Scraped knees, mud, and development

"By engaging in risky play, children are effectively subjecting themselves to a form of exposure therapy, in which they force themselves to do the thing they’re afraid of in order to overcome their fear.  But if they never go through that process, the fear can turn into a phobia."

Ellen Sandseter, a professor of early-childhood education at Queen Maud University College

In the 21st century, we have provided so many opportunities for our children. At the same time, we have become so protective of them that we have denied them some essential skills.In her article this month in Atlantic Monthly , Hanna Rosen points out how over-protective we have become of our children, especially when they play. We keep a constant eye on them, assure that they are in safe environments, and too often, catch them before they fall. As a result, we do not give them enough opportunities to fall down, scrape their knees, and even fail. If we catch and protect, we are not giving them opportunities to solve problems, to develop resilience, and to work through difficulties, Moreover, we are not giving them some wonderful opportunities for creative exploration.

Hiking in the Ho Rainforest in Olympic National Park this summer inspired me to create a space in our yard where our five year old daughter could use her imagination as she played. We spotted a section among trees that seemed to call one in to explore, create, and imagine. Once home, we gathered random objects to create what I called an "imaginarium":

• instruments were created with
• the top of an old firepit turned upside down and two old metal hooks became drumsticks
• a peanut bar jar filled old nuts became like a maraca
• old parts from benches, a defunct lawntractor, pvc plumbing pieces, and more became whatever our daughter wanted them to be
• I built her a climbing wall when she was two and we moved that and a slide down to the imaginarium
• when she had an idea, we would try to find something that she could use to create it. Pulleys and cord with clips become messaging systems.

She LOVES to take her friends to her imaginarium when they come over. They don't know what she is talking about when she mentions it, but once they see the space and random objects, they let their ideas flow freely. They can get dirty, silly, creative, and totally lost in a world driven by their imaginations and curiosity. We do not set rules there. They make them up. We do not hover to be sure they don't fall. They take care of each other. It is my favorite space in the yard and it is one that Mother Nature herself inspired.

And what of mud? Who doesn't love to jump in a mud puddle? Yesterday my daughter said we really needed to take a walk. She said that it was my "day off" and she planned our adventure. We grabbed our dog and hiked for about an hour and a half. Between snow and rain the past week, the ground had plenty of wet spots, but it was a beautiful Spring day that called us to hike. As we reached the end of the trail I spotted a very large puddle. I asked my daughter if she would like to jump in it. Her eyes lit up and she inched over. Then she looked over her shoulder at me as if to be sure I was serious that she could jump in. I nodded. First, she tiptoed in, then with relish, she jumped away. Her smile was beyond measure. It didn't cost a thing. It didn't require rules or safety guidelines. The time outdoors simply involved a sense of adventure and some time. There is so much to gain from the outdoors.

Let's encourage children to get outdoors more, to create, experiment, dare, and take risks. We must let them fall, pick themselves up, and feel the sense of accomplishment that comes with each of these.

Reflection: an essential element of teaching

"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action."

Peter F. Drucker

As educators, we spend tremendous amounts of time planning lessons for our students and working through those lessons with them. Too often, when we complete one lesson, we are quick to move on to the next one. However, in doing so, we miss a vital step in the learning process; that is one of reflection.  We can feel so rushed to get through the material we are supposed to cover that we skip over an opportunity for true, deep, and rich learning.

Upon my own reflection, I have reminded myself of the importance of taking the time to include this step with my students. Now, I intentionally include a reflective component in all of my major assignments. Sometimes I offer prompts such as: 

* I believe the strongest parts of my project were:* I believe my project would have been stronger if:
* Am I proud of what I am turning in?  Why?
* What lessons did I learn from this assignment or experience?

These reflections may or may not be graded. If students need a bit of a carrot, I may include the reflection as a percentage of the grade. Any grade is based on the depth of their thoughts, not the length, the depth. I would like them to show me that they truly took the time to learn from the experience of the lesson.  At other times, the reflection is not graded. I simply encourage the students to take a step back, slow down, and process what they have been working on.

