Is It Worth Telling the Average Story?

Does anyone care to read a story about someone who decides to live a mostly normal life? Would you sit through a movie about a person who had big dreams, but ultimately life squeezed it out of them and they just went along with a dull day-to-day routine? I mean, maybe if the routine started at the very end of the movie, you might watch it. But what if most of the movie was about the uneventful life?

I wonder about this because stories are supposed to be relatable. And what's more relatable than being normal? But for some reason we prefer to hear about the special cases. The ending needs to stand out, or it wasn't worth our time.

And this also makes me think about the vast majority of us who don't have an amazing "dream came true" story to tell. See, for the "dream come true" story to be special, it has to mean most of us don't have one.

So if we take all those people without such a story, how many had big dreams that didn't come true? How would we know, since people don't care to hear those stories? 

Do most people with average stories simply not have big dreams? Or do they just learn to accept reality and stop dreaming? And are a lot of those people privately pretty bummed about the whole thing, but again, who wants to hear it? Do they just keep it to themselves?

I was thinking about this because of a project I didn't complete. Back in December I put a lot of work into an updated Teaching Like an Artist Journal. In my usual way, I was super excited about it. I was actually getting close to finishing it. I planned to do the final touches after a big conference in March, 2020. But that's when schools closed and I got crazy busy helping everyone teach online. 

I returned to the project a couple times, at least in my mind. But teaching seemed so different. I started questioning the value of what I had written. I eventually lost steam and haven't done anything else with it for almost four months now.

I read the introduction that I had written for the new edition and it took on new meaning, considering I didn't finish the book. Here's what I wrote:

There are times the artist considers throwing out the work. You might feel that way as you reflect on the questions [in this journal guide]. I know I did as I wrote them. But if you are reading them now, it means I didn’t give up. And maybe my small example (with the help of a little backstory) can be encouragement you need. 

So the finished book would have been a sign I didn't give up. But I didn't finish the book. Like a million other unfinished projects we could all tell about, I let it sit. Does it mean anything? Not much, if average stories aren't worth much.

As I reflect on this, here's my conclusion for now: We are pulled along by the happy (and special) endings we hear about, because we hope our own stories are not yet finished.

I'll try to get back to that journal.

No One Could Blame You

Last year I read a tip on the Faster to Master site has been helpful. The author suggested reflecting on your wins from each day. I've been terrible about doing it on a regular basis, but I've been more conscious of the wins since then. I want to share a story about one of them.

The win is what mattered to me, not the details of the surrounding story. So forgive me if I'm being vague about what might seem like the juicy parts. I'm trying to be brief and avoid naming names.

Last month I'd been dabbling in fiction writing and (as always) reflecting on how we can use those same ideas to make meaningful stories in our lives. At this time I was thinking about theme as opposed to the plot of the story. What would be a good theme for a story? What's the theme of our lives?

One morning before work I was musing on all that. I considered a story with the theme of pressing on when the going is tough. (I didn't say I was a very original fiction writer.)

I had time for no more details than this:  At a key moment, someone would say something like, "No one could blame you for giving up. But maybe that's why the choice has come to you."

That seemed potentially epic, so I wrote that down just to remember it. Then I went on with my day.

Two hours later I was helping a teacher prepare for student presentations in one of our collaboration areas. We were chatting about work as we set up. We've known each other for years and we usually talk openly. I mentioned a particular task I was consciously avoiding at work. In fact, I probably said I refused to do it.

Without explaining, she well understood my resistance to the task. It was because of an awkward moment that happened in a staff meeting months earlier. That's the part of the story I won't elaborate on, but we've all been in staff meetings. You know about awkward moments, right? I'll just mention "power struggle" and "poor communication" and leave it at that.

Probably every person who was in that meeting remembered the moment. I bet most of them would have caught my implication that it was still an obstacle for me months later.

Then after I said I wouldn't do the task anymore, this teacher said the thing that caught my attention.

With a knowing chuckle, she said, "No one could blame you."

Well, there it was. No one could blame me. In that second my life intersected with the fiction I dreamed up earlier. What fool would I be if I didn't act on it?

I decided I better talk to the principal and make plans to do that that task I'd been avoiding. A few weeks later I did it, in front of the same staff, in the same place as the awkward meeting. Though I didn't mention any of the backstory, I'm sure at least four of us in the room understood the significance of my brief presentation. 

I don't know if the particulars of those events will ever matter or if anyone will remember them besides me.

I do know I was paying attention and I didn't give up. That's a win in my book.

I'm Bad at Endings

I was reminded this past year that I'm bad at endings. Closure and conclusions don't come easy in a lot of my projects. So many times for this blog I've jotted down an exciting idea, started thinking it through, but ultimately abandoned it when I couldn't bring it to a nice conclusion.

When I launched this blog in 2013, I also started writing a Teaching Like an Artist book. It was a fascinating project, full of everything I learned and was learning about teaching. As you might have guessed, I couldn't finish it.

I realized something then that this past year really drove home to me. I'm usually most excited by what something could be rather than what it is currently. I'm living a few months or years ahead of the moment.

Working towards the goal fires me up so much that the present situation doesn't matter much. 

