Adventures in Subbing and Other Stranger Things

 

    In 2016, the hit show Stranger Things made its debut on Netflix, and enchanted both young and old with its unique blend of 80's iconic horror tropes and teenage comedic angst. The unique ensemble includes a psychokinetic teen girl with a shaved head and a knack for using her superpowers to fight off bad guys and ferocious monsters, a group of teens who ride around in bicycles trying to solve the small town's mysteries, and the town's often choleric chief who tries to keep everyone calm and rational. Its main nemesis is the Demogorgon who has traversed the Upside Down parallel universe and tries to destroy all of humanity. What I love about this show is how people, even children, with different skills and experiences, bond together to fight off all monsters and evil-doers that come their way. This is how I picture our current educational world. It is an Upside Down place with many heroes and monsters. No one knows how this will all end, but we can guarantee that it will never be back to normal any time soon. 

    As a newly hired Teacher on Special Assignment (T.O.S.A.), my main task is to support classroom teachers in implementing strategies and lessons that will support our English Learners. It should be noted that many are currently struggling to be reclassified as proficient English learners. With last year's school closure, many of our students, especially our EL's, are struggling to pass their courses. 

    It is for this reason that I decided to leave the classroom and join the ranks of educational consultants; however, that is not what I am currently able to do. Due to the current substitute shortage, many of us who were hired to do specific district jobs, have been asked to fill in sub positions. I do not complain or begrudge this issue since I am well aware that there is a worker shortage across the nation. Much like Chief Hopper from Stranger Things, I try to keep a cool demeanor each time I enter a classroom. What I find interesting is the way that both students and some teachers view kids who don't fall in line with the rest. Whenever I walk into a new class to sub, there is always a note that gives a list of "students you can count on" and "challenging kids". Similarly, students are quick to point out the "bad" kids in the class. I have even heard kids say, "Oh, just wait till you get to 6th period. They are the worst kids you'll ever have." On another occasion, a teacher left a note that said verbatim, "Please watch X closely. He steals everything and is very destructive." This was for a 1st grader! Let's just remember that 1st graders have never been in a school setting because they completed their kindergarten year remotely. I can't imagine what this child must feel like each day at school when his 1st grade teacher views him as a thief. So I wondered: 

How powerful are teachers' words? Do teachers' positive and negative words affect student achievement? 

    "It is thought that positive attitudes enhance effectiveness of learning while negative attitudes cause the opposite. Learner’s attitudes can be modified by their experience and positive ones may be reinforced especially when learners experience success. On the other hand, failure or fear of making mistakes can interfere with it to a great extent" (Language Learners’ attitudes and beliefs: Brief review of the related literature and frameworks, 2013). You do not have to be a clinical psychologist to figure out how devastating negative comments can be on a child. A negative note such as the one I mention sets that child on a path of low-expectations by the school's staff. The teacher's words carry a long-lasting affect as notes such as these get passed along to the next year's teachers. Moreover, the student starts to view herself as different and might even accept the label as the "bad" kid. "Low self-esteem or lack of confidence leaves students doubting their ability to succeed, making them hesitant to engage in learning or take appropriate academic growth risks" (Students experiencing low self-esteem or low perceptions of competence 2021). This situation bothers me extremely because I know first hand the long-term affects these type of words can have on a child. For 21 years of my teaching career, I worked with "at-promise" high school seniors at a low-income, high needs school. Sadly, some of my students were so disillusioned with their education they had given up on the idea of getting a high school diploma. "Naw, Ms., I ain't gonna make it to graduation. But thanks for trying." I remember one of my students saying the 1st week of his senior year. I wondered when this child gave up on school or more importantly, when our school system gave up on him. 

So, what can teachers do during these challenging times to change student perception?

