Words and Mindset

I was reading and thinking this morning about the importance of words. Words can be deadly. I would venture a guess that without too much thinking you can recall a time when someone said something hurtful to you. Perhaps it was a name someone called you, or an accusation made to your face, or something whispered behind your back. Whatever it was, it hurt. The fact that you were able to so quickly recall it signifies its lasting impact on you. Its impact may have been amplified by who said it. If your teacher said the hurtful thing to you - it may have affected your willingness to learn or your self-talk about how smart you are. 

The Bible talks a lot about words. I love the message of Luke 6:45b where it says our mouths speak what is in our hearts. If our hearts are filled with good and lovely things - our mouths will speak good and lovely things. But, if our hearts are filled with evil, our mouths will speak evil. James 3:6 speaks about how the tongue can set aflame the entire course of our lives. 

What comes out of our mouths reflects not only what we think about others - but what we think of ourselves. Our self-talk reveals what is stored in our hearts too. Do our hearts hold what God thinks of us, or what others think of us? Whichever it is, it is telling about what we treasure. If we cling to the ugly words others have said about us, we are much more likely to speak those words to or about others. If we cherish what God has said in His Word, our speech will be glorifying to Him and inviting to our students.

Collecting Data Through Observation

Data collection is considered by many teachers to be a necessary evil. Some pretend to vomit when they hear the word "data." Few educators say, "I love data!"

Teachers collect every day and through a variety of methods. Scores and percentages on papers and assignments including all the gradebook notations are data. Attendance and lunch count are data! Recording a student's progress over time such as tracking the number of words read or the number of math facts recalled in a minute are types of data. Automaticity data (reading words and math facts per minute) are important indicators of growth and predictors of future success in the subject. 

Behavior data are also collected in a variety of ways. These data are as important to a student's "story" as their grades. Below is a summary of the most typical types of observational data collected on behavior.

Frequency Recording is a type of counting in which the teacher uses a tally sheet, clicker, paper clips (move from one pocket to the other as you count). A behavior is counted each time it occurs. 

Examples: Blurting out, name calling, dropping items, getting up to go sharpen a pencil. 

Event Recording is a type of frequency counting. In the case of event recording, record the start time, mark every occurrence of the behavior, then record the time the behavior ends. 

Examples: Out of seat, talking to a neighbor or another student.

Counting

We teachers count all the time. We count correct (and sometimes incorrect) answers on papers and tests. We count the number of kids in seats each day (and how many times "that" kid is out of his seat). We count scores and maintain records of points and averages. All the things we count become part of our class data. We use the data to make decisions about students' progress and proficiency. Data provides evidence of strengths and challenges. It informs us of areas in which targeted instruction and extra support is necessary. All of these numbers become part of our communication strategies - especially for report cards. Our Heavenly Father counts things too. He told Moses to count the Israelites in the book of Numbers in the Old Testament. Moses used the data to make arrangements for the people - to protect them and to prosper them. God counts our tears and the number of hairs on our heads. These data are important to Him. His knowledge of us is deep and His care is extensive. Knowing that God knows us is important to our confidence in Him. Most significantly, God counts us His children! He loves and wants to have a relationship with us. He counts me in!

Love this quote! It's a reminder that though our students may look remarkably similar, share the same teacher, and attend the same school, they all have different gifts and abilities! 

Time Management Tips for Teachers

Computer games can gobble up enormous amounts of time. I enjoy sitting and "vegging" in the evenings with Candy Crush or Solitaire. All too frequently, I look up to see that two hours have slipped by. When those precious minutes are gone, I sometimes wonder about the lost opportunities for more productive work, thinking, or playing. Perhaps if I had invited one of my grandkids over and we played together, I could have counted it as worthy - not wasted use of time! 

As teachers we need to evaluate our use of time. Reflective teachers also analyze the use of their students' time. If we are to teach our students to be wise stewards of their precious minutes, we must model good time management. Do your students see you read in your still, quiet moments (even though they are very few)? Do they regularly feel that you have assigned busy-work? 

We often feel as though there aren't enough minutes in a day to accomplish the many tasks we have on our plates. Here are some tips to help us be mindful of the precious gift of time.

Five Tips to Make Every Moment Count

Prioritize 

Schedule your time around your priorities. If you like lists, write them down; if you use sticky-notes, use color coding such as pink for highest, yellow for lowest, etc., and if you a task manager on your phone, be faithful and list those as they come up and give them a specific flag for the level of their priority. When you get a few blessed moments of quietness - reach for one of one of those high priority tasks.