"If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our students of tomorrow." John Dewey

True or False? "Once a teacher, always a teacher." 

True for me!  I loved teaching 10th grade English and Theater for 37 years, and now I love my new experiences teaching!

True or False? "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."  

False for this "old dog!"  I learn something new every day, especially in the world of technology!  Please allow me to explain.

First, I had such a fabulous day on Wednesday that I HAVE to write about it!  I joined a group called Field Trip Zoom (www.fieldtripzoom.com) that offers "virtual" field trips to classrooms around the world for a nominal fee.  Famous museums, authors, botanical garden, zoos, aquariums, historical societies, and scads of others provide "virtual" field trip experiences, coming into classes from a computer via a smart board. I presented my first virtual field trip to student teachers at Mansfield University,and I was so pleased.  My second presentation was on Wednesday, to a very enthusiastic kindergarten class, from my house in Pittsburgh, PA, to Massachusetts! They LOVED GRADY GETS GLASSES, and their collective roar of laughter and delight when I placed the yellow rabbit ears on my head before reading the book made me laugh at myself! Teaching kindergarten is so different from teaching 10th grade!   For my kindergarten audience, I created a PowerPoint of my book so that every learner could see the pictures and be engaged. 

Teaching and learning have both changed dramatically because of technology. Although technology cannot substitute for solid teaching, I like the enhancement that technology can bring to learning. Best example: virtual field trips can give students experiences that they would never have in person, broadening their collective horizons and understanding of the world. I feel humbled that the students asked me about being an "author"; a title that is not yet as comfortable as "teacher." I like the feeling that by presenting my book and message in person and "virtually", I am still teaching (as an author)!

As great as my morning was with the kindergarten class, in the afternoon I drove 50 miles to Seton Hill University to speak to the student teachers under the direction of Dr.Richard King. (My book STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER, is required reading at Seton Hill.) I was excited to connect with each member of the class individually, and the students were terrific!  They were both interested and interesting; I loved the earnestness and caring in their voices as they discussed their individual experiences.  We talked about the Three C's of Confidence, Communication, and Creativity, as well as using the "teacher voice", planning, "hooking" students to learn, and reading body language.  I enjoyed their collective and individual enthusiasm for teaching, which made my heart glow, because I want future teachers to have a passion for the profession, and these young people have that desire to be educators and make a difference. The students at Seton Hill University thoroughly impressed me. And by the way, yes, I used technology for my presentation! 

I am a great proponent of lifelong learning. When I began my teaching career in 1974, the idea of "technology in the classroom"  was a 16mm film projector and a mimeograph machine. No one in 1974 could have possibly imagined the offerings of IPhones, IPads, The Internet, and venues like Field Trip Zoom.  Technology in today's world is changing rapidly and growing exponentially, and I am thrilled to be a part of it. As Educators, we MUST stay current, or our students lose. I will never say that technology can replace excellent teaching, but technology is a part of the world to which our students belong. We need to learn about that world, and embrace it.

Wednesday was a GREAT DAY - from kindergarten to college in 8 hours - all because of technology. Teaching still ROCKS, and technology makes Education even more exciting!!

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. 

Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Visit Dede's webpage for complete details on her award-winning book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER.  Many colleges have made the book required reading. 

Signed copies are available  www.dederittman.com Dede is also a national speaker on The Three C's for Classroom success: Confidence, communication, and Creativity; Avoiding Teacher burnout; and many other inspirational topics. 

Contact Dede if you would like her speak to your faculty or student teachers. dederittman@gmail.com

I LOVE writing. And I love writing children's books- my newest passion. Although it will be a ton of work, I am looking forward to selling my books.  Since I was a secondary teacher, I know that I have much to learn about elementary students, and I will have to follow my own advice and be my genuine self.  However, I also know that I am passionate about helping kids who have to wear glasses, and that GRADY GETS GLASSES sends a positive message. I am willing to work hard and do all the things that also made me a successful teacher for 37 years. I remain inspired! 

