Formative Assessment Turns into Review

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“Can we do the white board thing again?” asks one.

“Seriously?”  Typically they’re so reticent about committing their answers to the whiteboard and I’m surprised they’re actually requesting the activity.

“Yes, it’s really helpful” bursts out the entire class in unison.

My favorite formative assessment has just been requested as a form of review by my IB students. For my purposes, during the course of a unit such an activity determines how well students understand concepts.  A series of well-prepared questions that are informative regardless the answer given are posted on the Smart Board and students commit to answers on individual “white boards” (clipboards with a sheet of paper covered with left-over laminating material).  They record their answer, without letting their peers see (and boy are they protective of their answers) and then they hold up the boards high so I can see all the answers and know at a glance where the entire class stands.  If I formulate the questions properly, misconceptions are exposed, understandings are revealed, and weaknesses are identified. I immediately attend to the gaps or I plan the next lesson according to the needs.

What was revealed before was confirmed once again, that this process also helps the students. It gives them confidence in what they know and it helps them to realize what they need to further work on. 

The trouble is coming up with good questions on the spot.  But they are begging me.  So, I pull out the textbook and look at assessment statements. The questions start coming and the students start writing. “Can you ask some more on Topic 5.4 because there are things I’m still unsure of?”  “Sure!”  Within an hour we’ve covered the entire chapter.  “Was that helpful?” I query.  “Yes. Definitely” comes back the response.  Echoes of  “Thank you so much” filter towards me as they all depart the classroom.

It’s so interesting how we as teachers assess in order to know where to take the class next.  However, it seems the assessment can also aid the students in deciding the direction of the class: move ahead or review some more.  It is exciting to see the students take these assessments as opportunities for self-reflection.  I continue my advocacy of formative assessment but I am changing my tune on its purpose.  It clearly serves both teachers and students.  Any other good formative assessment techniques or experiences out there?

Student Trips

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“Ah, I can breath easily now.  They are all here.”

The Danish sun has warmed our faces as we waited for the students to gather.  They’ve been given two hours, in pairs or groups, to eat lunch and meet us at the end of the pedestrian zone.  We, as teachers monitor the zone, watch people,  and chat but we always have the students on our minds.  There’s a relief when we see a couple of them wander by or go into a restaurant, even if it is McDonalds, and sit down.  You know exactly where they are and that they’re safe.

We slowly count the students as they meander towards us.  They are happy with stomachs now filled and having enjoyed the short time to self-govern themselves.  99% of the time the students are well behaved, careful, and rule abiding.  However, it’s always a relief when they all accounted for.  So, I understand my colleagues quiet exclamation and sigh of relief. 

This trip is a bit different for me as I came in the role of parent rather than chaperone.  However, my husband is one of the coaches and I have taught or am currently teacher to 12 of the 14 students in tow.  Thus, I naturally find myself in a chaperoning role for two reasons.  One, I genuinely care about the students and two, they associate me as one of the chaperones because I am their teacher. Thus, I also share my colleague’s feelings.

Students from this school year's trip week to Berlin at a location along the former wall.

There are many reasons teachers find themselves on overnight trips with students.  A major one is trip week: a rather common occurrence in international schools across the world.  Generally speaking, the purpose is to acquaint students with and help them gain a greater appreciation for their host country/region.

Students with my colleague and me  in the arctic circle for our CanSat trip.  

There are overnight trips associated with extracurricular activities such as Mini United Nations (MUN) and Global Issues Network (GIN).  Or for example, the trip I took with IB students to the Arctic Circle for the CanSat competition.  And, of course the countless journeys that coaches undertake for meets, games, and tournaments.  For me, as a science teacher most of my trips are limited to trip week.

Being a chaperone on an overnight student trip carries a lot of responsibility.  Parents have entrusted the care, well-being, and safety of their children with you.  As such, it’s not a restful experience, no matter how wonderful the students are.  You’re always on the alert, always hoping they are well and safe, both under your own eyes and especially during “free time” you give them.

Students on our "walking tour" in Copenhagen this morning.

On this trip the coaches were busy with the athletes all day at the meet and then late into the evening on Saturday night as the students attended the local amusement park, Tivoli.  So, to help them out, I scouted a walking route we could do with the students on Sunday morning before our departure, ensuring there were restaurants for the students to have lunch before traveling.  I walked the entire route and planned some alternative activities (if we had loads of time, for example, there was a canal tour of Copenhagen that would have been a viable option) if we needed.  Because, the more structured the days are, the less likely students will get bored and ‘into trouble’ and thus, the easier it is to chaperone.  Additionally, building in some free time is also greatly appreciated by secondary students.  So, today we followed the route and allowed students time to eat in an eatery of choice in the pedestrian zone, yielding a positive ending to the Copenhagen track and field adventure.

Students amused by street entertainment in Copenhagen this morning.

This group of students is equally amazing on a personal level as on the track and field.  They are cheerful, obliging, and cooperative.  So, it is a smooth morning.  Then, we travel by train and plane and are greatly relieved once all students are safely delivered to their homes.

It is definitely worth the time and effort to schedule and plan for such events for students.  To meet, mingle and compete with pupils from other schools and other parts of the world contributes to the globally minded education we are so committed to deliver. 


Championship Track and Field for a Small School

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It begins with a one-hour plane ride from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Copenhagen, Denmark.  Our tiny school has rallied 14 competitors for the annual track and field NECIS tournament this weekend.  They join 555 athletes in the Danhostel where they will sleep and from where they will be bussed to the stadium venue each day.

One thing we consistently claim, is that our athletes “have heart” – they give it their all, even in the face of finishing last place.

One student was running the 3000 meter race and she stumbled and doubled over about 2000 m into the race.  Then she did it again.  She was lapped twice by the first place contender, yet she kept running.  Tears sprung to my eyes as I saw her struggle to finish.  It wasn’t until she was back in the bleachers that I found out she had actually vomited twice during the run.  As she said, “probably something funny I ate last night”.  With a smile on her face she reported that she’ll run track next year and she doesn’t regret her race today.  Wow.

The team had a smattering of placing from dead last to first place and everything in-between.  The spectators consistently cheered all athletes and I must say, some of those last places received the biggest ovation.  It just fills me with pride to see our little athletes running, jumping, and throwing with all their heart, a smile on their faces, and joy in the success of athletes all around them. 

It wasn’t all losses, in fact our team of 14 managed to collect 22 medals (bronze, silver, and gold).  Several students broke school records, including a senior who either set or broke four school records!  Amazingly, in shot-put he broke an 11-year old school record in his first throw and then with each subsequent throw increased the distance, reaching a goal he's been working on for two years.  An 11th grader who has never participated in track and field before this season medaled in all four of her events (three bronzes and a silver).  The 10th grader who earned a bronze medal in the 200 m race set a personal best time.  One of our 6th graders, a slight young girl, beat out 20 other competitors for a gold medal in the ball throw.  It was an incredible weekend.

