Self reflection

1. Learn.
Live.
Laugh.
Love.
Hello! Thank you for coming! Welcome to the yet-to-be-named presentation. This talk actually has a very serendipitous birth. And I will share in just a moment. ! ! In general, this talk is about spending time self-reflecting. Checking in with yourself on a periodic basis, assessing whether your actions match your beliefs.

2. For now, let me frame my talk.!
I’d like to share a bit about WHO? I am. I’ll tell a few stories about me and where my teaching philosophies came from.!
Next, I’ll talk about WHY? I spend time reflecting.!
Finally, I’ll share HOW? I presently reflect in order to check in with myself.

3. Who?
For now, let me frame my talk.!
I’d like to share a bit about WHO? I am. I’ll tell a few stories about me and where my teaching philosophies came from.!
Next, I’ll talk about WHY? I spend time reflecting.!
Finally, I’ll share HOW? I presently reflect in order to check in with myself.

4. Why?
Who?
For now, let me frame my talk.!
I’d like to share a bit about WHO? I am. I’ll tell a few stories about me and where my teaching philosophies came from.!
Next, I’ll talk about WHY? I spend time reflecting.!
Finally, I’ll share HOW? I presently reflect in order to check in with myself.

5. Why?
Who?
How?
For now, let me frame my talk.!
I’d like to share a bit about WHO? I am. I’ll tell a few stories about me and where my teaching philosophies came from.!
Next, I’ll talk about WHY? I spend time reflecting.!
Finally, I’ll share HOW? I presently reflect in order to check in with myself.

6. Joan’s Story
So I'd like to share a bit of my story with you and then frame today’s conversation.!
History of who I am as a teacher...25 years teaching...8 districts…first year here...coached, specialize in curricular development...but mostly, I enjoy
talking to teachers about teaching...

7. History of this talk….started at a department meeting, went to the faculty, then student body, then to other districts and parent communities…It began as a stream of
consciousness “rant” in front of my department that was overheard by my principal who asked me to present it to the faculty…The rest is history.

8. Why I do this particular talk? I love this stuff…Talking about the background pieces of education. Down time, reflection, time for follow-through…that’s
necessary for educators. Provides the thread that stitches together all conversations. Leaves room for creativity and innovation. We need to spend more
time doing this.

9. We have so many conversations in education. Sometimes, I think that the importance of those conversations becomes lost due to how the meat of those conversations are implemented.
Teacher-centered to student-centered to student-directed to student-created classrooms
Hands on Science to Problem-Based Learning to Discovery-Based Learning to Inquiry, etc.
Portfolio Assessments to Alternative Assessment to Authentic Assessment to Afl, etc.
On-Task to Motivation to Focus to Engagement, etc.
Technology to Instructional Technology to 21st Century Education to Digital Literacy
Differentiated Instruction & Critical Thinking & Literacy & Transliteracy & Multimedia Learning
Standardized, high stakes, mandated, society-expected and policy-driven tests
!I
believe all of these conversations and topics are important. But they become caricatures of themselves and eventually check-list items. Which is unfortunate, because many have such merit.

10. And so often, it seems, we’re having disjointed conversations...
Like...Schedules (block, mod, period), course changes, Technology, Learning targets, common core, ngss, evaluations, etc. When, in fact, with a “big
picture” mentality, they are just pieces of the same conversation (many times).

11. Today, I might be all over the board. I’ll try to get us back to the big picture whenever I can.

12. Please feel free to ask questions or interrupt as this talk progresses. If there’s something I think we should hold on to until the end, we’ll wait…

13. Clarifier…There’s a level of trust I’ve been given, by the administration, and I thank them for that. So I must make it clear that the views expressed here are mine, and are
ALWAYS changing based on life experiences. I thoroughly enjoy discussing these things, so I welcome conversation on my views at any time!

14. Let’s consider this a safe space for conversation.

15. Sam Chaltain
National Educator, Organizational Change Consultant!

16. He has captured the essence of the most powerful learning experiences for me…I will share two of my most formative experiences in a minute.

17. He has captured the essence of the most powerful learning experiences for me…I will share two of my most formative experiences in a minute.

18. Artwork by Doug Smithenry
So here’s my big picture. The WHY? behind this talk….My goal as a teacher is to develop a self-sufficient scientific community of learners. This picture epitomizes my classroom.
My students are challenged, engaged. They are discussing something relevant. And they are immersed in a scientific inquiry experience. Mostly, it reflects my goal because I’m not
in the picture. It’s my class. And you can’t see me. I’ve written myself out of the picture. (Almost.)

19. Beliefs vs. Actions
(Reflecting on My Practice)
Artwork by Doug Smithenry
So here’s my big picture. The WHY? behind this talk….My goal as a teacher is to develop a self-sufficient scientific community of learners. This picture epitomizes my classroom.
My students are challenged, engaged. They are discussing something relevant. And they are immersed in a scientific inquiry experience. Mostly, it reflects my goal because I’m not
in the picture. It’s my class. And you can’t see me. I’ve written myself out of the picture. (Almost.)

