What Kodi Lee Can Teach Us About Quality of Life

I was at my aunt's house today and we were watching "America's Got Talent." We saw the episode where Kodi Lee got the Golden Buzzer. It was especially interesting to me because Kodi is blind and autistic. He is one of the rare autistic people with a savant skill, which means he is basically a genius in one area... music.  He has perfect pitch, and a photographic audio memory.

On the episode of America's Got Talent, Kodi's mother explained that when he was a toddler, she saw his face light up when he heard music, and she realized that it was going to be his passion.

I realize that most children, with or without autism, are not going to be savants or geniuses even in the topics they are interested in. But I let my mind wander anyways. When Kodi's mother first saw him enjoying music, she probably had no way of knowing how far it would, or could, go. What if Kodi's teachers and therapists had told her that she should restrict his access to music because it was overstimulating to him? Or that, because he loved music so much, it should be used only as a special reward? Or what if Kodi's life had been filled with so many therapy appointments that there was just no time for music?

A fictional, but realistic, example of something else that could have happened in this situation is from the British TV show, "The A Word." The show is centered around 5-year-old Joe, an autistic child whose special passion is music. He is constantly listening to music on his headphones and singing along, and he has an encyclopedic knowledge of it. His parents have recently found out that Joe is autistic. They are especially concerned about making him appear more "normal." They somehow get the idea that constantly listening to music is making Joe more autistic, So they attempt to stop him from listening to it. Luckily Joe is more strong-willed than his parents, and he gets his music back. But what if that same thing had happened to Kodi Lee? What if his parents, teachers and therapists had said, "He needs to be spending his time doing age-appropriate activities and playing in functional ways, not tinkering with a piano."

Long before I became a teacher, back when I worked as a paraprofessional the first time, I went to a training about autism. The speaker told us that quality of life means having the freedom to do the things you enjoy. The more time you get to spend doing what you love, the higher your quality of life is.

I am speaking especially to teachers and therapists here, because we are the ones who will encounter the most children. A parent generally has only their own children to contend with. When they discover that their child has autism or another special need, they usually don't have a whole bunch of background knowledge about it, unless they happen to also be a special ed teacher or a therapist. So they turn to us, because they want to do whatever is best for their child. Many times, parents will hear things like, "He needs to make eye contact," or "He needs to say, 'Hello' to his peers," or "He needs to play with  toys in an age-appropriate way." Parents may get the idea that they should focus on getting their child to appear as "normal" as possible, even (and maybe especially) if it means that he blends into the background instead of standing out as an individual.

My point is this. If you see that something makes a child's face light up...  the way Kodi Lee's face lit up when he heard music as a toddler... then fill his life with it. Don't try to steer him towards more typical interests instead... it is okay to try to broaden someone's horizons, as long as you don't take away the thing that lights up his life. Don't reserve it as a special reward. It can sometimes be used as a reward... for example, if he loves music the way Kodi Lee and the fictional Joe do, maybe he can be taken to see a concert as a reward or a treat, but he can still have access to his headphones and his musical instruments on a daily basis. If you want any child to have a better quality of life,  help them figure out what makes their face light up, and then find ways to help them have that thing as often as possible. They probably won't end up on America's Got Talent like Kodi Lee, but they will have something that makes them truly happy. And I think being happy is a lot better than being "normal."

Technology At Someday School

I saw a Facebook post this morning, which I cannot find anywhere now, but I wanted to mention it here. It was by a mother whose young son switched from a school where every student was required to have a tablet, to a school where every classroom had a few tablets for teachers to use but did not issue them to students.

These days, the popular thought seems to be that every child should have access to tablets and the Internet at all times. The post I read was by a mother who saw things differently. When her elementary school aged child went to a school where he was given an iPad and required to bring it back and forth between home and school, she saw his school performance decline. His attitude about school also changed. Plus, he lost his tablet several times, eventually for good. When he switched to a new school, his grades and attitude went back up.

I personally love technology. While I am definitely not any sort of expert, I am always fascinated by things like cellphones, tablets, apps, social networks, etc. On the other hand, I've seen bad things happen when children are given free access to technology. In the classrooms where I've taught, many of the kids who would have behavioral outbursts for no obvious reason would say they were angry because they wanted to go home and play video games. I heard from parents who were worried that their children were getting addicted to video games. When given the opportunity to earn iPad breaks, children would rush carelessly through their work just to get to the iPads. I also found that, with many children, if an adult wasn't watching over their shoulder at all times, they would find their way off of approved apps and sites and get into questionable content.

