The Smartest Kids in the World Part 2- Finland

Hello!

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Smartest-Kids-World-They/dp/145165443X)

     I know you have been waiting on the edge of your seat for the next installment of the information I gained while reading the incredible book The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley.  I have been so excited to write!
     

(http://www.icicp.org/resource-library/icp-publications/global-youth-service-database/europe-2/western-europe/finland/)

Finland

     The next country I am going to explain is Finland.  Finland is becoming a world superpower and a place that many want to emulate.  With their lack of homework and testing, they seem like the exact opposite of the South Korean education system.  Like all countries, Finland has an interesting history and their priorities when teaching students are ones to be admired.

Finland's History

     Many years ago, Finland's education system used to be very similar to that of the United States'.  Originally, there were many teaching colleges scattered throughout the country with varying degrees of quality.  Being that the government did not know if their teachers received a strong education and had the appropriate skills, the system felt that they could not trust the teachers to make decisions for the students.  Finland decided that in order to create more educated citizens, they must improve the quality of the people teaching them.  The Finns rebooted their education system, forcing colleges to become more selective and rigorous and choosing only the smartest and hardest working to become teachers.  The government also paid for teachers' college education.

Finland's Teachers

     Finland's schools focus on the educators.  Being a teacher in Finland is like being a doctor in the United States.  Just like in our country, teachers in Finland belonged to very powerful unions which do not allow them to be dismissed easily.  The difference is that Finland's teachers are all highly educated.  When high school students want to become teachers, they first must get accepted into one of eight prestigious colleges.  Students must have high test scores, good grades, read four selected books from the university and take a test based on what they read.  Through this selection process, only 20% of students are accepted.  It is as difficult to be a teacher in Finland as it is to be a doctor and get into medical school in the United States.

    The rigor does not end once students are accepted into teacher colleges.  Teacher training does not start until the fourth year at school (school lasts for six years which includes a master's degree.  This is mandatory for all teachers).  One full year is devoted to student teaching where much criticism on teaching methods and strategies is given throughout the experience.

     Once teachers receive a job in the school system, academics is their only focus.  Teachers are not leaders in extracurricular clubs or sports; these activities are organized by outside groups unrelated to the school system.  They are allowed to make decisions for their students.  Teachers in Finland created the national core curriculum and are allowed to choose the textbooks for their classes.  

     Salaries of teachers are also higher in Finland.  The cost of living is higher than the United States, but teachers' salaries are even above that.  On average, teachers in Finland make about $20,000/year more than those in the United States.  They are able to do this because their class sizes are larger.  Since teachers are highly trained and prepared, it enables them to teach larger class sizes which reduces the number of teachers needed in a school building.

     The respect for teachers in Finland is insurmountable.  Everyone, students and parents alike, know how highly educated their teachers are and respect them for it.  Truly, the whole country has such a respect for learning that it is impossible not to put the people in charge of this task on a pedestal.  Wealth means very little in Finland; your brain is what is valued and students receive this motto from a young age.

     Teachers also do not know a lot about their students' lives.  Finnish teachers do this purposefully because they believe that when they have empathy for students, they would give better grades based on their home life or current situation.  Teachers have to think and treat their students as equals so that the rigor stays the same for all.  When emotions come in to play, Finnish teachers believe that they will not be able to do their jobs efficiently.
     While working in the field throughout their career, teachers are more likely to watch other teachers teach.  They also have more collaboration and planning time to articulate with others throughout the day.

(http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_htm/finland.htm)

School Life

     School life has many differences in Finland compared to the United States.  In Finland, technology is not at the forefront of education.  There are no interactive whiteboards, iPads, or laptops for individual students.  There are also no police officers or security guards in the building of any school.  Additionally, there are no parent-teacher conferences; if a teacher has an issue, they meet with the student alone.

     Standardized testing is not something that is yearly in Finland; only a sample of the population is tested and it is not high stakes.  These tests are only one hour and a small sample of students take it.  The test's purpose is to monitor how schools are performing.  In the classroom, the average test that is taken on a more regular basis is in an essay format, usually with a three to four page requirement.  Students do, however, take a very important test at the end of high school.  This test is taken very seriously and has implications to students' futures.  Finland's final exam stretches over three weeks and lasts fifty hours.  Teachers follow students to the bathroom to make sure that they do not cheat.  On the first day, the test is comprised of several reading selections and short essays analyzing each one, which lasts for six hours.  On the second day, students choose one out of fourteen topics and write an extensive essay over the next six hours.

