"Here are the values that I stand for: honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you want to be treated and helping those in need. To me, those are traditional values." Ellen DeGeneres

For those who do not know me, I am a HUGE fan and supporter of children and adults with special needs. During my teaching career, which spanned the 37 years from 1974-2011, schools went from having students with special needs be housed in separate schools to the concept of mainstreaming. All of us at school- the teachers, the students, the secretaries, the custodians, and the support staff- had to do some learning, monitoring, and adjusting to make accommodations for our new friends and students with special needs.  

At the beginning, many teachers were nervous, but I enjoy both change and challenge, so I embraced our new school members.  I actually think my students with special needs probably taught me more than I ever taught them, especially at the beginning.  I had two hearing impaired students in the same class. They both read lips, and did not require an interpreter.  They sat near each other, so I always faced them when talking, but I suddenly had a revelation! What about writing on the board? Those students taught me to turn around and face the class when I was speaking, rather than talk to the board while I was hastily writing! I hadnot been teaching very long, and of course that WAS the best practice!  And guess what?  That small act was better for everyone in the class.  Here is another great example of students teaching me. My students with autism needed a routine to feel more comfortable when they walked into my classroom, and they asked if I would put the highlights for the day's lesson on the board every day.  I agreed, and guess what?  It seemed that everyone got on track faster every day. Writing objectives on the board was a practice I had embraced for years, but when I traveled to three or more classrooms during the day and shared chalkboard space with other teachers, writing the daily objectives was not always done.  Those students with autism and Asperger's reminded me of the importance of an established daily routine.

I heard something in the news this week about a student at Parks Elementary School in the Steel Valley School District regarding a student with special needs that really distressed me. This young student has serious pulmonary hypertension, chronic lung problems, foot problems, and autism. She is only in school for two hours per day, because she cannot physically walk to the location of her other classes because of her limitations. She needs to have bathroom facilities nearby, and the nearest restroom is a faculty female bathroom. The student bathroom is on the third floor, and the child cannot physically get to that floor. I, along with many others, was surprised by the decision of the female teachers to file a grievance over this child using their faculty restroom.  The school board did not entertain their grievance, but the entire scenario just hurt my heart. 

I don't care who disagrees with me on this stand - if all of this is true and not just incomplete reporting by the media, I think teachers should care about kids and put them first, whether it be in the classroom or in the bathroom. This young lady deserves respect and the special accommodations she needs to be comfortable at school and to learn.  By law, teachers and administrators must provide those accommodations, because they are responsible for making sure her needs are met so that she can be successful at school. This situation is so simple and uncomplicated, and the school board made the right decision to allow the little girl to use the bathroom. I am not sure what the teachers were thinking, but I do not think they were thinking about what was best for the child.

Here is a link to the story on CBS KDKA news:


http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/03/27/school-board-disabled-student-can-use-faculty-restroom/

And this one in the Monday Tribune Review:
http://triblive.com/opinion/ericheyl/8016424-74/grievance-teachers-union#axzz3VvFsAX6k 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Rittman Publishing, LLC

Connect with Dede
TWITTER @dederittman
FACEBOOK Dede Faltot Rittman or Rittman Rules
LINKEDIN Dede Faltot Rittman
GOOGLE + Dede Rittman
dederittman@gmail.com
www.dederittman.com  

Dede's book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER, has won four awards. 

http://www.newenglandbookfestival.com/winners2014.html

www.losangelesbookfestival.com.

www.greatsoutheastbookfestival.com
http://www.diyconvention.com/hollywood-clown-wins-2014-2015-diy-book-festival-honors/ 

Dede is a guest blogger for Teachers.net

http://gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/author/dede-rittman/

http://gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/dede-rittman/in-teaching-you-will-learn/

Dede also blogs for Educator Help:

http://www.educatorhelp.com/#!A-Small-Conversation-A-Big-Impact-/ctlc/848083E1-E4D5-4A8E-AA7C-5FEFF6F3847B

Dede is a regular guest on Total Tutor Education Hour

http://totaltutor.net/total-education-hour-88-3-fm-wrct

Please check out Dede's 22 five star book reviews on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Student-Teaching-Inside-Master-Teacher/dp/1633850102/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425306797&sr=8-1&keywords=student+teaching+the+inside+scoop

