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By Lorraine Kasyan, February 27, 2013 4:45 pm

Charlie Compost

Every Tuesday I try to have a speaker from the community talk to my students. This week, we had Eric from Asheville Greenworks and he brought along his intern from Peru. The talk was inspiring. Eric’s previous employment includes 12 years in the video game industry, and part ownership in a solar energy business. Exciting stuff. He left those businesses to do something that could make a difference in his community. He took a risk on an organization that did great things but needed some business savvy, and it payed off. Asheville Greenworks is now the largest volunteer organization in our town.

This post is about the intern. Koki is a 17-year-old young man from Peru. He was spending his summer in Asheville trying his hand at an environmental project. You see December is summer in Peru. He gave up the chance to spend two months on the beach with his friends to help out here in Asheville. His work here starting up a recycling and composting program in elementary schools has changed his life. He saw the power of a small group of people reaching out to make a difference and his talk to my students spoke of his desire to go back to Peru and do the same thing. It was powerful.

The best ripple so far has not been the comments from our discussion board (I will share some below) wonderful as they are. The power of this experience rippled out from one class to another until three days later a student wanted to share a photo that her friend found of the town that Koki lived in in Peru. She said it really was amazing and asked if I wanted to see it. They shared it on facebook of course. The brown cliffs of his town made a connection. Koki had spoken of his uncle’s desire to help his home regain the name of “the green coast” by planting ground cover on the cliffs. My students found the town, looked at the coast, and shared in the desire to help it regain vegetation.

Teaching is often about curriculum, assessments, outcomes, and accountability. That which cannot be measured is the impact of experiences that will help change a future. My students now want to volunteer more, they were inspired by Koki’s hard work and dream, feel motivated to work a bit harder, and sought knowledge of a distant shore on their own. Scheduling guest speakers is another task, a task that does not actually fall neatly into a core standard. It is well worth the time and effort.

Some student reflections:

“Eric and Koki were so amazing to meet. Each inspired me to do more than I ever planned on, in more than just community service and graduation project. While I am not a strong environmentalist, I am excited about doing something that will change the world and make an impact.”

“The most important piece of what Eric and Koki said was that internships are the best way to learn about jobs you are interested in. Before committing to and investing in college, you need to know if you will be able to enjoy the career you plan on studying.”

“Koki was very funny and he reminded me of how I used to be, he has that spark and desire, hopefully he doesn’t lose it and will stay the way he is. He’s so young but already making a life changing project.”

“Eric and Koki made me want to become an environmentalist because their presentation was so good! I would like to volunteer with Asheville Greenworks sometime when I have time. Koki is so young yet doing so many great things and it is such an inspiration.”

“Koki especially has been an inspiration to me. Giving up a summer in Peru to come here and do the dirty work? Wow! That is amazing. It made me realize that we all have dreams. Each and every one of us has 24 hours a day to accomplish that dream. So if we aren’t the ones that using it wisely, then whose fault is it? Koki sacrificed two months to follow his dream, therefore, we can do that!”

There were so many wonderful connections made. Every student made a unique observation and connected what they heard to their own lives. Bringing in members of the community is vital for helping our students broaden their focus. If you are a guest speaker, mentor, or volunteer – thank you.

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By Lorraine Kasyan, January 30, 2013 8:53 pm

Blogging once a year is not acceptable if what you want is community. This blog has served as sounding board, reflection journal, celebration, and witness since 2006. Moves, new teaching assignments, elections, and of course the Common Core have kept me busy, yes. I have penned many entries in my head. (I am sure I have written that before.) There are stories of students, parents, supervisors, and teaching strategies stewing together. The new semester has me once again embarking on the adventure of individual study for my graduation project charges. It has been an exciting three weeks and I am filled with hope, expectation and pride as I guide this group towards their project choices and research topics.  It is going to be a powerful collection of topics.

Today was a great day. I decided to show the Drive trailer from 2010. Daniel Pink’s Vimeo preview has served me well in multiple settings. I am always surprised when I find adults who have not seen it. Most students do not have the occasion or opportunity to view it, however, and I have found it to be powerful every time I share it. Today I wanted to allow the students to view the trailer and then participate in a digital synchronous free write. I call them wordspills but we usually complete them on paper. Today I posted the prompt in a discussion board on Moodle. I played the trailer, started a timer, and had them begin writing.  The serious tip tapping of the keys was delightful. They did not have to come up with their sentence, but many tried.  Once the timer buzzed at three minutes they stopped writing and hit submit. Refreshing their browsers uncovered a chorus of responses that were all time stamped at the same minute. They enjoyed the display and immediately started smiling and laughing as they read the words on the screen. I decided to assign the method for commenting so that every student would get at least one comment. Find the student to your left’s response – read – and respond. Everyone was engaged, every student was acknowledged.

