Chapter 11
Expanding
After 12 years of teaching, it finally happened; I got called to the vice principal's office. She held up a pink pamphlet with a hand scrawled title that read, “How to Respect Girls and Women (Plus People in General): A Basic Guide.” One of my students made it for extra credit in response to the novel we were reading, which touched on some basic tenets of feminism. I made copies.
- “Do you recognize this?” the vice principal asked me.
- “Yes,” I said.
- “Did you make copies of this for a student?”
- “Yes, I did,” I told her.
- “Do you realize that means you were distributing propaganda on school grounds?” she asked.
- “Feminist propaganda?” I replied, half joking.
- “Yes,” she said firmly.
The pamphlet contained helpful tidbits such as, “Treat women like human beings” and “You need to listen to what women say about their bodies and respect their natural functions.” My favorite section boldly stated, “The way a woman dresses does not give consent for one to touch them and make them feel uncomfortable, ever.” The word ever was capitalized and underlined twice.
“I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I guess I'm just proud of them,” I told my vice principal.
She sighed. “You're not in trouble,” she said, “just destroy the rest of the pamphlets. Get rid of them. Make this go away.”
I was mortified. This was not a problem small teaching could fix. It was too infuriating, too complicated, too messy. Worst of all, the well‐intentioned author of the pamphlet had gotten wind that I was feeling the repercussions of her bravery. As proud as she had made me hours before when she handed me the pamphlet—now, she was feeling small and vulnerable. We needed a big teaching fix.
Teaching innovation often begins with small adjustments, but I should warn you—small changes have a funny way of expanding. After pamphlet‐gate, my students became fixated with raising their voices for the entire community to hear. To avoid overextending myself, I called in the reinforcements. As I mentioned in Chapter 8, there are a lot of community partners who want to help school children, or at least get some good press. Large districts have grant offices to point you in the direction of funding. When all else fails, I ask the kids to write up a little something for DonorsChoose and hope some billionaire in need of a tax write‐off will bite.
Through the grant office in my district, I was connected with our local Cultural Council who suggested we work with Harbor Voices. Harbor Voices is a Massachusetts based nonprofit that specializes in turning stories into art. “One of the most important things to the work is the people who are involved—people who are interviewing others or are interviewing each other or are the interviewees—all manage to connect to one another through shared experiences,” explained Executive Director Stephanie Benenson (2021). “Through this artistic and creative process, students are discovering that there are others who are facing similar obstacles and they have found a networking community of support.”
I knew right away that if anyone could help my students amplify their voices, it would be Benenson. She helped me teach students to conduct interviews based on the theme of their choosing: “Not Alone.”
Students captured reflections on anxiety, body image issues, relationships, depression, and the general angst of being a middle schooler. Benenson edited together a sound cloud and synced it with a laser show for us to present to the school community.
The night of our art installation was electric. One family brought dumplings and egg rolls for the whole class. Dozens of local artists came out to show their support. We all wore matching tie‐dyed T‐shirts with quotes from the installation written on the back. My students felt like their voices finally mattered, and they were right. Our “Not Alone” installation was the result of big teaching. I stayed at school late every day. I wrote additional grants to help cover our costs. My hands were purple for a week from the tie‐dye. But, it was totally worth it because I wanted to go big. I found my motivation. I felt a strong sense of purpose.
I am in the practice of asking students to reflect after milestones big and small. Following the “Not Alone” installation, my class wrote a poem together to reflect on our capital B‐I‐G project. I have never been more proud and inspired as an educator.
Not Alone
Grade 7 Class of 2021
Students arrive and we're feeling alright,
Unsure of what to expect in the light.
But, the art persuades us even before
Sharp colors swirl to reveal what's in store.
Thoughts run through our heads,
And feet run through the field.
Our love makes it clear,
We've all come to heal.
We open our ears,
Color beams dance,
Clouds move in fear,
This is our chance.
Lasers drift across the sky,
Our words striking the air.
Together, we take in the show
And remember what we share.
Our voices begin speaking,
And there's quiet from the crowd.
We touch them with our confidence,
They hear us, clear and loud.
Contrast in the dark night,
Like a firework finale.
