for those we may disagree with. Mayella's actions and their evaluations of her courage show us that our individual experiences form our opinions. This, even if we disagree with others, is critical to remember; the context of the opinions that have been formed on both ends define us as individuals. The more students can view the sentiments of which they disagree with a sense of objectivity, the more respectful classroom debates will be, no matter the subject matter.

Third, we can take into the context of the "pedagogy of the oppressed" into everything we teach. If we look at history through a critical context of those that have disproportionately affected by xenophobia, racism, Manifest Destiny, and genocide, we can teach in a way that honors the realities of history- realities with which many of us did not encounter in school ourselves. This does not mean we do not honor the great achievements of history- it means that this is not the only thing we do, and that we do it beyond the Western World.

Finally, it's hard to argue that saying that unarmed black men should not be killed is subjective. This is a basic fact of human dignity. I have no doubt that in fifty years, white Americans will look back on this period in history with the same attitudes of disbelief that their parents and grandparents carried during the Civil Rights era. Do I believe racism will end? Certainly I am not that naive. I do believe that we are going through some of our darkest days as a country, and one day we shall look back on them with shame and accept the fact that black human beings matter and do not deserve to be killed at the mercy at those who have more power than they.

Why Special Education Students Should Not Feel "Special"

I have epilepsy. I take medication to prevent myself from having seizures.

There is often a stigma for those with physical, emotional, behavioral, and/or cognitive disabilities. And there should not be. That is why I am being honest about my own disorder.

My first year teaching I had several students with IEPs in one classroom. I was overwhelmed as it was, and while I had researched, student taught, and was subbing previously, this was absolutely nothing in comparison. These were MY students, and I had a duty to educate them properly- an overwhelming responsibility that was entirely new to me.

Just like I had been taught in college, I started the first week with procedures. We completed a sheet of Do Nows and Exit Slips for the week. I collected them on Friday to see what my students were able to do, and what I would need to re-teach.

One student's work particularly stuck out to me. I'll call him "Alex". As I read Alex's Do Nows, I saw that all he had been able to do was copy the text from the Do Now on the board. All the other students with IEPs were able to respond to the questions in some fashion, but all Alex could do was copy them.

I spoke with the special education teacher. Alex suffered from severe dyslexia, in addition to being severely learning disabled in other ways. My first thought was, "Wow, I wouldn't notice this just by looking at him."

There's an intrinsic problem with that assumption; I had preconceived notions of how special education students should appear. I did not acknowledge the vast diversity in student needs, as well the various ways they can appear on the surface. Alex looked "normal" to me, but the irony is that he needed more help than any other student.

I thought long and hard about how to make life science successful for Alex, because no book or professor had explained to me how to differentiate instruction for a student like him. I had a very rudimentary concept of how to make material understandable for a kid like Alex. I knew I could give him extra time for assignments or fewer questions on timed tests, but solutions beyond that escaped me.

Our first quiz was on the scientific method. I gave him fewer questions. On the multiple choice questions I eliminated some choices to try to make it easier for him. He got an F.

After class I spoke with him in private. I asked him if he wanted seperate assessments- homework, tests, etc. He did not. I asked, "Are you sure?" He confidently replied that he was.

Differentiated instruction- content, process, product. I could not figure out what I was doing wrong. And then it hit me. Shame.

Alex was ashamed of his cognitive challenges. He was tired of being "different", and not just from students. I found out that one teacher had not even looked at his IEP and had called on him to read aloud in another class. Of course he could not, and she started yelling at him. He cried.

The next day I asked to speak to Alex after class again. I guessed, "You just don't want to take a different test from everybody else, right?" He nodded his head and told me that was exactly it. We came up with a solution; I would give him a normal assessment just like his peers and collect it at at the end of class. Afterwards I would recycle it and then we would meet and I would create something that was appropriate for his schema. Instead of a quiz on cells, I would give him three circles describing different organelles. I would read him what needed to go in each box and he drew the organelles. He loved it.

This showed me something interesting yet extremely obvious; there is a distinct connection between conprehension and self-esteem. When students understand material, they feel positively about themselves; when they cannot master content, they develop a negative self-image. This connection was shown when we got back the results from our standardized testing. Between math, reading, and science, his highest scores were in my class, science. He ran to show me and was so proud of himself.

