Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement, but this impact can be either positive or negative. - Hattie & Timperley, 2007.
 
Changing the way I gave feedback to students was high on my priority list this year. I felt that writing a few sentences on the bottom of an assessment sheet was pointless. Student’s eyes search for the mark barely caring about what the teacher has written. The mark becomes the star of the show, not what was learnt or where to go to next. I noticed that this process accelerated a fixed mindset rather then giving rise to a growth mindset and I wanted to change it.
 
I decided to experiment with audio feedback. I recorded my feedback using Quicktime Player directly after the assessment. I then emailed it to my students before they returned to class. I would wait a lesson before giving them back their actual marks. The time period between the assessment and feedback, and the feedback and the mark, was very deliberate. I wanted to reprioritise the mark and turn the volume up on feedback as a tool for ongoing growth and development of my students as learners.
 
I surveyed my preliminary students after trying out this new way of feeding forward.  100% of them found this to be useful. 

They justified their response in the statements below:

• It was much more personal when I heard the teacher’s voice. I felt as if the teacher was giving direct feedback to me. It has made it easier to process the information and will allow me to apply the feedback to my work. I loved it and I think is should be done for future students :)
• LOVE IT! Because I find it more descriptive and felt like you could talk about more with the audio and I could hear the expression in your voice which helped a lot and formed the mood. Very easy to find and go back to listen.
• I was able to obtain more detail feedback and it felt more personal. I am also able to listen back to it in case I forgot anything.
• Because we can go over it as much as we like, and its different to on paper. I feel I take it in more.
• It was more personal and I was able to hear your tone.
• I feel like its nicer to hear you say what I need to work on rather than reading it.
• It made me feel so much better then when I receive my mark.

 
Parents have also commented on the audio feedback at parent-teacher interviews. They expressed an appreciation for the personal touch the feedback provided. I think they feel like it took me longer to do, but to be honest it is just as quick as writing a paragraph.
 
So the audio feedback stayed. I have used it for about 80% of my assessments this year. As the files can be quite large I save them on Google Drive and share them with students from there. I always begin formally, Audio Feedback for Assessment Task 2 – Short film for Student’s Name. I then relax and speak directly to the student. It also forces me to really think about what I am saying as I know I am being recorded. I try to be very honest and specific with my feedback, acknowledging their positive achievements and the areas for growth. I use feedback stems such as:

• I noticed…
• Something I am thinking is…
• I wonder…
• As we move onto… I would like you to think about…
• I have seen growth in….
• Creative / critical thinking was evident in ….

 
I have also been trying to frame my language to encourage a growth mindset. Mindset Works has an excellent resource to help get you started. You can download it here. There is also a series of fantastic articles and research material around effective feedback at Visible Learning.
 
For those that want to take it to the next level use the QuickTime or Screencastify to feedback over written work, video recordings, powerpoints/keynote presentations, or any project submitted electronically. 

Do the students in your classroom know what you value?  
 
In a recent professional development day, my colleagues and I heard about a science lesson on chromosomes. At the start of the lesson the teacher explicitly said, "We are going to look at this like scientists, because in this class we value scientific thinking." Out of the entire day this was the moment that stuck with me. Do I explicitly tell students what I value? 
 
I made a list of the things I know I value the most in my classroom. Risk-taking, critical and creative thinking, specific feedback and collaborative relationships. I definitely use these words in class at different times; however, I wondered if I used them consistently and linked everything we did to these terms, would I see a change in the way my students approached their work?
 
I made a poster, placed it on my classroom wall and consciously began to alter my language.
 
"Today as you move into your playbuilding groups, I want you to remember that we value risk taking in this classroom.
 
I would like you to share your work with a partner today and give them some specific feedback that can move their work forward… because in this classroom we value specific feedback as a tool for personal growth.
 
As I move around the room I am noticing that you are all working as effective collaborators because you are listening to one another and problem solving together. I think this is because you know we value collaborative relationships in this classroom.
 
I noticed that this group were trying a range of different options to move their piece forward. This is exactly what critical and creative thinking looks like in this classroom. This is what we value."
 
Have I seen a change? Without a doubt. My year 11’s are even beginning to say it themselves. One group was showing me a section of their group-devised performance last week when a student said,  "We have taken a risk here Miss, because we know that we value risk-taking in this class. Can you give us some specific feedback to help us develop it further?’"
I am not kidding.  I am not making this up.
She said, “…because we know that we value risk-taking in this class." 
 
Ron Ritchhart calls this the language of noticing and naming. I am naming the values and noticing when the students are using them. This reinforces my expectations for our classroom and places emphasis on the qualities I wish to nurture within my students. 
 
