Making Our Connections Count in 2020

Moving into a new decade is an opportune time to reflect on personal and professional growth over the last year and the previous decade. The 2010s were marked by significant changes in the classroom environment, new opportunities forged by the advancement of educational technology, and an increasing need for social and emotional learning. With each passing year, students continue to change, and so must educators adapt to serve their current audiences. My 2019 involved migrating to a new educational platform, exploring blended and online learning, and seeking a greater understanding of my role as an instructional coach. Through these experiences, I realize that in spite of the evolution of our society, culture, and our students, one aspect of education remains constant and critical to the success of our students today and moving forward - and that is connection. 

It is when we connect with others beyond merely teaching facts and skills that we successfully empower and educate students. But how do we foster authentic and meaningful connections when we feel pressure to cover the required curriculum or meet deadlines? How do we remain sincere and genuine in our delivery during difficult days? 

1. Focus on getting to know the audience. 

As a speech teacher, this is the first lesson I teach my students, and much to their chagrin, I make them recite it back to me at least once a week. Who is/are the most important person/people in the room? The audience. To inform, engage, persuade, and, most importantly, inspire others, we need to tailor our messages to our audience. Understanding the students (or teachers) in front of us allows us to craft ideas that will resonate with them. Using personal stories and references that are meaningful to the audience makes the message more impactful and influential. The goal of any speaker is to deliver a message successfully. Likewise, the goal of a teacher is to educate students, and to educate students, we must understand and connect with them on their level. 

In an age in which social and emotional learning is at the forefront of our minds and professional development experiences, we must recognize our students' well-being. We need to empower students with coping skills and cultivate empathy. When we can support students emotionally, they are far more likely to engage and grow academically. 

2. Adapt as needed. 

Lessons need to be relevant to students' learning styles and emulate real-world experiences. What was successful and effective decades ago need to be rethought and restructured to meet the needs of the current audience. While we do not need to remove tried and tested methods of instruction, we do need to consider the audience carefully as we craft our current curriculum. Change is hard, but sometimes, we need to get over it. Changing for the sake of change is tiring and ineffective, but taking time to recognize when change must occur is the mark of an exceptional teacher and can lead to more meaningful experiences for our students. 

Change or adaptation does not need to happen on a yearly or semesterly period either. Making adjustments to teaching practices does not need to be a complete philosophical or curricular shift either. Adaptation can occur in the moment. I am a planner, and like many teachers, I make my semester-long roadmap at the beginning of the semester, but I reevaluate every week and even every day. Some classes of students come to me more accomplished writers than others. Some classes need more explicit instruction and practice with crafting claim statements. The ability to adapt is crucial, and creating personalized lessons has provided me with resources to differentiate instruction for my current students. Learning is about the process - not necessarily the final product. Working through and embracing the process can lead to wonderful outcomes. 

3. Radiate energy. 

According to Joan Young, author of Encouragement in the Classroom, a positive classroom environment can increase student engagement and achievement, and it is something that is in our power as teachers to control. While we have all experienced a more challenging mix of students or time of day can impact the mood of the students, and thus the classroom as a whole, teachers have the power to choose their attitudes and approaches with students. Greeting students at the door and saying goodbye as each one exits takes energy but makes a world of difference. Sometimes that energy is difficult to expend, especially on tough days, but reframing one's attitude to see the best in the moment can sometimes reverse even the most tired or exhausted feelings. A mindset change can spark and reignite the flames for learning and create more connections with students in the process. 

Connecting emotionally with students will alter their attitudes, even if the change is subtle. When students know they are cared for and that they are in a safe environment, they will engage. They will work harder when they know that the adult in the room believes they can achieve their very best. That energy and momentum is contagious and will create a much more connected and communicative learning environment. 

4. Keep communication consistent and clear. 

Perhaps it is the communications teacher in me or simply the fact that we encounter thousands of messages a day, but communication is a necessity to connectivity. As John C. Maxwell emphasizes in his book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, that even though we may exchange messages with others does not mean that we are authentically connecting with them. Our words must be sincere, thoughtful , and emotional. We must radiate energy and intentionality in the communication we engage in within our classrooms, but we also need to remember to be clear. Directions and expectations must be clear and direct. If students are unsure of what to expect or what the expectations are, they will not rise to their highest potential; they will disengage. The clarity in our directions and precision in our feedback can help students to understand the learning environment and our content more effectively. Ultimately, it is everyone's goal as a communicator to be heard. To move beyond basic comprehension of our messages, however, we must connect. We only connect when our communication is devoid of barriers that may inhibit understanding. 