Data like this can also show us where a student with special needs is specifically having trouble. All of the material on the test was read to him, so it became clear that while he lacks decoding skills, he has comprehension, especially in terms of listening.

Too often special education students are made to feel "special" and different. Alex taught me something I will never forget; all students want to be treated as normal kids, and the more we do that as educators, the more successful our students will be.

I have epilepsy, and I refuse to be ashamed.

SWBAT... Understand Objectives by What They Are Supposed to Know and Do

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you can better understand where you are now so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.

-Stephen R. Covey

One of the problems in education today is that ideas are constantly in flux. Teachers often have concepts, trends, books, and programs shoved down our throats at such a rapid pace they become hard to digest. One of the paramount issues is the use of objectives in our classroom.

We are told to write objectives on our board, but that leads to a lot of questions. Should objectives be written in student-friendly language or more formally? Should we also have our Essential Questions and Enduring Understandings on our boards? Should students read the objectives aloud each day? Should objectives be written using Bloom's Taxonomy verbs, or should we say what students will be about to do and how they will able to do it? Should objectives be written with explicit references to Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and question stems?

All of these questions have definitive answers, but the journey to best practices can be nebulous. All teachers can likely that Understanding by Design (Wiggins, McTighe) has completely revolutionized lesson and unit planning. Of all the education books that have been released over the past decade, this has arguably been the most influential.

1. Connect your objective to your daily assessments, including your Do Nows and Exit Slips. As you frame your lesson, make your objectives a part of your assessments at the beginning and end of class. You can reinforce what you are teaching to your students, and you can also continue your objective from the previous lesson if your students did not demonstrate mastery. While I always select my Exit Slip based on what I have just taught that day, the Do Now can serve as a "hook" for a lesson, development of background knowledge, or assessment from the previous lesson.

2. Engage students by having them read the objective aloud. (I write my objectives on my board so that all my students can do this easily.) When you Control the Game (another technique from Teach Like A Champion), you cold call students for a guided reading session. This dramatically increases your ratio, or the amount of learning that is occurring in your classroom at a specific point in time. You can cold call students to read the objective aloud. This way they are focused on paying attention on the lesson, what they need to be able to demonstrate, and the skills/strategies/content you will be teaching. Here's an example of what it may look like in a classroom:

Teacher: "Scholars, what does SWBAT stand for?"
Class (simultaneously): "Students will be able to!"
Teacher: "And what will you be able to do today (pause for cold call) Giselle?"
Student (reading the objective on the board): "Provide evidence for evolution and analyze branching trees."
Teacher: "Great job, Giselle. Let's give her some snaps." (Students snap fingers together.)

In addition to being a pacing technique, giving students "props", and just adding some energy to your room, this technique is a reminder to students of they will be assessed on. The students reading the objective is a way for them to take ownership; it's no longer the students being told what to do- they are now an integral component of creating a scenario of what the lesson will look like.

3. Use Bloom's Taxonomy verbs in your objective, and/or discuss what students will be able to know and do. (I use the caveat because I believe in using language that is comfortable to students, which I discuss next.) This has been the focus of debate in the past couple of years. I do not think that for the objectives posted in the front of the classroom it is necessary to add how students will be assessed. That can make your objectives long and cumbersome to understand for students' sake, especially depending on the method of assessment. You could write those on your lesson plan. Personally, I still love Bloom's Taxonomy verbs and think that beginning your objectives with them is a simple, concise way to help students not only understand what you are asking them do know, but the level of complexity required in their thinking. I have used a Bloom's question board in the back of my classroom for the past few years, but I am going to switch to a CCSS question stem board next. Regardless of how you use Bloom's in your room, it is a great way to create and focus your vision of your lesson.

4. Write your objectives in student-friendly language, not necessarily explicitly mentioning CCSS. Students may not be able to comprehend what you are trying to get them to do if you say that they should "cite textual evidence and make logical inferences." This should be done if you are reading the objective aloud. For your lesson plans, you can directly mention the standards, but I recommend that if you read your objective out loud, phrase it in a way so that students can understand. Again, your students should be able to comprehend what you are asking them to do, in addition to how you will be asking them to show mastery.

Yes, you could use the word "tantamount" in writing an objective, but is it necessary? No, and vocabulary that is far outside their Zone of Proximal Development may confuse them further.

