January 31 - National Teacher of the Year Conference



Top Row: Group of state teachers of the year at the National Teacher of the Year Conference. In a limo with fellow state teachers of the year. Bottom Row: Jenna with Kathy Gardner-Jones of the State Department of Education. The Dallas Public Library. Jenna with Cindi Rigsbee, North Carolina State Teacher of the Year and a national finalist.

Well, today was the last day of our Dallas conference. I am excited to head home and see my family (I think they have forgotten what I look like) but I am also sad to say goodbye to a group of truly dedicated and optimistic educators. I've made some great friends and I know our relationships will last a lifetime. I can't wait to see everyone again in Washington!

Today's sessions really made me jealous. As I mentioned before, most of these people are just starting their "reign". I wish I would have had the benefit of hearing these speakers when I was just starting out. Of course, my experiences made me better prepared to share during the work sessions and I hope my comments and personal anecdotes were beneficial for the others at the table and in the room.

General Session One: Working with Policy Makers and the Media - Rick Melmer, Doug Dooher, and Joe Lowethal

Last summer I was invited to attend a media training session with Kathy Gardner-Jones, Mychal Frost, Zeke Stokes, Mark Bounds, and several others in Columbia. This group attempted to teach me everything I needed to know about dealing with the media. I remember the discussions about the types of clothes to wear and the fact that I should talk in sound bites. I think my wardrobe has met their expectations, but I am still having trouble with the sound bites. I have too much to say and can't always narrow it down to a five word phrase! One of my handouts contained information about giving speeches. The author said that mediocre speakers read their speeches, good speakers use notes, and great speakers have it in their head and in their heart. I've tried to be a great speaker all year and have entered every arena with my speech in my head and on my heart. I know that some of my speeches have been better than others (refer to the sneeze speech) but I have always tried to be an exceptional speaker. Anyway here are my notes from this session. Again, my comments follow the notes in blue.

When you are working with the media you should strive to have the "results on the front and the process on the back" of your presentation. I compare this to writing a thesis. We were taught to start with the thesis statement and then back it up. The same goes for giving speeches, interviews, and presentations.

The average print quote is 26 words, the average broadcast quote is 6-12 seconds, and average stories run 15 seconds to one minute. Now you understand why sound bites are so important. Reporters will actually ask you the same question over and over again (in different ways) until they get a sound bite they can use. Unless, you are doing a live interview you can always ask to answer a question again. It is okay to take a moment to think about it. Presidents Clinton and Obama are both great speakers and usually take time to compose their answer before they start speaking. Don't look up - people will assume you are searching for (or making up) an answer. Don't over do it! A short pause is appropriate but a long pause makes you look silly. Finally, remember that there is no such thing as "off the record". Whatever you say around a reporter is fair game.

So often we develop a message with all the evidence up front. When people listen they actually need the point first and the evidence last. This is just like teaching. We know our kids really only remember what happens at the very beginning and very end of the lesson. Share your point first, make it poignant, and people will remember it.

The media is always looking for the human element so be sure to share your story. Generally you can use a child's first name. If they have an original first name or you live in a very small town, change it to a common name.

Always know your audience before you present or accept an invitation to do an interview. Don't be afraid to interview the reporter prior to the interview. Who do you work for? Who will the audience be? Tell them you want to make sure you give them the information they need and then ask what questions they will be asking you. You can always ask to call a reporter back. Don't feel pressured to do a phone interview immediately. Tell the reporter you are finishing a quick project and ask if you can call them back in ten minutes. No-one is on that tight of a timeline. If it seems fishy, don't do it.

Think about the three points you want people to remember. Start with specific examples, give personal experiences, and end with analogies and allegories. Remember your agenda. You should have three to five topics that you are comfortable talking about and promoting.

Use bridging statements (I disagree with that, let me tell you about ...) to get out of "sticky" situations. Keep your agenda on your mind and talk about what you want to talk about. This is still hard for me. I am an honest person and feel the need to answer whatever is thrown at me. The truth is you can always turn the interview the way you want it to go.