Try it. Make a list. Hang it up. Name and notice. I promise that turning this spotlight on to your core classroom values will improve student outcomes and effect the decisions your students make in regard to their learning.

​My daughter and I have a new hobby. We make terrariums. Yes, terrariums. Glass jars, vases, bowls or globes in which mini plant worlds thrive and grow.

What does this have to do with teaching you ask?
 
I am exhausted. I haven’t felt like this for a while.
Some may call it burnout. They may be right. I have spread myself thin lately, adding two large and highly stressful projects to my already busy life.
Some may call me crazy (by some I mean my husband!).
Some may say I need to say ‘no’.
Some may say that’s teaching these days, what do you expect?
I always say… “I don’t have a hobby, teaching is my hobby. I mean that is where my joy is, my passion. It’s what I love to do.” And herein lies the problem.
 
This is not the first time teacher exhaustion has hit me square in the face and it won’t be the last. I was having a conversation with a beginning teacher earlier in the year, she said, “I am just not sure how this workload is sustainable. Tell me it’s sustainable.” I felt torn in my response. I was thinking the same thing just the week before and I have been teaching for more then half of this teacher’s life. I mean I should have my shit together by now. “Of course it is,” I say. “Once you have taught it once it is easier, and you learn to manage blah, blah, blah….” I lied. I lied because I know she is and will continue to be a great teacher. I lied because I didn’t have the heart to tell her it takes over your life. Teaching is not a profession, it is a vocation and we do it because the reward far outweighs the workload.
 
Now to the terrariums. My daughter loves nature. Making a terrarium is something we have been talking about for awhile, but I had been putting it off because of this pile of marking, that set of reports and the endless meaningless tasks that I was drowning in. However, three weeks ago I realised I was wilting. I needed nourishment and I needed it immediately. It was a beautiful Saturday morning and we set upon our task. We googled ‘How to make a terrarium and keep it alive’. We got our answer, made a list of supplies and headed off to Bunnings. With enough materials to landscape half an acre, we headed to the nursery to pick our plants.

“Succulents”, I declared and as I picked up the first little guy I realised he was just like me.

Teachers are succulents. We have thick skin, adapt to storing water, and survive in arid climates. Teachers acclimatise over the years to survive the harsh working conditions of teaching. The time we can go without nourishment increases as we become more resilient and our skin thickens. We learn to store the moments of joy that keep us going, drawing on them when we need it. However, even the toughest of plants need a reprieve. They need the rain to ease the pressure, to take off the stress, even if it is just for a day.
 
“Mum, can we get all of these?”
“Yep. All of them.”

We filled our basket high with succulents and came home to begin creating. I filled a goldfish bowl, a few jars and sixteen large tumblers for my sixteen year 12’s sitting their HSC practical exam the week after. My daughter made six others of various shapes and sizes. “You just need to use your imaginary feelings when you make them mum”, she said. I was nourished. It didn’t take much, just an intermission from the harsh climate. Just for a day.
 
Three weeks later and I am feeling better. My year 12’s have sat their practical exams and I have completed one of the large extra-projects I had weighing on my shoulders. I still have the pile of marking to do and reports around the corner, but I am also making time for my new hobby.
 
I made a teacher terrarium today. It will live in my classroom. A mini world reminding me to nourish myself, to step outside and soak in the sun, to refuel my joy as regularly as possible. I used my ‘imaginary feelings’ to build it into a joy-fueled classroom. A rainbow to acknowledge the diversity of my students. A chalkboard for inspiring collaboration. A glass container acknowledging that my class is always open and welcoming of other teachers. A string of work acknowledging critical thinking and creativity. And a reminder that children grow into the intellectual life around them.

What would your teacher terrarium look like?

How To Make a Terrarium

1. Find a container of any description! K-Mart is great for cheap fish bowls or glass vases like the one I have used above. Alternatively raid the op-shop for old teacups, bowls or other interesting pieces. 
2. Begin your terrarium with a layer of pebbles or stones to assist in storing water.
3.  Add a layer of horticultural charcoal (available from Bunnings).
4.  Place a layer of soil, deep enough to cover the roots of your plant. You can get succulent specific potting mix from Bunnings.
5.  Plant your succulent.
6.  Decorate it using pebbles, stones, sand, moss and your ‘imaginary feelings’.
7.  Give it a drink of water and you are done. Depending on the size it may only need watering once a fortnight. Maybe when you water your terrarium it can be a conscious reminder that it is time to nourish yourself!

When studying threshold concepts for my Theology studies last semester I stumbled across a substantial body of research around the importance of silence in the classroom. As I was reading this material I immediately thought of my year 9 class. This mixed ability class of 27 students is my most challenging class, difficult to settle at times and often unfocussed, (or they were, before the silence project!). I made a decision in that moment to introduce silence as a daily practice into my classroom.
 
