What I Learned from my Grandfather - M. Keith Berryman RIP

What I Learned from My Grandfather

It’s true that my grandfather and I did not always agree about things. He was very sure he was right most of the time, and I usually think I am right, too. My own stubbornness combined with the ability to stand up for my personal opinions was not taken lightly by him. As I reflect on what I will miss the most about my grandfather I am surprised by the fact that even though sometimes I was pretty angry with him, I still cared deeply about what he thought of me. Although ornery and irritating at times, he was someone I could admire for his genuine laugh and squeeze of my arm. I know he loved me, and perhaps this is why I cared so much when I thought he did not see my point of view.

I am so grateful I was able to spend a few quiet hours with him last year. We did not argue at all, but just sat quietly and talked about how he met my grandmother long ago. All of those past arguments seemed, well, silly. He was just an pleasant older gentleman who needed to get his hair cut before visiting his wife in the nursing home. We were both focused on his and her fate rather than anything going on with me.

Isn’t it funny what a decade or two or three will do to one’s perspective? I enjoyed watching him take a rest in his favorite chair and worried about how lonely he was going to be without my grandma’s daily presence. I wonder now what caused him to be so passionate about his ideas which were in conflict with my own. I wonder what happened to him or what experiences he had throughout his life that brought him to those conclusions.

My twelve-year-old daughter has been feeling quite anxious lately about getting older and growing up. She often says to me, “I don’t want to be an adult and move away.” I tell her she doesn’t have to move away, but one day she will want to have her own life separate from her dad’s and mine. She is frightened by the idea. She is worried about when her parents will not be there for her, or eventually, about when we will die. I have tried to explain to her how we carry our loved ones with us. They are a part of us even if we are not together all of the time.

Because I have lost several family members in the past few years, I have been trying to remember what parts of them I carry when I miss them the most. I think my expensive taste and good humor come from my dad. My love of baking and gaming from my grandma. And my ability to stand up and say how I feel about things probably comes from my grandpa. I am so lucky to have had this lesson early in life. He probably could not have predicted how much alike we really are now. I am a passionate activist for the things in life I care the most about and not much can sway my opinions. I only hope I can have a similar influence on the ones I love as well.

I Respectfully Reserve the Right Not to Bear Arms

I respectfully reserve the right not to bear arms. As a teacher of elementary-aged children I have been contemplating my role in their lives and my place in our society in light of the recent horrors that have caused some to begin training to carry arms into their classrooms. I feel a bit torn as to whether I should let my opinion loose as I don’t want to seem unaffected by the trauma we have all faced.

My stance is this: I have the right not to bear arms. Without placing value judgements and/or criticisms on my colleagues that believe otherwise, I believe deeply in nonviolence. This is what my life’s work is grounded in. Although the day to day practice of this philosophy does seem a bit radical and slow to change the world, this is my plight.

Each day I make small efforts and gains in helping small human beings reach their fullest potential. Humanity has such seeds of possibility planted in the fertile soil of childhood. If we can teach children to trust themselves, to believe in themselves, and to take chances with their ideas, then their futures will be amazing and beyond our jaded comprehensions. These children see possibilities that lie ahead rather than terror.

I do not deny that there are monsters who would take away these precious gems of life. But I am not willing to carry a weapon in order to defend against them. I hope that I would be able to use my own body and mind in order to protect those I love, but I cannot predict what would happen in that case. How can one know what to do in all situations when the situations are incomprehensible to begin with? As a lay person I do not carry a gun around my home with me at all times. My reality as I prepare the evening meal does not include a scenario wherein I need to raise a weapon toward a guest.

Does this stance change my identity as a teacher in our society? Am I not living up to the expectations of what a teacher should be? Some say teachers need to be role models; they need to teach academics to a level that passes the test; they need to teach students how to become civil-minded citizens of the world; they need to treat each child as an individual and yet get everyone “done” at the same time on a prescribed schedule. Teachers are said to be angels, heroes, and now armed protectors. I say no. It is too much to ask. I reserve the right not to bear arms.

Positive Discipline - Yes!

Ok, it has been awhile, but as the school year began my life got too hectic to even think about posting a thought. Meanwhile, I was fortunate enough to attend the Utah Montessori Council Fall Conference featuring the author, Jane Nelson, who has spearheaded the "Positive Discipline" model of working with children to resolve problems and issues. It was a fantastic reminder of the ideas I read about many years ago when I first began teaching in a Montessori environment.

This article relates some of the ways this method can be implemented in the classroom but one of the main reasons I feel so strongly about the humanistic philosophy of conflict resolution is that the kind of adults we are helping to create and nurture are the real focus. When Nelson was speaking she asked the audience of Montessori educators and parents what kind of people we hoped we were cultivating. The list of possible characteristics was endless: compassionate, peaceful, cooperative, happy, productive, responsible, curious, educated, generous, literate, healthy, etc. The list kept growing throughout the day.

Because these are the kinds of adults we are hoping to see walk through the door one day, we need to keep in mind what we model for them now. If we continually model that they have no rights, no integrity, no responsibility, no ability, and no choice because we are the grown-ups and we know best, how can we possibly expect them to one day be able to function without our never ending stream of advice and great knowledge? Of course, if they are in danger or cannot resolve an issue, we will be there to help and guide them, but can't we give them a chance to think about their problems and come up with some possible solutions on their own?

Sometimes I really need a reminder of what the point of all this is anyway. Thanks, Jane Nelson! The web site also has many interesting resources that are not only for teachers, but also for parents and families: Positive Discipline.

