Operating on Data Mathela: Who Says Kids Get to Have All the Fun?

I have been a P.I.R.A.T.E most of my teaching career and just didn't know it until reading Teach Like a PIRATE many years ago. Over the years I have had many ups and downs with how much of my "PIRATE" approach shows up.  I have allowed others to silence me, I have not done the out of the box things I have wanted at times, and there are times I have stepped really far outside of the box. 

The past 2 years have been a great adventure and struggle at the same time. I've been blessed to go to Ron Clark Academy and see so many engaging ways to work with students in a way that they reach high levels of learning. The problem....I don't have my own classroom to go back and implement these great strategies in. I am an instructional facilitator so much of my time is spent working with adults. I knew that in order for me to be fulfilled in this profession and not be burned out, I had to find my PIRATE self again. I had to figure out how to try out some fun, engaging ideas with the adults I work with. 


 Now that all that boring background stuff is out of the way, let's talk about Operating on Data Mathela. The idea was inspired by Kim Bearden at RCA who has sometimes set up an operating room in her class for students to work on words, grammar, and more. After a meeting last week to discuss district benchmark data and an upcoming meeting centered on that data, I knew that I could not avoid discussing our local level data with our teachers. I won't lie. I did NOT....let me say that again...I did NOT want to have this data discussion with my teachers. Aaaannnnndddd based on comments from them, I was doubting they wanted to really have the discussion either. Hey, I'm just trying to be honest and real here. 

Then around 3 or 4 in the morning on a FRIDAY, the idea sprang to life. I knew what had to be done. We were going to operate.

You see I knew that I needed a way to engage myself in the process and therefore engage the teachers in it as well. Every had those moments in the classroom? In a staff room?What better way than to have them scrub in for surgery! Friday morning I scoured our science kits and pulled together most of the materials I needed to create our operating room. Then I set to work printing the needed data for the teachers. Between classroom visits and teacher meetings, I worked on turning the data room into an operating room. I didn't quite have everything I needed so I did pull a few medical supplies from home and made a quick $10 trip to the local dollar store.

An operating room was now ready for patients and surgical teams:

On operation day teacher teams had to scrub in before entering the operating room:

They listened to a quick briefing on our patient, Data Mathela, then proceeded into the OR.

Once in the operating room, teachers had to extract all the foreign objects that seemed out of place (the wadded up pieces of paper with grade level item analysis data on them); everything else could stay. Afterall, everything else was the learning that "stuck" with Data Mathela.

Once all the foreign objects/specimens were collected we made our way to the analysis room to determine a treatment plan for Data Mathela moving forward. 












We removed items from the collection trays, unwrinkled them, and studied the data. Teachers shared what they noticed overall and we referred to the benchmark assessment questions for further discussion. After discussing overall grade level results, teachers received their individual lab reports (their class data). Teachers then used this data to determine a "treatment plan" for their patient (class). 

My biggest goal for the day was for teachers to spend time actually analyzing the data and not focus on comments about the benchmark assessment. Based on discussion, I feel this goal was met. 

My other goal was for teachers to have discussion on ways to incorporate days like today's operating room for their students. Most teachers had numerous ideas on what they could do and the pleasant surprise for me were the confessions from teachers who said things like, "I have really been wanting to try _____" and "I've seen ideas where teachers turn their classrooms into _____". I am encouraged and excited to see what our teachers actual try out in their classes to increase engagement and get our students wanting to come back for more.

As with many things I am a little hard on myself so I did not walk away feeling as energized and excited as I expected. I saw so many ways I could have done things better. Next time I know I will stand  and stay in "character" as the clinical professor. I know that when I sit among the group, my interaction level and energy levels drops off in a drastic way. Next time, I would definitely try to transform the room vs. limiting myself to a tiny space within the so that the atmosphere is throughout the workspace.



In the end, I must say that I would do this again in a heartbeat. I've learned a few things from this first attempt and I look forward to the next one. 


What have you done to transform your classroom? Your meeting space with teachers? Your PLC? What have you turned these spaces into? How did it work out? 

Footprints and Relationships

 Many of us are familiar with the poem, "Footprints in the Sand." Within the poem a man is walking along and starts to question God about the time when suddenly there were only one set of footprints. Thinking that God had left him all alone. But God replies, "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

This is one of my favorite poems and reminders that even in our deepest, darkest times; God is right there. If you have read any of my early blogs you know that I often refer to the song, "By Your Side" by Tenth Avenue North. Very similar concept throughout the song and especially the chorus:

'Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall

In the dead of night whenever you call

And please don't fight these hands that are holding you

My hands are holding you

I continue to cling to these words, these reminders. 

But today I have a new story for you. A new reminder....okay, maybe the reminder itself isn't so new. 

As I was walking/running the beach Monday morning, listening to Casting Crowns and a few other Christian artists, I kept up a constant conversation with God. Sometimes with me talking, others times in silence as I listened patiently or listened to God speaking. After reaching my half way point, I began running back in the direction from which I came from. There were more footprints by this point, a few more walkers and runners, some fishermen and women. 