This is what I did. Try it, you can thank me later. :)
 
The Research
An excerpt from my essay on threshold concepts summarising the research around silence in the classroom:
Meyer and Land (2013) adopt the imagery of a portal to illustrate threshold concepts opening up “a new and previously inaccessible way of thinking about something” (p.3). This imagery aligns directly with Berryman’s (2006) description of silence. He writes, “Silence is present as an opening and as a waiting for knowledge” (Berryman, 1999, p.258).  The journey from noise to silence in the classroom is profoundly transformative, troublesome, irreversible and integrated, particularly in the current climate. Berryman (1999), Haskins (2010), Kessler (2000), and Stanley (2011) all highlight the ‘noise, speed and unceasing interaction’ of modern culture resulting in a loss of silence. The introduction of silence into the classroom can therefore prove challenging as it can be disorientating and uncomfortable for students. Kessler (2000) reveals this troublesome element noting that, “Students are so underexposed to silence that some have come to be afraid of any experience of emptiness” (p.38).  However, it is in this emptiness that students become transformed as their connection with ‘God, others, their deep self, or nature’ is heightened and their creative energies are ‘refreshed’ (Berryman, 1999). Furthermore, Kessler (2000) describes silence as a ‘gateway’ that leads to “…deep connection to the self, transcendence, creative expression or the search for meaning and purpose” (p.36).
 
Anthony of Egypt advocated for an authentic spiritual life; a “life lived in an intense awareness of the present moment” (Bright, 2008, p.172). Silence places students in that present moment allowing them to open the doorway inward (to self) and outward (to others) by processing the constant external stimulus that they are bombarded with.  However, the challenge for teachers lies in the culture of the school. Haskins (2010) argues that, “Teachers who are persistently pressured to improve test scores will find it difficult to honour slowness, stillness, and silence” (p. 16).  Teachers have a responsibility to make time for silence even if they feel they are crossing a dangerous boundary. Building moments of silence into the day to day running of a classroom is not impossible. Teachers could introduce the Examin to the daily classroom ritual, build opportunities for reflective journaling or artistic expression into lesson plans, allow students to ‘go solo’ mid-class, or provide reflective spaces for quiet meditation in the physical classroom (Bright, 2008; Haskins, 2010; Kessler, 2000; Mudge, 2007). These moments of silence should be seen as opportunities rather then wasted time. Mudge (2007) argues that priority should be place on ‘slow, meditative thinking’ in order to complement ‘fast, linear thinking’ and cultivate wisdom, for it is in these moments of silence that students are truly transformed (p.25).
 
Similarly to apophatic knowing it is difficult to formally measure and assess the extent to which students have crossed the threshold from noise to silence. However, informal assessment is not impossible. Teachers can use direct observation to monitor the effects of silence in their classroom. Students may demonstrate increased connectedness, joy, calm, wholeness, sense of self, wonder, defined purpose, confidence, creativity, attention and a shift towards the ‘second naiveté’ (Berryman, 1999; Bright, 2008; Haskins, 2010; Kessler, 2000; Miller, 2006; Mudge, 2007). There may also be a decrease in anti-social behaviour, depression, lethargy and anxiety amongst students. Student journaling or artwork can capture some of the transformational benefits of silence and the individual growth of students. However, due the immensely personal and liminal nature of silence the full extent of the transformation and irreversible effects it has had may prove too expansive to fully measure. 
 
The Experiment
I decided to introduce a minute of silence to the beginning of each of my lessons with my challenging year 9 class. They were told that I was experimenting with an idea. If they were keen to embark on this journey with me we would trial it for 5 weeks and they could then decide whether or not we kept it as part of our classroom practice.  They agreed and so we added a minute silence to the beginning of our lessons.
 
​I told them,
“You may use this time to clear your mind, or to notice what you are feeling and thinking right now, or to digest what happened in your last class. You might use this quiet time to pray, list what you are grateful for or to set a goal for our time together… or, if you need to, to rest.”
 
Lesson 1 –
Excerpt from Teacher Reflection: To be honest I didn’t really expect what came next. They were silent, but I could honestly say I could see them thinking. One of my most academic students decided to take a large walk around the room (which is why I will now insist on stillness) as it was very distracting and she became a focal point for some. I also realised I didn’t encourage them to close their eyes if they wanted to. It was like they were performing. They had to do something. They didn’t know how to do nothing. The minute went very quickly, which was odd as I had timed a minute before the lesson and felt like it went forever. I wonder if I have to make it 2 minutes to give them a chance to really stop. I have also asked five students to reflect on the process and will use their reflections to help inform my practice as we move forward.
 
Student Reflections – I chose five students with differing needs, abilities and personalities across the classroom to reflect on the process.
 