General Sesion 2: Mary Beth Blegen
Mary Beth is a past National Teacher of the Year and a formidable ally in education. She presented a list of ten lessons she learned as National Teacher of the Year. It was a pretty entertaining session, especially since she started out by making us all dance some crazy made-up dance while chanting some silly lines. I want to share a few of her lessons with you. The first is, "We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are." This is so true. We look at everything through a set of glasses created from our experiences, beliefs, and values. Our judgments are made based on what we see and what we know to be true in our own lives. If we really looked at situations and people would be so judgmental? I know this sounds a little bit like a philosophy lecture but this particular message really rang true with me. The second lesson I want to share is that "it really does matter how we talk to and about each other". I've said it before, if we want to to be treated as professionals we need to start acting like professionals. That means we don't go to the grocery store and air our school's dirty laundry. We can't expect the public to have faith in our abilities when we badmouth each other at every turn. It matters what we say to each other and about each other. Here's the final lesson I took away from Mary Beth's presentation: "Be kind, for everyone is fighting a great battle". How true is that! Think about your own life right now. I'm sure your life is filled with personal battles. I know mine is. A kind word, a gesture of friendship, or an offer of assistance may be exactly what that friend, co-worker, or stranger needs. I guess I live in a fantasy world filled with rainbows and butterflies, but I truly believe we could be happier and healthier if we made the effort to care more about one another.

Our final event was a formal reception and banquet. I won't even talk about the food because it will make me hungry and my weight watchers approved salad and soup will not hold me for the afternoon. Michael Geisen, the 2008 National Teacher of the Year, was the keynote speaker. He was amazing - very laid back, funny, and real! I can't wait for him to speak to the District Teachers of the Year at Winter Workshop. We also had the opportunity to meet the 2009 National Finalists. I am so proud of all of them and I wish them the best of luck. The finalists are Alex Kajitani from California (a math rap artist and a new father), Anthony Mullen from Connecticut (a former NY police officer), Susan Elliott from Colorado ( a deaf woman), and Cindi Rigsbee from North Carolina (a want-to-be Dallas cowboy cheerleader). I had a great time getting to know them and was so excited to be able to communicate with Susan without the help of her interpreter. We will find out who the next NTOY is in April!

January 30 - National Teacher of the Year Conference

Today was a little bit easier day, in that we were given a good bit of free time in the afternoon. I was so glad to have the opportunity to see some of the sights in Dallas and spend time just "hanging out" with my new friends. I'll start by walking you through the sessions however.

Our first general session was an issue focus seminar. We had several different speakers from the Center for Teacher Quality. The information presented was timely, appropriate, and insightful. I included some of my notes from each portion of this session below. My comments are listed after the notes in blue.

Center for Teaching Quality - Barnett Berry, Nancy Flanagan, and Alice Williams

We are not a real profession yet because we don't set standards for our colleagues, we don't take control of their development, and we don't manage our own accountability system. Interesting! Whether we like it or not, education is a government entity. They set our standards, control some aspects of our development (think certification), and manage the accountability system. Maybe the time has come to take back our profession. Maybe we should be handling all of this. The question is how? Do we really want unions in South Carolina? Can we manage these tasks without a union? I definitely think this is a topic that requires some more thought and research.

If you want a good laugh about how far we've come check out the 1872 rules for teachers at www.pchswi.org/archives/schools/teacher_rules-1872.html This is too funny (and too sad) especially when you consider what a 2009 rules for teachers list would look like.

Every educator in the building should be teaching. This would allow first year teachers to take on a 60% load and then move into an 80% load their second year. In Finland, Singapore, and Australia, 60% - 80% of their teachers are working with students regularly. In the United States only 43% work with students on a regular basis. I love the thought of having first year teachers only take on a 60% load. They could really focus their attention on their craft and on the standards they are trying to teach. This would also free them up to work with their mentor, observe other teachers, and reflect on what is happening in their rooms. I know this would be a lot easier in the middle and high schools.

The most respected teacher educators are practicing teachers. They should be the highest paid individuals in the school. Also, they should be the ones teaching pre-service teachers. I know some great college professors, but I also know a whole bunch who are too far removed from the classroom to be effective. Our pre-service teachers deserve the best education we can give them and that means we need practicing teachers sharing their expertise with them.

Performance pay should place a premium on spreading your expertize to others. I really have mixed feelings about performance pay (notice I didn't say merit pay which is based solely on test scores). On one hand I like the idea of making a little more money doing what I love. On the other hand I am scared that the competition aspect may hinder the development of true relationships and communities of teacher learners. The thing is, performance pay is coming. We may not like it, but we need to stop fighting it and figure out how to make this concept work in our schools. I would be most interested in a voluntary system that rewards groups of teachers for high performance. Notice I said groups. I want to see "teams" established within the schools and I want the teams to be held responsible for a group of students. I also believe that performance pay should also be based on your willingness and ability to "grow" the other teachers in your building and in your district. I plan to research Denver's pro-comp program as well as Austin's compensation program that places emphasis on teacher leadership. I would encourage you to do the same if this is an area that interests you.

"The future is now. It's not just evenly distributed." How true!