Six years ago I probably knew this, but I saw it mostly as a good thing. As for the book, I just decided I wasn't ready to finish it yet. I needed to give it some time and eventually the powerful stories I needed would come together. I had very little doubt and lots of seemingly encouraging hints to pull me along.

I was just getting started with conference presentations and some exciting changes on my regular job at the school. It felt like everything was coming together, pointing to a message people needed to hear. All the lessons that brought me there, well, they were good. I just needed more time prove it, when all those budding possibilities came to fruition.

It got a lot better before it got worse. Then, about two years in, some things began to unravel at work. I didn't mind too much. None of it had to do with me directly and I still had my side gigs. My training work, my writing and my music ministry at church were only looking up. I kept at it (wondering only sometimes if I was crazy), still expecting overall I'd have some amazing results to show for it.

I coasted two years on the enthusiasm and blessings from that period. I received the Excellence In Education award, met a lot of great educators around the state and made some good friends on the worship team I led. But I'm bad at endings and I can't make a good conclusion out of it now.

In late 2018 a couple events took place in the same week that crushed me. I was completely blindsided and it has taken a year for me to fully realize just how devastating they've been. I don't talk about the details much with others. When I do, people don't seem to understand. There's no reason they need to. It's been my puzzle to work through.

The point here is that those events proved fatal to what used to be my endless assurance that I was onto something. Those things I always looked forward to as the circumstances around me were difficult? Well what if they were just figments of my imagination? What if those promising possibilities I saw were just hallucinations?

I ignored those thoughts for quite some time, but I couldn't ignore them anymore when 2019 rolled around. Now I should note that almost no one has noticed any change in my behavior since these things happened. By most outside standards I've continued to do fine. Inside, however, I've been drained of energy. I've struggled giving anyone advice, especially my own two kids or my wife. I haven't been experiencing a life I'd wish on anyone else. Yet I find myself in the world of education, where I'm supposed to be helping teachers and students be successful.

It's a hard thing to look back on a career or a personal endeavor and realize the best moments are behind me. What's worse is to realize I never even paid enough attention at the time to enjoy those best moments when they happened.

So I'm bad at endings. I don't know how (or if I should) work out an ending for these things and let them go. I don't know which ending to work toward in the life that's now before me. I have discussed these things with a few close friends and family members. The range of suggestions I received are so vast there haven't been any clear answers.

And of course, I don't know exactly how to end this post! I wrote it to get some thoughts out and to explain a little why content here has been so sparse. If this isn't the end of the story I started here six years ago, then someday it can be important look at the reality of teaching like an artist. I won't venture to guess if it's an ending or an important part of the journey.

I'll just leave it here and maybe in time I will have an answer.

5 Questions to Help You Reflect on the Past School Year

By this point in June, many teachers have wrapped up their latest school year and are enjoying a relaxing summer. Our school year ended two weeks ago and I've been doing some reflecting on it.

For me it definitely was not one of the best in my career. Still, there were some extremely positive moments and I learned a few important lessons. In an effort to clarify and remember, I came up with this short list of reflection questions to work through. I hope you also find it helpful.

1)  How did the past school year compare to the ideal one I hold in my mind? 

Before answering, reflect on your picture of the ideal teacher having a great year. Common advice I get from many colleagues is to "be realistic", essentially prompting me to loosen up on those ideals. Well balance is important, I think we can gain a lot by mining those visions that drew us to the profession.

When comparing your ideal to the reality of the past year, don't just think of it overall. Write down the highs and lows that come to mind. When were things closest to the ideal? What stands out in those times? When was it furthest away? Why?

2)  What was the best thing I learned this year about being a good teacher?

Maybe it jumps right out at you, but in my case I had to start listing things. I thought back over the months and jotted down notes. There were lessons I would have forgotten had I not plumbed deeper.

Make a list of things you learned or things that you knew but that were made more real to you. Pick one or two that you think are most important. It's a good exercise to state them succinctly. If you can take the time, make a post about it and share it on social media.

3)  What habits, practices or resources need to change so my upcoming year will be better?

As I said, the past school year was a challenging one and I found myself abandoning a lot of practices--or at least vowing to in my frustration. If it's not working, why would I keep doing it? Right?

There's no doubt there's a time to let things go or to break patterns. But sometimes it's better to make some adjustments to them. From specific lesson plans to daily habits or even colleagues you hang out with, what are some changes you could make?

Of course, I don't mean to imply you can fix everything with some changes. Not all the less than ideal (or outright dreadful) aspects of a school year are within your control. Identify those too as you reflect.

4)  What should I stop doing?

Are there things you need to let go entirely? If you decided in the previous question that some things were beyond salvaging, list them here.

5)  What actions can I take between now and the new school year to make it my best year ever?

I wouldn't get too hung up on the goal setting, but it is important to set direction and some deadlines. Along with any plan, set a time in three or four weeks when you can review your list and see if you're making progress.

If you found this helpful or if you have any reflection practices you like, I'd love to hear from you. Please send me an email to let me know.

The Open Door

I had one of those moments this week when I feel both the excitement and terrifying responsibility of my job.

We started a new semester with the Communications and the Media class. I've written a lot about it on my other blog. I enjoy it immensely. If only we had a class like that when I was in school!

