A Growth Mindset

Sometime between my day dreams of fishing trips and the reality of grading papers, the last day of school has come and passed. The sixth chapter in the book of my teaching career has been written, and I think the last day of school is a perfect opportunity for reflection.

Recently, I have been exploring the idea of a "growth mindset" versus a "fixed mindset." In case you haven't read Dr. Carol Dweck's research, here is my short version of the difference:

A person with a fixed mindset believes their abilities, intelligence, and talents are fixed. People with this mindset say, "I'm just not good at math; never have been, never will be." A fixed mindset will use challenges and obstacles as an excuse to quit trying because they are afraid of failure or being perceived as "dumb."

On the other hand, people with a growth mindset believe that abilities and talents can be developed through effort, hard work, and persistence. Rather than being fearful, people with a growth mindset, see failure as an opportunity to learn and improve. People who seek challenges and maneuver around obstacles are said to have a growth mindset.

As I studied these types of mindsets, I started hearing my students use fixed mindset phrases on a daily basis. I started seeing the correlation between their fixed mindset towards school (and specifically math) and their poor effort in the classroom. I heard my students say, "Mr. Coffey, I just don't get it. I give up. I'm just not good at math." Unfortunately, someone put these thoughts in my students' brains (either directly or indirectly). My students are picking up this fixed mindset from parents, friends, the media, and dare I say, teachers. I decided that I can no longer allow this fixed mindset in my classroom, and I am making a commitment to helping my students develop a growth mindset.

The task sounds daunting, maybe even impossible. That is because you are reading this with a fixed mindset. Stop it! Towards the end of this school year I helped my students rephrase their fixed mindset phrases. Instead of saying, "I don't get this," I stopped them and made them repeat, "I don't get this yet." Instead of saying, "I don't like math," I made them rephrase to "I haven't liked math yet." I would have thought that my students would brush off my little added word, but I could honestly see a difference in their attitude when I forced them to rephrase their fixed mindset phrases. It's like I magically tricked their brain with one little word. If you don't believe me, I challenge you to try it. Next time you hear a fixed mindset phrase, ask the person to repeat the phrase with the word "yet" added to the end. Watch the change in their facial expression when they allow themselves room for growth. You can literally see the change in their face.

I'm not saying I drastically changed the lives of all my students by adding three letters to their statements; some students are stuck deeper in the fixed mindset rut. They are going to need more discussion, more examples of successful people with growth mindsets, and proof that they can grow taller than the obstacles their minds have created. But, I did see a change, and that was with minimal effort.

The great thing about a growth mindset is it spills over the classroom walls. A growth mindset can change, "my mom and I don't get along," to "my mom and I aren't getting along right now." It can change, "we are poor," to "we don't have much money at the moment." And, those little changes can open a lot of doors while offering some much needed hope.

As I sit in my empty classroom, and contemplate the good and the bad of this past school year, I believe I can make next school year more successful by addressing mindset early and often. My students need to know that "Neither success nor failure is ever final." You can be on the highest high, but that doesn't mean you can stop growing because we've all witnessed top dogs fall to the bottom. You may be at the lowest low, but that doesn't mean you should stop growing because we've all seen the underdog end up on top! For me, it's about giving students permission to make mistakes. It's about giving students permission to fall down. But most importantly it's about giving my students permission to knock down walls and push themselves to grow.

Do We Still Need Teachers?

I feel the need to write a post to clear up some misinterpretations of my words. You see, nearly a month ago I was asked to speak to the staff at my school about how I am using iPads and technology in my classroom. I chose to talk about how I use Moodle to create a blended learning environment. I talked about how I record video lessons and share them using Moodle. I talked about how I create my own textbook using CK-12 and share it electronically using Moodle. I talked about how I am able to differentiate instruction for all the individual learners in my classroom. And, I talked about how I assess learning using electronic quizzes through the Moodle interface.