The group then spent a lot of time talking about 21st century education. Most of the information was similar to what I've shared with you before; the 3 C's (communicate, create, collaborate) and the importance of digital literacy and foreign language requirements starting in elementary schools. They mentioned the fact that we will creating lessons for an increasingly non-English speaking group of students. We are already starting to see this with the influx of native Spanish speakers in South Carolina. Our ESOL teachers are stretched to their limits already. We definitely need to spend some time thinking about how we can best meet the needs of the new wave of students, those who speak Cantonese, various Semitic languages, and Hindi.

Teacher Unions - Should they be disbanded or transformed? If they are disbanded then teachers will work as entrepreneurs and will negotiate individual contracts with schools boards and with the states. If they are transformed they will focus their energy first on issues tied to teaching a learning and second on compensation. We spent a long time working in table groups and discussing this question. I really felt like I had very little to add since I am not familiar with the teacher union. I've heard some people in our state say we need to bring the union in. Based on the conversations at the table, I think we are better off without them! The best part of being a union state is that they fight for improved benefits, better compensation, and effective professional development. They also take a firm stand on many issues that in my opinion they have no business trying to control. Maybe if they transformed I would be willing to entertain the idea of establishing a union in South Carolina. The consensus at the table was that they won't be open to transforming anyway. Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York, and Michigan are all big union states and can be researched for further information.

Teacher preparation needs to be revamped. Do we need four years to prepare our teachers or could they complete their tasks with a two-year degree? Should we extend the preparation period to five years to include a longer student teaching experience? I do believe that the teacher preparation program needs to be revamped. In my experiences, I've found that the graduating seniors have degrees in education theory but not in practice. We are not preparing them for the real-world of teaching and that is part of the reason why they are frustrated and leave by the fifth year. I am in favor of a four year degree with an additional year of paid apprenticeship.

There has been a move to include more hybrid roles in schools. These are in the form of coaches and instructional facilitators. I served as a hybrid educator last year and loved it. I hope that I made a difference with the teachers I worked with. The key is, I still taught children. I don't think coaches and facilitators should ever step completely away from the role of hands-on educator.

I hope all this information generates some thinking and discussion at your school. These are certainly issues we need to be dealing with. We do not need to leave these decisions up to the sole discretion of our lawmakers in Columbia. We must be instrumental in bringing about the changes we believe we need in our education system.

We ended our work sessions with a period of reflection and discussion in our homerooms. We processed through all the information we had been given so far and shared hints for being a successful spokesperson. Around 4:00 most of the group gathered in the lobby to travel by limo bus to the Third Floor Museum. This museum is housed in the actual book depository where Lee Harvey Oswald fired his fatal shot at President John F. Kennedy. You enter the museum on the first floor and don a pair of headphones. An elevator carries you to the third floor where you are immediately greeted by smiling pictures of the former President. I promise this is the last time I felt like smiling until I exited the building. A somber silence accompanies you as you travel between photo exhibits and short documentaries. The pictures, videos, and narration carry you back in time and you can't help but feel the tension of this period in our history. Even as I write this I can feel the tears well up in my eyes as I remember looking out the third floor window where Lee Harvey Oswald watched the procession. There are two "X's" in the road where depicting Kennedy's position when he was shot. I could see the grassy knoll and imagine the chaos that ensued. I wasn't even alive when this occurred but I feel as though I lived it after touring this museum. If you after have the opportunity to visit Dallas be sure to include this stop on your itinerary. Just remember to bring your kleenex.

January 29 - National Teacher of the Year Conference

Today was the second full day of the conference and my head is already spinning with all the information I have received. Our first session this morning was titled "Strategic Initiatives for the 21st Century and Beyond". I, of course, was thrilled by this topic. Our presenter was Lois Adams-Rodgers from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). According to Lois, we have some "new" educational challenges. We are being asked to educate our students to higher levels than any other time in our history. We are also required to reach each and every one of those students on a daily basis. Ms. Adams-Rodgers continued on and started explaining how we can better meet these challenges in the very near future. She suggested we start with transformational approaches to leadership at all levels. We can not ask our principals or our State Superintendent to handle this on their own. Teacher leaders must step forward and join in this change. Five states have already developed a consortium on teacher leadership to assist in this area. Our goal at this time is not incremental progress, it's total transformation. For example, we must transition from competency based credits to performance based credits. We need to forget the antiquated structure of schools we all function under and focus our attention on the structure of learning. We must continue to ensure that our schools produce successful students and this can be accomplished through standards, assessment, accountability, educator development, reliable data systems, and comprehensive systems of support for struggling learners. She also suggested reading Whatever it Takes by Rebecca DuFour and Leading in a Culture of Change by Michael Fullan for additional information about this topic. By now you probably know that I agree with everything that was said. I am especially interested in the whole "structure of learning" piece. So often I am told that it is not possible to implement true 21st century learning because of schedules and room assignments. BALONEY! It can happen, it just takes a different approach.