So I came in the class to give my usual pep talk. I explained the importance of being able to communicate with video and how tech allows us to be creative and reach many people. 

I talked about opening the door of opportunity. I told them I'm waiting for someone from our school, possibly that very class, to accomplish something big. I want them to discover their talents and passions as they use digital tools to reach many people in ways they never dreamed. 

I assure them this has nothing about getting an English credit. It's about personal potential and being amazed at how much we can do. I think only in epic. 

After my short intro I gave them a survey so the teacher and I could divide them into different jobs by their interest. Before I saw the results from the survey I talked with her about a couple characters in that class that I suspected could be hard to motivate. One I knew, the other not so much. Already both of them had been resistant to something she asked of them the day before. 

I looked through the surveys. Both of those students indicated they were interested in being on a tech team. One picked the live video announcements and the other chose our roaming "features and on-site" crew. 

The thing is, for both of those teams I listed an option of "not interested in this group". They heard something in what I said or saw something in our previous school news program that sparked their interest. 

I find that so encouraging that these guys, both hardened by a routine of assignments and tests for credit, had at least an inkling of interest in creating something to show the school. At the same time, it is frightening that now I have to do my part with these two. I mean, they might give up at the first frustrating tech challenge. We always have some. Could I really help them see learning can be life changing?

I have to trust we were not brought together by accident. The job I have has always felt like a gift. I believe the things I told the class about the door of opportunity and their potential. I believe they have a purpose to achieve and the technology can make it happen. 

We will see how it goes. 

Teaching Like an Artist - After Four Years

It was the summer of 2013 when I wrote my first Teaching Like an Artist post on another blog. Those were exciting days as I clarified my vision, spread the word and heard from teachers all over the world who were encouraged by my work.

That simplified message quickly developed into "Say inspired to inspire others" and I boiled down the essence of The Way of the Artist to three "not so simple steps:

• Dream big
• Do the work to make it real
• Share it

After four years of embedding this message in my ed-tech conference sessions, my blog posts and my job, I'm still a believer. 

Yes, in 2017 I openly wondered if I was crazy. Still, I know inspiration is what's missing in school and I know those ideas I was discovering are worth repeating. I still used those key ideas word for word in nearly every presentation I made in 2017. I'm always grateful for those insights and the blessing of seeing them connect with teachers.

But if anyone looked at this blog in 2017, they wouldn't know the message still excites me. I wrote only a handful of posts the whole year. And I'm sure even the teachers who work with my each week would think some of the fire has gone out.

 As an important reflection exercise and in case anyone cares to hear it, I wanted to think aloud about some reasons for this.

• While the truths are vital, the delivery needs an overhaul. I started to see this in early 2016. I gave it everything leading up to a large conference presentation in March that year. It was quite positive, but it didn't catch on as I hoped. It was the best I could do at the one big shot I'd have, but it didn't connect with teachers in a big way. After that, I felt I was knocking on a door that had been closed. Again, the ideas need to be sold, but I haven't found the right package to grab attention.
• I kept trying some tweaks on the delivery this past year, but admitted by the end of 2017 that most people don't get very excited about being "like an artist". Part of my initial excitement of these ideas was the realization that we're all making art in one way or another. That's a new idea to most people, though, and getting that essential part of the message through takes more than the one to three seconds I'm allowed to grab their attention. By the time I get to the important, practical insights, I've lost them. I might be able to repackage the ideas, but let's face it. The blog is called "Teaching Like an Artist"! It would have to be a complete restart and I haven't had the time or energy to do that.
• And that's largely because life is steering me in a different direction. Practically speaking, this blog got less attention in the past six months because I've been very busy with an exciting ministry I'm involved with. Just like in the summer of 2013, I had a mini revival in August. It resulted in a bigger leadership role in the worship team at my church. The creative opportunities there and the far more significant results in the lives of the people I serve captivated my attention and energy. The work will not pay the bills, so I'm still working in education. I do still want to solve the problems in school and help as many students as possible, but there's no way around it. My heart has been set on worship. When I first started the Teaching Like an Artist series, I acknowledged right away that God is the great artist. I'm grateful for this latest surprise in His work.

I don't plan on shutting the blog down and I still want to keep the heart of the message in all my work in education. I still get excited when I read  the most popular posts (like this one) or my favorites (like this one). I start to dream big again whenever someone tweets the ideas out at my conference sessions. 

I want to continue the work if it's actually helping. I'm just not sure how to fit that in yet. For now, I'll keep my eyes open for opportunities rather than try to create them.

 

Just Watching

Before I say much about this, can we agree that it's possible to do too much of something even though that "something" isn't wrong itself? Like drinking a soda. I don't think anyone would say it's really wrong to have one now and then. Is it possible to have too much? Sure.

With that out of the way, I have been pondering something lately that, at first glance, will seem like no big deal. If I act like it's a big deal, some people might be offended. I'll proceed anyway.

Why do we stop doing things in life and instead start being content with just watching other people do them?

When we're kids, we act out what we see. We play house and pretend to have jobs, just because we see our parents do it. Kids want to act on the things that interest them. As they get older, this continues in appropriate ways. With sports, music, art and so much more, teens dabble in their interests. They want to do.