Although my presentation was limited to a very short amount of time (I could have talked for two or three days), I was happy to stir-up some conversation amongst the staff. Some teachers were open and ready to try new things with the technology in their classrooms, while others were hesitant and not ready for that kind of change. I'm not here to judge either side. I wasn't there to try to persuade teachers to try blended learning; I was there to share one story from inside one classroom in our high school.

However, recently I've heard some concerning conversations. I've heard teachers ("inspired" by my presentation) who are concerned about the future of education and the teaching profession. A few teachers are envisioning a classroom with a 100:1 student/teacher ratio. They are concerned that technology is replacing the need for a teacher.

I want to be very clear that I envision the teacher of the future to be valued MORE, and play a MORE important role in student learning!

Look, I understand the concern. The role of teachers is definitely changing! One-hundred years ago students HAD to come to school in order to learn. There were very few books, nearly no libraries, and limited newspapers and magazines. Teachers were the source of nearly all information. Teachers were the gate keeper to knowledge. 

However, technology has changed the educational landscape! Teachers are not the sole source of information now. Students have 24/7 access to unlimited amounts of information. Instead of relying on a teacher with limited training, students have access to industry experts who have devoted their entire life to studying very specific disciplines. The incredible knowledge that is available for FREE with a few clicks of the mouse (or finger) is mind blowing. It's impossible for me to wrap my brain around the ways our educational landscape has changed over the last 100 years! Yet, for the most part, the structure of our schools has remained nearly unchanged. It's no wonder our students are feeling let down, bored, and disengaged with school today. I can see how teachers could feel threatened. 

I hope my story can spread a message of hope to teachers feeling threatened. As I have integrated more and more technology into my classroom, I have never felt more valued and essential to my students' learning! Although I can share information with thousands of students simultaneously, skilled teachers are needed to draw meaning to that information; teachers will always be needed to bring that information to life for students. To borrow words from my friend Ginger Lewman, I have adapted the mindset that I am a resource, not THE source to my students. I push my students to search and discover information rather than passively receiving information. I want my students to find meaning in their life rather than me telling them what's important to them. I push my students to grow individually to reach their potential rather than push them collectively over an arbitrary hurdle. All of these roles are different, but FAR more important than the giver of information. These important roles need to happen on a one-to-one level; it cannot happen on a mass scale.  For this reason, I have a hopeful vision of the future of our teaching profession!

Our students no longer need teachers to feed them information, the information is at their fingertips. Instead our students need help making sence of information, help finding meaning, help making connections, and help digging deeper. Computers and technology will never be able to do this as effectively and magically as I can. The perfectly placed question, the balance between pushing hard but not breaking, the emotional connection, the stern look, and the deserved celebrations are all artistic touches that only a human can paint into a lesson. These are the pieces that engage students in learning. They are invaluable! 

Although technology could make it feasible for one teacher to manage 100 students; it will never happen. As long as our society values learning (which will be forever), the human teacher will be too valuable to spread across 100 students. 

WARNING: If you are a teacher, and you still believe that your only job is to feed students information, then you don't have to wait for the future; your job has already been replaced by technology. Sure, you may still receive a paycheck, but your days are numbered. I would urge you to loosen your grip on the control of the information, and encourage your students interact and engage with the information all around them.

We live in an exciting time of great innovation and technological advances. My mind cannot conceive the great technological advances we will see over the next hundred years, but my heart assures me that the future will be lead by great human teachers!

Hey, You Should Make Your Math Class Fun

When you're a math teacher, introductions can sometimes get awkward! After the handshakes, smiles, and usual small talk, the question is always asked. "So Justin, what do you do?" Once this question is asked, I can predict the next twenty minutes of dialogue. It never changes.

"Oh, wow, a math teacher eh? I hated math in school. I was never very good at it. Thank goodness I've never had to use it! Hey, you know what you should do? You should make your math class fun. My class was always so boring. Also, you should stop teaching them useless math like Algebra, and start teaching them math they'll actually need in real life. You know what I mean?"