While it used to be assumed that children from wealthy families, who would have access to more technology, would be at an advantage over those from low-income families, it is turning out to be the opposite... well, as far as technology is concerned. Silicon Valley parents, many of whom have formed their careers around technology, are opting to restrict their children from technology and send them to schools where technology is limited. Why? Because staring at a screen all day trains your brain to just... stare at a screen all day.
Technology can be awesome. For me, as a person with autism, it opened new worlds. When I was just learning about my diagnosis, I was able to reach out to others who had it. I was able to find Meetup groups, and forums, and blogs. I was able to start my own blog. Being able to research experiences ahead of time also helped me to decrease my anxiety about them, which allowed me to experience the real world more fully. But, I was born in a weird era that floated between technology and no technology. My parents swear that I learned to read when I was one year old, and I was "addicted" to books earlier than I can remember. I was around 4 when I first played a video game, on my uncle's Atari. It was some sort of Pacman like game. Around the same time, my parents got us a Coleco Vision, and my 3-year-old brother and I would play those simple games for hours. But games were different then. Even when we graduated to a Super Nintendo, the games were innocent, with Mario and Luigi stomping on Goombas and fighting dragons. And we still played outside, and played with our toys, and read books, and had friends, and went places. Each summer we spent a week in a cabin in the north woods of Wisconsin, with no access to TV or even televisions... and we never missed it. We didn't whine or beg for our technology. It was a small part of our lives.

There is so much more in the world for children to experience, outside of technology. As a teacher, I want to use technology to open up more of the world for children, but not allow it to be the world for children. Did you ever see that commercial for a computer, where a little girl is sitting in a field beside a baby elephant, but instead of interacting with the baby elephant, the child is looking at a video of a baby elephant? The message was supposed to be that technology is even better than the real world. But if any of my children get the chance to be inches away from a baby elephant, I want them to be in awe of it. I want them to be seeing it, touching it, smelling it, talking to it, talking about it, and remembering the experience forever.

I've come up with what I think will be a good compromise for technology at Someday School. We will have a few Kindles, and each child will have a KIndle Freetime profile on one of the Kindles. This will enable them to use their Kindle for a predetermined amount of time each day, and then they'll be cut off. It will also help to keep them from accessing content that isn't kid-friendly. The Freetime program does allow children to use their Kindles for reading books even after they've used up their screen time, but that is probably okay. We all love books. If children need to use a computer to look up something they want to learn about, they can use a teacher's tablet under supervision.

This way, technology will be just one of the choices children will have during their day. They can choose when to have their screen time, and what to do with it, but when it is finished, it will be time to move on to other "real life" activities.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on tablets. Invaluable to the educational experience, something to avoid altogether, or would you just as soon take them as leave them?

Alternatives to Punishments and Rewards

I wanted to share some info from the Agile Learning Center training framework. I don't want to plagiarize, but I'm going to at least try to summarize some of the things I've been reading. I'd love to know what you think!

One section talks about gaining children's cooperation. They recommend avoiding blaming, calling names, threats, or giving orders. Hopefully we wouldn't usually blame kids (the examples were "Look what you did!" or "How dare you!") or call names... but I know that I've used threats ("Do this now or INSERT TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCE HERE!")and given orders. These ways don't really teach students anything... rather, they are attempts to control kids' behavior.

Here are some of the tactics they do recommend.

1. Describe what you see. "I see mud all over the floor in here!"

2. Say it with just one word. "Shoes!" (This would work best if students already knew the expectation, such as "Wipe your shoes" or "Take off your shoes at the door.")

3. Give information. "If we leave mud all over the floor, the custodian will have to clean up after us."

4. Describe how you feel. "When I see mud all over the floor, I feel worried that we're not taking good care of our space."

5. Offer a choice. "You can either take your shoes off at the door, or wipe them really well on the mat."

6. Write a note or make a sign. "Please wipe your feet! Please clean up any muddy footprints!"

7. Preteach, and get kids to verbally confirm by saying "okay." "It is muddy out today, so please wipe your feet when you come in, and wipe up any muddy footprints. Okay?" "Okay!"


They also have a section on problem solving that lists the steps for involving a child in working through his own behavior.

1. Listen to and acknowledge the child's feelings and needs. "You were frustrated that you couldn't get the supply box to close all the way."

2. Avoid criticism such as "You still shouldn't have broken it."

3. Sum up the child's perspective. "So, the problem was that the box wouldn't close all the way."

4. Briefly state your feelings or needs. "It upset me that you broke the supply box. It belongs to all of us. I need everyone to help take care of our things."

5. Invite the child to work on a solution with you. "Can we try to solve this problem together?"

6. Brainstorm and write down all ideas, without commenting. Let the child go first at coming up with ideas, if possible.

7. Decide together which ideas would work best, and which ideas wouldn't work so well.

8. Choose a plan that you both agree on. "You will bring a new supply box tomorrow, and next time you can ask someone for help if you are frustrated!"

9. Make it official by shaking hands or signing an agreement.

10. Revisit if necessary.

Any thoughts?