Our second general session focused on federal education legislation. This was great information, but in all honesty, it was not new information. This year has been a political whirlwind with the economic downfall and the ensuing budget crisis and the historical presidential election. Here are some of the important tidbits I took away from the session.

President Obama may use federal challenge grants to improve state services for pregnant women and children from birth to age five. States would be required to submit strategic plans that better coordinate all birth-to-five services.
NCLB will not be abandoned. The goal is to tweak it to include better teacher effectiveness policies with input coming from teachers themselves. Accountability and greater support (including induction) will be hot topics. A key point is that there are 69 new members of the House who were not there when NCLB was first created.
President Obama has placed a high priority on teacher leadership. He is also interested in closing chronically under performing schools.

Re-authorization and re-appropriations are expected for the Science Reform Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
These two general session were the main events of the day. Squeezed in between were narratives from past state teachers of the year such as Betsy Rogers. Betsy shared her school's story and their recent success due to transformational leadership approaches. The day ended with a dinner and reception at the Dallas Women's Museum. This place was amazing. The walls were filled with women's history memorabilia as well artwork from prominent and pop culture female artists. The food was to die for! The most exciting part of the evening had nothing to do with the cuisine or the atmosphere however. We were told that the National Teacher of the Year program recently partnered with the University of Phoenix and then we were informed that we were being given a gift that we could not keep. The "gift" is a four year scholarship which we can present to any student in our state! I immediately starting crying. To know that I have the opportunity to change one high school senior's future is overwhelming. I can't wait to return home and select this special individual.

January 28 - National Teacher of the Year Conference

Last May I received an email and an official looking letter from SMART Technologies. At first I was tempted to toss it. I figured it was just an advertisement. I'm sure glad I took the time to open it because it was actually an award letter. As State Teacher of the Year I received a free SMART board, projector, set of Senteo handheld controllers, and best of all training on how to use all this technology. My SMART board is in a box waiting for me to return to Calhoun Academy of the Arts and put it to good use. The Senteos are with my good friend Robin Bracken. She's a technology sort of person and I figured I would let her figure out how to best use this equipment.

Our first full day at the National Teacher of the Year conference was devoted to SMART training. We were divided into two groups based upon our degree of comfort and familiarity with the SMART board. I hesitantly headed to the "advanced" group. I have used a SMART board with some regularity in my classroom but certainly don't feel like I should be considered "advanced" at anything. In the end it turned out okay and I was able to keep up with the materials being presented. I just hope I don't forget it all before I have the opportunity to use it.

I know that many of you could probably teach the course on effective SMART board use but just in case there are a few people out there that feel like they could use some help I have listed my notes below. I think the most helpful information are the links to some websites. I would encourage you to check these out!

When using a SMART board you should always press with intent. You can't push too hard and break the thing, trust me! A SMART board is made with a layer of air between the front and back pieces. You must "break through" this pocket of air to write on the board or access an application.
If you use the side of your finger or nail you can write on the board without making the body sound that students love so much! You can also use tennis balls, paintbrushes and pointers to write on the board. I didn't know that!

You can clean your board with EXPO cleaner especially if someone accidentally writes on it with a dry erase marker. If you have permanent marker on your board, write over it with a dry erase marker and then use EXPO cleaner to remove the mark.

I would encourage you to check out the SMART website. You can find the education part at http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-us/. In the bottom left hand corner you can click the link for Community Spotlight (learn more) and you will be connected to the SMART exchange. Basically this is a message board where you can share ideas, post questions, and establish relationships with other SMART users.
Did you know you can video lessons on your SMART board and then post them on your website for students to view at home? What a great resources for students who have missed class or for parents as they attempt to help their child with their homework. You could also use this feature to prerecord lessons on days when you know you are going to be absent from school. The students could certainly help a substitute teacher get the video up and running. Tom Reardon is an educator who does this on a daily basis. You can check out his lessons at www.tomreardon.com
The marker tray has a button that you can push so that a computer keyboard pops up on the screen. You can also use this button to bring up notebook paper or handwriting paper on the screen.
The notebook software can be used for lots of different functions. For example, you can use inkaware and write with one of the markers on the screen. If you click inject your "notes" can be added to an existing word document. It's possible to import a powerpoint to a blank notebook file. Instead of relying on powerpoint transitions you can now move each object separately. The ink layer feature also allows the user to put their writing into a document. The transparency layer allows you to write over a website or a picture. My favorite feature is the camera which can be used to take photos of entire websites or specific pictures for use in lessons.