Dede has a SPOKEN intro to her book on a very special AUTHOR’S CORNER

http://forestoftheraineducation.weebly.com/dede-faltot-rittman.html  

Dede will be a guest speaker for Forest of the Rain Productions in Washington, DC, in May. Topic: The Three C's for Classroom Success: Confidence, Communication, and Creativity. Here is a promo for the presentation:

This week's Educational View, The Three C’s of Confidence, Communication, and Creativity by @dederittman

http://forestoftheraineducation.weebly.com/this-weeks-educational-view-dede-faltot-rittman-the-three-crsquos-of-confidence-communication-and-creativity.html

Dede's book on ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/student-teaching/id952853954?mt=11 

“If you REALLY want to know what another person is like, notice how he or she treats the less fortunate or those without position or title.” ― Steve Shallenberger, Becoming Your Best: The 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders

When I was a child, I remember my mother teaching "The Golden Rule" to my two brothers and me on more than one occasion. She was never a "yeller"; if we were doing something wrong, she sat us down and calmly talked to us about our behavior, explaining how our poor behavior was affecting the others in the house. Truthfully, I have no memory of my mother raising her voice when we were young,  except when she thought my older brother was drowning in the pool at the YMCA (he was drowning- she took off her glasses, dove in, clothes and all, and saved him. My mother was a great swimmer.)  Audrey, my mother, was a gentle soul who taught us to put ourselves in the other person's shoes,  think about our behavior, decide if we would like to be on the receiving end of that behavior, stop the inappropriate behavior, and apologize.  When George and I were very small, I would guess 4 and 6  (Brian did not come along until I was 6 and George was 8), Mom put each of us on her knees, facing each other, while she talked in a calm and low voice about not hitting girls or pulling hair and a score of other behavior issues, and each talk ended with a tearful head hanging apology and the abrupt stoppage of the bad behavior.  Looking back, my mother led by example. She never said anything mean about others, and the empathy Audrey showed to everyone she met shaped my personality and made me the person I am today.   On more than one occasion I observed that she was the same with her grandchildren: patient, kind, firm, and loving, but not yelling.

Where does The Golden Rule come from? The Golden Rule actually has its roots in many forms or religious practices, not just Christianity.  Early Confucianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism all have the "Do unto others" concept, but most cultures through the ages have employed a form of The Golden Rule as a concept and method use to solve problems.

So, where is The Golden Rule today? Do you see it in action on a daily basis?

Although I had the opportunity to learn The Golden Rule early in life from a caring parent, during my 37 year teaching career, I taught many students who were not familiar with the concept of The Golden Rule.  My career began in 1974 and I retired in 2011 and during those 37 years, I was just one witness to the demise of the family unit. Two parents and supervision at home slowly changed to other forms of a less cohesive family unit. Because the price of living has become so high, both parents work, or in some cases, a single parent is working two jobs, and just don't have the time to teach their children the way my mother taught me. The job of teaching The Golden Rule has fallen on the classroom teacher, who is already overworked and" Common Cored" and tested to the point of exhaustion and burnout. How can teachers put this important lesson for all of society in front of their students?

I think that when teachable moments arise, teachers should seize those moments to teach The Golden Rule, even if they do not use that term for the expected behavior.  The lesson can be reinforced in many daily classroom situations throughout the year.  I suspect that if this lesson were spotlighted more often, bullying cases would also subside. Of course, the very BEST method of teaching the Golden Rule is for the teacher to model the behavior.  

Teachers, please take those precious teachable moments and share the idea of The Golden Rule as a rule of society with your students. Let me know if you see a change in behavior. Looks like my mother really did know best. 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Rittman Publishing, LLC

Connect with Dede
TWITTER @dederittman
FACEBOOK Dede Faltot Rittman or Rittman Rules
LINKEDIN Dede Faltot Rittman
GOOGLE + Dede Rittman
dederittman@gmail.com
www.dederittman.com  

Dede's book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER, has won three awards. 

http://www.newenglandbookfestival.com/winners2014.html

www.losangelesbookfestival.com.