Student 1 - Ms Gill, I’m not really sure what brought this on, but personally, I don’t think the pause was useful. For me at least. Drama is already a break from all the busy stuff we do (that’s not to say that Drama is a super-easy subject that I think of as a break, because it’s not!).
 
Student 2 - I think the idea of the exercise was good because it gave me time to just not have to worry about everyone else but instead do what I want to do not what anyone has to do. It gave me time to be contained in myself and do what I felt I needed to do. I think that it does need to be longer though because by the time I decided what I wanted to do it was already over. For me I am not a sentimental person and didn’t want to pray or anything so instead I had a staring competition with the timer.
 
Student 3 - When Mrs Gill told us we were going to have to do this I was a bit worried because I talk A LOT but when we did it, it wasn’t that bad. I actually enjoyed doing this exercise as I get quite stressed and then to come into drama and be able to just have some time to think. I think it needs to be longer then one minute.
 
Student 4 - This is a good way to start the lesson. I used this time to listen to my breathing and relax. However, I think there should be more time, maybe 5 minutes because 1 minute was to quick.
 
Student 5 - I liked that. I liked watching what people do when they’re given free range and a basic guideline. Some people take it as a challenge and they try to out do something out of the box that they overthink it a bit, some people flick a switch and shut themselves off to the world like that. I liked feeling other peoples presence, then taking some time for myself. Today I didn’t want to think, so I was just there, being.
 
Lesson 2 –
Excerpt from teacher reflection-  So today was ok. I set it up a bit better and asked the kids not to over think it this time. I also asked them to stay where they were. Some of them told me they would prefer to sit or lie down. I let them do this as it is their experiment too. About 10 students sat or lay and the rest remained standing. The time seemed to go slowly today but I wonder if that was because they were more settled and hence so was I. I felt like we were stiller and silent. I am going to increase it to 2 minutes when we do it next though, as it does feel short. A teacher walked past our classroom as we were doing it and I am sure she was thinking what the hell is happening in there! Wonder what our third lesson will be like…
 
Student Reflections – ​
Student 1 - Ahhh… Once again, I don’t feel any different from this exercise. Talking to other students, however, I think it may be because I don’t need ‘time’ to ‘prepare’ for a lesson. I’m already calm and relaxed, and therefore, for me, the one minute is just a time-passing exercise
 
Student 2 - I don’t think it is long enough still, I didn’t have enough time to settle down. Today I decided to lie down and I thought about the air conditioner. I felt different and more calm, but I think it is only good for a small percentage of us. Those who are more creative then others and it’s a bit hard to think about what to think about, I am still unsure how I would like it to be.  See how it goes.
 
Student 5 - I really needed that. It feels like this whole week has been non-stop and that I’ve just accumulated tension in my body for 7 days straight. Taking two minutes to stretch and reflect was amazing. My body felt loose and light afterwards and I was the most relaxed I had been all week. I felt like I had been weighed down by an anchor before, but now I am floating.
 
Other feedback on the lessons that followed:
“I love having the two minutes to reflect on things on my mind, then prepare for the lesson. I like to stretch, because it feels I am physically getting rid of the pressure in my body. I feel relaxed and ready afterwards.”
 
“I liked the two minutes of time because I was able to reflect and wind down about the day. I think it is important and helps me throw everything out the window. “
 
“I liked it today as we are getting our exams back and finding out some results and I took some time to reflect. I am very negative. To take time out of talking is good.”
 
“It makes me look forward to Drama even more (if that’s possible)”
 
Students were also asked what they did with the time:

 Decisions Made By The Class After The Five Week Experiment:

• One minute was too short and two minutes was too long, One and a half minutes was just right.
• Some students preferred standing, others sitting, some lying down. The choice was theirs but it was decided they must stay in a circle and remain relatively still.
• 95% of students wanted to keep the ‘dramatic pause’ as we now term it!
• Student 1 (from the reflections above) now uses the time to set specific learning goals for our lesson or for the week. She is highly academic and needed an additional challenge.
• 80% of the students would like to see this practice used in their other classes.

 
The Conclusion
I noticed, after just one week of the experiment, that my students were more settled, focused, calm and creative as a result of the silent time at the beginning of the lesson. Instead of taking close to ten minutes of my lesson to really settle them, it was taking me one and a half! The research was right - I witnessed increased connectedness, joy, calm, wholeness, sense of self, wonder, defined purpose, confidence, creativity, and attention. I also noticed a decrease in anti-social behaviour, depression, lethargy and anxiety amongst students. My anxious kids were less anxious, my extroverted kids were quieter, my ADHD kids more focused and my academic kids more determined. 

There were also many added benefits I didn’t expect.