The gallery on the SMART board includes a ton of useful items. Under the tools section you will find a customizable die. This means you can add your own pictures, numbers, questions, or data to each side of the die.

Check out this website: homepage.mac.com/hlamb for a downloaded SMART games. My favorite is a multiplication game where the students throw koosh balls at the board. Remember, I said you can't break it!
You can download tons of SMART lessons and games from delicious.com/heatherlamb as well.

Good luck!

January 27 – Dallas Here I Come!

This morning I left Greenville-Spartanburg airport and headed to Dallas, Texas via Charlotte, North Carolina. I was slightly concerned about the weather, as Dallas was expecting an ice storm. I actually made it in before most of the freezing rain and sleet started however. Whew!!! Today Dallas was inundated with Teachers of the Year from all over the nation, all of whom are participating in the National Teacher of the Year program. I have been so excited about this incredible event (Jason Fulmer and Ann Marie Taylor raved about the experience) and the friendships that develop. Jean from Florida and I actually connected on the plane and were thrilled to have one another as we attempted to find our way in Texas’s very confusing airport. I met several other TOYs on the shuttle to the hotel. Jen from Michigan, Beth from North Dakota, Paul from South Dakota, Linda from Illinois, and Lori from Wisconsin and I all became fast friends. We started sharing stories immediately and developed instant connections.

The conference was being held at the Hilton at Lincoln Center which is a beautiful hotel and conference center. We all checked in and then agreed to meet downstairs to grab a snack since none of us had eaten on the plane (remember no free food now) or in the airport. Most of us opted for a bowl of chili, which really helped us warm up, especially since it was so HOT! I forgot I was in Texas when I ordered it. It was so funny to realize that we had just met and yet the conversation never lagged and no-one felt uncomfortable or ill at ease. I guess that’s just how teachers are. These early discussion focused mostly on our personal lives (married or not, children etc) and our stories about becoming State Teachers of the Year. I discovered very quickly that I was in the minority. Most of these individuals had just been named and were still teaching full time. South Carolina is one of very few states that actually releases their TOY from classroom duties and in my opinion uses us to our full ability. I can’t imagine teaching and worrying about speaking too!

The conference actually began later that evening with a dinner for all the State Teachers of the Year. The food was incredible, which did not help my current resolution to follow Weight Watchers religiously and lose a ton of weight by summer. The best part was that I deepened several friendship and started many new relationships. The best part is, this adventure is just beginning – I have four more days with these people this week!

January 26 - Greenville County Teacher Forum

I spent most of my day today working on schedules and handouts for the Winter Workshop, which is right around the corner. Winter Workshop is a chance for all the district teachers of the year to come together, network, and engage in some phenomenal (hopefully) staff development. This workshop is about two weeks away and I am hoping to get everything finalized in the next few days.

This afternoon I made the short drive to the Greenville County District office to meet with their teacher forum. Greenville has a strong forum which is involved in planning and implementing various activities within their district. Jeanie Reed is serving as their current chairperson. You probably remember that Jeanie is an Honor Roll teacher, having been selected as one of the five finalists for State Teacher of the Year last year. She is a dynamic individual who is full of energy and great ideas.

For this particular event Jeanie invited the forum and the induction teachers to attend. I had the opportunity to speak with several of the first year teachers before the event began. They all talked about the specific challenges they are facing and overcoming this year. I encouraged each of them to lean heavily on their mentors and to keep fighting. I knew that I was going to share my first year story during my presentation and was hoping that it would encourage them to stick with teaching.

For this particular group, I had chosen to share a hybrid speech which combined the three topics I am most passionate about. Anyone want to take a guess what I talked about? I started with my first year of teaching story and the reason why I have decided to stay in this profession. I then switched gears and had the group participate in a change activity. Everyone in the room was asked to partner up and study their new buddy. After a few moments I asked them to turn their back to their partner and make five changes to their appearance. I always love to watch the reactions of the people involved in the activity. I saw some definite looks of fear, intrigue, and yes even defiance. The game continued with the participants trying to identify the five changes and then repeating the entire process over again. We discussed their feelings each time they were asked to make changes to their appearance and related this to how we feel and act when we are asked to make changes to our schedules, pedagogy, or curriculum. This activity served as a segue into my discussion about the changes that need to happen in education including equitable funding and 21st century education. I will be honest and say I was a little nervous about sharing my views concerning goodbyeminimallyadequate because I had heard that Greenville County wasn’t real responsive to this movement. I went ahead and shared it anyway and am pleased to report that everyone in the room seemed moved by the story and supportive of the cause.