So, we saw today that bigger isn’t necessarily better. Our team of 14 faced teams with 54, even 72 athletes!  Yet, we still offered competition and earned our share of medals.  One of the coaches from a bigger team came over to us and commented, “I’m doing the math here and if our team were like yours, we’d be walking away with over 100 medals and that’s not happening.”  Smiles abounded on our coaches’ faces and our athletes sat tall with pride. 

The best part, however, is the team spirit.  The eagerness with which all of our team left their seats in the bleachers to be at the trackside to cheer fellow teammates on is touching.  The effort each athlete put out on the track and field is inspiring. The true joy in the victory of others is compassionate. The celebration and wonder of excellent athleticism is sportsmanlike.  It’s an honor to spend a weekend with these individuals.



The Internet is Down

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The Internet is down.  Apparently it is a problem with the Internet provider.

Well, I need the Internet to print the tests that I’m giving out today in two different classes.  Glad I did that yesterday.

I need the Internet to update my school blog post and place the plan and links for today’s lessons.  Haven’t done that yet.  Ha – and I don’t do Power Points anymore so I don’t have a back-up there.   So, if the Internet isn’t up for my last block, those students will simply read from the book with me. What?  Read from the book?  Do students even do that anymore?

Other tasks I need to accomplish on my “to do” list include emails, entering grades, confirming plans for South Africa, working on our Science Review, rewriting course descriptions (the originals are online), updating Rubicon Atlas, all of which require the Internet.

There is the tidying up of my room, cleaning up from past labs, starting to clear out for the summer.  But I can’t really do that when students are writing an exam! 

I check with my colleague to see if her Internet is down.  She also is without and comments that she can’t do anything without it.  Realizing we’re both in the same boat she offers, “Shall we take a tea together?” So, we sit in my classroom discussing plans for next year.

It’s shocking to me how dependent we are on the Internet.  We become almost nonfunctional without it.  In times like this I always think that I’ll make sure I have everything downloaded on my computer and copies of all Google Documents on my computer.  However, that sure defeats the purpose of Google documents, especially those documents that are used in collaboration with other teachers.

People joke about nations being able to shut down the Internet across the world.  Imagine.  Not just educators would be inconvenienced!  Every aspect of our life would be affected. 

Despite this reality, I have no offering for a back-up plan.  What do you think, have we, as a society put ourselves in a dangerous situation?

Microscope Mania

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“Ahh” 

“Wow”

I had deliberated the “e” task, thinking it was cheesy.  In the past I’ve jumped right into “real” organisms.  However, today I decided to start with the “e”, mostly to help the students with the instrument and understanding the orientation.

The room was BUZZING.  It was a deluge of energy and enthusiasm.  The happiest eleven and twelve year olds fervently focused on their task.  Seriously?  They were looking at the letter “e” under a light microscope.

“Now, this is truly amazing” one boy apprises me.

After they sufficiently thrill at the result of increased magnification, make their drawings, and comment on the orientation of the “e” in the lens relative to its position on the stage, it’s time to move on to hair.

Students eagerly tug at their hair pulling out single strands.    OK, one student grabs a pair of scissors and assembles quite a pile of hair on the lab bench.  No comment on that one.  The student pairs place their two strands of hair on the slides for comparison.

“This is AWESOME!”

“John’s hair looks like a tree trunk and mine looks like a glass rod!”  The entire class rushes to the microscope to view this incredible discovery.  The buzzing excitement rages on.

More drawings and observations.  Then, on to the preparation of onion skin slides.  Of course, each student is allowed to prepare his/her own slide and that is simply sensational.

“Wait, just one drop of iodine?”

“How do we tap the bubbles out?”

“Are these bubbles?”

Then, the discovery of onion cells!  “Those are all cells?”  “We can see the nucleus?!?!?!”  “This is SO AWESOME!”

Truly, there is nothing more satisfying than middle school enthusiasm.  I just love days like today.




Substitute Plans

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I’ve heard it said that an American businessman measures success by the fact that his company cannot function in his absence.  However, a Dutch businessman assesses achievement by the fact that his company operates perfectly in his absence.

So, where does that leave teachers?  It’s really tough to have classes carry on without you during an absence.  As any teacher knows, preparing for a substitute is grueling and so much more time consuming than just being there.  I’ve decided to record some of the ideas I have for successful substitution plans, at least for secondary school.

How to Pre-arrange for a Substitute

  • Plan a lesson, preferably an open ended activity that will last beyond the allotted time.  You don’t want the students to announce to the substitute, “I’m done.  Now what do I do?”
  • Make sure the lesson plan can be facilitated by someone who doesn’t specialize in your area (i.e. for me, Science).  So, I definitely can’t plan a lab while I’m gone.
  • If you can plan a summative assessment, that works well.
  • Write out the details, being explicit as possible.
  • If you have a web site, put everything on the web site so that the students can self-guide themselves.
  • For multiple classes, place the outline and any handouts in color coded “folders” (I just use a folded piece of A3 construction paper) with instructions written on the outside of the folder with the class name, date, and time of the class listed on the folder.
  • Clear off your desk and leave all instruction folders in the center.
  • I usually also try to unclutter the room a bit but that’s probably not necessary.

The plans I left for my IB students when I was called away unexpectedly.

If you have an unexpected absence i.e. due to illness or emergency

  • At our school we have submitted “emergency” plans to the Principal so if there is an emergency, there are at least three lesson plans for every class.  I have provided a list of web sites with cool science articles and students can select from the articles and report on them.  For IB students I have them study the IB manual or review command terms.  I have lots of laminate cards for review activities that can be used at any time.
  • However, with my web site, I can usually keep progressing with the lesson plan, with modifications to adjust for a non-science teacher in the classroom.  The students are familiar with my web site and are comfortable taking instruction and lesson plans from it.  I can easily link to web sites or upload documents for them to work from.

No matter how well you prepare, no matter how clear you think the instructions are, don’t be disappointed if things don’t quite go as planned.  While I was away last week, it took my 6th graders an entire double block to finish the reflections on the Science Fair.  What was there to show for it?  Single sentence responses!  Seriously?  It took a double block to produce that?  Oh well.  The IB students, on the other hand, accomplished everything outlined for them.

Thus, in contrast to American standards, the Dutch business standards would suggest that I am failing with 6th graders while I’m triumphant with IB students.   I'd like to think that the relative accomplishments are actually more a function of the different age groups represented in the two classes.  In both cases, however, I’m happy for any progress made during my absence.

Does anyone else have any good ideas for substitution plans?


How I keep in touch with my students.  It's great for day-to-day communication as well as communication if ever I am absent or better yet, when a student is absent.

Science Fair Reflections

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“I have to admit, as we walked out the door, I was really dreading the evening” a parent confided, “I thought it would be so boring, but then I was so surprised. The students knew what they were talking about and I actually learned something.  It was really good.” 