     Just like in South Korea, rigor is crucial for success in Finland.  School's purpose is to help students master important academic material which is challenging.  There are no study guides and students have to work hard in order to pass regular tests.  Teachers in Finland are also not lenient when students do not do the work.

     In Finland, special education is also an important part of the school system.  Teachers consider students to have temporary learning difficulties rather than permanent ones.  Half of Finnish students receive special education services at some point, usually in elementary school, so that their weaknesses could be targeted and fixed before students fell too far behind.  The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got There compares this method to a pit crew; as soon as a student is struggling, every service available is given so that the students can get back on the right track as quickly as possible.

     Finland also hardly has any private schools, vouchers, or charter schools.  Students, however, could apply to attend special schools for high performers that focused on science, math, or a foreign language.  This is sometimes done by upper class families.

Student Attitudes

     Students in Finland take education very seriously.  They care an enormous amount about their academics because they know that it is the only way to go to college and get a good job.  They do not necessary enjoy school, though.  Only 20% of Finnish students said they like math compared to 40% of American students.  Students in Finland did not enjoy many subjects because they were hard.

     Kids also have a lot of free time.  Finns do not play as many sports or hold down after school jobs.  Since they do not get homework, they have a lot of free time to spend doing activities of interest or spend time outside.  This might be the reason why Finns were ranked second in the 2012 World Happiness Report. Not only do citizens have time to pursue activities that they enjoy but they receive more income when graduating college.  Even though they may not enjoy school when involved, increased income is shown to increase happiness.

(http://www.citylifemagazine.net/uncategorized/cleantech-finlands-next-nokia/)

     What are your thoughts on Finland's education system?  Do they have a model that the United States should emulate?  Do testing and homework really not yield results?  Would better education and training for teachers lead to more respect which would lead to better learning?  I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section about what you feel is positive about Finland's system and what they are lacking.

Enjoy!

The Smartest Kids in the World Part 1- South Korea

Hello!

     During our last snow day I finished one of the most influential and amazing books that I have read in my lifetime.  It is called The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley.  Anyone who is involved in education (be that a politician, teacher, parent, student, etc.) needs to read this book.  In this novel, Ripley investigated the education systems of the United States, Finland, Poland, and South Korea.  She compared and contrasted each system, located facts and statistics, and discussed the history of each country to give insight into their background and what changes have been made.  Each chapter was more fascinating than the next.

(http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Smartest_Kids_in_the_World.html?id=pK5oWJp4BaIC)

     In the next few blog posts, I am going to discuss each country's education system and include the information that Ripley reviewed in her book.  In the last blog post on this topic, I am going to explain how teachers could utilize this information in their own classrooms to help education in America be the best that it can be.
     Before I go into details about each country, I need to explain how the education systems are ranked.  In 2000, each country around the world was eligible to take a test called the PISA (Program for International Student Assessment).  It is a two hour test that does not measure the answers to equations or multiple choice questions but the ability to think creatively.  Kids around the world took the PISA in 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012.  Each time the test was given, more countries signed on to give it to their students.  In 2012, the test was available in over 40 different languages.  Overall, the results showed that the United States scored 26th on math, 17th in science, and 12th in reading.  This ranked our education system as 13th in the world. During the time of this publication, Finland was ranked 1st and South Korea was ranked 2nd.  (*Note: Not all countries are represented through this international test.  Countries like China, North Korea and Taiwan are not included in these rankings due to their governments and drastically different societies).  The findings showed that all students in the high ranking countries were all learning critical thinking skills in math, science, and reading.  They weren't just memorizing facts, they were analyzing information and learning how to solve problems and adapt which would help them in our modern economy.  The results also showed that the United States' elementary students did fine on international tests, especially in reading.  Problems arose in math and science and when the students came into their teenage years.  Through these blog posts we will analyze why this is the case for each country as well as the pros and cons of each education model.