International Baccalaureate Programs?

An article in the NY Times today International Program Catches on in America discusses the popularity of the International Baccalaureate Program (I.B.) in America. I don't know if it is a coincidence but in May in the Montessori Foundation publication "Tomorrow's Child," the President of that foundation, Tim Seldin, argued that the I.B. Middle and High School Programs would be a good fit for Montessori students and suggests current programs consider this as an expansion possibility. He suggested that one reason Montessori parents often change their students to more traditional schools after age 6 is because of their worries about the student continuing in later years in more traditional settings. In our area there is a possibility that Ogden High School may be introducing this program with its more worldly, interdisciplinary curriculum. It sounds like a great fit. For more information go to http://www.ibo.org/. Some people worry that the I.B. curriculum is too focused on creating students with a broader world view.

One interesting tidbit Seldin points out is that the I.B. program was not originally intended to be selective based on student academic performance, but that it should be offered to all students within the school. I have doubts this will be the case in Ogden because of the costs associated with it, but I was recently surprised to learn that Ogden High's AP Program is actually open to anyone and that no one is required to take the AP test. That is great news for anyone who believes all students deserve an equal education in the public system. I think all students should get the same opportunities and treatment regardless of their test scores (smaller class sizes, more interesting books to read, high expectations, etc.). I guess I don't know much about all of these options locally, except that some Ogden parents choose to send their children down to Salt Lake City to West High for their I.B. Program. If you have any ideas or opinions, I'd love to hear from you! What do you think of this world-citizen type program? Should only the smart kids get to participate?

The National Writing Project - Wasatch Range Writer's Institute

Ok, Because it is summer I know I should be dying to sleep in each day, hang out and read the newspaper each morning and eventually get dressed, but I am not. I am actually sad that the Wasatch Range Writing Project will conclude next week. After meeting with about 18 other teachers Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am - 3:00 pm for the past two weeks to talk about teaching writing, you would think I would be done and over it. However, it has been a great process. We participate in demonstration lessons given by our peers each day so we go through the same process a student would in our classes. It is a chance to experiment, try something radical or improve a lesson you have given numerous times before. The teachers range in age, years of service, types of experience, and schools they represent. What a cool group of people. All of these teachers are interested in doing a better job. Yes, there are sometimes digressions into various frustrations of the job, administrators, bureaucracy, etc. But all in all, the people are positive and inspiring.

We are bringing up all kinds of revolutionary ideas by asking "burning questions." These questions sometimes seem elementary but the root of all of them is the key. We really want to find out how can we help students learn enough about themselves through our classes to become confident writers. We are exploring the many ways we can help students use writing to learn, to express, to clarify, to process, to create, to instruct, to become better thinkers. If you want to find out more visit http://www.nwp.org or http//community.weber.edu/WRWP/
If you are a teacher, I highly recommend this institute. You will become a better writer and teacher of any subject. You also gain a community of like-minded teachers who are always looking to better themselves for the sake of their students.

I also have to do a big shout out to Weber State University as they offer the four-week institute for 6 graduate credits for free! Thanks WSU!

What Makes a Community?

While lying in bed (as an insomniac often does) this morning, my mind races in many differing directions pondering the issues of the day. Today my heart is aching and broken because I have been wondering how my school community has become so torn apart. I thought I was a part of something important and valuable in the world. I have made choices regarding my own career and my childrens' educations based on some ideals I thought I shared deeply with others. This effort was being expended to create a place/community that was different and special. But something has gone terribly wrong for my community has shattered. Factors beyond my control and my ability to completely comprehend have changed the essence of the community I thought I was building. That very essence being the actual people involved. So now what? How do I begin to build again? Can I muster the strength and pull it together to trust that there might be others that will again share the same vision for my children? I am not asking for much. Only some evidence that some believe in the same kind of community I do.

What makes a community? To me it is a group of like-minded individuals that care deeply about the essential elements of something enough to have some feelings of loyality and commitment to it. This might entail some trails, but it should also involve communication at a deep enough level to incur some real feelings of responsibility to our relationships with one another. Some argue that all of these choices are not personal, but to me a broken community has some lasting effect on me (and my children) personally.

Any thoughts about what makes a community? How do we build one that will last?

Is there a place for opinions in the classroom?

http://www.npr.org/blogs/tellmemore/2010/05/14/126826529/diverse-life-experiences-enrich-the-classroom?sc=fb&cc=fp

While reading this, I can't help but wonder how teachers could frame discussions of opinions in the classroom. I don't think they should share their own opinion represented as fact, but they could begin a discussion by addressing both sides of a debate and then guide the students to find their own opinions. Students are heavily influenced by not only their teachers, but also other friends and adults. Let's teach them how to think of their own opinions. This would be a way to spark some research projects and further study. It is a challenging job, especially when you feel strongly about a topic - but shouldn't this be our job? We need to model appropriately researched debate and discussions. Also, we need to teach students to question their sources as well. Is wikipedia or a random person's web site a valid source? We can do this at all ages; I start with my fourth graders. The classroom is certainly not a place for dictating propaganda.

This is one problem I see with putting the teacher in a position as the all-knowing one in a more traditional system. The teacher is expected to dictate to students what they need to know and students are expected to take that as rote and spit it back out. This forum makes it challenging for a student to process their own opinions and share them appropriately. Sometimes this creates an adversarial relationship between teacher and student. (Of course, I know there are some wonderful teachers in this position that do not do this, but the system does make it possible.)

Maybe someone else has some thoughts. Share them here!