20. Educator
Let me share that my self-reflection occurs pretty regularly on all life fronts. How I reflect typically has to do with what hat I’m wearing. And we all wear MANY hats.

21. Parent

22. Friend

23. Author

24. Athlete

25. Educator
Parent
Today’s talk will focus on my reflection from the dual lens of parent/educator. (At this point, I don’t know how to separate the two.)

26. Certainly the most powerful experiences I had that has influenced who I am as an educator is the privilege of having raised my two daughters. (Favorite pic
of the two. Kira on left (sr in high school), Katina on right (in grad school)).

27. When my children were young, they were curious, imaginative and deeply focused on the moment.

28. One very influential story was...when I went to kindergarden conferences. Teacher only wanted to show me her report card. All I wanted to know was how she was interacting with other children…and adults…
and if she seemed engaged and asked good questions…And the only information I was getting was her “grade.” So I decided then and there...

29. One very influential story was...when I went to kindergarden conferences. Teacher only wanted to show me her report card. All I wanted to know was how she was interacting with other children…and adults…
and if she seemed engaged and asked good questions…And the only information I was getting was her “grade.” So I decided then and there...

30. ...I would never let her see her report card.

31. I just wanted to be the counterbalance to a system that has obviously gone a little whacko...I was experiencing a bit of it in my professional life….There is value in a report card, I know. But I chose to
be the CRAZY mom…(Share story of freshman year in high school. It’s fabulous, but too long to write. Maybe blog post?)

32. Race to Nowhere
Then I saw this movie...

33. http://www.racetonowhere.com/!
I knew I had made a good decision.

34. http://www.racetonowhere.com/!
I knew I had made a good decision.

36. Thoughts? Questions?

37. What are you thinking?

38. Another lesson I learned as a parent that influenced my teaching...remember quite vividly...I witnessed while my girls were playing when they were very little... I witnessed the benefit of
collaboration and unique ways of thinking being thrown together when accomplishing a task…(Story of the girls playing “mail” in the hallway. Again, too long to write. Another blog post? SO
POWERFUL!)

39. Another lesson I learned as a parent that influenced my teaching...remember quite vividly...I witnessed while my girls were playing when they were very little... I witnessed the benefit of
collaboration and unique ways of thinking being thrown together when accomplishing a task…(Story of the girls playing “mail” in the hallway. Again, too long to write. Another blog post? SO
POWERFUL!)

40. Search for the clever gifts in all of us. Rekindle that inherent curiosity. Show that the only way to grow is by first getting lost. Collaboration is key. Unique perspectives...

41. Sir Ken Robinson

42. Ted Talk 2006

43. Ted Talk 2006 Full video: http://goo.gl/hwKq

45. Passion
Talent
Paul McCartney, Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, Gillian Lynne, Julia Child, Matt Groening, Ms. Hoover (in honor of his teacher that nurture his sketches)!

46. Paul McCartney, Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, Gillian Lynne, Julia Child, Matt Groening, Ms. Hoover (in honor of his teacher that nurture his sketches)!

47. Whether you were 5 or 10 or last week…in school, with family or friends, etc.
When and where were you when you learned best? In school, out of school, at 5 or yesterday?

48. What was your most powerful,
personal experience in a
learning community?
Whether you were 5 or 10 or last week…in school, with family or friends, etc.
When and where were you when you learned best? In school, out of school, at 5 or yesterday?

49. Let’s share!

50. Beliefs vs. Actions
(Reflecting on My Practice)
Artwork by Doug Smithenry
So here again is my big picture. The WHY? Check in with yourself. Do your actions match your belief system. ONLY focus on what you can control.

51. But as much as I try to be superwoman and live up to the cumulative inspirational experiences of my life as a mother and teacher, I am ONLY human...

52. But as much as I try to be superwoman and live up to the cumulative inspirational experiences of my life as a mother and teacher, I am ONLY human...

53. It can be challenging to stay true to values and have your actions send the messages you intend to send. Both professionally and personally.!
A light-hearted example of when my actions don’t match my thoughts would be...let’s watch this clip...

56. Tech
Spazzes
I am a tech spazz. I value tech. I’m actually pretty tech savvy. But no one would know that because I get instantaneously frustrated when tech goes wrong…

57. Tech
Spazzes
I am a tech spazz. I value tech. I’m actually pretty tech savvy. But no one would know that because I get instantaneously frustrated when tech goes wrong…

59. An area of education that you know
is valuable but frustrates you?
Why?

60. An area of education that you know
is valuable but frustrates you?
Why?
What are you doing about it?

62. I’ve learned in those moments that it’s all about perspective.

63. You have the ability to look at things through a positive lens and advocate for yourself.

64. Staying committed to the things I value as an educator is best done with a positive perspective. Staying committed to the things I’m passionate about has only a positive
outcome.

65. Break

66. Let’s shift gears a bit. Let’s talk about HOW I go about self-reflecting using the lens of parent/educator.

67. Close your eyes.

68. First way:!
These are three questions I ask myself regularly. (These are living responses. They change over time. And they are not easy to answer, at least they
shouldn’t be.)