The Behavior Checklist

Hi everyone! I belong to a Facebook group for people with ADHD. Someone recently posted that her child brought this note home from school.

I got permission from her to include it here because I thought it exemplified how Someday School will be different from traditional schools, and how children with ADHD and similar needs may be more successful at our school.

Let's take a look at the checklist and how, ideally, each of these behaviors would be seen or dealt with at Someday School.

Talking instead of completing work or activities. At Someday School, this, by itself, would not necessarily be a misbehavior. Students have the ability to choose what they will work on, how, and when. The problem would really be if the student's talking was disrupting what other students were working on. In the Agile Learning Center materials I've been reading, they talk about having "Quiet Rooms" and "Noisy Rooms." Students can go to the rooms that match their current energy levels and activities. The students would be taught consistently about respecting each other's space. So if the student was continuing to talk in a "quiet room" where others were trying to take a class or concentrate on projects, he would be steered towards one of the "noisy rooms instead.

Interrupting. This is something a lot of people with ADHD struggle with, myself included... I get so excited about what someone is telling me that I just start chiming in without thinking. I would consider this more of a habit to work on, rather than a misbehavior. In Agile Learning Centers they often teach the students various hand signals to use when others are talking, so that they can show their feelings about what is being said without disrupting the speaker. "Sparkle fingers" is one of them, where they waggle their fingers.

Out of seat without permission. This would be a non issue, because in Agile Learning Centers and Sudbury Schools, students are allowed to move around as needed. If students' movement was disrupting others (for example, if the child was doing cartwheels in the library while others are trying to read) he would be given the choice of either controlling his movements to match the room, or moving to another area where he could do cartwheels to his heart's content without disrupting others. We would also work on teaching kids ways to move their bodies when needed, in areas that they can't necessarily get up and do cartwheels. For instance if you're in church, you can't get up and cartwheel down the aisle, but you may be able to do some discrete fidgeting to help get through it.

Not sitting properly. This has always irritated me, because in many classrooms and schools there is a very specific way that students are expected to sit... usually criss-cross-applesauce if the activity is on the floor. Even as an adult I have a horrible time sitting like this for extended periods of time... my legs get cramped! Students should have choices for how to sit... perhaps they could choose to sit in a chair, sit criss-cross-applesauce, kneel, stand, or sit with their legs outstretched. I think a better rule would be about sitting safely. Also, respecting others' space... for example, if you choose to sit in a chair, you should not put your chair right in front of someone who is sitting criss-cross-applesauce, because that would block their view.

Inattention or lack of participation during lessons. This would usually be a nonissue, since students choose their own project based on their interests. It should also be noted that a lot of people with ADHD or autism appear to be spaced out or not paying attention, but are actually soaking in everything that is happening. In a traditional classroom, students are expected to look as if they are paying attention, according to what someone has decided paying attention looks like. In our school, since nobody is forced to join any particular classes or activities, if a student does appear to not be paying attention, it may be assumed that he really is paying attention in his mind... since he is choosing to be there!

Incomplete work. This would be a nonissue since every student is allowed to work at his or her own pace. Using Kanban boards, students will be encouraged to continue working on their projects over time, until they are finished... but they wouldn't have to be finished within a certain time period.

Tattling on others. In Agile Learning Centers and Sudbury Schools, students are encouraged to work out their problems with each other. They're encouraged to make every attempt to work something out, before getting help from an adult. They would be consistently taught ways to do this. Agile Learning Centers often have a "Stop" rule, where if someone says "Stop," you must stop the behavior, if only long enough to talk it out. They often also use the word "request." For instance, if a student is throwing blocks, someone might say, "Stop! I request that you play with the blocks without throwing them, because I'm afraid someone will get hit with one." The other person might accept the request and stop throwing blocks. refuse the request to stop, or they could give a counteroffer: "What if we just throw the blocks over on this side of the room where they won't hit someone?" If the first person isn't satisfied, they might say their request again, and they might eventually go get help from an adult. The adult might remind the block throwers of the school's agreement about using things safely and point out that throwing blocks is not safe. This may all sound really corny and stupid... which is what I sort of thought at first... but then I realized that the students are learning to use their words and solve their own problems, instead of constantly running to a teacher yelling, "TIMMY IS THROWING BLOCKS!" (Of course if someone is putting themselves or others in danger... like playing with matches... then getting help from an adult right away would be encouraged!)

Talking back or being disrespectful to staff. This would be an issue, because students are expected to be respectful to everyone. This could count as a habit to change, and would probably involve a lot of modeling and natural consequences. For example, if a staff member is working with a student on some math, and the student is being disrespectful even after being asked to stop and being given requests to speak more respectfully, the staff member may just stop helping the student and walk away for a while. The student would have to find someone else to help him, or adjust his attitude and respectfully go back to ask the first staff member to continue helping him.

