tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10307152616554023882024-02-18T19:24:44.907-08:00Learning to MuseInspiring Joyful Living and Learning in Our Fast-Paced World.Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comBlogger224125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-65525751603681503382021-02-16T18:45:00.001-08:002021-02-16T18:45:44.039-08:00 Chatting with Amy Morin, author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do<p>It’s been way too long since I’ve written in this space, but I have kept up with my <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-sun-is-shining-other-lessons-im.html#.YCx_dy08KhA">daily writing practice</a>, and even <a href="http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol16/num10/to-address-educator-well-being-we-need-a-historical-and-holistic-approach.aspx">published an article</a> on mental well-being with a couple of incredible colleagues. I’ve also been using social media to post life updates for a smaller audience of friends. I’ve been reading, journaling, teaching, running, parenting, and living life joyfully. Meanwhile, blogging has remained an interest and desire in the back of my mind, so I thought I’d take some time on this snowy evening to provide readers here with an update. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7B7IQUBm2ZZbiRN86JPeI96ncNujC85bh4x0FcUqkKmuEtkXOhAeXdofbJv8xFP3rFPTgG6gR9greT8oKw_QTremJ4nAGryQM5qf2Os7IdJYi_tl-qaRjts1f8xXIDHxrT6rxnQQhRz2/s2048/B5F21864-70D7-4FD8-8CB4-63BFEA03C83C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG7B7IQUBm2ZZbiRN86JPeI96ncNujC85bh4x0FcUqkKmuEtkXOhAeXdofbJv8xFP3rFPTgG6gR9greT8oKw_QTremJ4nAGryQM5qf2Os7IdJYi_tl-qaRjts1f8xXIDHxrT6rxnQQhRz2/s320/B5F21864-70D7-4FD8-8CB4-63BFEA03C83C.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Back when I was reading a <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/p/book-week.html#.YCyAFi08KhA">book a week</a>, I read <i>13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do</i> by <a href="https://amymorinlcsw.com/mentally-strong-people/">Amy Morin.</a> I had previously read her list of 13 Things when it went viral as an article, so I excitedly added the full book to my 2015 reading list. Little did I know 2016 would be one of the most challenging years of my life. Fortunately, Morin’s book in 2015 prepped me for what was to come in 2016 and thereafter. </p><p>Fast forward a few years to 2019 when I DM’d Amy Morin on Twitter to ask if she might write book for teachers about how we can build mental strength as educators. She graciously replied and thanked me for keeping the idea on her radar but was in the middle of a different project for kids. The book for kids is slated to be released this April, and I encourage you to read it and share it with any children in your lives. I read an advanced preview copy. More on that in a coming post. </p><p>In 2020-2021 I joined colleagues with Brave Teaching Kentucky, and we started a podcast called Teacher Check-In. I DM’d Amy Morin again and asked if she would consider being a guest on our podcast. She said yes, and I had the distinct honor to chat with her earlier this week. </p><p>Our conversation is targeted at educators, but anyone could benefit from listening if you’re interested in mental strength. Check it out <a href="https://anchor.fm/teachercheckin/episodes/How-to-Build-Mental-Strength-with-Renee-Boss--Amy-Morin-eqg94t/a-a42djq1">here.</a></p>Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-27931303452087614032019-09-28T17:09:00.000-07:002019-11-20T07:27:15.638-08:00Air Force Marathon Race Recap: Running My First Marathon <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last Saturday, after 18 weeks of diligent training, I ran my first full marathon. Running 26.2 on September 21, 2019 in Dayton Ohio required perseverance, endurance, and stamina. Thankfully, the Air Force Marathon was well supported and staffed. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Well, I would gladly have given away the HOT temperatures we ran in, but that wasn't anything Air Force Marathon could have changed. They did provide adequate support for the extreme temperatures.<br />
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<b>Race Goal</b>: Finish my first marathon upright<br />
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<b>The Expo</b><br />
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The Air Force Marathon Expo offered hundreds of vendors with gear, nutrition, other races, and local information. We visited briefly, and I posed in front of the giant 26.2 and told myself I couldn't share that photo until <u>after</u> I ran 26.2. I picked up my bib and stopped by <a href="https://therunningwife.com/">The Running Wife</a> booth to see my friend and running coach, Ashleigh Freda. Ashleigh and Kathryn wished me well and handed me a bag of Honey Stinger nutrition and a 26.2 magnet to be placed on my car only <u>after</u> I finished the race.<br />
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<b>Local Bakery</b><br />
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After the Expo, we headed to Dayton's historic district and St. Anne the Tart Bakery. If you visit Dayton, be sure to check out St. Anne. You will experience a creative and comfortable environment with plenty of natural lighting for a peaceful afternoon (or morning) treat. We arrived on the last day of their summer menu and I enjoyed a raspberry tart and sparking water (hydration!) while my husband sipped a latte and ate a brownie.<br />
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<b>Night before the race</b><br />
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I began calming my nerves by <a href="https://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2019/02/have-fun-out-there-reflections-on-my.html#.XY_tyza6PIU">re-reading</a> excerpts from Deena Kastor's book <i>Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory</i> and writing in my journal around 8 pm when I also drank more water and a cup of chamomile tea. In usual fashion, I laid out my race clothing, gear, and nutrition, and double checked my music playlist to be sure I had added the songs recommended by my students.<br />
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<b>Race Morning</b><br />
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Up by 3:45 am feeling nervous but ready. I ate my usual half of a bagel with peanut butter, drank 8 ounces of water and 4 ounces of Shield before 5am. Took a cold shower, applied sunscreen, got dressed and packed up everything since we planned to drive home after the race. We left the hotel 2 hours before the race was to begin, plenty of time we thought. As we approached the Woodman Gate entrance to park, we stalled to almost a standstill in traffic for nearly an hour, and I grew more nervous about having enough time to get through security and to the start line. Ample deep breathing and internal self-talking kept me sane. As soon as we pulled into the grassy field to park, it started raining. Thankfully, Ashleigh had warned me to cover my feet for parking in the grass since the morning dew would keep it wet until after we started the race. I had also grabbed a trash bag and placed it in my go-bag. I used plastic grocery sacks around my feet and the trash bag on my upper half to stay dry for the next 30-40 minutes. Made it through security and a quick pit stop in plenty of time to enter my starting coral before 7:30. And then, the lightening started, and they announced a lightening delay. 30 minutes later we saw an aircraft flyover and fireworks. I was ready to go...but then...more lightening and another delay.<br />
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I crossed the start line at 8:35 am, an hour later than I should have started if the race had begun on time. No time to worry about what this would mean for the temperatures later in the day; it was time to run. Since I generally use Map My Run to track my pace and miles, I decided to forgo it because I worried it would drain my phone battery, and I really wanted to have music while I ran and access to my phone if I needed it. Instead, I looked at the time on my Fitbit to gauge my general pace. I finished mile 1 at 9:45 am. "Cool. a ten minute mile. Oh. wait. Not cool at all." That was WAY too fast for me in my first mile of running 26.2. I needed to average something closer to 13 minutes since I had 25 miles to go. I slowed down a bit but still felt the high energy and ran my first 5K in 33 minutes. Still too fast. My confidence started to waver a bit knowing I still had so many miles to run and had already made major mistakes in my start.<br />
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I looked down at the words I had written on my handheld water bottle and a smile crossed my face. One mile at a time. <a href="https://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2019/04/run-mile-youre-in-my-review-of-book-and.html#.XY_uiza6PIU">Run the Mile You're In</a>. Choose Joy. Happy, stronger, confident, loving, peaceful, survivor, leader. These last 7 words were sent to me by Ashleigh a few days earlier. I remembered to smile and enjoy my first marathon.<br />
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<b>Wear Blue Mile to Remember.</b> During the Wear Blue Mile to Remember honoring fallen service members, I felt grateful and patriotic. I ran here without music out of respect for the fallen. Flags flying, bells ringing, and volunteers cheering made for a quick mile. <b>Grateful.</b><br />
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<b>At the full marathon/half-marathon split</b>, I remember thinking...there's no turning back...here we go...I felt confident and strong and was still running a bit too fast, I think. I made a pit stop at mile 4 because I should have done that again during the delay of the race start, and I was afraid I would stop drinking water if I felt like I needed to go. It was a quick stop, and as I exited the porta potty, a Galloway Run-Walk-Run pace group was going by with a 6 hour finish sign. So, I decided...maybe I should attach myself to this group. For the next two miles I ran and walked with the pace group, and it felt terrible. It was a mistake <i>for me</i> because, while I wasn't opposed to walking, the group (not the pacers themselves) but the others had "pixie dust" mentality bragging on how they hadn't trained and the longest run they had completed had been 12 miles. This pulled me down mentally more than I'd like to admit. I decided to lose the group and <b>run. my. own. pace.</b> <i>Why wasn't I trusting my training? Why was I all over the place and wavering in my confidence</i>? Once I was on my own again, I felt better. I listened to my music and trusted my training and gave thanks to God for helping me overcome so much in my life.<br />
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<b>10K-13.1 miles. </b> I had signed up for the alerts, so when I crossed 10K, I knew I was on track and had slowed down enough to run my own pace at a respectable time. (The mile 4 pit stopped helped too). Thankfully, the sun was still behind the clouds, and I ran the next five miles with relative ease.<br />
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Then, the sun emerged from behind the clouds and the aid stations changed their weather alert from moderate (less than ideal conditions) to high (potentially dangerous conditions). I started worrying they would cancel the race and I started worrying that I wouldn't get to finish. I crossed the halfway mark in a time faster than a 13.1 race I ran earlier in the summer, so I was still feeling confident in my ability to finish, even though it was growing hotter by the hour. I had been taking water at every single aid station, and I switched to Gatorade, knowing I would have difficulty consuming the nutrition I had brought with me. I forced myself to eat half of a Honey Stinger waffle at the half-way mark.<br />
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<b>Fairborn Fly Zone</b><br />
Before the start of the race, my husband and I planned for when I would see him at the spectator zone. He boarded the spectator bus from the start line to Fairborn and the spectator zone for <b>miles 14-15</b>. I looked forward to seeing him there and having a chance to change into my sun glasses and apply more sunscreen. However, the logistics of the rides to and from the start line did not account for a delay in the race starting, so by mile 13, I knew it was unlikely he'd still be there when I reached the Fly Zone. In fact, he was gone as were most of the spectators. A church band and a few spectators stayed behind for those of us toward the back of the pack. <b>Grateful</b>. The DJ remained as did the announcer, and I heard them announce my name Renee Boss from Lexington KY. I felt confident and proud and happy to be able to run. Made my last pit stop. I forced myself to consume one HoneyStinger gel, but knew that would likely be all I could handle in nutrition for the remainder of the race because it was just too hot to eat. I did, however, keep drinking at each aid station and carried a hand held water bottle for both squeezing on my head and arms and for drinking if I needed water in between the aid stations. Many of the aid station volunteers offered to fill my water bottle for me time and time again. The volunteers and aid stations at this race were phenomenal.<br />
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<b>Mile 16</b>. The first time I thought about quitting. My training took me to 16 miles three times and up to 20 miles, so the distance wasn't bothering me, but my training all summer was largely on shaded trails near my home, so the intensity of the sun without shade began wearing on me relentlessly, and I thought for the first time that I might like to stop running. Actually, I started thinking about excuses..."Maybe they would cancel the race and then they could come pick me up in their golf cart and it wouldn't be my fault that I didn't finish." The thought was both refreshing and saddening. I sucked it up (thanks to my sister for telling me the Embrace the Suck mantra) and pressed onward, knowing deep down that I would be disappointed in myself if I gave up.<br />
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<b>Miles 17-20</b> I ran with a husband and wife team who were pulled off the course last year when the race was black flagged. They said they had been following me for miles and were glad to finally catch up with me. My pace had slowed significantly. We talked and ran and walked and ran and pressed on through the historic Air Force Commanders housing and sprinklers. We accepted sponges and water. We encouraged one another. We felt grateful for more incredible aid station volunteers.<br />
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<b>Miles 21-23 </b>Up hill over a highway. I knew it was coming, but I had forgotten about it because I was thinking too much about being too hot. Ideally, I would have used my visualization strategies and taken myself to a cool mountain in Alaska or something, but at this point I wasn't even listening to my music, I was just trudging on and trying to remind myself to <b>Choose Joy. </b>I ran into another man who was in the back of pack like me, talking to himself. I heard him say "I'm so proud of myself right now." I smiled and I turned around and said to him--"That's right. You should be proud of yourself." <b>Grateful.</b><br />
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Shortly after mile 23, I ran into a pacer who had fallen off track and had given up her pacing duties because she was struggling in the heat. This was a woman who had run many marathons and ultra marathons, including a marathon she finished in 4:30. She was bent over struggling, and I stopped to ask if she was okay. She straightened up and we started talking as I held her pace stick while she filled her handheld water bottle with ice. I was holding my ice on my back which had started hurting like nobody's business. She started asking me questions and I asked her questions and we passed the next mile talking and keeping one another company.<br />
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<b>Mile 24</b>. The second time I thought about quitting. At this point, my pace had slowed significantly and I began to worry that I would receive a DNF for not finishing by the 7 hour cut-off time. I told my new friend, Janelle, I was ready to be carried off the race on the golf carts, if my time wasn't going to count anyway, why even bother going another 2 miles? I was hurting physically and mentally. I was ready to be DONE. Thankfully, we saw another Air Force service member just a few minutes later, and we asked him if we were going to be swept off the course. He assured us that we were well within the time allotted to finish, and I started crying. Crying out of <b>gratefulness.</b> Crying out of pain. Crying because I wanted it to be over already. Then Janelle said to me-- "pro-tip--save the crying for after the race because it's hard to cry and run and breathe at the same time." My tears stopped and we continued with Janelle telling me that we would finish together because now that she knew this was my first marathon, she wasn't going to let me quit.<br />
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<b>Miles 24-25</b>. <b>Grateful</b>. So grateful for Janelle, her company and her encouraging words. Grateful to be running. Grateful to be a survivor. Grateful for my sisters and brother in law for the texts they kept sending to encourage me (I could read them on my Fitbit). Grateful for my running club knowing they were cheering for me. Grateful for my students who I knew would ask me about the race. Grateful for my sons who I knew would be proud of me. Grateful for my husband who was sitting and standing outside in the heat all day long waiting for me to cross this finish line.<br />
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<b>Mile 26.</b> I could see the finish line and dreamed of sprinting across. I had told Janelle this dream, and she said to me "See that C-17 plane? When you get there--you need to take off running across the finish line." We approached the line of planes and I took out my phone to take a picture. My husband was there on the sidelines clapping and smiling. I got to the C-17 and ran triumphantly across the finish line raising my arms high above my head and bursting into tears as the Air Force service members handed me my medal and shook my hand. Finished. I did it. I am a marathoner!<br />
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P.S. The more I reflect on this post, the more I find myself wanting to shout from a mountain top how happy and grateful I am for the support from The Running Wife Club. Ashleigh and all the women in the running club not only supported me but tracked me all day and sent one another messages when they received the alerts about my progress. These women are friends, fellow runners, and all around amazing people. SO---wherever you live, feel free to join The Running Wife virtual run club. Members live all around the USA and support one another for all levels of running.<br />
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-15085890382218821142019-04-20T10:35:00.000-07:002019-04-20T10:35:53.415-07:00Run the Mile You're In: My Review of the Book and Personal Anecdotes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Before I started running three short years ago, I read books and articles and watched films about runners, and I dreamed of running but didn't imagine it actually happening, <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2018/02/2-years-of-running-and-life-perspective.html#.XLtMukhKjIU">until that one day</a> when I took the first step and laced up my shoes and headed out the door, unable to run even a block before stopping to walk. Ever since I can remember I've been interested in stories of perseverance and overcoming obstacles. I've devoured books and articles and films. I've wondered how people press forward. I've discovered that in all of the stories I've read about persevering, there's always a larger sense of purpose--a bigger WHY for doing what you do. A sense of purpose is exactly what Ryan Hall describes in his newest book <i>Run the Mile You're In</i>.</div>
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Several weeks ago when I saw the call for applications to serve on a book launch team for Hall's book <i>Run the Mile You're In</i>, I jumped at the opportunity. Gratefully, I was selected as one of the readers to receive an advanced digital copy of the book so I could read and write a review in preparation for the book's release on April 16th. My short review came after reading and reflecting on the book.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Cleverly divided into 26 chapters, Ryan Hall’s fast-paced book run the mile you’re in inspires and motivates through stories of his incredible life as a student athlete and then professional runner. Woven throughout the expressive life stories you will find Bible verses that connect to the stories he tells about his life and running career.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If you’re not a runner, there’s inspiration in Hall’s amazing stories of listening to God for direction guidance. And if you are a runner you’ll be motivated by Hall‘s dedication to the mental and physical challenges that running can bring. One of the best quotes in the book is “comparison sucks the life out of what we are doing. <b>We are all on a beautiful journey, so let us be thankful for every step, even if our journey looks different from someone else’s.”</b></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Graphic courtesy of launch team.</td></tr>
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Fortunately, I read the book prior to several 10+ mile events I ran because I heard in my head mantras and wisdom from Hall and his references to scriptures that helped me push through discomfort and low points during those runs. Those were my "come-back" runs as far as I was concerned.</div>
