The Power of Kindness

A friend shared a story with me the other day and it made me reflect on a teacher truism that many educators will know from the work of Rita Pierson, particularly this TED Talk Every Kid needs a Champion.

This friend, let's call him Bill, was walking through a parking lot toward a grocery store. Nearby, walking in the same direction was a teenager, probably in high-school. Suddenly, a man in dishevelled and dirty clothing, emerged and began to yell random, unconnected statements toward the pair. It became obvious that he was homeless and suffered from some form of mental illness (likely schizophrenia).

Bill and the teen were taken aback momentarily. In an instant, the man became distracted and then temporarily disoriented. Seconds later, he turned and, as he moved away through parked cars, continued his verbal barrage in the opposite direction toward no one at all.

The teen reached into his pocket to retrieve his cell-phone and Bill was outraged to realize he intended to record this event. Furious, Bill prepared to unleash his offence. The words "obnoxious, entitled, unfeeling & callous" swirled in his head alongside a tirade of expletives.

However, before he discharged his venomous, but justified, derision - his age and wisdom kicked in. In a calm and patient tone he said, "Hey, don't you think that guy has it hard enough without being recorded? Wouldn't it be kinder to just let him be?"

Sheepishly, and silently, the teen put his phone away and quickly walked in a different direction - away from Bill and the homeless man.

I'd like to think that I would respond similarly - but Bill might be a better man than I. Regardless, the story made me reflect on my role as an educator and adult citizen in this world.

• Escalating a situation unnecessarily only gives the offending party the opportunity to feel justified in their behaviour and vindicated by the outrage of their inevitable response.
• It's our responsibility to socialize the youth with whom we interact. This has been emphasized from Plato to Rousseau to Egan
  
• Children rarely learn from people they don't respect or that don't treat them with respect. How would that teen have responded if Bill had started by calling him a jerk?

As I plan my return to the classroom next September, this is a lesson on which I will frequently reflect. It's also a story I hope to share with my students. Perhaps, together, we can help each other become the best we can be.

Why did Wheels on a Suitcase take so long to invent?

There are few things more frustrating than a student who is perpetually late to school. 

It seems to frustrate all the stakeholders ... 

• Teachers, who have lessons interrupted and who need to re-teach or repeat instructions.
• Office Staff, who have to fill out late slips and make changes to school attendance records.
• Administrators, Support Staff & Attendance Officers, who have to investigate and meet with parents in the hope of change.
• Parents, who may already be struggling, then feel humiliated and chastised.

But, most importantly, it seems to be an awful experience for the student... being told to "go to the office to get a late slip" or grilled with questions like "why are you always late?" or who are admonished with statements like "how are you going to be successful when you can't get here before the bell?"

There is a group, however, that shows no frustration whatsoever. In fact, this group often expresses delight when the late-comer walks through the door.  

The classmates. 

• They are happy to see their friend arrive.
• They are welcoming with their expressions, gestures and words.
• They are excited to hear about new events.
• They are thrilled to share the events that are taking place so far that day. 

"Hey Chris, I'm glad you're here. We have floor-hockey at lunch and I was afraid you wouldn't make it. Mr, Hodgkinson gave us this problem to solve - you can join our group. I'll get you a marker."

Can we borrow this strategy? 

Matt Sereda, Equity & Inclusive Education Learning Coordinator with my Thames Valley District School Board suggested the following to us at a recent workshop.

• What if the office issued Welcome Slips instead of Late Slips.
• What if Office Staff said "I'm so glad you are able to join us today - your class is waiting for you."
• What if the teachers copied their students - with smiles and positive words "Hey, look who is here - which group wants to help Chris get involved in our learning today?"
• What if the phone call home began with "It was great to see Chris arrive today, he seemed excited to see his classmates. Is there anything we can do to help him arrive before the bell so he can spend more free time with them?"

It struck me as such a simple concept - I wondered why it had taken so long. It was like wheels on suitcases - why did it take us until the 90's before that was the norm. As this article makes clear, the idea for rolling luggage was patented in 1970 - however, it took a few decades to improve the design and get consumers on board.