Flashes, wordful as they move,
We shine hope around The Valley.
MODELS, PRINCIPLES, AND RESOURCES
Since the big teaching models that are suggested in this chapter represent unique approaches to pedagogy, they each appear with their corresponding theory and principle rather than in a separate section. In addition to the theories, models, and principles to help you expand your practice, I am including suggested resources to help you expand your thinking about teaching big and small.
Project‐Based Learning
Project‐based learning asks students to collaborate and address a challenge over a sustained period of time, then present a solution to the public. This can take place at virtually any grade level. First graders can collect data and develop a plan to reduce their classmates' impact on the environment. Fifth graders can assemble a financial plan to start saving for their futures. Eighth graders can revamp the grading system to better reflect the modern workplace. The possibilities are endless.
A great resource for working backward to expand upon your learning objective is the Harvard University database ABLConnect. Teachers can browse by activity, subject, time frame, or my favorite—learning goal. The site is a hotbed of project‐based learning, as in real‐world applications of in‐class concepts and skills.
My students' decision to tackle the silencing of youth voices by creating an art installation is an example of project‐based learning. We were able to master the Common Core ELA Standards and form connections to our assigned reading, while addressing a real‐world problem. Students prepared for and participated in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others' ideas and expressing their own ideas clearly and persuasively. Furthermore, they made strategic use of digital media and visual displays to express information and enhance understanding of their presentations. The energy and interest I witnessed during this project made the demands of project‐based learning more manageable for me.
The goal of project‐based learning is to extend student work beyond the classroom and into a public space. We moved beyond the school community in order to impact the larger neighborhood and its inhabitants. If you can design a project, or even better, have students design a project that requires a public showcase, they are bound to build connections between your discipline and the world around them. Beyond invoking purpose, project‐based learning demands motivation and creativity. Project‐based learning also requires many small teaching practices and culminates in a big teaching result.
Principle Students will need to look outside of your course for project‐based learning inspiration. Student ownership is key to making project‐based learning manageable. Fair warning: Every time I have been too heavy‐handed in guiding a final project, I end up doing the bulk of the work. Instead, allow a democratic process to take place. Use a Google Form to survey the class. Or, post student's project ideas on chart paper throughout the room and give students two stickers apiece to cast their votes. I tell students they cannot vote for their own idea, but they are allowed to put both stickers on one piece of chart paper to show double the support. In the end, the visual impact of a piece of chart paper covered in the most stickers will help students to identify their shared interests and build momentum. Visit Harvard's free ABLConnect database for excellent inspiration and examples.
Community Service Learning
Community service learning (CSL) takes project‐based learning a step further. The KIDS Model begins with a game that asks students to differentiate between community‐based learning, community service, and community service learning (Harkins Consulting, 2021). Community service is an activity designed to address the needs of a school or community, while community‐based learning is an approach that relies on local organizations and individuals to enhance the curriculum. The KIDS (Kids Involved Doing Service‐Learning) model defines CSL as, “A method of teaching and learning that challenges students to identify, research, propose, and implement solutions to real needs in their school or community as part of their curriculum” (Harkins Consulting, 2021). In order to constitute CSL, the project must offer academic integrity, student ownership, and apprentice citizenship. In order to help you distinguish between CSL and its counterparts, I have provided an example of each below:
- A community service project at an elementary school asks students to organize a coat drive during the winter months for a local shelter.
- A community‐based project invites a member of the chronic homelessness task force into an elementary school class to discuss the struggles faced by homeless individuals in a community.
- A CSL project asks students to read a story about a man without a home, “The Treasure of Lemon Brown,” by Walter Dean Meyers. Next, students research houselessness in their own community and propose a variety of solutions to the problems faced by individuals without homes. Finally, students partner with the chronic homelessness force to educate the community about homelessness.
All three of these terms are commonly confused. Helping students to first understand what sets apart CSL will strengthen your future CSL project.
In Chapter 8, we discussed the importance of establishing a self‐transcendent purpose to drive the learning that takes place in our classrooms; CSL inspires self‐transcendent purpose among students in a structured way. Remember, CSL requires academic integrity, student ownership, and apprentice citizenship.