But it seems at some point the constant stream of opportunities to watch takes over and there's not as much time for do.

I suspect there's something going on in our brains that lets us identify somehow with the doing that is going on. We witnessed the big game, the amazing concert or the inspiring church service. Even though it wasn't us taking action, we were there and we saw it. We were somehow in on it. It's not the same, but it's enough.

And this doesn't even have to be real stuff we're watching. Fiction will suffice. An exciting story that never happened captivates our imagination for an hour at a time, week after week.

In a world that has mastered the art of grabbing our attention, this bears some honest reflection. Have we been content watching (or reading about) someone else doing something exciting instead of taking action ourselves?

If so, we are missing out and so are the people we could inspire.

Life and Song - Great video for writing prompts in music classes

I really enjoyed this TEDx Talk by Jon Foreman. He's a prolific songwriter and the lead singer of Switchfoot. I've been a fan of his work for years. Here he "dares" the listeners to live out their own unique songs.

I think it's worth watching all 18 minutes, which includes three songs. If that's too much, you could easily select key sections.

Depending on the curriculum, you can tie some written reflection questions to songwriting, thoughts on his performances (I liked them, but they're not perfect) or the students' favorite songs or artists. All of this, of course, would tie in or culminate in Foreman's call to find and live their song.

If you find this post useful, you might be interested in these:

• Learning as a Story
• Along for the ride - An analogy for the classroom
• Eyes to See
• 10 Things that Make Life Exciting (and that even schools can afford)

When You Wonder If You're Crazy

This is an honest post. As I set out to write it, I'm not sure it will end on a hopeful note. The best I can say is I'm not completely giving up. Maybe it can connect with another teacher who sometimes feels this way. Maybe it will provide contrast to a positive story later.

It's been a rough school year in ways I never anticipated. I decided last month (again) that as long as I'm in the district, I'm going to give it 100%. I'm going to keep believing even if I'm the only one.

So a couple weeks ago I signed up to present at the 6th Grade Orientation. It's the event where we tell the fifth grade students and their parents what to expect at our middle school. I wanted to talk about the exciting opportunities that our technology program offers students.

That Monday morning I was thinking about this when I heard Vicki Davis' interview with Angela Maiers. (If you only want something positive, stop reading and just listen to that. It's good.)

I love Angela's message that every student matters and her passionate talk in that interview was a bit of encouragement to me.

I actually had already considered using the quote that launched her mission (which I believe first came from Seth Godin.):

"You are a genius and the world needs your contribution." 

I tell that to students a lot when I talk to them about technology. It's a great starting point to grab attention, since they generally expect me to talk about apps, how to use Chromebooks and what will happen to them when they break the rules.

I decided to modify it slightly for my talk at the orientation. I wrote on the slide, "You have a gift and the world needs you to use it." As I developed my presentation, I have to admit I wondered if I still believed that for every kid. I considered leaving the quote out. Even moments before I spoke, I thought about deleting the slide.

But I left it in. I told them all--parents, students and the other teachers--that I believed it. I explained that technology offers connections that will allow students to learn and create so their genius can be unleashed in exciting ways.

I continued the talk, then ended with that same slide. Gifts, contribution, etc.

No one said a thing about it when I was done. To be honest, I didn't know if I encouraged anyone or if I looked like an idiot. I wasn't even sure anyone heard me, since the sound system wasn't great. .

The next morning, even before first hour, a couple teachers teased me about it. They weren't being terribly negative. To them it was just good fun, worth a laugh that Mike still thinks every kid is a genius. I expected that response, so it in no way hurt my feelings. I was somewhat relieved to know the sound system actually came through.

I told them it's what I have to believe if I'm still going to keep at it after all these years. For me it has been 23, longer than any of the others in the huddle. I think one of them sort of understood that I was taking it very seriously. She later said she was just kidding, so at least she was thinking about it.

I wish I had a better story to tell, but that's the real one so far.

5 Habits for Teaching Like an Artist in the Summer

Since most of us teachers aren't technically working in the summer, most of these are habits to prepare for teaching like an artist. Each one builds to the final one, though, which is a great teaching opportunity anytime.

Habit 1:  Carry a sketchbook - This might not be a book you actually draw in, but there might be sketching involved. Basically it's a place you "sketch out" your ideas in any way. If you like paper and a pencil, get a small notepad to carry with you. I suggest a digital version, like a Google Docs file, that you can access on your computer, phone anywhere and any time.

The main thing is that you write down (or copy and paste or snap a picture) of any good ideas you see or think of. You're a teacher at heart, so even when you're out of that school environment, you'll see connections to your work with learners. Make a habit of quickly recording all those thoughts. When you get time, flip through the notes and develop some of them. When the best ones rise to the surface, think of how you'll bring them into reality

Reflect - Artists are thoughtful and reflection as a habit. I suggest you use my free reflection journal, 31 Days of Teaching Like an Artist. That book will guide you toward a teacher mission statement through the discovery of purpose, exercises for vision and a chance to set goals.