5. Embed your objective continually throughout your lesson. In addition to the Do Nows and Exit Slips, use informal assessments such as cold calling and dipsticking to see if students are meeting your objective. This way you can be flexible and adjust your instruction as necessary. If you are teaching your students literary elements and they still cannot properly identify the difference between rising action and climax, you will need to adjust your instruction. You may need to change your objective if your students do not demonstrate background knowledge and skills that are required for what you intended to teach.

While I believe in embedding elements of UbD throughout units, I do not believe that it is necessary to write Enduring Understandings or Essential Questions on your board, although in the past I have done so with the latter. I would suggest only doing this if you are continually returning to these components of UbD and want to explicitly show your students that you are doing so. Having said that, embedding these elements into your units and lessons is essential, but I do not believe that writing them on the board for students is required.

6. Use CHAMP or a strong behavioral management system to remind students of your expectations to meet your objective. The vast majority of classroom management problems occur because students are not clear and what they are expected to do. I love CHAMP because it helps prevent these problems before they occur. Additionally, discipline is ineffective when it is punitive and students do not know why they are being disciplined, especially if the instructor did not make expectations clear from the beginning. I have heard several acronyms for CHAMP, but I use Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Product.

CHAMP poster for small-group work

CHAMP poster for independent work

Discipline should be pragmatic; every action and expectation is for a purpose. When students understand this, classrooms can run flawlessly. If you reinforce that your behavioral expectations are for helping students meet and exceed the objective, students will have a better grasp of why they are doing what they are required to do. For example, entering the classroom silently and beginning the Do Now immediately will not only earn them a "class point" (for a group reward system) but will also save time, and the more efficient the classroom is, the more instruction, guided practice, and assessment can occur. All of these factors will help students meet the objective.

7. Maximize best practices to meet your objective. Forget your teaching "methods"; think about techniques that will not only help your classroom run smoothly, but will also help you meet your objective. Cold Call, Normalize Error, Positive Framing, Right Means Right, 100%, No Opt Out, Right Means Right, Stretch It, First Five/Last Five (also referred to as Entry Routine), and frequent checks for understanding can all help your students meet and exceed your expectations.

8. Avoid misinterpretations of the Gradual Release of Responsibility. I discussed this in my first post about teaching To Kill A Mockingbird. While the "I do/We do/You do" method is great, it should be noted that it is nonlinear. Lessons often do not go in this formation. For example, every class period I begin with a Do Now. This is independent work. I do not begin in each class with modeling how to complete a Do Now effectively. This should be modeled in the beginning of the year through teaching procedures; that instance would be a good example of I/We/You. But if you begin each day with a Do Now, you are starting with a You Do. and it becomes clear that the destination to student mastery may have multiple paths.

I misinterpreted these methods a lot during my first year teaching when I taught only science. I thought that I should model how to complete a specific experiment, then students do certain components of the experiment with me (We Do), and then students complete the experiment in their groups. The reality is that this was not only non-productive but also could be confusing to students. When we do experiments today, I model the procedures (or at least parts of them without spoiling what will occur during the process of an experiment), and then students complete the experiment in their groups. What could be practical for a science classroom is using I/We/You to show students how to correctly answer analysis questions after an experiment. Essentially, a correct execution of the Gradual Release of Responsibility can help immensely in having your students meet their objectives. In juxtaposition, doing so incorrectly can prevent or hinder students from meeting what you are expecting them to know and do.

Objectives are essential- units, weeks, lessons, components of lessons. Understanding by Design revolutionized education and shows us that backwards design is not a way to teach, it is the way to teach. By using the techniques and strategies described above, you can help your students meet and exceed your expectations and help them realize their full potential.

Confronting Privilege and Building a Culturally Relevant Classroom

There is no achievement gap at birth.

-Lisa Delpit

I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group. 

-Peggy McIntosh

When was the last time you read something life changing? It is rare, even if you are a vivacious reader.

I remember one time very clearly. In January 2007 I read Peggy McIntosh's "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack". I was speechless. It put into words what my friends of color had said to me, and my own experiences in trying to discern uncomfortable feelings. I knew at times that what I was viewing and participating in was wrong, but I could not verbalize it. Maybe it was fear, maybe it was ignorance, but it was definitely privilege. 

Two years later I read Lisa Delpit's "The Silenced Dialogue". This was another game changer. It absolutely floored me. I realized that I had unintentionally participated in similar behaviors in not only working with my students of color, but teachers of color as well. 