I am going to share a few examples with you. Enjoy!

One wordspill read, “My response to this video is honestly kind of muddled, seeing as I have to keep typing and not really filtering, but in all honesty it’s a nice thought, “how can I improve myself,” or “what’s my question,” but in actuality these are things I ask myself everyday already, well, not the sentence, that’s new, but as for improving myself, I already work hard at trying to be a better person, and I feel limiting myself to one sentence isn’t really fair. Granted, it makes the task at hand simple, but then what. I accomplished my sentence. Do I write a new one? Then I have two sentences and will end up with a paragraph like Kennedy’s. Do I stop trying? Do I make the sentence vague? Strange how a subject and a verb can bring so many questions to the front of my thoughts.

His student comment was: “Maybe I should try and consider what the video has to say.” That from a student who started their response with, “I personally don’t like videos like that because I think you should be motivated enough to make your life worth something.” The shift in acceptance was powerful.

Another response was more of a list: “values, reflection, motivation, moving forward, personal growth, overcoming challenges, taking one step at a time, creating, building. I want to become the person who created a successful organization that helps orphans in third world countries. Realizing big dreams, visualizing.”

Her student comment was. “I have to admit, I quite like the word spill and thought combination you have here is nice. You have lovely thought connections, big ideas, and I greatly enjoy reading about your want to help in the Third World.” Again, peer feedback that is serious and specific, flowing quickly in response.

Can you see why I am inspired? Can I help it if today my enthusiasm soared amidst the usual shenanigans and flooding at the end of the day. This activity gleaned precious gems. Irreverent, off-topic discussions, and genuine introspective stretches. They were all valued by the group, and all considered equally.

Maybe I should invite Daniel H. Pink to join the discussion?

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By Lorraine Kasyan, January 17, 2012 7:11 pm

There is a celebration in me and it isn’t really connected to my student who turned 19 today – although, that is pretty exciting. You see we started a new semester last week and it is my chance to begin another graduation project seminar with a group of students who will graduate in June. Our school is a five-year program and these students have amassed many college credits along the way.  Their last high school requirement, however, is this series of challenges where they get to demonstrate all they have learned in their tenure as North Carolina students.  I absolutely love this course! It tickles me to get to watch them stretch their interests and strengths and choose one thing to study for the entire term.

We are off to a great start and today we were able to have a round table discussion regarding progress related to topic choice.  I get to help each child find mentors, community service, research topics, and a final product to create.  The journey is arduous and at times frustrating, but today it was all about possibility and I wanted to share some of the diverse ideas that have made the cut.  We have:

Banjo repair

Autism

Accounting

American Sign Language

Physical fitness

Pastry

Quilting

Veterinary Medicine

Interior Design

Motorcycle engines

Tailoring or Clothing Design

Dental assisting

Leonardo DaVinci model recreation

Teaching

Movie production

Book Binding

Cerebral Palsy

Business management

Architecture

There are several others still being bandied about. Some of these will be tweaked and/or changed completely as well. All will be expanded until the student becomes an expert before presenting to a group of judges at the end of the term.  Like I said, this is a very exciting time and I am honored to act as a guide in this process.  All aboard!

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By Lorraine Kasyan, December 3, 2011 10:16 pm

I had the pleasure of meeting Peter H. Reynolds a few years ago at a November Learning Conference in Boston.  I believe that NCTE also afforded me that opportunity, but it was last year in Boston, that I got to witness the creative cave that is FableVision and chat with Peter for longer and in person.  The space is humming with energy. His team members are vivacious and personable, engaging and present. I loved it.  To assert that this inspiration applies to teaching is really a no-brainer, but right now I want to explain how his book, The Dot, is stretching my teacher’s soul.

Celebrating the energy that is FableVision

The teacher in Peter’s beloved tale encourages her young charge to “Make your mark, and see where it takes you.” She gently expects an attempt to be made and then allows it to spread dreams just as it is. From a single mark, the size of a freckle or a piece of sand, an artist blossomed.  Powerful stuff.

