Creativity and Logic: The Importance of a Diverse Education

As an English teacher, one of the most challenging parts of the job is getting students to think outside the box. From my observations, there are few students who excel both creatively and logically. You know them when you find them. They ace everything from English to math, but it's the ones who are on either one side or another that pose the most challenge for teachers.

The Creative Kid Who Is Always in His Own World

Students who struggle with concrete concepts like math and science have a special place in my heart. Many teachers take one look at these students and write them off due to the fact that they struggle in particular subjects. These students remind me of myself. I wasn't the best student in high school and it really took until college before I gained an appreciation for subjects like math. However, I always loved creative writing assignments. Part of the reason I struggled in these subjects is the fact that I lived in my own world most of the time. The teacher might have been explaining 2 step equations, but I was sitting at my desk daydreaming about super powers or the impending zombie apocalypse. Creativity is a skill that has seemingly fell flat. It's no longer deemed important and I feel it's a true shame. Unfortunately, while creative talents have certainly been kind to particular individuals in the job market, many employers are now seeking concrete skills for their businesses, and if you don't have these skills, your creative writing degree will have a hard time finding you a job. So while there is some merit for getting away from teaching creativity, creative projects allow students to develop critical thinking skills often needed for the workplace. For these students, students like myself, it's imperative that we gain their attention early so that they may learn to respect skills like math and science. It's just difficult to pull them from their world long enough to do it.

Logical, Concrete Students

Getting a student who has no interest in math and science to suddenly want to learn about equations and proofs is tough challenge. However, students who love concrete applications can be just as difficult to reach. These are the students who excel when it comes to multiple choice tests and scientific reasoning but come up short when it comes to creative works. Why is it so hard to teach these students? Explaining to a student that they aren't thinking outside the box is very difficult. Their writing may be grammatically flawless but has the depth of a water fountain. They see the world in black and white, but avoid the shades of grey in between. Many teachers would argue that creativity simply can't be taught, but I would say that's not entirely true. Is it true that some students will naturally excel at certain subjects while others will struggle? Yes, definitely. However, by asking students critical questions surrounding a text or issue can possibly give them the ability to see the world from different angles.

So Why do Students Need a Diverse Array of Abilities?

Students are failing to graduate high school with the abilities needed to excel in both college and the job market. Students who can't think critically are automatically unqualified for jobs, even those in their field to study study after college. Similarly, and unfortunately, those who only enjoy the creative arts have nearly no place in the job market. Trust me; I'm an English major. It's for this reason students need to have the capability to both think outside the box, and at the same time, gain an appreciation for the sciences from an early age.

For the sake of discussion, what is your views on teaching creativity in the classroom? Can it be done? If so, how?

How to Get Students to Stick to Their Goals

One of the questions we hear most as teachers is, "How do you motivate students to succeed?" That's an excellent question. Honestly, and unfortunately, there is no true and tried, surefire method to achieve student success. If there was, we wouldn't be attending new professional development sessions every year to learn the latest in student/teacher interaction. We would have simply been taught this method from the very beginning and our days would consist of insurmountable success and happiness.

But let's become grounded for a moment.

Motivating students to succeed has a ton of variables ranging from the subject to student. I recently read an interesting article on Life Hack where the author, James Clear, discusses the most important factor in setting goals and sticking to them. He essentially states that many Americans set goals such as exercising, dieting, or finishing a long piece of work, yet fail to stick to these goals. He then cites a study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology that pit three groups of subjects working toward a common goal:

• The first group was asked to keep track of how much they exercised over the next two weeks and then asked to read three paragraphs of an unrelated novel before they left. 
• The second group was asked to do the same, however, they were given a brief lecture over the benefits of exercising instead of the unrelated novel. This was the group they were attempting to motivate. 
• The third group was asked to do the same, however,in addition to the motivational speech, this group was asked to sit down and write out a plan showing when and where they were going to work out over the next two weeks.

What did the results show?

Group one showed they exercised 38% of the time. 

Group two showed they exercised 35% of the time.

And group three showed they exercised 91% of the time. 