5. Be authentic. 

Even though young students often believe that teachers live at school and sleep on cots underneath their desks, we are, in fact, human. We have lives and go out into the community. I even run into my students at the gym. Teenage boys are really awkward and really funny when they realize that their English teacher could potentially outrun them in a distance race. 

I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve, perhaps to fault, but I believe in authenticity. I believe in showing my students my human side, and while I might talk about my biological children a little too much, my personal life allows them to understand how I have arrived in the classroom that we share. It reminds them that they are allowed to be human too. We all have happy days and tough times. Those experiences shape us and provide us with fodder to grow, learning, share, and understand. Our experiences give us empathy, perspective, and allow us to connect. Our feelings and shared emotions are what life is all about. Being authentic leads to kindness and leads to a more productive experience for all. No matter where life takes my students, my greatest hope is that they learn that they can connect to others will allow them to succeed and find happiness in this world authentically. 

Returning to John C. Maxwell's book, "connectors create an experience everyone enjoys." Life is too short not to feel connected to others. Our connections are what make us stronger, better people, and it is our connections that allow us to share out our gifts with others. May 2020 be the year of making sincere and authentic connections with others. May 2020 be filled with joy. 

A Thankful Heart

According to the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkley and positivity psychology research anywhere, gratitude is a feeling that enhances an individual's mindset, strengthens relationships, and creates a positive environment. Expressing gratitude and appreciation validates the actions of others and reminds us that we are not alone in this world. We are better together.

As an instructional coach, one of my goals is to show and express gratitude to my colleagues. Working in a school and with hundreds of students can keep us busy and sometimes focused on our specific disciplines or duties. Having time to stop and witness what is happening in other departments or ends of the school is nearly impossible. Still, when the opportunity arises to express gratitude, the significance of that interaction loudly echoes.

In my role, I am fortunate enough to have time to step outside of the speech communication world for a few minutes. As I work with other teachers throughout the school, I have witnessed incredible teaching and learned more about my personal finance than I could ever have imagined! I have participated in crime scene investigations, seen station rotation in a mathematics classroom, and gone on una Búsqueda de tesoros (or a scavenger hunt) in Español. I am blessed beyond measure and am inspired by my colleagues every day. Witnessing so many actions has reminded me that I need to continue to prioritize gratitude as that feeling will promote collaboration, increase people's motivation to give to others, and will make coming to school even better.

How do we show gratitude to our colleagues when there isn't time to breathe on some days?  The answer is simple.

Post a celebratory comment on social media.

Most schools have a designated hashtag and encourage community members to use it to perpetuate noteworthy ideas, messages, and actions. To spread that attitude of gratitude - use it! Post and share inspiring lessons, students, and acts of service. When we demonstrate to our students that social media can be used to build others up, we model positive digital citizenship and encourage them to do the same. Hashtags links are wonderful ways to track awesome occurrences and people and can be used to celebrate a community even further. Web applications such as Visible Tweets and Twitterfall are great for displaying live tweets during meetings, classes, and even social gatherings. #Thanks

Share food.

Food is the way to nearly anyone's heart. Having food at a meeting automatically improves people's comfort levels but also encourages them to talk. Anytime I lead a professional development session, I bake my mother's famous white chocolate chip, chocolate chunk cookies. They have been called hockey pucks, hell cookies, and pieces of heaven all in the same sentence. My colleagues have come to anticipate their arrival at school, and while certainly scolded me for bringing them two days before Thanksgiving, I know they lifted spirits; They encouraged people to take a moment to stop and chat.  There is power in food - especially cookies baked with love. Whether it is baking cookies, sharing a formal meeting, or merely offering another person a few M&Ms sitting in a jar on a desk, sharing food shows gratitude and is a culturally-rooted tradition that invokes feelings of joy and appreciation.

Compliment often and sincerely.