Due to my absence at the Science Fair, I have had to rely on colleagues, judges and parents for their input regarding the final product of the event itself.  Only positive responses have been relayed to me.  Basically the words “huge success” are repeatedly echoed.  Additionally, the student reflections have been insightful.  All pupils were required to ponder on all aspects of the project from start to finish:

  • Choosing a topic
  • Researching (Finding articles, understanding articles)
  • Transferring information from the Internet into their own written words
  • Blogging
  • Combining all written work into one piece
  • Constructing the Poster
  • Presenting at the Science Fair

Thus were they queried:

What did you enjoy most?  What was most challenging?  What did you learn? What are you most proud of?  How hard did you work? What would you do differently?  How could the teacher have supported you better?

Each student found different aspects of the project most challenging, whether it was the researching, blogging, poster construction, or the presentation.  However, many students found the researching difficult and especially the task of reading and extracting pertinent information. 

On the Science Fair itself:

“I could see how curious they were and when I presented it, it felt good to see them fascinated”

“I am most proud of my presentation during the Science Fair”

“…it was exciting to see all of our hard work come together and make something great.”

“I was surprised by how much I had learned and how well I could communicate it to others”

“Understanding the information made me really proud, then being able to teach others about it also made me very proud”

On other aspects of the project:

“I also enjoyed having my own blog and posting my research on the blog”

“I learned that I need to tell my parents to begin to be a bit more green in my house.”

Overwhelmingly the students responded with “3”, providing reasoning, to the question below:

How hard did you work on this project? Estimate your personal input on a scale (highlight the option) and explain why you selected the option.

  1. I did the absolute minimum and could have done much more. The quality of the project doesn’t at all represent my ability level.
  2. I worked on the project but sometimes I was distracted or off-task. The quality of the project doesn’t fully represent my ability level.
  3. I worked on the project and stayed on task, I think that the quality of the project fully represents my ability level.
  4. I worked harder than I ever have before, I stayed focused on the project at all times, I did my absolute best. I think that the quality of the project exceeds my own expectations.

When thinking of what they could do better, many suggested that they would start sooner and not get behind.  Others would have practiced their presentations more.  Yet others would have worked on their posters more. 

Half way into the project my colleague and I realized how unequipped the students were for this type of research work.  We floundered to help them.  Many felt adequately supported, yet there were several who felt similarly to this student:

“I think the teacher could help me get started off. The teacher could give me a good piece of information on the topic so that I can get an idea of the work I can do”

We did have to help some students find appropriate articles and we had to help many understand the articles and extract the information. In the future we envision a more collaborative effort with English and History on such a project as students still need to learn the process of research.

However, in the end, the hard work paid off.   Students learned about global warming and were converted to the need for change and definitely communicated this to visitors that night.  They also learned about the process of research and public presentation.  There is an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.  Surprisingly, community members also walked away from the evening with new knowledge.  The judges were impressed with the amount and depth of understanding that the youngsters had acquired.  I do attribute the success of the evening to the fact that the theme had such real world application and it carried meaning for the students. As a result they, indeed, had acquired abundant knowledge and conveyed genuine enthusiasm. 

How I yearn to fill every class with such purpose.  What gives the students you work with meaning in learning?

Priorities: Family Comes First Part II – Living Abroad

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I am over the ocean again.  The return flight.  Was I ready to depart?  No.  There is still a need.  There is unfinished business.  My heart aches.

We now face a huge consequence of the decision to teach abroad.  We’ve observed other families deal with living in a foreign country: managing familial relations from afar.  Sure, there’s Skype.  Sure, we have a Vonage phone number allowing family members to make US calls to reach us.  Sure, there’s a direct 8 hour flight to Chicago.  However, suddenly it feels insurmountably far away.

A price is paid to live abroad.  You miss moments with grown children and grandchildren.  You aren’t with aging parents.  You miss being there when your help is needed.

It’s moments like this that cause you to question all your decisions leading to this point.  You suddenly revisit all the pros and cons you evaluated when you took the job across the ocean.  You question whether the pros still outweigh the cons. You are unsure.

The miles pass below me in the plane as I return to my family and job in Europe.  I will land and immediately travel directly to the school where I will greet my 9th graders.  Moving on I will face the 8th graders and then my IB Bio and IB ESS students.  It’s a full day, on no sleep. 

I had no time to even think of schoolwork while I was away.  I barely had time to scan emails and attend to urgent matters such as the Internal Travel payment due for the South Africa trip.

However, the plans are ready for my students.  They’ve been reworked in the plane.  A twinge of excitement resides in anticipation for the lab that should await the high school students.  There’s an eagerness to know how the students faired in my absence.  A hope lingers that progress was made. 

My husband and children have reported that “all is well” with them and I am eager to see and embrace them.

Once again, I am caught between three worlds. 

The one I left behind:  Will all be OK? I could have stayed longer.  I wanted to stay longer.  I will return in July.

The one that lies ahead.: My teenagers are anticipating graduation day, summer plans, and the next year.  My husband is considering changes at work. 

The parallel world of my work: The part of my life that I will face first as I’m heading there directly.  I will find out how the Science Fair went and what students learned in my absence.

The next few days will be a time of reflection for me as I settle back into my expat routine of teaching third culture students.  We’re anticipating the end of the school year – only 3 weeks left.  And I have to decide, is this where I truly belong?

When will that assignment be graded?

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Students and parents often email questioning when an assignment might be graded.  I always wonder what the motive is in such a request.  Are they genuinely interested in progress? Are they curious about what standards have been met?  Or, are they concerned primarily with “the grade”?  

Here is a list of reasons why grading might not yet be finished:

  1. A family emergency.  As of today, this is my case.  Just this year, at least two of my colleagues have been called away for emergency situations at home.
  2. A major event at the school.  Being involved in a planned activity at the school requires after-school hours.  For me this was true due to preparation for the Science Fair.  Many extra hours were spent in preparation for that night.  Our school hosted a NECIS tournament this week and many teachers were involved with that.  We’ve hosted conferences at our school as well.  All of these types of occasions draw on teachers’ time and energy.
  3. Extra-curricular activities.  Many teachers coach after school.  This involves not only the time of practice (and games) but also the set-up and making sure the school is secure following.  IB teachers often hold extra sessions after school, again requiring lesson preparation time in addition to the after school time.  Currently, I am planning a research trip to South Africa with ten students taking place in June.  An inordinate amount of after school time is invested in planning and preparing for such an adventure.
  4. If the teacher is an IB teacher, Internal Assessment time and exam time is a very stressful and labor-intensive period, requiring many after-school hours.  
  5. Lab Prep.  Science teachers spend hours and hours researching, ordering, and preparing for regular lab work.  Often I spend several hours trouble-shooting a lab or preparing solutions or hunting down supplies.
  6. Staff, Departmental, IB, IMYC, and spontaneous Meetings.  Need I say more about this?
  7. Parent or Student Meetings.  Often I will meet with students and/or parents after-school.
  8. Reading and answering emails.  My day keeps me booked from 7:00 – 16:00 each day, often without taking a break.  It is common for me to not even see emails until after dinnertime.
  9. Planning Lessons.  Obviously, if the course is new, there is a lot of time spent in this area.  This year in my MS classes we have added a new curriculum.  Furthermore, I have taken on the Environmental Systems and Societies course.  A lesson is never perfect.  So often, even if I’ve taught a given unit, I spend time finding better resources or brainstorming a more effective way to present a concept.
  10. Writing assessments.  As with lesson planning, I’m constantly trying to improve on the assessments I give.
  11. Planning for differentiation for learning support and EAL students. Often a lesson has to be reconsidered when there are new learning needs in a classroom.  Personally, I invest a lot of time considering the special needs (both on the lower and higher functioning ends) in my classroom.
  12. Wait, can I admit I have a life too and my family actually might need my attention? Or, I need to exercise?  Or I need to run errands or cook or take care of personal needs?

