Category Archives: Adam Chaffey

How do you know if you are being a successful teacher?

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Spending this first month of the school year doing distance learning has made it hard for me to evaluate my own teaching. The measurable data I had from class interactions previously, doesn’t exist anymore and this can lead to self doubt as a teacher. This can (and does) lead to taking every comment about our teaching as more valuable.

I recently had a conversation about one of the classes that I teach that I believe is going really well. Very well considering that it is via distance learning. The conversation didn’t include what I believed was happening. I discovered that the virtual world is more isolating and invisible than when someone could come into the class and see learning in action. What is visible to the outside world (those excluding the teacher and students) is a Schoology page. The conversations via zoom have been and gone, the laughs and “now I get it” moments have been left in the virtual realm. Sadly my impression to the outside world is minimal.

This week after hearing voices in my mind questioning whether I am a good teacher, I decided to do something about it. This isn’t new or revolutionary. In fact it’s a requirement as a teacher here at Carondelet. I did class surveys asking what items helped the students learn new concepts and what parts of my class have and haven’t been successful for learning (Schoology included). Simply I went to the source to find out whether my self doubt was accurate.

I know you’re wondering what my students said. Before I tell you I invite you to ask your students too. They see you every week and know all the hard work you’re doing. The responses that I received that were about all their classes expressed an appreciation that every teacher is truly doing his/her best.

So the results came in. Simply I can tell you that my students don’t see my as a non-effective teacher, one that is unclear about what he is teaching, or even as someone who doesn’t care. My most positive response was that they feel that I am approachable. That is huge for me. It has actually been my most positive evaluation from students in regards to helping them (in teaching and assessing) to be successful students. The written comments were positive, especially the ones that were specific to me. My favourite was “I really enjoy how you do distance learning.” Also a shout out to Ms. Orr, Mr. Ward and Mr. Buckles that students gave praise to on their online teaching. Basically my students expressed that they are happy, they are learning, and that what they do in class is valuable.

I finished teaching my last period on Friday and I’m thankful to have positive voices in my mind acknowledging that I am doing a good job in the classroom. I hope you take the time to hear from the students and take those same positive words to heart.

Starting a Rugby Team at Carondelet Is Like Teaching a Course No One Has Heard Of

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I won’t bore you with my background with Rugby, or even with the steps I had to get enough girls out to practice to learn the game. Rather I want to share my experiences with teaching a game that no one knew how to play.

Think about it, you have in depth knowledge of something, you want others to enjoy what you’ve enjoyed, but every time you explain something you find you’re using words they’ve never heard of (lol, it sounds like my classroom). Wrapping in the tackle is extremely important, as is protecting the ball in the ruck, but these words become meaningless without an understanding of the game. So we began with some fundamental basics and built upon it.

Our first practice we had one football (Rugby not Gridiron) and we were practicing catching and passing. It was funny because the girls didn’t want to pass the ball backwards (everyone want to pass forward like in American Football) and more balls were dropped than caught. Fast forward one month and you’ll see a team of young ladies and one or two dropped balls a practice. It has become quite amazing. And so we conquered a skill that is imperative to the game, and we moved forward.

Rugby is a contact sport and so tackling is something that has to be taught. Imagining that tackling is a natural skill is foolish. It can be dangerous to not position your body correctly, so again we started with basics. Now we are at the point where we are playing games against each other and they are doing really well. These skills are important, ordering jerseys is exciting, but the biggest victory is seeing that the girls are seeing growth in the game.

After the first practice we brought the team in to a circle to give a team cry (the cheering kind) on 3. Instead of the usual, “Cougars on 3”, one of the players came up with something different that has become somewhat thematic. She called out “Potentials on 3”. I thought this was cute. They realized they didn’t know how to play the game, but they saw potential in each other. Two practices ago this changed. I expected the potentials on three again (sort of like our unofficial name), but our team captain thought differently. She recognized that the team was actually playing the game, not just having the potential to. So the new cry became, “Skills on 3”.