If you don't want to use that book, at the very least you should think over the good and bad of the previous school year. Plan ahead for the upcoming one. Connect with the dream that brought you this far and dream big dreams for the one ahead. What lesson did you learn most in the past year? How will you teach it to others?

Hang out with other artists - Art starts when the artist sees possibilities most people miss. One way to see more is to hang out with people who see more. If you can't hang out with these people in person, at least connect with them virtually or through their writing.

I still hear great educators say the best thing they ever did for their teaching was to get on Twitter and follow people sharing the best ideas. Make it a goal this summer to take your next step with social media. Find some new favorite blogs. I always recommend starting with Vicki Davis and Larry Ferlazzo.

Of course, read books. My favorite recent find is The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros. I consider this required reading for today's teachers and principals. It's been a long time since I've highlighted so many good thoughts while reading. I also suggest Poke the Box by Seth Godin and Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon.

Make something - This doesn't have to be related to your teaching, but make something you haven't made before. Explore some tools and techniques you always wanted to, but didn't have time. Get used to following a project from original vision to reality. Practice making art happen.

If you aren't sure what to make, but you want to explore some simple, powerful digital tools, I suggest looking at Adobe Spark. Use it to document a vacation or even just a slow, beautiful day of doing not much at all. I made a tutorial for some of the features here and here.

Depending on how big of a project you take on, you might only complete one project this summer. If you have time for more, keep going. The main thing is that you form the habit of creating (and finishing) your art.

Share it - Here's where you actually can teach even in the summer. As I said above with connecting, take your next step with contributing through blogs and social media. Use those tools to show off the best things you and your students learned and did the past year. Share what you learned from doing the four other habits listed here. Share that thing you're making, even in the process of making it.

If you do share some work at any time this summer, please consider using the Summer Teaching Like an Artist hashtag:  #tlaasummer16

What we've done regularly

It is what we've done regularly that has made us.

Yes, some will have counterexamples to this. Sometimes big events come along that, in a day, make it impossible for us to be exactly who we were before.

But most of the time it is the slow shaping of routine that gradually directs our path. Habits are set that force decisions. In a moment of choice go for what seems obvious, maybe not even aware enough to say we chose it at all.

I bring this up because it is so important when it comes to learning. At least in the really important things that take time, it's essential to remember.

I used to teach math and my students frequently tried to dodge tough assignments by raising that age old question. As if I hadn't heard it a hundred times, one would ask, "When are we going to use this?"

Some teachers will try to counter that with some specific case the students might encounter someday. I'm not for impractical assignments, but I gave up on trying to get a possible example for every piece of the subject. More often than not, their question missed the point.

That skill, that assignment on that day very well might never surface again in that student's life (other than on The Test, of course). Who could know?

But that lesson was a moment in a long journey of learning that did indeed matter very much.

It reminds me of those old bookstores that stay in business even when large chains are a few miles or a click away. When I pull some random book from the shelf and read the odd title, it seems so unlikely anyone could stop in and want exactly that book. Yet as a whole, the varied collection that has something for everyone is exactly what keeps people coming.

It takes maturity to see the value of (and work hard for) every piece in a complex whole. I don't fault the young minds that fail to comprehend it. So many of us adults make the same mistake.

In the middle of any tough lesson or in that moment before we take our next big step, it's tempting to question the purpose behind it. It's easier to get objective, look at it from some other angle and call out the foolishness of it all.

But to use an analogy of school itself, that's the time to remember the course we're in (learning how to learn, growing in valuable skills), not the lesson we're on (solving equations involving imaginary numbers).

Of course there must be balance. School leaders have to be sure there is purpose behind the curriculum and teachers should remind students of that bigger purpose.

But to bring it back where we started, remembering that bigger purpose is definitely one of those things we should do regularly. What other disciplines, habits and practices make good learners?

What routines (good or bad) have made us what we are as teachers?

Effectiveness on the Job - How we really differ from each other

Regular readers know I greatly enjoy helping people to learn and to reach their potential. As we all know, though, not everyone chooses to grow. It takes work and many people find other things to pour their energy into.

I'm sure all of us, no matter where we work and what we do, know colleagues who are effective and some who are...less effective. I had some thoughts about recently while planning professional development activities. 

First off, I had to admit I don't see teachers who knowingly cut corners and try to game the system. In other words, the differences in results are not due so much to intentional laziness. There are probably people out there like this, but no one I know would put up with the stress of teaching and consciously try to be ineffective.

Yet we obviously differ in effectiveness. So I tried to zoom in and list some specific, underlying ways in which we do differ. These differences in turn lead to poor decisions and less than effective practices.

I hope this list can be useful for self-reflection exercises and some important discussions with leaders and staff. 

We differ in:

• What we are passionate about
• Teaching skills
• Learning skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Ability to self-assess
• Problem solving skills
• Confidence in our current abilities
• Satisfaction with our current abilities.
• What we know is possible
• What we believe is possible
• What we hope is possible
• How much we fear failure
• How much we care
• Commitment to a shared purpose
• What we want out of work...and out of life
• Our ideas of what makes a good teacher
• How much we think we should do
• How much we think people can change
• What we take comfort in 
• How willing we are to be uncomfortable

What would you add to the list?