Despite all of these factors, often my grading is completed in a timely fashion.  However, my favorite reason for ungraded work is the following:

  1. The work was LATE!  Sometimes even a month late.  Like I explain in class, work turned in late gets graded late.  If you’re a month late, well I get at least a month to grade it!  It takes a lot of time to grade a late assignment. It breaks up my routine.  It’s out of context with what is going on in any of my classes.  The rubric needs to be located and consulted and I need to get back into the “zone” of that assignment. Sometimes I need to simply psyche myself up to it.  And if it’s poor quality, you can add some more time to the entire process.

Keep in mind, the formative assessment I’ve been doing in class let’s me know how a student is doing, along with the rest of the class, dictating the direction of the class and the additional preparations I might need to make in order to guide students in their learning journey. 

Never do I plan or like to have a back up of grading and I have been known to stay up until midnight or later to limit that reality.   However, sometimes I’m just not up to another late night.

In the end, the universal principle of prioritization applies to teachers as well as to the rest of the world.  Each day we simply choose what is most important.  I evaluate what I need to do on a given day to make the next day of teaching most effective.  I consider formative assessment from the day, then lesson planning, lab prep, additional assessments, and grading.   I always ask myself, what needs to happen to further learning in the classroom.  How do you prioritize your days?

Priorities: Family Comes First

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I write this post 30,000 feet in the air.

 Family Comes First.  Those are the words that our principal spoke to me on the phone when I apprised her of my situation.

So why am I so torn?

I am suspended, yet moving forward, over the ocean.

In front of me my family waits.  Behind me my family waits.

I am in the middle.

Then, running parallel to these two worlds is the work I’ve left behind. Most significantly, the culmination of weeks of effort is taking place even as I write: The Science Fair.

A huge unknown will greet me.  A situation that fills me with sadness, grief, fear, and dread.

My day-to-day world marches on behind me.  My teenagers in the middle of IB exams.  My husband and youngest son going about their routine.

The Science Fair is in full swing right now.  I’m imagining the energy and excitement of the students.  I’m imagining them dressed in their best.  I hope it’s going as planned. 

My brother will pick me up at the airport and we’ll go straight to the hospital.

My teenagers are probably working IB math problems right now.  My youngest son is presenting his poster on the effect of global warming on the reindeer.  My husband is helping, in my place, at the Science Fair.

I’m over the ocean.  Helpless to all.

When I land, the Science Fair will be nearly over.  I will be faced with immediate decisions and tasks that will consume me.  My family at home will talk with me later at night, telling me of their day. 

I will function between two worlds that I love.  The third world, one that I also love, will move forward based on all the guidance I have left on my web site and the help of colleagues and substitutes. 

I sit in my airplane seat, strapped in by the seat belt.  This has been a very turbulent flight, matching the turbulent direction of thoughts in my mind- from what lies ahead to what lies behind.   And the lingering concern of the Science Fair and the extra burden added to my colleagues.

I work with amazing individuals who have completely and willingly taken on extra duties to compensate for my absence. They give me license to focus on what is most important.  They know and understand that “family comes first”.  Thank you, thank you, dear colleagues, my friends. 

The Science Fair: The Day Before

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“Can it be four minutes? ‘Cause I just can’t get it below four minutes and everything in there is so important.”

“No, it can only be two minutes”

“But that’s impossible!”

The directive is to make sure their presentation for the Science Fair is two minutes in speaking duration.  Some have planned it just right.  Others need to shave off time.  They pull out their note cards trying to figure what could possibly be shortened or discarded.  There seems to be an emotional attachment to all information written on those cards.

“Can you help me?”  I flip through the cards and easily find lines and ideas to edit out.  I’m surprised at how easily they take my advice.  No one argues. Resignation? Respect? Or are they just sick and tired of this and want to get it over with?

Students practice on their own, two times with a peer, and then before the class.  We work through some nervousness.  Encouragement abounds.  I love these kids and I’m touched by their effort, their desire to do a good job, their seriousness.  My heart is warmed by each imperfection in the posters: the bent corner, the misplaced letter, the glue smudge.  I rejoice with them in their enthusiasm for what they perceive is a job well done.  I see they’ve worked hard and they’ve sincerely done the best they can.

My colleague and I touch base at the end of the day.  We survey the posters and acknowledge that there is simply nothing more to do.  We go through our checklist and send off a reminder email to parents.  Our “Science Fair in a Box” is ready to go.  It is teeming with Science Fair paraphernalia: the judges’ clipboards, certificates for the students, programs, student nametags, student numbers for position, a tally sheet, poster size welcome signs and schedule of events,  eco-friendly items for the raffle, eco-friendly chocolate prizes for the winners, wine bags for the judges’ wine bottles (don’t get me started on that one), judges’ rubrics, sticky tack, pins, pens, and tape.

Everything has been scheduled including dinner for the students, which will provide nourishment to get them through the evening. 

Now, it’s up to the students.  Tomorrow night is their night and they get to show what they know. Personally, I enjoy watching the development and growth that takes place in getting to this point. There have been growing pains and it's been tough.  But the students have learned a lot, gained academic skills, and have become advocates of "Going Green".  Hats off to our little global warming experts!

International School vs. US School Track Meets

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We meet at 7:15 a.m. at the school.  It’s chilly.  Dark clouds threaten us with rain.  Students disperse into parent cars and the school van.  One of the coaches drives the van and we all access the highway crossing the boarder from the Netherlands to Belgium.

As we approach the Antwerp stadium, the rain pelts us.  “Wait a minute, this isn’t indoors?” the track coach from Australia can’t mask the dismay in his voice, “They have to run in the rain?” The cold and wind whip around us as we make our way to the spectator section.  At least the spectators have a roof that extends over the wooden covered metal bleachers.  The students and coaches gather together and the parents position themselves nearby.

As with track meets all over the world, this one also involves a lot of waiting around for this or that event.  We try to follow the schedule and determine which of our team members is participating in the various events. The events are also the same: the running events include the 100 m, 200m, etc., the relay events, and the field events include long jump, high jump, turbo javelin through, shot put, discus, etc.

However, one issue makes the track meet different internationally is that, instead of teams competing from different parts of the state, they are from different countries such as, in our case, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands.  At the NECIS tournament in Copenhagen in two weeks countries will extend to include the Scandinavian nations as well.

