Beyond Agents of Change: Lessons from Pumamarca

As an NEA Foundation Global Fellow, I recently had the incredible experience of traveling to Peru. I felt embraced by the people and tried my best to soak in the beautiful Peruvian culture in the food, music, handwork, colors, art, and languages that surrounded me. I found myself in awe of the strength of the women and saddened by the obvious challenge of poverty the families face daily.
Our visits to the schools enriched my experience as a global traveler. Much like schools in the states, I found a great disparity between the schools in urban and rural areas of Peru. The private and magnet schools of Lima and other cities are filled with bright students, rigorous programs, and a wealth of supplies. In the more remote villages, schools are poorly supplied and staffed.
For me, however, the most impressive school we visited was a primary school in the mountain village of Pumamarca, just outside of Cuzco.  It was in this small rural community that I experienced the power and influence that education can offer everyone.

Until recently, the children in this impoverished area had no school. In 2008, Peru's Challenge, an organization dedicated to developing sustainable schools and communities in rural Peru, came to Pumamarca.  

When Peru's Challenge first spoke to the villagers, they asked them what they wanted most.  The resounding answer was... a better life for their children.  They wanted their kids to attend a school, but they didn't want them to have to attend a rural school with unqualified teachers.  Peru's Challenge worked tirelessly with the Ministry of Education, who at first indicated that they thought the villagers had no interest in education.  

2nd grade classroom

After much negotiating, the ministry agreed to supply one teacher the first year the school opened. Today they employ all six teachers at the school.  The community members built the eight school rooms themselves, and they now have a fully functioning kitchen.  The women of the village grow healthy vegetables in the school green houses, and they feed the students breakfast and lunch daily.  There are six greenhouses, and the extra food is sold at market.  The profits are used to keep the kitchen running and supply the school.

What is most amazing to me are the lasting results from the efforts of Peru's Challenge.  The people were not given money or supplies.  Instead, they were given the precious resource of knowledge. 

Before Peru's Challenge came to Pumamarca, most families lived with chickens and guinea pigs in their homes, and 95% of the kids were malnourished. An average family earned about $3 per month. Alcoholism was rampant; many of the men were drinking pure alcohol made cheaply from plants in the jungle. Domestic violence was prevalent, and most of the youth never completed high school.

Peru's Challenge taught the people of the community the necessary skills to run their farms, school, and businesses.  They taught them how to harness electricity and clean water in their homes, work the land with animals, and grow flowers in the green houses to sell.  Most families now make about $60 per month. 90% of the kids are healthy, and the 10% malnourished students are among the incoming kindergartners.  Within the first three years of opening the school, all of the students in grade five graduated to the secondary school in Cuzco. 

Alcoholism and domestic violence are almost non-existent now, although the project did not focus on either of these things.  It has been a bi-product of the efforts to create a sustainable community and school within a small rural village. 

The story of Pumamarca is a powerful example of how educating others creates independence and progressive change. How do we apply this in our own states and communities? We often refer to educators as 'agents of change'.  The strength in this example, however, is not change.  It is sustainable change. 

Every year we are introduced to new strategies of instruction, theories of learning, and technological advances. We have a wealth of resources available to us, and at times, it feels like we are overloaded with great ideas. The question is, when we implement something new in our schools, will it provide skills that teachers and students will continue to use? Will the new resources provide sustainable change? 
Perhaps as educators we should reflect on the resources we provide our teachers and students...

• As administrators, do we implement only those programs and strategies that will become an imbedded part of the school's culture and enhance instructional practices? 
• Do our teacher evaluation programs place a greater emphasize on improving instruction, thus increasing student learning? 
• As teachers, are we able to focus more on the analysis of formative assessments in order to drive our instruction rather than place percentages on our students? 
• Do our weekly lessons emphasize both individual and group problem solving experiences? 
• Do we search for ways to connect with parents and develop a lasting trust between home and school that will encourage their involvement? 
• As teachers, do we focus on integrating critical social-emotional skills that students will need to work with others in their adult lives?

Like the people of Pumamarca, training our teachers and educating our kids is about giving them the experiences, knowledge and skills they will continue to use in their communities. For me, the story of Pumamarca will be a reminder of how important those resources are.

Teacher Leadership: Beyond the Initiative

In my 27 years as an elementary educator, I have experienced many trends, models and 'buzz phrases'. Acronyms such as RTI, PLC, SEP, and CCSS have permeated our conversations at school. Did your school make AYP?  How was your SPED IEP?  Do you have enough OTR's in your lessons?  Oh, I still have PTSD when anyone mentions NCLB...