www.greatsoutheastbookfestival.com

Dede is a guest blogger for Teachers.net

http://gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/author/dede-rittman/

http://gazette.teachers.net/gazette/wordpress/dede-rittman/in-teaching-you-will-learn/

Dede is a regular guest on Total Tutor Education Hour

http://totaltutor.net/total-education-hour-88-3-fm-wrct

Please check out Dede's 22 five star book reviews on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Student-Teaching-Inside-Master-Teacher/dp/1633850102/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425306797&sr=8-1&keywords=student+teaching+the+inside+scoop

Dede has a SPOKEN intro to her book on a very special AUTHOR’S CORNER

http://forestoftheraineducation.weebly.com/dede-faltot-rittman.html  

“I do not ask the wounded person how he feels, I myself become the wounded person.” ― Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

This week I had to face a situation that I was reluctant to face.  I promised a friend I would take her for a PET scan and to her first oncologist appointment at the Hillman Cancer Center.  She is a good friend, and as soon as she found out she had an issue, I said I would take her to these appointments, even though I knew being at the Cancer Center again would be difficult, to say the least.  You see, for 30 months, I took my late husband for 48 chemotherapy sessions, 25 radiation sessions, and at least 50 oncologist appointments.  I became quite accomplished in my role as "the one who accompanies, asks questions, and takes notes", so my presence with my friend would be a benefit to her.  A flood of memories and feelings washed over me as I sat and waited for her during the PET scan.  

The  cancer patients who came in with the "I may be sick, but I am not defeated" look in their eyes, as well as the ones who were so sick, they had all but given up, were exactly like the ones I had witnessed for those 30 months with Scott.  The conversations in the waiting room were also the same, with phrases like "This scan is OK, but I have to have another one in 6 months" and "The radiologist sees a shadow; I think the cancer is back."  I saw my former self in all of the people I spoke to, shared confidences with, and consoled.  I felt their anxiety, and some of the wives confided in me that they could not tell anyone else, but since I was a stranger, they could tell me the truth - and the truth was that they knew the end was near for their loved one.  I remember when I knew it was near the end for Scott, and as I listened to their stories, my heart broke all over again for these wives who would soon be widows. I knew just what they were feeling, because I had been in their shoes, and I am now a widow. 

So what does all of this have to do with Education? I believe that teachers have great opportunities to be role models of caring and empathy. Because life is not perfect for anyone, and every person has had some pain and tragedy in his life, I think it is important that teachers extend themselves to students who are struggling with medical issues within their families and other issues beyond the student's control.  In my own case looking back, I continued to teach for almost two years after Scott was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, and during that time, several of my students had a parent who was diagnosed with cancer. It was just heartbreaking. When the word CANCER is spoken, nothing is the same in life; with chemotherapy and radiation and appointments and restrictions, each family is compelled to create a "new normal."  In the cases of two of my former students, each had to stop participating in afterschool activities to care for younger siblings after school.  When cancer or serious illness creeps into a family, the entire family is affected, not just the person with the illness. For some students, school becomes the only "normal" part of their lives, and as teachers, we must give them a little bit of extra care, by talking, accommodating, sharing, caring, and most importantly, listening to them and empathizing with them. 

I was never afraid to share appropriate feelings of empathy with the students I taught throughout my 37 years in the classroom.  I had so many positive reactions from sharing feelings with my students, and they were so grateful that someone did not SYMPATHIZE with them  (they were not looking for sympathy) but EMPATHIZED with them.  They wanted someone to feel what they were feeling.  (If you are unsure of the difference, this distiction between the two words is from Vocabulary.com:  Empathy is heartbreaking — you experience other people's pain and joy. Sympathy is easier because you just have to feel sorry for someone. Send a sympathy card if someone's cat died; feel empathy if your cat died, too.)

I believe that students are drawn to those teachers who show empathy, and I also believe that every teacher has the ability to help all students to feel empathy, in many situations at school, not just when a student or his family has a family medical issue. Allow me to reiterate that as teachers, we have countless opportunities every day to model empathy.  

Being with my friend reminded me of all of the good things that can happen when one person shows empathy toward another.  I was glad that I went with her for her test and appointment, as it gave me the opportunity to help others by truly sharing in their grief, pain, and anxiety.  Hugs and positive messages of encouragement were exchanged, as well as a true understanding and empathy between strangers.  I was so happy I could help my friend (who got the best possible diagnosis of a clean PET scan), and I was truly touched by the empathetic human beings I talked with and cried with that day.  They felt my loss of my Scott, and I felt their struggles and anxiety.  Everyone felt better after talking.