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I needed a come-back run for myself. When my radiologist told me in November that I would eventually run a half-marathon again, I wanted nothing more than to believe her and to realize that dream. After all, I had worked hard to run and improve my pace while running and I maintained a running routine during my radiation treatments, but I also lost speed and mileage following surgery and during recovery. When on March 30th, I ran my first half-marathon post surgery/radiation, I found myself beginning with the comparison game again. </div>
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Then I remembered these lines from<i> Run the Mile You're In, </i> "...the best way to compete is to strive for personal excellence...comparisons in athletics and in life are so fruitless. When we compare we miss the joy of the journey as well as the joy of the achievement (p. 99)."<br />
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Joy--isn't that what I'm always aiming to choose? Yes. Absolutely, yes. I literally gave thanks to God in that moment for the fact that I was even at mile 9 (If if you're at all familiar with <a href="https://www.runthebluegrass.org/">Run the Bluegrass,</a> you'll know that mile 9 is infamous for its hill. Actually, the whole course is known for its hills and that's typically one of the things I like best about it).<br />
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Sure, I didn't beat my time from last year, but I did "flip [a negative] thought into a true and encouraging statement that...ignited hope in my spirit (p. 83)." I chose then to focus on love over fear and to run the mile I was in.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Wearing pink to honor my journey. #choosejoy</td></tr>
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NOTE: I highly recommend <i>Run the Mile You're In</i> (marked here with post-it tabs because I needed an example of how much I wanted my students to mark up with sticky notes their independent reading books--they liked my example) I also highly recommend Run the Bluegrass--America's Prettiest Half-Marathon. I've run it three times now, and it's the best!</div>
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NOTE: One of the privileges of serving on the book launch team was that we had the opportunity to attend Facebook Live events with Ryan Hall, and at one such event, I asked if he had any advice for those of us who entered running in mid-life, and he graciously responded, telling us it's just about a delayed running life and we have a training age and biological age--a chance to get faster and keep getting PRs and improving, <b>so it's all about progress</b>!</div>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-15945678378942040182019-03-08T14:46:00.000-08:002019-03-08T14:46:11.174-08:00Up & Moving with a Physical Barometer Debate in the Classroom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sipping our tea and coffee my teacher friend and I chatted about how our students need more access to high quality discussions and debates. I had recently wrapped up a physical barometer debate with my students, and in their written reflections of the learning experience, I noticed how several students thought the debate wasn’t fun because it was too structured and didn’t allow them to speak whenever they wanted. There were other students (the majority), however, who enjoyed the debate experience and offered reflection on how the structure helped them learn better to share their thoughts and opinions confidently and safely without fear of being attacked for their opinions. It also afforded them the opportunity to be up and moving.<br />
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The whole debate activity came about naturally. <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2018-06-11T18:41:00-07:00&max-results=5#.XIKhQvlKjIU">As I’ve written about before</a>, students in my classes write daily in their journals to build habits of mind associated with disciplined writers. The journal topic for the day came from a recent tweet by the Prichard Committee’s Student Voice Team who had been in Frankfort speaking out about corporal punishment that still occurs in some of Kentucky’s public schools. I showed a screenshot of the tweet to my students and asked for their opinion on the topic. Most students in my classes were incredulous about the issue. Even those who thought paddling is okay, wondered how could it be true that in 2019 students are still punished by paddling?<br />
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Interestingly enough, my classes were almost equally split on the issue, with more boys thinking corporal punishment is an effective deterrent against breaking school rules and more girls finding it mentally, emotionally and physically harmful. However, not all boys agreed with paddling and not all girls disagreed with it. I honestly didn’t expect the class to be so equally divided nor did I plan to hold a physical barometer debate that day. But as you know, sometimes teachable moments just present themselves. We had been studying speeches and rhetorical appeals and techniques, so the debate went along with our overall lesson objectives. Because it happened so naturally, students were 100% authentically engaged throughout the debate.<br />
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<b>Here’s how things went down for our physical barometer debate</b><br />
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<b>Preparation</b><br />
Students wrote individually in their own journals first, giving reasons to support their opinion on the topic. Then I had them congregate in two large groups (13 + people in each group) standing around two white boards at each end of the room, one group in the back, and the other group in the front. The goal was for them to state their claim and then list as many pieces of evidence as they could create, making sure they had at least one piece of evidence for each person in their group. They also had to think about what the other group might present as counterarguments. I set a timer and they began working, collaboratively and thoughtfully. I told them they had to keep each other on task, and they rose to the occasion, with the more extroverted students taking the lead and pulling in some of the introverts and with the natural leaders pulling in stragglers who really wanted to spy on the other group.<br />
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After the groups had time to develop reasons and evidence, they assigned each person in the group with a piece of that evidence to state when their turn arrived in the physical barometer debate. They also wrote an opening statement and determined who would deliver it, and finally, they selected the person to speak last, and that person had to be prepared to listen carefully and offer the final wrap up and rebuttal of the other team's ideas.<br />
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<b>Connections to rhetorical techniques being studied</b><br />
Because we've been analyzing various speeches for rhetorical techniques, I asked students to think about how they could use some of those techniques (Ethos, Pathos, Logos, Repetition, Parallelism, and Allusion) in their presentation of their evidence during the debate.<br />
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<b>The actual debate</b><br />
Students stood in two long lines, shoulder to shoulder facing the other team (with about 3 feet in between them). The first student from Team A stepped forward one step and stated her/his opening statement in favor of paddling in schools. Then the first student from Team B stepped forward one step and stated his/her opening statement against paddling in schools. After the first two stated their claim, they stepped back and the next two students from Team A and Team B stepped forward and presented the first piece of evidence, and we continued along down the line until every group member had an opportunity to speak. At this point, even the more reticent students were confident enough to speak, and the structure made it easier for them to participate. Only one person could talk at a time, and each team had to listen attentively to the other team's ideas.<br />
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Since Team B had 3 more members than Team A, some Team A members had to speak more than once before the final Team A and Team B members provided the rebuttal and wrap up.<br />
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<b>Reflection following the debate</b><br />
After the debate while students made their way back to their seats, I quickly typed up and projected on the screen reflection questions for students to provide written responses about their experience.<br />
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1) What did you think about the physical barometer debate?<br />
2) How did your team do?<br />
3) How did you effectively use rhetorical techniques in your debate?<br />
4) What lingering comments do you have that you must mention?<br />
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<b>What I thought worked</b><br />
In typical NBCT analytical fashion, I spent time thinking about what worked and what didn't work in this lesson. Overall, I think the physical barometer debate worked really well, especially since we're working on scaffolding students oral speaking opportunities before they deliver full argumentative speeches later this month. The physical barometer debate provided another small step for reticent speakers. I also think the strategy allowed for students to listen carefully to one another, something that we all need more and more practice doing these days. I like that students had the opportunity to stand and move about the room. I like that the activity brought the class together even while they debated. There was sense of camaraderie among the students.<br />
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<b>What I thought could be better</b><br />
I would like to create success criteria for a physical barometer debate, so if we do this on the fly again in the future, I have the success criteria ready to share with students in advance. I might also have students work in smaller groups first, with each student having a role to play and then run two debates simultaneously so there could be more back and forth on rebuttals. Maybe I would do that? Maybe not. I'm always experimenting with new possibilities. What about you? How have you used physical barometer debates in your classrooms?<br />
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-83430424651779836272019-02-02T06:12:00.001-08:002019-02-02T06:12:47.670-08:00Have Fun Out There: Reflections on My First Trail Race<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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As the Golden Gate Trail Half-Marathon (Winter) approaches, I'm taking time to reflect on my own running journey. Three years ago this week I started running, and I thought it appropriate to reflect on my running history by re-reading excerpts from my journals over the past three years. Reflections from my most adventurous race to date were the most fun to read. I ran the Golden Gate Trail Half-Marathon (Summer) in Sausalito, California and saw it as a personal endurance challenge.<br />
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Here's what I wrote in my journal following the race on July 7th, 2018.<br />
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I can't believe I did this, but it was totally amazing. Sometimes I just want to test myself to see what I'm capable of doing--I did it! I ran 13.1 miles in a trail half-marathon.<br />
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So--the breakdown.<br />
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I was up by 4:45 am. I didn't sleep super well but slept plenty. Wicked nervous stomach--scared too--scared that I was in over my head, that I would be the last person to finish, that it would take me 5 or 6 hours, but also I was ready and confident that I could go the distance, even if it took a really long time.<br />
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At 5:15 I woke up Ethan [My 17 year-old son was also running the race]. We both ate bagels with honey and peanut butter that we got from the breakfast bar at the hotel the day before and saved them in our room. Because of my nervous stomach, I only ate half a bagel, drank 2 ounces of hot tea, 4 ounces of water and 2 ounces of Gatorade. [We carried Clif Bloks with us and water for in-between the aid stations].<br />
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My husband dropped us off at Rodeo Beach at 6:30 am and we picked up our bibs and milled around a bit, stretching and waiting, looking at the ocean.<br />
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The 50K and 30K runners took off at 7:00 am and the marathon and half-marathon runners at 7:15 with the 5 milers starting after us. [There were some moments when I asked myself if I should have dropped down to the 5 mile race]. As we lined up, my nerves were calmer, but I was still somewhat in disbelief of what I was about to do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCqLMhaOA5F3lQySURsV_ETs0qFyJNew2lw8_fgr2TqZxPnE-XCq5ovMV2DurUNLEvHqYj-BVyP-FL0sX4A4ouSlML_Qvfi1-e9Q9Hk4Rc0NdLp_c7JVq5ms-A_Zq12a0JkFmg8snESdT/s1600/IMG_0331+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="1600" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHCqLMhaOA5F3lQySURsV_ETs0qFyJNew2lw8_fgr2TqZxPnE-XCq5ovMV2DurUNLEvHqYj-BVyP-FL0sX4A4ouSlML_Qvfi1-e9Q9Hk4Rc0NdLp_c7JVq5ms-A_Zq12a0JkFmg8snESdT/s400/IMG_0331+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elevation for the 1/2 marathon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A younger woman and her partner asked me about the ribbon colors to confirm the trail we were to follow. I remember with confidence, because I was afraid of getting lost, pink for the half marathon, blue=wrong way & polka dots = a turn.<br />
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Ready, Set, Go, and we were off with an immediate steep climb. I ran slowly for a few hundred feet before I started hiking. Up, up, up, we climbed. Ethan was ahead of me, of course, and when I looked far above on the mountain, I noticed that even he was hiking. In fact, everyone was hiking. The first two miles were all uphill and they took me about 40 minutes. My first mile was 24 minutes. At this point, I began some serious internal positive self-talk because I was thinking I'd be out there past dark at that rate. Thankfully, I read Deena Kastor's book <i>Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory</i> on the plane, so I had plenty of positive mindset mantras to recite.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPEsEhLJziJv_K11Le0AvMtSnIQBdJY8RsJr5ztiCus2n-NRB4N_a2RoGHtcJup1FArobOsbg_v5S6jDuDhPRxRJYJnxA-XE5vCt9LAFCm-RAJCar2d9RktYvFLSwCGon_l9rhJ75b8vD/s1600/IMG_2589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibPEsEhLJziJv_K11Le0AvMtSnIQBdJY8RsJr5ztiCus2n-NRB4N_a2RoGHtcJup1FArobOsbg_v5S6jDuDhPRxRJYJnxA-XE5vCt9LAFCm-RAJCar2d9RktYvFLSwCGon_l9rhJ75b8vD/s320/IMG_2589.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 miles up, up, up</td></tr>
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<br />
Then there was an opportunity to run on a dirt and gravel trail, and I ran for a while picking up speed before some downhill where I slowed again because of a feeling that I'd fall and tumble right on down the hill head first--yikes! But it was an exciting feeling at the same time. Here's the crazy thing--I kept noticing animal scat and in my horse country Kentucky mindset kept wondering how on earth they would ride horses in that area. It was only later (thankfully) that I realized it was likely not horse scat I saw, but rather bobcat or mountain lion. SO glad I didn't think about that while I was out there running my first trail race.<br />
<br />
I had brief moments of wonder for how long my run was going to be, but everyone was so positive and encouraging with a focused "Have Fun Out There" attitude--amazing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRB94WCBZx4WRlfvjBc1amHqvB5FHLAQdYOoe4c7mKzkV7ScUWLUeXlqGDioAaLIsUR7oSMSshZuNDP3lQnu2gRunCagCMXBllnFQxZAFIS4coQEqtPJjRUaIB5-afamtE3beZrYQ0FrA/s1600/IMG_2807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="640" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvRB94WCBZx4WRlfvjBc1amHqvB5FHLAQdYOoe4c7mKzkV7ScUWLUeXlqGDioAaLIsUR7oSMSshZuNDP3lQnu2gRunCagCMXBllnFQxZAFIS4coQEqtPJjRUaIB5-afamtE3beZrYQ0FrA/s320/IMG_2807.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the bibs were encouraging</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Around mile 5, shortly after the first aid station (where I stopped to relieve myself) I was hiking up another steep gravel road and I kept hearing a clicking sound. I looked to my left and I saw a fox (at least that's what I think it was) staring back at me. I hiked faster and faster and started talking aloud to myself and praying because I wasn't sure it was a fox and I was scared and not super happy that I was alone at that point--but onward and upward, talking to myself!<br />
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Eventually some people running the ultra loops started passing me, and I felt better with others in closer proximity, but I was mostly still alone. I didn't even listen to my music at all because I wanted to see and hear my surroundings, the other runners and nature, too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbAcuLpsVzr_ZnuUadGIzTzc-BY_MR009r9fxd4PLja5_YzLTiN7rdpDuohyphenhyphenRKba9dKw8bmkCsk09WWXiofMi9oMjX9wQvBt_s28lz_dtky5pCQdgnxe-d56f3j9TcpurO_2m_ICLYc8z/s1600/IMG_2622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbAcuLpsVzr_ZnuUadGIzTzc-BY_MR009r9fxd4PLja5_YzLTiN7rdpDuohyphenhyphenRKba9dKw8bmkCsk09WWXiofMi9oMjX9wQvBt_s28lz_dtky5pCQdgnxe-d56f3j9TcpurO_2m_ICLYc8z/s320/IMG_2622.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Sometime around miles 6-8 I was high up above the Golden Gate Bridge and then in a lush green jungle looking area before more dirt paths and then a wildlife area with a sign that read "Wildlife Preservation Area--please move through this area quickly and return to the fire road." No need to tell me twice. I ran FAST through that area and to the next road where I started encountering a few more runners and then at mile 10 there was another steep climb up and toward a youth hostel and potentially more wildlife.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrb1FiYqhtlML-Xh0dXY5uGiFgZ7uzUIBFzQ40iykLFkonUdFUdHLBscrLNHnvnETfaedq8MvxuVp9FDOZ89he_iJFJrr8ytpBgHSDsXHlIPG3ZSychehvKheabyBGenqOfOUx6_Cv_mqW/s1600/IMG_2613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrb1FiYqhtlML-Xh0dXY5uGiFgZ7uzUIBFzQ40iykLFkonUdFUdHLBscrLNHnvnETfaedq8MvxuVp9FDOZ89he_iJFJrr8ytpBgHSDsXHlIPG3ZSychehvKheabyBGenqOfOUx6_Cv_mqW/s320/IMG_2613.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />
Single footpath for a couple more miles and the last mile of the race was near the lagoon and ocean. Here my watch battery died at mile 12.5. It saved my run, I hoped, anyway. As I approached the beach I saw my husband waiting for me and other runners who were finished cheering and ringing a cowbell for all who passed. Again--positive, fun, encouraging.<br />
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I finished with a smile on my face. As I crossed the finish line someone said "Good job, Renee" and handed me a medal. Later I learned my finish time was 3:34 (an hour longer than my usual road race half-marathon times--I'm not fast, but I can endure). Ethan finished 25 minutes before me. He ran a half-trail marathon with little training (Not advisable, he'd later say). His half-marathon road race time is 1:42. We both like to challenge ourselves, and share common traits of determination, persistence, and endurance. Wow--the things you can do when you set your mind to it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg2d-HEd8UuWIAMGD2lYEPPRpg4W8Wb9Q49LgmnlcOflc5SYntORQ3t7q6hteLiDNn9yWMsHjprWgB-dP4JhtbwENdDS64y3WeqR0BRlG6EEErAca_XHeam2Ju5NPC7O66kiXFpXlnaX-/s1600/IMG_2627+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg2d-HEd8UuWIAMGD2lYEPPRpg4W8Wb9Q49LgmnlcOflc5SYntORQ3t7q6hteLiDNn9yWMsHjprWgB-dP4JhtbwENdDS64y3WeqR0BRlG6EEErAca_XHeam2Ju5NPC7O66kiXFpXlnaX-/s320/IMG_2627+%25281%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy, Accomplished, Tired, and Dirty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6YPbAio4M4jA0Mjh0c8JF28IADAteQYCCS-7-1eTSmWPxc0xWezN0L3i0aSoVUG2brlSp1Zw8UKJE-nzS45uazolwFQcg0XpIQB_K3aq_RkaQu1MkOJw3mEgOyWv5PxTKksz3DlKwydL/s1600/IMG_2639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6YPbAio4M4jA0Mjh0c8JF28IADAteQYCCS-7-1eTSmWPxc0xWezN0L3i0aSoVUG2brlSp1Zw8UKJE-nzS45uazolwFQcg0XpIQB_K3aq_RkaQu1MkOJw3mEgOyWv5PxTKksz3DlKwydL/s320/IMG_2639.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
Mon & son all cleaned up & ready for a<br />
family feast at a local restaurant</td></tr>
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</div>
Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-53820754793299631992019-01-26T17:56:00.000-08:002019-01-26T17:56:28.935-08:00Tips for Recovering from Hurry Sickness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Instructions for living a life:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Pay attention. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Be Astonished.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Tell about it.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
---from Mary Oliver's poem <i>Sometimes</i></div>
<i><br /></i>
After a middle of the night Emergency Room visit for my son and the hurry to create sub plans for my students earlier this week, I found myself asking--why am I <i>always</i> rushing around? <i>Always</i> is hyperbole because I have managed to slow down the mental rush in the past three years. Even still, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of to-do lists, tasks to accomplish, and goals to tackle on a daily basis.<br />