The latest buzz is all about Teacher Leadership (which I will henceforth refer to as TL).  The recent focus on TL has been spurred by the federal Teach to Lead initiative, and a set of Teacher Leadership Model Standards was even released in 2011 by the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium.

So what is the hype surrounding TL?  Why the focus on something with such a basic title?  How can the idea of a few teachers at each school standing up to represent their colleagues really be all that powerful?  For me, teaching in a state with the highest class size and lowest per pupil expenditure, the need for TL is critical! 

Collective Accountability
TL is connected to the theory that all teachers at a school should feel mutually accountable for the success of all students. Those educators in TL positions do more than just share ideas and strategies; they are empowered to encourage and direct collaboration within communities of teachers. They are willing to model best practices for others. Those in TL positions have a mutual concern for and an expectation of the achievement of all students, not just those in their home rooms.

The Weakest Among Us
In a pack of animals, the weakest are soon isolated and become susceptible to predators. Our weakest educators are often isolated in their rooms and become prey to negative attitudes, bad practices and weakened relationships with colleagues and parents. A true teacher leader will reach out and connect with those teachers who are detached from the social culture within the faculty. Teacher leaders enjoy the benefits of professional memberships and they actively work to draw in more members. TL fosters an attitude of encouragement and the expectation that every teacher can work hard and achieve excellence.

Attrition
In addition to negative energy, attrition rates also rise when teachers are not actively collaborating with their peers.  Each year many of our potentially strongest teachers leave the classroom due to weak induction programs. Teacher leaders often emerge because they recognize the need for proper mentoring in their schools. Those in TL positions, whether formal or informal, consistently engage novice teachers in reflective conversations about pedagogy and common challenges with classroom management. Teacher leaders take the initiative to guide their colleagues through challenges such as heightened standards, new educator evaluation systems, and the increased emphasis on standardized testing.

Closing the Gap
Educators in TL positions feel empowered to speak openly about education issues with neighbors, family members, policy makers, and other stakeholders. Teacher leaders recognize that community support is critical to the success of schools, and teachers must engage in conversations outside of the school walls. They appreciate and make an effort to learn more about the different cultures in the community. Teacher leaders take the time to advocate for their profession. The influence of TL helps to decrease the ever growing divide between the public and public education.

Go Beyond the Initiative
The demand for TL is expanding as states and districts recognize what many already know: TL can transform a school and increase student learning! Hybrid positions are increasingly prevalent and give teachers the opportunity to stay in the classroom while coaching other teachers. TL is a trending topic at educational conferences and in weekly twitter chats. As TL grows, job satisfaction and teacher retention also increase, instructional practice is strengthened, and students achieve more! Now is the time for us create a powerful culture of TL in every school!

Cross Pollination
Allison Riddle, with the support of her principal, created a hybrid position to mentor teachers without leaving the classroom.

http://teachtolead.org/cross-pollination/

Show Me the Study

UT STOYS: Allison Riddle ('14) Mohsen Ghaffari ('15) Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh ('09)

THIS was supposed to be THE YEAR.

Governor Herbert's proposed budget last fall gave hope to thousands of Utah teachers.  After more than five years of trying to dig out of a weak economy, our government had a surplus.  Governor Herbert's proposal offered $500 million to public schools and a 6.25% increase in the WPU.

As I spoke with several members of the Utah House and Senate Friday, it became alarmingly apparent to me that the governor's proposal was, in their eyes, not plausible.  Not even close. After years of being told Utah's schools must be patient with the bad economy, now that we are out of the slump and have a surplus, Utah educators are being told the very same thing.  The budget cannot sustain a healthy increase yet again for Utah's public schools.  

As a mentor of teachers, reflective questioning is a powerful tool.  I have a few reflective thoughts for members of the legislature.  I'm not asking for money, rather, I would like to focus on the expected outcomes of the budget.  As an educator, I am immersed in academia.  Every strategy I use in my instruction is backed by research and data.  And so, to the members of the Utah Legislature - to those who publish and grade me on my students' test data - I ask you to...

SHOW ME THE STUDY...

Show me the study that connects high class size to greater achievement on standardized tests.

Show me the study that reveals increased class time in front of a computer screen strengthens a student's development of critical social-emotional skills.

Show me the study that supports low pay and a lack of proper mentoring as proven methods for recruiting and retaining strong teachers.