 

A colleague of mine likes to say, "we schedule what we value."  If we value reflection, and I do, we need to model it and offer time for it. We learn far less if we blaze forward without paying attention to where we have been.

Creativity + Diverse Perspectives = Deeper Education

When one considers the word creative, it’s easy to think of the arts. After all, what is more creative than the expression one gives to her work with a musical instrument, including her voice, a photograph, sculpture, or painting, or the way an actress embodies on stage? In English, one can be creative through a work of prose or poetry.  Creativity can be found in every subject area. Thinking outside-of-the-box involves a creative approach to problem-solving. 

As teachers, creativity is found in the way we plan and execute our lessons. It is also found in the way we collaborate as faculty. One of the most enriching and creative means of professional development I have been engaged with occurred over the last two years. Through the facilitation of Renee Hawkins, Director of Instructional Technology at Garrison Forest School, we had three teams of faculty working with the organization Powerful Learning Practice. These teams were not organized around a single discipline or division but rather across them. By spending time together working on similar goals, we learned a great deal about each other, about the students we teach at each level, about our subject areas, and about our approaches. We pushed ourselves out of the “silos” of our teaching areas and united our collective energy, enthusiasm, intellect, and curiosity together toward learning that enriched all of us.

Then, we shared what we learned with our colleagues both formally in professional development days and informally through conversations and meetings times that we created to discuss new ideas.

We have embraced the kind of sharing that not only helps education grow deeper and broader, it helps create new products. In a story aired on National Public Radio in January celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the first Apple Mac products, the story described a design team which included a medical doctor, musician, “self-educated drop-out”, artist, archaeologist, as well as computer experts. As the current Apple CEO, Tim Cook noted, “We define diversity with a big D…. It's not just the traditional measures of diversity, which are incredibly important, but also diversity of thought.” (Morning Edition)

At Garrison Forest School, we embrace diversity in all respects, including a diversity of thought and experience. Each person’s experience, expertise, and perspective adds to our learning and growth. Opening ourselves to each other’s creative approaches and views enriches us.

Traveling with a child: Good medicine for the soul  

As a result of a school grant , I was able to travel with my partner and our four year old daughter, Bella, to the Pacific Northwest for three weeks, combining camping and Bed & Breakfast stays. The adventure began when we flew into Portland, Oregon and rented a mini-van. Our journey took us through five states, five National Parks, and 3306 miles in three weeks.

As a U.S. history teacher, it was quite powerful to see the majesty and varied terrain of the five states we visited. Simply put, we were in awe. We were also reminded of the simplicity of seeing the world through a child’s eyes. In our post 9/11 world, we, adults, are so cautious and sometimes distrustful. When I was a child, it was absolutely normal to run outside after returning home from school and playing with neighborhood children. Yes, there was “stranger danger” but not like today. There was something about camping in National Parks that allowed us to go back to that era.  Each time we set up a new camp Bella asked us to help her find a new friend. Believe me, she did not need help. She broke down walls of unfamiliarity with ease. Yes, we were with her to be sure she was safe yet, her ready smile and genuine desire to meet new people collapsed any barrier that we adults put up when meeting people outside of what is familiar to us.

Beyond finding new friends, Bella reminded us that we can create new adventures with anything that surrounds us. In Olympic National Park we walked to the beach and immediately, she began racing the waves. As the tide went out, baby dungeness crabs littered the beach. She said she wanted to save the “taxicrabs” and send them back to the ocean. She did not need a pre-determined set of rules or planned activity. Yes, again, we were there to keep her safe but she explored, created, and learned. Our little adventurer helped us have a truly grand journey on land and in our hearts. Perhaps we all need to let our guard down a bit more in order to meet new friends and create new adventures of our own.

Building financial literacy and nurturing confidence in children

Children need to learn basic economic concepts early. One might think this is only to help them keep track of their finances. However, it is a much bigger issue than that. Girls, in particular, need to learn to negotiate and value their own worth. Dr. Linda Babcock, an economist at Carnegie-Mellon University notes, “I tell my graduate students that by not negotiating their job at the beginning of their career, they're leaving anywhere between $1 million and $1.5 million on the table in lost earnings over their lifetime.”[1] In fact, that loss is in the salary alone. Factor in what is lost in benefits which are based on salary, quite often, one loses even more.