Sincere and specific compliments can turn a person's day around. Even this week, I was in my head, and a colleague helped me work through my thoughts by reminding me of my strengths. She stopped her work because I needed support and provided specific examples of actions I had done and the ways I had contributed to the school. I could not have been more appreciative at that moment and grateful for her kind words. Our words matter. Using them to support and encourage others to start a chain reaction. Because of my colleague, I was able to reframe my mindset, and I worked harder to make the days of others even better. Compliments may seem insignificant, but they can be everything to a person having a tough day. Even on the best days, a specific and direct compliment that comes from the heart is a beautiful way to spread joy.

Write a quick note.

Post-its are plentiful in the education world. Walk into an office, and a pack will be accessible in an arms reach. As such, taking the time to jot down a quick thought or leave a message is a wonderful surprise for the recipient and then is often hung or displayed in some way on that person's desk. Serving as a permanent reminder that someone is grateful is a small emotional boost and encourages that person to continue to be spread greatness in the world.  While sharing compliments are powerful, notes last longer and are visible. After working with a colleague one-on-one or if I walk past a person's room and I see a lively lesson, I try to write a quick note to express appreciation and let them know that they are seen. The act of validating others is invaluable to perpetuating positivity, and the impact of walking to someone's desk to drop off a quick note not only boosts your step count but also creates a ripple of cheerfulness.

Allow yourself to stop for a moment to appreciate the greatness around you.

Slowing down and being still are incredibly difficult for me. As Newton's first law of motion states, I will not stop unless an external force (typically my family) makes me, but I have learned in the last two years that pausing to reflect and appreciate others is worthy of our time. Being present with others in conversation, whether it is school-related or not, is the most important action that we can do each day. What is in front of me deserves all of me. I am grateful for the people that have been placed in my life, and the best way I can express this notion is to make the moments I have with the people I encounter my most important priority at that time. Not only does this action end up saving time in the long run (As one can "create time" by doing something right the first time), but it also validates that person beyond measure, and really, we all simply want to be seen and heard.

I see you. I hear you.

In the toughest times, personally or professionally, it is easy to brush aside or put off showing thankfulness, but I have learned that it is in those times that expressing appreciation must be a priority. Having an attitude rooted in gratitude improves any mindset and can brighten the hardest days. I am grateful for my school family, my colleagues across my school district, and my personal learning network who continues to motivate me. Thank you for reminding me to learn more, share frequently, and give my best self in every moment that I am fortunate enough to say that I am a teacher.

Creating Padlets that Pop: Tech Tool Deep Dive

In the educational technology field, a new tech tool appears every day. During this semester, my first question to any teacher that I am fortunate enough to work with is what your learning target or goal is? Focusing on what we want learning to look like at the close of a lesson or unit can guide us in creating better learning experiences for our students along the way. Utilizing the backward design (or Understanding by Design) method can challenge teachers to focus less on the tools and more about the learning experiences that their students will encounter and complete as they develop skills and acquire essential content knowledge.

As I sit at my computer processing through my latest professional development presentation, I realize that staring at a screen for a majority of the day makes it difficult to remember to look past the technology and focus on the learning outcomes, but it is essential. The right tools need to be chosen to complete the job - not the other way around. I love witnessing teachers experiment with new tools and methods of engagement. Using a variety of strategies with students is powerful, but again, the tools and the means of arriving a curricular goal should be carefully considered.

Through the past few school years, Padlet has been a tool that I have loved using and watching evolve. This tool is a digital corkboard with endless possibilities. As it has evolved, so too have the opportunities to encourage students to drive their learning. Students can curate, communication, and create powerful learning artifacts and post them all in one page to which other students can comment, rate, and like. Contributing to a Padlet is fast and easy, and the information is quickly organized and preserved to drive future instruction.

Yes, Padlet has been an excellent corkboard tool and particularly useful when creating an entrance or exit ticket, but there are abundant uses for this tool! Taking a tool that students are comfortable using and evolving with the features can make a positive classroom experience even more impactful. Here are a few of my latest experiments with Padlet

Group Curation Tool

Group projects can be tricky. Communication among a group of more than two students can be challenging to navigate as they travel from class to class and/or swamped with after school commitments. As such, Padlet can create a useful curation tool that allows students to communicate asynchronously. Students can share links, leave notes, post videos, and even draw pictures to each other as they build a group project or complete an assignment. Students can also vote on or leave comments to each other, which provides clarity and increases the collaboration.