South Korea

(https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ks.html)

     The first education system that I am going to explain is that of South Korea.  At the time of publication, South Korea ranked 2nd on the PISA.  This education system is one that is highly respected and acknowledged by President Obama and one in which the United States has begun to model themselves.  The Korean system (nicknamed "The Pressure Cooker") is driven by testing, and Korean teenagers spend more time studying than American teenagers spend awake.  South Korea has one of the highest high school graduation rates in the world, far higher than that of the United States, despite having dramatically less wealth.

(http://www.suitqaisdiaries.com/south-korea-five-quirky-attractions/)

The School Day

     The regular school day goes from 8 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon.  During this time, many students sleep in their classes (as in are in deep REM sleep) and teachers lightly tap them with sticks that have stuffed animals on the top which the students call "love sticks".  During lunch time, students have a freshly cooked meal.  In classes, teachers write students' test scores on the board from highest to lowest to publicly rank them.  Most of the tests in the school are graded on a curve so only 4% could get the top score.  In South Korea, there is a strict lesson to be learned when you receive a low score: You did not study hard enough and you have to work harder next time.  After 4pm, students clean the school by mopping the floor, cleaning the chalkboard and emptying the garbage.  If students earned a demerit or got in trouble, they had to clean the bathrooms.  At 4:30pm, they go back to school for more test-prep before having a freshly cooked dinner.  After dinner came a two hour study period.  Around 9pm, students finally left school. That is not the end of their learning, though.  From school, students go to private tutoring academics called hagwons.  At the hagwons, students will study until 10-11pm, which is when the studying curfew begins and makes the students stop.  All of this studying is the reason why the students sleep in the beginning part of their school day.  In Korea, everyone- parents, students and teachers- understand that receiving an education is a serious quest, more important than sports or self-esteem.  

The Korean SAT Test

     The reason students do so much studying is to pass a test that all seniors had to take in order to graduate.  It is similar to the SAT but it determines the rest of your life.  The highest score guarantees acceptance into one of the top three most prestigious universities in Korea which destined you to have a good job, nice house and high salary.  You were respected.  The only problem was that only 2% of seniors got into these top three schools.  The test was extremely difficult and could only be taken on one day, one time per year. If students did not do well, they could retake the test but would have to wait a year.  This test was so important that the government grounded all flights on the day of the test and police were stationed outside each school so that drivers did not honk in order to avoid the noise.  This is an extremely high pressure situation and everyone in the country understands its importance.

Korea's History

     Korea has a long and complicated history that has only changed recently.  In the 1950's, most of South Korea's population were illiterate.  After the Korean War, the country had to rebuild its schools and start again,  Still, in 1960, only a third of Korean kids went to middle school.  Over the next fifty years, Korea changed itself dramatically.  Since they had no natural resources of its own, the country cultivated its people, turning education into currency. The government explained to its people that if their children received the best scores and went to the best schools in the country, they would be set for life which would elevate the family's status.  Since education became of the utmost importance, a shortage of teachers arose.  The government decided to allow too many colleges with very low standards to train teachers.  When lawmakers saw that these new teachers were ineffective, they created a new system.  This new system included current teachers being evaluated by their own students, their parents and other teachers in order to eliminate the "bad" ones.  This evaluation system did not include test scores.

Problems with the System

     Due to education's importance, competition is in the extreme, not learning.  The system has become overly competitive, leading to an unhealthy preoccupation with test scores and dependence on tutoring facilities.  The purpose of learning has become lost, and students and parents fixate on test scores and rankings.  Additionally, students in this country loathe school.  When one girl in the book was moving to New Jersey due to her father's job transfer, everyone in her school in Korea told her that they were jealous that she got to leave.
     Even though Korean taxpayers spend half as much as American taxpayers on school, Korean families make up the difference by spending their own money on extra tutoring academies.  With all of the financial pressure for tutoring schools, many parents are having fewer children which is leading to a decline in the population.  Parents are convinced that the more they pay, the more their children learns.