Learners should discover and investigate a problem or need, research and design solutions, plan and implement a project, and evaluate their impact. All the while, students should be reflecting, collaborating, celebrating, and publicizing their work. As the teacher, your greatest responsibility is to build explicit connections between your curriculum standards and the student‐driven project.
The National Youth Leadership Council has done a nice job designing standards for quality practice. The NYLC standard for Link to Curriculum states, “Service‐learning is intentionally used as an instructional strategy to meet learning goals and/or content standards.” In some cases, students will identify a problem themselves based on a variety of options embedded within your course content. In other cases, your course content will present a specific problem and they will identify a variety of possible solutions. In both instances, your most important role is to access the curriculum standards while providing students with a voice to feel empowered.
Principle Community service learning is intimidating. There's a reason student agency and community partnership are pivotal to CSL; they allow you to divvy up the work. When students make decisions about the direction the project is going, they will be more likely to shoulder the workload. Likewise, hooking the right community partner will lead to valuable resources and logistical management. Your job should be to worry about maintaining academic integrity. Let your students and community partners take care of the rest.
I also recommend seeking out someone in your building who has pioneered CSL in their own classroom. Surprise them with their favorite candy bar or latte and then coerce them into telling you all of their CSL secrets. Don't limit them to their successes; ask about their failures as well and what they wish they knew when they were starting out.
My most fruitful tactic when it comes to attracting community partners is to have students reach out with a handwritten letter. Even the shrewdest executive will have a tough time saying no to the query of an adorable youth on a mission. Make a short list of prospective community partners to help you achieve your goal, and then give students an opportunity to pitch the project in their own words. Organizations and businesses will be much more likely to respond to a child than an adult.
Games and Simulations
Anything can be gamified. I once watched a fifth‐grade teacher convince her entire class to feverishly clean up her classroom while playing a game she called “Magic Trash.” Every student was charged with picking up ten pieces of trash off the carpet in hopes they would select the “magic” piece of trash that the teacher had predetermined. Whomever had the “magic” trash at the end of clean up time received a prize. They would beg to play every Friday. When she left for the weekend, her room was always spotless.
Role‐playing historic events or recreating scenes from a novel can also be effective forms of play. In her book When Kids Can't Read, What Teachers Can Do, Kylene Beers suggests students create tableaus of important moments in the books they are reading by dressing up, designing props, and choreographing action on multiple planes (2003). I like to let students apply Instagram filters to the photos they capture of their tableaus and write a corresponding social media caption. This added step not only increases engagement, but also helps them delve more deeply into characterization. I've overheard numerous conversations go something like:
“What would Edgar Allen Poe's aesthetic be?”
“I think he'd go with Dark Academia.”
“No way. He'd definitely be more of a Lofi guy—real grainy and black and white.”
A few years ago, I invited video game designer Ryan Canuel into my fourth‐grade technology class as a guest speaker. Canuel is the co‐founder and CEO of Petricore, Inc., an interactive software development company based out of Massachusetts. Petricore has worked with more than 40 museums to create simulations reflective of people's stories. “We made a game where you played as a Native American through three periods in history to help players better understand the Native American experience,” he told the class (2018).
Petricore's process is reminiscent of project‐based learning. “The way that we come up with our games is that we do a game jam,” said Canuel. “We come into the office, lock ourselves in a room and throw out as many interesting ideas as we can. We pitch around different games and then build a prototype—a very basic version of the game that won't look anything like our finished product, but it allows us to test things out and see what will work and what won't” (2018). Like Magic Trash, Canuel excels at turning unwelcome obstacles into entertaining games. His popular game Battery Boy actually changes based on the battery life of the device you are playing on. “As your battery starts to die, the game will get harder,” he explained (2018).
While Canuel's career quite literally centers on games, the features of almost all “work” are strikingly similar to the common features of games. The defining features of games and work are very similar, but one is pleasurable and one can often feel undesirable. Wharton School Professor Ethan Mollick points out the paradox that many dimensions of games look a lot like work (Vedantam, 2021c). The primary difference between a game and work is liability. The cost. Failing at a game has little or no impact on our lives, while failing at a career has life‐altering consequences.