• Students who are late to class do not disturb the lesson… they notice it is silent time and just quietly join the circle.
• I have an opportunity to guide their thinking as they enter into a lesson. For example, we are currently studying playbuilding at the moment in year 9 and I have asked them to use part of their silent time to think about what they are going to contribute to the group in the lesson to follow.
• Furthermore, they are more comfortable being silent on stage and this has influenced their performance work greatly.  We have spoken about the importance of silence for playwrights and practitioners in their work. For example, Pinter -  “Pinter’s pauses and silences are often the climaxes of his plays, the still centres of the storm, the nuclei of tension around which the whole action is structured” (Esslin, in Ganz, p.56 1972). Additionally it has given my year 12’s a greater understanding of Lecoq who writes, “We begin, with silence, for the spoken word often forgets the roots from which it grew, and it is a good thing for students to begin by placing themselves in the position of primal naivety, a state of innocent curiosity. In any human relationship two major zones of silence emerge: before and after speech. Before, when no words have been spoken, one is in a state of modesty which allows words to be born out of silence; in this state strength comes from avoiding explanatory discourse. By taking these silent situations, and working on human nature, we can rediscover those moments when the words do not yet exist. The other kind of silence comes afterwards.” – Lecoq, The Moving Body
• In a crazy five period day, with rehearsals before school and lunch, with meetings and everything else that goes with teaching, I have a moment to catch my breath. Well actually a minute and a half every lesson! I force myself to stop with my students and take the time to process what happened the lesson before. I am much more present at the start of my lessons and more relaxed by the time we begin. 

​This is now my practice in everyone of my classes. You should make it yours too. I promise you will see the effects immediately and I am 99.9% sure it will increase educational outcomes. As Mudge (2007) argues priority should be placed on ‘slow, meditative thinking’ in order to complement ‘fast, linear thinking’ and cultivate wisdom, for it is in these moments of silence that students are truly transformed (p.25).

References
​Berryman, J. W. (1999). Silence is stranger than it used to be: Teaching silence and the future of humankind. Religious Education, 94(3), 256-272.
 
Bright, P. (2008). Ascending to wisdom: A Christian pedagogy. In M. Ferrari and G. Potworowski. (Eds.). Teaching for wisdom. (pp. 163-176). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
 
Haskins, C. (2010). Integrating silence practices inside the classroom. Encounter: Education for meaning and social justice, 23(3), 15-20.
 
Kessler, R. (2000). The Soul of Education: Helping students find connection, compassion and character at school. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
 
Meyer, J. H. F., & Land, R. (2013). Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge: An introduction. In J. H. F. Meyer & R. Land (Eds.). Overcoming barriers to student understanding: Threshold concepts and troublesome knowledge, (pp. 3-18). London & New York: Routledge.
 
Miller, J. P. (2006). Timeless learning. In Educating for wisdom and compassion, creating conditions for timeless learning. (pp. 3-14). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
 
Mudge, P. (2007). Meditative thinking and ‘dwelling upon’ – A perennial challenge for the religious educator. Journal of Religious Education, 55(2), p.20-27.
 
Mudge, P. (2009). Towards a reclaiming framework of ‘knowing’ in spirituality and education for the promotion of holistic learning and well-being - kataphatic and apophatic ways of knowing. In M. de Souza, L. Francis, J.O’Higgins-Norman, and D. Scott (Eds.). International handbook of education and spirituality, care and wellbeing. (Chapter 32, pp. 611-629). Two Volumes. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer Academic Publishers.
 
Mudge, P. (2013). ‘Crossing frontiers without a map’ – the role of threshold concepts and problematic knowledge in religious education and spirituality. Waikato Journal of Education, 19(2), 51-67.

I am not writing this for me.
I am not writing for sympathy.
I am writing this for my sister-in-law. In fact, lets just call her my sister because that is how I see her.
 
My sister (because that is how I see her) and I have a great deal in common. For starters, my husband. He is a pretty cool guy, but there is more to what we share then just him. We both have a passion for teaching. We can easily drink our way through a bottle of champagne discussing at length how we could change the entire education system if someone just let us.
 
And then,
about two months ago now,
a split second in time gave us one more thing in common.
We have both lost a child.
I lost my daughter eight years ago to congenital heart disease and my beautiful nephew was killed in a fatal car accident.
 
Again, I am not writing this for me.
I am not writing for sympathy.
I am writing this for my sister (because that is how I see her) and all the other teachers that have to return to teaching after losing a child.
 
Returning to work after experiencing a great loss, regardless of the job, can be difficult. There is firstly the challenge of pulling yourself out of bed, getting yourself dressed and facing the world. You know you have to, but some days you don’t want to because it hurts that bit too much.
 
To my sister, it is worth the effort. You are needed.
 