How can a list like this lead to meaningful conversation?

photo credit: 07162013- AD in Minneapolis, Minnesota Events via photopin (license)

Reflection in Learning, Teacher PD and More - Top Posts from 2015

2015 was a great year for “teaching like an artist”! I presented at a few conferences, wrote a lot of posts, finished a book and put it into practice on the job more than ever. I’ve seen many teachers and students inspired by these principles I love to highlight.

Several themes show up on this blog, but reflection took the center stage in 2015. I’m thrilled with that because it's always my goal to give teachers and students something deep and meaningful to ponder when I present to them.

Here are the top posts related to reflection questions for teachers. They are suitable for PD activities, a PLC or as a personal reflection exercise.

• Finding Strength to Do the Real Work of Teaching - These survey results and thoughts became the #1 post of the year!
• 5 Thought Provoking Questions for Teacher PD, PLCs or Reflection - Some questions based on entries from my journal guide
• Note to Myself as a 1st year teacher - A slightly updated version of a post I made a couple years ago

This top post presents reflection activities for students:

Reflection Journal Template and Resources - This is my student reflection journal created in Google Apps. It's suitable for many grades and subjects.

The Way of the Google Drive
I challenged myself to post on one of my blogs every day in the month of October. The goal was to highlight conference sessions I was presenting with two friends in early November. We called it The Way of  the Google Drive. Writing these posts was a great way to focus in on the heart of my message. I am grateful to see others found these top posts to be of interest.

• How I Know We're Doing Something Right - My short list of signs the lesson is working
• Art and Risk - Trying something that "might not work" can make it more exciting.
• Taking the Plunge into Inquiry Based Learning - An interview about one of the most exciting projects I worked on this year
• Student Opinions of Our Inquiry Based Learning Activity - What students learned from that exciting project was the best news of all!
• Doing the Real Work of Art - Some see hard work as a sign something is wrong. Maybe it means you're on the right track.

Like Never Before - I almost forgot I wrote this post way back in February. It highlights the story that grew into The Way of the Google Drive months later.

Two Years of Teaching Like an Artist - A quick look at where I was and what I've learned since the summer of 2013.

My most popular page of the year (not counting the main blog page) has been the one about my Teaching Like an Artist daily journal. Please check it out to see how you can get a free digital copy!

Five Thought Provoking Questions for Teacher PD, PLCs or Personal Reflection

Image by Bart Everson from here.

If you’re interested more about good questions for reflection and PD, please see:

• My free daily journal, 31 Days of Teaching Like an Artist.
• Finding the Strength to Do the Real Work of Teaching
• A Note to Myself as a First Year Teacher

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Asking questions is probably my favorite part of teaching. Whether it's in the classroom, at a conference for teachers or just while talking with friends, I love giving people something to think about. (I even made a party game about asking one really BIG question.)

My math students weren't always thrilled with my idea of a good question in that subject! From my career and college class to my teacher professional development sessions, though, I've received a lot of thanks and appreciation for thought provoking questions I've raised.

Good questions at the right moment can make a tremendous impact on our lives. In searching out the answers, we experience the excitement of discovery. They help us see the wonder that is around and within us.

I like to ask teachers questions that remind them why they chose a career in education. I want to awaken dreams and that vision they once had of making a big difference. Questions can draw us back to those moments and give us a fresh perspective on the daily challenges we face.

So here are some of my favorite questions for teachers. With each one I'm also including followup questions for further reflection or discussion. For all of them, keep in mind:

• You should alter the wording and list of followup questions to fit the specific needs of time and the purpose of the meeting or activity. (As worded here, some of these could be too personal or time consuming for some settings.)
• Some of these are suitable for small group discussion or sharing in pairs. Others are probably best for each teacher to write a response individually that no one else will read. 

1)  What is your favorite advice that you share with students? 

This might be something you have told students for years or something you recently started saying. It might be that thing that they say in a mocking voice, to make their classmates laugh when you're not in the room.

• Is there a particular way you say it (or otherwise present it) to help them remember it?
• Why is this advice particularly meaningful to you or how did you come up with it?
• Do you have a story to tell about how students have received it or what difference you have seen it make?

2)  When did you first realize you wanted to be a teacher?

• What do you remember about that moment? Explain it in detail.
• What appealed to you about the job?
• Who did you first share that dream with and what was their reaction?
• How does the vision of yourself that you had in your mind then compare to the reality that you see in your classroom each day?
• Did you believe that those early moments of the dream to teacher were, in some sense, a calling? Explain.

3)  Imagine writing a letter to yourself as a first year teacher. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give yourself?

I thought of this question after reading Austin Kleon's book Steal Like an Artist. See my own letter to myself here.

• What struggles and successes did you experience that first year that relate to this advice?
• Would you try to talk yourself out of the job (maybe even just a little) or encourage yourself to stay in it?
• Did this activity bring back a memory or make you think about your work in a new way? Explain.

4)  What are your three favorite books and why?

• When did you read these? If it was years ago, do you think they'd affect you the same way if you read them now for the first time?
• Do you recommend them to your students or colleagues?
• What is the most recent book you've read that had a big impact on you? Explain.