The 4 Million Dollar Teacher

     Three out of every four Korean students are involved in hagwons.  In 2011, parents spent $18 billion on these schools in order to help their children succeed.  Once students enrolled, hagwons got involved in their lives right away.  Hagwons texted parents multiple times a day and 2-3 times per month they called the house to update them on their child's progress.  If parents were not engaged, that was the fault of the hagwon, not the parents.  
     In hagwons, teachers do not have to be certified and they do not get a salary; they get paid based on how in demand they are.  That being the case, the most in demand tutors could get paid millions of dollars.  One teacher was paid 4 million dollars a year for his tutoring services; he was the most in demand in the country.  All teachers get monitored and if the performance of their students drop, they get fired.  Many students said that they liked their hagwon teachers better than their regular teachers because they "teach more effectively".  One of the hagwon owners said that if it weren't for them, Korea would not do well on the PISA test. 
     Due to the intense pressure, there are studying curfews in place for the hagwons.  Hagwons operating after ten got three warnings.  Then they had to shut down for a week.  If the violation happened after midnight, the hagwon had to close immediately for two weeks.  People are asked to "rat" on hagwons that did not follow the curfew, and the government had paid $3 million to citizens due to this.

Major Problems

     Besides crushing their spirits, Korean students have an exorbitant amount of pressure and anxiety related to school.  One teenager named Ji ended up killing his mother when she was about to go to parent-teacher conferences.  He hid the murder for eight months and went on living his life normally before his crime was finally discovered.  Even though the crime warranted at least fifteen years in prison, the judge understood Ji's plight and gave him only three and a half years.
     Cheating on tests in Korea happens often.  These scandals involve hagwon instructors, students and sometimes even parents.  In 2007, 900 Korean students had their SAT scores cancelled due to leaked test questions.
     Korea also has a problem with suicide.  Korea's suicide rate for 15-19 year olds is lower than that of other countries like Finland and the United States, however, the amount of Korean adults that commit suicide are the highest in the world.

(http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-15289563)

     What are your thoughts on South Korea's "pressure cooker" education system?  Do you think that the United States should model themselves after this?  What are the pieces of this structure that we should include in our system and which should we ignore?  Are test scores and rankings more important than having a passion for learning? I would love to hear your thoughts so please comment below.  In the next blog post, I will discuss the highest ranking country, Finland.

Enjoy!

Free Teacher App

Hello!

 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-heinemann-teacher-tip/id898201475?mt=8)

     I found a great new teacher app that is free and easy to use!  It's called "The Heinemann Teacher Tip" from the Heinemann publishing company.  It is available on the app store or on their website.  Every school day, the app delivers an update to your phone regarding a quick tip that can be used in the classroom.  They take about two minutes to read or there is a short video to watch.  The tips come from renowned experts or researchers in education (such as Lucy Calklins or Nancie Atwell) and are really excellent!  You can also look through past tips to find additional information or to review an idea that you read a few days back.

(http://heinemann.com/blog/now-available-heinemann-teacher-tip-app)

     I really loved the tip that I received on March 4.  It involved using KWL organizers in math class.  For math, this organizer would be called a KWC.  It suggested that when solving number stories with your students, have them decide and write down What do I know for sure?, What am I trying to find out or figure out? and What are the special conditions I need to look out for?  This simple tip would help my second graders to pull out important information when reading a long winded and daunting word problem with lots of components.  They have difficulty focusing on what the question is asking and this organizer would help my students to analyze what they are reading in order to solve the problem.

     Definitely check out this free app on your phone or tablet's app store in order to get a quick teacher tips sent to your phone!  When you download it, let me know your thoughts!

Enjoy!

And the winner is....!

Hello!

     It is awards season!  And no, I am not talking about the Golden Globes, Grammys or Oscars.  Instead, I am talking about the Caldecott Awards!  Yes, when I receive this yearly email I run straight to the library and check out all of the winners.  This year the books are very different but each have their own unique and wonderful qualities that I believe children of all ages will enjoy.