Teacher forums are a great way to have our voices heard. Forums often have the opportunity to give input directly to the Superintendent and school board. Greenville’s forum seems to be a positive yet progressive group which truly has the best interest of children at their center. If you are interested in starting a forum in your district please contact me. I will be glad to help you and will probably ask some of the Greenville members to assist as well. I applaud the Greenville Forum for their continued work and wish them the best of luck in the future.

January 24 - Lowcountry Instructional Fair

Today I had the opportunity to travel to Beaufort and present at the first annual Instructional Fair at USC Beaufort. First of all, let me state the obvious. This area was absolutely beautiful. Rhonda Farmer, the Teacher in Residence for Region Five, always says that she has the prettiest region. I really didn’t believe her, especially since I am such a fan of the mountains and foothills. I have to give it to her though – this little piece of South Carolina is certainly remarkable.

The Instructional Fair brought together fifteen teachers from several neighboring counties. Each teacher was asked to bring a display and materials to share. Other teachers from the region were invited to come and tour the displays and network with these accomplished teachers. Rhonda and I set up a CERRA table, talked about our programs, and solicited signatures for the goodbyeminimallyadequate petition. We also found some time to travel through the exhibit hall and hear the wonderful things that are happening in these classrooms. I can assure that each and every exhibit I saw was awesome and the teachers were so excited about their students and their successes. Eve Heaton, one of the presenters, shared some ideas about science notebooking with me. I was especially interested in this concept number 1) because it was science and number 2) because I am still trying to tweak my approach to notebooking. Eve provides her students with a copy of the standards at the beginning of every unit. These are pasted into the journal and she refers back to them constantly. The journals contained well documented notes and illustrations related to each topic of study. The students were also given opportunities to express their own views and develop their own mnemonic devises which are recorded in the journals. What impressed me the most is that these fourth graders were obviously doing their own work. The journals were not filled with teacher sentences or scripted notes. I read correct answers in student language and saw student created diagrams, charts, and graphs. I would encourage you to check out Eve’s blog to learn more about her notebooking www.sciencenotebooking.blogspot.com (Hint: These could easily be adapted for Social Studies!)

My time at the Lowcountry Instructional Fair ended with my keynote address. I didn’t have to sneeze this time so I was much happier with the end result. I chose to discuss the need for 21st century education with this group of teachers. I shared the Rip Van Winkle story I found in Time magazine and encouraged each person to consider the amount of information that is available for our students today and the length of time the information is accurate. I shared my views about the need to teach today for success tomorrow including my belief that we must provide students with opportunities to access information, evaluate information, and apply information on a daily basis.

I think the funniest part of the whole visit was when I spotted this sign. Rhonda assured there are alligators around, but I couldn’t find any. Maybe next time I’ll spot one, although I can assure you I won’t be harassing or feeding it!

January 21-23 - Leadership South Carolina

January 20 – Calhoun Academy of the Arts

This year has been an amazing and I truly love what I am doing. I do miss my students and the excitement that comes with teaching however. Therefore, I jumped at the opportunity to be a “guest teacher” at my home school. The really unique part of this experience is that I was able to teach a science lesson in my youngest son’s classroom. Brooks just turned six (I survived the party at Chuck E. Cheese) and isn’t the least bit embarrassed by me. My oldest son Jordan would have died if I had even considered coming to his class.

Anderson School District Five uses an Approved Curriculum to ensure that our students, who tend to be transient, are instructed on the same standards in the same order regardless of which schools they pop in and out of. The curriculum stated that the current unit of study for all kindergarteners was Arctic animals. I had a great time planning the lesson and then actually teaching it in the classroom. I started by covering the rug with cotton balls (sorry Mrs. Price) and asking the children what they knew about the Arctic. We spent a little while looking at the globe and a map while I informed them that the Arctic was located at the top (or Northernmost region) of the Earth. I instructed the students to use their hands to show the top of the Earth whenever I asked them where the Arctic was located. We discussed the weather in this area and I used the Smartboard to show a few websites about the animals found in this region of the world. The students made observations about the animals such as they are “fat”, have lots of fur, and many of them are white. Don’t worry, I showed them some animals that did not have white fur or feathers too. At this point the students identified the basic needs of animals (food, water, shelter) and we chanted and acted out a poem about a polar bear catching his food. I wanted to help the students understand some of the reasons (adaptations) these animals can survive in the Arctic so we made blubber gloves. Blubber gloves are awesome! I gave each child a rubber glove to put on their right hand. They stuck their gloved hand inside another rubber glove that was filled with shortening. Then they stuck both hands into a bowl of ice water and made observations. They quickly realized that the blubber hand stayed warm in the cold water. My final activity with the kids was to help them create their own polar bears.

