Brandi J. Clark

I’m still pondering this.

And yet, I don’t think we make this clear enough to students.

Who we become is never a destination and throughout your life, your gifts will merge and become stronger than you ever imagined, if you let them. – B Clark

Case in point…

Friday was our school’s special feast day celebration.

The theme: Holiness and Walking Together in God’s Holiness.

My interpretation is that we are fully expressing God’s Holiness when we share our gifts.

Not presents, as I told the students, but those things that we can do effortlessly that bring joy to ourselves and to the friends in our lives.

I read them a book: The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman.

A hilarious book about a group of misfits, with several oddball talents, like “spit-balling” “climbing walls” and “engineering fancy bikes”, which leads to a successful heist of a confiscated object by a really deranged looking teacher.

They liked it. It was all about those gifts that are not considered to be gifts, but in fact are when shared with others and not kept too close to the heart.

Then…

I explained that Little me…Lil Mrs. Clark was blessed with Gifts.

Student: “Lil Mrs. Clark! That could be your rapper name.”

Me: Yes, if this teaching thing does not work out.

I told them that some of their gifts might be causing trouble, that their gifts might have not found a home yet.

Me: For example, some of you might be bossy. You will likely be leaders but you have not found your people yet or a way of expressing it properly. It’s OK.  Your gifts will begin to make sense as you find a place for them in the world. Look at Jim Carey! He was highly irritating in school but now he is a successful actor. So we have to be patient.

They nodded.

I told them that when I was four,  I played teacher with my dolls.  I also loved to draw.

I shared that as a grade one student, I was kicked out daily for talking.

Me: But hey, I talk all the time as a teacher. So it all worked out!

I explained that our gifts are revealed as we grow.

I have discovered an affinity for writing.

I love entertaining other teachers at my professional development sessions.

There is learning at these sessions, I promise you. How can learning not be fun?

I can connect to anyone, new or old acquaintances with ease.  I know most of the students in my school by name, at least 85% out of 760-ish.

I can connect ideas together, often from the pop culture world. This has been life long. I remember…EVERYTHING! My brain is an endless hard drive of crazy information.

I told the students on Friday, that all these gifts – reading, writing, working with other teachers and students- PLUS putting myself out there, resulted in a published article.  I highlighted the exciting nerd factor of all this.

Student: Do you need glasses to be a nerd?

Me: Definitely not!

The student made a huge smile and sighed.

I talked about how my art style has changed from the realistic fine art of my 20’s to crazy paper dot collages.  I draw an image and use a hole puncher to punch out circles of color from magazines. It’s relaxing. Here is one I made from an image in the book Bluebird by Bob Staake. I added some words after and turned it into a prayer card for my staff

I told the students that I have begun to bring back my old art. Sometimes in our learning journey we return to old gifts.

I mentioned that another student in grade 6 inspired me to create an Instagram account just for my art.

Student: WAIT!!! Students can inspire you?

Me: YES! All the time, you all inspire me every day. I am so blessed to work with you.

These students were listening.

I ended with showing them how to make a mini book and draw a pigeon.  This was my gift to them.

Me:  I want to show you a wellness tool, drawing.  Do you know that writing is also very helpful when you are stressed? Write down your thoughts before sleeping, you will sleep better.

Me: Also, I will tell you this, because these wellness tools helped me to survive cancer 20 years ago.

The students look up concerned.

Me: HEY! I’m still here.

Huge sighs.

Me: But you need to know about the body mind connection, these are wellness tools. My gift to you, whether you usually draw or not. Give it a try.

The session comes to a close. They blow me away with their drawings and eagerness to share.

What do I want to be when I grow up?

A person of HOPE! HEALING and HAPPINESS!

That is what I am trying to do.  Our students they need these messages more than ever.

What we have in our classrooms are students bubbling with gifts.

How can schools recognize and nurture student gifts from the obvious to the obscure?

Step one is recognizing and nurturing our own gifts.

Step two is to share our gifts with students and our learning journeys.

Step three is to encourage those student gifts.

Indeed, walking in God’s Holiness, is just that…walking the talk.

