AB Initial Interview - 34:38 DO - So the first question I have for you is, what do you think are your biggest obstacles in creating your ideal classroom? Like if you could have your ideal classroom, what are your biggest obstacles? AB This year? Or in any year? DO - Yeah. AB - This year in particular, we just have a lot of new programs, so anytime you're doing something for the first time, it's a little more challenging--you're trying to--you know, we got new (bencues?), smart board, which I love, but I use the whiteboard behind it a lot. DO I see. So you're adjusting. AB - It's changed, it's changed just, you know, teaching. So, you know, new technology, a new system--I'm finding it hard to make anchor charts this year, because I'm writing everything on the ben-q and then it doesn't officially always--and I know some things we want to (inaudible) and some things we just want to be able to reference, but it used to be, I just had a different system. So, that was a systematic change, but then in addition to that new math, the new reading, which I love all of the programs, but getting to know them and know your resources, and...so that's probably the biggest change this year. I mean as well as your kids change, you know. This year's group of kids definitely has a lot more behavioral needs and a lot more goal setting is needed for that. So, I mean we're doing a lot of transition practice and activities. So, I know that's a normal one, but last year--the class I had last year, if I had envisioned last year's class, it would have been easier to try new things. Sometimes when you try new things, it's better to try it in ideal situations so you see how it goes. Then it's easier to modify it. It feels like we do it the opposite, just because you can't control that, but then you don't know whether the program didn't work or it was the outside factor. DO - Right. The implementation piece of it. AB - Right, right. Yeah. So I think that is part of the fun of it all. Yeah, and it's like a puzzle, but...so, coming back to your question, I'm not sure that I answered it (laugh). DO - No, you did. The biggest obstacles for you in creating your ideal classroom. 2:07 AB - So, this year those are more specific obstacles. I think overall, it's time. I feel like, just from what I've read that teachers in other countries get a lot more planning time, they get a lot more time to really come up with things, and I think where we need to be prepared and have these great lesson plans and everything is so expected from us, they don't give us the time to really do that.CG Interview Transcription 32:10 0:00 - CG: Here we go. You're in trouble now. (Laughs) DO: Oh, dear. Oh, goodness. (Laughs). Okay, so my first question is just to start off, if you could imagine what your ideal classroom is, you know we all have an idea of what our ideal classroom is... CG: Mmmhmmm. DO: ...what do you think are the biggest obstacles, if you had to think of the biggest obstacles that prevent you from creating your ideal classroom, what are your biggest obstacles? 0:30 - CG: Ummm, probably when I think of like system-wide (DO - mmmhmmm), I think, ummm, we are so data, like number data oriented and teachers are so consumed (DO - mmhmm) with that right now, because everything like has to be take a number on it (DO - mmmhmm), ummm, that it feels like we don't get the time that we need to plan meaningful instruction (DO – mmhmm) and really dig in with kids (DO – mmhmm). Ummm... 1:07 DO Do you feel like time is one of the constraints? CG - Yeah, time I would think, and just, yeah... DO – And organizational structure. CG - Yeah. wwwwwwwww 1:16 - DO - So, if there were a way to kind of work around that obstacle, like, what could be done to help so that you did have more time...for instructional planning? Like... CG-Hmmmm...not having so many meetings. DO - Yeah. CGI mean...and maybe it's just because of my collaborative situation (DO – mmhmm) I just feel like so many of the meetings now we have demand collaboration and I feel like nothing gets done. DO-Yeah, right. wwwwwwwwwm CG - Like, okay, we sit and talk about everything and it's a fight about everything (DO - mmhmm) and if I had that same amount of time to sit in my room (DO – mmhmm) and get my classroom organized, and you know, get a project made, or whatev--you know, that (DO - mmhmm) I could move instruction ahead in a much more meaningful way, but instead we're in the midst of all these discussions (DO – mmhmm) that never feel like they're going anywhere. (DO - mmhmm) DO - Yeah. CG-Ummm. They just never feel like they're going anywhere. The other thing that I would say...I'm trying to think of the best way to put this... ummm, and maybe it's especially with our population (DO – mmhmm) that so many of these kids I think obviously in different districts... DO - Yeah. - CG - ...ummm, although I think in some ways they have it, they just have it in different ways, but our kids are so needy, like they need a bigger layer of...social-emotional (DO – mmhmm) and how to navigate that (DO – mmhmm) and just life skill type stuff (DO – mmhmm). Like how to be organized...Dana Jessica Dana Jessica Dana Jessica Dana Jessica Dana Jessica Dana Jessica Dana Transcript My first question is just, we've already even talked a little bit about a couple of them, but what are some of the biggest obstacles from you creating what you think is your ideal classroom? I feel like the spacing of the classroom definitely. Figuring