The students themselves represent a tremendously diverse population coming literally from all over the world.  A medley of languages peppers the stands.   French, German, Flemish, Dutch, and English are heard commonly. However, other languages are interspersed as parents communicate with their children in native tongues or as friends of the same language speak together. 

Additionally, many of these student athletes face each other in all three seasons of sports.  Furthermore, they meet up at Global Issues Network (GIN) or Model United Nations (MUN) events as well.  Or, they’ve been fellow students at another international school in totally different part of the world.  My own children run into fellow classmates that they had when we lived in China.  These bonds transcend the competitive nature of any meet or tournament.

A constant drizzle presses down all day with occasional downpours saturating the competitors.  Participants shiver.  Parents complain and offer up blankets, warm drinks and umbrellas for some relief to team members.   Hot chocolate flows freely. Coaches stoically carry on.  Umbrellas, protecting team members huddling together with their coach, line the long jump runway as individuals wait their turn.  Tents near the field events allow the gathering of field participants.

The HS discus player preparing to throw his school record.  I should note that he is also my son.

One of our field event coaches became acquainted with the Dusseldorf coach when they were both coaching basketball.  During the basketball season our coach had sought advice from him regarding the field events, knowing he had competed at the Olympic level.  Their acquaintance brings them together under the shot put tent.  The Dusseldorf coach offers pointers to our shot put athlete.  Following the advice, our athlete improves with each throw and beats the school record.  The same thing happens at the discus event.  Another school record set.  The camaraderie between coaches and athletes leads them to mingle in the stands in between events, pausing to cheer for all athletes as they run past.

My 6th grader is is one of the competitors.

Another difference between the international and US school sports' experience is that the middle school and high school students compete on the same day together.  In our wee school, the middle school athletes look up to the high school athletes, learn from their example, and receive advice from them. In turn, the high school athletes mentor and support younger athletes yielding a built in opportunity to develop leadership skills.

Our small school had a typical day from the 1500 m MS competitors being lapped in the event to a MS 1st place victory in the 400 m race.  When our littlest MS participant finished 2nd place in his 100 m heat the coach leaped out onto the track and lifted the tiny racer high in the air.  No last place finishes in the HS and even a 3rd place in an 800 m and a 2nd place in a 100 m race.  Most importantly, everyone competed with all his/her heart so, at the end of the day our drenched athletes and coaches were happy.  Parents too left with smiles and pride at their children’s and the team’s overall successes. 

Competing in sports events at international schools isn’t exactly the same as in the US, but it’s still an experience that develops athletic talent, fosters sportsmanship, builds friendships, encourages healthy living, and contributes to the overall maturation of an individual. 

IB Exams Mark an End

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The school is silent. It’s Friday afternoon and nearly everyone has emptied out of the building.  However, my IB students are sitting the second of their three biology exams. Their first one was written earlier in the afternoon.

We’ve worked together for two years to get to this point.  They all successfully completed their internal assessments.  They’ve learned the content.  Practice tests, review sessions, and more practice questions have led them up to this point.  I wonder if the nervousness I feel is similar to theirs.

My classes have continued all day but when my IB students entered the exam room my mind and thoughts were with them.  Will they remember the details?  Did they review the areas that they are weak in?  Did they secure their strengths? 

What will the focus on the exams be?  Will they need to recall the specifics of osmoregulation, respiration, heart function, or something altogether different? Will they understand the questions?  Will they pay attention to the command terms?  Will they read the questions?  I’m a bundle of nerves. 

I hope I haven’t failed them in any areas. Will I read through the questions next week and find one or more that causes me to think, “Oh no, they won’t have been able to answer that one”?

My last class for the afternoon departs.  There’s still an hour before the first students will be done.  My web sites are updated.  Programs for the science fair are printed and folded. Our choir practice for the graduation is a welcomed distraction.  Immediately following the practice, I hurry upstairs and linger in the hallway, anticipating my students’ emergence from the exam room.

My seniors - last year doing a catalase enzyme lab.  I will miss them!

Slowly they trickle out.  One is in tears.  Another grins claiming, “That was easy”.  Surely the reality is somewhere in between these two extremes: I doubt the exam was truly tear-worthy but I also question its “easiness”.  Of course I grill them for details, details we can’t share  beyond the walls of our school for another 24 hours.  They just wrote extended responses but struggle to recall what the questions were.  Together, however, they recollect several specifics.  While I cringe internally at some, there are no surprises.  It seems some of their answers were sketchy while others might have been complete. 

The exam questions will make it to my desk next week and I will pour over them answering them for myself simultaneously attempting to guess how my students would have answered the same questions.  However, I’ll still have to wait until the heat of summer for the results.  Then we’ll know the Biology scores for each student plus the results for all of their subject areas.  And, of course, whether they earned the coveted IB diploma.

How I hope they each succeed.  However, in the end, I know I’ve done all I can possibly do to help them in their aspiration for the Biology portion.  And, I know they’ve all done the best they are capable of given their study habits, dedication over the two years, test taking skills, and inherent interest in their subject areas. I can’t ask for more. 

Last year  doing the lab.

On Monday they will sit the last exam for Biology.  I will repeat the above nervous anticipation of hearing their experience in the exam.  Then, our time together is over and we wait until July. 

The IB exams mark an end.  An end I’m excited to see arrive but also sad to see go.  It means I won’t teach this particular group of students together ever again.  They’ll honestly all be missed and will forever, as past students do, hold a special place in my heart.  I hope they’ll keep in touch and let me know where life takes them.  It is sincerely my wish for them to have successful and happy lives. 

This time of year, certainly in education, marks many ends.  End of the school year.  End of a grade.  The end of elementary, middle, high school, college, university, or graduate school.  But in every case, the end marks also the beginning of a new phase of life.   Cheers to all seniors everywhere in the middle of exams!

IMYC Exit Point Results in an Appreciation Fest

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“Now this is a ‘top secret’ project,” we tell them.  Each student breaks out into a huge grin, slyly looking around the room.  Their hands slip onto their computers eager to open them up.  “Don't tell anyone what you are writing or collaborate in anyway.  It will be a surprise for everyone when you are done.” They become agitated, their legs are swinging beneath the table in anticipation, “Can we get started?”

As part of the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) our 6th grade students finished off a unit called “Balance” this past week.  Their exit point task was to create a classroom “web” identifying how each student in the grade (there are only 12 of them) brings balance to the learning experience at school.  They will be placing their name at the center of the web and then extending individual lines to each classmate notating what strengths that student contributes to the school setting. 

Before turning them loose, however, we brainstorm positive characteristics that could be included in providing balance to a learning environment.  The students put together a massive list including descriptors such as hard working, focused, helpful, collaborative, and energetic, etc. Then, students eagerly begin recording their ideas.  The ideas are transferred to a “web” that they know will be shared with the class.  They construct all sorts of interesting walls to hide their masterpieces as they glue and draw.