Share what you know and watch them grow!

This is my hope for you!

Love Coach Clark!

 

Here some tips for starting the new year.

1. Browsing Bins

• Numbered bins from 1-5 (depending on the number of tables and groups)
• Bins included a variety of books (fiction, nonfiction, levels)
• Browsing Bins were moved to different tables as the first week progressed – the second week, you can do it again or move the books back to their places in the classroom library and introduce the concept of “just right” books.
• I used the browsing bins as they entered class and the morning began.
• THE BENEFIT – During this time, the teacher watches and listens. What are your readers like? Keep track of interests? “I love Books on Animals”. “I have been reading Dear Dumb Diary this summer.”  Watch who cannot stay engaged in a book for long, is highly distracted or disengaged. Also watch for those that are reading the Hobbit in grade 1. 
• This idea came from Debbie Miller in her book Reading with Meaning. She has a second edition now.  The older edition is beige/yellow. This resource still stands the test of time. You might be able to find it in your school.

2. Interest Inventories

• Inventories can be found for all grade levels in reading and writing
• You can create your own or use pre-made ones. Here are some links that I found.  Scholastic , Solution tree (for older kids) and general inventories.
• These can be done pencil/paper, an interview with you or digitally on a google classroom
• THE BENEFIT – You can find out more about your students. What books are missing from your classroom that students want? What writing topics or forms can you add to your list for the writing workshop? What are the interests of your students and how can you use them for “hooks” in lessons?

3. Number System

• Have students put their name and number on scribblers and paper handed in (For example, using alphabetical order, first student is #1)
• When students hand anything in …you know quickly who has not handed something in
• Use this for textbooks, tech, paint kits, etc
• Any new kids throughout the year are added to the bottom of the number system.
• I used this for lineups too – the only changes were the line leader and line-ender.
• THE BENEFIT – Efficiency!

4. Movement within the Classroom – Seating Areas to Meeting Spots

• Teach them how to go and return from the reading carpet to desks and back.

     To leave their seats

• Have a noise maker like a garden charm. My husband hates them! No idea what the issue is , but he said “take this to school”
• Teach the students that when the garden charm is “shook”, they are to push in their chairs and walk quietly to the carpet. Practice this…a lot.
• The benefit of a physical object and not a white board digital one, is that you can use it anywhere in the school and other students can be requested to use it on your signal.
• THE BENEFIT: efficiency

    Where they sit at the carpet

• You can assign spots or not, this depends on student needs (PLP – needs to sit close to the teacher)
• You can model how to choose a good seat – “not next to a distracting buddy” etc You might have your own criteria
• One downfall for unassigned spots – students with anxiety might not know where to sit and who to sit next to – assigned seats alleviate this. (Side note: This goes for seating in class too. Often we say sit wherever – this doesn’t work for all kids. Watch your students and notice if free choice seating is making other kids uncomfortable.)
• You can definitely, pull Popsicle sticks with their names and have them sit at those tables. This at least is random but gives kids a spot without having to stress about it.

     To leave the carpet

• I taught the 3-2-1
• Three fingers meant stand up
• Two fingers meant turn your body towards the direction of your desks/seat/table
• One finger meant quietly walk to your destination (depending where you are in the room, if the students have turned their bodies away from you in step two, you may need to walk to the front of the group and then show 1 finger (pointer finger – not the other finger – you don’t need that kind of trouble)

5. Sign Language

• I talk a lot – seriously. So to limit my talking and the students and to avoid constant interruptions, we developed hand signals as a class.
• I used the real hand signs for yes and no.
• The rest were made up. We made signs for drink…(look like drinking a class) …sharpen pencil …(looked like sharpening a pencil) …question (finger shaped like a hook) …bathroom (finger pointer finger, pointing straight up) …go get a book from the classroom library ..(two hands opening and closing like a book)
• THE BENEFIT – These were helpful as kids worked, at the carpet and at celebrations. We communicated with signs and the flow of class/or an event  was not interrupted.

I hope these help you get off to a great start this year!

Love Coach Clark!