 

Certainly, we don't have to wait that long. Let's make the change today! 

My Mother's Influence on my Profession

At this point in my career, my practice is the product of many influences.

• I have been guided by mentors, colleagues, administrators and students.
• I am the sum of all my opportunities, from my early days on the supply list to my current role as an instructional coach.
• I am shaped by my studies - from formal education to daily blasts of learning from my Twitter PLN (Professional Learning Network).

However, I have to give a nod to the influences that have been there for my entire life. Specifically, on the occasion of Mother's Day, my mum Doreen Hodgkinson (Sutcliffe).

My mom us responsible for so many things that shape me as an educator. I'd like to highlight just a couple.

• From an early age, I was taking to the library regularly and she fostered my love of literature. She let me know that there was a world of wonder to be found in books and that it was up to me to uncover it. She read to me regularly, bringing the text to life with dramatic flare. She only stopped reading to me when I informed her that I preferred to read by myself - I sometimes wonder if this was something she viewed with relief, or sadness (probably a mix of both). When I embark on a read aloud (especially of a book I have read before) I remind myself of the need for panache - and I employ all the tricks of the trade - whether the text calls for a booming Scottish brogue or a meek and mousy whisper.
• She took me (and still takes me) to the theatre. We attended everything from high school to amateur to top level professional productions. I was fortunate to see an eclectic mix - dramas, comedies, musicals and dance performances. I was introduced to "The Hobbit" as a play before I devoured it as a book. I learned about Canadian First Nation history by attending a performance of James Reaney's "Wacousta" at a time I was just old enough to understand it. I even intervened during a performance of "Pinocchio" when the titular character called to the audience for help. She is still a season ticket holder at the Grand Theatre - and she takes me to every performance. My love of theatre, as a performer, audience member and educator, can be traced directly to my earliest exposure.
  
• She taught me about equality at a time when that was a message that I didn't always hear around me. It was the 1970's and racist or homophobic slurs were far more commonplace. However, my moral compass had already been well tuned by my mother's frequent statements about respect for all people. I wasn't perfect - I certainly said things that I now deeply regret. However, when I slipped, I knew in my heart that "my mother wouldn't agree" and that "this was not right". I eventually began to gravitate toward friends who felt like I did and helped me act like I should. She often said that "your friends should elevate you - and make you your best." I took this to heart and have lifelong friends who are kind, honest & generous.
• She taught me that everyone deserves a second chance. She worked as the volunteer coordinator at the maximum security prison in London and at a number of group homes (mainly for young women). She approached every day with a positive attitude and the sincere belief that people could change - if given the chance and had a kind mentor to guide them. She even brought a former inmate to our home to spend Christmas with our family. A person who had no other positive options available to him. That decision has always stuck with me.

I  could go on, but I think those are the big four. Thanks mom, for helping me become a better person and for inspiring me to make a difference in the lives of others. Happy Mother's Day.

I'd love to hear how other's were inspired by their parents - I'll write about my dad next month.

Listen to the Music - Part 2

In my last post, I introduced my approach to music in my classroom and the “eight song bracket challenge” my students and I explore throughout the year. In this writing, I would like to share the story of an unexpected opportunity that resulted in an authentic conversation and a positive outcome.

Recently, the students wanted to look at eight songs by Michael Jackson and have them square off in the challenge.  For fun, I decided to share “Eat it”,  the ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic video lampooning Jackson’s “Beat it”. It was wonderfully well received and I squeezed in a quick lesson on parody, particularly focusing on the notion that the individual being satirized would be more flattered than offended. I currently have a group of boys who have a fascination with “pranking”. They are, as one might expect, still learning that a gag may not always be harmless, or be received as it was intended.

A few weeks later, we watched the “Bad” video - which is actually an 18 minute short film directed by Martin Scorcese. It generated lots of talk. There were some obvious commentary about how it hadn’t aged well, but we also discussed street violence, crime and poverty. We even brushed up against  the idea that we all wear different masks for different people in order to feel safe or belong.