1. Show that you care- Carl Jung, renown psychologist, once said, "One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings." Because I live in the same community where I teach, I often encounter many of my former students. I cannot express how joyful I feel when a student excitedly comes up to me to say hello. "Do you remember me, Ms. Garcia?" They eagerly ask. They often remember how I made them feel and how much fun they had learning in my class. "Do you remember when we acted out scenes from Lord of the Flies?" Never have I had a student tell me about a great worksheet I once gave them or a memorable quiz they once took. Instead, they remember a feeling of safety, of belonging, and of knowing that their teacher believed in their highest potential. Teachers, and yes, even subs, should be positive and show with both their words and their actions how much they care for students. 

2.  Use humor- Yes, even though it feels like a Demogorgon is roaming around in your class causing havoc and destruction, keep your attitude light and jovial (okay, except if kids are in danger, of course). This past year, I had a young lady who dropped the F' bomb after each sentence. At times, she would raise her voice and tell the class what she did over the weekend using very inappropriate language. I never yelled. Never publicly scolded her. Never called security on her. Instead, I would calmly walk over to her desk. I would bend down and very softly and tell her, "I appreciate your descriptive vocabulary, but let's try to repeat your story without such flowery language." She would laugh and say, "Ms., I'm trying." I knew she wanted my attention, and I also knew from experience and research that by giving her public attention, whether it be positive or negative, I would reinforce her behavior. Instead, I wanted to model how to stay calm, how to use language for a school setting, and at the same time send the message that I wanted her in my class. "If a teacher gives attention to a student for prosocial behavior, such as raising them for good work, then the student is more likely to do similar good work in the future. If a teacher gives attention to a student for problem behavior, such as reprimanding them for disrupting the class, the student also may be more likely to repeat this behavior--especially if this is the only way to get a teacher's attention" (Science Daily, 2016). I often tell teachers and subs, kids can see right through adults. It's like they have superpowers and know genuine love and understanding. Each time you send a kid out to the office rather than take the time to understand what he or she is dealing with, you send the message that you don't care. That student will only come back with more resentment and anger-a recipe for more disruption in your class.

3. Make it interesting- "Engage the students' interests by setting them up for success: give them specific tasks at which they will excel..." "Engage students in a conversation about their interests, and point out students' skills privately" (Students experiencing low self-esteem or low perceptions of competence 2021). If students are acting out, teachers should first look at the lessons and activities they are assigning. Yes, I know that teachers are not hired to entertain students; however, it is our job to differentiate for the particular needs of our students. If I know my students well enough, I can tailor my lessons to ensure that they are engaged with the material. For example, the other day I had to sub for a kindergarten class. The teacher left a lesson plan, but I knew there was going to be some spare time. From my experience, when kids are bored they tend to act up. So I quickly researched How-To-Color Christmas themed images on YouTube and had the kids practice their drawing skills. Similarly, I am an avid learner, so I equip myself with lots of info on what kids like- from the newest Anime videos to who's popular in the music world to keeping up with the latest sports stats. This is all thanks to my three teenage kids I have at home. Now, this type of info gathering might be very time consuming, so instead, you can ask your students in the classroom what they are into. "Hey, so what are you all doing for winter break?" "Tell me about your school." "Can anyone recommend a good place to eat around here?"  "What is more, teachers when communicating with pupils send them intentionally or unintentionally verbal and non-verbal messages, which pupils receive, consciously or unconsciously. It makes them feel 'real or unreal, accepted or rejected, valued or scorned, understood or misunderstood, humanized or objectified'" (Sieburg 1985). For older kids, I show a few short films to analyze such as "Alike" by Rafael Cano Mendez and Daniel Martinez Lara or "The Present" by Jacob Frey. These garner great conversations on being different and accepting ourselves as we are. 

There are many unknowns in our world today, and our students are feeling lost and confused. Some might be dealing with economic struggles, illnesses, and death. That is why we, as classroom teachers, must equip ourselves with patience, inner peace, and love for our craft and our students in order to survive. We must count on each other, just like the band of kids from the hit show Stranger Things, acknowledge the uniqueness of our students, and, if needed, use our superpowers to quiet the storms in the lives of our students. 