Now, I’m sure that some people are thinking I shouldn’t have tried to get Kindergarteners to understand adaptations (and yes I used that word). My belief is that it is my job to teach the standards and provide experiences that help the students go beyond them. Brooks came home and explained to his father all about blubber. Of course he also mentioned that I have some blubber on my stomach! I hope the experience was beneficial for the students involved and that I didn’t drive their teachers too crazy. Thanks to Jana Price and Robin Gardner for inviting me to visit the class.

January 17 - Teaching Fellows Regional Interviews

I am so excited about the Teaching Fellows interviews! My words are running together and my fingers can't keep up with my mind as I am typing because I can't wait to share this experience with you.

I left Myrtle Beach at 5:00 this morning to drive to Florence for the Regional Teaching Fellows interviews. I met Jo Ann Sherbine, the Teacher in Residence for Region 4, and her husband at our location at 7:00. We spent the next hour setting up and greeting the volunteers who were there to interview and assist with registration. This amazing group gave up their Saturday to come and help us with these interviews. I can't thank them enough so I am hoping that they left with their heart and soul as full as mine were.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Teaching Fellows program (I wasn't) I will give you a quick lesson. Each year CERRA accepts applications from high school seniors who are interested in teaching for the Teaching Fellows scholarship. The appplications are scored (refer to November 6-7 blogs) and 450 students statewide are invited to interview at a regional location. The interview teams use a rubric to score the students' responses and essays. A certain number of these individuals (I can't tell the number) will be offered a $24,000 scholarship to cover their expenses at one of eleven institutions in the state. The best part is, if they teach four years in a public SC school they do not have to repay a cent!

Today I had the awesome opportunity to meet and greet about sixty high school seniors as they arrived for their interviews. It would certainly be an understatement if I said they were nervous. My job was to explain the process and the schedule for the day. I also spent a good bit of time helping to calm both parents and students as they waited for their interview time. I am so excited because I used this short amount of time to get to know these kids. They are amazing! Theses kids work, play sports, volunteer, and maintain extremely high GPAs. They are personable, caring, and respectful individuals. Most of all they are excited about entering South Carolina's classrooms!

The Teaching Fellows program brings the best and brightest students to the teaching profession. Most of the selected candidates will actually finish their degree compared with the relatively low number of general population students who fulfill the degree requirements. Teaching Fellows are prepared for the job they take and therefore 80% of them stay in the classroom. The 20% that leave, repay the loan. It's a win-win situation for the state of South Carolina. I hope the men and women who are making decisions about the education budget understand the power of this program. If they don't, they need to contact Brett Vaughn and learn more about it. I would also encourage each of you to contact your local Senator and House Member and ask them to protect the Teaching Fellows scholarships. We need these kids and I promise you they have a lot to offer.

January 16 - SCABE Conference

I really believe that my BMW should be able to drive to Myrtle Beach and back by itself. I mean, I make this five hour trek at least twice a month! If only I had a car like "Kit" from Night Rider! I wonder if the BMW executives have anyone working on this type of technology?

Anyway, today I headed to Myrtle Beach for the South Carolina Alliance of Black School Educator's annual conference. Mrs. Ida Taylor contacted me earlier this year and asked if I would be willing to present the key note for their opening celebration. Of course I was thrilled with the invitation and accepted the offer. I was also excited because I knew that some of the District Teachers of the Year would be in attendance and I would have the opportunity to visit with them again.

I really struggled with the topic selection for this particular keynote. I was tempted to use the 21st Century Education speech, but was afraid it wasn't emotional enough for this event. I ended up tweaking my "Why I Teach" presentation and was prepared to give an awesome speech. Unfortunately, I have to admit, it ended up not being one of my better keynotes. I have been fighting a cold (I haven't lost my voice) and as luck would have it I felt the urge to sneeze as soon as I approached the podium. Now when I sneeze, I really get my money's worth, so the last thing I wanted to do was to sneeze while I am hooked to a microphone. I managed to hold it in but... I got tickled instead. As a result, I lost my train of thought and forgot one whole part of the speech! I guess I learned my lesson - Next time I will just let it rip!

After my keynote I was able to talk with several of the District Teachers of the Year that were in attendance. I had a great time catching up with them and was invigorated by their excitement. I can't wait to see them again at the beach in February!