<br />
Learning to slow down and become more mindful has not come easily for me, yet the more I've learned to embrace life and enjoy every moment, the more I have lived with joy, hope, peace, and optimism, even in difficult moments.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Tips for Recovering from Hurry Sickness</span></b><br />
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1<b>. </b>Be mindful of that rushed feeling. Pause and listen. Pay attention to the moment.<br />
In my classroom, I use at <i>Pause and Listen</i> as a call and response technique when I need to gain students' attention after they've been working collaboratively. I say "pause" and they reply "and listen." Prior to this year, I had never used a call and response technique, but I'm liking it because it works and it reminds us all to literally pause and listen for a minute.<br />
<br />
2. Be realistic and accept help from others when it's offered, and set guidelines for what you can do instead of layering on more. In other words--say no more often. Three years ago I was stressed to the max with work, networking, and professional pursuits, caught up in the rat race that even educators succumb to at times. (e.g. If I could just get one more conference proposal accepted, schedule one more PD webinar, fly to one more meeting across the country, facilitate one more workshop, speak at another convention, write one more contract, draft one more article, etc.)<br />
<br />
3. Create a gratitude list. Be specific with it. Something as simple as noticing the beautiful sky on a cold morning can change the way you feel at a given moment. Driving to work one day this week, I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a gorgeous sunrise. I took that moment and allowed myself to feel grateful for the beauty and that gratefulness led to more feelings of gratitude as I noticed how much I appreciated the solitude on my drive, and then when I arrived at school, someone held the door open for me, and then a student brought me artwork she created for our kindness and gratitude bulletin board. One moment of gratitude led to many more moments of gratefulness throughout my day. </div>
Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-54397323735370173732019-01-12T13:52:00.000-08:002019-01-12T13:55:04.273-08:00Releasing Judgment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Standing in the hallway of my new school, on a break during a professional development day for new teachers, I listened to the nurse navigator as she relayed the news “you have cancer... I know you’re starting a new job and have limited time available, so I set up appointments with a surgeon and an oncologist for after school...” I called my husband and knew there were others to call, but I needed to get back into the PD session. I returned to the classroom and went through the motions for the remainder of our day while in my mind asking “why me? Why now?”<br />
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And then the self-judging took over. I compared myself to others, and I continued to ask why this was happening. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I run half-marathons. I eat nutritious foods. I lost 50 pounds in 3 years and maintain a healthy weight. I go for my annual check-ups. I am healthy and I feel better than ever. Why me?<br />
<br />
Instead of trusting that it was all part of the plan for my life, I let fear rule, and I judged myself and my journey. It’s easy to do, and difficult to stop. I’ve been thinking more lately about judgment and ways and reasons for releasing it. Releasing judgment is an ongoing process, one in which I cycle in and out.<br />
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When we judge ourselves, we bring more stress and suffering thinking we’re not doing enough, being enough, etc. We “should” on ourselves, telling ourselves what we should or should not do. Judgment comes from fear, a fear that we are not worthy, but we are worthy. By surrendering ourselves to a higher power, we can find inner peace and freedom from judgment.<br />
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How do we release judgment?<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>We understand that we don’t have all the answers.</li>
<li>We remain flexible and open-minded, accepting of ourselves and others.</li>
<li>We change our language and avoid dwelling on our mistakes.</li>
<li>We practice compassion and remember that compassion and judgment cannot co-exist.</li>
<li>We remember that we can't always believe what we think, especially about our need to be right.</li>
<li>We value individuality and uniqueness.</li>
</ul>
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<br />
What happens when we forget to do these things? We avoid dwelling on the negative or the fact that we believe we've fallen off track. We acknowledge it, accept it, and move forward, forgiving ourselves and releasing judgment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2c7n-A4Ue2xgGmgKrZYze47kPtcmIeHsYGW2YXXU4UGZTTCUfr1yQDgMD-4n_BpJv5pvcsX0BqdMC0CLzVAMWo55DJSmaIVVbXvqa6D7oOJGSwixhon_fJ4lxppKX68bsa4ek45GMGNol/s1600/IMG_0815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2c7n-A4Ue2xgGmgKrZYze47kPtcmIeHsYGW2YXXU4UGZTTCUfr1yQDgMD-4n_BpJv5pvcsX0BqdMC0CLzVAMWo55DJSmaIVVbXvqa6D7oOJGSwixhon_fJ4lxppKX68bsa4ek45GMGNol/s320/IMG_0815.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#ChooseJoy</td></tr>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-15276579953794473982019-01-01T08:58:00.000-08:002019-01-01T08:58:09.750-08:005 Important Lessons Learned in 2018<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If this best nine image looks a bit sloppy, it’s a perfect representation of 2018. Beautiful and messy. We often showcase the best "Instagram worthy" images to represent our lives, and I would contend that's fine as long as we remember there's always more to an image than meets the eye. Life is about perspective.<br />
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From switching teaching jobs, to supporting a son with an often debilitating illness, to surviving treatment for breast cancer, some might say 2018 was a tough year for me, and I wouldn’t disagree. But, I’ve also learned deeply about life.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAwMmxMz5_SEzxURw87M63cAJt2bb5NFBwSNFhJsQnehQHHqlyzC7YkQw_8aWChcA4E7sbXpwMO83ucK_e9Hxd8vL7fp2zpnzjN03Zl9VKeRVr_VpN_We7cgB2W1J7P7Ty4XV6W_c0KOR/s1600/C9BA05A6-A54F-425E-BDEF-37437B435A7C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1242" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAwMmxMz5_SEzxURw87M63cAJt2bb5NFBwSNFhJsQnehQHHqlyzC7YkQw_8aWChcA4E7sbXpwMO83ucK_e9Hxd8vL7fp2zpnzjN03Zl9VKeRVr_VpN_We7cgB2W1J7P7Ty4XV6W_c0KOR/s320/C9BA05A6-A54F-425E-BDEF-37437B435A7C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's my perspective on what I learned in 2018.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
1) <b>Life is messy and beautiful and worth living.</b></h3>
Amidst the day to day living, you really never do know how much time you have on earth, so make the most it. Love fiercely, take risks, and say “no” if you don’t or can’t really do something.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
2) Inspire others by being the best version of yourself.</h3>
Live authentically. Define your values. Keep an open mind. Remember, who you are evolves and changes because you are a work in progress, so you can only be the best version of yourself that you are at any given moment, and that's okay.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
3) People you never expect to help often step forward to offer support, and people you expect to help might not.</h3>
When life obstacles come our way, keep your expectations for others in check because unrealistic expectations of others can lead to more hurt or over-thinking. <i>Why didn't _____help out? I never would have expected ___to be so generous.</i><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
4) Commit to process over an event/milestone.</h3>
When life is going well or not going well, it's easy to get excited or to become eager about the next event or milestone. If, however, you commit to process rather than the event/milestone, you can develop a system of healthy habits and daily living that helps you throughout life. This means you need to understand your WHY (your motivation) for what you are doing. Why are you training for a half-marathon? Why are you saving money for a family vacation? Why are you cleaning up after the dog for the umpteenth time today? Why are you taxiing your kids all over town to meet up with their friends over Christmas Break?<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
5) The greatest gift you can offer others is your own joy and inner peace. </h3>
Remember that you are uniquely and wonderfully made. You are loved. You are supported and protected. Remember that JOY is an attitude that requires courage, commitment, and strength. Even if you feel like you're lacking in those areas, you can choose where you place your focus. You can choose to be grateful for small things and in those small things you find more courage, strength, and commitment. #ChooseJoy<br />
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-60251697796026714452018-06-11T18:41:00.000-07:002019-01-30T10:26:56.623-08:00The Best Quotes from The Pursuit of Endurance by Jennifer Pharr Davis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Several years ago I read Cheryl Strayed's <i>Wild</i> while visiting family in Western North Carolina. My sister, Beth, an avid backpacker and hiker, told me about a woman who hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in under 47 days. "Impossible." I remember saying to her. "It takes months to hike the AT." Beth persisted in telling me about Jennifer Pharr Davis, who had recently won a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year award for setting the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail in 2011. Following my conversation with Beth, I read numerous hiking narratives because I wanted to understand how it was humanly possible to hike 2, 189 miles in less than two months.<br />
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In the dozen or so books I read about hiking, I learned about endurance, persistence, grit and transformation. My interest in these topics goes back to my childhood and a volleyball team my mom wouldn't let me quit (but that's a story for another time). In May as the final weeks of school wrapped up for the year, I read two new books <i>The Pursuit of Endurance: Harnessing the Record-Breaking Power of Strength and Resilience</i> by Jennifer Pharr Davis and <i>North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail</i> by Scott Jurek. Both were exceptionally written and awe inspiring, but I related more with aspects of Pharr Davis's book because of my connections to Western North Carolina. Not only does my family live there, but I lived there, taught there, hiked there, birthed my children there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh6HvbYP3B6s4JY8C3C_hicJfP11d6f6hssQ6EV_cAn2yGwfXFdqB_H-Y6uiznfPxnd58dLXfYlsqfsA4elhsKWKiidyzmdzVy9EXqmPDB6pRB3GSWdczUdaezI7hp-BHl7yGixeUN27q/s1600/IMG_2066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1031" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh6HvbYP3B6s4JY8C3C_hicJfP11d6f6hssQ6EV_cAn2yGwfXFdqB_H-Y6uiznfPxnd58dLXfYlsqfsA4elhsKWKiidyzmdzVy9EXqmPDB6pRB3GSWdczUdaezI7hp-BHl7yGixeUN27q/s320/IMG_2066.JPG" width="206" /></a></div>
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This week, I returned to <i>The Pursuit of Endurance</i> because the well-researched approach and embedded narrative resonated with me. I marked passages and selected quotes for motivation and inspiration. Here I'm sharing some of my favorites because I bet they'll resonate with you, too, especially if you need a little Monday Motivation (or any other day of the week motivation). Hopefully, you'll take away not only a quote for motivation, but a desire to read the full book.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJpGwtdS6JGgY8msJmXYI8iKN36Emr_nbjdqfbb4m2jvIG8naWd_XGCaezX538MAYZ-qQIBghKL70H3TlYZug2nuAq-eRUJa_Lp8LjzY_obu6fZ3Vtcu3DS8_3jB_aKsb7ynJuEXIhBK8/s1600/AT+with+signs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJpGwtdS6JGgY8msJmXYI8iKN36Emr_nbjdqfbb4m2jvIG8naWd_XGCaezX538MAYZ-qQIBghKL70H3TlYZug2nuAq-eRUJa_Lp8LjzY_obu6fZ3Vtcu3DS8_3jB_aKsb7ynJuEXIhBK8/s320/AT+with+signs.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Ethan Boss </td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Quotes for when it feels like you're failing and life all around you is crumbling</b></h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"When it feels as if you are constantly losing and everything good is slipping away, it is difficult to muster the strength to keep trying again and again. But endurance is the ability to continue despite past results and with disregard for future outcomes (107)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"When you have failed over and over again, the decision to keep moving forward is not derived from reason but driven by hope (108)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"If you never fail then you haven't set your goals high enough (139)." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Don't be afraid of failure. Endurance is failure after failure, after failure (295)."</blockquote>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Quotes for learning more about yourself</b></h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The thing about a long, grueling journey is that it strips away who you're not and allows you to discover what's left--or who's left (165)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"One damn good reason to pursue endurance--and choose suffering--is to get to know yourself inside and out. When you reach that moment where you gave more than you thought you had and accomplished more than you thought you could, it's clear who you are (165)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The best way to move forward is not to forsake the past, but to forgive it--and yourself (174)."</blockquote>
<h3>
Quotes for when you're judging yourself or others</h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Go outside, take a walk with someone different from you (295)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"My rule of thumb is that you never judge someone else's pace or form because you don't know how far they've come and what they're still planning to do (299)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The essence of endurance will never be defined by rules and categories; it will be distinguished by the stories of the unique individuals who blaze the trail 293)." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The hurt we experience in life might never fully go away; it could ebb and flow for an eternity. You can make progress and appreciate the times when life isn't much of a struggle. And you can pray, and cry, and wrestle through the rest (293)." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"It behooves us to not come to quick conclusions about other people's paths and instead approach each individual with encouragement and compassion. We might be on different trails, but we are all mid-journey (300)." </blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKxC4wKkxmyl7SforBuYSF2DxPqucinSkku8SEo3aJa5F2On5if5-jVKekkrgkUhl0CBsk1sPOc4azlCfJDSAseN5HJx7v3fSXEBq3C84ALPrAMkF73veOavGUQ9EkvbE9enBBGvKH9Hp/s1600/AT+hikers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKxC4wKkxmyl7SforBuYSF2DxPqucinSkku8SEo3aJa5F2On5if5-jVKekkrgkUhl0CBsk1sPOc4azlCfJDSAseN5HJx7v3fSXEBq3C84ALPrAMkF73veOavGUQ9EkvbE9enBBGvKH9Hp/s320/AT+hikers.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Quotes for when you feel like you can't keep going</h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"When life feels hopeless, or unfair or completely out of my control, I remember the new opportunities and experiences and encounters that arise when you are willing to take one more step (201)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"We exist only as long as we persist. And there is confounding hope and limitless possibility in our ability to rise up, change direction, and take one more step (302)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"It is okay to fall short, it is okay to let people down, it is okay to hurt and suffer, it is okay to stop when you can't go any farther. But don't give up on yourself, your goals, or the people around you (296)."</blockquote>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Quotes for remembering that you have a choice</h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Endurance isn't accepting the trail you're on, it's choosing it (245)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Our resilience is proved in trying circumstances and exhibited by accepting a challenge. Choosing to tackle difficult situations will help us better navigate the ones that are forced on us (293)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Feeling stuck is no excuse for staying where you are. Life is hard; struggle is guaranteed, but you can exercise your right to choose where and how to struggle (299)."</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgsqxC329PYv04vpjzIlMfwa08ASNXqlrL54mTakcxvl1PUnqZV_u56uoXtnk9Bs15_fTcMoBCpxT4aLKK5-tWWGNUBatV3WcjDRVw9c7klLor-UABQALP8DglTYOhCb-llugVSvTPpk3/s1600/AT+single+tent.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="899" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgsqxC329PYv04vpjzIlMfwa08ASNXqlrL54mTakcxvl1PUnqZV_u56uoXtnk9Bs15_fTcMoBCpxT4aLKK5-tWWGNUBatV3WcjDRVw9c7klLor-UABQALP8DglTYOhCb-llugVSvTPpk3/s320/AT+single+tent.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Ethan Boss</td></tr>
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<h3>
Quotes for remembering that YOU MATTER</h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"You can't let public opinion determine the worth of your journey (281)." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Endurance, even amid a competition, is still an individual journey. Everyone takes part in a unique struggle and at some point, you will need to unlock your own secrets in order to keep going (198)."</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"You can't let public opinion determine the worth of your journey (281)." </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I remind myself that sometimes you are so consumed by the task at hand that you don't realize that <b>you are on your way to accomplishing something amazing</b> (201)."</blockquote>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmbgMVpCVv0yZhb8nvySleKsasxjgrEckdHvLtl3IXiEgwW1DimpGYNt6Lx0AGn1EtJ8pqt5nsbz65P7Zr2tbXGJRVyoWfvV9LlJfuWPPd7LtYFxNz7kvHgDUA32Ufrq5EyDj_0yKUnP8/s1600/AT+Trees.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLmbgMVpCVv0yZhb8nvySleKsasxjgrEckdHvLtl3IXiEgwW1DimpGYNt6Lx0AGn1EtJ8pqt5nsbz65P7Zr2tbXGJRVyoWfvV9LlJfuWPPd7LtYFxNz7kvHgDUA32Ufrq5EyDj_0yKUnP8/s320/AT+Trees.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The AT emits wisdom. <br />
There is a palpable maturity <br />
that wafts<br />
through the ancient<br />
granite and the exposed, <br />
gnarled roots of the spruce trees (132)."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Read my review of <i><a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/sipslice-book-review-becoming-odyssa/">Becoming Odyssa</a> </i>for Sip & Slice Blog.</div>
Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-59772879043992123222018-03-16T14:30:00.001-07:002018-03-16T17:47:19.269-07:00The Important Lesson I Learned When I Stayed Inside to Teach During the Student Walkout <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 23px;">I </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">am sometimes known for being outspoken on issues that matter to me, and without a doubt I am a huge supporter of students’ voices being heard in education. So, when I learned that I would be one of the teachers at my school to stay inside and teach during the student walkout earlier this week, I’ll have to admit I was initially disappointed. I wanted to be outside to see students exercise their rights to peaceful assembly and their rights to freedom of speech. I wanted to see students lead the program honoring lives lost to senseless gun violence. I wanted to be part of a program I believe in--to stand in solidarity on issues that matter to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">But, of course, I followed the plans provided by our leaders. Thank goodness they knew what to expect from our community, and they planned for scenarios where people would oppose the student walkout—that was hard me to imagine, but it turned out to be true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Since I teach during the time of the planned walkout, I wasn't one of the 2nd block teachers who headed outside into the below freezing weather to monitor students and attend the event</span>. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">R</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #454545;">ather, I showed up to my 2nd block class wondering if I’d have any students or if they’d all be outside. I thought about how I, too, would be able to go outside if all of my students went out. Slowly, a handful of students trickled into the classroom. They were quiet and waiting to learn what we would be doing while most of the others were outside. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I watched their faces and tried not to pry for reasons why they chose to stay inside. Some students were vocal, telling me without my asking that they chose to stay inside for political reasons. A couple more chimed in saying it was too cold outside, and two others kept their eyes down and pulled out their journals. I took my cue from them. At that moment when I wanted so desperately to discuss what was going on outside, I refrained. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Instead, as I do each block, I wrote the journal prompt (related to the texts we’re reading) on the board and told students we’d proceed without interrupting our normal routine. They wrote silently in their journals because that’s what we do at the start of every class. We’re developing habits of disciplined writers, and clearly, the routine writing practice is working because they know to expect it and they keep producing thoughts and insights. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">On Wednesday morning when I looked at the faces of my students, I realized those were the faces that mattered to me at that moment. Those were the tentative-feeling teens waiting to see how their teacher would carry on. Those were the students who were expecting the adult in the room to set the tone. Those were the students who selected to exercise their freedom of choice <b>not </b>to participate in the walkout. Their rights were important too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This morning as I wrote in my journal and reflected on Wednesday's events, I thought about the slogan the students at our school developed for the walkout--<b>Love Generally</b>--a play on our school's mascot The Generals. I also contemplated a quote in my morning reading and meditation time, a quote from Henri Nouwen: “In love there is no room for fear.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My hope is that I love a little harder and fear a little less.</span></div>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-71485038929835629312018-02-08T13:12:00.000-08:002018-02-08T13:12:01.446-08:002 Years of Running and Life Perspective 2.0<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My running journey started two years ago--February 6th, 2016 to be exact. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Lacing up an old pair of athletic shoes, tears streaming down my face, hurt and anger raging</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in my head, I raced out the front door. I ran only one block before stopping to walk on that cold brisk February day. Out of breath and with my whole body aching, I called a friend and kept walking and talking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Within days of learning life-changing traumatic news, I resolved to run my first 5K. Since running</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2017/08/running-and-teaching-lessons-learned.html#.WnxYPHanHIU" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my first 5K April 30th, 2016</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I've run over 1,500 miles (including two half-marathons), lost 50 pounds, and gained a whole new perspective on life.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing the finish line Sept. 2017</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Life perspective 2.0</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Be determined.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seriously. Determination. To run long distances you have to be determined. You learn not to give up. You press on, even when you want to stop. You tell yourself, one foot in front of the other. One mile at a time. Reminds me a bit of Anne Lamott's </span></span><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-favorite-quotes-from-anne-lamotts.html#.Wny22XanHIV" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Bird by Bird</span></a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">one of my favorite books.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Set priorities</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">You make time for what’s important. Life as a runner is important to me because it’s a </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">healthier way to live, and it keeps me grounded mentally, physically, and spiritually. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Back when I was reading a</span><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/p/book-week.html#.Wnxd13anHIU" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> book a week</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">, people used to ask how I had the time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> I made the time because it was important to me. We all have the same 24 hours in a day,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> and it’s up to us how we use them. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Be compassionate.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">We can be hard on ourselves and others with negativity, doubt, and judgment or we </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">can be compassionate and offer kindness towards ourselves and others. Whether </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">we make our race goals and our life goals by an established time or we pause to enjoy </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">the moment, we can connect with ourselves and others when we engage in positive, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">compassionate, and kind talk and care. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Look inward for peace and contentment.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Long hours on the trail or the road offer time for contemplation and a freeing of the mind </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">from daily life worries. Running makes life better. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Be humble.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">When you consistently run toward the mid-back of the pack, humbleness takes on new</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">meaning. It doesn’t matter how fast or when you cross the finish line. What matters is that </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">you’re out there running the same miles as everyone else. So, if you snap a selfie because </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">you’re proud of yourself, it’s ok because you’re humble in your endeavors. Sometimes you </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">can’t even believe what you’re capable of accomplishing! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Take action. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Instead of sitting around and hoping or wishing for a better life, you take action and hold </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">yourself accountable. No one can run the miles for you. No one can force you out of your </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">big red comfy chair and onto the road for a run. You’re the only one responsible for your </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">choices and actions. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Be grateful.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">You learn the importance of smiling and being grateful for small things like the birds chirping, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">the </span><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-sun-is-shining-other-lessons-im.html#.WnyqpHanHIU" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">sun shining</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">, the snow and ice-free running trail, the strong legs and body you have from </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">working hard. You run and enjoy it.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">My ongoing running journey brought me a new life perspective for which I am grateful. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">It also brought healthier eating habits and weight loss. I didn’t start running to lose weight </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">or to win </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">any races. I started running to lose the parts of life that were headed straight downhill at </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">accelerating speeds.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I gained a new life--one that’s worth loving and worth living passionately. Each day I have a choice to make, and nine times out of ten, I choose joy (and running).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAj4sK4qyDVAn9x85KjZz_JVOWyfHqcrtRBypKt7g5X5XuPez-pDaL2tlphPmokcSDl3sD-_u30dnwudmhwoIE-DXy3V976_W3MUF89rFjgH-G1IvzS6P979Q9aMjUiJQlUxmQS6-PTzuU/s1600/98949EB2-3B65-4C5D-AD27-5AC31BFC00AE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAj4sK4qyDVAn9x85KjZz_JVOWyfHqcrtRBypKt7g5X5XuPez-pDaL2tlphPmokcSDl3sD-_u30dnwudmhwoIE-DXy3V976_W3MUF89rFjgH-G1IvzS6P979Q9aMjUiJQlUxmQS6-PTzuU/s320/98949EB2-3B65-4C5D-AD27-5AC31BFC00AE.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Jan 2016 Feb 2018</td></tr>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-54822234234786349372017-09-03T19:24:00.001-07:002017-09-04T04:31:01.151-07:005 Things I'm Doing in My Classroom This Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I was out of the classroom and working in other education settings, I met all kinds of people who have grand ideas for how to improve public education and how to make it more innovative. I read about teachers (and met many of them) doing cutting edge things. Imagine the pressure I could have placed on myself to try and do everything I learned upon returning to teaching.<br />
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Even with all the <a href="https://reneeboss.blogspot.com/search?q=gafe+summit#.WayrnHaGPIU" target="_blank">cool tech ideas</a> and innovative teaching strategies I learned, probably the most important idea I learned while away from teaching was the idea that we learn from our failures. As a former leader in the "I expect perfection from myself at all times" club, <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-favorite-quotes-from-anne-lamotts.html#.WayoVHaGPIU" target="_blank">learning from failure has been a major undertaking</a>. My hope is that by learning from my mistakes, I can teach students how to learn from theirs. I hope I can teach them not only how to learn from failure but that mistakes are okay.<br />
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Here are 5 things I'm doing this year...<br />
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<b>Building relationships</b>. Our principal challenged us this year to see each student, and building relationships is one way to be sure I see my students. My strategy for building relationships is ongoing, but one concrete thing I do is have each student create a name tent on card stock. Inside the name tent they write things about themselves they want me to know, and during my planning block I read the inside of the cards. At first I had students pick up their card each time they came to class, but after I started learning their names, I started passing out the cards so I could pause and chat with students about what they wrote on the inside of their cards. I do this quietly while they write in their journals.<br />
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<b>Developing habits of mind</b>. I've been teaching my students how to be effective readers and writers by teaching them habits of disciplined writers and readers and practicing these habits daily. Every day when they enter class, we set a timer and write in our journals for 15 minutes (classes are 90 minutes long). Sometimes I write with them. Sometimes, I use that time to learn names, take attendance, etc. Though I provide a writing prompt for their consideration, students are free to write whatever they choose as long as they just keep writing. One student is working on a short story and another is writing poems. Others are using the writing time to decompress and de-stress from the busyness of their day. Periodically, they choose a journal entry to revise and submit. They use words from their individualized vocabulary lists in their revisions when appropriate.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebYW6fZR_fAQcSifYZksRClRahstX2_WTnyiXUlGJgHlHANOqlegO7nlo3VWOhMRoWdMXNfzYWArYqqUJUQQGQv5POun4JjX6y3UBSbbQh3gx85ojBQjdJueEV8aqB8ff2T3_jVHHoksy/s1600/IMG_8445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebYW6fZR_fAQcSifYZksRClRahstX2_WTnyiXUlGJgHlHANOqlegO7nlo3VWOhMRoWdMXNfzYWArYqqUJUQQGQv5POun4JjX6y3UBSbbQh3gx85ojBQjdJueEV8aqB8ff2T3_jVHHoksy/s320/IMG_8445.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by my colleague Sophie Schwab. Used with permission.</td></tr>
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<b>Making thinking visible</b>. I've been teaching students how to make their thinking visible by teaching text annotation strategies and other visible thinking routines. We've analyzed artwork and photographs and advertisements. In my arts and humanities class, we've learned how to critique artwork using elements and principles of art. We've studied color theory and painted. In my English classes, we've analyzed images and read a variety of complex texts. We've focused on individualized vocabulary learning.<br />
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<b>Establishing routines for class discussion</b>. I've taught all levels of students how to have active text-focused discussions using the <a href="https://www.paideia.org/paideia-seminar/" target="_blank">Paideia Seminar</a> approach. We've set class goals and individual goals for discussion, and we've learned how to converse on controversial topics. A student last week even went home and told his parents about our Paideia discussion over one of the texts because he was so energized and excited about it (and yes, it was a text in our district mandated curriculum). The student's parents told me how excited he was about the discussion when I saw them at open house Thursday night. The big take-away comment from a student-- "we need to see issues from multiple perspectives and respect the viewpoints of others."<br />
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<b>Practicing gratitude. </b>Every morning before I go to school, <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-sun-is-shining-other-lessons-im.html#.Wayno3aGPIU" target="_blank">I write in my journal</a> and I include my gratitude list. At school we practice daily gratitude, too. At first we used post-it notes and I had students write what they're grateful for on a post-it and place the post-it on the board anonymously, but then I realized I'd never be able to afford the continued purchase of that many post-it notes, so now we're using slips of paper that I collect and shuffle to keep the anonymity as desired by many. Since I am a "floating" teacher and don't have my own room, we all need time to pack up at the end of each block, so after we pack up, I read the gratitude slips aloud for the last two minutes and we end the block with a smile.<br />
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I know that I influence the students I teach with my attitude and perspective on life and learning. I am human. I am self-loving and self-forgiving. I am okay with not doing everything perfectly. I hope they realize the same.</div>
Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-65734340181097327992017-08-19T16:13:00.000-07:002017-08-19T16:13:11.292-07:00Running and Teaching: Lessons Learned<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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With the first week of my <a href="https://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2017/07/why-i-am-returning-to-teaching.html#.WZjAdvqGPIU" target="_blank">return to teaching</a> complete, I slept soundly last night and woke up feeling refreshed and ready to settle into the weekend with my family. Friends and family have been texting, calling, instant messaging, and otherwise wondering how it was for me this week. Well, I'll tell you--it was incredible. Incredible like it is when you return from a run feeling tired, yes, AND on top of the world because you're exerting yourself to the fullest.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjuvjFQAkp-HM8B-NRAQlnzL9YuXITksR7ny5lHBI4-yRQy6dvOz5Rautm6eJjte5PwAAJQhX9ccYuAlxRxNgNfq34ACoVuYTMgtPj8E9O1TGVxhntK5ohH36m4YwhwsMmyF27syICuWec/s1600/IMG_8333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjuvjFQAkp-HM8B-NRAQlnzL9YuXITksR7ny5lHBI4-yRQy6dvOz5Rautm6eJjte5PwAAJQhX9ccYuAlxRxNgNfq34ACoVuYTMgtPj8E9O1TGVxhntK5ohH36m4YwhwsMmyF27syICuWec/s320/IMG_8333.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 19th year in education & my 12th year as a teacher.</td></tr>
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I believe what I've learned from running over the past year and a half applies to teaching too.<br />
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1. I can set and achieve audacious personal and physical goals.<br />
2. Career and working all the time are not the most important things in life.<br />
3. The ugly days (and runs) got me to where I am today.<br />
4. I need to take care of myself before I can tend to others.<br />
5. Being consistent and having a routine makes a difference.<br />
6. Incremental changes matter.<br />
7. I can't (and don't need to) fix, manage, and control anyone or anything.<br />
8. It's okay to ask for help (there's a whole community cheering for you).<br />
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<i><span style="color: blue;">"Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life..." </span></i><span style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: blue;">Haruki Murakami</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_fnqaNyShfF9GdbkM2lZKP0vEHLFKbOWyen5P2TN1xGOMGgAH8RCn9idGKMbTE1m3b4Pl6ToFIYZOCp3qozwH38em1WgJCcG3dbqBK16YCWBGhXua9PdlA5socejflSsRM-iPhtAxok7/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="588" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_fnqaNyShfF9GdbkM2lZKP0vEHLFKbOWyen5P2TN1xGOMGgAH8RCn9idGKMbTE1m3b4Pl6ToFIYZOCp3qozwH38em1WgJCcG3dbqBK16YCWBGhXua9PdlA5socejflSsRM-iPhtAxok7/s200/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="183" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo from April 30, 2016</span><br />Coincidentally, the very first race I ran<br /> was a 5K fundraiser for the marching band <br />at the school where I now teach</td></tr>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-78173731704559363002017-07-26T18:04:00.001-07:002017-07-27T03:02:50.944-07:00Why I am Returning to Teaching<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="m_-8721078754158593273p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">School starts August 16th and for the first time in nearly 8 years, I will return to school with rosters full of students in classes I'll teach. I am scared a little and excited a lot. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-2fb7b810-7adc-cfa4-ff8a-b9f29404f85b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After holding four different education positions, facilitating dozens of PD sessions, taking 96 trips for work, reading hundreds of books, and meeting thousands of people, I am finally ready to return. </span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I always said I would return to teaching when the timing was right, and I never expected that timing to be in the midst of me leading a big statewide initiative. But it is the right time because everything is going well, and I'm not running away from a miserable job in search of greener pastures. I have a great job and work with dedicated professionals at a local education cooperative and we are doing amazing work with teachers as we expand the </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/13QcUhoiarF6KnmfFQeN2AyIbwsn1wlC_SXpwM9ao05c/edit?usp=sharing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Common Assignment System</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> statewide. So, I'm leaving all this behind because the timing is right. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm returning to teaching because I want to work with students. I want to put into practice what I learned while I was away. </span><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2012/04/why-i-left-teaching.html#.WXd-BdPytp8" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When I left the classroom</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I certainly never intended it to be a permanent thing. Rather, it was a chance to learn, grow, and challenge myself in new ways while taking a breather from the day to day stresses of teaching. I've learned some things along the way, and it's my hope that what I've learned helps me be a better teacher the second time around. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>The story of my decision to return...</b></span></div>