Games use storytelling and systems of failure that allow us to learn from mistakes and try again. “Games lend themselves very naturally to thinking about systems and how they break and how they fail,” explains Mollick. “And then, you get the real sense of improvement from that failure in games that you don't in real life. If your startup company fails, that feels pretty bad. But if it fails in a game, maybe that was interesting” (Vedantam, 2021c). Similarly, the high stakes of a summative assignment can make students much less willing to take risks or discuss their failures, whereas in games, failure is compelling.
Mollick points out that humans love the illusion of danger or pain without actual danger or pain. That's why people willingly jump out of airplanes every day. Games and simulations have the same effect. “I mean in the most basic sense, learning is about failure and about doing things better the next time,” said Mollick. “It's why testing helps us learn better. In the most basic sense, learning is about failing and trying again” (Vedantam, 2021c). Framed as games and simulations, classroom assessments can have the same engaging effect.
Games are designed for flow. Levels get harder and harder until you lose. Entering a state of flow, in which a task is difficult enough for you to stay engaged and not so hard that you become overly frustrated, is very difficult to achieve in real life. “The sense of accomplishment is something that you can get in a game where everything is always calibrated to keep you in that flow state,” explains Mollick (Vedantam, 2021c). I don't care if you love your job, the teacher's room has free snacks, and your principal walks on water—there's no workplace in the world where employees maintain a state of flow 100% of the time.
Work cannot adjust its difficulty level to keep us engaged without getting stressed or bored, but schoolwork can. Mollick hopes to use games to identify entrepreneurial talent among his students at the Wharton School. He notes that while many parents and educators worry about the violent and addictive nature of games, there are companies using the psychology of games to improve job readiness and education. One example is Foldit, a game used for citizen science to outsource complex tasks to regular people. “The most successful teams at folding proteins are actually the teams that don't have any formal biology training,” observed Mollick. “So, it's really interesting because these teams would never have been drawn to the problem if it hadn't been turned into a game” (Vedantam, 2021c). The gamification of tasks, like in Foldit where online players fold proteins, takes elements of games and applies them to aspects of work.
Many companies, like Microsoft, use gamification internally to employ tactics such as badging and credentialing. Mollick reports that as a result, programs are being released more quickly and with fewer bugs at Microsoft (Vedantam, 2021c). In badging and credentialing systems, workers are acknowledged and rewarded publicly with a graphic representation of their achievements. You've probably seen badges in a colleague's email signature from entities such as Google for Education.
The practice of using games in the workplace is not brand new. In fact, the Top Gun simulator was one of America's first big success stories. During the Vietnam War, the Air Force and Navy both noted that pilots were underperforming. The Air Force used its resources to upgrade equipment, while the Navy launched Top Gun in order to expose novice pilots to dire conditions. According to Mollick, practicing with Top Gun proved far more effective than splurging on new planes (Vedantam, 2021c). Simulations and games have since become critical job training elements in fields ranging from medical training to truck driving. It's simple. Players who practice enough simulations find their skills are transferable to the real world.
If your students are bringing history or politics to life in a simulation, the outcome of their role‐play does not necessarily have to be an accurate reflection of reality. I am especially fond of the chaos that ensues throughout the Apple TV documentary Boys State, which chronicles a group of teenage boys in Texas put through a simulation to design a representative government from scratch (Moss and McBaine, 2020). In the end, only one can be Governor and the competition is stiff. The simulation is by no means a parallel to the historic elections of Texas. Instead, the boys embark on a fresh path to explore their possibilities. If you're curious whether it worked, take a moment to peruse the alumni list of Boys State programs from across the country. Notable high‐school–aged participants who attended in the past included: Neil Armstrong, Jon Bon Jovi, Cory Booker, Michael Jordan, and Bruce Springsteen. If allowing simulations to play out in our classrooms could produce the next MJ or The Boss, what are we waiting for?