These labels might seem small, but this shows what the girls know. and their growth. They’ve taken ownership of the team, which is the goal. I’m there to facilitate, but I’m not the one playing, they are. They’ve done what I can’t. They’ve made themselves a team and they’re proud of the progress that they’re making.

I’m excited for our first official game to see what these girls can do, but regardless I’m proud of the small family that they’re creating. I also excited for what comes after “skills”.

When Going Back to Step 1 is a Good Thing (and Your Students Agree)

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As I pass the midway point in the Semester, I have found that my Social Advocacy class is realizing that each team needs to be on different steps in the Design Think process. In the first half of the semester all of the teams were approaching the Design Think model in a linear fashion, and I believe that this served them well. Now that they have be testing their prototypes, they are realizing that they need to rethink their original plans.

In the class we discussed the idea that when we test, we are trying to discover the problems with our designs. Instead of taking the approach that we will succeed, rather we are eager to explore ways that we can grow in our designs. Realizing that we won’t have a perfect solution, this changes the emphasis of the project. Now instead of the teams look at the impact that they will be making on the social justice issue, they are invested in putting the user (the people effected by the issue) first and wanting to revise what they have planned to better serve them.

One specific group that I would like to highlight are a group looking into ways to reduce date rape on college campuses. They had an initial idea of using the idea of “Angel Shots”, but creating their own version of it to avoid copyright and permission issues. This faltered for a variety of reasons, but it hasn’t put a damper on their project. During a video conference with a Post Graduate student from Cambridge University, the team presented their project to date. Madi Vorva (Post Graduate Student) invited them to seek out other organizations and clubs to partner with them. Now the team is effectively going back to the Empathize Phase to learn more from people in college invested in this issue, just as the girls from Carondelet are. At our last meeting the team was reaching out to women empowerment clubs and Professors of Gender Studies at Colleges.

Although it could be seen as a negative that they are essentially back to step one, they see this as an exciting step because they know what didn’t work. They know that they need more support to make this project a success.

Interestingly I haven’t had any of my students ask what this will do to their grades. Throughout the project the emphasis has been on growth in the project, and that we are never done. Our goal is to keel pushing forward, and the most important people are those effected by the social justice issue. We aren’t the most important people. Our grades aren’t the primary focus. People matter more, and that is our motivation.