Work can be an escape, a welcomed distraction… that is if you are allowed that distraction. There is the fear of someone bringing it up just before the staff meeting, the fear of crying in front of your colleagues, the fear of those well-meaning looks of pity.
 
To my sister, you are both strong and allowed to cry. You are human.
 
To my sister’s colleagues, or the colleagues of anyone out there returning to work, if you want to give your condolences do so briefly. “I am sorry for your loss” will suffice. Better yet maybe you could say, “It is good to have you back. You have been missed.” Whatever you say move on quickly. Do not ask details, do not speak at length about what a great kid he is (even though he was!)…. speak to her about work. Furthermore, do not walk on eggshells. Normality is needed. Treat the person exactly how you would have before. Do not avoid them because you don’t know how to act. Just be yourself.
 
Stepping back into the classroom can be a challenge. You stare out and see all these faces staring back. These are someone’s children. They are not your children. This is when teaching really changed for me. When I entered my classroom for the first time after losing Rosie my heart was filled with love. I was overwhelmed by the enormity of my responsibility. The parents of these children entrust them to me each and every day. From that moment on every decision I have made regarding the kids in my class is pre-empted by the thought “What would I want done for my child in this situation?”. I will advocate for each and everyone of them. I love them regardless of their flaws and challenges. If they need a champion, a role-model, a mentor - I will be it. I know how precious their lives are and I want to make each one of their days with me joyful.
 
To my sister, you are a champion, a role-model, and the perfect mentor. Make a difference to each one of their precious lives and find joy in the time you spend with them. They will not judge, they will not look at you with pity. They will love you whole-heartedly and take away a little piece of that pain.
 
One of the most difficult challenges I faced when returning to teaching was dealing with parents. They often made me angry. I remember sitting in an IEP meeting with a parent who was more concerned about how the child was impacting on their day-to-day life then on the actual child. I wanted to shake them and scream “Do you realise how lucky you are? You have your child. You can hold them and tell them you love them. How can you sit here and selfishly complain?” The same happens when I see a kid come to school without lunch or a dirty uniform, or when I know they are going home to an empty, loveless house. This anger still rises up now eight years on and I have to let it go.
 
To my sister, the parents in front of you have not experienced the same pain. They need support, guidance and love. Their children do too and you are the right person to do this.
 
There are other challenges too.
When the kid in your class has the same name as your child.
When you are covering a topic touching on grief or loss.
When a word, an image, a moment reminds you of them.
When something triggers your grief.
These moments can knock the wind out of you.
 
To my sister, in these moments breathe and know that they will pass.
 
Most importantly, there is something healing about hanging with kids all day. There is so much joy in the classroom. Laugh with your students, dance with them, play outside and let their sunshine light up your day. They will not replace him, not ever, but they can bring you happiness if you can let them into your heart.
 
To my sister and all the teacher parents returning to work after losing a child, you can do this. I know because I have. You are a teacher and you can do anything.
 
Finally, one last note to my sister’s colleagues….
bring her cake and laugh with her about the time the first grader stuck half a crayon up his nose.
This too is important. 

My beautiful daughter Rosemary. 
If you would like to read more about my story and how I used gratitude as a way forward please check out ​https://vimeo.com/84639983 or www.365grateful.com

I am writing this from the airport in Ho Chi Minh. I have had the most amazing holiday travelling with my family for the last month around Vietnam and Cambodia. Hence, the silence over here at the blog! There is a couple of thoughts and stories I have had in relation to education while travelling that I wish to share with you.
 
The first takes place in ‘The Temple of Literature’ in Hanoi in Vietnam. This is the site of Vietnam's first university (established 1076) and is dedicated to Confucius. The beautiful setting would make any teacher jealous of this learning space. Open buildings, incredible gardens…. if only our modern day schools could harness such peaceful and reflective learning environments. 

One school in Vietnam has the right idea. ​As my family were walking through the gardens a group of four young students around the age of twelve approached us. They inquired whether we had a tour guide or not. When we replied that we didn’t they asked if we would like them to show us around. It was actually their school assignment for the morning! The teachers stood at a distance watching their students explain the workings of the buildings and history of this special place to us.  We learnt so much more then the paragraph I had read on google before visiting and our experience here was enriched greatly. Meanwhile, the students were applying their understanding of the history of the temple, cultural nuances and English language skills. At the end of the tour they asked if we could provide them with written feedback to take to their teacher. We gave a glowing report. These students were engaged, actively thinking, processing, and developing their social skills and confidence. I am now trying to think how I can use the same teaching strategy at home. 