Not following the teacher's directions the first time. This might or might not be an issue, depending on the circumstances. Because the nature of the school is different, it won't always be teachers giving constant directions to students, but rather adults and students working together. However, there are always situations in which an adult would have to give directions to students, for safety or logistical reasons. For instance, a staff member may tell students that it is time to clean up at the end of the day, or may tell students who are outside to play further away from the street. If students don't follow these directions, there may be natural consequences. The student may have to start cleaning up 10 minutes earlier for the rest of the week to make sure that he is ready by dismissal time, or he may have to play in the backyard instead of the front yard since he was not able to follow safety directions in the front yard.

Misuse of supplies or shared classroom materials. This would be an issue, since students are expected to be respectful of our shared supplies and use them safely. I think the first step would be having the student make amends. For instance, if this student broke a supply box by pounding on it, he'd either have to fix it, replace it (maybe by having to be the one to ask his parents to buy a new one and explain why) or do something else around the school to earn what would be the cost of replacing the box. If it happened again, a natural consequence might involve having to be supervised when using the item until he can prove that he's responsible for it. It would also involve a lot of leading by example. If the student was consistently breaking things, that would be something that would need to be addressed with his parents and as a school team.

Being disruptive while lining up or waiting in line. This might be a nonissue... being a small school, there wouldn't be as many lines and it wouldn't be as necessary to be quiet all the time. Being disruptive at a time or place where everyone else needs quietness would result in the student being given the choice to go to another area where he can be noisy... and the eventual natural consequence of having to go to another area.

Running in the classroom/halls. This would only be a minor issue, because of safety, and would most likely just result in a reminder to walk indoors and run outside.

Inappropriate behavior in the restroom. This would be an issue, if our location had a restroom large enough where multiple students would be in it at once. If it was just a one-time thing it would probably just involve being reminded of how to be respectful of others in the restroom. If it was continuous, and depending on the seriousness, it might involve talking with the parents, and possibly the natural consequence of having to wait until the restroom is empty before using it or having to have an adult monitor the restroom.

Not keeping hands to self. This is something that students would have to at least attempt to work out on their own on a case-by-case basis. If the situation was serious and the student was putting others in real danger, that would have to involve talking to the parents and coming up with a plan to make sure everyone stays safe.

Arguing with peers. This is something that students would have to at least attempt to work out on their own. Since arguing is not actually dangerous, this would be a good opportunity for students to practice using their words to work things out.

Lack of manners and poor sportsmanship. This would probably be more of a habit to change and would involve a lot of leading by example, and natural consequences. For example, if a student shows poor sportsmanship by getting upset and storming away whenever he doesn't win a game, others might not want to play games with him. If the student enjoyed playing games with others, he would have to learn better sportsmanship. Teachers could help him process that and figure out a plan for changing.

Not following recess rules/rough play. Some rough play would probably be allowable at Someday School, within reason. However, if people were getting hurt, the students would be involved in coming up with new agreements for how to keep everyone safe. If a student does not want to follow the rules that have been agreed upon, he may have to do other activities instead.

I think the bottom line is that Someday School will put most of the responsibility for learning and behavior on the students themselves. The focus would be on respecting oneself and others, and on natural consequences for actions. We would surely communicate with families about what a student is working on... but I can't imagine just sending home a laundry list of all of a student's wrongdoings on a daily basis.

What are your thoughts on this?

In the next post, I'd like to share some information from the Agile Learning Centers training framework on ways of getting children to cooperate and on alternatives to reward and punishment systems.

Example Kanban Board

In my last post, I mentioned how students can use Kanban boards to organize their plans for learning and exploring. A general Kanban board could organize all of someone's ideas of things they want to do. For instance, in the "To Do" section, someone might have, "Read Superfudge," "Paint a portrait of my mother," "Memorize the 12's multiplication tables," "Learn to play a song on the ukulele," and "Start a food drive." Whenever they begin working on one of these goals, they would move that over to the "In Process" section. And once they've finished, they can move it to the "Done" section. They'd be able to see all of their accomplishments build up.

A Kanban board can also help you organize the steps to a specific goal. For instance, if someone wanted to learn to play a song on the ukulele, they might put in the "To Do" section, "Buy a ukulele," "Check out a book about playing the ukulele," "Ask for recommendations about an easy beginner song for the ukulele," "Find a Youtube video tutorial," "Watch video tutorial," and "Watch tutorial again while following along with my ukulele." As they worked on each step, they'd move it to "In process," and finally "Done."

Think of how a team might use a Kanban board to organize a group project. They could decide together what steps need to be done, and write those down. They could divide the steps up among team members, and write the initials of the correct team members on each task. As team members work on the tasks, they can also see where everyone else is on their assigned tasks. This would make them accountable to each other, and also give them the chance to help each other out... for example if Team Member A has already finished his 2 tasks, and Team Member B still has his tasks in "To Do," Team Member A might offer him a hand.