Here is the link the my 15 second Grady Gets Glasses commercial! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881Z3e34X9s

Teacher friends- let me know if you want me to read GRADY GETS GLASSES at your school. I am willing to come in to discuss the creative writing process, why writing is important, and personal fulfillment through writing, along with reading my book.  I would appreciate the exposure, and I would make signed copies available for purchase in your classrooms following the reading.  Please email me at dederittman@gmail.com .  The website www.gradygetsglasses.com IS UP AND RUNNING!!!.  Signed copies ARE available!  Coloring books and Grady plush toys are ordered! 

Please like Dede's new page -Grady Gets Glasses- for updates about her children's book. https://www.facebook.com/gradygetsglasses?ref=hl 

Connect with Dede!

Twitter       @dederittman

Periscope   @dederittman

Facebook   Dede Faltot Rittman or Rittman Rules

LinkedIn   Dede Rittman

Google +   Dede Rittman

Tumblr      The Bunny Teacher

Instagram   dede_rittman 

Pinterest   Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

FIELDTRIPZOOM!!  

SETON HILL UNIVERSITY- I WAS A ROCK STAR VISITING AUTHOR !

Dr. Richard King and some of the great student teachers! 

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee (1926-2016)

I taught TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee to 10th grade English classes for 35 years.  I loved re-reading the book year after year, and I always found some little turn of phrase or nuance that made me smile. I must also profess that the dry humor in the book never failed to amuse me. I could fill pages of this post with my favorite quotes from the book; indeed, many of the lessons and themes of the novel helped to shape generations of readers and students. Released in July of 1960, according to Wikipedia, the book was subsequently translated into 40 languages, and sold over 30 million copies through the years. The book won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1961, and the subsequent 1962 film was an Academy Award Winning blockbuster.  The number of minds and hearts influenced by Harper Lee in the tumultuous 1960's during the quest for Civil Rights can never be counted, but I, along with many historians, feel that her novel had a profound effect on the entire movement.

With her straightforward manner of telling the story through the eyes of 6 year old Scout Finch, sprinkled with liberal doses of humor and childhood intrigue, even the most reluctant of my student readers enjoyed studying this novel in English class.  I created fun projects and pair-shares, and even recorded a reading of the trial (done in many different voices) with my late husband, Scott.  That recording made the trial "come alive" for the students, and the events in the novel prompted great discussions.  What if   . . . Tom Robinson had been white?  What if . . . Sheriff Tate told the truth, and the town discovered that Boo Radley stabbed Bob Ewell? What if . . . this incident happened in 2000, instead of the Great Depression of the 1930's? The book presents endless possibilities for thoughtful reflection and discussion. 

Every year when we studied the MOCKINGBIRD Unit, I told my students that they should read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD again- later in life- as adults. I promised  that they would enjoy the book in an entirely different way than they were enjoying in in 10th grade.  I saw a former student at a wedding a while back, and after a flamboyant greeting, she exclaimed, "Guess what!  I just finished reading TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD again! You always said we should read it again as adults, and I am getting so much out of this second read. So many things are apparent now that I am older, but the messages are still there."  (I felt exhilarated- a mature adult in her 40's remembered that I said that she would enjoy reading the book again!  And she was actively reading it!  Oh, the power of a teacher!)

When I heard the news that Harper Lee had died, I went in search of my well-worn teaching copy of MOCKINGBIRD.  The torn cover is a fraction of the page it once was, and the back cover disintegrated years ago; the pages are all loose; indeed, the entire book is held together by a rubber band. I can literally "take out chapter 3" or any other chapter, for that matter!  Yet, as I perused the book, all of my underlined quotes and notes remain intact. Suddenly, I realized: that book was one of my closest friends for 35 years!  I continue to miss teaching that novel since my retirement, and now, along with millions of others, I am feeling the loss of Harper Lee. Even though we never met, I felt like I knew her heart and her wit and her tomboy personality. I liked that she left the study of the Law to become a writer, because she had something important to say.  I liked the way she presented her ideas ; her word choice and style are as much the book as the plot lines and the themes.