When Ven a Ver Experiences Are Equally Beneficial To The Teacher

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So far this year I have had the privilege of experiencing two Ven A Ver Trips, Washington D.C. and Appalachia (West Virginia). Although both experiences were very different (conference vs an immersion), but spoke to me in a way that I was able to bring what I learned back into the classroom. Although I teach Religious Studies, I don’t believe that this is the only discipline that can do this. Areas of Science, Social Studies, English and Modern Languages can all apply the information that I gained on these experiences. I will touch on the parallels in these disciplines in the following paragraphs. In Washington D.C. the Teach-In had its emphasis on Immigration (especially DACA), and Racism and it’s links to Mass Incarceration. This experience was eye opening for a number of reasons. Hearing first hand about the lives of those effected by racism and outdated legislation created a fire in me to not be silent to and make it a priority to educate those who can help make those changes; our students. We can often be blind to legislation that exists in other states because it doesn’t effect us, but in reality those pieces of legislation are a part of the problem because they increase the numbers in the prison system. When we met with our local California Representatives they received us in a very positive way and were supportive of the causes we were advocating for. But the legislation problems lie outside of our state boarders. This trip opened our group up to see a responsibility to not only speak with our Representative, but also seek to contact Representatives from other areas. It also allowed us to not be ignorant regarding racism and how it is effecting this country today.
The stories that were told by other students and presenters emphasized the need to be educated in these areas and to not be content with saying it is better now, so let’s focus on something else. I am sure that these issues are already being discussed in our Modern Language classes. Our English classes already write letters to our Representatives, and this is another confirmation that we need to keep doing this. The message we received from our Representatives was that they want to hear from us regarding specific legislation that they can focus on. In Appalachia the effects of the Opioid epidemic and the decline of the Coal and Steel industry were clearly visible. Unemployment rates in statistics can allow us to oversee the issues in a state such as West Virginia where two counties have unemployment as high as 9.5%. Being in the state makes it even more real, and emphasized the importance of helping our students realize the reality that fellow Americans face. The sources of energy per state differs and we need to be mindful of the environmental impact from those different sources. Mountain Top Removal and environmental disasters such as coal slurry pits are covered in Science courses. The moral dilemmas of how much to effect our natural environment is also covered in Religious Studies courses. The Ven a Ver to Appalachia helps the students see first hand what they had been studying. It also help me bring what I discovered there back to Carondelet to help the students understand the issues from another point of view. Although it may appear that these trips portray a sense of hopelessness, slivers of hope can be found in the stories we heard. One Post-Graduate student in West Virginia is experimenting with Coal and the properties it has when it is superheated. It turns into a non-flammable substance that is an incredible insulator. What this Post-Graduate student has created is not being looked in to by NASA. I have been incredibly happy to have been able to experience these two Ven a Ver trips and to bring back what I have learned to Carondelet and the classroom. These trips allow for the problems and solutions to be seen through the lens of a variety of disciplines, which helps me teach to a broader pool of students (and their interests). I am looking forward to being a part of more trips and to help see the solutions through the fog of despair.

The Fibonacci Sequence = Math + Religion

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An Introduction to the Beauty of the Fibonacci Sequence

Recently we’ve been talking a lot about cross-curricular projects and classes: math + science, English + history, religion + history, etc.  What about math and religion?  Where is the intersection?

Last year, a colleague shared a video with me called “The Fingerprint of God”.  In the video the narrator shows many examples of the Fibonacci Sequence (and spiral) in nature, including spirals in nautilus shells matching the spiral curve of a wave matching the spiral curve of our galaxy, and comments that this spiral is like a fingerprint of a common creator.  It blew my mind when I first watched it.  God does math?  Math came from God?  How does this all work?

The Fingerprint of God Video

I desperately wanted my students to have that same enlightening moment so I tried to design a project/activity that would allow them to have that experience.  I asked Adam Chaffey to help me and together we planned our Fingerprint of God activity which spanned the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving break.  The girls were definitely confused when I told them we would be doing a religion + math hybrid activity, but getting to “break the silos” and show them that math and religion can work together was exciting.  On the first day, I showed the girls the Fibonacci Sequence (my students had already “discovered” this earlier in the year) and some examples of the sequence and spiral in nature before sending them out to find examples of their own.  On the second day, Adam showed the Fingerprint of God video and we discussed how seeing this “fingerprint” affected our faith.  Finally, the students were tasked to create a song/video tying together all that we had talked about over the last two days.  (I’ve attached a couple below)


Things I have to figure out how to improve for next time: 

  1. Make it a more discovery-based project instead of a discussion-based project.  I think I was so excited about sharing this with the students that I front-loaded this activity too much.  The discussions were good, but it felt anti-climatic.  There didn’t seem to be any “ah-ha!” moments.  The students did everything we asked of them, but didn’t really figure anything out on their own.  How can I guide them without giving them too much?
  2. Figure out how to collaborate with another class/teacher more smoothly.  I know this was made more difficult by the fact that I have the same group of students 1st and 2nd period, but the logistics of collaborating with a two religion classes was a real challenge.  Adam and I both had girls that were in both of our classes in different periods and therefore ended up hearing the same information and doing the same activity multiple times–not ideal.

…any ideas?

Student Submissions:

…thanks for your help Adam!

A Day in the Life of a CHS Student

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I know that it has been around twenty years since I was in high school, but I must say that it feels like only yesterday. Perhaps because it was. I took time away from my regular classes last Monday to shadow a Junior and to get a feel for how it felt to “go back to school”.

