Monday Motivator #13 2024-25

 

Big, Loud, and Slow: Six Strategies for Better Public Speaking

The first thing I noticed when I woke up on March 1, 2023, was that I wasn’t able to articulate what I wanted to say. It was like the left side of my cheek had fallen asleep, similar to when you sit on one of your legs for too long. This morning was no different from another weekday: Wake up for work, let the dog out, grab some breakfast. 
My wife, Jodi, was also awake when I realized my problem with my speech. “I can’t…talk?” I managed to express. Also noting that I had not slept well that night, she encouraged me to make a doctor’s appointment for the morning. I agreed and started to put in my absence for that morning.
That’s when I realized that my left hand was also not working as it should. My fingertips could not locate the correct key on my laptop. “Jodi, I am not able to type correctly,” I called from the dining room as she moved about in the kitchen, getting breakfast for the kids.
“Okay,” she announced, “we are going to the emergency room, and I will be driving you.” Too tired to resist, I quickly got dressed and we headed to the hospital.
Later that day, I learned that I had suffered a small vessel stroke in the posterior right frontal lobe of my brain. This area of the brain controls movement and language. It impacted my speech and some coordination on the left side of my body, particularly my hand and, to a lesser degree, my leg. This loss of muscle coordination on the left side of my face is referred to as dysarthria, defined as “weakness or paralysis of the speech muscles” and “is characterized by reduced speed and range of movement in articulators” (Source: https://therapyinsights.com/).
Part of my recovery has been speech therapy. My therapist’s mantra throughout our sessions has been to speak big, loud, and slow. 
As I practiced the exercises assigned to me, I realized that these strategies can be applicable to all students in the classroom and to anyone who wants to improve their conversation skills or public speaking. (Note: These strategies come from Therapy Insights as provided to me by my therapist. They are not a replacement for support offered by a speech and language therapist or a medical provider.)

Speaking Big

Speaking big means being expressive and even exaggerating sounds and words when speaking.
“Open your mouth widely for vowel sounds.” Vowels are often in the middle of words, so         they can be more difficult to articulate. I practiced opening my mouth widely while saying     the Pledge of Allegiance during morning announcements over the public address system.
“Lengthen sounds to help make them sound different from others.” During morning                 announcements, I also tell a daily joke. I make a point of enunciating specific sounds to             make them distinctive from others. This is especially helpful for puns, such as “What did         the skeptical cat say? You’ve got to be kitten me right meow!” 

Speaking Loud

I was a quiet speaker before my stroke. I have had to be even more cognizant of this as I strengthen my breath and volume.
“Communicate at the same eye level.” I don’t have to raise my voice when I am speaking directly to a person. Looking in another direction while communicating with someone makes it more difficult for them to hear what I am saying.
“Speak in three- to five-word phrases.” Keeping my messages succinct allows more breath for what I want to say. It also helps with conserving my energy. The more I talk and interact throughout the day, the more tired I become as the day progresses.

Speaking Slowly

When I am misunderstood or asked to repeat something, I am usually speaking too quickly. 
“Use a slower speaking rate.” When we slow down while speaking, we “allow the tongue more time to move to make full speech sound movements.” I’ve applied this strategy when working with a teacher. For example, I have found that a slower speaking rate gives me more time to develop thoughtful questions for reflection around a teacher’s practice.
“Choose different words when repeating or rephrasing yourself.” One way to slow myself down when speaking is to choose longer words when I repeat myself. They can be understood better. For example, I might use precipitation instead of rain.

Four months after my stroke, my speech was around 95% recovered. The /k/ sound can still be difficult to pronounce, so I avoid words that contain it during regular communications. But I also practice that sound when I have the opportunity.
With the prevalence of video and podcast creation, all students should have these opportunities. A curriculum with speaking as a core skill prepares learners for life in the 21st century.
https://choiceliteracy.com/article/big-loud-and-slow-six-strategies-for-better-public-speaking/

Monday Motivator #12 2024-25

History of Veterans Day

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

1919
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

1926
The United States Congress officially recognized the end of World War I when it passed a concurrent resolution on June 4, 1926, with these words:
Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and
Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and
Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.

1938

1938
An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as “Armistice Day.” Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor Veterans of World War I,
Communicating through letter writing is a great way to send a special message or say thank you to Veterans who have served our country.
Who is a Veteran? A Veteran is a man or woman who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces during a time of war or peace. The six branches of the United States Armed Forces are the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force and Space Force. Who is an active-duty serviceman or woman?.