After about 1/4 mile, I started noticing my original footprints. That gave me some comfort...you know a trail I had left knowing that I was returning the same way and I would find my entry point onto the beach. Of course I was fairly certain I came in at entry point 29. 

Going a little further, I started noticing footprints next to my tennis shoes prints...only the footprints were headed the opposite direction. I didn't think too much of it other than a passing moment of remembering the "Footprints in the Sand" poem. I thought briefly of taking a photo, but didn't want to turn off  the music or slow my pace. So I kept going. 

It wasn't long before I heard God whisper, "Brandi, you have to stop and take that picture...there's a lesson here. A story you need to share." 

So in true Brandi fashion I replied, "I'll think about it." So I started looking for that pattern again...only I didn't find it. So I was like, great, now I have to backtrack. I just want to get back to the house and change. I'm hot and sweaty and I've already been out for longer than I planned. 

So God shared with me the lesson and told me I could recreate and just explain. No need to turn back. So I did...(only I made my tennis shoe print go in the same direction as the footprint).

My friends, you see, God is there to carry us and help us through the hard times, but He desires so much more from us. He desires a relationship. Not some casual passing by relationship, but a deep meaningful relationship. We so often read the "Footprints in the Sand" poem and only focus on the frustration of the writer at seeing only one set of footprints and then the reminder from God that He was carrying the writer through the hard times. We tend to overlook the most important part....the time when there were TWO sets of footprints: the man's and God's. 

But wait there's more. You see there aren't two sets of footprints in my photo. You see, God wants to be such a part of our lives, in such a deep relationship with us, that He is part of us. Not just beside us, before us, in front of us....He wants us to be abide in Him and He in us. 

Let us pray...God, I pray that for each and everyone of us that we take the time to realize and work on our relationship with you. I pray for each of our hearts to be turned to you. For each of us to dwell in your word and to go where you are leading us. I pray for us to walk so closely with you that instead of two sets of footprints, we see a mingled combination of both our footprints. Merging so closely together that we can hardly distinguish one from the other. Reminding us the whole time that on our own there is impossible, but with You...all things are possible. In your Son's holy and precious name, Amen

Scripture to turn to:

I encourage you to not just read the verses, but to look them up, read what comes before and after. Get the full context. DWELL in His word. 

John 15:4-9

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. 

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Colossians 2:6

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

1 John 2:28Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
1 John 2:6the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

Lessons from the Dishes

The dishwasher has been broken for 2 months now. That means for 2 months, I have had the joy and privilege of washes dishes by hand...and that broken dishwasher is serving a new purpose...drying rack.

Joy and privilege! Yes, a chore that must be done and is supposedly so much more conveniently done via a machine...washing dishes can be joyful and a privilege.

For the past few weeks as I stood there at the sink I realized I have time to think. Okay, so many of you may think "oh boy. As if she didn't already think too much, now she's rejoicing over even more time," but hear me out.

When using the dishwasher, I was always in a rush, rinse them, load them, add detergent, turn the machine on....wait, wait, wait, and wait some more. Clean dishes. But having to wash them by hand, I realize I have time to "think". Even more time than say...hiding in the bathroom. Cause let me tell you, the kids find you in the bathroom, the husband finds you in the bathroom, but the kitchen while you are washing the dishes? Well, let's just say for the most part everyone disappears. Now don't get me wrong, I love my family, but sometimes I just need a moment to process the day and that's where the dishes come in.

Tonight, as I stood there, I started thinking about school stuff, but then I started thinking about God, my Bible studies, and it just all started coming together. You see Jesus washed me clean a long time ago. He died for a sinner like me. A sinner like you. He took on the dirt and grime of our sinful life so we can be made clean. But just like I'm reading in my study about righteousness, there is the right there immediate kind of righteousness that is found when we accept Jesus as our Savior. This is imputed righteousness. This is something we can only have through Him and it's immediate.

But you see it doesn't stop there. Just because we accept Christ doesn't mean we can just go out and live as freely as we want to. You now comes work and transformation.

As I went to set a dish on the rack I realized I had missed a spot. I missed it because the lighting at the sink isn't the greatest and so I had to wash it again. There are many times this happens in our Christian life as well. We were washed clean; however, that isn't the end. We keep living and we keep having to make the choice daily to follow God. Sometimes that gets tough. Sometimes we slip, we fall, we make decisions that cause us to get dirty. And sometimes we allow that dirt to prevent us from believing that God still loves us, still gives us grace. You see, this is where practical righteousness comes into play. It's the day to day, moment by moment actions and decisions we make. We have to choose to fight the darkness with light, we have to choose to put on the armor and stand at the ready for when the dirt tries to enter in.

So like that dish where I missed a spot because it was too dark to see it, my life and yours can easily get turned upside down if we spend time in darkness. And at first it may be a little spot, but if it remains in the dark, it has room to grow and build over time. The only way to fight it is with the truth, with the light, with the cleaning that only God provides. So I encourage you to be in the word and to be in constant prayer, constant conversation with God, walking with Him daily. And remember: Just like I didn't toss the dish just because I had missed a spot, God won't toss us aside either. Take it to Him...no matter what the 'dirt' is, repent, give it up, and DON'T try to take it back.