Show me the study that concludes a simultaneous implementation of more rigorous standards and computer adaptive testing will improve instruction and student performance.

Show me the study that justifies the solitary use of standardized test results as a reliable source for the evaluation of a public school.

It's time for Utah to pull out of last place in per-pupil spending and to concede the top honor of highest class size in the nation.  It's time to invest in Utah's communities, businesses and families. 

I am proud of what I do each day in the classroom.  Teaching is a complex craft, and I will continue to reflect on my own instruction and mentor other teachers.  While I am discouraged by the lack of support our public school system has, I have enough grit and perseverance to stay in a Utah classroom. 

Ironically, that may be exactly what policy makers are counting on.

 

Students and Teachers: Worthy Investments

I recently read that one of the greatest determining factors of a student's success is the student's perception of whether or not the system believes he/she is a good investment.  What? I had never considered the idea that students might think that we - teachers, parents, administrators, even the general public - do not believe they are a worthy investment. Public education is an enormous machine.  Millions of dollars and thousands of hours are spent preparing curriculum and lessons for mastery of concepts.   How could these kids not know how much faith we have in them? How could they not see how hard we are working to help them prepare for success in life?

And then it hit me.  Of course they may question how much we believe in them.  For some time now, educators, parents, policy makers, and business leaders have been preoccupied with conversations surrounding standards, assessments, and evaluations.  Schools have been graded publicly, our own nation's failing scores have been emphasized, and the common denominator in all of this is, yes, the students themselves.  How often do we consider how the students are interpreting this debate?  Even a young child listening to his parents discuss the new assessments at the dinner table may receive a much different message than was intended.  When a parent opts out of the year-end assessments, what message might that send the child... We don't think you can pass these tests, so we don't want you to take them.  While a parent may have different reasons to remove the child from the testing experience, the child may come away thinking his parents did not believe he was ready for the challenge.

How do we let our students know how much we believe in them and their abilities?  Yes, new standards are challenging. Even though we know it is typical for test scores to dip the first few years after standards are raised, it can be discouraging to see those lower scores. It can be tempting to complain about unfairly published school grades and class test results that don't demonstrate an accurate picture of our students' life challenges. It is dangerously easy to feed the negative attitudes of many colleagues and parents.  We must, however, be sure to covey to our students a message of unwavering belief in their abilities.

As educators, in order to effectively communicate our confidence in our students' abilities, we must believe first in our own abilities.  Some 25 years years ago, I went to a job action protest at a park in downtown SLC. I was a second year teacher, and I have to admit I did not yet appreciate the concerns of the teachers who had assembled. I remember a teacher up on the stage with a guitar rallied the crowd while singing.  I can't remember the words to that song, but I will never forget what she said after her song: "I am a good teacher!" Her confidence inspired me.  I was so new at this, and I didn't know if I would ever be able to say that aloud.  That teacher, 1989 Utah Teacher of the Year Lily Eskelsen, moved on to inspire more educators as the UEA President. We appreciate her efforts now as our NEA President.

3 Utah STOYS: '14 Allison Riddle, '89 Lily Eskelsen, '09 Sharon Gallagher Fishbaugh

After 27 years in the classroom, I can now say the same, that no matter how the standards change, I know that I am a good teacher! I am a strong investment! My confidence in my understanding of best practices and my willingness to work hard are critical to each one of my student's self confidence and growth.  I also have support from colleagues, administrators, union leaders, and family.  In fact, my favorite two students - who were never in my own class - remind me every day of my teaching abilities. I believe in myself in part because my own two children, Charley and Abby, believe in me. As a parent I had no doubt of both of my kids' potential.  I taught them to work hard, and that I would work hard alongside them. Their determination and accomplishments now as adults inspire me.

We must communicate that message of tenacity and resiliency amidst change to our students and parents.  We do believe our students are a worthy investment, and we must let them know that our efforts each day are evidence of that belief.  No matter what the conversation among policy makers, educators, neighbors, or colleagues, we teach because we believe that each one of our students can learn and succeed.

From Lift Off to Splash Down

Reflections from Space Camp

As a 5th grade teacher, outer space and principals of aeronautics are not part of the science curriculum I am responsible to teach.  So what could a week at Space Camp possible offer me? Wow. A better question would be, What did it not offer me?  My week in Huntsville, AL at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center has left me with greater insight into what my students often experience in the classroom and how important it is for me to focus more on non-cognitive skills.

What Did You Say? 