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<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In 2015-2016 I started the National Board (NBCT) renewal process by borrowing a classroom and getting to know students in the same school where I'll be teaching this fall. Life events that academic year led me to defer my NBCT renewal while I regained my bearings and figured out what was next for me in life. After soul searching and transforming all areas of my life, I picked up the renewal process with unfettered enthusiasm again in 2016-2017. During this process I was at the same school and working with a dear teacher friend who graciously loaned me her class (again) so I could get to know the students before teaching them for my renewal video lesson. It was there in that classroom that I began to see myself teaching full time though I wasn't sure when, where, or how. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The thing about the NBCT process is that it promotes continual reflection and learning. One of my favorite parts about teaching has always been building relationships with students and mentoring them, and I’ve found that teaching students to set goals aids in this process because students can then take ownership of their learning. In the short time I had with students for my NBCT renewal, they established individual goals for our lesson. Since students were working toward the development of an opinion-editorial (op-ed) for a larger unit, they explored claims and counterclaims in the print and non-print texts we read for our </span><a href="https://www.paideia.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paideia Seminar</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> discussion. When I watched my video of that lesson, I recognized things that went right and analyzed the things I could have done differently. The students I taught were curious, inquisitive, honest, and invested. They became the impetus for my deeper look at returning to teaching.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>More soul searching and prayers for guidance. </b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTCaumUNGlh6KS-xdCu9a7v4cjvTKw8olNEdO742hpBEIUTC2uXPOXK-Co_9bf7NvHPBwqTpuMpxe5cbAgVqh2bX4HJytZoyvkwZ2BkroNjuljNkgurgRCHpFNPAZxI9jKr3sCDY3Ae6K/s1600/If+you+dont+like+something+change+it.+If+you+cant+change+it+change+your+attitude.Maya+Angelou.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTCaumUNGlh6KS-xdCu9a7v4cjvTKw8olNEdO742hpBEIUTC2uXPOXK-Co_9bf7NvHPBwqTpuMpxe5cbAgVqh2bX4HJytZoyvkwZ2BkroNjuljNkgurgRCHpFNPAZxI9jKr3sCDY3Ae6K/s400/If+you+dont+like+something+change+it.+If+you+cant+change+it+change+your+attitude.Maya+Angelou.png" width="265" /></a></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I contemplated my list of things that were challenging in teaching and realized if I waited for those things to change, I'd never return. Instead, I looked inside myself and saw how I had changed. My attitude, perspective, and outlook are all different now. No longer do I believe people are doing things to me; no longer am I carrying a heavy weight of everything that's wrong about public education system. Instead, I am focused on what's right and what I can do to change </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> world and influence the people with whom I interact. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Unexpected opening.</b></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #222222; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One day in late June, I checked our district's website and noticed an opening at the same school where I completed my NBCT renewal, an unexpected opening due to a teacher relocating. Having prayed for a sign about timing, I took this as one possible sign that it was time to pursue the return to teaching now rather than later. I applied online, submitted information for my background check, wrote a letter of introduction, updated my resume, and sent both off to the principal and department chair. Two interviews and several weeks later, I was offered a position teaching ninth and tenth grade students English and Arts/Humanities.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Three weeks from now, I'll return to school at the place where I feel I am meant to be with new students and new colleagues and my new outlook on life. My principal reminded me recently when he first met me four years ago as I led the Common Assignment Study and teachers from his school participated that I told him I am someone who </span><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2013/07/taking-leap.html#.WXTyO9PyuGQ" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">takes leaps of faith</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">...here we go...I'm doing it again...and I look forward to what awaits.</span></div>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-59077793891768952762016-05-17T15:35:00.000-07:002017-07-23T11:39:41.167-07:00The Sun is Shining & Other Lessons I’m Learning from Journaling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h1 class="graf graf--h3 graf--leading graf--title" id="1c49" name="1c49" style="background-color: white; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8); letter-spacing: -0.028em; line-height: 1.04; margin: 0px 0px 0px -2.5px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-indent: -0.4em;">“The diary taught me that it is in the moments of emotional crisis that human beings reveal themselves most accurately…”</em><span style="font-family: , "georgia" , "cambria" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-indent: -0.4em;"> </span><span style="font-family: , "georgia" , "cambria" , "times new roman" , "times" , serif; letter-spacing: -0.003em; text-indent: -0.4em;">Anais Nin, Volume 1</span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Standing in a hotel room in the Sunshine State, I accepted a call from the nurse at my doctor’s office. “Your recent results from your yearly physical indicate you are completely healthy on all accounts except one — you have a severe vitamin D deficiency.” Thoughts of a sailor’s teeth falling out from Rickets and other maritime diseases crept into my mind as she continued…”a vitamin D deficiency can cause moodiness and depression…” I began losing her as I retreated further into my mind. Sure, I had been especially moody lately, but I naturally dismissed it to recent work and family stress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Two days later I was home again and faced with life altering news that sent me into a dark cave for a time, and slowly as I began to emerge from underground, I noticed the sun shining and recognized an opportunity for personal growth by allowing myself to be nourished by light and knowledge. Many of the lessons I’m learning began surfacing as I focused on the beauty of the sun shining and began to explore the inner depths of my mind through journaling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most of my writing in the past four years has been public writing via blogging for my personal blog and contributing to several other professional blogs. However, I found in the midst of a personal crisis, I couldn’t write for the public. Instead, I journaled to make sense of my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then, as often happens, a brilliant post from Maria Popova’s Brain Pickings reached my inbox. <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/04/01/john-steinbeck-east-of-eden-journal-letters/" href="https://www.brainpickings.org/2016/04/01/john-steinbeck-east-of-eden-journal-letters/" rel="nofollow noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44); background-color: transparent; background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 2px 0.1em; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">In this post</a>, Popova talks about how several famous authors, including Virginia Woolf and John Steinbeck used private writing to become better public writers. Woolf supposedly said she used informal writing to “loosen the ligaments” for formal writing, and Steinbeck wrote 276 private letters about the nature of creativity to a friend while he was writing <em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">East of Eden</em> and didn’t mail the letters until his novel was complete.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Inspired by these great authors and one terrific blogging coach from National Blogging Collaborative, I decided to think about what I’m learning from all my private writing. Not to share my personal thoughts from my journal but to share what I’m learning from the process.</span></div>
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<span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;">I’m learning…</span></div>
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<span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;">to be reflective</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In Plato’s <em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">Republic</em>, we see images of humans chained to benches facing a wall. It’s as a man, or shall we say woman instead, leaves the cave and sees the light of reality. This analogy works perfectly with how I’ve been learning to leave my dark cave and to see reality. I’ve always thought of myself as a reflective person. All those psychology classes in college kinda forced me to be reflective, but when you’re faced with challenging life circumstances, you dig deeper into who you are and what you need from life. All that introspection makes for even stronger self-reflection. I’m learning I have the capacity and willingness to know more about who I am, my life’s purpose & the essence of my life.</span></div>
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<span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;">to pay attention to details</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In her poem, <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/133.html" href="https://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/133.html" rel="nofollow noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44); background-color: transparent; background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 2px 0.1em; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><em class="markup--em markup--p-em" style="font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'salt' 1;">The Summer Day</em></a>, Mary Oliver reminds us to think about what we will do with our “one wild and precious life.” For me, this means paying attention to the details, and I’ll tell you (as would many of colleagues and family members) I’ve never been someone to pay attention to details in life. Journaling, however, is teaching me the importance of paying attention to details. As I embrace this one big life I’m living, I’m learning to pay attention and to live in the present instead of dwelling on the past or fretting about the future. For example, I might record that I enjoyed Tazo Earl Grey hot tea and Eggs Benedict for breakfast while on a business trip to Colorado. This matters only because it’s forcing me to stay in the present, and who knows — when I write a memoir one day, the specific details might matter more.</span></div>
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<span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;">to be grateful</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In <a class="markup--anchor markup--p-anchor" data-href="http://www.proctorgallagherinstitute.com/5106/heaping-spoonful-of-gratitude" href="http://www.proctorgallagherinstitute.com/5106/heaping-spoonful-of-gratitude" rel="nofollow noopener" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.44); background-color: transparent; background-image: linear-gradient(rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6) 50%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%); background-position: 0px 1.07em; background-repeat: repeat-x; background-size: 2px 0.1em; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Heaping Spoonful of Gratitude</a>, Kindra Hall writes about her experience with keeping a gratitude journal, and she shares how when it’s turned into another to-do item to check off the daily list, gratitude journals can lose their impact. I’ve found keeping a gratitude journal along with my daily journal is a specific task helping me focus my attitude on the positives in life from the sun shining and the birds singing, to moments when I get to hear my older son play guitar or see my younger son score a goal on the soccer field. I’m grateful for life, even the challenges, and for what I’m learning.</span></div>
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<span class="markup--strong markup--p-strong" style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: 700;">to acknowledge my creative potential</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My journals are filled with ideas, snapshots of life, expressions of emotions, quotes, songs, and dialogue. I’m living life more deeply and fully these days, and the curiosity that comes with living deeply and fully enhances my creative energies. I’m trying out writing from different points of view. I’m reliving childhood memories. I’m using words to sketch portraits of people in my life. I’m solving problems by writing about them.</span></div>
</div>
Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-78253761000801439752016-04-29T08:25:00.000-07:002016-04-29T08:26:34.610-07:00Use Writing to Learn Tools for Greater Student Thinking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As the Spring semester comes to a close, I am impressed by the impact a focus on writing to learn (WTL) tools has had on the pre-service teachers in the Writing in the Content Areas course I teach at our local university. We know from research (summary available in the <i><a href="https://www.carnegie.org/media/filer_public/3c/f5/3cf58727-34f4-4140-a014-723a00ac56f7/ccny_report_2007_writing.pdf" target="_blank">Writing Next</a> </i>report) the impact writing to learn tools can have on student thinking and learning. The idea for our course was for university students to use WTL tools as learners so they would know how to use the tools when they work with K-12 students in the future. To help the university students understand effective use of WTL tools for greater student thinking, they read articles and used different tools each week to demonstrate their own thinking and learning with thoughtfulness and reflection.<br />
<br />
Samuel Totten writes on the <a href="http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/2231" target="_blank">National Writing Project blog</a> about the importance of pre-service teachers utilizing writing to learn tools in their education programs if we are ever going to change the approach to disciplinary writing in K-12 classrooms. From an informal survey he conducted over a decade ago, Totten writes that not many universities adequately prepare pre-service teachers to teach writing. Fortunately, the university where I teach part-time <i>does</i> emphasize the importance of teaching pre-service teachers writing in the content areas, and the entire state of Kentucky emphasizes writing (not just writing to learn) in all disciplines as evidenced by the required literacy courses for <i>all</i> future teachers.<br />
<br />
I appreciate Totten's references to <i style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Neglected "R": The Need for a Writing Revolution</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.32px; line-height: 18.48px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">, </span>and I am optimistic about the changes that have occurred in pre-service programs across the nation since 2003 when this report was published. However, we know there's still room for improvement when we talk with K-12 students about their school writing experiences, and I contend that if pre-service teachers like those I taught this semester continue utilizing the tools they learn in their education programs, they will be prepared to help change what happens in our public schools.<br />
<br />
We know that writing to learn tools impact student learning and that when teachers utilize writing to promote thinking, it's more effective than cramming information and facts into their heads via rote memorization or low level worksheets. For additional information on why this is important, the <a href="http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop2b.cfm" target="_blank">Writing Across the Curriculum Clearinghouse </a>from Colorado State University offers resources and suggestions for teaching not only writing to learn but other disciplinary writing as well.<br />
___________<br />
<br />
Since I'm a firm believer in student choice and ownership in learning, my students and I co-developed a holistic rubric on the first day of class to help them think about the task of using the WTL tool intentionally. By the end of the semester students shared with one another more than 25 WTL tools and discussed how different tools fit better with specific writing lessons and goals. They also began building their "teacher toolbox."<br />
<br />
I'm sharing below the task and rubric we used this semester, and I hope you, too, will share links to your favorite tasks and rubrics for helping pre-service teachers understand how and/or why to use writing to learn tools.<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">TASK: For each week we have class, select and read an article or a blog relevant
to your content area. Utilize a writing to learn tool to demonstrate your understanding
of the article or blog. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Developing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<td style="border-left: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Beginning</b></span></div>
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<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Find a relevant and unique article<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Explain what the tool is and how it
connects to your article <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Utilize the tool very effectively to promote student thinking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Utilize a new tool for each WTL
assignment <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Submit the link to the article <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Submit the WTL assignment on time <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9.0pt;"> --</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Be thoughtful and reflective in what you are submitting</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Finding a relevant article<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Identify the tool you are using<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9.0pt;">-- </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Utilize the tool
effectively to promote student thinking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Utilize a new tool for each WTL
assignment <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9.0pt;">-- </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Submit the link to the
article<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Submit WTL assignment on time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 9.0pt;"> --</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Be reflective in what you are submitting</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Finding an article relevant to a
specific content area <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Utilize the tool without effectively
identifying the tool to promote student thinking<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Repeats a tool for the WTL assignment
from a previous assignment <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Submit the link to the article<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Submit WTL assignment on time<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Lacks
reflection </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<td style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 92.15pt;" valign="top" width="92"><div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Article is irrelevant to a specific
content area <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Tool and the article don’t fit
together <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Submit
the link to the article </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">--Tool does not adequately promote student thinking</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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</tr>
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<div>
<br />
<div>
<br />
What about you--what are your favorite writing to learn tools and how do you use them? Were you taught how to teach writing in your pre-service programs? Do the student teachers with whom you work know how to use WTL tools and other writing strategies? What suggestions do you have for improving student thinking in our public schools?<br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-90661875983192127592016-01-31T11:42:00.000-08:002016-10-25T07:19:43.155-07:00Social Studies is My Jam<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You know those moments when you or your Facebook friends record the phrases your children utter? People used to record such phrases in baby books (maybe they still do), but I definitely see parents posting exchanges they've had with their children on Facebook where they become more public; we like the posts and chuckle along with our parent friends. Now that my children are in middle and high school, I'm less compelled to share most of our exchanges publicly because I want my sons to own their online presence and create their own digital footprints. That being said, I couldn't resist a particular phrase I overheard my twelve year old proclaim this weekend (I asked his permission to blog about this, by the way).<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Friday night while playing Minecraft and simultaneously talking via FaceTime with his friend Isaac emphatically said <span style="color: blue; font-size: large; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="color: blue; text-align: center;">"</span><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2013/11/for-love-of-social-studies.html#.Vq5fpzYrKgQ" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank">man, social studies is my jam</a><span style="color: blue;">."</span></div>
<br />
Later during the weekend while passing the time between an archery tournament and an indoor soccer game, I asked Isaac to share his ideas about why social studies is so important for us to learn, and he shared the four following reasons we should learn social studies.<br />
<br />
<b>We learn from the past</b>--When we <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2014/10/social-studies-includes-history-and.html#.Vq5fBjYrKgQ" target="_blank">study history</a> we learn how and why people lived and we gain a deeper understanding of the world.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>We learn about other cultures-</b>-When we learn about other cultures we begin to understand other people and reduce our judgement of others.<br />
<br />