Notetaking Log

In subjects such as math and science, in which notes are taken regularly, have a notetaking log can help keep students organized, and also provide them with an opportunity to organize a variety of mediums. Images can be uploaded onto a Padlet and are easy to snap at the end of a class with a student's phone, Chromebook, or iPad. Saving notes that were taken in class ensures that students have access to the notes and can review them with ease. Those notes will automatically be arranged in chronological order. I recommend using the stream feature in Padlet to ensure that notes remained organized and easy to follow. Students can use the control find feature to find essential concepts and ideas faster, they can link in any digital activities, and they can even leave voice/video feedback for themselves.

Student Template

Whether students are brainstorming for an upcoming paper assignment, completing a vocabulary activity, or building a map, teachers can create a template for students to remake and use individually. For a long time, I never had students make their own Padlets, but now I love building templates and having students create portfolios or complete reflection activities using a template. When students remake the Padlet, they do have to be careful with the share settings. Having students make their Padlets challenges them to work independently and take control of their learning. It also provides a space for them to demonstrate mastery of a skill or objective in a variety of ways. Their growth can be documented, charted, and shared quickly with a link.  This tool is also relatively simple to use, which emphasizes mastering the content, not the tech tool itself.

Note: Padlet will default to "read-only" at times, which can cause frustration, but that feature can be corrected with a change of those settings.

Blended Learning Lesson

Another great use for Padlet is creating a space for students to demonstrate mastery when learning online or in a blended format. Using the shelf feature, teachers can outline a step-by-step process with their students to complete a variety of activities, connect with their peers, and reflect on their experience. Because Padlet can be accessed at any time and from any location, students can work at their own pace, use each other as resources, and post evidence of their work. I have loved playing with this structure and will be using it next semester when I take on a blended course for the first time.

Choose Your Own Adventure

I loved reading Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid. While I inevitably would perish tragically, I loved turning back to the beginning to chart my progress in the fictitious world within the pages. To pay homage to this process, I played with creating a Padlet within a Padlet as a way to give students a choice in how they might show mastery. Linking Padlets to other Padlets allows students to make connections. In my setup, I provided students with two paths that required writing and video creation. On both routes, students had to do similar activities in a different order, thus ensuring that they were showcasing their skills in a variety of ways but also helping them feel autonomy. The final Padlet took all students back together and required reflection. Being creative with Padlets can make a familiar learning environment fun and even a little exciting.

With thousands of tech tools on the market, this is the one tool that I would endorse because it is versatile and intuitive. The features replicate multiple other tech platforms, and aesthetically it is appealing. If you have great ideas for using Padlet in your classroom, I'd love to hear them! We grow most when we support and connect with one another.

A Ticket to Exit

And that's my cue to exit. The five-minute bell for gym sounds throughout the whole school, and teaching seniors sometimes proves to be a challenge once that Pavlovian sound echoes quietly outside. The question becomes, "How do I motivate seniors the period before their lunch or gym period once that bell chimes?" More importantly, how do I use that time in a meaningful way to evaluate student growth and gather information to drive my instruction?

Exit tickets and end-of-period challenges are great ways to review valuable course content and keep students engaged as the clock ticks closer to the bell. The information generated from these tools can also drive future lessons in which material may need to be retaught, revisited, or revised.

Get Techie

Formative assessment tech tools are always a hit. Gamifying the student experience is a great way to motivate and re-engage at the end of the lesson. Students often become competitive and eager to participate. My favorite end-of-lesson review games are Quizziz and Quizlet Live. While Kahoot is a classic, Quizziz allows for more individualized pacing, and Quizlet Live tasks students with talking about the content as they rely on their group to succeed.

A Google Form survey quickly gathers data that can be projected to the whole class. Checkbox questions create a bar graph, and multiple-choice response questions become pie charts that help both teachers and students understand the class's progress with specific concepts and learning targets. Free-response questions can then be used to gather more individualized data and feedback.