Finally, the day has arrived, and the students sit at tables arranged in a semicircle.  The webs are upside down in front of them, remaining a mystery.   After a brief introduction the students are instructed to turn over their webs.  They all stand and have the opportunity to walk around the ordered tables reading the webs.  A hush blankets the room.  I feel like I’m observing a group at a major art exhibit.  They are thoroughly studying the documentation before them. Following their time with the posters, they are given a set of reflective questions in which they immediately immerse themselves in response. They exude satisfaction and confirmation. 

What began as an exercise to help them see how each person contributes to the class turned into a huge appreciation fest where everyone was handed a confidence boost.  It’s human nature, isn’t it?  A desire for appreciation.  A hope for recognition.  Opportunity to focus on the strengths and good in others is probably essential in just about every organization out there.  How can we foster a more appreciative environment wherever we are but particularly in schools?

The Ups and Downs of the Science Fair Journey

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What a roller coaster ride this year's Science Fair has provided us! 

EMOTIONAL HIGH: Our idea for the science fair was conceived towards the end of the last school year.  Coupling the Science Fair with the Going Green initiative at the school seemed genius.  We envisioned school unity as elementary and secondary schools embarked on the Going Green journey.  A conceptualization of parents, students, and community members participating in the Science Fair event settled into our minds and we knew it would “be awesome”.

IMMEDIATE CONFIRMATION BOOST:  When we introduced the topic, students were completely drawn into the Going Green theme.  Students from years past rejoiced at receiving a reprieve from the typical experiment and report Science Fair.  My colleague and I were convinced that this would be the best science fair ever.

SMALL SETBACK:  Realization hit that the students need guidance in every single step of creating a web site and beginning to blog.  Burning the midnight oil one night I created two podcasts, one for creating a web site and one for creating a blog post.  My colleague and I came up with some blogging guidelines.  Hope returned.

EMOTIONAL HIGH: The initial thrill for blogging enveloped both the students and us, the teachers. I even posted about what an incredible experience the blogging was turning out to be.

DISCOURAGEMENT: As we moved deeper into the project we realized that students simply weren’t equipped to truly research their topics or to find appropriate articles that they could actually understand!  Late nights once again rescued us as we helped students find the articles they needed to begin understanding the topics they selected.

HOPELESSNESS: The writing skills were as weak as the research skills!  Once students reached a point of understanding and could articulate their topic, they still needed a lot of support to put it into the written word.  At this point we’re starting to think that the students will never be ready for the fair.  It seems like an impending disaster and our hope of a successful event vanishes.

HOPE RETURNS: Receiving a lot of support, some of the written work begins to make sense.  The students are making creative blog sites, finding their voice and forming opinions.  We are left with a sense that it might be OK.

DISPAIR: The assignment is to put all of the blog posts together into one document and edit them so they “tell a story”.   We gave some explicit guidelines thinking it was straightforward.  Even the learning support teachers that help in the classroom commented on how clear the instructions seemed to be.  However, the results were a disaster.  Excessive repetition.  Nonsensical phrases.  Contradictions. Plagiarism.  How could this ever be rectified and come together such that students could print out their work and construct posters?  It’s going to be terrible!

EXPECTATIONS LOWERED: We decide to cut out the “Abstract” component of the poster.  We allow Middle School students to cut and paste the URL’s in the Bibliography rather than compiling APA format as expected in High School.  We start to make comments on all those Google documents.  We set up appointments with students.  We consult.  We resist the temptation to simply rewrite their text.

HOPE RETURNS: Students respond positively to their comments and sincerely make efforts to improve their work.  It starts to look like they might pull it together. 

DISPAIR and HOPE: Some students are still struggling with understanding.  We modify.  They smile and demonstrate sufficient knowledge.  They’re eager.  Their confidence and enthusiasm instills hope again.

HOPE and DISPAIR and HOPE: The students are so excited to put their posters together.  Today they start construction.  They print.  They cut.  They paste. They become creative.  They consider their presentation and make some adjustments in their order, seeking confirmation. It’s exciting.  A beaming student holds up a finished poster that she’s clearly proud of.  The placement of the text blocks is crooked and irregularly spaced.  Suddenly the room is full of smudges, tilted titles, and unevenly cut images, despite the presence of four paper cutters.  I search for the positive and give encouragement.  Then, the classroom is quiet.  The posters sit silently on the table. I start to leaf through them and am seriously relieved to notice that the High School posters are, indeed, more advanced than the middle school posters.  I read through all of them.  I realize they aren’t that bad.  I reflect back and remember the students carefully doing what they perceive as their best work and suddenly I feel better.  It’s going to be OK, I think.

During this entire process my colleague experiences the same cyclical roller coaster.  Fortunately, whenever she comes to me exclaiming, “This is going to be a disaster”, I’m feeling pretty good about it and assure her, “No, it will be OK”.  And when I’m feeling the despair she’s hopeful and encourages me on.  Every now and then our highs and lows coincide and we either rejoice or commiserate together.

The greater school community has received an invitation to attend the Science Fair. Posters announcing the event cheerfully decorate the hallways and stairwells.  Today guidelines for the judges, instructions for the students on the night of the fair, and student certificates printed from the big machine downstairs.  The judges’ clipboards sit assembled in the “Science Fair Box”.  The guest speaker is secured.  Our cafeteria business has committed to running that evening, featuring “Eco-friendly” food.  The facilities management team has confirmed its role for the night.  There’s no turning back.

On Friday the students will supposedly practice their presentations.  That could go either way.  On my end there’ll surely be times of panic interspersed with moments of assurance.  Next Tuesday night is the actual Science Fair.  Either a report of success or failure will follow.  Wish us luck!

Hands On the Content for IB Students

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“Oh yeah!” the students cry out as they clear away the immediate space in front of them.  Hands reach out for the papers, scissors, and glue sticks.  Immediately heads bend intently as students arrange the pieces, discussing with each other what is most logical.  Once a consensus is reached, we have a conversation on the content contained in their organized diagrams.  Some eagerly include additional notes to their diagram.  Next, they find themselves with a graph to be annotated accompanied with “Factors Contributing To” each phase of the diagram.  All of this must be logically worked through and the students energetically approach the task.  Further consultation secures understanding. 

The completed diagrams and charts become part of their notes for this topic and will hopefully serve as a useful review next year at this time as they face their IB exams.  Furthermore, they are already conversational about a topic that has been allotted us two hours according to the IB guidelines whereas these students have nailed it in one hour!  Plus, they have genuinely enjoyed the process.

I almost feel guilty about these types of lessons, because I’m not “doing” anything. Of course, an hour of prep time is needed to simply cut out all the pieces and arrange them in sets for the students.  Once it is set up, it’s a lesson on autopilot.  Student enthusiasm and ultimate level of understanding makes it completely worth it.  As they depart the room a ripple of “thank you”s ensue.  Surprise and satisfaction surge through my being as students actually thank me for a lesson.  I invariably think, "So much better than a lecture".