<b>We learn how and why <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2012/11/teaching-my-children-about-importance_5438.html#.Vq5gvjYrKgQ" target="_blank">we participate</a> in our own society and government</b><br />
<br />
<b>"I just like it"--</b><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2013/04/students-need-opportunities-to-learn.html#.Vq5f7DYrKgQ" target="_blank">What better reason</a>? I'm a huge proponent in students having choice in their learning and tailoring their experiences to their interests because that's motivation enough to keep learning and exploring the world.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7w9BfGt1TIy0A8Q6A5EzmbvLWgC2dpyIJXQtGsmbRNy4GFtIHNDdF2F8b88dw0tHYHEYtx8Muv1QiCJzQgyfZHmGEQiN26QYrcE8pFMouiO6i3oy8lliax29UaCjB7n0re6yMJQPVQgCE/s1600/History+sites+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7w9BfGt1TIy0A8Q6A5EzmbvLWgC2dpyIJXQtGsmbRNy4GFtIHNDdF2F8b88dw0tHYHEYtx8Muv1QiCJzQgyfZHmGEQiN26QYrcE8pFMouiO6i3oy8lliax29UaCjB7n0re6yMJQPVQgCE/s320/History+sites+collage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photos from various family trips/historical sites</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b>
<b>A few of my favorite online social studies resources</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://sheg.stanford.edu/home_page" target="_blank">Stanford History Group</a><br />
At this website, you'll find curriculum, assessment, and project advice and examples for your classroom. One of my favorite aspects of this work is the emphasis on moving beyond multiple-choice standardized tests because studying history is much more than memorization of facts, details, and dates. The resources emphasize <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2012/10/introducing-principals-to-literacy.html#.Vq5gKDYrKgQ" target="_blank">literacy</a> in history with students reading, analyzing, and writing about primary and secondary sources. In my work over the past three years, I've had the privilege to work with Daisy Martin, one of the founders of the Stanford History Group. The passion, knowledge, and expertise she presents have made our work exciting, thoughtful, and productive.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/changing-america-emancipation-proclamation-1863-and-march-washington-1963/teacher-resources" target="_blank">The National Museum of American History</a><br />
By far one of my favorite Smithsonian museums is the Museum of American History. I've visited at least a half-dozen times and each time I see more ideas and think about ways the resources the museum provides can be beneficial to teachers. This was also Isaac's favorite museum when we visited Washington DC as a family a few years ago.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tolerance.org/" target="_blank">Teaching Tolerance</a><br />
For several years I've followed the work coming out of the Southern Poverty Law Center, including their online resources for teachers. The resources here don't have to be limited to social studies teachers because all teachers need to think about how we teach tolerance and promote diversity, equity, and justice.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.loc.gov/teachers/" target="_blank">The Library of Congress</a><br />
I've been using the resources at Loc.gov since my first year of teaching when my teaching mentor, <a href="http://bevpayne.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html" target="_blank">Beverly Reavis Payne</a>, attended a workshop and brought back ideas to share with our whole English department. Over the years, their resources for teachers have continued to evolve, and teachers like Beverly contributed to that evaluation. My favorites have always been the images because there are many thoughtful uses for historical images in any subject/grade area classroom.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ushmm.org/educators" target="_blank">United States Holocaust Memorial Museum</a><br />
Not a year of my 12 years in the classroom passed without me teaching students about the Holocaust. The resources at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum just keep getting better. Often I was amazed when teenagers told me they had never heard of the Holocaust before entering my high school classroom.<br />
<br /></div>
Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-23941145888939968412016-01-28T16:05:00.000-08:002016-01-28T16:05:02.240-08:00Trying to Change Education? Focus on Learning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In the past week I found myself feeling out of sorts professionally and wasn't exactly sure what was going on until yesterday when I had a conversation with <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=drew%20perkins&src=typd" target="_blank">Drew Perkins</a> and we talked about teaching and learning. You see, conversations about teaching and learning make me happy and all the other business discussed in education I find extraneous (but often necessary) to my bigger mission and sense of purpose in life. Subliminally, I must have known what was causing my despondency because when I submitted my professional growth plan for the year, it focused entirely on...you guessed it...innovative teaching and learning.<br />
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/06/re-imagining-public-education-thoughts.html#.VqqNUJMrIvE" target="_blank">Sir Ken Robinson</a> often talks about how children are born voracious learners but begin to lose the appetite for learning when we send them to school. Traditional school models can suck the love of learning out of students just as they can rob teachers of the autonomy they need to do what they do best--engage students in learning. I know I felt this way <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2012/04/why-i-left-teaching.html#.VqprKZMrIvE" target="_blank">when I left the high school classroom </a>six years ago. Since then I have immersed myself in work directly connected to supporting teachers because I believe great teachers have the power to create experiences that engage students and make them want to learn.<br />
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Fortunately, I'm surrounded by others who also care passionately about improving public education. My hope is that when we discuss what needs to be done to transform education, we never lose site of the focus on learning. Sir Ken Robinson articulates what I feel in this video around the 14:24 mark.<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">"...we can spend all day talking about education and never mention teaching or learning but if there's no teaching and learning happening, there is no education, so if we're going to improve it we have to improve that bit and everything else has to take place around it and not get in the middle of it or in the way of it.<b>"</b></span></blockquote>
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As he occasionally does, <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/08/you-know-those-tears-mom-cant-help-but.html#.VqproJMrIvE" target="_blank">my oldest son</a> railed against me yesterday afternoon for my decision to be an educator. He feels my husband and I should have chosen more lucrative careers. When I grew quiet amid his chatter, he concluded "well, it's not a total loss because at least you and dad like what you do."<br />
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How can I not like what I do? I have the opportunity to work with great teachers, great teachers who...<br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">"...<span style="text-align: center;">excite people, engage students, pique imagination, fuel creativity and drive passion"</span></span></blockquote>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-38438078192214730772016-01-24T11:21:00.000-08:002016-01-24T11:21:52.155-08:00Sunday Salon: What I Read Online January 5-January 24 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6mB_I6PTGXOiFVmVtq9Z_vsz7HAqPJIhKT3_gYHhG9ffUfQv0hJJjR377dMIZUVGulwP8r7CYGX9cRP3StFMxNfaTxBAzx866X-qWqnZ9qNaTqw0nIgn73VNfcJ-rcY5JIQ-3CPWV98T/s1600/snow+on+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv6mB_I6PTGXOiFVmVtq9Z_vsz7HAqPJIhKT3_gYHhG9ffUfQv0hJJjR377dMIZUVGulwP8r7CYGX9cRP3StFMxNfaTxBAzx866X-qWqnZ9qNaTqw0nIgn73VNfcJ-rcY5JIQ-3CPWV98T/s320/snow+on+trees.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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With the recent snowstorm that hit Kentucky and much of the East Coast, there's been plenty of time to curl up with our favorite books and devices for online reading. I definitely read more books during the snowstorm than online articles, but here are a few of my favorite online reads over the past few weeks.<br />
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This <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/01/05/mom-what-do-i-expect-from-my-childrens-elementary-school-certainly-not-this/" target="_blank">Washington Post article from a mom</a> who just wants her children to love learning and enjoy school appealed to me because I want the same for my own sons and for all other children as well. If you've read my blog previously, you might remember previous posts I've written about the insane idea that kids should have to sit still for hours on end, spend hours at a time being quiet or day after day practicing for standardized tests. These are certainly not ways to help children love learning or enjoy their school experiences, nor are they ways to ensure students have what they need to be successful in life. We need schools that emphasize a love of learning, encourage problem-solving and curiosity, and that teach students the importance of healthy living.<br />
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While we're at it, let's also remember to listen to students from everything as big as education policy decisions to as important as classroom learning experiences. Nationwide, but especially in Kentucky, students are joining Student Voice Teams to share their thoughts on our education system. Super impressive is <a href="http://www.americanradioworks.org/where-are-the-student-voices-in-ed-reform/?platform=hootsuite" target="_blank">this Kentucky group </a>who is also encouraging students to write op-eds about education issues in Kentucky. This <a href="http://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2016/01/22/comment-time-fix-broken-powerball-promise/79133824/" target="_blank">article by a high school senior</a> emphasizes the importance of adequately funding education in Kentucky to ensure ALL students have access to funding for college.<br />
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Whether students head off to college or immediately enter the workforce, we have work to do if we are going to make sure students are ready for the future. Ted Dintersmith's documentary <i>Most Likely to Succeed</i> continues to impress community members and educators all around the country. In Kentucky, <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/10/most-likely-to-succeed-film-and-book.html#.VqUa05MrJy8" target="_blank">we had the privilege of being Dintersmith's first state</a> in his 50-state tour. Since his visit here in August, I've been following his tour via blog posts and other articles. This Atlanta Journal-Constitution article asks if we <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/are-we-educating-teens-for-disappearing-jobs/np46p/" target="_blank">are educating teens for disappearing jobs</a>. If you dig deeper into the AJC blog, you'll find the answer might be--no because <a href="http://getschooled.blog.myajc.com/2016/01/13/if-kids-dont-come-out-of-high-school-today-being-innovative-they-will-come-out-being-unemployed/" target="_blank">if kids don't come out of high school today being innovative, they will come out being unemployed</a>.<br />
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Speaking of being innovative, I enjoyed <a href="http://www.inc.com/magazine/201512/kris-frieswick/what-prompted-randi-zuckerbergs-escape-from-silicon-valley.html" target="_blank">this Inc. article</a> by the founder of an innovative Lexington based company--Big Ass Fans. Carey Smith writes about stock options and stock appreciation rights. It's an article worth your time.<br />
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Not only do we need to think about being innovative, we might also think about how we become mentally strong. After reading Amy Morin's book <i>13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do </i>last year,<i> </i>I started following her writing via blogs and articles shared on Twitter. Earlier this month, I read a <i>Psychology Today</i> article where Morin says "mentally strong people don't give away their power--<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/201601/mentally-strong-people-dont-give-away-their-power" target="_blank">they do these 9 things instead.</a>"<br />
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Ultimately, we want to, among other things, know our values and be willing to stand out from the crowd. Though it doesn't seem as popular here in Kentucky as it is in Colorado or the mountains of North Carolina where I used to live, I still value hiking and nature. This article about <a href="https://rootsrated.com/stories/21-awesome-places-to-see-in-colorado?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wall_january" target="_blank">21 awesome places to see in Colorado</a> captured my attention this week because I still long to hike and explore and I love Colorado. So, if anyone reading this blog is from Kentucky and knows of some terrific places to hike, please share with me! Thanks.<br />
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-84626259704066706752016-01-09T20:23:00.000-08:002016-01-09T20:23:07.367-08:00Thoughts on Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When two young Society women in 1916 find themselves bored with daily life in New York, they head west to Colorado to become school teachers. While they both have degrees from Smith College, neither woman has any teacher training, but they commit to learning and giving back to society. In preparation for their arrival, Ferry Carpenter, the lawyer and rancher who hires the women, suggests they read John Dewey's <i>Schools of To-morrow</i>. Citing Dewey, Carpenter emphasizes in letters to the women the importance of "learning by doing, rather than by rote teaching and the rod."<br />
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Dorothy Wikenden's book <i>Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzaQNYajnDjKRHUB45W1TUtLQ6b21D1AuaxjGExAT5_LCN7xWuKo44UaEOMmkMw2iOc06842JKPPutTJ3YuXr8Tg-01lkB5XsMpohSNyHlnI90SKRdapPwezh0m_HjaDcqkB1WOKdvNZL/s1600/Nothing+Daunted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzaQNYajnDjKRHUB45W1TUtLQ6b21D1AuaxjGExAT5_LCN7xWuKo44UaEOMmkMw2iOc06842JKPPutTJ3YuXr8Tg-01lkB5XsMpohSNyHlnI90SKRdapPwezh0m_HjaDcqkB1WOKdvNZL/s320/Nothing+Daunted.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My husband gave me this book for my<br />birthday when we were vacationing in <br />Colorado this past summer</td></tr>
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West</i> immediately hooks curious readers with the telling of the story of her grandmother and her grandmother's best friend, two Society women desiring adventure and exploration. Dorothy Woodruff and Rosamond Underwood (Ros) write letters to their families back in New York during the year they spend in Routt County Colorado. Wickenden finds the letters and creates a nonlinear narrative where we learn about education and life in Elkhead from 1916-1917.<br />
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You will like this book if you are interested in rural education or the ideas of John Dewey. Personally, the book fits perfectly with many of my interests about education, history, women's rights, and Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Wickendon, captures all of this in her informational and historical telling of the year Elkhead opens its school. Upon seeing the Elkhead school high on a mountain Rosamond exclaims "it is the Parthenon of Elkhead!"<br />
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Indeed the school serves as a prominent landmark where students learn and the community gathers. Dorothy and Rosamond ride horseback several miles to reach the school each morning, and the students, wearing thin and tattered clothing, walk or ski to school each day even in winter blizzards (imagine walking 3 miles in thigh high snow drifts and you get the picture). Wickenden writes<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"the teachers found their work strenuous but rewarding: preparing for classes, attending to the children's diverse academic needs, and seeing that everyone was paying attention and behaving (117)." </span></blockquote>
For Dorothy, her favorite time of the day is storytelling. In her original letters she shares how the students would "make a mad scramble to pick up all the loose papers, put their desks in order--and then fold their hands and sit at attention!" when it's time for her to tell them stories.<br />
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A short time after the women arrive in Elkhead, they must travel to Steamboat Springs for the state teacher examinations. "...the nervous strain of the exams was awful for everyone makes so much of them here and you realize you are a public official...They weren't as bad as they might have been, by any means, but so silly, and taking ten [actually, twelve] exams in two days is not a pleasure trip!"<br />
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Wickenden shares more details about the content of the exams (fascinating for readers who are interested in education). She also tells about how Dorothy and Ros meet the school superintendent, Emma Peck, and provides more historical details about Peck--her professional contributions and the geographical landscape in Northwestern Colorado.<br />
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The teachers take exams to demonstrate requisite knowledge for teaching in Colorado schools. We read about the teachers creating lessons involving languages, performances, practical living skills, arts, math and current events. Even without teaching experience, the teachers' passion and zeal appeal to the community.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"They weren't yet fully aware of the awe with which college-educated teachers in such far-flung areas were regarded. They spoke perfect English and other languages, too. They valued education for its own sake, not simply as a way to escape the hardships of life at home. Most astonishingly, these two young women from New York seemed genuinely excited by the opportunity of teaching the children (213)."</span></blockquote>
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If you decide to read the book, it's a great glimpse into the lives of school teachers in the early 20th century and it's also so much more. You'll learn about homesteading, mining, westward expansion, and life in Northwestern Colorado. If you teach writing, you'll appreciate the nonfiction narrative as another example of how <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2012/07/narrative-and-informational-texts.html#.VpGidpMrI-c" target="_blank">informational text and narrative work well together</a>. Read Wickenden's <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2009/04/20/roughing-it-4" target="_blank">original article</a> in <i>The New Yorker</i> or purchase the book published by Scribner.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"If we teach today's children as we taught yesterday's, we rob them of tomorrow."</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">~John Dewey </span></div>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-39253039910348060532016-01-03T11:15:00.000-08:002016-01-03T11:15:41.189-08:00A few thoughts about what I read online December 27, 2015- January 4, 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Well over a year ago I <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2014/08/sunday-salon-what-i-read-online-july-27.html#.VolG5JMrJN1" target="_blank">started a series</a> where I shared on my blog what I read online each week or two weeks. Keeping up with the links was time consuming but fun, and I was always pleasantly surprised by the responses my readers provided via Twitter, Facebook, email, and even in person. This year, I'm reviving the series and adding a twist. Instead of sharing a larger number of links, I'm going to try sharing thoughts on various articles because sometimes sharing links with only 140 characters just isn't enough room to reflect, and I don't always want to write a full blog post for each article I share either. We'll see how this new format goes, and in the spirit of ongoing learning, I'll revamp or forgo the idea all together if it's not working. So, please let me know what you think!<br />
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<b>Star Wars and Women<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please don't judge my skills. This cake was made with love.<br />I am no cake decorator, but I did challenge myself<br />to surprise my son five years ago when he longed<br />for a cake made by me with a Star Wars theme. </td></tr>
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I read two articles about <i>Star Wars: The Force Awakens </i>over winter break, and started a blog post specifically about the movie but then realized I didn't really want an entire post about the movie because to be completely honest, I originally went to see the movie with my family because A) my sons love the Star Wars series and were holding on with eagerness to the movie's release the weekend winter break began and B) I coveted time on Christmas Eve with my husband and sons and our family friends, especially since all our other family live over 300 miles away. We made the movie and lunch afterward a special event.<br />