1954
In 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the Veterans service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting in its place the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American Veterans of all wars.
Later that same year, on October 8th, President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued the first “Veterans Day Proclamation” (PDF) which stated: “In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all Veterans, all Veterans’ organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans’ Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible.”

1958
In 1958, the White House advised VA’s General Counsel that the 1954 designation of the VA Administrator as Chairman of the Veterans Day National Committee applied to all subsequent VA Administrators. Since March 1989 when VA was elevated to a cabinet level department, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has served as the committee’s chairman.

1968
The Uniform Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250)) was signed on June 28, 1968, and was intended to ensure three-day weekends for Federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. It was thought that these extended weekends would encourage travel, recreational and cultural activities and stimulate greater industrial and commercial production. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holidays on their original dates.

1971

1971
The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.

Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
https://department.va.gov/veterans-day/history-of-veterans-day/

1971The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on October 25, 1971. It was quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of our citizens, and so on September 20th, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479), which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978. This action supported the desires of the overwhelming majority of state legislatures, all major veterans service organizations and the American people.

Communicating through letter writing is a great way to send a special message or say thank you to Veterans who have served our country.  A Veteran is a man or woman who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces during a time of war or peace. The six branches of the United States Armed Forces are the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Air Force and Space Force. 
Each one is a true hero, and that is why we enjoy writing letters to all of them.
Now, let’s get started writing your letter. Here are three simple steps to writing a letter.

1. Write an introduction. The introduction should include a greeting, such as Dear Veteran.

2. Write a message of thanks and gratitude to express how we are fortunate to have them serving and sacrificing so much to keep us safe. You can write a message like, thank you for being brave, thank you for being a hero, thank you for keeping us safe or we appreciate all that you do for our community.
If you want to be creative, you can add hand-drawn pictures like the American flag, a bald eagle, stars, a rainbow or hearts. Veterans and active-duty service members really enjoy receiving handwritten notes from members of our community.

3. Last, close your letter by signing your first name only or your initials. By keeping the letter simple and with a positive message, any service member will be delighted to receive a heartwarming letter from those who they protect and keep safe.
https://nationalvmm.org/write-a-letter-to-a-veteran-active-duty-servicemember-or-first-responder/

For mailing letters:
National Veterans Memorial and Museum
Education Department
300 W Broad St.
Columbus, OH 43215

Monday Motivator #11 2024-25

In this stressful time of the school year with the start of second quarter, weather changes, a break still a few weeks away, this song reminds us to continue to see all the good in our students and find the glimmers throughout the day!

PS 22 Chorus "Good in Me" with Andy Grammer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gON544zwmOo

Monday Motivator #10 2024-25

 

“I Can’t Hear You with All of Your Talking”

by MiddleWeb · 06/24/2024

By Patty McGee

My dad said these exact words to me once. “Patty, I cannot hear you with all of your talking.” To this day it simultaneously cracks me up and gives me pause. This Yogi Berra-ish statement holds much truth, especially in teaching.

Case in point: A few years back, I was demoing a student conference for a group of teachers. They specifically asked me to work with a student named Estrella. Her teacher found conferring with Estrella extra challenging – no matter what the teacher tried, Estrella remained quiet and seemed disconnected. So I gave it a try, even though I doubted I could make any further inroads with her.

After I modeled a strategy for Estrella, I decided to pause and say nothing for what felt like an eternity – about 30 seconds. We could see that Estrella was thinking. Then she began to take what I taught and use it. A light bulb lit up in our heads. We realized that simply saying nothing and giving each individual student the time they need to process and act could be incredibly powerful.

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I don’t know if you find it as easy to fall into the trap of constant talking as I do. We educators often feel the need to fill every moment with our voices, thinking that more words equate to deeper learning. However, I’ve come to realize that sometimes the most powerful moments in teaching happen in the silences.

Silence Fosters Student-to-Student Collaboration

I am deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative classroom environment, and I’ve also witnessed the transformative role that silence plays in promoting student-to-student collaboration. It’s a tool that, when used thoughtfully, can elevate the learning experience, nurturing a community of learners who support, challenge, and grow together.

A few months back I demo’ed a small group session in a classroom. After the session I asked the three students I worked with to each meet with another student in the class and teach them what they’d just learned.