If a teacher is hoping for more individual feedback, a tool like Padlet can quickly create a place in which students can share their reflections, links, resources, and videos. This tool can become a Flipgrid, a survey, an idea board, and more. With so much flexibility, the use of Padlet as an exit ticket provides teachers with a full picture of what students accomplished in a given period or what they might need work within subsequent lessons.

Another tech tool I have been recommending to colleagues during observations is Socrative. This webtool is older, but the auto-generated exit ticket works well in a short time frame and can gather a comprehensive look at student progress. This tool does have a quiz feature, and teachers can pre-build more extensive formative assessments, but it also has quick questions that teachers can push out at the moment. Having the data collected electronically makes it easy for teachers to reflect on the outcomes and use that information to create instructional choices for the next lesson.

Get Crafty

 As winter approaches, creating a reason for students to become active can liven any classroom. Giving students a specific prompt and a small piece of white paper, have them respond, crumple that paper, and throw it. By throwing a "snowball" around the room, students will not only have an excuse to let out a little energy but also can learn from someone else's experience. Once they catch a snowball, students should read and reflect on what another person said. Teachers could even craft a second-round snowball fight by having students read and write a response.

Another crafty strategy to evaluate student learning is to create exit bins in which students place a name tag, paper, or other items in a folder or bin that indicates whether they've nailed a learning target, are still working, or need additional help. Having a physical exit activity can encourage students to talk and reflect on class content while they leave the classroom.

My favorite crafty exit ticket is customizing post-it notes. Customized post-it notes have so many uses. I have printed rubrics or questions to consider on my post-it notes. I have also made a generic, "What stuck today?" post-it note. Students can then place these post-its on a board, on the door, or in a specific column or location to indicate mastery of the day's learning target. Students love the customized post-it, mainly when I use my Bitmoji as part of the process.

Get Talking

An active class increases engagement. Have students get out of their seats in the last few minutes and vote with their feet. Using the four corner method, students can vote on their progress of the learning targets, their opinions on course content discussed, or even share what they are in the learning process.

Students can also talk by delivering a one-minute elevator pitch selling a concept, idea, or connection they have made throughout the period. This elevator pitch is a persuasive exercise that could become a competition with students voting on the best response. It could also be a great way to share out group work or final thoughts on a debatable topic. Whatever the case may be, a quick one-minute sales pitch can make learning memorable.

If there's an extra moment in any class period, taking the time to have a social-emotional check-in with students can be helpful. Have students check in with a peer, share a highlight from their days outside of class, or celebrate positive events happening in the school community. Taking time to talk to students and build relationships will enhance the classroom climate and lead to more productive, positive experiences moving forward.

Whether we teach students all day or for only 45 minutes, sending them off in an engaging and energized way leads to wonderful conversations and classroom learning in the future. Every moment with students is valuable and should be utilized, but the manner in which those precious closing minutes are directed can vary based on the needs of the students and the class climate. It is okay to talk, have fun, and connect with one another; it is okay to build community. Planning these activities with intention can make any end-of-lesson experience a hit!

Taking off the Mask: Ordinary Heroes

October is a tumultuous month. The rapid weather changes, the countless summative assignments to grade, and the onslaught of extracurricular commitments pile as high as the leaves on the ground. And yet, with every low comes a greater joy - a hint of merrier and brighter moments to come. With costumes donned and the promise of candy to sugarcoat cold and rainy (or snowy) evenings, who could deny that this festive time of year brings happy memories? While October continues to be one of the most trying months of the year for me, I often leave this autumn month with fresh insight and a renewed sense of hope.

My first year teaching, Halloween was the first sick day I had ever taken. Plagued with the stomach flu, an illness that torments me at least twice a year, I decided to stay home from school. Josh happened to be working from home, and me being a perpetual multitasker decided that our time could be best utilized by easing the nerves I was feeling toward our pending nuptials by driving to the Cook County Courthouse and getting married - legally. Because the most logical way to heal an unsettled stomach is to legally formalize a lifelong commitment. This mildly impulsive action allowed me to work ahead and complete all the necessary paperwork to become a Sukow officially, and being ahead of the November 28th deadline was, at the time, an ideal way to maximize my sick day. But more than that, this afternoon allowed us space and time to make this moment about us - not our families, not our friends, not our students, and not the people we are blessed to love in one capacity or another each day.