It was around this time that I remembered that ‘Weird Al’ had a parody video called “Fat”. When the video was released, in 1987, I was working as a bartender at a pizza joint. There was an upbeat cook who would parrot lines from the video, peppering them comically into his daily kitchen banter. Consequently, I only remembered the song as being tremendously funny and hysterically quotable.

Thirty years later, I reflected on things differently. The song, although clever, could easily be seen as staggeringly cruel to people who were obese. I realized that endorsing it as “great comedy” would not be appropriate and I debated moving on. However, I also reflected on a mantra from the world of improvisational comedy.

“There are no mistakes, only opportunities”.

I decided to turn the wheel of my pedagogical car into this skid, and embrace this situation head-on. I showed my students the video without giving them any preamble. We then looked over the lyrics. Then we debriefed.

I began by asking the students to gather at the front of the class to show a continuum. We have done “opinion continuums” before, so they were familiar with the process.  

At one extreme was a space for students who felt the song and video was “totally fine, just good fun and not a big deal”, and at the other end was a space for students who felt the song was “inappropriate, clearly body-shaming people who were overweight”.

Interestingly, 94.7% of the class (19 out of the 20 students who chose to participate) gathered on the “totally fine/good fun” side, with 12 putting themselves near the most extreme end. The message was clear. Overall, the students did not think this was a big deal.

We then had a discussion.

• Students openly shared their opinions about their position. Several suggested that "people were fat by choice" and that "it is okay to make fun of fat people because they are funny."
• I floated the idea that other factors could contribute to obesity, including
• Poor food options in childhood due to poverty.
• Mental health issues, like depression leading to overeating.
• Physical health issues, like issues with the endocrine system.
• I asked them if their opinion would be different if we had a student in the class who was obese?
• I asked them if their opinion would change if it was, equally cleverly written, but called “Black” or “Gay”?

There were some great ideas shared and the conversation was lively. My students, who are nearing Grade 6, are starting to become more aware of social charged topics. Their world of black & white truths are starting to bleed into an intricate mix of grays. Being part of this process with them is as wonderful and important as it is complex and delicate.

We returned to the opinion continuum after the discussion. This time we self-evaluated our choices before and after the chat by completing a Google Form anonymously. The results are here. As you can see, most students moved toward the opposite end with 26.4% recognizing it as some degree of insensitive, 31.6% in the middle and the remaining 42% still seeing it as a lesser degree of “just fine/good fun”.

Some final thoughts and questions

• I am constantly amazed at the great things that can come out of a simple idea.
• I sincerely feel that this activity made my students kinder, more thoughtful & considerate about the feelings of others.
• There are some who might argue that I am using my position of authority unfairly. That, perhaps, I am trying to create "soft liberals". Students who will become overly concerned with Political Correctness & stereotyping while learning to be afraid of free speech.  I’d like to tackle that in Part 3 of this blog series - but that might be too big a nut to crack in a forum like this.

Twitter & The Lesson that makes me Cry

Recently, while facilitating a workshop with a group of colleagues, I was asked about the relevance of Twitter and how it might be used in the classroom. I took some time to share with them the importance of building a Professional Learning Network (PLN) and listed all of the positives that come with a Twitter presence.

• It’s fun to follow people.
• You can facilitate student voice.
• It is a great source for news as it happens and therefore ...
• ...it is a social disruptor and galvanizer (Arab Spring, Russian annexation of Crimea).
• It is great for quick hits of Professional Development.
• Great educators share resources all the time.
• You can build a PLN specific to your interests and grade level.
• A Principal may (should?) ask about yours in an interview.
• It is ongoing evidence of your best practice - because you curate it.
• If you follow comedians, you will always have timely jokes.
• Growing your following rewards your ego (I’d like to say I am better than this … but I have learned that I am not)

When asked about using it in the classroom, I shared the unit that I have dubbed “the one that always makes me cry.”

One would think that, after delivering this unit more than five times, I would have developed a thicker skin. This has not been the case and I am now a firm believer in Andropause. My cynical and hardened veneer has increasingly been showing cracks.