American Psychological Association. (2021, August). Students experiencing low self-esteem or low perceptions of competence. American Psychological Association. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/self-esteem.

Language learners’ attitudes and beliefs: Brief review of ... (2013). Retrieved December 13, 2021, from http://www.ijonte.org/FileUpload/ks63207/File/06a.hosseini.pdf.

ScienceDaily. (2016, August 8). Negative attention from teachers can lead to more negative student behaviors. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160808150536.htm.

Sieburg, E. (1985). Family communication. New York: Gardner Press

Lessons from The Little Mermaid: How to teach our ELL's to speak up

  

 

When I was about 9-years-old, my father gave me a copy of the book The Little Mermaid. No, it wasn't a cartoonish Disney version with lots of colorful pictures and big words. It was an encyclopedia-looking book with beautiful gold trimming, absolutely no pictures, and very small print.  The book was from the 1837 Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. As most know, the premise of the story is a that a young mermaid trades her melodic voice for a chance to walk on land in order to meet her beloved. She sacrifices her safety, her family, and the world she knows to find her happiness. This is what I imagine many of our English language learners feel like when they enter our classrooms. I know this because I too was an English language learner. 

    All my young life, I spoke Spanish at home. My father wanted to make sure his children never forgot their native language so he told us we could only speak Spanish while at home. As he believed, we were surrounded by English and would eventually learn the language. It would be harder for us to remember our mother language if we didn't practice it every day. Eventually, my siblings and I because bilingual and biliterate. Our language dexterity has opened many doors in our respective careers. 

Who are our English Language Learners?

    So this brings me to our current English language learners, especially our immigrants. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2015 there were nearly 5 million English language learners in U.S. public schools. In California, there were more than 1.3 million ELL students; that's almost 21% of the state's total public school enrollment. Many, like Ariel from The Little Mermaid, left the safety and familiarity of their homeland to fulfill their family's American dream. They sit, often quietly, trying to figure out what the class is learning. Well-intention teachers, in an attempt to not embarrass second-language learners, avoid calling on them. In some cases, they are placed in English Language Development(ELD) classes with other ELL students in hopes of filling the English learning gap. Sadly, many of these students quickly get the message that they have a deficit, that they are not as intelligent as their peers, and that they cannot fully participate in the school's culture. In an article titled "English Language Learners: How your state is doing?" it states, "most ELLs are struggling because they have little or no access to quality instruction tailored to their needs. Although 90% of these kids are enrolled in designated ELL programs, at least one recent study argues that the quality of these programs is suspect." I remember walking into an ELD class at the high school I was observing and witnessing 15 and 16-year-olds coloring Thanksgiving pictures. The teacher proudly explained that she was teaching them about American traditions. The reality is that ELL's lag far behind their English only speaking peers when in comes to graduation rates and college attendance. In fact, "Only 63% of ELL's graduate from high school, compared with the overall national rate of 82%." Thus, ELL's should not be coloring pages to teach them English, especially not at the upper grades. 

So, what can teachers do to support ELLs?

1.) Honor their native language- As Dr. Kate Kinsella, often known as the guru of ELL instruction, states, teachers should never imply that a student's home language is not appropriate. Instead, teachers should teach register, and explain how different settings require different types of diction and syntax. Moreover, teachers should leverage student's linguistic repertoire by encouraging them to use translanguaging techniques. Basically, the theory argues that English learners can use their native cognitive and language toolbox to make sense of the content they are learning. As Dr. Kinsella puts it, the goal is to make them bilingual and biliterate, not to make them monolingual. 