(http://www.amazon.com/The-Adventures-Beekle-Unimaginary-Friend/dp/0316199982)

     This is one of the most heartwarming and adorable books I have ever read!  The Caldecott winner for this year is The Adventures of Beekle, the Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santal.  It is about a cute, little creature that knows he is destined to find a friend.  He searches high and low but is frustrated and begins to give up hope that this friend will ever be found.  This story includes so many messages and teaches a multitude of lessons.  The characters in the story show that soul mates can come in all shapes and sizes and that the best things in life are worth waiting for.  Never give up hope because the best things in life happen when you least expect them.

     The pictures allow for the reader's imagination to run wild with possibilities and excitement.  With this book, teachers can impart many activities with their students.  First, a discussion about imaginary friends and friendship in general would be great to have with a class or individuals.  Younger students can create an imaginary friend and write a descriptive piece.  Also, discussing how a friend was made in the book (using the exact same steps with the illustrations provided) would be a great character education lesson.  With older students, having them write a story about an imaginary friend would allow them to use the ideas from the story as well as include their own creativity.

     This is a book I HIGHLY recommend for students in all grades.  One of my new favorites.  Thinking about this story makes my heart smile. :)

(http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Frida-Yuyi-Morales/dp/1596436034/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424744651&sr=1-1&keywords=viva+frida)

     One of the Caldecott Honor books this year is Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales.    The main character is Frida Kahlo, the famous Mexican artist.  This book includes very little words but the ones that are in it are in both Spanish and English.  For example, on one page the words say "Sueno" and "I dream" with an illustration of Frida dreaming.  The pictures are so unique in the sense that the characters look like realistic dolls or figurines but then they change during the dream sequence to look more like drawings.

     Even though there are not many words, there is still a great story line inside the book.  It would be a good picture book for students to read twice; the first time just to understand the words and view the pictures, the second where teachers could ask students exactly what the words have to do with the illustrations and to elaborate.  Students will notice that the words do tell a story and help you to understand Frida and her life.  In art, this book would be wonderful for teachers to use when teaching about the biographies of famous artists.  At the back of the book, there is also a brief synopsis into Frida's life and how she inspired the author.  Students in art class could also analyze why the illustrator chose to make the pictures in the present different from those in the dream.  Finally, Spanish classes could utilize the book to introduce simple Spanish words since they are depicted in the pictures or to have more advanced students add details to the story in that same language.

(http://www.amazon.com/Sam-Dave-Dig-Hole-Barnett/dp/0763662291/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1424745754&sr=1-1&keywords=sam+and+dave+dig+a+hole)

     Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett is another Caldecott Honor book for this year.  The story in essence is very simple; two boys, Sam and Dave, dig a hole in the yard to see what they can find.  It reminded me of every child who goes into the backyard or starts digging in the sand at the beach hoping to reach the other side of the world.  The boys dig and dig and even though they do not know exactly what they are looking for, they persevere and never give up.  Throughout the entire adventure, they do not even know how close they are to finding something amazing, but just enjoy the company of each other.  When the boys finally come to their destination, they realize that it is not the end that matters but the journey and who you are with on it.  The story is extremely fast but leaves a lasting impression; it brings adults back to their childhood and children laugh at the obliviousness of the two boys.

     This story could be used by multiple grade levels in various ways.  For younger students, identifying story elements, making predictions and creating connections would be quick and easy practice with this text.  For older students, having them identify, discuss, and analyze the messages in the story would help develop higher level thinking skills.  Using the illustrations as backing to their findings would help to practice using text support when making a claim about a book or story.  Focusing on the illustrations rather than the words is a different way for the students to practice this skill.

     These are only three of the seven Caldecott medal winners from this year.  Already, these three are impressive, exciting, and promote heartfelt messages and emotions.  Run, walk or fly to your nearest library or bookstore to check these out.  The other four Caldecott winners will be coming your way in a blog post shortly.  For now, read through these three and tell me your thoughts, opinions, and how you would utilize them in the classroom.  I know that I certainly will not be the same after reading these books and venturing in their worlds.

Enjoy!

Second Grade Science

Hello!

     This year is my first year teaching science so I was a little nervous about what to do.  When I think about science, I think hands-on, active, creative projects. But when I learned that our units included the water cycle, rotation/revolution, and the moon, what could I do that would not be too high level for second graders?!  Lo and behold, the Internet provides excellent resources for teachers to modify to fit their students' needs.  Through my searches, I found some wonderful blogs of other teachers who had innovative ideas which I implemented immediately into my lessons.  These projects allowed students to manipulative objects, discover, and create, but most importantly, students understood the concepts in a deeper manner.