Showing and receiving empathy is good for everyone, as a connection of empathy is a real and heartfelt connection.  Always remember that you are not teaching a subject, you are teaching human beings.  For me, lessons of empathy are just as important as subject matter. 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. 

Rittman Publishing, LLC

Connect with Dede
TWITTER @dederittman
FACEBOOK  Dede Faltot Rittman and/or Rittman Rules
LinkedIn   Dede Rittman
Instagram  Dede_rittman
Google +  Dede Rittman

Dede's book STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER, has now won THREE awards. 

http://www.newenglandbookfestival.com/winners2014.html

www.losangelesbookfestival.com.

www.greatsoutheastbookfestival.com

"Teamwork divides the tasks and multiplies the success." Author Unknown

Teaching can be a very lonely job.  Although the teacher is surrounded by students, the lack of adult companionship, the chance to invent and explore teaching ideas together, to share responsibilities and the nuances of presenting lessons, each teacher taking his turn, and building upon the other, and to truly TEAM TEACH could be the pinnacle of teaching, in my opinion.  I only had the chance to really "team teach" a handful of times in my career, and I found every time to be exhilarating.  The lessons were lots of work and preparation, but the classroom time was  exhilarating, with great results on test scores and positive interactions and total acceptance from the students.  I can still remember how much fun it was to teach those lessons!  Do not get me wrong- I always loved to teach, but team teaching was really special.  Of course, I had terrific teacher friends and teaching partners to collaborate with, and that made the experience even better. 

Although many elementary and middle schools use team teaching or teacher team concepts, why isn't team teaching more widely used in high schools?  I think team teaching could be extremely beneficial to both students and teachers.

Teacher burnout is one of the hottest topics in Education today.  Why are teachers burning out ?  The simplest answer is that more and more responsibilities are piled on the shoulders of the solitary classroom teacher:  test scores and more test scores, NCLB, keeping up with the technology the district decides will be used for the year, helicopter parents hovering at dangerous levels, more and more 504 and IEP plans to accommodate,  and more and more "hats" to wear as a teacher.  Teachers are no longer only teachers; in fact, teachers are : counselors, confidantes, psychologists, parent figures, college advisors, interventionists, organizers, coaches, club advisors, directors, and many more. And because of the busy daily schedule of each teacher, there is no real time for teachers to discuss burning issues with other teachers, thus the burning issues contribute to teacher burnout.  

Although team teaching is not a new concept, I think it could work in high schools, and that it could alleviate some of the stressors in teachers' lives, even though the work would not be less. If schools could make pair-share classrooms for teachers and give the time needed to plan, prepare, and make exciting teaching materials, I think both students and teachers would benefit tremendously.  Sharing ideas and classroom responsibilities with another adult would give validation to teachers; students would benefit from having more than one point of view and more than one method of presentation.  Teachers would be more energized with the "give and take" of presenting, and students would be more interested interacting with two teachers instead of just one.

I must point out that when I talk about TEAM TEACHING, I do not mean that one person presents while the other sits at a desk.  I liken my experiences with team teaching to singing in a quartet:  you are always singing, but sometimes it is your moment to shine, and sometimes it is your moment to sing in the background.

Schools have got to start thinking of ways to prevent teacher burnout.  I think team teaching could benefit both teachers and students. 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. 

Rittman Publishing, LLC

Connect with Dede
TWITTER @dederittman
LinkedIn Dede Faltot Rittman
Facebook  Rittman Rules

"Your work is not in vain." Geoffrey Golden, Winner of "Sunday Best" on BET

Last week, I received an article from my friend Trem Oatman, supporter of all things education as well as all teachers.  The article was about a project in the Cleveland Heights Schools called "Reaching Musical Heights."  Every four years, music teachers and their students grades 4 through 12 collaborate to present a mega production which not only showcases the talent and enthusiasm of the student, but also sanctifies and validates the importance of teaching music and the arts in schools.  