2.) Create a talk time routine-As students return from a year and a half of distance learning, many have stayed on "mute" with "cameras off". They now have an extra layer of invisibility-their masks. Many kids, especially our ELL's, find comfort in staying anonymous and unseen. Heavy accents, lack of knowledge of everyday English language, and the complexity of English grammar rules makes it challenging for our ELL's to fully participate in classroom discussions. It is easy to avoid calling on these students for fear that they might get made fun of. But this well-intentioned practice is doing more harm than good. A strong classroom educator will create safe and courageous speaking routines that constantly invite students to share their ideas. After spending many years in the classroom, I have created daily speaking opportunities. I have classroom leaders or call on non-volunteers to read and explain our day's objectives. I have a daily discussion question as a warm up. Simple questions such as: Would you rather fly or go back in time? or What do you prefer sugary snacks or spicy snacks? Pre-assigned partners must speak to each other in 2-minute time allotments. I provide academic sentence frames and word banks. I then call on non-volunteers again to share out what their partner said. We applaud each speaker. At first there is resistance from some of my ELL's or my shy students, but I share my experience of not knowing English and dealing with anxiety. I tell them that a teacher helped me overcome my fears and now no one can shut me up...they laugh at this. 

3.) Change the school culture- Many schools continue to use the language deficit model when discussing English Language Learners. Often in school leadership meetings, ELL's will be grouped with students with special needs. Teachers will bemoan how many ELL's and SpEd students they have, and will begrudge PD and meetings on how best to meet these students' needs. I have been in a school setting long enough to know how painful it is to hear these conversations from educators who want the best for their students. What I really hear is frustration and lack of understanding of our ELL population. In order to see improved student outcomes, educators need a paradigm shift when it comes to multilingual students. Our ELL's should be language ambassadors who serve as campus tour guides for visiting guests. In my ELA class, we would practice saying good morning in various languages and I would encourage students to use their native languages when reading and writing. One day, one student volunteered to teach us about Larry Itliong, the United Farm Worker leader who inspired Cesar Chavez to start the grape strike, and she taught us some sayings in Tagalog. In November, I helped organize a Day of the Dead Open House event. All of our students in our ELD courses and Spanish courses presented their projects and spoke to parents in both English and their native languages. 

With almost 5 million English language learners in U.S. schools, can we really afford to not reach these students? English learners are one of  the fastest growing groups in our school settings, and it will take all stakeholders to participate in their education. In this manner, our students will not feel like they had to trade in their voices to win a piece of the American dream. 

Bialik, K., Scheller, A., & Walker, K. (2020, May 30). 6 facts about English language learners in U.S. public schools. Pew Research Center. Retrieved November 23, 2021

Freeman, D. Y. and D. (2021, August 11). What is translanguaging in the classroom? What is Translanguaging in the Classroom? | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Retrieved November 23, 2021

Mitchell, C. (2021, November 10). The nation's English-learner population has surged: 3 things to know. Education Week. Retrieved November 23, 2021

Sanchez, C. (2017, February 23). English language learners: How your state is doing. NPR. Retrieved November 23, 2021.

The Quiet Place: Post-Distance Learning Classrooms

    

   There's this movie that came out a few years ago called the Quiet Place. In it there’s a family that nee

ds to learn how to survive in a post-apocalyptic world by staying silent. Their new world is inhabited by blood-thirsty creatures with a keen sense of hearing. The family learns to survive by using gestures and sign language to communicate. Well, this movie is very relevant today in our post-distance learning schooling. I have noticed a pervasive silence in the classroom as we return from our Covid lockdown. After a year and a half of remote learning, students have become accustomed to staying on “mute” and turning off their “cameras”. Teachers are having a hard time getting students to interact with each other and with the materials, or to interact appropriately. I have noticed first hand, students sitting at their desks staring aimlessly into the abyss. I have also encountered hostile and aggressive students who have lashed out when asked to do their work. As a high school classroom teacher of almost 25 years, and now as a district TOSA (teacher on special assignment), I have had the chance to witness the change in attitude and behavior of many students. Due to the current substitute shortage, one of my duties as a TOSA is to be a substitute teacher at various locations. I have been in a 2nd grade class, a 5th grade class, a middle school, and at an alternative high school. In all of these classrooms there is something that stands out- the need for students to re-learn how to interact and communicate effectively and appropriately.