Principle During games and simulations, your role is that of coordinator or coach. Students will play their parts and follow the rules you define for them. Provide clear parameters and let the constraints of the game ignite their creativity. With that, be mindful of what you are asking students to embody. I was absolutely horrified during my first year of teaching when a social studies instructor in the next room conducted a slave auction in his class. When I told him as much, he didn't speak to me for months. I still think regularly about the negative repercussions his simulation exercise had on students. Consider the potential for trauma triggers before you request students to play along.
Barnard College's Reacting to the Past Consortium is a highly respected resource for role‐playing games. It may already offer a game in your content area that suits your curriculum, although it tends to be fairly expensive if you are covering the cost yourself. Virtual labs are plentiful online, and many science textbooks include simulations along with their ebooks. The game you are looking for probably already exists, so don't feel compelled to recreate the wheel.
When I make my own virtual games for class, I like to use Gimkit or Kahoot!. Gimkit mimics a variety of popular video games like “Among Us,” but allows questions to be modified and customized to your own content. Kahoot! is more akin to a game show, though it is certainly an improvement on the PowerPoint Jeopardy activities of yesteryear.
Resources
I try to read at least one new book on education every year, but if I'm being honest, a lot of my independent professional development takes place on my phone. Social media allows me to curate my own personal learning network made up of my favorite teaching experts. I also subscribe to email newsletters, which keep my inbox full of the most poignant research and ideas in education.
Books Dozens of great books on education are published every year. You can download many of them straight to your phone with the Kindle app, or listen during your morning commute with Audible.
- Teach Like a Champion 3.0 (Doug Lemov, 2021). Lemov outlines specific techniques employed by high‐performing teachers. In the newest edition, he pays particular attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion in education.
- Notice & Note: Strategies for Close Reading (Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst, 2012). A step‐by‐step guide to cultivating critical reading habits and close reading strategies among reluctant readers.
- Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance (Angela Duckworth, 2016). The secret to achievement surpasses natural talent. Excellent learners, athletes, and educators combine passion and long‐term persistence to reach the highest echelons of success.
- Fair Isn't Always Equal (Rick Wormeli, 2006). An analysis of assessment practices in the differentiated classroom, including redos, scaling, and effort‐based grading.
- The Creativity Code: How AI is learning to write, paint and think (Marcus du Sautoy, 2019). Why should we be emphasizing creativity in classrooms? Du Sautoy explores the implications of artificial intelligence on the future of teaching.
- Uncommon Sense Teaching: Practical Insights to Brain Science to Help Students Learn (Barbara Oakley, Beth Rogowsky, and Terrence Sejnowski, 2021). A scientific deep dive into the brain brimming with easy‐to‐understand metaphors. My biggest take‐away is that the best teachers know how to transfer knowledge from working memory to long‐term memory.
Web Resources Particularly during the school year, I rely on a variety of online resources to help me stay current in my field. I like to spend the first 20 minutes of my morning, before students arrive, checking in with my favorite outlets. I also find myself scrolling through them on my phone while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store.
- ABLConnect: https://ablconnect.harvard.edu/ A Harvard University website, frequently updated to provide concrete strategies for activity‐based learning.
- Learning for Justice: https://www.learningforjustice.org/ Free educator resources to supplement your existing curriculum, designed to advance human rights.
- Facing History and Ourselves: https://www.facinghistory.org/ Resources designed to examine how past decisions and pivotal moments in history will lead to the decisions students will confront in their own lives.
- Google for Education teaching resources: https://edu.google.com/ Lesson plans designed by Google to inspire creativity, encourage hands‐on learning, and equip students with digital skills.
- The Marshall Memo: https://marshallmemo.com/ This newsletter provides a round‐up of important ideas and research in K–12 education, curated by Kim Marshall from the 150 publications he reads every week.
Social Media Social media allows educators to peek inside the classrooms of veteran teachers around the world for inspiration and professional development alike. Begin building your network with a few of my favorite experts:
- Dr. Catlin Tucker on Twitter: @Catlin_Tucker Blended learning coach and best‐selling author Catlin R. Tucker shares practical resources for the contemporary classroom.
- Yesenia Villar on Instagram: @yesenia.villar. An account dedicated to uplifting Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in Library and Information Sciences. Villar is an anti‐racist librarian who builds community and creates space for BIPOC educators to mentor, collaborate, and innovate.