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One article, <i><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/30/star-wars-is-a-game-changer-awakening-the-feminist-force-in-little-girls-everywhere?CMP=share_btn_tw" target="_blank">Star Wars is a Game Changer</a>, </i>resonated with me because while watching the movie, I was pleasantly surprised about the intentional and positive portrayal of women as competent individuals not needing men to protect them. THIS is a message I want my sons to know and understand. Early in the movie when Rey yells "stop grabbing my hand" to Finn, I knew the movie would be different from the previous <i>Star Wars</i> movies which I had seen only as an adult (Neither my husband nor I were allowed to watch the movies as kids). This scene reminds me of the movie Elizabeth when she yells "I am no man's <i>Elizabeth.</i>" One of my favorite movies and definitely a favorite line from a movie.<br />
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<b>Kentucky & Colorado</b><br />
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While <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2013/01/i-was-never-really-excited-about-moving.html#.VolbVpMrKgQ" target="_blank">moving to Kentucky never topped my list</a> of most desirable things to do, I've certainly made the most of my life here. Article titles like this one, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/a-wary-start-to-syrian-refugees-new-life-in-kentucky/2015/12/26/cb2cb4f0-a990-11e5-9b92-dea7cd4b1a4d_story.html?tid=ss_tw" target="_blank">A wary start to Syrian refugees' new life in Kentucky</a>, from the <i>Washington Post</i> make me wonder if I want to stay here but when you actually read the article, you learn about how some people in Kentucky really are trying to help fellow humans.<br />
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Education issues and topics in Kentucky will continue to be controversial in the coming months as debates about whether we should finally join most of the nation in <a href="http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/ky-legislature/2015/12/31/charter-schools-may-have-wait-bevin-says/76779238/" target="_blank">adopting charter schools</a> ensue. Personally, I'm not theoretically opposed to charter schools. What I want is for ALL students to have equitable access to a high quality and enjoyable education, and we have a lot of work to do in Kentucky to ensure this happens either through charter schools or traditional public schools. My biggest question--<i>what evidence do we have that what we are currently doing in traditional schools is working</i>? If we don't have such evidence, why not try something new? Something new might be charter schools. We shall see.<br />
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After <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2014/08/kentucky-and-colorado-teachers.html#.VolevpMrKgQ" target="_blank">working long-distance with educators in Colorado</a>, traveling there frequently for work and <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/06/hiking-upper-fish-creek-falls-in.html#.Vole6pMrKgQ" target="_blank">vacationing there</a> with my family for ten days last summer, my love for The Centennial State continues to grow.<br />
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This week I read multiple articles about innovative work happening in Colorado. This one about inquiry learning <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/practice/inquiry-based-learning-teacher-guided-student-driven" target="_blank">moving from teacher-guided to student-driven</a> was one of my favorites. I especially appreciated that the examples were in elementary schools. Who says elementary students can't lead their learning? The article offers practical advice and question- stems to start with teacher guided and move toward student-driven with younger students, and I'd venture to say from my experience with high schoolers that this works with teens too.<br />
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Another article about Colorado I appreciated was this one about a group of educators in Boulder who are <a href="http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-schools/ci_29203975/boulder-group-rethinking-high-school-looking-feedback" target="_blank">rehinking high school as part of the XQ America challenge</a>. Here in Kentucky, I'm working with a small group doing something similar.<br />
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Finally, I'll share a couple of links to articles about a book I just finished reading (my first book of 2016). Since <i>Nothing Daunted: The Unexpected Education of Two Society Girls in the West</i> by Dorothy Wickenden was published in 2011, the articles I read are also a few years old, but the book was terrific (I'll write more about the book itself later this week). Typically when I really enjoy a book, I start looking for articles or other online writing about it to learn more. Wickenden, executive editor of <i>The New Yorker, </i>wrote this article prior to writing the book, so <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-exchange-dorothy-wickenden-on-nothing-daunted" target="_blank">this article</a> is great if you want a synopsis of the story. Since we vacationed in Steamboat Springs and <i>Nothing Daunted</i> was the second book I read that was set in Colorado, I decided to check the <a href="http://www.steamboatbooks.com/event/book-signing-performances-perry-mansfield-dorothy-wickenden" target="_blank">Off the Beaten Path Bookstore </a>blog and found an article about a book signing and performance. Though the information was dated, I enjoyed reading about two more Steamboat area museums...maybe I'll visit them next time I make it out there.<br />
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-28680951891942940792015-12-31T12:29:00.000-08:002016-01-03T08:04:19.322-08:00Book a Week 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"> Cheers to another great year of reading!</span></h2>
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<b>January</b></div>
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<b>Nonfiction</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-favorite-quotes-from-anne-lamotts.html#.VMP3tYcwKCI" target="_blank"><i>Bird by Bird</i> </a>by Anne Lamott<br />
<i>Reinventing Writing: The 9 Tools That Are Changing Writing</i> by Vicki Davis<br />
<i>The Right to Literacy in Secondary Schools</i>, edited by Suzanne Plaut<br />
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<b>Fiction & Nonfiction (Essays and Stories)</b><br />
<i><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/03/thoughts-on-opposite-of-loneliness.html#.VQimFbPF86k" target="_blank">The Opposite of Loneliness</a></i> by Marina Keegan<br />
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<b>February</b><br />
<b>Nonfiction</b><br />
<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/02/why-students-should-create-compose.html#.VN_aXmTF86k" target="_blank"><i>Create, Compose, Connect: Reading, Writing, and Learning with Digital Tools</i> by Jeremy Hyler and Troy Hicks</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/sip-slice-book-review-marathon-woman/" target="_blank"><i>Marathon Woman</i> by Kathrine Switzer</a><br />
<i>Running for Women Over 40</i> by Kathrine Switzer<br />
<i>Uncharitable: How Restraints on Nonprofits Undermine Their Potential</i> by Dan Pallotta<br />
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<b>March</b><br />
<b>Nonfiction</b><br />
<i>Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath</i> by Mimi Alford<br />
<i><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/04/turning-my-cv-into-resume.html#.VR9HTTvF86k" target="_blank">What Color is Your Parachute? Guide to Rethinking Resume</a>s</i> by Richard N. Bolles<br />
<i>Say This, Not That: A Foolproof Guide to Effective Interpersonal Communication</i> by Carl Alasko<br />
<b>Fiction</b><br />
<i>The Children Act</i> by Ian McEwan<br />
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<b>April</b><br />
<b>Nonfiction</b><br />
<i><a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/sipslice-book-review-becoming-odyssa/" target="_blank">Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail</a> </i>by Jennifer Pharr Davis<br />
<i>Tracks </i>by Robyn Davidson<br />
<i>Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy</i> by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge<br />
<b>Poetry</b><br />
<i>American Sublime</i> by Elizabeth Alexander<br />
<b>Fiction</b><br />
<i><a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/book-review-the-book-of-unknown-americans-by-cristina-henriquez/" target="_blank">The Book Unknown American</a>s</i> by Cristina Henriquez<br />
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<b>May</b><br />
<b>Nonfiction</b><br />
<a href="http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-favorite-books-of-all-time.html#.VX4JONpViko" target="_blank">The Top Ten: Writers Pick Their Favorite Books</a><br />
<a href="http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/06/re-imagining-public-education-thoughts.html#.VZrnNNpViko" target="_blank"><i>Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That's Transforming Education</i> by Sir Ken Robinson</a><br />
<i>13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do</i> by Amy Morin<br />
<i>The English Teacher's Companion</i> by Jim Burke<br />
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<b>June</b><br />
<b>Nonfiction</b><br />
<i><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-connected-educators-do-differently.html#.VcDVMzDBzGc" target="_blank">What Connected Educators Do Differently</a> </i>by Jimmy Casas, Todd Whitaker, Jeffery Zoul<br />
<i>The Five Love Languages of Teenagers </i>by Gary Chapman<br />
<i><a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/book-review-the-big-tiny-a-do-it-myself-memoir/" target="_blank">The Big Tiny: A Do-It Myself Memoir</a> </i>by Dee Williams<br />
<i>Almost Somewhere: 28 Days on the John Muir</i> Trail by Suzanne Roberts<br />
<i>Mountains, Madness, and Miracles: 4,000 Miles Along the Appalachian Trail</i> by Lauralee Bliss<br />
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<b>July</b><br />
<b>Fiction</b><br />
<i><a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/americanah-a-novel-by-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/" target="_blank">Americanah </a></i>by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie<br />
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<b>Nonfiction</b><br />
<i><a href="http://www.steamboatbooks.com/event/brad-melissa-mcqueen-author-exposed-tragedy-triumph-mountain-climbing" target="_blank">Exposed: Tragedy and Triumph in Mountain Climbing</a></i> by Brad and Melissa McQueen<br />
<i>10 Habits of Bloggers That Win</i> by Vicki Davis<br />
<i>Teaching Reading in Middle School</i> by Laura Robb<br />
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<b>August </b><br />
<b>Nonfiction</b><br />
<i>Transforming Schools Using Project Based Learning, Performance Based Assessment, & Common Core State Standards</i> by Bob Lenz, Justin Wells, and Sally Kingston<br />
<i>Solo </i>by Hope Solo<br />
<i>Last Hours on Everest </i>by Graham Hoyland<br />
Self-Help style book about personal topic (Sometimes we all need these, right?)<br />
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<b>September</b><br />
<b>Nonfiction</b><br />
<i>Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget</i> by Sarah Hepola<br />
<i><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/09/smart-parents-parenting-for-powerful.html#.VoFSThorKGQ" target="_blank">Smart Parents: Parenting for Powerful Learning</a></i> b<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">y <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 14.784px;">Bonnie Lathram, Carri Schneider, and Tom Vander Ark</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 14.784px;"><i>The Witness Wore Red </i>by Rebecca Musser</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/book-review-the-light-of-the-world-by-elizabeth-alexander/" target="_blank"><i>The Light of the World</i> </a>by Elizabeth Alexander</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>October</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Nonfiction</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/10/most-likely-to-succeed-film-and-book.html#.VhqNgyxViko" target="_blank">Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for The Innovation Era</a> by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Avalanche and Gorilla Jim: Appalachian Trail and Other Tales</i> by Albert Dragon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Lonely Planet's USA's Best Trips</i> (Travel Guide)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things</i> by Jenny Lawson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>November</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Nonfiction</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Yes, Please </i>by Amy Poehler</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>10 Habits of Truly Optimistic People: Power Your Life with the Positive</i> by David Mezzapelle</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/12/read-hacking-education-10-quick-fixes.html#.Vm3UMRorJN0" target="_blank">Hacking Education: 10 Quick Fixes for Every School</a></i> by Mark Barnes and Jennifer Gonzalez</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Fiction</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Euphoria </i>by Lily King</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>December</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Nonfiction</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Ledge: An Inspirational Story of Friendship and Survival</i> by Jim Davidson and Kevin Vaughn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Rising Strong </i>by Brene Brown</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Girl in the Woods: A Memoir</i> by Aspen Matis</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging</i> by The Huffington Post Editors</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Four-Dimensional Education: The Competencies Learners Need to Succeed</i> by Charles Fadel, Maya Bialik, & Bernie Trilling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well Being, Wisdom, and Wonder </i>by Arianna Huffington</span><br />
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_________________<br />
To read about my 2014 journey--<a href="http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com/2014/12/book-week-2014.html#.VKXmbIe2TtQ" target="_blank">check here</a>.<br />
To read a complete list of all the books I read in 2014 click <a href="http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com/2014/12/book-week-2014.html#.VKXmbIe2TtQ" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
To read my favorite books from 2014 click <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2014/12/my-favorite-books-from-2014-book-week.html#.VoWNxhorKGQ" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
To read my favorite books read in 2015 click <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/12/favorite-books-i-read-in-2015.html#.VoWN5RorKGQ" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
To read my response to how I have time to read a book a week click <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/09/how-do-you-make-time-to-read-book-week.html#.VoWPYRorKGQ" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-23432691376260909642015-12-28T20:46:00.000-08:002015-12-28T20:46:16.024-08:00Favorite Books I Read in 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Wrapping up another year reading a book a week, I thought I'd take the time to share reasons why the ten books listed here are my favorites from the <a href="http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com/p/book-week.html#.VoIC9horKGQ" target="_blank">52 books I read in 2015</a>. My reading this list year included books read for fun and books for professional and personal growth.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">My favorite books read for fun in 2015</span></b><br />
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<b>The Book of Unknown Americans</b> by Cristina Henriquez</div>
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With all the conversations about immigration in America right now I think it's important that we remember people and their stories. In this novel, Henriquez's characters tell their stories and reasons for coming to the United States. One character says "We're the unknown Americans, the ones no one even wants to know because they've been told they're supposed to be scared of us and because maybe if they did take the time to get to know us, they might realize that we're not that bad, maybe even that we're a lot like them." Check out the short review I wrote for Cake and Whiskey Magazine's blog <a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/book-review-the-book-of-unknown-americans-by-cristina-henriquez/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<i><b>Yes Please </b></i>by Amy Poehler</div>
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This book makes the list because, well, because I'm not funny and Amy Poehler is. Honestly, I avoided this book for the longest time because I never really followed Amy Poehler carefully and wasn't sure I'd enjoy her humor, but when I had to drive to the other side of our state (10 hours round trip) for the second time in one month's time span, I knew I needed something other than my thoughts and music to occupy the time. Cue the audio book version of <i>Yes Please.</i> Poehler's humor was just what I needed in those ten hours, and each time I stopped I could hardly wait to get back in the car for more life wisdom from this comedian. No review from me on this one, but <a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2015/08/book-talk-yes-please-by-amy-poehler.html" target="_blank">check out this fun review</a> from another blogger.<br />
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<b><i>Exposed: Tragedy and Triumph in Mountain Climbing</i></b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div>
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by Brad and Melissa McQueen</div>
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Coincidentally, the authors of this book were in Steamboat Springs for a <a href="http://www.steamboatbooks.com/event/brad-melissa-mcqueen-author-exposed-tragedy-triumph-mountain-climbing" target="_blank">talk at a local bookstore</a> at the same time we were there this summer. Their book kept me on the edge of my seat; I read it in two days while <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/06/hiking-upper-fish-creek-falls-in.html#.VoHHlhorKGR" target="_blank">vacationing in Steamboat Springs</a>. It's not just the adventure and beautiful scenery that keeps me reading books like this. I also appreciate the perseverance and experiential learning the authors share in their journey.<br />
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<i><b>Bird by Bird </b></i>by Anne Lamott </div>
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For years I've followed Lamott's writing but hadn't read <i>Bird by Bird</i>, so when I received the book for Christmas in 2014, my 2015 reading journey started with this one. Terrific start to my year with numerous quotes applicable to life. <a href="http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-favorite-quotes-from-anne-lamotts.html#.VoFc7horKGR" target="_blank">Read more about what I thought of the book here</a>.<br />
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<b>Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail </b><br />
by Jennifer Pharr Davis<br />
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My interest in hiking/adventure memoirs continues and I read several more this year including <i>Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail</i> by Jennifer Pharr Davis. This was her first book about her early journeys on the AT. You can read about her record setting AT hike in <a href="http://www.womensadventuremagazine.com/blog/diva-of-the-appalachian-trail/" target="_blank">Called Again.</a> You can read my short review for Cake and Whiskey magazine's blog <a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/sipslice-book-review-becoming-odyssa/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<i><i style="font-weight: bold;"><b>The Light of the World </b></i>by Elizabeth Alexander</i></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">This memoir reminds you of the importance of being grateful for life, and it helps you appreciate creativity while also maintaining hope. I </span><a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/book-review-the-light-of-the-world-by-elizabeth-alexander/" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">blogged about the book for Cake and Whiskey</a><span style="text-align: left;"> and then wrote a </span><a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/11/grateful-for-creativity-life-and-hope.html#.VoH9qBorKGQ" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">follow up post</a><span style="text-align: left;"> around Thanksgiving on my own blog because this book had just that much impact on me. It's one of those books I won't forget.</span></div>
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<i><b>Americanah</b></i> by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2HUaqBhygagPzgWI-onF9u7xil-KeH2LLvRu34y0fLkumJ8-du25H6P5Um_yYwD7b7rkQ6yf2-j4zPyGJtM4_KlbV7P8Q7jQMt7nm3IRHv6KhXnPKCljGyJStjGLCxus545R0f0RtgST/s1600/Americanah.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2HUaqBhygagPzgWI-onF9u7xil-KeH2LLvRu34y0fLkumJ8-du25H6P5Um_yYwD7b7rkQ6yf2-j4zPyGJtM4_KlbV7P8Q7jQMt7nm3IRHv6KhXnPKCljGyJStjGLCxus545R0f0RtgST/s200/Americanah.png" width="135" /></a></div>