My aunt and I are planning to have a garage sale this weekend. This project, which seems a little daunting because it involves selling a whole garage full of furniture and assorted randomness, has seemed a little daunting. I decided this might be a good chance to put a Kanban board into action! I told my aunt I would make one.

This is the Kanban board I made for the garage sale. Ideally you would use a magnetic white board. I didn't have one handy, so, being resourceful, I decided to use the lid of a plastic bin. How do you like it?

Example Daily Schedule and Curriculum

I can't stop thinking about Someday School!

Today I worked on a sample schedule/curriculum. While the point is that students will get to choose what they work on, in order to be an approved school in Washington we still have to offer 6 hours of instruction per day. So this schedule includes lots of choices of organized classes, as well as semi-organized exploration times... but keep in mind that students will still be free to come up with their own ideas and work on their own things. They will not have to participate in every organized thing on the schedule... instead they will choose how they will use their learning time.

It is important to realize that, while Someday School gives students freedom to decide how they spend their time, it also gives them responsibility and holds them accountable. Each morning they will have to set a goal for themselves on a Kanban board. A Kanban board is a type of visual organizer that lets you see where you are and what you are moving towards. They are divided into categories. A simple one may just have the categories "Ideas," "To Do," "In Progress," and "Finished." So on a student's personal Kanban board, he may have post-it notes, each with a word or drawing about something he wants to do. These would always be added to the "Ideas" category. On Monday he might pick two or three he wants to work on that week, and move those to "To Do." Then, as he starts to work on these, he moves them to "In progress." Whenever he finishes something, he can move it to "Done." There, he can see all of the things that he has learned and accomplished over time. These might be things he is working on in the organized classes, things he is working on with a volunteer, or things he is pursuing on his own or with friends.

At the end of the week, students have Sharing/Reflection time, in which they share what they have learned and worked on by writing in a blog or journal, organizing photos, etc.
This shows that students are expected to do constructive things with their time. They may use some of their time to just relax and have fun, but they are also expected to use their brains and be a part of the school.

Here is the example schedule, if you would like to see it.It is, of course, subject to change. I'd love to hear what you think of it!

Another Rant About How Forcing Kids to Do Work is a Waste of Time

When I try to explain the concept of Someday School, and schools like it (such as Agile Learning Centers, Sudsbury Schools, Northstar, etc) many people give me the look. You may be able to imagine it... their eyes shift to the side, their eyebrows raise, their lips tighten. It is the "Hmmm, I don't know about this" look.

They sometimes ask a question such as, "But what if they don't want to do anything except play with their iPads?"

There will probably always be kids who don't want to do anything except play with their iPads. My first answer would be, we don't necessarily have to have iPads available at all times. At the Village Free School in Portland, Oregon, the staff members talk a lot with the students about the difference between tools and toys. The students are allowed to use their iPads as tools at any time they want. They have an hour of the day, in a specific room, that they are allowed to use their iPads as toys if they want to. The students helped to vote on the rules around iPad use. If you simply don't make iPads and other technology available, they'll have to make other choices.

There still might be kids who don't want to do anything. I've seen them in every public school classroom I've ever worked in. I can tell you how it might play out in a public school, with a hypothetical student we'll call Jason.

Jason is a 9-year-old fourth grader in a public school classroom. Jason hates school. When it is time for math, Jason refuses to do his worksheet. He sits at his desk and puts his head down on his arms. The teacher tells Jason that he "needs" to do his worksheet. Jason still does not do his worksheet.

The teacher finds herself with only a few options here. If she were an ABA therapist and Jason were her only student, she might be able to make him do his work. She could move his desk to a corner, block him in with her body, take his hands and physically force him to do the work. She could do this over and over, until eventually he might begin to do it on his own because it is easier than being forced. But that seems pretty harsh, and would probably be frowned upon in a general education classroom,

She could tell Jason that if he doesn't do his worksheet, he will miss recess. But the class's recess time is also the teacher's break, and she needs some time to eat lunch and get her planning done. She can't stay in and supervise a stubborn student.

She could just ignore Jason. But then, she fears that all of the other students (who are carefully watching this interaction because they are bored and this is way more interesting than a math worksheet) may start refusing to do their worksheets as well.

What often does.happen, is that the teacher gets angry and frustrated with Jason. She tries to order him to do his work. She may threaten to call his parents. Often in this scenario, Jason becomes frustrated and upset also. He may yell back at the teacher. He may stand up and overturn his desk. He may stomp out of the classroom. The principal or school security guard may be called in to "deal" with Jason. He may get suspended for the behavior that stemmed from his refusal to do a worksheet.