I had always thought of myself as "progressive". But labels can be meaningless. While our words carry linguistic power, our actions are much more definitive of our character. Despite my intentions, I had failed at implementing culturally relevant pedagogy into my classroom. 

Recently, there has been a reactionary movement against the notion of white privilege. Many, conservatives and liberals alike, have reacted harshly to the notion that white people benefit from a system that is set up to disproportionately target people of color. Consider the following letter from a Princeton student which was picked up by Time:

Perhaps it’s the privilege my grandfather and his brother had to flee their home as teenagers when the Nazis invaded Poland, leaving their mother and five younger siblings behind, running and running until they reached a Displaced Persons camp in Siberia, where they would do years of hard labor in the bitter cold until World War II ended. Maybe it was the privilege my grandfather had of taking on the local Rabbi’s work in that DP camp, telling him that the spiritual leader shouldn’t do hard work, but should save his energy to pass Jewish tradition along to those who might survive. Perhaps it was the privilege my great-grandmother and those five great-aunts and uncles I never knew had of being shot into an open grave outside their hometown. Maybe that’s my privilege. 

The author, Tal Fortgang, while meaning well, has completely missed the point. After all, desires to do good are simply not enough. Many argued that the police officers who are responsible for Mike Brown and Eric Garner's deaths had "good intentions". Obviously intent is insufficient. 

As a descendant of Holocaust Survivors, I get it. My grandmother escaped Hitler's invasion of Prague by three days. Her cousin was on a kindertransport. Many of her extended family was killed in concentration camps. Those who did escape were ridiculed in America.

While all of these facts are horrible, my grandmother will be the first to tell you that black people have had it infinitely worse than Jews. She will assert that while the Holocaust was horrendous, it is insulting and ridiculous to try to compare it to slavery or Jim Crow. What she will not tell you is how she is routinely pulled over by police, how her ancestors were lynched, or how her coworkers and peers have asked her for the Jewish "experience" as if she represents all Jews. 

She also will not tell you about how she walked in on coworkers who were about to utter the n-word but then paused when she entered the room. She will not tell you about her family members who have been groped by police officers.

She will not tell you these things because she is not black, and they have not happened to her.  

To assert that Jews do not somehow benefit from being white is negating centuries of genocide and terrorism to African Americans. It is not only insulting, but it is blatantly false. Ironically, Fortgang is upholding his privilege by denying it; by ignoring what people of color experience regularly, he is not only absolving his possible guilt, but also ignoring the systematic racism that plagues the United States, and has for centuries. 

Briana Payton, another Princeton student, responded with simple facts:

While Fortgang is not responsible for white male dominance in society, he should at least recognize that this social hierarchy is not a mere coincidence, nor is it a testament to the power of hard work. Such a micro-level explanation, when applied to our country’s current state, would imply that white males have by and large outworked most women and minorities in the many fields in which they dominate.

Exactly. Is education an exception? Not at all. In fact, as Delpit asserts, we often see scenarios of privilege played out extensively when we have white teachers working in classrooms of color.

Before I can begin to implement any elements of culturally relevant pedagogy into my own classroom, I need to accept these objective truths. If I refuse to acknowledge these realities, I will not only be ineffective in an urban classroom, but as an educator, regardless of my environment.

While ignorance is bliss, as teachers, we cannot afford to be ignorant, and our students cannot afford it either.

Having said that, let's begin to build our culturally relevant classroom. Here are a few things that we can do to help our students succeed:

1) Use codeswitching and contrastive analysis strategies in writing, reading, and listening. As I mentioned in my previous post. In addition to Gloria Ladson-Billings and Lisa Delpit, I strongly recommend Code-Switching: Teaching Standard English in Urban Classrooms by Rebecca Wheeler and Rachel Swords. In short, pedagogy based in these methods not only helps validate students' culture(s), but is also proven to help students learn and use Standard English, even though they do not belong to the culture of power, in the words of Delpit.

2) Base your classroom management with cultural backgrounds in mind. One of the most inspiring lectures I have ever heard was from a former boss at a local community center. She was white and grew up in Apartheid era South Africa. She was not only raised to believe in Apartheid, but she wrote an article defending it as a teenager in a local newspaper. As she grew to see her confusions, privilege, and misconceptions, she began to repudiate her previous philosophy. She closed her speech to our staff with the following statement: "We are told to believe in the golden rule, but I believe in the platinum rule; treat others as they want to be treated." I will never forget that.