Another favorite novel I enjoyed this year included <i>Amercanah </i>by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie. This was the first book I've read by Adichie, and I suspect it won't be the last. Her ideas resonate with me, and I appreciate her writing style too. This was <a href="http://www.cakenwhiskey.com/americanah-a-novel-by-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/" target="_blank">another book I blogged about</a> for Cake and Whiskey.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">My favorite books read for professional growth in 2015</span></b><br />
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<i><b>Most Likely to Succeed</b></i> by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith<br />
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This book by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith probably had the biggest impact on me professionally because of the multiple opportunities I have had to see the film and to meet Dintersmith. His ongoing passion for reimagining education is incredibly authentic and refreshing. For more information check out this blog post about <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/10/most-likely-to-succeed-film-and-book.html#.VoH_eBorKGR" target="_blank">Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for The Innovation Era</a>.<br />
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<b><i>Smart Parents: Parenting for Powerful Learning </i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">by Bonnie Lathram, Carri Schneider and Tom Vander Ark</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCejJUM0O6OAyA7ydEb6sBdbeHUUkbl8B-Pzt8pZoYYkbJ2e7NYkv62OCUBe1eVdyMaKlb_AMPcVyoBejooMBXgqPhqmrLOcvm3dEjhj8d1XabVfZobvZm8NmdyfSnIYKoMUiGsc0wPTzn/s1600/My+copy+Smart+Parents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCejJUM0O6OAyA7ydEb6sBdbeHUUkbl8B-Pzt8pZoYYkbJ2e7NYkv62OCUBe1eVdyMaKlb_AMPcVyoBejooMBXgqPhqmrLOcvm3dEjhj8d1XabVfZobvZm8NmdyfSnIYKoMUiGsc0wPTzn/s200/My+copy+Smart+Parents.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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This book had the biggest impact on me as a parent and a blogger because <a href="http://gettingsmart.com/" target="_blank">Getting Smart</a> contacted me through my blog to see if I would be interested in <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/09/smart-parents-parenting-for-powerful.html#.VoIBCxorKGR" target="_blank">reviewing the book</a>. Not only was it fun to review and promote the book, I enjoyed the wealth of information available for parents and educators, and I learned about the Smart Parents movement. You will feel empowered if you read this book...so go for it!<br />
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<b><i>What Connected Educators Do Differently</i></b><br />
by Jimmy Casas, Todd Whitaker, and Jefferey Zoul<br />
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There's really no comparing the amount of reach and connection this book has brought me. First of all, I <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-connected-educators-do-differently.html#.VoIBkRorKGR" target="_blank">wrote this post</a> about how the book describes my own journey as a connected educator. Second of all, the authors are engaging and encouraging, and they even participated in a book Twitter chat I hosted this year. Finally, amazingly, somehow, my blog post about this book skyrocketed to the number one most read blog post in my four years of blogging. Really, if you are not connected much yet you should read this short and informative book right away.<br />
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-58301468331410192472015-12-26T18:17:00.000-08:002015-12-26T18:17:27.436-08:00Year in Review: 10 Most Popular Posts of 2015<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In just a few days I'll mark the 4th year of my blogging journey. This year brought numerous requests for presentations on blogging with several more anticipated in 2016. No doubt these requests and my most popular blog posts would not be possible without you, my readers. If you haven't yet joined the blogosphere consider making 2016 your year. Let these ten most popular posts of 2015 serve as inspiration. Even if these topics aren't in your wheelhouse find <i>your</i> passion and <i>your</i> voice and share it with us all because blogging doesn't have to be polished like an essay; it's a great opportunity to creatively express your views.<br />
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Here at <b>Learning to Muse </b>popular posts in 2015 include book reviews, posts about my sons and posts about my professional passion of re-imagining public education.<br />
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/03/dreaming-of-teacher-powered-school.html#.Vn8kLBorKgQ" target="_blank">#10 Dreaming of a Teacher Powered School</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy_T8VLXjPOVW4XB3tB9EPZjG-hmsQJh_-TTYKdQV5AGecIUNuIPyTOPYfq_qwB9h1BuI5xW99M1KRLyFcKytSOCr5g5yn2Ig2bTH5sgUPGu5rROnBmw3Jmx3LsQDFuy-V77WasLCegsh/s1600/Rethink+HS+box.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBy_T8VLXjPOVW4XB3tB9EPZjG-hmsQJh_-TTYKdQV5AGecIUNuIPyTOPYfq_qwB9h1BuI5xW99M1KRLyFcKytSOCr5g5yn2Ig2bTH5sgUPGu5rROnBmw3Jmx3LsQDFuy-V77WasLCegsh/s200/Rethink+HS+box.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
Call it a long shot, but I've taken steps toward realizing this dream by forming a team of students, teachers, and administrators creating a concept and designing a proposal to rethink high school in the <a href="http://xqsuperschool.org/challenge" target="_blank">XQ Super School Project</a>. And, you? What thoughts can you add about how our public education system needs to change?<br />
<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/08/you-know-those-tears-mom-cant-help-but.html#.Vn8mLxorKgQ" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/08/you-know-those-tears-mom-cant-help-but.html#.Vn8mLxorKgQ" target="_blank">#9 As My Oldest Son Starts High School, Here's What I'm Thinking</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE57R9E5TyFd9oAvF5SmcfemqtPEFrJK1u1YcdPlr4VIp_5_6OPfBYqxqYmimPJuF5uL25YN_Qi0BmAvcJAn8cRosJOd0i4uQ6CjtMvrkLfENDzpyi9C8yrfMJIjJh-OStr-NRnZ48jhmC/s1600/Ethan+in+Stanford+XC+shirt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE57R9E5TyFd9oAvF5SmcfemqtPEFrJK1u1YcdPlr4VIp_5_6OPfBYqxqYmimPJuF5uL25YN_Qi0BmAvcJAn8cRosJOd0i4uQ6CjtMvrkLfENDzpyi9C8yrfMJIjJh-OStr-NRnZ48jhmC/s320/Ethan+in+Stanford+XC+shirt.JPG" width="136" /></a></div>
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This post brought comments on social media from other parents faced with sending their children to high school or even to kindergarten (since the photo with the original post included one of my son on his first day of kindergarten). Update: We're off to a great start as my son had a strong finish to his first semester of high school. He started the year by advocating for himself and landing in a specific science class he desired; he's performing well in all of his classes and he mostly keeps up with his progress without much pestering from us. He likes English class for the first time; we suspect it's helped that the assistant cross country coach is also his 9th grade English teacher.</div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/06/hiking-upper-fish-creek-falls-in.html#.Vn8qdRorKgQ" target="_blank">#8 Hiking Upper Fish Creek Falls in Steamboat Springs, Colorado</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCcv49wUFU-LQe9NQFibQZj2JoAYLq2GlkUn6YsxfyqoQGp50ry3uTGmAjytGazNJcwMpZo-pBFnu-XwPFIRNJ1aeExIx-gpNeYoD6hUNI0TJEDUxSvxmR5_DSMEqCTOaoJGUmr9DiX7T/s1600/Boss+family+photo+Colorado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCcv49wUFU-LQe9NQFibQZj2JoAYLq2GlkUn6YsxfyqoQGp50ry3uTGmAjytGazNJcwMpZo-pBFnu-XwPFIRNJ1aeExIx-gpNeYoD6hUNI0TJEDUxSvxmR5_DSMEqCTOaoJGUmr9DiX7T/s200/Boss+family+photo+Colorado.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Who doesn't love Colorado? With all the outdoor activities and beautiful scenery, you won't be disappointed. Since I've been <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2014/01/kentucky-educators-collaborating-with.html#.Vn8vdRorKgQ" target="_blank">collaborating with colleagues in Colorado</a> for the past few years they assured me our trip to Steamboat Springs would be fantastic. Of course, we were not disappointed. Our incredible family trip with relatives included multiple hiking opportunities. We loved Steamboat Springs and even found ourselves dreaming about a move to Colorado (Oh wait, it wasn't just this trip--I've been thinking about a move to Colorado for several years now).</div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-favorite-quotes-from-anne-lamotts.html#.Vn821BorKgQ" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/01/my-favorite-quotes-from-anne-lamotts.html#.Vn821BorKgQ" target="_blank">#7 My Favorite Quotes from Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5zSQBohEaA3uKWu-Sdp9amMk60rKB2UU-ZDnpGKxAb0pXTuje5ICsKX8VE9OysEPD_pjYqjHRIAXyw2bOYkq9o5c-pvlsqcuKzlPg4WKT9F8sssDkPFpy5INEp4MPisDtm1DfoZlfPue/s1600/Bird+in+SF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5zSQBohEaA3uKWu-Sdp9amMk60rKB2UU-ZDnpGKxAb0pXTuje5ICsKX8VE9OysEPD_pjYqjHRIAXyw2bOYkq9o5c-pvlsqcuKzlPg4WKT9F8sssDkPFpy5INEp4MPisDtm1DfoZlfPue/s200/Bird+in+SF.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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If you're a writer or a reader follow Anne Lamott on Facebook for witty and wise commentary on being a better version of yourself. I kicked off 2015 reading <i>Bird by Bird </i>and sharing some of my favorite quotes. Not included in that post was another favorite quote-- "For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth...They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die." I also think they show us how to be better writers which is one of the many reasons why I personally choose to read at least one <a href="http://www.reneeboss.blogspot.com/p/book-week.html#.Vn82rxorKgQ" target="_blank">book a week</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/02/why-students-should-create-compose.html#.Vn83KhorKgQ" target="_blank">#6 Students Should Create, Compose, & Connect Digitally</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOFElVWz85YMv7NZ3SwNKk37fWexBZyUNLR25WBPcLscysR6CauLFxS5j8vZUnRGU6i5UN0_J3iDaXf448R0h-ICqM4GZOiM0OR-iBO2qZ25TgNVYgN960HogAAMlTxv8jdcf0xqtiW7u/s1600/StandwithStudents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxOFElVWz85YMv7NZ3SwNKk37fWexBZyUNLR25WBPcLscysR6CauLFxS5j8vZUnRGU6i5UN0_J3iDaXf448R0h-ICqM4GZOiM0OR-iBO2qZ25TgNVYgN960HogAAMlTxv8jdcf0xqtiW7u/s200/StandwithStudents.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Troy Hicks and Jeremy Hyler share strategies for engaging students in using technology to create and connect. Gaining increasing momentum in America is the Student Voice (#stuvoice) movement connecting students across schools, districts, and even states. Fortunately, my youngest son has even joined the fun with our Kentucky <a href="http://www.prichardcommittee.org/media-center/student-voice-team-fact-sheet" target="_blank">statewide group</a>, and he's learning and connecting with other students also interested in improving public education.</div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/07/reflections-on-writing-with-deanna.html#.Vn89ZBorKgQ" target="_blank">#5 Reflections on Writing with Deanna Mascle</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNn9mGCwRSRZ0vS-x_tW4YxfovRUpGag3uVJPorreYI5Mesi-ZyKufxi5BOftHgax34nUrE4MsPfbVG2pceJ0lO3rVPHSysDTJaDS0BtCRbeSNTtYEi_zNsGvsas_H3ekRzdw3x0JWgzr9/s1600/FullSizeRender+%252852%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNn9mGCwRSRZ0vS-x_tW4YxfovRUpGag3uVJPorreYI5Mesi-ZyKufxi5BOftHgax34nUrE4MsPfbVG2pceJ0lO3rVPHSysDTJaDS0BtCRbeSNTtYEi_zNsGvsas_H3ekRzdw3x0JWgzr9/s200/FullSizeRender+%252852%2529.jpg" width="153" /></a></div>
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As parents and educators, Deanna and I share experiences both of us have had with our sons, and we also share multiple links to resources for upping your game as a writing instructor. This post is fun for parents or educators (or both).</div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/search?q=most+likely+to+succeed#.Vn9B1xorKgQ" target="_blank">#4 Most Likely to Succeed Book and Film</a></div>
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If you haven't read this book or seen the film, you are missing out. Dintersmith and Wagner provide details and ideas for how we can re-imagine public education in America. Further, they provide statistics and examples of why we need to change public education. Follow <a href="http://www.edu21c.com/" target="_blank">Dintersmith's blog</a> for information about his ongoing book tour and personal mission to push education change.</div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/08/using-blogging-to-connect-learn-magnify.html#.Vn9DJRorKgQ" target="_blank">#3 Using Blogging to Connect, Learn, & Magnify Teacher Voice</a></div>
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Read this particular and very popular post for suggested blogs to follow and read. After joining National Blogging Collaborative as a volunteer writing coach this year, I personally found myself connected to even more bloggers--all on a mission to elevate the voices of teachers. If you do decide to get started with blogging this year, check out the free supports <a href="http://www.nationalbloggingcollaborative.com/" target="_blank">available from NBC</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/09/smart-parents-parenting-for-powerful.html#.Vn9E1RorKgQ" target="_blank">#2 Smart Parents: Parenting for Powerful Learning</a></div>
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In one amazing week, this post became my second most popular read blog post of all time (not just number 2 this year). In case you missed it, I'm sharing it here again so you can learn ideas for student-centered learning. Fellow parents--this book is for you, too, because we can learn more about how our children learn from us about how to persevere, set goals, and persist through challenges.</div>
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<a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/search?q=connected+educators#.Vn9GJxorKgQ" target="_blank">#1 What Connected Educators Do Differently Describes My Own Connected Journey</a></div>
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Even after 4 years of blogging, this one post skyrocketed to the number one place of all blog posts at Learning to Muse. This post is for educators specifically, especially those looking to connect with others.</div>
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1030715261655402388.post-32968264659511787832015-12-13T10:20:00.000-08:002015-12-13T10:20:14.651-08:00Read Hacking Education: 10 Quick Fixes for Every School If You Want to Make Immediate Changes in Your Classroom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Three months ago, I ran across a social media feed where a woman bemoaned the word </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">hack </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">saying it should be used only when talking about a terrible cough or trying to get into a computer system illegally. While those might be more traditional dictionary definitions of the word, the word hack is common in technology and education circles today. </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">The New Yorker</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> dates the playful (white hat) use of the word to 1955 at M.I.T. <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/a-short-history-of-hack" target="_blank">in this March 2014 article</a>. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">While I'm not sure how </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">hack</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> permeated the education world, I'm guessing it started in ed tech circles. I found myself using hack once in a conversation with an educator in a rural district and quickly realized she perceived negative connotations, so I tried to explain myself. Too bad I hadn't yet come across the Hack Learning series. The first book I read in the series, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Hacking Education: 10 Quick Fixes for Every School</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> by Mark Barnes and Jennifer Gonzalez, conveys an optimist tone throughout as the authors offer practical can-do now tips to transform teaching and learning.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZkq1rhTaXq03vK22Pm0skST7xRRy9PTBt0XHIZB62HsxZIR8ktLjmzbeYLHtmpp0PKREHkq-IUdoEx68TrfrUDnuMplFK71YsCIqOHrV5w4hImf1J5HftUOWKi7Jj9DirU6HAKhG58UM/s1600/Hacking+Education.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZkq1rhTaXq03vK22Pm0skST7xRRy9PTBt0XHIZB62HsxZIR8ktLjmzbeYLHtmpp0PKREHkq-IUdoEx68TrfrUDnuMplFK71YsCIqOHrV5w4hImf1J5HftUOWKi7Jj9DirU6HAKhG58UM/s320/Hacking+Education.png" width="227" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Barnes and Gonzalez suggest that we don't need to wait for new policy changes, district decisions, or school leaders to change our work as educators. Each of the 10 ideas (hacks) solves problems using ordinary and readily available objects, systems, and people. The authors show others how to creatively address problems by repurposing and reimagining resources. They encourage us to behave like a hacker.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">"Embrace the concept of iteration, of continually reviewing and reworking a solution until it becomes the perfect fit for your particular needs."</span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Each chapter tackles a different problem, offers a solution, provides suggestions for implementation, shares advice for dealing with pushback, and provides examples of the hack in action. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><b>The problems</b></span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Time consuming meetings</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Little to no opportunity to observe fellow teachers</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">No peace and quiet (especially a problem for introverts)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Classroom management</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Lack of tech support</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Teacher turnover</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Flipped learning doesn't always work</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Students aren't </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">reading enough</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Learning isn't shared beyond classroom walls</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Students referred to as data points</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Read about creative solutions for all problems represented in the book while you feel a positive culture of ongoing learning coming from the authors. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">From student run tech-teams to anecdotal data records as a means for knowing your students better to glass classrooms focused on student-centered learning, the authors share practical ways to overcome problems with simple solutions and specific ideas for immediate implementation. No need to wait until next semester or next year. You can implement these hacks now. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">One of my favorite hacks includes the use of student tech gurus to solve the lack of technology support available in schools. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">"Apart from troubleshooting, a team of student tech gurus can also work proactively, training students and staff in basic skills, so the whole school learns together." </span></span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Think about how much your students already know and can do with technology and what they might teach you and your colleagues. From a parent perspective, I also imagine my own son would <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-14-year-old-son-built-computer.html#.Vm22BhorKgQ" target="_blank">thrive on a student tech team</a> if offered the opportunity.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;">Another hack I really like is the Track Record for recording specific objective observations about student behavior. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I especially appreciate the focus on recording positive behavior. For example, if a student has problems with being tardy, record how many times she/he is on-time in a week, instead of how many times the student is late. The idea is if the system is put into place with good intentions and is managed</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"> well, it's likely to reduce behavior problems. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Finally, I must mention the Book Nook, and though this idea is not necessarily novel, the idea that the books are gifts, not loaners, is new to me. This minor difference is almost magical, especially for students who don't have many books in their homes. The idea is also </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">simple, easy to implement and focused on building a <a href="http://reneeboss.blogspot.com/2015/11/rethinking-literacy-instruction.html#.Vm22oBorKgQ" target="_blank">culture of readers</a> in a school. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">"For every person who sniffs that an idea is "nothing new," there are ten more who have never heard of it. It's the variations, the iterations, that can make an old idea fresh again."</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">The word hack belongs because the concept is on improving education through a process of multiple iterations and scaling change. I certainly look forward to reading other books in this series. How about you--have you read any of the books in the Hack Learning series? </span><br />
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Renee Bosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08677149793378108910noreply@blogger.com