I’d written down the steps I taught on a sticky note for each of them. Without me saying another word, the three students huddled together and decided to follow my lead.

“After we teach another student, let’s hand over a sticky note and ask them to find another person in the classroom to teach,” they decided. “That way, everyone can learn from each other.”

And that is exactly what happened. All of the grown-ups in the room stood back, said nothing, and watched the learning pollinate throughout the classroom. It was beautiful, visible learning in action!

What’s more, this silence-induced collaboration brought out the voices of those who often remained on the sidelines. It was a clear reminder of the untapped potential that lies within each student.

Through experiences like these, I’ve learned that silence is not just the absence of noise – it’s a powerful pedagogical strategy that fosters an environment of mutual respect, active engagement, and collective discovery.

Listening: A Teacher’s Tool for Customized Feedback

One of my mentors texted me the other day simply saying, “Silence is the space that allows us to listen. Silence helps to create belonging.” That feels so true to me.

What once felt counterintuitive – turning the floor over to students and genuinely listening to their voices – has reshaped not only my teaching approach but also how students perceive their own learning journey.

Listening – for us and for our students – is far more than a passive act. It’s an active engagement, a way to truly connect with each other on a deeper level.

When I shifted from being the primary voice in the classroom to being a keen listener, I uncovered a world of insight into my students’ understanding, their challenges, and their unique ways of seeing the world. This transformation has not been easy, as it required me to reevaluate my role as an educator. However, the rewards have been immeasurable.

In my practice, especially during time for direct feedback, I’ve witnessed the tangible benefits of listening. It’s in these moments, when I’m wholly focused on understanding a student’s perspective, that I’m able to tailor my teaching to their specific readiness. By listening, I allow them to articulate their thoughts and, more importantly, to own their learning process.

My commitment to listening has opened up new avenues for feedback. Instead of assuming what my students need, I ask, I listen, and I adapt.

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Building Trust through Listening

Perhaps the most heartfelt lesson I’ve learned through listening is the trust it builds. In fact, if I do say anything during the listening/feedback cycle, I repeat the mantra, “I trust in your ability to work through hard parts.”

Establishing and confirming trust makes the classroom a safer space – a place where risks can be taken and vulnerabilities shared. This trust is the foundation of a learning environment where every student feels they belong, where they are understood and supported not just academically but emotionally and socially.

Incorporating silence into my teaching has been a revelation. As I continue to explore the nuances of feedback, I am constantly reminded of the transformative power of pausing, of giving learners the time to process. In the quiet, in the stillness, there is a world of understanding waiting to be unlocked.

Thanks, Dad, for the clever saying that has shaped my teaching for the better.

 

Monday Motivator #9 2024-25

 

Learning to Listen During Turn-and-Talk
https://choiceliteracy.com/article/learning-to-listen-during-turn-and-talk/ 

If I were to model a demonstration lesson in your classroom, the first thing I would do is ask your students to tell me their names. As they sat in the meeting area, I would make eye contact with each one and listen to each person say their name. Then I would say it back. Kids would smile and confirm, or they would correct my pronunciation.
“Your name is important,” I would remind them. “Let me know if I say it correctly.”
After six or seven kids said their names, I might go back down the line and repeat their names, associating faces and names and locking their names into my brain. If I’ve forgotten a name, I’ll ask the student to tell me again, and I’ll repeat it a time or two. This process takes two or three minutes.
From that point on, I’ll know every name in the room. 
Because I teach a lot of demonstration lessons, often packing a classroom with more teachers than students, I know what one of the first questions will be during the reflection after the lesson.
“How do you remember everyone’s names?” You might wonder the same thing. Many times kids ask me before I even leave the classroom. They are often surprised that I know their names. 
The simple answer is this: I listen.
Yet there’s more to listening than a quiet passivity. Listening is more than letting someone talk, leaning in, and nodding in an effort to make them feel like you are paying attention. We actually have to pay attention.
Listening is an intentional act to understand, participate, and remember. It is an essential part of conversations in our classrooms (and an essential part of conversations in life). So, how do we teach kids to listen?
An ideal time to lean into this teaching is when students are engaged in a turn-and-talk. The purpose of a turn-and-talk is for students to engage in ideas and deepen their understanding of a concept. Here are three ways we can up the ante for listening during turn-and-talk.

Do you remember what your partner said?