Stop smiling. There's no smiling in Algebra class!!

I have never met a person who has said, "Oh, awesome! That sounds like a great job! I would love to teach Algebra to high school students! Do you know of any openings?"

The truth is I do have the greatest job on Earth, and I would never trade for another (except maybe an astronaut, but then that's not really a job "on" Earth). If they only knew... 

Their advice sounds so simple. Make math fun. It's like people actually believe that math teachers sit up at night asking themselves, "This lesson is okay, but how could I make this just a little more boring...?" Here's the truth: every math teacher I have ever met (and I've met a lot) is desperately searching, researching, clawing, and fighting for "fun" math lessons. And, they are out there; I've seen them. I'm working on adding more and more "fun" to my Algebra class, but it's a process, and it takes time, energy, and resources. Unfortunately, none of those are unlimited!

Please don't wear this shirt.

The other thing I hear (nearly everyday) is, "I never use Algebra, and I turned out fine." I have to bite my tongue. I want to say, "You drove your car here without running out of gas didn't you? You know how many bags of Cheetos you could buy with $10 don't you? You used a car loan to purchase that new truck didn't you? You're investing in your retirement aren't you? Heck, even the people who designed that funny little shirt you're wearing used Algebra to ensure their text was centered and the font size was optimized to ensure maximum readability." But, those arguments are best left unsaid because then the next line coming is, "Well, that's not really math..." But the truth is math is all around us and our brain is making constant calculations to keep us safe and happy. Most of those calculations are done unconsciously; not because it's not really math, but because you probably had math teachers who stayed up late at night wondering how they could exercise that mathematical portion of your brain the next morning.

Catapulting pennies onto targets

I have digressed. Here's my point: I was part of an amazing training today about Project Based Learning, and I am more excited than ever to put the fun in Algebra class! I have done "projects" in class, but I am a newbie to the whole PBL strategy. I think I have a plan to mesh my current blended classroom with a dynamic, exciting Project Based Learning classroom. I also think Ginger Lewman (an educational guru) has a similar message to all those strangers I have met. If I hook my students with a "tasty" project they are dying to get their hands on, I will be amazed at the lengths my students will go to in order to learn the skills necessary to make a totally rad project. Give them a reason to get excited and fall in love with math. Make it fun. 

Stay tuned to share in my mistakes, insights, and triumphs!

Down the Rabbit Hole of Blended Learning

Lately I've been feeling a bit like Alice falling deeper and deeper down a crazy rabbit hole called "blended learning." I had heard of this madness called blended learning, but I had never explored or thought too deeply about its possibilities. That is, until I stumbled upon Moodle, seemingly by accident.

My trip down the blended classroom rabbit hole started out with the idea of "flipping" my classroom. I read some research; I did some homework; and I started my adventure by video recording my lessons. I was content that my students could access my lectures at anytime, my absent students could stay caught up, and I was putting the responsibility of learning back on the students. At this point, I was uploading my videos to YouTube and sharing the link on my classroom website. To share assignments, I experimented with Google Drive. To administer quizzes, I played around with Socrative. All of these apps and programs were working well, but I was missing some cohesion. I was searching for a platform that could host all of my needs. 

One day while sharing stories and experiences with another teacher (a total teaching rock star) who is "flipping" her classroom, she mentioned using Moodle in her classroom. Since that moment my classroom hasn't been the same! I quickly bombarded her with questions. I had heard of Moodle. My mom (who has been a great inspiration, coach, and sounding board) is a professor of nursing, and has been raving about the use of Moodle in her courses. I knew that Moodle could offer me the cohesion I was searching for in my classroom.

Without much effort my Moodle site was up and running. The more I experiment and tinker with Moodle, the more confident I am that I can offer my students a learning experience tailored to their style of learning and technology culture. Moodle has allowed me to truly transform my classroom into a blended learning environment. 