out how to make it work for the certain group of kids that you have. Because it's different every year, so you can never really find that one way that works the best. And then, for me it's the windows (laughs). We talked about it. My wall space is limited, so I'm always struggling to find places to put things. Ideal classroom--I guess there's a lot that can go into that too-- Yeah, so it can be the physical space, but it can also be, you know, just what are the best lessons or... you think It's such a vague question. Well, I will say that one positive is having the technology that we got this year. So, we never had--I mean I was still using like a projector and whatever. So, that is helpful in being able to engage the kids a little bit more. We have speakers and we have a microphone, so we can like talk to them and that is awesome. I know, I'm jealous of that. To get their attention. And they love coming up and using the microphone and playing on the screen and all of that. So that's helpful, no matter what lesson we're teaching. I mean, I guess as far as curriculum-wise and all of that... Do you think the curriculum helps you become a better teacher or like hinders your ability to be the ideal teacher you want to be? I think that, like at the core of the curriculum, it is helpful and I think, like, I believe in it. But, it's just, especially this year, with all of the new things, it's been a little bit overwhelming, because as a teacher, it's hard to feel prepared and feel like you can actually do it authentically. Because, you just don't have time to read everything, you know? No. So, sometimes I'm like on it, and I'm like, "I read it all. I feel really prepared." I like print out some little notes, I'm ready to go. Yeah, yeah. But other days, I'm like, "we're going on the fly, because I didn't have time to really dive deep into this." And so, I think with the Caulkins, and reading especially. Even though we've done it before, I just feel like, you have to go through and review it, and it's just there' so much breaking it up based on like, where you think is a good stopping point, because normally you can't do the whole thing in one day or one session. And, I feel like that part is actually hindering a lot of the teachers that I've talked to, ability to really feel like we're being authentic and successful, because it's just like so much to take on. It's a lot of reading for sure.1 5 10 Speaker Dana Colleen 14 Dana 15 Colleen 20 20 25 25 30 35 35 Transcript So...I'm so excited for you to share your insights and perspectives, because it matters a lot to me. Ummm, for you it's a little bit different--you're not creating an ideal classroom¹, but what do you think are your biggest obstacles in helping teachers create their ideal classrooms? Ummm, I think one of the hardest parts¹ has always felt like I was kind of working, ummm, against the system. Ummm, because Principals play such an important leadership aspect that sometimes, like, I could use teachers and be saying one thing and be sort of painting this picture but then, ummm, but then I have to go away². Right? And so then, like, the voice they³ hear more often is not necessarily the voice that is supportive of that vision sometimes4. So, I feel like often³, or they have to go back to other teams where they have--are met resistance or, so it's one of those that it's just, it's always been hard when I felt like I was one of like the, I don't know, like a lonelier voice, where, ummm, where it wasn't as easy to get... Like a lonelier voice that's not fitting into the system? That's not as present, yeah. Or, just not as present for people¹ to make some of the change, because I think change is really hard, right? Like, we know that, and for teachers, taking risks is a lot of like, losing that control with kids, which is so important, right, if you want them² to be a part of the classroom, like you have to. Ummm, but for teachers, like you need, they need³ support. They need rejuvenation. They need leadership. They need models. They need all those things, ummm, that I can't always do from my vantage point, so, alone, right? Like, so, unless we've got more leaders who can share that, unless we got more Principals who can share that, until we have some of that, it always felt like no matter what I was doing, it was only sort of scratching the surface. And often I felt like, I mean if I'm looking back over several years, ummm, like I can see where I could frustrate people to that end, because it would be like 'well, that's all well and good, Colleen, but this is the real world, right, like this is the real world that I'm in right now.' So, ummm, but I do feel like, ummm, some good conversations happened over the summer with Perry7, right? So, ummm, Perry and the Principal Team really around like making shifts towards instructional leadership. And, I've been able to have more conversations with them this year, ummm, still early in the year, still lots to be done, but I've already been able to hear where some of their misconceptions are, because just like in Principals you would expect their range of experience in leadership to be varied, right, so, some Principals are like, 'Yes! I'm totally with you---I get it!' Some kind of seem to get it, but then do actions that are really contrary, right. And then others 10 don't--just don't. So, they grasp on to a piece of what you are saying, but then...
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