If this "work refusal" behavior continues, the school psychologist and special education team may get involved. They'll do a Functional Behavior Analysis on Jason to try to find out why Jason is refusing to do his worksheet. After hours of observing him and keeping data, they'll decide that Jason is refusing to do his worksheet because he wants to avoid doing his work. (Hmmm...) They'll propose giving Jason an acceptable way of avoiding doing his work temporarily. They'll give him 3 cards that say "BREAK" on them, and allow him to use these cards whenever he wants to take a 5 minute break from whatever work he's doing... with the goal being that he will, after 5 minutes, complete his work. The teacher will balk, saying that if Jason gets 5 minute breaks from his work, all of the students will want 5 minute breaks. The school psychologist will convince her to try it. However, there will be one problem. Since Jason was already not doing any work, he does not feel the need to use the break cards. Or, Jason will start to do some work, then use a break card, but refuse to return to work after 5 minutes. Another control battle will ensue. Desks may be overturned. Books may be thrown. Jason may end up in the principal's office. The school psychologist will urge the teacher to continue trying this break card strategy for 30 days and keep data on whether or not it is working. The teacher will argue that she does not have time to keep data on whether one student is working, when she has 28 other students to teach.

After 30 days, they will find that Jason is still not doing his work. The next strategy will involve a complicated system with which Jason can earn rewards such as iPad time for doing work. The teacher will be reluctant, because if Jason gets to earn iPad time, all of the students will want to earn iPad time, and we just can't have that. Still, she will feel pressured into giving it a try. It may look hopeful at first. Jason will be excited about earning iPad time. He will complete some work. He will earn his iPad time. After 5 minutes, when it is time for him to return to work, Jason will refuse to give up the iPad. It will need to be pried from his hands as he screams and fights.

An outsider may look at the situation and notice that the teacher and other staff members are spending hours upon hours of time trying to get Jason to complete worksheets. Meanwhile, the other students spend a lot of time having to do "free reading" or busy work because the teacher is occupied with Jason.

He may eventually be evaluated and found to have a behavioral disorder. A special education case manager will write a goal for him: Jason will complete his worksheets 80% of the time. The case manager will dedicate hours to finding ways to get Jason to complete his worksheets.

Have you noticed that, throughout this whole ordeal, the focus has not really been on "Is Jason learning?" but rather on, "Is Jason doing his worksheets?" or "Is Jason doing what he is told to do?"

Have you noticed that an unproportional amount of time and energy is spent on trying to get Jason to do work, rather than on trying to teach the other students anything?

What if Jason went to a school where things were looked at entirely differently?

What if the students who wanted to do a math activity (which probably wouldn't be a worksheet anyways) were in one area of the school, and Jason simply didn't have to join in if he didn't want to?

What if there was a staff member who could take a walk with Jason, spend time with him, and find out what he wants to learn about? What if Jason would rather eat turnips than do subtraction with regrouping, but he's really interested in learning multiplication?

But...

WHAT? STUDENTS GET TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY LEARN ABOUT??? THIS DEFIES THE VERY PURPOSE OF SCHOOL!

Or does it?

Classes

This morning, unable to use my computer because a cat was lounging on the keyboard, I decided to start trying to come up with a schedule of classes for Someday School. I read that in order to be an approved school in Washington, at least 5 hours of scheduled classes per day has to be offered to students of each age group or ability level. (They are not required to actually show up for it!) So I started trying to figure out how I would offer five hours of math and reading instruction to each age group, squashed into one day. I realized I also had to be prepared for being the only teacher, if I can't afford to hire other full time teachers right away. Making this schedule seemed logistically impossible!

Then I remembered... this isn't a regular school. This is Someday School! I don't have to offer five hours of traditional math and reading instruction to each age group each day! I can teach what I want, when I want. And even if I can't afford to hire teachers, I can find volunteers to come teach classes on various subjects once a week, multiple times per week, daily, etc. The beauty of it is that anyone can teach what they want, and students can request classes in what they'd like to learn, and students can also just freely learn and play with no organized instruction at all.

Here are some classes that I have thought of already.

Jolly Phonics... This would be an organized group for beginning readers that actually uses a curriculum I've used before. It is a music and movement reading curriculum that involves songs, stories, and motions for each phonetic sound. I would like to offer this each day for 20 minutes. I've found that even students who don't "need" phonics instruction really get into Jolly Phonics!

Smart Board/Technology... In this group we would use a Smart Board (if we owned one) and other technology to practice reading and math skills.

Sensory... This is more of a fun group. We would find and create sensory recipes. It would require reading and following directions in order to find  and follow the recipes, and then we would have cool sensory activities to do!

Science ... We could do science experiments and projects.

Thematic Unit... Fun activities focused on the thematic unit of the week.