The more we integrate vocabulary related to financial literacy into our everyday conversations, the more comfortable our children will feel with the concepts.  The more we discuss everyday financial experiences, the more successful they will be with handling their own finances.

Don’t wait until your children are older to begin to help them develop the language and skills that will make them competent, confident, and effective managers of their financial lives. 

Look for opportunities to use the word trade-off. When we make choices, we are accepting a trade-off.

·        Choose to go to the park instead of a movie

·        Choose one item at the store instead of another

·        Choose to read a book rather than watch television

·        Choose peas over carrots

Another way to look at trade-offs is to consider equivalents.

What is the equivalent value of:

·        A year of tuition?

·        Riding lessons?

·        Money spent at Target in a week or month?

·        Money for a week-end of "fun"- itemize what was spent.

Sit down with your children and go over the grocery receipts.  Which items are wants? Needs?  If your children are older, let them see the utility bills. Talk about what happens when the lights are left on and water is left running. All of these affect the bills. When money is spent on bills, the trade-off is less money for wants.

Look at the collection of Halloween candy amassed by trick-or-treaters. Talk about setting a limit on the number of pieces to be eaten in a day.  This is a budgeting basic.  If one does not consume all at the moment but saves some for later, what one has saved will last over a longer period of time.

ACTIVITY: Decorate four jars of equal size. Make a coin size hole in the top of each. Then put four different labels on the jars: spend, save, donate, and invest. This will help your child see different ways to budget money. You can talk about your family values with relation to these categories, too.

Talk about chores. Do you expect chores to be done? How does this contribute to the household? How does this put a value on how one uses time?  How does this tie in with trade-offs and decision-making?

If your child wants money to donate to a charity, consider having her earn it by performing chores for a neighbor or relative.  Discuss the value of earning money instead of simply handing it over.  This might be a good opportunity to talk about groups who stand on street corners in "bucket brigades" to collect for a group.  Could your child find a way to raise money that puts value back into the community- a car wash, raking leaves, babysitting and giving that money to the desired group as opposed to keeping it? Talk about the value of one's time when babysitting or raking leaves in the neighborhood.  What are your skills and time worth?  If your child simply says, I'll take whatever they give me, how might this translate into a willingness to ask for a fair salary later in life?  This might be a great time to talk about negotiation, a life skill.

The bottom line is that financial literacy opportunities are all around us. With a bit of time and thought, we can help our children build skills and confidence that will last a lifetime.

Some helpful links:

 Eight Financial Tips for Young Adults

Online personal finance game for Middle and Upper School Students

PROGRESS- Program for Research and Outreach on Gender Equity in Society – offers some great, simple tips for teaching negotiating skills to girls and women 

The True Cost of Paying the Minimum on a Credit Card- simulation -

Watch out for the small print!

Deterring Identity Theft

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[1] Ludden, Jennifer. National Public Radio, "Ask For a Raise, Most Women Hesitate." Last modified 2011. Accessed April 9, 2013. http://www.npr.org/2011/02/14/133599768/ask-for-a-raise-most-women-hesitate.

Image links: http://www.universitybusiness.com/sites/default/files/styles/crop-tool-350x250/public/field/image/dollars%20and%20sense.JPG?itok=g5fs-9jQ 

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Paying it forward through literacy

“The loss of a tongue is a social, cultural, and even spiritual problem”

- María Virginia Haoa is one of the founders of the Rapa Nui Language Academy, Chile

Teaching is so very far from being a one-way street. I am constantly inspired by my former students. I have had some alumnae come back to school - live and through Skype- and speak to my Economics class as mentors in the business world. Some have come back to speak about their work as lawyers helping to sort out the chaos of the legal system in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Another former student shared her work in helping to eliminate "Food Deserts" in Baltimore City.  All of these women (I work in a girls' school Garrison Forest School) are leaders in title and/or example. They create, innovate, and give back to the community.