I don’t want to give you a detailed analysis of the day, though I have notes if you’d like. Instead let me share a few insights that I gained from the day. Although these are numbered, they are not in any ordered. I just like giving things numbers.

1. There is a pro and a con to getting up every 45 minutes and going to a new class. Every class period I was in was very different. In the delivery of instruction or the assignments/activities that were given, each was very different. Some classes I would have loved to have been in until lunch, others I was glad for a break and a stretch. After one class I asked my teen if she like the class style and she said that “it helped her learn”. I had a different opinion. The take away from this after talking to the teen I was following was simply this. We all have different learning styles and what didn’t work for me, actually worked for her. Variety can be good.

2. I was in one class in the morning where we were looking at reliable sources. A topic that is very important, especially with tertiary level academic writing that we are preparing these young ladies for. But I found that at the end of the day, it had already been covered in the Social Studies class, and probably the English class. It seemed that I could have been given a reminder on the lesson given in the Social Studies class on the reliability of resources, instead of taking up 45 minutes discussing it in another class that morning. If we were being more intentional with our cross curricular discussions, we could be helping each other and the students, instead of assuming that we need to cover every lesson in every class.

3. It seems as though there is preference given by students to some classes, and generally when there is a test coming up that day. It is typical to see students studying on the side for their 4th period class where there is a test. They are studying for this test during 2nd period though. Flipping between screens on their iPads and computers to try and multitask. The students are trying hard and have their best intentions, I have not doubt about that. But there is a stress that has been created where they prioritize learning and assessment.

4. It was plain exhausting. I kept wondering where my prep period went. Seriously. I wanted to just stop and process the information I was given. Perhaps some time to chat with people openly about the classes, and to go on that tangent that I wanted to make in Sport Medicine where I wanted to share my scar stories. It was also exhausting going from one subject to another. I love making connections between subjects, but the day felt like I was boxing in my learning from class to class. No offense to any teachers, if there is an offense I’m giving it to the textbook.

5. Last observation from the day. I spend most of my time when I teach out of my seat trying to engage my students. But as a student I was only able to engage from the seat of an uncomfortable, hard, heavy and stationary desk. There was no sitting discussing with peers. There was just my small space in the classroom and often where I sat in silence. I was looking forward to the moments that I could actually open my mouth when it was at an appropriate time, such as to answer a question the teacher asked.

This is just from a day, but it was an interesting experience. I know that this school model is “normal” and that the students don’t see anything wrong with it. I feel that there could be a liberation away from norm and we could all learn like adults. Away from the lecture and the sage on the stage. I just wanted to have input to the class and for an avenue for creativity.

Giving An Assignment Without Specific Requirements Can Produce Amazing Results

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At Carondelet the message I was clearly given was that within the Charism of the CSJ, they had a profound love of God and a love of dear neighbor without distinction. I believe that I’ve seen this embodied by the senior class that I teach, and I wanted to introduce it to my Freshman class.

Each individual student in my Freshman classes were asked to “show” the profound love of God and love of dear neighbor without distinction. I told them that there were now boundaries to how they could show me this. They could use any form of media or any medium that spoke to them. They could use technology, but it wasn’t required. Essentially they were permitted use their gifts to best create an assignment that was individual to themselves, and enlightened the class on how to think outside the box.

I know that this could sound like an assignment without enough direction and that the students would need more information in order to succeed. I am happy to say that these young ladies did the exact opposite. Not every project was outstanding, but the outstanding assignments went so far beyond my imagination, that I wouldn’t have done this differently if I had to do it again.

Four examples I would like to share show the creativeness of the young ladies and very different ways that they achieved the goal of the assignment. The examples that you can see below include a young lady that texted her friends messages of affirmation, The assignment written out in different languages, a video showing concrete ways this assignment can be lived out, and lastly an original composition that was performed in front of the class.