The other point worth noting about the ‘Temple of Literature’ is the stone turtle tablets. There are 86 of these tablets adorning the right hand side of the courtyard. Each tablet contains the stories of the graduating students from each year. The tablets are written by the teacher noting their achievements and qualities so that all who visit can read about those who once studied at this place (that is if you can read the ancient script!). Imagine if your students could read the many accomplishments of the students before them as they passed by each day. I guess we have year books, but they aren’t quite the same! I found this practice joy-fueled and affirming…. a reminder of the type of teacher I aspire to be. 

​In fact there were many reminders throughout this trip, particularly reminders of gratitude. Have you ever seen a Cambodian school bus?  

Visited a floating school?

​I can say I have and both experiences remind me what we have to be grateful for as teachers in a first-world country. At the end of 2016 we were discussing space and environment as a staff. The usual and quite valid comments about lack of space, resources and money was audible in our beautifully furnished, warm and colourful library. Don’t get me wrong, I am the first to ask for more resources when I am given the chance, but maybe when the answer is no we need to remind ourselves that we really have everything we need.

​My daughters brought presents with them to hand out to children we met along the way. At the Cambodian Landmine Museum and School for the Orphaned we had the privilege of meeting two young boys. My daughter Penny gave the youngest boy a Mr Men book and the eldest some textas and notepads. The eldest just held his, not wanting to unwrap it and hopefully got the biggest surprise when he finally did. The youngest opened his present, saw the book, squealed and kissed it and then walked around with it safely tucked under his t-shirt and a big smile on his face until we left. Books and pens are something we take for granted, but for these children it was like they had won the lottery. 

​Despite the poverty, particularly in Cambodia, the people seemed in a way happier. When we visited the floating school classes had just ended for the day. It was only midday. The children were laughing and playing as their parents picked them up to take them back home or further afield to keep fishing for the day. They seemed so very joyful. Just take a look at the smiles on the school bus too? Maybe I am jumping to conclusions but my guess is anxiety is not an issue at these schools and teachers aren’t anywhere near as exhausted. Should we take a leaf out of their book? Simplify? Cut back? Do we ask too much? Do too much? Try to be too much?

​Lastly, travel is the greatest teacher. Over the last month I have watched my own two children make new friends from all around the world, try new foods, practice three different languages, experience other religious practices, develop their independence, immerse themselves in cultures, play with sun bears, snorkel for the first time, practice chess and even more. What they have learnt from this trip is priceless. If you can travel with your own children, you should. If you can travel yourself, you should.

I hope all of you have had an amazing holiday and are refreshed and ready to tackle the new year. I know I am.... and will come at it with a renewed perspective. 

It is the end of the year. Exhaustion hits as we deal with the never ending piles of marking, the ongoing report writing and reflect on the year that has been. So I thought it was the perfect time to say, keep your chin up. 

Dear Teacher,
​
I saw you,
Buried in your marking,
Red pen determinately scrawling feedback,
Shoulders tensed like a frayed rope in a game of tug of war,
Eyes trying desperately to stop the dam wall breaking,
I saw you.
 
I heard you,
You said it isn’t fair,
Not today, Why me?
Don’t they get it?
Tired words,
Sparks igniting flames,
Generating fires of destruction,
I heard you.
 
I felt you,
Your exhaustion was palpable,
Your eyes were heavy,
A solider ready to lay down your weapon,
Admit defeat,
I felt you.
 
And I just wanted to say….
Keep your chin up.
 
You can win that game of tug of war,
Extinguish the fire,
Fight that ongoing battle,
Because you are a teacher,
And teachers can do anything.
 
Your students need you,
Their parents need you,
Your colleagues need you.
I need you.
 
Each challenge you face gives me the courage to move forward too,
Each fire that you douse revitalises our positivity in each other,
Each battle you win reassures me that the fight is worth it.
 
Keep your chin up,
Because when your chin is up,
​you can see the joy.

Image by Ben White. Sourced from Unsplash.

A major work can be challenging for both students and their parents. Parents may feel that they do not have the content knowledge or skill to fully understand the project or support their child. However, parents can play an important role in the development of the major work and are vital to a child’s success. Parents can support their child in the following ways:

Understand what is being asked of them - Each major work has set requirements and a marking criteria. Ask your child to share this information with you. Alternatively, you can access the criteria from the Board of Studies Website. This information is generally available in the Assessment and Reporting documentation. (See links provided below.) Speak to your child about what is required and help them develop a written plan of attack or a to-do checklist.

Provide them with opportunities for creative inspiration - Each major work challenges students to think creatively and critically. However, creative inspiration and ideas are not easy to come by and can be difficult to muster particularly in times of stress. Take your child to the theatre, an art gallery, a concert, museum or even on a simple bush walk. This will trigger new ideas and refresh the brain for creative inspiration.