I know that the budget is a hot topic right now and I'm sorry to say that it has already started to take its toll on professional development. I was told that the number of participants for this amazing conference was down by almost 1,000 and that the organizers actually considered cancelling it. Many of the educators who were in attendance paid their own travel and registration costs. Please remember that these costs can be deducted when you are completing your taxes. I know we are between a rock and a hard place with the budget and I certainly don't have all the answers about how to fix it (notice I said all the answers) but I do know that we can't take away all the professional development opportunities. Teachers need this type of experience in order to keep their excitement up and their skills sharp. I hope school districts and our legislators will keep this in mind.

Thanks again to SCABSE for the invitation to present!

January 12-14 – Camp St. Christopher

Last night I drove to Seabrook Island to meet the Calhoun Academy of the Arts (my home school) fifth graders at Camp St. Christopher. This adventure actually started last year when my good friend, Robin Bracken, and I approached our principal, Ann Self, about taking our students on three day, two night field trip. Mrs. Self had never allowed a field trip of this magnitude before. She decided to approve it and left the planning up to us. The problem is, I left and poor Robin had to take on the responsibility of planning and financing this trip. I really felt that I owed to the school to at least show up and help out for one day (and I wanted to be there to experience it with the kids). I ended up taking a personal day and meeting them on Monday night. I’m actually sitting in our cabin after a busy day writing this. The girls in my cabin are going to serve as my guest bloggers and tell you all about the day.

This morning we woke up at 7:30 and went straight to the cafeteria and ate breakfast - grits, eggs, bacon, orange juice, and milk. After that we went to different classes. One of them was “Nonsense” where we talked about all five senses. We had to talk about the things that we didn’t really need – the things that are not important. Then the teacher asked us if we really need our sense of sight. To see if we did, we put blindfolds over our eyes and tasted three foods, smelled some things, and listened to different things. We had to identify what they were. Another activity was that we had to walk around holding on to a rope with our blindfolds on. We were supposed to guess where we were. Another class was “S.O.S.”. S.O.S (Save Our Species) was about environments and how sea turtles are threatened and may end up extinct because of plastics in the water and some natural causes. Some of us participated in “Need a Friend”. There were a variety of different games where we had to use teamwork and different strategies to get through each game. Our first game was called “Speed Ball”. Each person had to say someone’s name, throw the ball to them, and then that person had to thank the person who threw it. Another game that we played required us to help a blindfolded friend through an obstacle course. We really had to trust the person who was leading us. One other game was called “Alligator”. In this game, we had to use pieces of wood and pretend they were baby alligators. We had to put the alligators down and use them to get across the “lake” without falling in and without leaving other people behind.

Our afternoon activities varied as well. One half of us went to the mud pit and half went on a two hour hike! Mrs. Hallman’s group tromped through the salt marsh and the mud pit. On the way we saw dolphins and a flounder. We got down and dirty during this activity! It was freezing cold and our shoes were soaked. We were also covered with mud. It was a blast! The hikers saw a Like Oak and a Magnolia that looked like they were kissing on their two mile trek. We learned that our state tree is actually a grass! Did you know that? We stopped at the crab dock and found two crabs in the pot. Mrs. Hallman says she wants to eat them! We were able to watch a magnificent sunset on the beach with our friends.

Our final activities for the evening were dancing and telling stories by the fire. We all danced the Virginia reel, the Cha-Cha Slide, and the Cupid Shuffle. The Virginia reel was Barrier Island style so we did crazy stuff like dancing like a jellyfish. At the fire pit there were stories and songs that went along with them. We sang the beaver song (Bailey’s favorite) and the frog song. Despite all the smoke we were able to have lots of fun together telling stories and singing songs.

Overall Barrier Island was a thrilling experience!

Thank you to my guest bloggers: Alex, Ashley, Bailey, JeNeice, Julia, Liesel, Ranesha, and Tyisha.

January 9 – Riverside Middle School

This morning I was invited to visit Riverside Middle School and present their Words of Wisdom. Wendy Hawkins, their District Teacher of the Year, was responsible for the invite. Riverside uses a very different approach to handle morning arrival. All the students are required to report to the gym where they have the opportunity to socialize, respectfully, with their friends. Once the bell rings the students must congregate with their specific classes in their respective areas. At this time the principal approaches the microphone and gives the morning announcements in person. I love the fact that everyone starts their day together – students, teachers, administrators, and support staff. I believe it sets the tone for the school.

On Friday mornings Riverside students are treated to Words of Wisdom from a local community member. Today that meant they heard from me. I talked with them about the fact that we have the opportunity to help one another every day. Sometimes we help by listening to one another, or just smiling across the classroom in support. Other times our assistance is a more complex process. The students were a great audience and I enjoyed my time with them.