I have the book on my desk at school right now. I plan to read it to my students. The problem is that it somehow makes me feel like a sham. I am not spreading dream dust – I am trying my best to hone and prune, guide and push. I teach twelfth graders. Our task is college writing and British Literature. We have eighteen weeks to get it all in and I try to fill the gaps they come to me with. Common Core Essential Standards, Outcomes Based Assessment, the Standard Course of Study, and Accuplacer/SAT’s looming in their immediate future, keep me focused on the skills. How do we inspire and create without ignoring the rigor and standard required for these young adults to move on successfully. Why is combining those elements so very difficult? How are you the teacher who says, “Just make your mark, and see where it takes you,” while also filling their toolkits to bursting? Please share, I really want to know.

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By Lorraine Kasyan, July 17, 2011 9:39 pm

www.betterbee.com

Have you heard about the plight of the honeybee? The declining population has many projecting food shortages in our near future. I have been fascinated by the whole pollinating process since teaching it to first graders many years ago.  It was this and my love for raspberry jam that took me to the Jordan Blackley Farm during the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Family Farm Tour in June. The farm was beautiful and I saw what I set out for: chicken runs, vegetable beds, mushroom production, berries in abundance and beekeeping.  I wanted a look at how a young family could manage such a huge endeavor while holding other jobs and raising a small child.  You see, these Herculean tasks remind me of teaching, of the importance of the teacher/student connection, and the very real possibility of extinction of the creativity that makes teaching a vibrant vocation and not just a job.  I wasn’t disappointed.

I garden quite a bit and have (probably predictably) likened teaching to gardening for years. The idea that beekeeping would relate really didn’t compute.  Then I asked Cindy Jordan how her bees were doing. I know other farmers whose production has diminished and others who lost their colonies altogether.  How, I asked, were her hives doing? I wanted to know if she was experiencing the declining honeybee population and loss of hives that the rest of the globe was reporting. Honeybees pollinate about a third of the plants that comprise the human diet and their decline is very ominous to me.  Cindy said she really hasn’t lost any bees.  I was incredulous.  Really?  Then she told me her theory.

“We respect the bees.” My head nodded.  “Many beekeepers who are in this strictly for a business feed the bees sugar water over the winter.  That feels like we are robbing the bees of what is theirs.”  Then she showed me her stands.  I think there were five of them, they looked like wooden storage containers, standing in a row.  She said, “We let the bees keep some of their honey over the winter.” Yes, I replied blandly.  “The honey contains nutrients, anti-oxidants and other qualities that help the bees stay healthy.  We let them keep one of those drawers that you see to sustain them through the winter.”  She was kindly avoiding the beekeeping jargon that I wouldn’t understand but she could see that I still wasn’t getting it.

“What does that really mean?” I asked.

“Well, each of those drawers contains 50 gallons of honey.”  I was shocked.

“Really?”

“Yes, most farmers don’t leave the honey for the bees but we feel we are honoring the relationship and we are just letting them have what is theirs.” Then came the kicker for me, the idea that connected this labor of love to education.  “That represents about $5,000.”

Humble, visionary, salt-of-the-earth, hardworking, small farmer USA, is letting $5,000 yearly stay with the bees to nourish them over a cold winter and ensure the health of the hive.  She even explained that if one of the stands had a super (drawer) that wasn’t quite full, they made sure they evened it out before readying them for the winter months so that the weaker hives would not run out of this amber viscous lifeline.

Managing the Hives

I left there with my head buzzing.  Smiling now while I write I can see her gaze to the wildflowers and trees nearby that nourish her bees.  I can feel the golden sweetness of the honey offered for sale and the conviction that what we take from this earth we also must give back.  The plight of our education system is not so different.  We can’t keep taking from the abundance, diminishing the quality of the teacher/student relationship in honor of the test score, NCLB, or RTT requirement.  We can’t keep cutting the budget and stealing the honey and expect the schools to persist.  They won’t! We have to give some of it back. Stop selling it short and cutting corners so that instead of feeding the kids we are saving money for some other agenda.

If the loss of bees points to food shortages and price increases, not to mention the loss of plants that depend on pollination, then what of the loss of a child’s promise? I know, we are still going to educate them, but when we cut programs, increase class size, let go of seasoned caring professionals, and teach to a test to make some kind of measurement, we are very likely diminishing the chance that we will have the program in place that nourishes the budding apiarist who will solve this swarming dilemma.