The results of this study made me think: we try to motivate students to make and stick to goals for our class, but how often do we actually sit down with that student and construct a plan to achieve these goals? As the study shows, motivation isn't enough. Why? Because it wears off. I had a colleague once tell me that motivation and bathing were similar in that they both needed to be done daily. However, motivating student to spark an interest followed by a written statement of how and when they will achieve these goals would seem to make a difference. 

Of course there would still be students who fail to stick to their goals, but that's when we need to get their attention again and again and again. Think about it, as an adult, how many times have you told yourself you're going to stick to something only to fizzle out? It's tough to change one's habits and mindset. Perhaps by sitting down with students one on one and writing up a plan to help them overcome that which they struggle with, whether its their work ethic or a specific learning target, is exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to getting students to stick to their goals. 

If you're interested in James Clears' website, you can find it at Jamesclear.com.  He write about strategies that help us stick to good habits. It's something I think we could all definitely benefit from. 

5 Handy Tech Tools for the High School Teacher

As the world of technology continues to open up new possibilities in the classroom, teachers find themselves in a situation where the use of this technology is no longer recommended, it’s required. With administrations from every school asking how their teachers are integrating technology in the classroom, I decided this would be a neat article to explore. The following are some interesting apps and programs that give teachers a variety of advantages in the classroom.

Blogger or WordPress

Free blog development sites like Blogger or WordPress are perfect for educators. Not only are they simple to use, but they offer the tools needed to communicate with your students when you’re not around. Why have a blog? The possibilities are endless. You can conduct polls, initiate discussion, or simply relay the day’s activities to those who missed. It’s the perfect classroom companion.

Dropbox

We’ve entered an age where one device simply doesn’t cut it. We may begin our work at a home computer, but then move on to school. After school, perhaps we’re out and need to access a file on the go. That’s where Dropbox comes in. I may save files on the computer at school or home as a backup measure, but when it comes to everyday saving, Dropbox is where my files find themselves. With Dropbox, you can easily save files on any device and access them anywhere you can sign in, and best of all, it’s free! I even use it at home just to move from the laptop to the desktop to my phone. My files are always by my side and it’s a nice feeling to have.

The Handy, Dandy Cell Phone

Seriously, what can’t today’s cell phones do? From messaging, to emailing, to web surfing, to… calling, yes, today’s cell phones do everything. However, when I’m in the classroom, what do I use most on my phone? The timer. Pretty simple, eh? With my lessons divided up into segments, I can use my cell phone to easily transition from one part to the next without fear of running out of time. We’re on a tight schedule, and these standards won’t teach themselves!

YouTube

Please don’t underestimate the power of YouTube. With YouTube, you can learn how to do just about anything. I learned how to fix my broken dryer recently from a YouTube video, and let me tell you, my handyman skills have a lot to be desired. With YouTube, you can easily supplement lessons. Integrate YouTube videos with your blog posts and you can create a full online lesson.

CommonCore App for Iphone

Oh, Lord in Heaven how can I thank you for this app? The need to create lessons and correlate them to Common Core Standards just got easier. Instead of browsing through the clunky PDF files available on the Common Core website, one can simply download this app and have the standards they need readily available at their fingertips. If you’re one of the many teachers expected to follow Common Core State Standards, please download this app now!

Dealing with Apathetic Students in today’s Classrooms

Apathy.

It has to be the most frustrating word to a teacher’s ears. Today’s classrooms, while likely no different than yesterday’s, host a number of students who literally just do not care. The question, therefore, is how do we as teachers deal with students who are apathetic about our classroom, our subject, or just education in general?

When I think of apathy, one particular student comes to mind. For the sake of this article, we’ll call him Joe. One day, while circulating to check students' progress, I noticed that Joe hadn’t completed his work. As a matter of fact, he had barely started. Across the top of his page, only the first two letters of his name was completed. He was too lazy to even finish his name! Being the stickler I am for getting the most out of my students, I later called him to my desk to have a one on one discussion with a student I knew little about.

It was early in the year and I was new to the job. What I learned about Joe that day will forever interest me as an educator. I asked him why he hadn’t completed his work, and unlike the many students who look away, shrug, or get offensive, he calmly and respectfully said, “I just don’t like doing work. It’s just not for me.”