- Heidi on TikTok: @learningwithheidi This Wisconsin‐based first‐grade teacher shares the science of reading in short engaging videos, including quick tips for reading instruction and building phonemic awareness.
- Education Week on Twitter: @educationweek An empowering account that aims to inspire K–12 teachers with news, analysis, and opinion.
- Apple Education: @AppleEDU Apple's education‐focused Twitter feed sparks news ideas and “aha!” moments for innovative teachers.
- Nicholas Ferroni on Twitter and Instagram: @NicholasFerroni Okay, okay—Yes, Ferroni was named “Sexiest Teacher Alive”' by People Magazine, but that's not the only reason I follow him. Ferroni is also an outspoken advocate for LGBTQIA+ youth and founder of “Teach the Truth,” a campaign to incorporate more women and people of color in social studies curriculums.
- Finally, I invite you to join the ongoing discourse about #smallteaching by following me on Instagram (@sarah_connell), Twitter (@sconnell410), and TikTok (@sarahconnellsanders).
SMALL TEACHING QUICK TIPS: EXPANDING
There is too much information out there to consume everything. Hold yourself to a realistic expectation and commit to a manageable professional development goal. If you made it this far, odds are you probably enjoy aspects of teaching and want to continue improving your craft. Don't be a stranger.
- Set a goal of reading at least one new book on education per year.
- Attend a teaching conference. If your district won't pay for it, then offer to present or facilitate a session on something you could do in your sleep. Presenters are typically given free entry to all of the conference offerings.
- Subscribe to a newsletter like the Marshall Memo for a curated selection of relevant articles.
- Create a personal learning network on social media by following specific hashtags such as #smallteaching, #edchat, #teaching, and #learning.
CONCLUSION
A 2021 survey conducted by the RAND research organization found that compared to the one in six teachers likely to leave the profession annually prior to the pandemic, one in four are now likely to walk away from teaching each year (Steiner and Woo, 2021). Another survey of nearly 10,000 teachers conducted by the American Psychological Association between July 2020 and June 2021 found that almost half of all teachers reported they desire or plan to quit or transfer their jobs due to concerns about school climate and school safety.
We are exhausted. Working conditions are more stressful than ever. On top of that, the survey found that a much higher proportion of teachers reported symptoms of depression than the general adult population. Just as my students reminded me at the end of the last school year, “You are not alone.”
If the prospect of overhauling your entire course scares you, know that you're not alone. Start by making small changes. Even big teachers require the building blocks of small teaching to achieve their goals. In fact, big teaching can't exist without the fundamentals. I've always appreciated the sage advice of human rights activist Desmond Tutu, which says, “There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” Think of big teaching as your proverbial elephant. Don't rush the process. Take it bite by bite….
The goal of this book is to persuade you to keep going. You can command incredible learning outcomes through small, everyday decisions you make in your course design, communication style, classroom practices, and the way you approach roadblocks. Small adjustments can make a huge difference. Don't be afraid to abandon any strategies I have presented that don't work for you. Adjust them to your own style and needs.
Sometimes, the best small teaching practices are taking place in the classroom right next door. If you have to attend weekly meetings for a Professional Learning Community or mandated Professional Development, arrive with an open mind. You don't need to make big changes. Listen for the small tips and tricks that are actively making your colleagues' lives easier, and then see if they can work for you.
You probably have a class tomorrow morning. Begin with the first six minutes. Ask students to practice retrieval by recalling information from a previous lesson. Or, have them make a prediction based on their prior knowledge of a new topic. Try to engage with a handful of students individually and get to know what they are passionate about.
Maybe you're not ready to start tomorrow, and that's okay too. Start thinking about your syllabus for next semester or next year. What year‐long theme will tie your course together with purpose? What advice do the most successful students in front of you right now have for the students who will be in your future classes? How can the language on your syllabus better reflect a growth mindset?
Finally, if you decide to continue your teaching career, whether it be for one more year or 30 more years, institute your own growth mindset. Don't downplay your victories, even if you start by making just one small change. Push yourself to continue learning and your job will get easier. You have reached the end, and so, I ask you: Where will you begin?