Once students finish their turn-and-talk and are ready for the remainder of the minilesson, I ask, “Do you remember what your partner just said? Don’t answer that question out loud, but think about it for a minute.”
Instantly, eyes turn up and faces become sheepish. Sometimes I ask students to give a thumbs-up if they remember what their partner said. If this is the first time they’ve ever been asked that question, it is likely that most kids will not remember.
This is a prime time to teach students that the purpose of a turn-and-talk is to learn and understand more, and to do that, we must pay attention and remember what others say. Offer the invitation to return to the conversation and find out what their partners said.

Share something your partner said.

Typically after kids finish a turn-and-talk, the teacher facilitates sharing some responses. Rather than ask kids to share their own thoughts, we can invite students to share what their partners said. We might say, “Does anyone have something their partner said that is valuable for everyone to hear?”
When students share, help them use their partner’s name. A sentence frame that works well is

[Partner’s Name] shared _____________.

As students begin to expect that conversations will help them deepen their understanding, we can adjust the sentence frame to

[Partner’s Name] shared _____________. This helped me because _____________. 

Don’t underestimate the power of teacher modeling in supporting students’ development in sharing others’ ideas. Before opening the invitation for students to share, the teacher can share key ideas after a turn-and-talk ends. Use the same sentence stems that you will encourage students to use later. By hearing this language before using it themselves, students will be invested in sharing other people’s ideas. They will also experience the positivity that comes when someone hears your idea and then considers it valuable enough to share publicly. 
An additional benefit to asking students to share their partners’ ideas is that we hear more voices. There are students who do not like to speak publicly or do not have the confidence to share their own ideas. The students who love to take the stage and talk will jump in with sharing another’s ideas. Those who want to contribute but lack the confidence to do so will feel more comfortable giving credit to their partner’s ideas. This is a powerful way to build equity in hearing every voice in our classrooms.

Ask a question to get your partner to say more.

A satisfying conversation is one that builds upon ideas. Too often conversations in schools leap from one idea to a totally different idea. You can easily observe this if you spend a little time in the lunchroom. Don’t join a conversation, but watch from the outskirts. You will hear one student talk about the special treat in their lunch and the next talk about his dog. Another will jump in with a story about her baby brother giggling at a new toy, followed by someone telling a story about swimming in the lake. 
There isn’t a thread to the conversation; it is driven by each individual’s desire to talk about their own lives. I’ve watched these conversations unfold in elementary, middle, and high school, and they typically evolve the same way. Each person talks about what is important to them, rather than listening and continuing on the same line of conversation. (This happens at my own dinner table, too!)
We can help students develop conversation wherewithal by teaching them to ask a follow-up question of their partner. Rather than jumping in with what they are thinking, they can choose to linger on the idea their partner suggested. This isn’t something humans do naturally; it is something we choose to do because we value other people’s ideas and we learn that our own thinking can deepen when we hear more from others. 
I like to remind myself and students that we already know what we think. A conversation is a chance to find out what other people think. Often the best ideas aren’t the first things that are voiced; they happen after a little talking has occurred. Be the kind of listener who asks a follow-up question. A question for students to begin using is

“Will you tell me more?”

As they become stronger listeners, you will be able to teach ways to ask more specific follow-up questions. 
Learning to listen is a skill we can teach and one way that time spent engaging in a turn-and-talk can become even more valuable.

Monday Motivator #8 2024-25

 

https://smallchangesbigshifts.com/kindness/signup/

Monday Motivator #7 2024-25

MO SW-PBS has identified eight classroom practices that have been shown to increase the likelihood of appropriate behavior and decrease problem behavior while increasing academic learning time.
These Effective Teaching & Learning Practices (ETLPs) are the following:

1) clarifying expectations
2) classroom procedures and routines
3) strategies to encourage expected behavior
4) strategies to discourage inappropriate behavior 
5) active supervision
6) opportunities to respond
7) activity sequencing & choice
8) task difficulty
The first four are to help keep students in class while practices 5-8 help keep students engaged in class.  Together, these eight practices impact academic learning time and ultimately student achievement while ensuring a positive learning environment. Implementing these evidence-based practices has been shown to maximize learning for all students while minimizing discipline problems.

This chart below shows some additional ways to enhance these practices based on the function of behavior students are exhibiting (ex. gain attention, avoid attention, avoid a task)

For more information on each of the Effective Teaching and Learning Practices, click here.

See also https://pbismissouri.org/tier-1-workbook-resources/