I am sad about the loss of Harper Lee, the friend I never knew.. From the thousands of Tweets and news stories about the impact of Harper Lee and her novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, I know I am not the only one who is grieving. I am thankful for her book, her life, her words, and for teaching the world about racism, courage, compassion, family, friendship, personal pain, truth, relationships, and so much more. Harper Lee made a difference is so many lives, and for the lessons she shared with my students and me and me, I am grateful. 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. 

Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Visit Dede's webpage for complete details on her award-winning book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER.  Many colleges have made the book required reading. 

Signed copies are available  www.dederittman.com Dede is also a national speaker on The Three C's for Classroom success: Confidence, communication, and Creativity; Avoiding Teacher burnout; and many other inspirational topics. 

Contact Dede if you would like her speak to your faculty or student teachers. dederittman@gmail.com

I LOVE writing. And I love writing children's books- my newest passion. Although it will be a ton of work, I am looking forward to selling my books.  Since I was a secondary teacher, I know that I have much to learn about elementary students, and I will have to follow my own advice and be my genuine self.  However, I also know that I am passionate about helping kids who have to wear glasses, and that GRADY GETS GLASSES sends a positive message. I am willing to work hard and do all the things that also made me a successful teacher for 37 years. I remain inspired! 

Here is the link the my 15 second Grady Gets Glasses commercial! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881Z3e34X9s

Teacher friends- let me know if you want me to read GRADY GETS GLASSES at your school. I am willing to come in to discuss the creative writing process, why writing is important, and personal fulfillment through writing, along with reading my book.  I would appreciate the exposure, and I would make signed copies available for purchase in your classrooms following the reading.  Please email me at dederittman@gmail.com .  The website www.gradygetsglasses.com IS UP AND RUNNING!!!.  Signed copies ARE available!  Coloring books and Grady plush toys are ordered! 

Please like Dede's new page Grady Gets Glasses for updates about her children's book. https://www.facebook.com/gradygetsglasses?ref=hl 

Connect with Dede!

Twitter       @dederittman

Periscope   @dederittman

Facebook   Dede Faltot Rittman or Rittman Rules

LinkedIn   Dede Rittman

Google +   Dede Rittman

Tumblr      The Bunny Teacher

Instagram   dede_rittman 

Pinterest   Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book. - Dr. Seuss

In the past few weeks, I have been thinking quite a bit about READING.  I have loved to read since I was a small child; in fact, I could read before I entered kindergarten. (I always make the joke that I was born to be an English teacher, since i was reading at such a young age!)

I always tried to share my love for reading with my classes. During my 37 years as an English teacher, the one phrase that I absolutely abhorred hearing from my students was this one:  "I don't like reading." 

How can anyone not like reading? Reading a book can transport the reader into wonderful and magical worlds, spaces, and time periods. The reader can become the hero or the heroine, the victim or the savior, the protagonist or the antagonist, the narrator or the bystander.  The descriptions of scenery and action and characters are magnified in the brain, simmered in the  imagination, and then savored in thought and remembrance. Finishing a book is sometimes like quitting an old friend, causing the reader to pick up the book again and renew the relationship.

I believe that ALL teachers, as well as ALL parents, are reading teachers. Children will model adult behavior.  Adults who share a love of reading and learning with children are helping those children to become readers, and often, readers become leaders.

I am enjoying presenting my children's book GRADY GETS GLASSES to many elementary and preschool children. They all seem to LOVE reading!  We must work harder as parents and teachers to foster the continuing love of reading in our children.  After all, the children are our future, and we want them to be the very best they can be! 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. 

Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Visit Dede's webpage for complete details on her award-winning book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER.  Many colleges have made the book required reading. 