What affects has the pandemic have on students' mental health?

    According to John Lavine, staff reporter for the New York Times, “The shuttering of the American education system severed students from more than just classrooms, friends and extracurricular activities. It has also cut off an estimated 55 million children and teenagers from school staff members whose open doors and compassionate advice helped them build self-esteem, navigate the pressures of adolescence and cope with trauma.” For many students, having one-on-one interaction with an empathetic adult on campus was what kept them mentally strong. This is particularly true for socially economically disadvantaged students and foster/homeless youth who often live in settings filled with chaos, addiction, and violence. At my high school, we have an interventionist with a social service background who works with some of our most vulnerable students. Pre-pandemic, she would check in on students, call home if they were absent, or pick them up from a class if they were having a hard time. Ms. C, as the kids call her, knew she was one of their own since she came from the same tough neighborhood that many of them lived in. “Hey, mi’jo. How you doing today?” You would often hear as Ms. C roamed the hallways. These much-needed interactions suddenly stopped when schools shut down in March of 2020. 

    A year and a half later, as students shuffle through hallways once again, it appears that the lingering effects of the pandemic will be with us for a while. In fact, “School violence has risen to levels that we haven’t seen quite frankly,” said Mo Canady, executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers. “I don’t think it took a genius to see this coming” (Meckler and Strauss, 2021). Kids are mirroring the stress and toxicity in our society and acting out in different ways. Some are passive-aggressive, others are confrontational, and others are taking out their stress in violent ways. 

So this begs the question, what can be done?

        How do educators re-teach civil interaction and communication skills? 

Knowing that my students had suffered through loss of loved ones, parents’ financial stress, and depression and isolation, I equipped myself with an Inspector Gadget type mentality when I started school this year. I knew that having students read a chapter from the district assigned curriculum and then have them answer the questions at the end of the book was not going to cut it- in fact, it never has. So I did the following:

1. Music creates bonds-On day one of instruction, I had my students write down a list of their favorite songs. I then created a YouTube playlist for each class. I assigned a student to be the Class DJ each time we had some independent study time. The music selection ranged from Kendrick Lamar to Taylor Swift to Ramon Ayala. As kids worked quietly on their work, their heads would pop up with joy when they heard one of their favorite songs being played. I would then take the time to walk around and ask them how they were doing. As Chris Brewer states in his book titled "Music and Learning," "Our attitudes can be affected by music. It can affect energy levels and feelings...School can be a stressful place. Anything that can reduce stress in school helps not only a student but also their peers and their instructors as well."

2. Let them lead- As part of my student-led classroom philosophy, my students participated in class elections. After a fun-filled election campaign, each of my classes elected a class president and two vice presidents. These students were now responsible for coming up with an attention getter signal, give a greeting, and read the day’s agenda. One of my class presidents would signal by saying, “Waterfall” and the class would shout out in unison “Sssssshhhhhhhhh!” Yes, these were my high school juniors and seniors, and they were loving this new routine. Soon, other kids took on jobs such Fitness instructor who would lead the class in quick stretches, or our motivational speaker who would read off a few inspirational quotes to start the class. Alexis Simpson, in her article titled "10 Tips to Creating a Student-Led Classroom, states, "It can sound scary to give up some of your control and turn over some of the responsibility to your students for the first time...You're working smarter, not harder...students don't make all the decisions, only some. Empower your students to make decisions." Kids of all ages need to feel a sense of control in a world that has been through tremendous turmoil. Having clear routines and allowing students to make decisions can go a long way. 