Ok… I asked him how his grades were in other classes; he said he was failing all his other classes with the exception of a vocational class. I explained to him that at the rate he was going, he was going to finish with a near 2% in my class. He said that’s ok, he didn’t mind. I told him it would really be in his best interest to complete the work so he could earn a good grade. He respectfully said, “That’s OK. I just don’t like doing work.” I then asked him about his parents, would they care if he simply failed all of his classes. He calmly said, “Nah, they know. They don’t care.” (As it turns out, they really didn’t.)

Joe was apathetic. He didn’t care about his work. He didn’t care about his grade. He didn’t care about his future. I was surprised to find out that Joe had a job working in fast food; it was a job he intended to do for the rest of his life and he was ok with that. So the question remains, how do we influence students like Joe to take charge of their live when they don’t care, their parents don’t care, and there’s no punishment around that can possibly change their mind?

Gain Their Respect

Let us take to the internet to discuss a variety of ways we can get Joe to care about his future. According to the Teacher Effectiveness Program (TEP), “Try building a relationship with these students. Take an interest in them to find out what’s at the bottom of the perceived apathy.” I can agree with this statement. In the case of Joe, we know that his apathy likely derived from his home life and the values he was raised with. By connecting with Joe, and learning who he is as an individual, we’re able to gain his respect. Once we have that, Joe will complete his work to keep your respect, and in the long run, gain an appreciation for the subject matter.

Give Them a Reason to Care

Teacherhub has a different take on student apathy. They say, “We all know it’s never as simple as students just don’t care.” While many teachers will swear by the fact that their students do not care and there’s no reason for it, Teacherhub is probably right. In Joe’s case, his home life or possibly seeing school as a waste of time was probably the source of his apathy. In this case, it’s important to explore their hopes and dreams in order to relate it to your source material. Perhaps you can give them a reason to care about the skills you’re teaching.

Hold Students to High Standards

Teacherhub also mentions, “Hold your child or your students to high standards.” While very important, I find this very difficult to accomplish with apathetic students. For example, let’s say I hold Joe to a very high standard. He comes in with his work barely started let alone completed. What am I to do? Of course giving his a bad grade is obvious, but Joe doesn’t care about his grade. How do I hold Joe accountable for his lack of effort? Do I punish him? Joe would much rather spend the day in detention than have me standing over his shoulder. He would much rather be suspended, before for Joe, home is the best place to be. So what do I do? I feel this is where we must show how much we care. Sitting Joe down and explaining why it’s important that he completes his work one more time is called for here. We have to express our disappointment and show Joe that while he may not care about his future, we do. Perhaps then his next assignment will come in on time.

What do you guys think? Please, take the time to drop a comment below. I would love to discuss this topic with you. Do you have any stories like Joe? If so, how did you handle it and how did it work out? 

5 Things Sure To Ruin A Teacher's Day

Not to be confused with Miley Cyrus

I want to go ahead and say that I love teaching. However, there are some days where events occur that I could certainly do without. I’m sure I speak for most teachers when I say the following events certainly are a cause for slight concern.

Crap, that doesn’t look right.

La la la la, I’m writing on the board teaching my heart out. Then, all of a sudden…. Crap… I’m not sure if I’m spelling this right. Oh come on! I’ve written this before. Ughh, but it looks wrong. Ok… I’m taking a shot at it here. *Writes word then cautiously turns around and looks at students.* Whew. I must have gotten it right. “Ummm, Mr. Howard?” …Uh oh.

Great. They’re fighting. Now what?

Many teachers have no idea how to handle a fight. Some say, “There’s no way I’m getting involved in that.” While I do understand many teachers’ concerns, I just can’t imagine standing back and letting them beat each other’s brains out. Unfortunately, when other teachers won’t help, suddenly you’re left alone to bring about peace and order to world. At any rate, fights ruin the day.

Good thing I brought the keys to my cla- they’re at home…

This is fantastic. I needed to get things in order for first period and the door is locked. Yeah, I could go to the office and get a key, but I was just in there yesterday. Urghhh, I really need to put that key on my car keys.