What teaching strategies have you found effective for either students or yourself?

Teenagers and Alcohol

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The end of the year is approaching, students across the world have experienced prom and many are facing graduation.  There is sufficient cause to celebrate!

Most of us acknowledge that many of our teenagers enhance their social experience with the use of alcohol.  The drinking age worldwide ranges from 14 – 21 coupled with a variety of restrictions regarding alcohol content and parental supervision (1).  Thus, an international setting brings highly diverse attitudes and cultural thinking regarding the use of alcohol among teenagers.

Abnormalities of the hippocampus as a function of teen drinking (7)

Abnormalities of the hippocampus as a function of teen drinking (7)

Regardless of one’s cultural views on teenage consumption of alcohol, there are some facts regarding the effects of alcohol on the growing adolescent brain that all should be aware of.  As background, the consensus of over ten articles on teens and drinking is that “heavy” drinking or “binge” drinking amounts to 4+ drinks on one occasion.  Additionally, teens that engage in heavy drinking only 1 or 2 times a month exhibit permanent alterations to their brains as follows:

  1. The adolescent brain is developing through the early twenties, and isn’t considered fully developed until the age of 23 or 24 (2). Thus, it is more sensitive to the toxic effects of alcohol (4).
  2. Teens that drink 4+ drinks on one occasion 1-2 times a month exhibit damaged white matter (nerve tissue) and several other structural abnormalities in the brain as revealed by brain imaging (3,4,5).
  3. Teens that drink 4+ drinks on one occasion 1-2 times a month show permanent decreased memory function as compared to nondrinkers (4).
  4. Teens that drink 4+ drinks on one occasion 1-2 times a month perform worse on attention tasks, memory recall of both verbal and nonverbal material as compared to nondrinkers (4,5).
  5. Any drinking in youth is an increased risk factor for substance abuse later (2)
  6. Drinking 4+ drinks at one occasion on a regular basis as a teenager is an increased risk factor for substance abuse later (2)
  7. Teens that drink regularly over a period of 6+ months demonstrate consistently a lowered IQ by 1-2 points (6)

The science is out there.  Now we just need to convince the teenagers.  If we teach younger students the truth about drinking and we advocate for no alcohol, perhaps we can minimize the use of alcohol or even eliminate heavy drinking. 

Factors that influence teens to drink heavily:

  • Personal trauma (7)
  • Low parental monitoring (7)
  • Peers that drink heavily (7)
  • Lack of regulation/prevention programs by school or society (8)

The U.S. National Institute of Health advocates the following measures to reduce teen drinking (8):

  • Increase the price of alcohol
  • Increase minimum drinking age
  • Enact zero-tolerance laws
  • Step up enforcement of laws
  • Enact school-based prevention programs
  • Enact family-based prevention programs

However, what can we as educators, teachers, and parents do?  Dr. Nico van der Lely, a Dutch physician here in the Netherlands has done extensive research on the effect of alcohol on Dutch teenagers (3).  He has been the driving force in changing the legal drinking age in the Netherlands from 16 to 18, just enacted in January 2014.    He advocates the following (3):

  1. Adults associating with teenagers should set the example of moderate drinking
  2. Adults should not drink with teenagers
  3. Adults should not allow teenagers to drink at home.  Studies show that teens that drink at home drink even more when they are out than those teens who aren’t allowed to drink at home.
  4. Adults should continue to advocate against drinking after teenagers reach the age of 16

What more can we do?  All of the colleagues I have ever had are vigilant about not drinking at a club where students are present.   Personally, I don't think alcohol should be served at any school function whereas often, internationally, alcohol can be found at theater productions or celebratory events such as graduation.  In school we can certainly teach students at an earlier age, perhaps in health classes, what the effects of alcohol are on the brain.  What else can you do to help minimize alcohol usage by our teenagers?  

 

Works Cited:

(1) Legal drinking age. (2014, January 5). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age

(2)  The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction. (n.d.). NIMH RSS. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-still-under-construction/index.shtml

(3) Lely, N. v., & Visser, M. d. (2011). Onze kinderen en alcohol. Amsterdam: Nieuw Amsterdam.

(4) Trudeau, M. (n.d.). Teen Drinking May Cause Irreversible Brain Damage. NPR. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122765890

(5) Tapert, S. F., Caldwell, L., & Burke, C. (n.d.). NIAAA Publications. Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain—Human Studies. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh284/205-212.htm

(6) Thatcher, D. L., & Clark, D. B. (n.d.). Adolescents at Risk for Substance Use Disorders. NIAAA Publications. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh312/168-176.htm

(7)  Medina, K. L., Schweinsburg, A. D., & Tapert, S. F. (n.d.). Effects of Alcohol and Combined Marijuana and Alcohol Use During Adolescence on Hippocampal Volume and Asymmetry. Effects of Alcohol and Combined Marijuana and Alcohol Use During Adolescence on Hippocampal Volume and Asymmetry. Retrieved May 3, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1821342/#!po=98.3871

(8) Underage Drinking. (n.d.). Underage Drinking-Why Do Adolescents Drink, What Are the Risks, and How Can Underage Drinking Be Prevented?. Retrieved May 1, 2014, from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AA67/AA67.htm

Text Book Answers

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When did we start teaching students that their sole job is to “find the right answer” and that the world is a conglomerate of right and wrong answers?

 Often, when I pose a question to a class, the response of students is to immediately thumb through their notes and text searching for “the answer”.  It’s almost like they are afraid to explore within their own minds for understanding.  Sometimes I have to state, “You can’t find the answer.  I want you to use what you know and come up with your own thoughts on this idea” before the students will peel their eyes away from the written words before them.  Furthermore, students are satisfied to simply regurgitate a sentence from the text in response to a question, unconcerned with comprehension of the words they speak/write. 

 At what point did we sanction this state of mind: that life is about finding the answer and when you find it you just have to spit it out, without thought or reason.

 Despite my attempt to model and foster critical thinking, students remain stuck in the desire to have the information just handed to them. Pushing them to dig deeper seems to be a daily pursuit of mine.

Many of the texts we utilize, including the IB Biology book that my students use, contain answers to problems and exercises at the back of the book.  Or, students can search for solution manuals online. Thus, when we, as teachers, attempt to employ pre-written questions to offer students additional practice, some students are immediately turning to the solutions before struggling with the content themselves.  Often the solutions omit pieces of necessary thought process and occasionally are actually incorrect, leaving students more confused than if they hadn’t even consulted the answers to begin with.  More importantly, the student has abandoned an attempt to think critically and is left without having experienced the path of discovery ultimately forfeiting true learning.

 Most IB schools offer a mock exam experience for the seniors to help them prepare for the May exams (beginning this coming Monday!).  For Biology there are three papers that each student must write.  Some students will note the year and time zone of Paper 1 and then search for the answer key for Papers 2 and 3 before sitting those exams.   Of course, they aren’t considering that this practice actually makes them less prepared for the exams that will count.  The drive to “be right” is so great that students are willing to sacrifice their own learning experience to get there.