3. Choose topics intentionally- "Know your audience." This is something all teachers of English often tell their students when instructing them to write or deliver a speech. Well, the same goes for teachers. We need to know our audience. We need to know what they are into and what gets them talking. We can't just expect them to have passionate debates about Patrick Henry's speech to the Second Virginia Convention or to feel excited about discussing the juxtaposition of ideas in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour". Yes, eventually we need to teach them these types of works, but first we need to lure students back into having vibrant discussions by tapping into what they know and what they like. Last week, as I subbed a 5th grade class, one student who was having a hard time focusing told me, "Hey, call me Travis Scott." I turned around and asked him, "So, do you think he should be blamed for what happened at his concert?" Even though he was only 10 years old, he, along with about 4 other highly excitable young boys, chimed in on the conversation. "Naw! It wasn't his fault" one boy exclaimed. "Do you think he incited the crowd? I calmly asked. Soon, the boys sat down to have a quick debate. At this point I know I had them. After that moment, I was able to get them to work on their assignments. They saw me as one of their own. Someone who talked with them not just at them.

As we all know, the world has changed and so has our students' behaviors and attitudes. We can either echo the words of our grandparents when they would romanticize an idyllic past that never truly existed, or we can embrace our these new changes and see them as an opportunity to teach our youth how to communicate. In the end, we know that a silent classroom in not good for students, for our school culture, or for our society at large. We must equip our students with the language skills to succeed and show them how to fight off any blood-thirsty creature that they might encounter.

Breaking Bad Teaching Habits (During Distance Learning)

When I first set foot in a classroom as a teacher, I was a naïve 25 year old who thought she knew how to handle kids. Wow! Was I in for a surprise. My first teaching job was at an urban elementary school in East L.A.. I was born and raised in La Puente, so I figured I could relate to my new students. I was given a 4th grade class and was sent to teach in one of the new bungalows in the back of the school. I had no idea what I was doing. Back in the mid-90's, I was given an emergency credential even though I was still in a teaching program and had never taught my own class. Today, most new teachers work closely with a mentor teacher; I  had to learn through fire. Those little 4th graders taught me everything I needed to know about classroom management, patience, and love. I have now been teaching for 22 years, and I can still see Lester and Victor and Samantha and David and so many others. This rambunctious group of 10-years-olds helped me break some bad teacher habits and develop stronger classroom management skills. I now serve as a department chair and have also served as a mentor teacher for Claremont Graduate School of Education. I often refer back to my experience in elementary school to guide new teachers. Here is how I have applied my knowledge to this new era of distance learning. 

Bad Teacher Habits

1. Don't assume

It can become very frustrating and downright lonely to teach to a black screen with only names on them. This year, students realized that they had the power to control who got to see them and who did not. Many schools gave students to option to have their cameras off during remote instruction due to privacy concerns or to allow for better internet connectivity. For many teachers, seeing their students' faces and getting non-verbal feedback was one of the ways to assess for understanding. Castelli and Sarvary (2021) argue that "Instructors benefit from receiving nonverbal cues from their students such as smiles, frowns, head nods, looks of confusion and boredom, so that they can evaluate their teaching in real time and adjust accordingly to improve student learning."  Some teachers frustrated the lack of on-camera participation have threatened students with taking away points to kicking students out of class if they didn't turn on their camera. The sad reality for some students, especially vulnerable groups such as low-income or students with special needs, is that having 30 set of eyes looking at you or at your room can cause lots of anxiety and distraction. Many teachers often assume that if a student doesn't turn on their camera or does not respond during synchronous instruction, then that student is asleep, distracted, or does not care about their learning. Although this might be the case for some students, it is not the case for all of them. Just this year alone in my classes of only 90 students, I have encountered kids who have lost their parents due to Covid-19, kids who have had to take on part time jobs and do not get enough sleep, kids who live with foster parents or in group homes and are dealing with depression, kids who share their rooms with multiple family members, kids who are taking care of other kids, kids who do not have strong enough internet connection for themselves and their siblings. This list can go on and on. So yes, even though I miss seeing my students faces, I know that just having them here in my virtual classroom so that I can help them through this difficult time is more important. In fact, today on the last week of school for my seniors, I had 100% verbal participation on a poetry slam contest. Yay! I might not always see them, but I know they are listening. 