World Travelers... We would "explore" a new country every few weeks by reading about it, watching videos, doing crafts, trying recipes, playing games, etc. We might choose a new country to learn about just by spinning the globe randomly! If we had a Smart Board, we could even use Google Earth to "fly" to that country.

Arts and Crafts... This one is pretty self explanatory, but would include a combination of open and closed ended projects. (A closed ended art project is a project with a specific ending in mind. For instance, follow the instructions to make a dog out of clay, or follow instructions to reproduce a famous painting. An open ended art project might be showing students how to use a technique, such as layering tissue paper, and then setting them free to do whatever they want. Of course, the art supplies would be available at all times for kids to just experiment and do their own things!)

Animal Club... This would involve learning about animals and also service projects to help animals. It could also involve having live animal visitors!

Mail Monday... I have done this in the schools I've taught, and also when I "home preschooled" my little nieces. Each week we would choose someone to write to. It might be the police or fire department, a favorite store, the company that makes a favorite food or toy, the producers of a favorite show or movie, etc. We've written to Motorcross drivers, horse racers, farmers, doctors, authors, wrestlers, the President of the USA (when it was Obama!) and more. We've often gotten letters back, and many times they also include surprises such as stickers or pictures for the kids. This is a great way to practice using writing to express yourself, and a great way to bring back the art of actual letter writing, NOT emailing or texting!

Magazine... I have wanted to do this for years but, as public schooling would have it, I never managed to have enough time to organize it. The idea was to collect writing and artwork of all kinds from the students, and put it into a monthly publication to give out to our parents and supporters.  Another fun and authentic way for students to practice their writing! I imagined them writing stories, book reviews, jokes, or whatever else they wanted to write.

These classes would not meet every single day, and would be spread throughout the week. Other teachers and volunteers could teach other classes. Some classes might meet every week for the entire school year, while others might only meet once, or over the course of a few weeks. Like everything else involving Someday School, the sky is the limit!

What ideas do you have for classes or groups for kids?

Me And My Ideas

I have been trying to get some extra money by walking dogs lately... and that suddenly gave me a great idea that pertains to Someday School! Actually my first great idea branched into several great ideas. At least, right now they seem great. I'd love to hear what you think!

1. Imagining that we have a facility with a fenced in yard, we could provide doggy day care for a few dogs. We could charge a small daily fee. The dogs would have the opportunity to romp with each other and with children all day. And any children interested could help take care of the dogs. The money we earn for caring for the dogs would belong to the school, so the students and staff would vote on how to spend it. I was thinking of using the 3-jar system that some families use when they give their kids allowance. We would have three jars labeled "Save," "Spend," and "Donate," and any money we earned caring for dogs (or doing whatever else anyone schemes up) would be divided into the jars. We'd have to brainstorm and vote on where we want to donate the contents of the "Donate" jar, and they'd also vote on how they want to use the "Spend" jar. A field trip? A party? It would have to be something that could benefit everyone.

2. And/or, we could sign up to foster a dog or two. This wouldn't be bringing any money in, but the kids could learn about taking care of a dog and helping the dog get ready to go to a new home.

3. We could see if a dog groomer and/or trainer would be willing to teach any interested students about dog grooming and dog training.

4. At some schools and libraries, kids have the chance to read to dogs. We would have that opportunity every day!

But first, of course, we would need a fenced in yard. And the dogs would have to be very kid-friendly. And the kids would have to learn about respecting animals and being safe around them.

What do you think of that?

Traditional Schools vs Someday School

A Retirement Community For Children

My uncle has Parkinson's, and he has recently moved from Chicago to here to live in an assisted living facility near where his sister (my aunt) and her husband live. (And near where I live!) I've been spending a lot of time over there helping with his transition. Last night I went to a musical performance with him at the facility, then to dinner, and then to an activity where people were making s'mores. My uncle is used to spending most of his time alone in his house, and he isn't always enthusiastic about going to activities, but he can usually be convinced to try things out. There are lots of different things offered, so the chances of at least one activity a day that he might like are pretty high.

Someone asked me if hanging out with my uncle is harder or easier than working with kids. Although my real calling is working with kids, I realized that hanging out with my uncles was probably less stressful. The main reason, I explained to the person who was asking, was that I didn't have to deal with behavioral issues or try to force anyone to do anything they didn't want to do. In a school setting, I spend about 50% of my time trying to force reluctant kids to do mundane lessons. (Even though I try to plan engaging learning activities, the required curriculum is usually pretty dry and uninspiring... but in a public school setting, the expectation is that I will make each student do what they are told to do.)

Imagine if this was happening to my uncle. Hopefully most people who work with senior citizens feel that, even though some of the people may have diminished cognitive abilities due to things like Parkinson's or just regular aging, they are still adults and should be treated with as much dignity as possible. So imagine if this scenario had gone on between my uncle and I.

Me: "Uncle Don, please line up at the door. We are going to go make S'mores."