Flashforward nine Halloweens later, to the moment I hold my newborn son in my arms. My heart was fuller in those first few weeks of Jordan’s life than I could have imagined when I was riding in the passenger side seat of Josh’s black, hand me down Toyota Matrix nearly a decade prior. My son. The final piece of my heart that I so desperately dreamed about for years, the piece that I thought would never come to fruition, snuggled peacefully in my arms as we watched Monsters Inc. with the girls dressed as Sully and Boo. Tiny Mike Wazowski cooed quietly until my phone rang. Placing him into his bassinet, I answered the call, expecting to hear that my mom would be fashionably early to Trick-or-Treating. But as I greeted the caller, the voice at the other end was not my mom’s voice but that of my child’s doctor, frantic and near-tears, exclaiming that she had been trying to get ahold of me since the day prior. There was an irregularity with Jordan’s newborn screening results. She had been researching specialists for us, and we had to make an appointment immediately. I had received the call that no parent ever wants to hear, and at that moment, I was paralyzed by an insurmountable fear. 

Two years ago today, my mind raced to each prenatal doctor’s appointment, each additional test that had been ordered because of my dangerously low iron count or vein condition that made this pregnancy unbearable. I had questioned at every part of the process if my baby was healthy, and I was reassured that my instincts of fear and worry about my son were merely unnecessary stressors that flooded the minds of many expectant mothers. But I knew, because a mother always knows, that there was a reason to be concerned. The sorrow that resulted from that initial diagnosis was followed by a hope that perhaps a visit with a specialist would disprove our greatest fear - that our son would face an incurable, chronic and ultimately fatal, genetic disease. Faster than a speeding bullet, my mind raced toward the worst-case scenario. Because that’s what any parent does when it comes to cryptic news about their child. But as the authors of Batgirl #5 so wisely state, “Everything doesn’t have to be about fear. There’s room in our line of work for hope, too.”

And on Halloween 2019, there is an abundance of hope for our CF warriors. This week, the FDA approved Trikafta, which “targets CFTR proteins affected by gene mutations to help them function more efficiently in the body” (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation). Essentially, this miracle drug counteracts the effects of mutation F508del, which 90% of CF patients (including Jordan) have. This medication is not a cure, but the results of this medicine mean an immediate and significant improvement in the quality of life for those who can take it. This treatment means more happy and healthy years for people 12 and older who are struggling with the side effects of this disease. Ultimately, this breakthrough changes the trajectory of Jordan's life in ways I cannot fully grasp right now. And on a much grander scale, the research and breakthroughs happening with this type of genetic modification provide hope for countless people who suffer from genetic diseases. The people doing this research are our superheroes whose findings will continue to impact so many lives.

The momentum of this breakthrough reaffirms our unwavering belief that Jordan will have a happy and healthy life. Because of his diagnosis, he will lead a life called to serve and advocate, and our family will appreciate this life in ways that we never imagined. For now, this super family will keep fighting the good fight, working to save the day - one moment and one smile at a time.

For some, Halloween is a time to put on a mask and assume a character for only one day with the promise of candy and fun, but for me, assuming a new role on this day has allowed me to move forward stronger than before. As Superman quips in one of his many iterations, “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Well, Superman, we certainly will try.

Lean, Green, Fight-Scene Creating Screen

When I started teaching 12 years ago, asking students to create videos took time and careful planning. Most students didn’t have phones that could capture high-quality video, and many were unfamiliar with how to use Windows Movie Maker. Some had the advantage of being Mac users at home or had played with an early version of iMovie. Others had no clue how to save and share their videos. Students did not have YouTube accounts linked to school emails; they were not creating content on various platforms each daily. And if the computer shuts down or froze (which happened frequently) before they saved their edits, they would have to start from scratch.

(See my WeVideo Green Screen doc)

Today, students are far more efficient with their technology use. They may still lack some academic skills or proficiencies in some areas of technology, but they are adept at creating and sharing photos and film content. If they aren’t, they certainly know how to pick partners that are better at using tech tools to complete the job. While they know how to capture the content, I find that students still need support in being innovative and using what they created to tell stories. Posting temporary snapshots of their lives is not the same from engaging people through digital storytelling. Developing succinct stories purposefully with clear beginnings, middles, and endings is not as easy as the goofy faces they make to sustain year-long streaks with their peers.