Students are missing out on the satisfaction of accomplishment and are not learning how to learn or how to problem solve.  What is that going to look like in the real world?  No one cares about “the answers” – the only thing that matters is whether you can do your job.

 Lisa Mabe, a director of Early Childhood education quoted Linda Elder writing,

“Children’s minds are a precious resource. Yet, too often, inquiring minds (Ask me! Ask me! Ask me!) are transformed by 4th or 5th grade into passive, non-questioning minds (Why are you asking me? Is this going to be on the test?).” (1)

 Lisa, arguing that even very young children are capable of critical thinking, ends her article with a plea,

“We as educators must give [students] the proper tools to have quality thinking. We must prepare them to be able to ask good questions, to identify problems in thinking as they analyze concepts, and be able to correct the problems that they find. We must do more to prepare children for the world they live in. We must prepare them for the future.” (1)

Years ago when I began my parenting journey I remember reading an article about the importance of not “quizzing” young children (i.e. ‘what color is this?’, ‘what letter is that?”, etc.) because it teaches them that the world is all about right and wrong answers and it can generate anxiety and insecurities as children begin to fear being wrong.  I have no reference, as that was 15+ years ago, however, at the time it made sense to me.  Now I wonder if critical thinking is so difficult to extract, partly because we train it away at a very young age, when children are first learning to talk and discover the world around them.

 How do you think we can guide students, even young children, to develop critical thinking?

With exams around the corner, motivation has finally hit.

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Yesterday was the seniors’ last day and on Monday they begin the arduous task of writing a series of IB exams for which they have been working towards for two years.  Earlier in the week our IB coordinator probed the students to see how they are doing.  Some sat there dazed with blood shot eyes looking terrible, clearly already in a sleep-deprived state due to extreme study habits.  However, there were a couple who reported, “We’re chill”.  This alarming attitude concerned the IB team as the students still have a lot of review to complete from their two –year course.  “Chill” will not carry them.  Additionally, after the schedule was released, students noted that there was a 40-minute break between several sets of exams.  “So is that study time?” to which the IB coordinator responded, “No, this schedule does not build in study time.  You were supposed to be studying for the past two years”. 

More "chill" times: The 11th grade trip - taken just as the students began their two-year IB journey.

So, given the attitude of some of these students, who happen to be IB Biology candidates, I was left wondering if any of them would want review time with me before the exams.  Even though the seniors are not required to come to school unless they are writing an exam, IB teachers remain available during the students’ normal class hours (and beyond) to provide review sessions and/or answer questions in preparation for the impending exam.  I’ll admit, I didn’t expect that my seniors would come in today and I was secretly looking forward to having some extra time to work on our upcoming science fair, to do some research for my South Africa trip, to work on report card development, and quite frankly, address my gigantic “to do” list.

However, much to my surprise, my HL IB Biology students requested a review session and they had some very specific topics that they wanted me to cover.  So, I created a revision plan and met with these students this morning.  It was incredible!  The process of muscle contraction with all the details of action potential, calcium ion diffusion, troponin, actin, myosin heads, and ATPase clicked into place.  “This is so awesome” they exclaimed, “to think this is happening all the time.  It is amazing!” They flushed with excitement over their comprehension.  We moved on to ultrafiltration, selective reabsorption, and osmoregulation of the kidney.  The students bent over their notes carefully diagramming and annotating the nephron structure.  Questions flowed freely as they intently sought understanding.  Exceeding our normal time together by 5 minutes, they confidently claimed they thoroughly understood the functional processes of the kidney.  Equally awed by this amazing organ of our bodies they shared their wonder with me.   Then they discussed their study plan and made arrangements for the next review session, complete with a detailed request of material to be addressed.

As our IB coordinator noted, “It’s not a matter of if the IB exam mentality sets in, it’s a matter of when.  Four days before exams begin is a little late but at least it has arrived”.

It’s true, each group of seniors and every individual is different.  However, I do wonder, if there is a way to ignite the motivation much, much earlier.  Or, is it just human nature to wait until we actually feel the heat in order to act?

Embrace the Arts

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This afternoon we had our IB Art Vernissage, one of my favorite IB traditions.  Initially it feels like something so different from what I do every day with the same students and possibly that’s why it appeals to me so.  It also takes place directly outside of my classroom in the student lounge and I enjoy the anticipation created by observing the students and our IB art teacher prepare for the event.

At our school the IB art program has a reputation of being difficult and being a potential source to bring down one’s GPA.  However, my daughter, along with several other students, decided to embark on the two-year journey of IB art as part of the diploma curriculum.  The students are expected to select a theme early on in their pilgrimage towards becoming artists.  Their artwork, then, over the two years is to relate to their theme. 

I look at the displayed work and I am impressed.  None of these IB art students plans a career in art and would have never experienced painting on a canvas, being inspired by multiple artists (and being able to discuss it), creating a clay sculpture, and working in a host of other mediums without this class.  All of them are articulate about how each piece of art relates to their chosen theme.  I am touched by how each student is clearly personally invested in his/her work.  It is enlightening to speak with the individuals and I so enjoy seeing them in the context of an art exhibition.  Of course, they are engaged in an entirely different way as compared to when they are explaining the role of the light dependent reactions in photosynthesis.  Their effort and hours of toiling away in the art room have paid off!  One teacher exclaims, “Now I know what they do tucked away in the art room!  I‘ve always wondered what goes on for hours and hours in there.”  Appropriate “oohs” and “aahs” and nods of approval exude from the group of spectators circulating through the show.  I sense pride and accomplishment from our students.

My daughter in front of some of her art.

There is plenty of literature to support the value of art in education.  An article I recently read refers to skills attained from participating in the arts.  These skills include the following (1):

  • Creativity
  • Confidence
  • Problem Solving
  • Perseverance
  • Focus
  • Non-Verbal Communication
  • Ability to receive constructive feedback
  • Collaboration
  • Dedication
  • Accountability

Through taking this IB course, our students have gained an actual skill set that will be valuable to them throughout all aspects of life.  While the students presented, it was clear that these skills have, indeed, been transmitted to the students through their artistic odyssey.

If you know someone deliberating on whether to take an art, music, dance or drama class, encourage them to do so!  Future IB students don’t steer away from the Group VI (The Arts) subjects!

In my own life, balance and those very skills listed above became part of who I am through my participation in the orchestra program in my high school and later by playing with a symphony while in college and graduate school.  Additionally, my world was enlarged through the exposure to music, composers, and different artists.  The weekly rehearsals provided an appropriate diversion from my classes and research, allowing me to return fresh and prepared to progress even further having stepped away for a bit. Plus, it was just plain fun to be part of the creation of beautiful music!  How about you?  What are the benefits that you have experienced from participating in The Arts?  Share below!

Strauss, V. (2013, January 21). Top 10 skills children learn from the arts.Washington Post. Retrieved April 28, 2014, from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/22/top-10-skills-children-learn-from-the-arts/