Ah, giving back. That is where my heart lies.  If my students learn nothing else, I hope they learn about the value of using their gifts and opportunities not only to make themselves happy but, to help others. I adored the concept of "paying it forward" long before it was a movie or catch-phrase. I see my role as a teacher as paying it forward by educating students not only about content but about their responsibility for doing positive work in the world, whether through vocation or avocation.

And what of alumnae, paying it forward, and literacy? Another of my former students, Kate Joyce, joined the Peace Corps after college (actually, a number of my former students have joined the Peace Corps). Among her other jobs have been guiding a girls' magazine and serving as director of a book bank that provided books to massively under-served areas of the world. Her latest venture is the creation and directorship of Mother Tongue Books, a non-profit whose mission is to provide books in the original language of people in areas of the world that have limited resources, particularly books. As they note on their webpage,

"The lowest literacy rates in the world are in countries where affordable good books are not available in the languages people speak, so Mother Tongue Books translates good children's books into mother tongue languages and distributes them through organizations already doing development and education work in low-literacy countries."

Image from : http://customtripplanning.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/the-world-book-globe.jpg

What could be a greater way to pay forward her education and opportunities than to bring literacy to others, in their language? It is not as simple as taking American children's stories and translating them. American stories are filled with cuddly bears and pigs. Imagine these books in the hands of children for whom pork is sinful or bears are frightening. Producing these books involves tremendous cultural literacy.  They also pose a great opportunity for students. Some of our students taking advanced levels of French are working on the translation of culturally appropriate books into French. Not only are they performing a service, they are applying their language skills and they are engaging in meaningful cross-cultural education.

Mother Tongue books is a young venture with a bright future and ample opportunities for student engagement. Travelers, too, can be part of enriching literacy across the globe. Stop in a local bookstore and find a book that is culturally relevant. Send it along to Mother Tongue for translation. They will get it into the hands of children who will benefit so very much from the opportunity to develop their literacy.

Let us all help "pay it forward" by encouraging young leaders and visionaries by supporting their good works. Simple steps can make a world of difference.

For more information about Mother Tongue Books, check out their website or contact:

Kate Joyce, Executive Director
kate@mothertonguebooks.org

While we're at it, let's celebrate World Read Aloud Day

 

 

The Process of Making a Difference

Over the last few weeks the students in my Peace Studies class have been identifying issues which interest them so that they can develop a plan of action to try to address the issue. They have now created their action plans and are attempting to raise awareness and to make a difference, if only a small one. The sheer fact that they are trying to make a difference is a step forward. It has been exciting to see the range of topics being explored- from packaging food that was made but never served in our dining hall and sending it to local food kitchens to addressing adult illiteracy to protesting against puppy mills.  

 From: peaceactionphiladelphia.org

Each student is expected to identify and analyze:

* the causes of the issue and its history

*  the organizations (Governmental and/or Non-Governmental (NGOs) working in the area of their issue. They must identify and discuss:

§  who they are;

§  what they are doing;

§  what their successes are;

§  what obstacles they face;

§  and whether or not they making progress and how one  can tell.

·        They must describe the criteria they are using to gauge success- use of philanthropic dollars, impact on the problem, education, rehabilitation, placement of those who are oppressed (ex. places to live for those who are homeless), other?

·      

* any other people who are involved with the issue and what they are doing. What is working? What isn’t? Why?

*how the issue relates to peace, social justice, and non-violence, as well as why the issue is important. Why should we care about it?

The culmination of this project is a multimedia presentation of their analysis of the items above as well as their analysis of the action plans and their effectiveness. 

These students would benefit from feedback. Those who have social media sites so far can be reached at: 
AIDS in South Africa 

End Family Illiteracy - Facebook

End Family Illiteracy- Twitter 
Drive Safe Now (Eyes on the Road) 

Global Warming 
Help End Animal Experimentation 

Help Homeless in Baltimore 

Help Stop Violence Against Native American Women 

Hunger in the Horn of Africa
Recycle Plastic Bags

Stop Discrimination Against Hispanic Immigrants 

Stop Puppy Mills 

Stop Teen Dating Abuse

Support Veterans with PTSD 

Please encourage these students with your questions and reactions.