Help them create a project work area - Ideally it would be great if your child had a designated space in which they could work and leave their project. If the work is consistently laid out students will be more inclined to stop and ponder as they walk by. A designated space can also save time particularly in the design process. You could even encourage your child to create a vision board full of visual ideas and inspiration to hang in this space.

Speak to them about their work - Show an interest and encourage them to share their ideas with you. Ask them questions about their work to stimulate their thought process. If you see a problem with their plan provide them with critical feedback…. but approach it gently!!! Using the phrases “I like” and “I wonder” can be a subtle way to affirm their work and give suggestions. Eg. I like how you have used texture in this design. However, I wonder if the colours you have chosen could be more vibrant. Many major works include a portfolio or logbook. If they are willing, ask them to share it with you. Reading their portfolio or logbook could give you some great starting points for discussion

Encourage them to set time aside during the week to work on their project without interruptions - Help them find a set time where they can work uninterrupted each week for an hour or two on their project. Having a large block of time to really immerse themselves in the process is important if they are to make adequate progress. If possible, ensure this time is uninterrupted by occupying siblings or reducing noise in the house. 

Love them - Most importantly they need you to love them through the process. They will get stressed, they will get tired and they will want to give up. In these moments reassure them that you love them no matter what. Make them a cup of tea, bake them brownies, give them a pep talk, generate laughter in the house, watch a movie together and most importantly forgive them when they take their stress out on you
                                        …because in the end their mark doesn’t matter, they do.

Links
Design and Technology
- https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/design-technology-assessment-reporting.pdf 
Drama
- http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/drama-assessment-reporting.pdf 
Music 1
- https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/music-1-assessment-reporting.pdf 
Music 2
- https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/music-2-assessment-reporting.pdf
Society and Culture
-http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/society-culture-assessment-reporting-2014.pdf
Visual Art
​- http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/pdf_doc/visual-arts-assessment-reporting.pdf

Image by Tim Arterbury, Sourced from Unsplash.

One of my year 12 students requested I write in her graduation book over the weekend. She wants to be a drama teacher in the future and asked me to write down some advice for her when she begins teaching.  This is what I have said.
 
Be yourself – Don’t be afraid to let your students see the real you. The more ‘yourself’ you are the more your students will connect with you. Don’t try to teach a lesson exactly like you have a seen another teacher teach it – it won’t work. Bring your personality to your classroom, your passions to your content and your humanity to your relationships.
 
Smile - You will hear some teachers say, 'Don't smile until Easter. Ignore them. What good could come of this? The only possible outcome is alienating your students. So my advice, "Smile everyday to Easter and everyday beyond”. Smiles create more smiles leading to happy, warm learning environments where your students feel safe and nurtured.
 
Look for the joy – I often make a list of the things that have brought me joy in my classroom throughout the day or across the week. I give thanks for the small things – the laughter I shared with my class, the completion of my to-do-list, the improvement that one kid made in the last assessment, the coffee and conversation shared with a colleague. List them in your head as you wait in traffic on the way home, jot them in your day book or keep a journal. By actively partaking in this practice you will not become disheartened by the pressures of teaching because you a constantly reminding yourself why you do it in the first place.
 
Remember you teach students not content – Never put content before the students. You will have moments where you feel pressured to keep pushing through a checklist of dot points because of a looming exam, but don’t forget about the kids in front of you. If you feel pressured they will too and ultimately won’t learn at all. If you need to slow it down so that deep thinking can take place, do it. If they want to divert from the path of study to explore an area of interest, let them. If a colleague says, “We don’t have time for that”, tell them you will find time. The kids will thank you in the long run.
 
Find a connection – Find a connection with each and everyone of your students. The connection doesn’t need to be big, just enough to show you care. For example, if Peter plays basketball on a Thursday evening ask him how his game went as he enters class on Friday; if Michaela watches the X-Factor ask her what she thought of the performances on Sunday night; if Anne loves Justin Bieber play some of his latest music as you pack up the classroom; if John is great with technology ask him to help with your computer. Let them know you see them, hear them and are genuinely interested in them.
 
Tap into their gifts – Each of your students have talents and gifts (some more obvious then others!). Your job is to ultimately find these gifts and make the most of them. Give them as many opportunities to shine as you can. If you do this, their confidence will grow and they will flourish.
 
The paperwork doesn't matter – Seriously it doesn’t. Do it when you have to but don’t waste a second on it otherwise. If you work on it constantly it will become all consuming and suck the life out of you, leaving no time for lesson planning or creativity in your classroom.
 
Sleep – Teaching is exhausting! Make sure you get enough sleep every night to deal with what tomorrow is going to throw at you. You have to be able to think on your feet, do twenty things at once, communicate constantly and do it with a smile on your face, Hence, eight hours sleep is a must!

What advice would you add to this list? 

Image by Unsplash.