2. Don't get stuck in a rut

One of the many lessons I learned during my first year of teaching was to keep things moving. My very energetic group of students were not shy when they felt a lesson was dragging on. This is true in today's virtual classrooms. One of the biggest complaints by students about distance learning is how boring classes can be. When I have walked into my kids' rooms to check in on them, I often only hear the teacher giving instructions or showing a video or worse yet, reading out loud to them- even though they are in high school. "When do you get to practice speaking Spanish in your class?" I ask my son. "Never" he glumly responds. "The teacher doesn't like to use breakout rooms so she just gives us worksheets to complete." I know first hand how difficult it has been to adjust my lessons to this new environment, but I knew I had to. With so many online resources, it isn't very difficult to find a few tools that fit your style. According to Common Sense Education, there is a wealth of tools teachers can use to keep things fresh. Some of my favorite to use in my AP Lit and Avid classes are: Pear Deck, Padlet, Flipgrid, and Adobe Spark. Not a day goes by when my students are not actively participating in a lesson. They are either having an online debate using Jamboard or are annotating a text using Pear Deck. Keeping things fresh can help with the monotony of distance learning. When all else fails, take your laptop outside and teach from a new location. Sometimes the one who needs a breather is the teacher. 

3. Don't take yourself so seriously; learn to have fun

I know, I know. I said the "F" word. Yes, "Fun!" Oftentimes teachers feel the enormous pressure to follow district pacing guides, meet all of the state standards, or prepare students for high stakes exams. However, what is the appropriate pace during a global pandemic? Parents, politicians, and even students have been critical of distance learning arguing that there has been tremendous "learning loss". Engzell, Frey, et. all (2021) in their research on the affects of school closures state that "Losses are up to 60% larger among students from less-educated homes, confirming worries about the uneven tool of the pandemic on children and families." This argument is being received with mixed emotions by educators. What does "learning loss" actually mean? What many teachers have found is that trying to cover all of the curriculum as if students were sitting in a classroom does not work. Teachers have had to adjust their lessons to meet the social-emotional needs and academic needs of their students. My daughter tells me that her favorite teacher laughs with them, finds funny memes to share, and tells them everyday he is there for them. He tells them to take a 1 minute stretch break, to go get a snack, and  shows them what his messy hair looks like. I always have music playing when they "enter" my Zoom class or let them play a quick round of online Pictionary using the app called Drawasaurus. Similarly, rather than trying to "get through" all of the material, what I have found useful is to bring some fun into the classroom while at the same time sneaking in the learning. For example, on the first day of class, instead of droning on about the classroom rules and course expectations, I start with an "I Am" poem project. Students get 30 seconds to find an object that is either in their possession or nearby that represents their personality. For instance, one of my student said, "I am like my shoe; a bit worn out but still going." Another student said, "I am like Mayonnaise; I bring out the best in people." "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" I excitedly shout. One by one my students share out who they are in a creative manner. As students listen to their peers, they take notes on each students' object. Then, to wrap up the lesson I have them listen to the poem "Who Am I" by Nate Williams. After hearing the poem, they are asked to write their own extended metaphor poem. By the end of day one of class, I have lowered my students' affective filter by creating a brave space for them to share their ideas. I have helped them develop their speaking and listening skills, and I have tapped into their creative juices. No. I don't believe students have to be victims of  "learning loss" during distance learning. The real loss lies within the school system and educators if they fail to make necessary changes to meet the ever-changing needs of students. 

The Walking Dead...How to Breathe Life Into Students

 (Pre-Pandemic)

There was this teacher near my classroom who would let his students take a stretch break during class. They would all walk almost single file around a little quad pathway. What I found most amusing and a bit tragic, was that the majority of them walked with their heads bent down staring at their cell phones. They did not look at the beautiful trees nor did they take the time to have conversations with their peers. To me, they reminded me of a mob of zombies from Walking Dead. I imagined that if I made a slight sound, they might come after me; however, I knew that their cell phones held them captive. 