For each module in my course, I am able to share videos of my lectures, pdfs of textbooks, practice sets, notes, and assignments electronically. Essentially, my students are taking High School Algebra "online." Except it's better than an online course! Because my students have access to all "nuts and bolts" at their fingertips 24/7, we are able to spend our classroom time clearing up any misconceptions, working in small groups or one-on-one, and taking our knowledge and applying it to real world applications. I create a quiz at the end of each module from a test bank of questions. If the student scores an 80% or above, then they are awarded an electronic badge to signify their mastery of that particular module. If the student scores below an 80%, they are asked to go back to their notes, re-watch the lecture, re-read the text, or come in during study hall to receive extra help from myself or a math tutor in order to correct their mistakes. Then, they are asked to retake the quiz until they earn an 80% or higher. This model for learning has worked great so far, and I believe it will only get better as I gain more experience and find solutions to minor issues.

Looking out from the inside of this rabbit hole it all seems to make sense. Blended learning is taking the very best benefits of online learning and combining them with all the very best benefits of "brick and mortar" learning. We have to remember that this generation of learners don't simply listen to the radio; they choose what song they want, and when they want it. This generation of learners don't simply watch TV; they choose what show they want to watch, record it, and watch it when they want it. Why would they expect anything different from their education? I have come to the realization that this generation of learners is the generation of personalization and choice. For this reason, I believe Moodle grants me the opportunity to create a blended learning environment that is both relevant and effective to today's learners.

More Technology, More Problems (and More Triumphs)!

Sometime back, our local school board had an important meeting. After deep thought, careful calculations, and probably some nifty marketing by a company named Apple, our board voted to move forward with a plan to put in an iPad in the hands of every student in our school district. Yes. Every. Student. In Dodge City, Kansas, the innocent hands of kindergartners, the awkward hands of middle schoolers, and the "too cool for school" hands of high schoolers all hold a small tool capable of displaying the big world on a nifty nine inch screen.

I received my iPad a little over a year ago. The district wanted to give teachers a head start with the new technology, so we were given a year to play, discover, and plan. As an educator I was excited to know that my students would have the world at their fingertips. I didn't exactly know how I was going to use the iPad in the classroom, but I knew it was a game changer. I've always considered myself to be kind of a tech savvy guy, but with each passing year I can feel technology pulling further and further ahead of me. I've found myself gripping tight to my mouse while the world around me has moved on to touch screens and finger swipes. 

Nonetheless, I volunteered to be on the "iPad Deployment Team" at my school in January. It would be my job to introduce the students to their iPad. It was a moment that I wanted to witness and be a part of. I wanted to see their reactions. I wanted to see their comfort level. I wanted to learn from them. The process of handing out and doing some initial set-up on 1,800 iPads took 9 days. There were a couple moments of deep frustration, but for the most part things went smoother than I could have imagined.

Our students have had iPads for two months now. I have gone full circle through the emotional ringer. There have been moments of pure excitement and moments of pure torture and frustration. There have been moments where I have felt like finding a sturdy shovel, digging an enormous hole, and burying 1,800 iPads. Students have been playing games, snap chatting, and making absurd sounds with their iPads. Holding the attention of a 15 year old while you lecture about equations written in vertex form is difficult enough; but when you add the distraction of an iPad, the task has become darn near impossible.

Despite the difficulties, I have been planning, collaborating, studying, and working non-stop to somehow find a way to make these iPads work in my Algebra classroom. We have experimented with different apps. I have tried new techniques. And, we have talked extensively about iPad etiquette. 

Two weeks ago things suddenly became very clear to me. The honeymoon fog was lifted, and I was left with a very precise vision of how my classroom should be ran to make effective use of the iPads. Not only that, but I am also finding ways to tap into the "gaming" culture which has been embedded in my students' lives since they were two years old. I am also experimenting with new ways to customize the classroom for each individual student. All of this change has come very sudden, and I am still working out a few kinks; however, I have never felt so confident and secure about the direction of my classroom. I have a new found passion and excitement to give my students what they have been longing for, a style of learning which fits their lifestyle, culture, and individual needs.