WeVideo is a tool that my school provides to our students. This web-based application syncs with Google Drive and is easy to use on a Chromebook. Students can also collaborate (not in real-time) on the same video project, which ensures that everyone has access to edit and contribute to the group project. The program has a great green screen tool and allows for layering of images. The paid version also provides access to countless special effects and sound clips that can enhance the video and create professional-looking pictures. What appears time-consuming and complicated is simple and easy to navigate. A person only needs to commit to the editing process or has students who are willing to test out their cinematic prowess in groups.

To play around with the setup and editing, I volunteered my five, four, and two-year-old that they were going to assist Mama with a school project. When it involved wearing superhero garb, they willingly jumped into action. I enlisted my girls to help me gauge student understanding of the creation process. They were part of the entire process, including the editing (although they had significant help with that step).

We started by going to the store to assess the fabric. We choose a green muslin fabric that was not too shear or would become quickly wrinkled. While we chose a green fabric, the material could be any color as long as the subject is not wearing the same or similar colors. My school also has a green screen kit, which we ended up using along with the fabric to make it appear as though they were flying.

Working with a two-year-old to create content is entirely chaotic. Once we had gathered and set up our equipment in a well-lit room, we started crafting our story. We used the extra green fabric to wrap a chair and make it appear as though the kids were flying through the air. We captured lines of dialogue and worked to appear heroic. I would highly recommend having students create a storyboard and script before filming, but our haphazard approach certainly made for quality bloopers. 

After creating a script, it is time for the fun part - capturing footage. Remind students to limit the number of bloopers they make or cuts they take. The students who struggle the most with editing or admit to not being proficient with technology should keep the number of shots they take smaller than students who have a natural knack for video creation. Students should also keep in mind what special effects they might want to add in post-production. Different layers of video may affect the composition of their shots. They can even layer their video on video, which I tried with my kids. I went from having three kids to nine quickly, and the results could have created quite a story. 

In the editing process, once the background is removed from the original footage, students can search for special effects and features in WeVideo. By selecting the star tab and type your topic (i.e.: fireworks) into the search box. Again, students can also add a green screen image over another video clip or static image depending on the desired effect. In editing mode, students can edit the size of the video line images, sound, and speed. The possibilities are endless. 

A green screen is simply a thin piece of fabric, but that fabric is fueled by the creativity, imagination, and ingenuity of the creators standing in front of it. While my children decided to take action and portray superheroes, you can create a daily newscast, travel the world, and even go back in time. This process can empower students to be creative, research, explore, and share their voices. Not all heroes wear capes, but they do find new ways to encourage others to use their voices for good!

Less is More: On Choosing Joy and Embracing Chaos

I have reached my capacity. I can't add one more thing. I am exhausted. 

These common phrases fill the offices of teachers near and far. Finding ways in which to combat these sentiments are almost as daunting as the to-do lists teachers create for themselves each day. I must admit that the phrases mentioned above have been felt by me this school year. As a person seeking work-life harmony, I know that I need to take action to create a healthier and happier relationship with rest and relaxation. While harmony of any kind needs to be frequently fine-tuned, there are ways to set healthy boundaries, and it is my goal to create and maintain them. Unfortunately, I am not succeeding, but admitting that there is a need to reevaluate is a good first step, right?

Social-emotional learning is a trending topic in the education world, and we cannot forget to apply those principles that are being thoughtfully crafted for our students to ourselves. I find that many educators who experience burnout are carrying the emotional load of their students, colleagues, and school. Being in the business of people makes it difficult to separate school from everyday life. A colleague suggested I read Angela Watson's book Fewer Things, Better: The Courage to Focus on What Matters Most, which has challenged me to reflect on what it means to be busy versus productive, overloaded versus efficient. Through conversations with friends and participating in the ongoing discussion on what SEL looks like in schools, I have come to realize that I need to care less to love more.

Yes, I have determined that I need to care a little less about the daily tasks and perfecting every detail to be able to engross myself more authentically in what matters. While this notion is counterintuitive, learning to let go will provide me with more space to refill my emotional bucket so that I can show more love, empathy, and understanding to the needs of Generation Z, a group of students who are experiencing levels of trauma and anxiety more than ever before.