5)  Imagine your retirement party. Three people stand up to pay a tribute to you and your work. Who would these people probably be and what would they say? 

This is a spin on Stephen Covey's excellent Funeral Exercise in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. One of the most memorable, emotional moments that took place in my classroom was the day I had high school seniors work through that exercise.

• Also imagine you give a closing speech to the friends and colleagues in attendance. What message would you most want to leave them with? What story would you almost certainly share?
• The purpose of this type of exercise is to know what you're aiming for. What did the activity reveal about the mark you want to leave?
• How well have you done so far at making that mark?
• What changes could you make in the remaining years of your career to be sure you have this desired impact on your students and colleagues?

You can get a link to download your free copy of my journal 31 Days of Teaching Like an Artist by subscribing to my monthly newsletter. 

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A note to myself as a first year teacher

This is a slightly edited version of a post I wrote a few years ago for my other blog. The original was inspired by Austin Kleon's book Steal Like an Artist.  In it he gives advice about creativity by thinking of what he would tell his younger self.

If you’re interested more about good activities or questions for reflection, please see:

• My free daily journal, 31 Days of Teaching Like an Artist.
• Five Thought Provoking Questions for Teacher PD, PLCs or Reflection
• Finding Strength to Do the Real Work of Teaching

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After 21 years in public education, what would be the most important tips I'd tell myself?  I boiled it down to the list of six things below.  They're personal, but I think others can find some application in them for their own situations.

To set the scene I have to admit that the first half of my teaching experience was rough for me.  I did not enjoy much about teaching high school math.  There was plenty to be thankful for and a lot of students liked my classes, but dealing with difficult students and seeing my inability to reach all of them was tough. I felt like a failure many days.

Here's my list of what I'd tell my 25-years-old self, in that first year.

1)  Be realistic about what you're getting into.  The students you will be asked to teach are coming in with poor math skills and a poor attitude toward the subject.  Very few of them will see math class as the positive experience that you did.  Be prepared for this!  Set realistic goals of what you can accomplish in those first years as you are learning to be a good teacher.

2)  Take the work seriously, but don't forget about the relationships you are building everyday with your students.  You tend to get focused on the job and forget about people, but they are most important.  Even the difficult ones will respect you for your hard work if they also know you care about them.

Years after the class is over you'll see some of them.  They'll remember that you cared and worked hard more than they ever will the details of lessons, rough days, all those assignments or the grades they got.

3)  Start a game club right away.  That love you always had for games will be a highlight of your time working with students.  A lot of them won't fit in anywhere else, but they'll hang out with you at lunch.  Buy a few more of those games no one else has heard of and use them to connect with the students as much as you can.  Meet every couple weeks or so after school for gaming.  You'll like that extra-curricular work a lot more than organizing the prom.  (For the good of all, tell them you don't want to be a class sponsor!)

4)  Keep up on the technology.  You're kind of a traditionalist and in the debate of calculators versus no calculators you'll be tempted to keep it old school.  Instead, remember that many kids can learn the concept better if they come at it differently than you did.  It doesn't have to be all pencil and paper and a ton of steps.

Keep an open mind on that and use technology to give them a conceptual understanding useful for problem solving. When the principal asks you to try more with technology, do it.  Doors will open for you and you'll enjoy the change as the best years of your career.

5)  Assign creative projects, even in math.  Your department will focus almost exclusively on the state MEAP test, but don't let that drain your classroom of creativity.  You'll be busy and it will be easier to just keep it simple and routine, but things like the video assignment, personalized story problems and the artistic projects are vital.  Keep developing those assignments.  Add a new one every semester so that when students think back to your class, they remember those things they made.  You'll like it best when students say you're not like the other math teachers.

6)  Remember that you felt called to teach.  In frustrating times you'll think you should have gone into programming instead of working with kids who don't want to be there.

All those visions of being an amazing teacher will be shattered by reality and you'll think you misunderstood what you were supposed to do with your life.  But just like you did that day when you got the unexpected call and they offered you the job, trust that God knows what he's doing.  You are supposed to be there.

You won't reach everyone personally or with the math, but you'll connect with many students.  You'll remind them that life is exciting when chasing a dream.  They'll take notes when you talk about what true success looks like and many will thank you.  Among other things, you were called to pass on those messages.  Let them flow through all aspects of your work.

Here's the key to success you'll eventually share with them:

Always do your best

At what's most important

Whether you feel like it or not

You and many others will be thankful for the lesson.

Reader Survey - And chance to win a free copy of my journal!

Looking for a way to "stay inspired to inspire others"? This book could be for you or a colleague.

You can receive a digital copy of my Teaching Like an Artist reflection journal guide just by filling out this survey. You'll also have a chance to win a free paperback version. If you want more information about the book, please see this page.

Free Daily Reflection Journal: 31 Days of Teaching Like an Artist

I'm happy to say my reflection journal guidebook is now available here to anyone who takes my reader survey. I'm also giving away two free copies of the print editing.

It's designed to help teachers "stay inspired to inspire others".

Over the course of 31 days, the short activities and entries will raise thought provoking questions to get you started along The Way of the Artist. Each is meant to take about 10 - 15 minutes.