I see bees in my dreams, hear their hum as I envision of next year and vow never to steal their honey for my own gain. Are our students bees that swarm each August to pollinate ideas and produce rich honey? Yes, I think they are.  The honey is their dreams, their creativity, their cognitive grappling of global challenges and societal strain, and yes – their acquisition of vast bodies of content that helps them connect to the world around them to create something sweet. Bees and their language are fascinating. Children – our students are equally so and similarly endangered.

A new school year is just around the corner for most of us. What will you do to preserve your hive?

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By Lorraine Kasyan, March 16, 2011 7:33 pm

I had the great pleasure of hearing Yann Martel speak the other evening. He was talking about his new book, Beatrice and Virgil, at Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville, NC. Martel is a significantly famous author for our town. We do get some big names through now and then but usually those folks speak at one of the local auditoriums. Malaprop’s does a fantastic job of inviting important writers to our area. Yann Martel was no exception.

There were many things that struck me from the evening. Martel was eloquent, poised, gracious, funny, and quick witted. He used no notes during the talk and was really impressive in his delivery. Perhaps the most noteworthy were his responses to the questions from the audience towards the end of the night. He fielded some tough ones.

When speaking of his art and what makes a work endure he shared, “The book is only one half the thing, it depends on what the reader takes out of it.” This was one of the simpler comments of the evening but it resonated for me because of how much it felt like teaching. Often, no matter what I do, I can’t seem to reach, teach, instruct, guide, or move a student, at least not in an obvious way. I keep reinventing my craft and trying new strategies but the bottom line remains connected to this fact: the student is “half the thing.” I was amazed by the simplicity and honesty of the statement. Sometimes, no matter what we do, our craft can derail because of our audience.

That doesn’t leave the teacher off the hook, not by any means. We are one half of that whole learning experience and the import of that also resonated. It is even more important that we bring everything we have to the table so that our charges have the best possible chance of meeting us where they will learn.

When asked about what books he has coming next, Martel spoke of a book about teaching. Yes, teaching. He said, “Teaching involves a living, essential dynamic.” He asked, “How do you keep it from not becoming dogma? How do you keep it alive?” His respect for the craft and his awareness of the need for teachers and willing students was tangible. His next animal allegory will probably have as the main characters “a chimpanzee, the primate resembling a human the most, and a rhinoceros, an animal with a tremendous symbolic echo.” This book is important he reminded us as he asked, “how do we keep that wisdom alive?”

Education is forging some rough waters right now, and many of the changes that will evolve are necessary. One thing, however, will never change. We need to keep bringing our fifty percent to the table – one hundred percent of the time. The wisdom depends on it.

Inspiration

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By Lorraine Kasyan, January 29, 2010 2:55 pm

Welcome to SLA

I am delighted to be writing to you from the library at SLA.  I flew in today and braved the very cold, very windy streets to get to the school before they finished for the day.  I cannot express enough, how very glad I am that I did.  The students here are delightful, bright eyed, well spoken, active and engaged young people.  I was greeted at the door by many eager faces, one young lady, Rugeiatu Bah, came to my aid while trying to navigate the door, and offered me a tour.  She helped me store my luggage and whisked me away to the rooms of the school.  Her language and reverence for all the workings of ‘her’ school was  refreshing. We observed language, civics and economics, science (many types but I have to get specific names), technology, drama, and many others.  My favorite was the last block of the day.  Ruge wanted to share her science class because, “her peers were presenting their scientists today”.  Her pride in that room and their work was palpable.  Here we are in the hallway.  More learning awaits for both of us.  Thank you Educon for the warm welcome.

My tour guide Ruge.

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By Lorraine Kasyan, January 21, 2010 5:33 pm

I attended EduCon online last year and was amazed by the information shared and dialogue exchanged.  This year, with many of my twitter compadres  chatting it up in advance, I began to wonder if I might be able to find a way there as well.  Then one of my graduate school partners commented the other night about how she was able to participate in a new training  opportunity.  She shared, “This program has made me much more pro-active, I decided that when I want to do something it doesn’t hurt to ask.”  What can you lose if you ask?  Far less than if you don’t.  Watching the line up and participant list for EduCon2.2 expand made me wonder if this advice would work for me.  It couldn’t hurt!