Outspoken Susan is being outspoken

Some kids have no filter. You know the kid. He/she is the one that doesn’t really say anything worth getting into a lot of trouble, but they tend to think you’re their best friend and often say things that you could really do without.

I’m teaching, I’m teaching, I’m teaching… Uh oh.

There is NOTHING worse than striking to use the bathroom in the middle of a lesson. NOTHING. PERIOD. Oh, this is great. They put me in a classroom that’s miles away from the teachers’ bathroom and the teacher next door has no interest in watching my class. Erm, this is fourth period, too. The minute I step out of this room it will be 100% chaos. Now what?

It’s worth pointing out that most of the points mentioned above are exaggerated and the names/periods are 100% fictional. However, why kid ourselves? These things happen. :D

Teaching- A Robot Can't Do My Job

I highly doubt we'll ever see Rosie teaching English.

As the world continues to become more automated, there’s a mutter across the educational world that continues to cause concern for teachers everywhere: will there be a time where I am replaced? Not in the sense that a physical robot will wonder about the room taking up papers and scolding unruly students. No, instead, will there be a time where hundreds of students are in one room conducting all of their work through digital means?

Perhaps, but I would like to remind everyone that a robot can’t do my job.

It’s not possible. In order to teach, not only do you have to be human, but you have to be a special human. Teaching has evolved from delivering content to role-model, friend, guardian and counselor. We are everything at once- a collective bundle of educational knowledge and emotional support. Our duties go beyond thesis statements, two-step equations, and the rock cycle. We are movers who pick up emotional baggage throughout the day, take it home, sleep on it, and then bring back solutions. A robot cannot do our job.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Class sizes continue to grow and budget cuts threaten the security of our jobs. I’ve taught at two schools where I’ve been given a pink slip due to budget concerns. With teacher numbers dwindling and more and more students crowding our classrooms, we’re asked to take on the impossible task of doing our job properly.

And the supposed solution for this is to put a ridiculous amount of students in one room and automate the process? Nope. Teaching can’t be automated. There’s not a formula in the world that can account for the amount of variables in a teacher’s day.

So again I say, a robot can’t do my job. 

Has Students' Behavior Gotten Worse?

As a young teacher, I often find myself wondering about the state of student behavior. Not too far removed from high school, I sometimes find myself in shock and awe when witnessing some of the crazy things today's students attempt to get away with. I simply don't remember my classmates and I being so disrespectful, or sometimes downright mean.

I'll question some of the older teachers in the building, "Are these students worse than years prior?" Most say yes.

However, are they really getting worse or is our perception just a tad skewed? As for my high school memories, my perception is flawed for sure. I attended all honors and AP classes, and therefore, was only around other students who were on their best behavior. Going through college, we unfortunately live in a dream world where our days are filled with students like those we were around in high school. After we graduate and get a job, we realize the world is a tad different than what we had seen through our rainbow-tented glasses.

But what about the teachers who have claimed students are getting worse? While I can't argue with the perception of veteran teachers- they would know more about student behavior in the 90's better than I would- I do believe teachers' patience for shenanigans wears thinner and thinner as they progress throughout their career. Perhaps it's this burnout- a burnout that leads careers nationwide in professional turnover- that causes teachers to feel students are getting worse.

Recently, during a night where I had nothing better to do, I found myself watching The Breakfast Club for the first time. I know. I know. I had never watched it until recently. At any rate, I found myself watching the film from the perspective of a teacher. Have you ever realized the amount of, "Oh my God, that would be on CNN tomorrow," moments The Breakfast Club has? During that film, students pull use weapons, participate in drug use, commit multiple sexual harassment offenses, portrays a corrupt teacher committing confidentiality fraud and student abuse, etc., etc.

And that's in one day.

Of course, it's a film, and Hollywood has a way of blowing things out of proportion. However, it does show that even during the time The Breakfast Club was written, the issues of today's schools were present. Issues such as poor home life, bullying, and ironically, a teacher who feels students have gotten worse.

So, as always, what do you guys think? Those of you who have been in the field longer than I, have students gotten worse over the years?