You see, some things - like music education- simply cannot be measured by The Common Core and No Child Left Behind. Teaching to THE TEST is not necessarily the best way to teach students.

The "Educational Gurus" and US House of Representatives are all about demanding 
ACCOUNTABILITY from teachers and school districts. They think that every child should be on the same page of the math book on the same day.  The Common Core is a good idea in theory, because all students should learn specific information in public schools. The Common Core is not a good idea when it becomes the only information shoved down the throats of students, making students become averse to learning, rather than welcoming new ideas and concepts, and viewing learning as a lifelong activity.  The test,  the test, the test, becomes more important than the learning, the learning, the love of and appreciation for learning!  As a teacher, I have no problem with accountability. However, I do have a problem with stringent and stressful demands that make school an unpleasant place to be for children, and test scores that seem to matter more than the individual child.  I have a bigger problem with governments who think that all children have exactly the same abilities, and standards, many which can never be met by some students, no matter how hard they try.

All of this ranting takes me back to the beautiful and well-written article.  A young man named Geoffrey Golden  joined the other students on stage.  He was not just any young man; he was the winner of the TV show "Sunday Best", which is a sort of Gospel version of "American Idol."  This young man spoke to the audience about the importance of music in school and in his life, about learning lessons about tenacity and involvement in school music classes, about applying those lessons to his real life.  As he ended his spoken presentation, he shouted into the microphone "Your work is not in vain."

Although I am not a music teacher, and I can only wish I had been this young man's teacher, these words touch my soul.  With all of the stressful burdens placed on the shoulders of administrators, teachers, and students, these words tell me that the passion for teaching continues to ripple through the hearts and souls of our students, and that teachers DO make a difference in the lives of students, despite the dehumanizing tests and demands of the government.

For some educators, the stresses placed upon them may force thoughts of leaving education and changing careers. If you are one of the teachers considering leaving the classroom,  I urge you not to make that decision, not if you still have a passion for teaching and caring for children and wanting what is best for them.

I have always known that a good teacher can change a life, but even after 37 years in the classroom, I still enjoy the validation of my profession, even from a student who was not in my class.  

I hope my blog and this article help YOU to feel validated today.  One great teacher can impact a student's life and help him to reach heights he never imagined.  BE THAT ONE GREAT TEACHER.  "Your work is not in vain." 

Here is the link to the article: https://krissygallagher.wordpress.com/2015/02/25/stay-or-your-work-is-not-in-vain/

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Rittman Publishing, LLC

Dede is proud to announce that her book has now won three awards!

http://www.newenglandbookfestival.com/winners2014.html 

www.losangelesbookfestival.com

www.greatsoutheastbookfestival.com

Connect with Dede
TWITTER @dederittman
LinkedIn  Dede Faltot Rittman
Facebook  dede Faltot Rittman or Rittman Rules or Student Teaching The Inside Scoop
Google +  Dede Rittman 
dederittman@gmail.com 

Dede's book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER, is available at www.dederittman.com or at Amazon.com

Dede Rittman and Neil Haley are available to speak and do interviews on various educational topics. 

DEDE RITTMAN

Award winning author of Student Teaching:  The Inside Scoop from a Master Teacher; www.dederittman.com; Blogger- Lessons learned from the Bunny Teacher www.bunnyteacher.blogspot.com , Guest Education Expert for The Total Tutor Education network, Motivational Speaker, 37 year veteran English/Theater Teacher; 33 year Varsity Boys’ Golf Coach; Musical and Talent Show Director. PA TOY Semi-Finalist, 2011  412-613-3805  dederittman@gmail.com

NEIL HALEY

Educator, entrepreneur, radio host, television host, celebrity interviewer, educational consultant, child advocate, and former professional wrestler, Neil Haley is a lively interviewer and interviewee. Neil is CEO of Total Tutor and Total Education Network www.totaltutor.net  Fridays at 5 PM Eastern and Thursdays at 9 AM Eastern on 88.3 FM WRCT Pittsburgh  Watch Total Education with Neil Fridays 8 PM on BPTV Pittsburgh  Total Education Network is syndicated on 120 +stations. www.blogtalkradio.com/totaltutor CEO, Producer, Host, Coach, and Consultant 412-523-0289
nhaley@totaltutor.org