This sight of hoodie-wearing zombies was no different from what I often encountered in my classroom. Of course, I would not allow students to use their electronic devices so instead they would stare morosely at the clock waiting for freedom to arrive. This was especially true of the boys in the class. I taught at a low-income school where the predominant group was Latinx students. Over 87% of the student population was on free or reduced lunch and the average educational level in the community was a high school diploma. The fact that students in my classes were bored and disengaged bothered me...a lot. I started to ask, "How do we motivate students?" "How can we empower them to use their voice?" "What if teachers could show students how to advocate for themselves so that they do not become consumer junkies or social media addicts?" I thus set out on a journey to find ways to change my classroom dynamics. 

The first place I looked was in my own home. I clearly remember one day walking into my living room and watching my 4 kids play a video game. They were not racing any cars, playing any sports, or shooting anyone (thank goodness). Instead, what I found was that my 4year old daughter, 5 year old son, my teen boy, and my college stepson were all creating a 3D world using Minecraft. When they saw me, my son started to rattle off what he was making and the different stones he was using to create his new world. My daughter excitedly gave me a tour of her crystal palace with lava rivers and majestic trees. That moment was a real game-changer for me. I knew from years of raising my kids that designing and building was always a fascinating activity for all ages. 

I began to research project-based learning and wondered if there was curriculum connected to the idea of making a new world. That is when I came upon the amazing methodology called the Doreen Nelson method of Design-Based Learning. I soon became so enthralled in the idea of DBL that I enrolled in the masters program at Cal Poly Pomona. The courses were taught by Doreen Nelson herself! She was a disciple of constructivist theorist such as John Dewey who argued that "rather than the child being a passive recipient of knowledge, as was presumed by many educators of the time, children were better served if they took an active part in the process of their own learning. He also placed greater emphasis on the social context of learning (Teach Thought Staff). For years, I had taught the way that I had learned best- through lectures. My teachers stood at the front of the class dispensing valuable knowledge while we all sat passively taking copious notes in order to regurgitate these ideas on an essay or test. I was soon to find out that students learn best by doing. Within just a few months I had started to change my methods. 

First, I began by instituting a class governance system. I created class jobs including class president, class dj, homework czar, and activity directors. The class voted on a few class leaders and from then on instead of me being the one who welcomed the class and read off the day's learning objectives, my students took charge. They created funny call back signals. The president would shout out "We are?" and the class would respond "Lobos!" One of my boys who was clearly on the autism spectrum had a joke of the day. The class would cheer him on when he was a bit hesitant. Soon my classroom was no long "my" classroom, but rather "our" classroom. Research in the study of student-led classrooms shows that "Placing students at the center of their own learning requires their collaboration. They need a voice in why, what, and how learning experiences take shape" (McCarthy 2015). I soon found that students were more eager to participate when their peers where at the helm. Soon we created teams with team captains, door greeters, and motivational speech givers. Along with creating student governance, I also introduced the DBL method into all of my units. Student had to now create their own 3D models based on a set of criteria related to the themes we were studying. For example, students designed and created their own avatars that symbolically represented their personalities and values. We then used their avatars to write personal narratives, I Am poems, and interviews. Because students had designed and create their own 3D projects, they were more willing to explain what they had made. All of a sudden,we were reaching the 5 C's on a regular basis: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Civic Learning. I knew from the energetic buzz in my classroom that I would never go back to traditional teaching. My once-zombified students had come alive and I was going to continue to find new and exciting ways to get them involved in their own learning. 

(*During remote learning: I continued to have class jobs and leaders. We used online platforms such as Flipgrid and Jamboard to share their 3D projects. I am now part of an amazing team of workshop facilitators for the Design-Based Learning Program at UCLA Center X.  

https://centerx.gseis.ucla.edu/design-based-learning/about/