Signed copies are available  www.dederittman.com Dede is also a national speaker on The Three C's for Classroom success: Confidence, communication, and Creativity; Avoiding Teacher burnout; and many other inspirational topics. 

Contact Dede if you would like her speak to your faculty or student teachers. dederittman@gmail.com

I LOVE writing. And I love writing children's books- my newest passion. Although it will be a ton of work, I am looking forward to selling my books.  Since I was a secondary teacher, I know that I have much to learn about elementary students, and I will have to follow my own advice and be my genuine self.  However, I also know that I am passionate about helping kids who have to wear glasses, and that GRADY GETS GLASSES sends a positive message. I am willing to work hard and do all the things that also made me a successful teacher for 37 years. I remain inspired! 

Here is the link the my 15 second Grady Gets Glasses commercial! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881Z3e34X9s

Teacher friends- let me know if you want me to read GRADY GETS GLASSES at your school. I am willing to come in to discuss the creative writing process, why writing is important, and personal fulfillment through writing, along with reading my book.  I would appreciate the exposure, and I would make signed copies available for purchase in your classrooms following the reading.  Please email me at dederittman@gmail.com .  The website www.gradygetsglasses.com IS UP AND RUNNING!!!.  Signed copies ARE available!  Coloring books and Grady plush toys are ordered! 

Please like Dede's new page Grady Gets Glasses for updates about her children's book. https://www.facebook.com/gradygetsglasses?ref=hl 

Connect with Dede!

Twitter       @dederittman

Periscope   @dederittman

Facebook   Dede Faltot Rittman or Rittman Rules

LinkedIn   Dede Rittman

Google +   Dede Rittman

Tumblr      The Bunny Teacher

Instagram   dede_rittman 

Pinterest   Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Dede is the co-host of The Total Education Q & A, which can be heard on Blogtalk Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/totaltutor 

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others. - Pericles

Each week, when I think about writing a post, I have three objectives in mind: to educate, to inspire, and even to entertain my readers.  As I go through the days of each week, people, stories, situations, or words catch my eye or my ear, and I think about those attention-getting items, mentally “turning them over,” until I make a decision on a topic and write the post. I had an inspiring experience this past week in an unlikely place that I would like to share with you.

If you have seen my picture, you know that I am a fair-skinned blue-eyed blonde, who spends a lot of time on the golf course. Unfortunately, I have had skin cancer numerous times, despite wearing number 55 sunscreen and a hat.  (I am 63-there was no sunscreen when I was young and did so much damage to my skin.)  On February 1, I had a large section of basal cell carcinoma removed from the end of my nose, by a surgical procedure called Mohs surgery. If you are not familiar with Mohs surgery, the surgical method is named for Dr. Frederic E. Mohs, and it is a precise surgical technique used to treat skin cancer.  The surgeon removes a small amount of tissue, and that tissue is examined microscopically.  More tissue is removed until all of the surrounding cells are clear of any cancerous cells.  Mohs surgery is considered to be the most effective treatment of skin cancers, and it is a highly specialized field of dermatological surgery. Monday's surgery was my fourth Mohs surgery, all by the same doctor.

I am blessed to have a talented and dedicated Mohs surgeon/dermatologist named Dr. John Zitelli in my life. He has literally been "saving my face" since the 1990's. During all of the procedures I have had through the years, he has always been patient, caring, humorous, and exact.  Additionally, Dr. Zitelli is usually surrounded by other doctors who are learning the techniques and nuances of Mohs surgery.  Dr. Zitelli, who is also a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons,  has truly made Mohs surgery into an art form. (I should know!)  I would be remiss if I did not also mention Dr. Zitelli’s modeling of empathy and caring for his patients as he mentors the new doctors. My heart was touched by one such exchange that I must share with you. Three months after my husband died, I was diagnosed with oral cancer inside my lower lip. Scott always accompanied me on these surgical trips, but not this time.  Dr. Zitelli looked around and asked “Where is the Big Guy?”  I started to cry when I answered that Scott had died a few months ago.  The three interns looked more than a bit uncomfortable with this woman’s tears, but Dr. Zitelli put his gentle hand on my shoulder, gave it a little squeeze, and leaned down to whisper in my ear “Dede, I am so sorry.”  Although I was still crying, you all know that I am first and foremost a teacher, and through my tears, I addressed the three interns, saying, “Gentlemen, take a good look at this- it’s called bedside manner, and it is really important.”  (Like most teachers who are passionate about their calling, I can never allow a teachable moment to pass by, even when I am crying. I hope this story gave you a little smile, even though it still brings tears to my eyes.I am SUCH a teacher! )