I have been amazed at the changes I have seen in my classroom in the last two weeks. I am excited to share my victories and setbacks in this journey into the land of iPads. I hope to use my blog as a platform to share ideas and gather advice and input as I continue to search for ways to improve the classroom experience for my students. 

Positive Things Happen...

Before I became a teacher, I held down some pretty tough jobs.  One of the toughest jobs I worked was selling vacuums door to door.  I learned a lot from that job.  When you spend all day long traveling Southwest Kansas trying to peddle $1800 vacuum cleaners it is imperative to bring your Zig Ziglar tapes along for the ride.  If you don’t know who Zig Ziglar is, your homework assignment (due tomorrow) is to Google Zig Ziglar.  During this time of my life, I learned the importance of positive thinking.  Slamming doors and repeated “no’s” can wear a man down, and a positive frame of mind is necessary for survival.

Thankfully my vacuum selling days are behind me.  However, I thought the lessons of positivity would last forever, but I have recently found myself in a rut of negativity.  This year my teaching responsibilities have been particularly challenging.  I am dealing with a new breed of students who I have not been trained to tame.  My challenges have come from motivating and teaching a group of very diverse learners.  In each class that I teach, I have students who come from extreme poverty, struggle with learning disabilities, battle behavior disorders, and are English language learners.  Nearly every student in my classroom falls into at least one of these “categories.”  It is the changing face of this nation, and a challenge for teachers all throughout our great nation.

The challenges I have faced during this semester have pushed me to my teaching limit.  If I were a bag of chips, I would currently be the crumbs at the bottom of the bag; I still taste great and have nutritional value, but I do not pack the punch of a fist full of whole chips.  I have tried every engagement technique under the sun.  I have worked extremely hard to motivate, teach, and have an impact on these students’ lives, but I fear I have had little impact.  Again, I am facing a new breed of students.  I feel like a scientist trying to stay one step ahead of an evolving virus strand.  It has been a challenge.

Through this challenge, I have become extremely negative.  My wife will attest to that statement.  I can feel myself carrying my negative attitude home to my family.  It is not fair to my supportive wife and neophyte son.  They do not deserve the brunt of my negative reaction to my challenges at work.  What’s worse is I can also feel myself turning negative on my students.  I can sense the negativity seeping out of my body, and as the negativity comes out, I very quickly realize I am not being an effective teacher.  It makes me feel shameful and embarrassed, but I have been unable to stop the negative freight train.

The train has to stop now.  If I can stay positive humping around sixty pound vacuums from slamming door to slamming door, I can surely find a way to be positive working the greatest job on the face of the planet.  Negativity hasn’t worked.  It’s time to turn a new leaf.  Zig Ziglar said, “There has never been a statue erected to honor a critic.”  He’s right.  We live in a world which is already full of negativity.  Turn on the news.  Negativity.  Turn on a sitcom.  Putdowns.  Bullying.  Negativity.  I cannot control the world, but I can control my attitude; I can control the things that are said and done within my four classroom walls.  It will not be easy, but it is time I rewind the ol’ Zig Ziglar tapes and open the positivity tap.  Tuck the cynical Mr. Coffey back into to bed, and awaken the positive giant.  When you’re positive, positive things happen!

One Tough Phone Call

“Hello?  Mr. Johnson?  This is Justin Coffey.  I coach your son in football.  Look, I needed to call and tell you that your son has been injured in our football game today.  He was hit in the head on a kick-off return, and he can’t move or feel his legs.  We’re taking every precaution.  The ambulance is here.  They are strapping him to a backboard as we speak.  We are heading to the hospital here in Liberal.  I am going to ride with him and stay by his side.  Can you make it down here?”