My group - Team Kibo - was made up of 12 teachers: 7 U.S. teachers and 5 international teachers from Bangladesh, Belgium, Germany, and Norway. Initially we struggled to communicate, partially because of accent barriers, and partially because we were somewhat timid.  Our conversations were polite, and we were slow to really get to know each other. During our first mission, however, we quickly learned that it would take a focused effort to communicate in order to complete our mission successfully.  

How often do we include activities in our lessons designed specifically to increase meaningful conversations between students? How can we teach students to ask questions about each other that will increase an appreciation of cultural differences? During my Space Camp missions, I very quickly learned to appreciate how awkward it must be for my students to complete group tasks with students they don't know very well.  Students whose background and language may seem different to them.

                        I Only do Two Shows a Week                            

During our missions, when we were given 'anomalies' to solve, things were tense.  We had to rely on each other to find the solution in our mission books, which was difficult for some of our 'aging eyes'.   I found myself whispering silly phrases into my headset such as "Talk to me, Goose," or "Ground Control to Major Tom," or the inevitable, "Houston, we have a problem."  The humor helped break the tension, and we were able to ask questions as to where we were in regards to the solution.

 Do we encourage students to use humor in problem solving situations? Do we use and model humor appropriately in the classroom? Do we partner up less social students purposely to create comfortable dialogue, giving them a safe place to reason aloud and critique the reasoning of others? Once I got to know every one of my team members better, I felt so much more comfortable pairing up with them and sharing my ideas in both our missions and lab activities. The experience reminded me just how awkward situations can be for our students, and how helpful humor can be to alleviate stress.

Believing in Every Student

During our lunar mission, just about everything that could go wrong did.  Our shuttle team could not find the solution for an anomaly, and the Space Camp people had to tell us what to do. I was a Mission Specialist with Cordelia, one of the German teachers, and she was very nervous about the mission.  At times we struggled to communicate with each other. When we suited up to go aboard the lunar base camp Aurora, my headset failed within 5 minutes.  It was extremely hot, and the low lighting made it hard to see what I was doing.  At one point I was thinking, "Really? This is a simulation... what am I doing here?" I was ready to quit, but Cordelia saved the day. She was a champ.  With her limited English, she communicated with Mission Control and was able to relay to me (both verbally and nonverbally) all that we needed to do to fix the staged problems and get back to the shuttle and out of our hot astronaut gear.

How often do we underestimate the abilities of our ELL students? Do we pair them up with strong students who do too much for them? I am convinced that we should frequently let them know that we believe in their abilities and put them in situations that encourage them to shine.  

 Even Smart People can be Kind

What a thrill to be invited to a traditional Southern dinner by the ladies of the Huntsville du Midi Social Club.  I was seated with Janice Allison and her husband, former NASA Rocket Scientist, Paul Allison.  I also sat by Bennie Jacks, another retired NASA rock star.  They were all so gracious to answer my questions and tell me all about their amazing careers with NASA.  I never felt like a small elementary school teacher. They were so charming and seemed equally interested in what I do each day at school.  How important it is for us to make connections with not just parents, but also with business owners and policy makers in our communities. We should never assume others in the community are unavailable or uninterested in what we do in public schools.  We must reach out to make the connections with them.

It's not about Tolerance... It's about Appreciating the Differences in Others

At Space Camp it's traditional to represent your state or territory with a costume.  How much fun it was to see what each person chose. I wanted to showcase Utah's amazing National Parks, so I dressed as a hiker under Delicate Arch. To be honest, I got a few smart aleck remarks such as, "Oh, I thought that was an intestine above your head,".  Nevertheless, I was proud to represent Arches NP, and it was so fun to learn something new about the history and culture of each state.
How do we encourage our students to appreciate the differences in each other rather than just tolerating what they don't understand?  Things can be tolerated: bad weather, a dog barking all night, burnt food.  But people... people should not be tolerated... we should appreciate what makes them different from us.  How often do we purposely open discussions in our classrooms about differences in culture, language and traditions that make people unique? What opportunities can we take to integrate cultural differences into our science and history curriculum?

Focus on Non-Cognitives

My experience at Space Camp was, for the most part, a precious chance for me to experience the role of student again... to remember what it's like to feel unsure of myself and uncomfortable in new situations.  It was also amazing to feel childlike and curious about the job of an astronaut or rocket scientist. I got to use my own creativity while working alongside eleven of the most wonderful people on the planet. 