They come from 22 years of my own experience as a teacher, with some based on the most powerful lessons I've shared with students and teachers.

I trust that as you work through the journal on a regular basis, you'll see your work in a new light. It's my hope that it will help you:

• Connect with your passions.
• Find a deeper sense of purpose in your work.
• Get exciting ideas to recharge creativity in your classroom.
• Gain some practical experience in making and sharing amazing work.

The journal is a Google Docs booklet so you can type your entries in it and easily access online resources that it refers to. I should have a print version available shortly, but you can get started with this flexible, portable digital version right away.

Please visit this post to find out how to get your copy!

Reflection Journal Template and Resources

This is (and probably always will be) a work in progress, but I want to share it now. It's completely usable as is, but I'm looking for feedback so I can expand the basic prompts and improve the video tutorials.

One of my favorite aspects of teaching is giving students creative ways to reflect on what they've learned. I've found that good questions will engage them. We also know the time spent pondering the material in new ways or summarizing it can help cement all the pieces that are otherwise separate in the students' minds.

You can find everything you need for the reflection journals at this site:

    bit.ly/reflection_journal (There's an underscore between reflection and journal in that link.)

Most importantly you can get a copy of the template there. The journal template itself starts as just a single slide in Google Slides. Students can rename it, title it and make it their own with images and all the other tools.

If students are on a Chromebook or signed into Google Chrome, they'll be able to keep their journals for all classes or subjects on their Bookmark bar for easy access on any device.

From that first "page" of the journal, you and the students can click a link to open this other Google Slides presentation made up of prompts. 

Students would copy the prompt slide that you ask them to use, then paste it into their journal. Here's one simple example.

You would tell students what to put in the blank on the prompt, possibly the story you just read or the math skill they just learned. In this case, the students would respond with images and text. Sometimes they will require writing. Of course, nothing is stopping you from just using your favorite prompts to make your own blank prompt page.

The website has a page of video tutorials that can help you or the students learn the basics. One shows how to easily share the project to students using Google Classroom. A few tutorials are still "coming soon", but there is enough on the page to help you see the main idea.

Please let me know if you have comments.

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If you liked this post, here are others related to reflection in learning:

• Great Starting Point for Lessons - Interviews with Artists
• Step by Step - Paying attention to the larger journey of learning
• The Teaching Like an Artist Framework
• Passionate, Personal Project-Based Learning

As I mentioned, I have always found reflection to be an essential element of learning experiences. However, in way of inspiration, I'll point out that Larry Ferlazzo's recent interviews on reflection is what got me thinking of this project.

Life as Art

I've been writing a lot about The Way of the Artist in this series. I sum it up in the three "not so simple" steps:

1. Dream big
2. Do the work
3. Share it

My point is that as the dream transitions to reality and people are touched by it, inspiration happens. The artist is inspired and so are those who enjoy the work.

We can think of any project as art in this way. Maybe it's something we'd normally consider art, like a painting or a song, but it doesn't have to be limited to those things. 

My wife helps run a homeless shelter in our community. She could talk about the initial vision, the work it takes to make it real and how the end result is shared with those in need. I call that art too. People are inspired to take part in it.

But what if we go beyond projects and look at our lives as art? Or if not our entire lives, how about roles we play such as teacher, father or husband? I think there is great value in reflecting on ourselves and our actions in this way.

• What was the initial vision that got us in this role? Was it our vision, someone else's or a combination of many? The power of the final work starts in the uniqueness of this original vision, so it's worth exploring.
• What work did we do to make that vision a reality? How close have we come?
• How are the results of this vision and work being shared? It might be shared with only a few people, but my guess is there's a way in which it can inspire.

Of course, when our lives is the work, we almost always talking about a work in progress. It is a special type of art that's never done. It's like a song that changes as many people play it or a long-running play that develops over the years.

There's always a chance to get closer to the vision (or maybe alter the vision). There's a chance to share it with more people or share it in a better way. 

I encourage everyone to think about life this way, some aspect of it, some ongoing work you're involved in. Look long and hard at it. Connect with the original dream and do what it takes to make it real. Tell the story and stay inspired to inspire others.

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I'm doing a challenge this month to post on one of my blogs every day. It's in preparation for my conference session, The Way of the Google Drive. Be sure to follow me on Twitter or on either blog to keep up with the "thoughts and tools to inspire". 

Click here to see all the posts from Teaching Like an Artist with the tag The Way of the Google Drive.

Avoiding My Next Step

Teachers should be lead learners. I feel strongly about that and I'm hard on myself when I see my own resistance to stretch.

We can relate to our reluctant learners by finding the same reluctance in ourselves. Maybe I always did my homework, took good notes and didn't miss school. But there are always important responsibilities (things I won't confess!) that I resist. Week after week, I put them off.

I was thinking today of this list, in no particular order:

Things That are Easier than Taking My Next Step In Learning

• Listening to people who say I'm good where I'm at
• Complaining about people or groups that aren't as far along as I am - This might even be in an area not related to the next step I should take. Another easy approach is to direct it to those people who are making it harder for me to take the next step.
• Drowning myself in entertainment
• Taking on the priorities of others (possibly without thought) so I'm too busy
• Planning to take my next step