MI Learning

Teacher: Annie, what's the chemical formula for water? Annie: H I J K L M N O. Teacher: What are you talking about? Annie: Didn't you say it's H to O? This joke reminds me of an exchange that took place at a well-child visit for my three-year-old son. The doctor asked him to count “one to ten.” My son answered, “One, ten.” Naturally, my job was to better explain the doctor’s expectation. The thinking in my son’s mind should match the thinking in my mind and what I assumed was in our doctor’s mind. This simple task should have one right answer.  As I was about to explain what the doctor was  really  asking my son to do, Doc said, “That’s the best answer.” This gave me pause. Was it really the “best” answer? That could be argued I’m sure; nonetheless, the answer was not wrong. If it wasn’t wrong I suppose it didn’t stand for being corrected. It was simply different; certainly more efficient. I laughed it off. I thought it was cute and funny and  when we get ...

"I love sack supper because it gives me more energy for school." -Eric I am inspired by the work of Kids' Food Basket! Engaging West Michigan community members of all ages in opportunities to share their time, talents and resources is a sustainable, inclusive way to combat childhood hunger founded by Mary K. Hoodhood––recipient of the Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteerism. Adding personal touches such as uplifting messages or artwork to paper bags, packing the bags with what will serve as an evening meal, or delivering sack suppers with care are simple, meaningful ways to nourish the body, minds and souls of young people. Check out the link above if you're interested in learning more about how you might support this organization that serves 40 schools, 7250 children and engages 240 volunteers daily. Thank you, Michigan State Board of Ed. members for decorating bags!

When I first walked in,  Mrs. Pietranttonio, also known as Mrs. "Peach," and her third graders were getting ready to perform the Tablecloth Trick to explore Sir Isaac Newton's First Law of Motion. Not only were they focused on the "what" of science, they were also learning how to think and act like scientists. The students valued the opportunity to experiment, and they believed that everyone should be included in the experience. Right after they met me, they shouted, "You should try it!" I was a little nervous as I approached the table, but the third graders' excitement was contagious. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to experiment alongside them.  Mrs. Peach smiled and coached me on how to successfully pull the tablecloth out from under the dishes (and the water contained within those dishes). The kids chanted, "You can dooo it! You can dooo it!" It brings a smile to my face as I recall this moment. Thanks to all of the supp...

"I scream. You scream. We all scream for the Big Red team!"  Coach & her kindergartners cheering on a classmate. Most people probably remember screaming for ice cream, but our Union High School cheerleading team incorporated our own version of the 1920's ditty into the cheer that helped us reach the top ten at the State Finals about 70 years after the song was written. Investing our energy into creating and performing something together, and experiencing a positive outcome as a result of our shared work, generated an unmatched sense of satisfaction for our team. Making decisions that played off of each others' strengths, reflecting on what was working and what needed to be revised, gave us all a sense of ownership and pride. We were focused on each other and what we could each do to continuously improve as a team. Cheryl Hutchings, the coach who lead our team more than two decades ago, is pictured here cheering on one of her kindergarten students at Stone...

Every day I get to be with amazing, talented people who are focused on helping others discover and develop their talents. Teachers! They believe in, inspire, motivate and support learners by learning alongside them and celebrating the joys and challenges of the learning process. They cheer about mistakes because they know that they're prime opportunities for growth. They are always hopeful because they believe that the best rewards come from the challenges that one endures and overcomes. Teachers know that the work is never done and never easy because their work is life. Life is messy and complex and painful and joyful and beautiful. It's an adventure. Just like learning. Learning is life. Modeling how to think and act like learners affords teachers the opportunity to live in a state of perpetual, childlike wonder. They can play around with and think about ideas in myriad ways because their students bring unique perspectives that influence, motivate, and inspire them. Te...

Helen Keller with her teacher, Anne Sullivan As I reflect on what it means to think and act like a listener, I continue to think about Helen Keller. She could not see or hear; yet, she was the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. She was also an author, activist, and lecturer. To be and do the things she had been and done, Helen had to be a listener; yet, she couldn't hear. Curious isn't it? And what about her teacher? Anne Sullivan. I read that Anne started teaching Helen with a prescribed list of words that she wanted Helen to know. Ms. Sullivan discovered that it wasn't working. Anne then shifted to naming the objects that Helen was curious about by spelling the words out in her palm. Ms. Sullivan focused on the needs of her student, what the learner was curious about, and made her teaching about the learning of the learner. Anne noticed. And, Helen became an unstoppable learner. So what? So, is listening really more about noticing and se...

Administrative and teacher leaders in Kent City Community Schools develop their facilitation skills for focused, collaborative inquiry. Kent Intermediate School District consultant and staff facilitate the collaborative learning experience and act as "critical friends." "Yo, VIP, let's kick it!" Or "Yo, VIT?" Either way, let's celebrate the more than 100,000 Very Important Teachers getting ready to kick off the 2016-2017 school year! Teachers  are Very Important People. In fact, the National Center for Educational Statistics states that "Teacher effectiveness is the single most important factor in student achievement." Let that sink in. Our effectiveness is the most important factor in influencing outcomes for those who matter most in our classrooms: Our students. Of course, parents are the most important people in the lives of their children. Yet, no matter what their circumstances are at home, our choices in the classroom s...