 The Water Cycle

     One of the first units that we worked on was the water cycle.  During this unit, I found a project from the "Simply Second Grade" blog by Mrs. Lyons.  On this blog, there are pictures of example projects from her students and the cutest poem to go along with the entire unit.  Even though we completed these projects over a month ago, the students still remember the song and hand movements that go along with it and love to do them at random.  Click HERE to access this great blog!

Rotation/ Revolution

     

     Rotation and revolution were difficult concepts for my students to grasp.  Not only do both words sound similar, but they could not remember which celestial bodies rotate and which ones make a revolution.  Also, the amount of time it takes for the Earth to make a rotation or for the moon to make a revolution could not be remembered.  For this unit, I found the blog "Tori's Teacher Tips" which created a project involving brads.  This enables the Sun, Earth, and Moon to rotate as well as make a revolution around each other.  I combined this project with the a poem which includes the amounts of time that each take to rotate or make a revolution.  When students manipulated their project as well as read the poem, the entire concept clicked.  Please click HERE to access this great blog!

The Phases of the Moon

     Finally, our most recent unit included information about the moon and its phases.  The project that I found for this was from the blog "Just for Teachers: Sharing Across Borders".  I modified this project a lot to include a large sheet of construction paper.  The blog shared the poem that I had the students read and paste onto their project.  Being that this assignment was completed after we read and researched about the moon, having the students cut and color the various phases helped them to actualize what was happening in the sky throughout the month.  Click HERE to visit this creative and inspiring blog.

     Each of the projects allowed my students to become more engaged in the unit we were studying, understand the concepts fully, and allowed them to utilize their creativity.  I love how my class took their time in developing them; it shows because the projects turned out AMAZING!

     I would love to learn about other science projects that inspired creativity and exploration in your classroom!  Please feel free to share in the comments section below.

   

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hello!

     Happy Belated Valentine's Day!  With all of the snow and cold temperatures in the Northeast this year, Valentine's Day came by quickly; so quickly in fact that I was not able to post prior to the holiday!  It worked out for the best, however, because now I am able to have pictures of the projects that were created!
     Since this is my first year in second grade, I wanted to do something different to celebrate this February tradition in a more original manner. Since I am able to stay with the same group of students the entire day, I feel that I have more time available to work on projects.  Also, this year I want to infuse creativity into my students' lives more often so I figured Valentine's Day was the perfect place to insert it!  
     A while back, I received an email from Michael's Arts and Crafts stores showing a kit that you could purchase to create a Valentine's Day mailbox.  One of these kits happened to be an owl, which is my theme for the year.  (Side note: Owls have great vision, intelligence, and power which make them a great animal to show respect to throughout the year).  Immediately I went to Michael's to purchase this kit and saw that not only would it be too expensive to purchase one for everyone, but it already included the colors and size for each piece.  If I were to have my students create this, all they would have to do is paste the pieces together which involved very little creativity.

(A snapshot taken from the Michael's advertisement on January 30th)

     Instead, what I did was purchase the owl kit along with many other supplies from Michael's.  These supplies included multi-colored and patterned scrapbook paper, plain construction paper, and thicker paper to make my own tracers.  When I got home, I unwrapped the package and got to work duplicating all of the templates for my students to use and for the process to go smoothly.
     Once I got to school, I was not sure how this project would turn out.  Even though I was prepared with all of my supplies, I had not actually constructed the mailbox myself so I did not know the process that it would entail.  I was so excited about the project, however, that my students took to it with gusto and their creativity blew me away.  They carefully selected colors that went with one another; some decided to go with a Valentine's Day theme while others wanted to include colors that made them happy.  Either way, the finished products were outstanding!