As a parent of growing children who are almost school-aged now, I have begun to compare my parenting practices to my teaching style. As a parent, I am learning to challenge my children to accomplish tasks and chores on their own. In doing so, those clothes may not be folded as nicely, or the bins used to organize their toys end up a little more disorganized than I'd like. If I am okay with insignificant and menial chaos in my own home, I need to accept more disarray in my classroom and school-life.

I have been guilty of pushing myself to the limit to ensure that everyone succeeds at school, and in doing so, I have robbed students and adults alike of dissonance and discomfort that can lead to immense growth. Failure is okay; incomplete work can sometimes lead to an enriching life. A little chaos can lead to beautiful results. While there are times to take charge of a situation, I have to learn to accept that there are times when I need to allow someone else to own a problem. Students like my children, need to learn to self-manage and problem solve.

So how do we begin to circumvent feelings of fatigue and burnout?

1. Start by establishing clear rules and goals.

I have goals in mind to establish better work-life harmony, but I have not executed them yet. Formulating thoughts on paper and speaking them aloud to individuals who will and are holding me accountable is the first step toward implementation. Part of my problem and the problem of other educators is that we don't know how to turn off. There's not a magical off switch that powers down our desire to stop caring for and worrying about our students. Papers come home to be graded; lesson planning happens at all hours of the night but at some point. Boundaries have to be set. Even if it's scheduled, rest and relaxation have to happen. This area continues to be a work in progress for me, but progress is being made!

2. Keep validating others' feelings but don't own them.

Empathy is a powerful and critical skill, but taking on someone else's problem is not healthy for you or for the other person. When we assume the feelings of others, we hinder ourselves from helping others with their problems. We drain our batteries quicker, and that type of fatigue can carry into areas of our lives. Instead of feeling with - we should feel for and show support. Students upset mostly wants to be heard and validated. That act of validation can change a mood and uplift a person, instead of creating a cycle in which the feelings ruminate, and the situation is not solved. Listening and acknowledging someone's feelings alleviates

3. Turn off constant notifications.

A decade ago (or maybe two at this point), work was left at work, and home life was more preserved. That's not to say that teachers didn't grade and lesson plan at home, but the emails were not coming in at all hours of the day. Today, notifications, submissions, and emails are always coming, and I often become anxious about responding to the dings on my phone. I know many teachers have set great boundaries for themselves about the time in which they will reply and even read emails. My goal now is to stop looking at email at 8 PM. Once I have reached that point (having been up since 4 AM), I am no longer as effective, detailed, or responsive. While I am not ready to cut all ties to my email, I realize that I need to start setting better limits and value my time so that I can be more productive, effective, and engaged when it is time to respond.

4. Schedule time for joy.

Having children has taught me to be more present and in the moment. My time with my littles is fleeting and had been a dream of mine for a long time. It took almost five years to have our first child, and I didn't wait that long to miss the experience. Doing small things like going to the library as a family, apple picking, visiting relatives - these little trips fill our hearts in big ways. Always schedule time for joy and honor that time to the fullest.

5. Talk about anything but school.

When with teacher friends, my first instinct is to talk shop on weekends and when socializing, but being at school all day, grading all night, and then gabbing about it all weekend does not create space to reset. While my pride and joy is my work, if I want to have a life outside of that, I can't talk about it all the time. Reducing the conversations about school or just embracing another interest for a few minutes allows for a little space from such a meaningful vocation.

As a parent and teacher, I have learned that to be loving, effective, and engaging. I need to bear a little less of the load. My goal is to love, support, and walk alongside my kids - both small and big. Scrolling through some readings on my phone, I came across this poem by 19th-century poet and philosopher, Kahlil Gibran who states,

“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their thoughts.”

As a teacher, I have learned that I have to give them space to succeed and fail, achieve, and prevail. I am called to help them discover their thoughts and ideas, and in that process, I am there to guide them to - not drop them off at - their next destinations. We are far better supporters than carriers. It's time to lighten the load so that we can love more authentically, embrace life more joyfully, and teach more effectively. Less in this case really is so much more.