• I struggle through sad movies...particularly those by Pixar (The first 10 minutes of “UP” gutted me).
• I more actively avoid media that is tragic and I have far more difficulty processing it when I encounter it.
• I quickly block any Facebook post that is potentially disturbing (I’m looking at you PETA).

I recognize that this softer side is likely evidence of emotional progress and I realize I am genuinely sharing an empathetic aspect of my personality with my students. However, there remains a nugget of neanderthal masculinity buried deep within my amygdala that steadfastly cautions me - “Emotion bad! You strong! Make joke to relieve tension!.... Good ...now talk about sports!”

The Activity

It begins with an open discussion about the word “homelessness” using a strategy called Post it, Pile it, Pin it. I may start by showing a few photos of homeless people and ask my students to think about words, ideas or opinions that come to mind. They are encouraged to share with each other by writing down their ideas on a post-it note. Another member of the group can also post ideas that are shared orally. A pile of these notes is created in the middle of the table. Finally, the notes are brought to the front and pinned to a chart paper. This also serves to sort the responses because similar responses are grouped.

An updated “techy” version of this involves laptops and a virtual wall - through a program called Padlet.

Obviously, responses will vary but; my experiences have seen the words tend to fall into two categories. One group of posts will contain negative opinions which castigate the homeless (drunk, criminals, lazy, dirty, scary, drug-users). The other set tend to show more compassion or sympathy (misunderstood, mentally ill, helpless, sad, poor). It seems likely that the students are merely parroting opinions that they have heard from others (perhaps the adults in their worlds). The ultimate goal of the lesson is to help them discover their own opinion and move past stereotypes. The Ontario Grade 6 Health curriculum connections fit in nicely here.

C1.3 identify factors that affect the development of a person’s self-concept (e.g., environment, evaluations by others who are important to them, stereotypes, awareness of strengths and needs, social competencies, cultural and gender identity, support, body image, mental health and emotional well-being, physical abilities).

I do my best to list these responses without showing judgement. It is important that students feel comfortable sharing their opinions and we regularly talk about how our perspectives can change when we have additional information. At this point, I share the picture book “Fly Away Home” by Eve Bunting with them. Well, actually, because I struggle to get through it without blubbering - I show the YouTube video of it.

There are some great discussion points available and many students are able to make the connection between the symbolic escape of the bird and Andrew’s life. We can also revisit some of the post it notes and talk about which ones apply to the characters in the story.

The Twitter Connection

So, how does this connect to Twitter? That comes in the next step. I share the following video in which homeless people read mean tweets about the homeless.

It is powerful and requires some setting up (It can also make me weepy). The word “piss” is used. Consequently, that requires some editing or a class discussion about language before it is screened. I prefer the latter. Students respond positively to frank conversation about word choice and this can be empowering for them.

We have a discussion about Tweets, Twitter and Hashtags. We use Edmodo as a classroom forum; so, they are already well versed in Social Media etiquette, online bullying and the T.H.I.N.K. approach to posting.

Again, we can look at our pinned notes and reflect on stereotypes and empathy. I then present the following challenge.

In 140 characters, can you write a kind tweet about homelessness which includes a hashtag to identify it.

As a class, we brainstorm and choose a hashtag. Suggestions and past examples have included #KindnessCounts #EHStudentsCare (EH is Eagle Heights) #HelpHomeless or maybe #KindTweets4Homeless.

I provide the students with a strip of graph paper with about 140 boxes available. The students develop their ideas on scrap paper and then, once satisfied, print them out on the graph paper strip. I log on to my Twitter account and they are invited to type in their Tweets. I do ask that they call me over to confirm things before posting. Over the next few hours, we look forward to alerts that “like” or “retweet” our efforts at kindness.

If you would like to help us, drop me a line. It would be great to organize a day of kind tweets around a common hashtag. If not, look for our tweets this fall. I think I may take the coward’s route and encourage my student teacher to deliver this unit.

Good … Make joke...Sad feeling go back down!