     I truly enjoyed this project because the students were able to practice their cutting, pasting, and direction following skills while inserting creativity, choice, and their own ideas of what a "Valentine's Day owl" should look like.  Students added expression in their owl by changing wing direction or eye size, included details such as fringe on the wings or a glisten on the pupil, or added an object such as Cupid's bow and arrow or a mustache.  
     Even though I was unsure of how the project would turn out or how long the procedure would actually take, it went by smoothly, flawlessly, and the enthusiasm of the students was unmatched.  Taking the time to do this with my class was certainly worth it.  Even though Valentine's Day has passed, take the time to inspire creativity in your classroom wherever you can.

Enjoy!

A Complaint Free World

“If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." —Maya Angelou

Hello!

     During all of these wonderful snow days, I read the self-help book called A Complaint Free World.  It was recommended by a good friend and fabulous educator who said that this book changed her life.  It was quick and easy to read and had a lot of practical advice as well as statistics about complaining and its effects on the world.  In one section the author, Will Bowen, explains that "most people claim to want prosperity, but spend most of their waking hours complaining about what they already have.  In doing so, they repel rather than attract prosperity."  He continues with a quote by Dr. Wayne Dyer that says "If you're not happy with what you have, than why would you want more?"  I am a strong believer in that we become the words that we say so they should be positive and optimistic.  Realistically, this is certainly easier said than done, especially when one is having a bad day.

Russell and I are ready for our Complaint Free Challenge!  I have a feeling it will be pretty easy for him.

     Throughout the book, Bowen describes ways to combat complaining.  The first way: to be aware of how much and how often you complain.  In order to do this, he began the Complaint Free Challenge, where people can buy bracelets ($10 for 10 bracelet which includes shipping and handling) off of the website to help one be aware of their complaints.  You put the bracelet on your wrist and each time you complain, you move it to the other wrist which means that you start back at Day 1.  The challenge is to go 21 straight days without complaining.  If you do something for 21 days straight, scientists believe it will become a habit.  There is also a widget you can download on your computer to help you keep track of your days.  Sounds easy, right?  Wrong!  Most people spend many days at Day 1 and then once they move on, can lapse back to the beginning again.  The challenge is to not give up.  Imagine what the world would be like if everyone irradiated, or at least minimized, their complaining?!
     How does this relate to education and schools, you might ask?  While reading this book, I thought about my students' attitudes towards some assessments and how their mood usually impacts their performance.  When I hand my students a writing prompt and they immediately groan, I notice that their scores are not as high as expected.  In contrast, when the students are excited or confident about the project that they are undertaking, their scores skyrocket.  In order to help promote this positive dialogue, I started having my students repeat optimistic mantras before tests or writing prompts such as "I can do this!", "I know exactly what to do!" or "I am going to do great!".  We would say them aloud throughout the year and I noticed that some students started whispering them on their own as the year continued.
     To teach complaining to children, Bowen created a Complaint Free Curriculum for schools.  The curriculum is modified for multiple grade levels and has various activities to engage students.  There are journal prompts, hands-on activities, discussions, and quotes to analyze.  The ten lessons can be done back to back, combined to make a larger lesson, or spaced out if there are time constraints.  Each one is unique and creative, and students can easily understand and practice being complaint free.  This positivity is crucial to any classroom environment, especially with the new demands that every teacher and student faces.  Instead of focusing on all that needs to be taught or learned, we can put our energy towards all that we have accomplished and all that we know.
     Now, for those of you that know me, I can certainly do my share of complaining, especially about specific people in my life.  Writing this post, I do not want to sound like a hypocrite, because stopping complaints is quite a difficult thing to do.  I do believe in Bowen's mission, however, and I feel that limiting the complaints that I say can make my world, as well as the worlds of the people around me, much nicer.  I ordered my complaint free bracelet and am ready to begin!  I am excited to tell my students about my undertaking.  Even though I will not instruct using the curriculum just yet, I hope that my students become curious and interested in my challenge because I would love to share my journey with them.

(http://www.amazon.com/Complaint-Free-World-Complaining-Enjoying/dp/0770436390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423493058&sr=8-1&keywords=complaint+free+world)

     A Complaint Free World is a great read for anyone who wants to inspire more positivity and optimism in their life.  To find out more, visit the accompanying website by clicking HERE.  Please share your Complaint Free Journey with me so others can be motivated and emboldened to join in.

Enjoy!