69. What do you VALUE as an educator?
First way:!
These are three questions I ask myself regularly. (These are living responses. They change over time. And they are not easy to answer, at least they
shouldn’t be.)

70. What do you VALUE as an educator?
How will students be TRANSFORMED by
their interaction with you?
First way:!
These are three questions I ask myself regularly. (These are living responses. They change over time. And they are not easy to answer, at least they
shouldn’t be.)

71. What do you VALUE as an educator?
How will students be TRANSFORMED by
their interaction with you?
How are your values communicated
in your teaching?
First way:!
These are three questions I ask myself regularly. (These are living responses. They change over time. And they are not easy to answer, at least they
shouldn’t be.)

73. #1
#2
#3
#4
Once I answer #1, I also rank the things I value. I put the most important thing in the center. The second on the 2nd ring, etc. I keep a copy of this with me in whatever role
I’m in. I make sure that #1 is my focus.

74. What do you VALUE as a learner?
How do you hope to be TRANSFORMED by
your experiences here at Niles North?
How are your values communicated
in the way you choose to interact
and connect with others here at NN?
I also model this reflective practice with my students. I tweak the questions so that they can check in with themselves, too.

75. Student
Remember, students come to our classroom with many hats, too. And they have less of an ability to focus on which hat they’re wearing from moment to
moment. So it’s really important for us to teach them this.

76. Daughter
or Son

77. Sibling

78. Friend

79. Athlete

80. Performer

81. Daniel Pink
Second Way I reflect is using Daniel Pink’s two focus questions from his book Drive.

82. Daniel Pink—A video clip discussing his book, Drive!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyRu7k70Jhc&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

83. Daniel Pink—A video clip discussing his book, Drive!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyRu7k70Jhc&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

84. Goes along with the idea of discovering your Element.

85. What’s your sentence?
Goes along with the idea of discovering your Element.

87. Randy Pausch
Third Way…Focus on my passion.!
Randy Pausch gives us words to live by...

90. Students sometimes see so many Doors of opportunity, they don’t know what to choose. We also sometimes have a difficult time choosing a door. For us, they are both Doors of
opportunity and doors of responsibility…but both can be a place to fuel our passion. So I try to…!

91. Narrow in on something...We fuel our passions by giving them the appropriate attention they deserve...

92. Example... Both my daughters are phenomenal. (No, I’m not biased. :) But my younger daughter is much better at narrowing in on things she wants to focus on...Katina worked at
it...so good at so many things that it’s hard for her to say no.!
19 hours, columnist for newspaper, anchor for radio, tutor, founded IC, tried out for No Strings and made it…She never learned to make tough decisions in high school… (This is a
painting she did in undergrad)

93. Adora Svitak
Fourth Way I self-reflect: Listen to students!
TedTalks Look what happens when we recognize talent, provide opportunities and then get out of the way...

94. Adora Svitak—What Adults Can Learn from Kids!
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/adora_svitak.html

95. Adora Svitak—What Adults Can Learn from Kids!
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/adora_svitak.html

97. Humbling, isn’t it?

98. Humbling, isn’t it?
What have you learned from your
students lately?

99. When my children were young, they were curious, imaginative and deeply focused on the moment.

100. And in the blink of an eye, they were grown…

101. As we grow, the complexities increase. The challenge of picking the opportunities that resonate with you become complicated. But through practicing regular self-reflection,
you’ll see that with complexity comes beauty, wisdom, and peace.

102. It takes courage to stay true to yourself. Recognizing that your actions don’t consistently match your belief system is hard. Realizing that your belief system may have
changed is even harder.

103. I hope I’ve planted the seeds of how to frame self-reflection...The following is a quick review of some ideas that might help you get the most out of your NN
experiences...and beyond...

104. As you ponder these ideas, remember...

105. As you ponder these ideas, remember...

106. What do you VALUE as an educator?
How will students be TRANSFORMED by
their interaction with you?
How are your values communicated
in your teaching?
First way:!
These are three questions I ask myself regularly.

107. What’s your
sentence?
What’s your sentence?

108. What role will you play in
helping others
develop their sentence?
What role will you play in helping others develop their sentence?

109. What’s your element?
What’s your element?!
When and where does your passion meet your talent?!
How will/do you help others introduce their passion to their talent?

110. What’s your element?
When and where does your passion meet your talent?
What’s your element?!
When and where does your passion meet your talent?!
How will/do you help others introduce their passion to their talent?

111. What’s your element?
When and where does your passion meet your talent?
How will/do you help others introduce their passion to their talent?
What’s your element?!
When and where does your passion meet your talent?!
How will/do you help others introduce their passion to their talent?

112. When we reflect on our practice, we might not see what we expect to see.!
But it is in these times when we grow best…IF we spend the time grappling with what we’ve discovered.

113. And we need to remember that we, too, are human. It’s good to be in a state of disequilibrium. However, you do need to allow yourself to drift back into a state of equilibrium. It is in that
place where we gain the strength to enter disequilibrium again. And in disequilibrium is where we grow.

116. Thank You!

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