 While I won't return to teach concepts of outer space, I will go back to my class with a renewed effort to focus on those non-cognitive skills that are so vital to success at school and in life. I am referring to skills like curiosity, resilience, work ethic, creativity, empathy, communication, and of course, TEAM WORK! Our students need us to provide the application of these skills every day in class. The work force demands these so called 'soft skills', but there is nothing soft or passive about them.  These skills are necessary for our students to successfully apply the content they learn in school to situations throughout their lives.

To my surprise, Team Kibo ended up winning an award for best Shuttle Mission! No matter the challenges, our team worked hard and succeeded.  I won't be quitting my day job, but I did enjoy my week as Allison Riddle, Astronaut in Training!

Line Up and GO!

One of my favorite ways to get my class lined up and ready to go is to use an echo.  There are lots of fun echoes teachers use, such as "One two three, eyes on me - One, two, eyes on you!"  I found a way to use echoes that promote a sense of team spirit.  I use the cheers of the four major universities in my state.  I have chosen to present them in backwards alphabetical order so that my alma mater is first!

Weber State University

Utah State University

University of Utah

Brigham Young University

Joking Around with The President

May 1, 2014

Each day during our week in Washington D.C. was amazing, but this was the day we had most anticipated.   It was the day we would spend as guests at the White House, and it was the chance for each one of us to meet the President of the United States.  We were able to mill around the main floor for over an hour before the ceremony.  All of the STOY's walked in and out of the Dining Hall, the Red Room, the Green Room, and of course, the room we would eventually meet the President in, the Blue Room.

They had us line up as a group from tallest to shortest and practice walking into the East Room where the ceremony honoring the National Teacher of the Year would take place.  The atmosphere was light; we were all so excited and ready to finally get that handshake from President Obama.  I was just focusing on walking across the wooden floor of the East Room without slipping!

  

After we finished practicing we still had a while to take more photos and make sure the hair looked good.  Seriously, this part of the day was so much fun!  I wasn't nervous.  I was happy and felt blessed to have this amazing opportunity! Finally they lined us up again, and we began the long wait as each one of us got our chance to meet the President in the Blue Room.  

While I was in line, I peeked ahead and could see glimpses of the President reaching out to shake each teacher's hand.  It reminded me of seeing skits on Saturday Night Live where someone plays the President.  But this was really him!  That's when I started to get a little nervous.

As I reached the Blue Room, two Marines stood at the doorway.  One of them asked if we were excited.  (Duh!)  A young Marine came and took the card in my hand that had Utah and my name printed on it.  He told me specifics of what to do when it was my turn. 

Finally, I saw the two flashes from Jane's (WI) photo, and I walked forward.  The Marine said, "From Utah, Allison Riddle."   The President turned to me, put out his hand, and said, "Hi Allison, what grade do you teach?"  "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. President," I said, "I teach 5th grade."  He spoke to me for a quick minute about how 5th graders must be easier than 7th or 8th graders, and then we posed for the photo.

At that point, my visit would have ended, but I thought to myself, Why not?  I'm never going to be invited back! It's obvious my state didn't give him any electoral votes, so I decided to have some fun with him.  Ya him, the leader of the free world.

I turned to the President, looked at him directly and smiled. He looked at me very seriously.  I said, "Mr. President, I bring you greetings - from me,(I put my hand to my chest), and the 12 other democrats in my state!" 

At that point the President laughed so loudly that I got scared.  What if the secret service or one of these Marines hauls me off for making him laugh so hard?  He grabbed my hand while he was laughing and shook it - hard - about three times.  

The President stopped, leaned in close to my face, and said very sarcastically, "I think there's 20!"

We both laughed and I said, "Thank you, Mr. President."  I turned and left the room. As another Marine announced my name and I walked very carefully into the East Room, I was busting with joy.  I had shared a moment of humor with the President of the United States! Me! Little old Utah! The state I'm sure he rarely thinks of!  

After each teacher had finally been announced and walked up to the stage, President Obama, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and Sean McComb, National Teacher of the Year, entered and joined us on stage. The ceremony was just as exciting, in part because I was standing on the EDGE of the riser, and I was anxious about falling off the edge in my high heels!! It was surreal and humbling to stand behind the President as he spoke to the guests and media assembled there about the value of teachers in our country. Our new National Teacher of the Year, Sean McComb, gave an inspiring speech, and I was so proud to stand and represent Utah's teachers with him and the 52 other incredible teachers by me. I was also so happy that my son Charley was there to be a part of this moment! This was truly a day I will never forget!