I asked my principal if the school could help with the costs but, I waited till this week.  Travel outside of the state is limited and I need to take next Friday off – another not very popular scenario.  The bottom line is – a green light was given to me with the promise from the county to help with as much of the cost as they can.  This morning before school I booked everything: my hotel, airplane, and registration.  It felt wonderful to click those submit buttons.  I can’t get there till midday Friday but I will not miss any scheduled session.  Among the gifted educators are Alec Couros, Dean Shareski, Chris Lehmann, Susan Nussbaum-Beach, Liz Davis, Lisa Thumann, Jackie Gerstein, Bill Ferriter, and Alice Barr.  I have met several of these folks, but these and many others on the attending list I know only from Twitter, where their support and conversation has been invaluable to me.  I can’t wait to meet them in person.

My school is an innovative one. We teach together in a powerful way; the axioms of EduCon 2.2 fit perfectly with our goals for our students.  Let the learning begin!

The Axioms

Guiding Principles of EduCon 2.2
1) Our schools must be inquiry-driven, thoughtful and empowering for all members
2) Our schools must be about co-creating — together with our students — the 21st Century Citizen
3) Technology must serve pedagogy, not the other way around.
4) Technology must enable students to research, create, communicate and collaborate
5) Learning can — and must — be networked.

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By Lorraine Kasyan, September 16, 2009 6:38 pm

We started back to school in mid August. We have stormed and normed and are off to a great start. The loss of my other blog has me feeling disconnected but hopeful that the reinvention will take root and I will ride the transition out seemlessly.  There is a lot of Spam here (on wordpress), I didn’t have that before.  I also don’t have the gritty, grass roots feel of my first words on line.  This is different.

Today, I want to talk about hope, trust, and possibility.  I have to give a speech tomorrow.  It is really a mock speech, I am in the running for my county’s Teacher of the Year honor.  It is not something that I take lightly.  I have only taught here for a little over two years. This is a county with deep roots.  Lots of “who you knows” and “the way it has always been done’s.”  My experience has not been about that.  My school is all about possibilities – for everyone.  It is a place of new horizons and second chances.  I love being there and teaching there every day.

I don’t love giving speeches.  (I love talking to students, any shape, age or size.) I hope that it is ‘ok’ to say that.  Speeches are necessary sometimes.  You know, I have been honored with this Teacher of the Year finalist position because of my teaching.  I can talk to adults, share my expertise, but the speech idea for a mock audience….  It is creating unrest in my home.

For the love of what I do, the confidence of my peers, and the trust placed in me, I am going to forge ahead and get it done.  It has been in process for a week! I have spent countless hours prepping this.  The problem is, I do better when I speak to real people from my heart.

I guess I better get over it.

Thanks to my critical friends and virtual PLN for your support. I go live tomorrow and the ‘winner’ will be announced on the 21st.  As far as I am concerned we are all winners, we teach kids.  We touch the future.  I am honored to be here, but I am more honored to call myself teacher, accolades or not.  You should be too.  I am the same person tonight as I will be next week after they announce their selection.  I teach again tomorrow. Real students, real outcomes.

I have to stop procrastinating and get back to it.  Thanks for reading.

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By Lorraine Kasyan, July 28, 2009 11:36 am

BLC09 – I have arrived at the conference hotel and I am already soaking up the energy and enthusiasm surrounding me.  Last year’s conference made me hopeful and certain of my role in education and my place in the wider community of passionate educators who believe that we have the power to change the way students learn in today’s schools.  Pedro Noguera’s ending keynote offered us a challenge.

He said, among other things:

“Internal accountability is far more important than external accountability.”
“Schools don’t exist in a vacuum.”

“Academic excellence and equity are not conflicting goals, they are the same goals and worked on simultaneously.”

“We are stuck in practices that prevent us from truly educating kids at all levels.”
“Too many high school teachers confuse teaching with talking.”

“The best teachers teach the way kids learn.”

“Your background should not determine who should go to college.”

He asked:

“Who are the advocates in your school for the kids whose parents are too busy?”

“Who is in your basement?”

I asked his permission to share his keynote with you and he graciously responded – yes.  He wished me another great year.  I ask myself now, as I prepared to engage in this new, learning experience, have I met his challenge?  Am I reaching all learners, making learning equitable and accessible to all?  “Am I constantly modifying and changing?”

The link below will take you to a recording of the keynote.

Pedro Noguero Keynote 2008

I began last year with the fervent hope that I would use the abundance of ideas to propel learning in my classroom forward.  I made some strides and learned some big lessons.  Here at November Learning – teachers and stakeholders from all over the globe believe those strides can happen.  There should be no student left in the basement.

Thank you Alan for this opportunity for all of our students.

Let the learning begin.