Uncle: "I don't really want to make S'mores."

Me: "I hear you talking. We are not leaving until you are quietly standing by the door."

Uncle: "But I don't want leave."

Me: "This is a warning. Remember, you're trying to earn a beer at the end of the day. Are you earning your beer?"

Uncle: (quietly goes to door.)

A few moments later...

Me: "Okay, Uncle Don, what you need to do is stick your marshmallow at the end of this stick."

Uncle: "I don't like S'mores."

Me: "You don't have to eat it but you do need to follow directions. Not like that. Like this. Pay attention. Okay, now put your marshmallow over the fire. Keep it in the fire. Oh, it's on fire! That's another warning! Fire is dangerous!"

Uncle: "It was an accident."

Me: "That's why you have to pay attention and follow directions. Alright, here is your chocolate and graham cracker. Please make your S'more look just like mine." 

Uncle: "Why do I have to do this?"

Me: "That's it! You are not getting your beer today!" 


Of course, that scenario is ridiculous. Here is what really happened.

Me: "They're making S'mores on the second floor patio. Do you want to make S'mores?"

Uncle: "Not really."

Me: "I think I want to try one. Is it okay if we go over there for a while so I can make one?"

Uncle: "Sure"

Moments later...

Me: "Do you want to make one?"

Uncle: "No, thank you."

Me: "I'm making one. Oops, my marshmallow is on fire! It's charbroiled! Now I'll add the graham cracker and chocolate. Look at this! Do you want to try one?"

Uncle: "Sure!" (Eats my S'mores while I make a new one.) 

In this scenario, my uncle, who is reluctant to try new activities, went with me to a new activity, interacted with some random people, enjoyed watching me ignite a marshmallow on a stick, and tried a  S'mores. He made some progress at his "goal" of  socializing at the assisted living facility and trying activities, and he did it with his dignity and sense of control in one piece. I was relaxed and happy because I got to do something I wanted to do (Make a S'mores and take my uncle to do an activity) and I didn't have to force anyone else to do anything they didn't want to do.

Then I thought to myself, "This is what my school will be like." There can be activities and learning experiences going on all over the place, some structured and some spontaneous. The students are free to choose what they participate in, and how. Instead of looking around and seeing teachers, at their wit's ends, who are under pressure to get them to make progress in very specific curriculum goals, they look around and see calm, happy adults participating in their own learning activities and supporting students in their goals.

So why can't school be like a retirement community for children?

Finding a Location

Probably the biggest challenge I am coming across while working to start a school is figuring out where the school will be. I live in a small apartment, and even if the management company would allow a school to take place in here, there wouldn’t be any room! At first I was imagining renting an office or storefront, but I can see how these places would have their own problems. Then I got the idea that I could rent a 2 story house. I could have a bedroom and living room on the second floor, and the school could take place in the rest of the house. This way, I would be able to pay half of the rent for the house out of my own salary, and use the school’s money to pay for the other half. We’d be able to pay a lot more rent if I was able to contribute my personal rent budget!

As I daydream about the house, I’m trying to think of things that I would love it to have. Here are what I’ve thought of so far…

A library (I already have tons of children’s books from my former classrooms, and books are pretty easy to get more of) where kids could sit and read and also have the opportunity to check out books to take home.

A sensory room/chill room. (This could even be a sectioned off area of another room.)

At least one classroom where organized classes could take place.

A play room where we could set up areas for reading, math, and science exploration. (Similar to how “centers” are set up in a preschool classroom.)

A larger gathering room or hang out room with couches and stuff, like a living room, but where group meetings could also be held.

An office for administrational boring stuff.

A fenced in backyard where we could put a play structure and where the children could have a garden.

It would also have to be in an area that was zoned for a business such as a school or day care.

What else do you think an awesome school should have?

A Few Facts About the History of Public Education

Hi everyone! On my timeline of things I need to do in order to make my little school a reality, I am dedicating the summer to researching and reading. I am currently reading School’s Over, by Jerry Mitz. The author is the founder of the Alternative Education Resource Organization. It is a very interesting book. I was reading it last night before bed. When I woke up this morning, I was thinking about two interesting facts I learned about the origins of public education as we know it.

When I was a kid I learned that Horace Mann was the main guy who created the public education system in America. As a kid who hated school, I was always annoyed by the fact that he and I shared the same last name and that he could possibly be related to me!

Did you know that the real reasons that Horace Mann created the public education system was to create obedient, compliant, Republican citizens?

Did you know why we have bells in schools? It is because during the industrial revolution, most children were expected to grow up and work in factories. Factories used whistles to tell workers what to do and when. Therefore, having bells in schools would train children to get up and move when they heard a sound. Now, even though there are many other job opportunities besides factories, school children are still trained to get up and move when they hear a bell.

What do you think of that?