I could never explain how difficult it was to make that phone call.  It still makes me sick to my stomach to think about it.  The entire time I was on the phone, I couldn’t help but think about how I would react if daycare called me with the same information about my son.  I tried so hard to be as upbeat and positive as I could, but, at the same time, I didn’t want to project a false sense of comfort.  The truth is I was scared.  And, the more I thought about my own son, the more I wanted to cry during that phone call.  However, that wouldn’t have helped the situation.

In the blink of an eye, things come into perspective.  All the plays we had practiced, all the preparations we had made, all the talk about winning suddenly did not matter in the least.  What mattered was the life and future of a young student who was only trying to help his football team.

The ambulance ride was unbearable.  It was dead silent.  My mind raced through scenarios.  My imagination took over.  I couldn’t help but dream-up worst case scenarios, best case scenarios, and the most probable outcome.  I would occasionally try to talk to the young receiver whom I had gotten to know over the past two months.  No conversation seemed appropriate.  It was a long ride.

During the ride, my player began to regain some sensation and movement in his toes.  I knew this was a positive sign, but I also knew that we were going to still have a long night ahead of us.  When we got to the hospital, I called dad again.  I wanted to let him know we had made it, and also let him know about the new developments and plan going forward.  The nurses at the hospital were great, and helped provide comfort to my middle school player as they took his vitals and started an IV.

Ten minutes felt like an eternity.  I asked endless questions of my player.  We talked about sports, family, snakes, sports, our futures, wrestling, fantasy football, school, and sports.  We became tight in those ten minutes.  I am pretty sure we will always have a tight bond because of those ten minutes.  After the eternity, a doctor emerged.  He talked to us about ordering a CT scan.  I think the conversation scared my friend still strapped to the board.  He was suddenly silent.

I was beginning to feel better about the situation.  His toes and legs were slowly gaining more sensation and mobility.  Once they finally wheeled my player away for the CT scan, I called dad again.  I wanted to keep him posted on the happenings.  Again, I couldn’t help but put myself in his shoes.  In the meantime, I was also trying to keep our Athletic Director and Head Coach updated on the status.

Eventually, my player returned to the Emergency Room with me.  We were back to the waiting game.  I continued to gain confidence about the situation because my player was getting antsy being strapped to the board.  He squirmed and wiggled trying to find some comfort against the hard plastic.  As much as he was struggling to find comfort, I found comfort in his movement.  We continued to share stories and conversations while we awaited the results of the CT scan.  I began to realize more and more that I was coaching a pretty neat kid with a long bright future ahead of him.

At some point, the doctor reemerged.  He was happy to inform us that the CT scans of the brain and neck came back negative.  There was no bleeding in the brain.  The neck showed no damage.  And, my player was happy to hear they could remove the neck brace and board that was strapped to his back.

It wasn’t long before the door to our emergency room opened.  Mom, dad, and brother came flooding into the room.  Seeing the look on mom’s face instantly brought me to tears.  Again, I couldn’t help but put myself in their family’s shoes.  In a moment, my mind went to my wife.  See, my wife and I have already been through a situation where our son had to be life-flighted to Wichita.  We’ve felt the emotions I could see on the faces of my young player’s family.  My mind flashed back to the weeks my wife and I lived out of a hospital room.  We shared tears, confusion, small celebrations, and very few hours of sleep.  It is amazing how strong you can become for a family member in need.

I tried to fade into the background and let this family share the love and relief with each other.  I wanted them to cherish this moment and engrain this instant into their mind, so they could always remember what is important.

We all get caught up in life.  We lose ourselves in work, errands, stress, fights, and emotions.  We say things we don’t mean.  We do things we don’t intend.  We put priority on things that aren’t important.  Being in that instant; watching this family share this moment, helped remind me of what is important.

In the end, my player was released from the hospital with a clean bill of health.  I only got to coach half of the seventh grade game, and I missed the entire eighth grade game, but we ended up winning both (our first wins of the season) thanks in large part to an onside kick recovery from one courageous receiver.  Hearing the news that we had won the game put a huge smile on my player’s face, but as I looked into the his eyes and the eyes of his family members, we all knew that it wasn’t important.