When we talked before my surgery this past Monday, I asked Dr. Zitelli if he had any plans to retire.  His answer was a quick and resounding "No." I told him that as both a patient and a teacher, I was grateful for his answer. He wasn't sure of exactly what I meant, so I explained my feelings:  that through his practice and his teaching, he continues to make a huge difference in the lives of thousands of people every day, and that his “ripple effect” will live on forever.  When he shares his expertise through training other doctors and teaching empathy, his shared knowledge lives on through other surgeons, who then will go on to train more doctors, all directly impacting the lives of thousands of patients, some of whom have yet to be born. Isn’t that a breathtaking thought? To think about helping others even after one leaves the earth?  

I often write about the impact of teachers and their influence, but today I am tipping my hat to a man who is both a doctor and a teacher.   To Dr. Zitelli and many other teacher/physicians, Pericles said it best:  "What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." Thank you for sharing your expertise. Thank you for being a caring doctor. Thank you for humor and empathy. Thank you for not retiring. Thank you for making the world better- for today, and far into the future. 

As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. 

This post is published with the permission of Dr. John A. Zitelli. 

Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Visit Dede's webpage for complete details on her award-winning book, STUDENT TEACHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP FROM A MASTER TEACHER.  Many colleges have made the book required reading. 

Signed copies are available  www.dederittman.com Dede is also a national speaker on The Three C's for Classroom success: Confidence, communication, and Creativity; Avoiding Teacher burnout; and many other inspirational topics. 

Contact Dede if you would like her speak to your faculty or student teachers. dederittman@gmail.com

I LOVE writing. And I love writing children's books- my newest passion. Although it will be a ton of work, I am looking forward to selling my books.  Since I was a secondary teacher, I know that I have much to learn about elementary students, and I will have to follow my own advice and be my genuine self.  However, I also know that I am passionate about helping kids who have to wear glasses, and that GRADY GETS GLASSES sends a positive message. I am willing to work hard and do all the things that also made me a successful teacher for 37 years. I remain inspired! 

Here is the link the my 15 second Grady Gets Glasses commercial! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=881Z3e34X9s



Teacher friends- let me know if you want me to read GRADY GETS GLASSES at your school. I am willing to come in to discuss the creative writing process, why writing is important, and personal fulfillment through writing, along with reading my book.  I would appreciate the exposure, and I would make signed copies available for purchase in your classrooms following the reading.  Please email me at dederittman@gmail.com .  The website www.gradygetsglasses.com IS UP AND RUNNING!!!.  Signed copies ARE available!  Coloring books and Grady plush toys are ordered! 

Please like Dede's new page Grady Gets Glasses for updates about her children's book. https://www.facebook.com/gradygetsglasses?ref=hl 

Connect with Dede!

Twitter       @dederittman
Periscope   @dederittman
Facebook   Dede Faltot Rittman or Rittman Rules
LinkedIn   Dede Rittman
Google +   Dede Rittman
Tumblr      The Bunny Teacher
Instagram   dede_rittman 
Pinterest   Rittman Publishing, LLC ®

Dede is the co-host of The Total Education Q & A, which can be heard on Blogtalk Radio at www.blogtalkradio.com/totaltutor