This was a good model for someone not only acknowledging their privilege, but reflecting on it and how we deal with our students. One common mistake that I have executed previously in my classroom language involved language usage. I spoke to students the way I had been spoken to by my white mother- not acknowledging that my students had difficulty understanding my words because there was a language barrier of sorts. It was as if I had been speaking to them in a language that they were not fluent in and yet expecting them to understand. Again, this is essentially what Delpit refers to as the culture of power. I have access to the culture of power, but my students do not. It is important to accept this if I want my classroom to function successfully. 

In short, many parents of students of color speak with a clarity that is different from those heard in the homes of white teachers. It is paramount that we speak to students with this lucidity so that they can "hear" our words in the way we intend. The misconception that lies amongst many white "progressive" teachers is that this means we have to yell at students. This is false. We can still use positive framing and simultaneously make clear our distinct directions.  In addition to making my rules understandable, I also use CHAMP in my classroom to guide student expectations. (I strongly recommend CHAMP to all teachers.)

3) Use bilingual instruction when appropriate. I add this caveat because there are times when it is appropriate and others when it is not, especially based on your student audience. I have often translated my Do Nows and Exit Slips into Spanish. It's important to do this without drawing unwanted attention to these students. If you have a Promethean Board, you can project your translated Do Nows, or you can print out the translations (this could be for the entire week) and have them ready at the students' desks. 

You can also do some small group "pull out" instruction. My students who are new to English often feel more comfortable in this environment. Even a simple check for understanding in their native language ("Tu entiende o no?") can help validate their culture and heritage.

Lastly, it is fairly obvious that cold calling an English Language Learner or a Special Education students to read a difficult passage would be inappropriate, but I strongly recommend doing so for text with lower lexicality or a a passage with less complex text. Doing this can really help create "buy in", build classroom texture, and also help students' know that they are successful and capable.

4) Codeswitch when speaking to help build comprehension. This is where many teachers stumble. As I noted in my previous post, we do not want to codeswitch in an effort to lower rigor. Tenth graders should not be reading The Bluford Series simply because they are black teenagers. It is not only too innapropriate, but simultaneously patronizing to those students, because the implied message is that they cannot meet high expectations. 

My eighth graders are currently reading To Kill A Mockingbird. They were having some difficulty understanding Aunt Alexandra as a character. During our read aloud we paused to talk about her. I codeswitched and said, "Yeah, she all hashtag sorry/not sorry, I'm the queen, wassup?" My students laughed, but after viewing their comprehension questions, it was clear that it helped them to understand Lee's complex matriarch. 

Our students still must be able to understand words from the text such as edification, acquiescence, and tactful. Discussing formal and informal language is important, and students need to realize that there are appropriate and inappropriate times for using both. 

5) Post signs in your classroom representing your students' cultures(s). Let me first emphasize that actions speak louder than words.  Your behavior carries more weight than a poster or sign. Simultaneously, words and images still have power. Using bilingual anchor charts or posters celebrating achievements by people of color (or powerful timeless quotes emphasizing social justice) sends a clear message to our students; you matter, your culture matters, your language matters, and I value these things, and as your teacher, I want you and your families to feel welcome in my classroom. 

These images probably all fit the discussion of culturally-relevant pedagogy obviously- with the exception of the Scout character web. I decided to add this one because of the complexities of racial dynamics, in addition to it helping students understand Maycomb, as well as Scout as a character. We made this chart as a class, and we spent a lot of time discussing how someone who could use the n-word could also not be racist. I will leave this debate up to you, but I think most teachers would agree that Scout is a product of Maycomb. She is not inherently racist, especially given her relationship with Calpurnia. This is where culturally relevant pedagogy can lead to fascinating discussion and incredibly deep comprehension and inferential thinking.

A point of caution: putting up a poster of Frederick Douglas while not changing our behaviors and practices is tantamount to trying to lose weight and eating french fries everyday. Yes, you did one thing correctly, but you are still not making progress.

This is by no means a complete checklist. In order to be culturally relevant educators, we must be continually reflective on best practices, pedagogy, and the world in which our students live. The days of social studies class where teachers and students simply talk about ethnic cuisine are no more. If we cant to successfully educate our students, we have got to do better. Our students deserve it.