Category Archives: Joan Tracy

Every x has a story

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Recently I attended training on a platform our Math Department has chosen as a tool in their Algebra curriculum next year.  Part of the training involved, unsurprisingly, doing some math problems. I would choose x and y as my variables as I wrote equations, but I noticed none of the math teachers did. They would choose s, b, or h.   “Don’t you guys use x anymore?”, I asked. “No”, I was told, “math can and should tell a story”. The choice of the variable can help tell the story, and so, when asked to determine how many books a certain number of student read in so many hours, s as the variable for student continues the story, as does h for hours and b for books. I was delighted because there is nothing I like more than storytelling. And I agree, the story and the problem make more sense when the variable name has some kinship to reality.

Then I learned the x and y axis can be called the independent and dependent variables.  Oh, my! What stories one can tell when you consider things that way.  Now, I know music and math are intertwined, and I had a breakthrough when I was listening to Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast Revisionist History on country music http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/16-the-king-of-tears.  Country music songwriters tell some of the best stories. These songs have a dependent and independent variable! The amount of bad luck and heartbreak are variables dependent on the actions of the independent singers and their choices.
bl+hb =(s*c)/2.  Thank you Math Department. Every x does have a story.

In Praise of Nonfiction Books

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Our colleague Tiz won a prize at our Christmas party. She could pick any book in our library as her own. This week Tiz chose a book I love – Meta Maus by Art Spiegelman. I cannot explain better than the New York Times Book Review why this is such a good book , “Richly rewarding…The book also serves as a master class on the making and reading of comics”. I was so happy when Tiz choose this and pondered a bit why I was so happy. Part of the reason is I love nonfiction books. I have learned more from nonfiction books than anything else in my life. For me, and I believe for many, they are the best choice as a learning tool. And they offer me learning on my own time, schedule, interests, needs and wants.

Synthesizing information takes a lot of time, and a well-written book allows me to grasp a lot of information quickly and succinctly. I learned much about memory from MoonWalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer, without having to do all that research myself! Really, it is amazing when you think about what a well-written book pulls together for you. I learned about memory, the brain, visualization, storytelling, memorizing, and about something I didn’t even know existed,  the U.S. Memory Championship.

A good book can ignite a passion to search for more. The Shakespeare Wars by Ron Rosenbaum did that for me with Shakespeare. Before I read this book, I just could not agree with the crowning of Shakespeare as the literary king of English. “C’mon!” I would think, “it has been 400 years!” The Shakespeare Wars is about people with a passion for Shakespeare and a willingness to go into excruciating detail with and battle for his works.  By reading their debates, and experiencing their passion, I became more and more convinced of the top spot for Shakespeare.  The variations of O in the folios of Hamlet and the difference they make just astonishes me.  I had never paid any attention to the folio differences and was mesmerized by this knowledge.   This book opened up Shakespeare for me.


Books let you explore at your own pace, and in the context of your own needs.  I recently visited Boston and my daughter took me to a wonderful breakfast sandwich place, Mike and Patty’s.  This is located a block away from a Knox Street, and I asked my daughter if Knox Street was named after Henry Knox, a hero of the American Revolution, who organized a difficult transfer of cannon from upstate New York Fort Ticonderoga to Boston.  This extra artillery was key to the end of the Siege of Boston, and I would not be at all surprised if Knox was celebrated by Boston. I knew all this from having read 1776 by David McCullough and was able to pull down the appropriate chapter from my Audible account to confirm this information.  I don’t know if Boston’s Knox street is named after him, but Fort Knox is.

Michelle is working on creating a Joy of Reading in every section of the library.  Books are so important and have everything the educational buzz is all about- putting the path of learning in the reader’s hand. 

Retrieving Happiness

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Over the holiday break, I participated in an online conference Ditch Summit http://ditchsummit.com/.  They provide a  new practical presentation each day for 9 days. I did not participate in them all, but the ones I did participate in were well done, and had nice takeaways   Pooja Agarwal’s “ How to Make Learning Really Stick for Your Students” was my favorite.

I also got (sort of) caught up on one of my favorite podcasts –Ted Radio Hour. I made a connection between a podcast episode “Simply Happy” https://www.npr.org/2014/02/14/267188672/are-we-happier-when-we-stay-in-the-moment and Agarwal’s advice on learning.    

“Dog retrieving a ball” by Ian D. Keating is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Agarwal says, “The reality is that students that struggle to learn something will have more long-term learning… Retrieval practice is more challenging but has greater long-term benefits. Therefore, as teachers, we need to help students understand this reality and be ok with the idea that challenging our students is actually good for them.” She advises students be challenged to retrieve, not just review information.  She likes flashcards and flashcard programs but does not like the “I already know this” feature on flashcards as she feels students might overestimate their knowledge.  She mentions exit and entrance tickets, sketchnoting after note-taking and spiraling the curriculum.  The struggle and the focus to retrieve information lead to learning that sticks. She says we should consider methods of getting knowledge out of students’ heads as much as we do getting it into their heads.


In the Simply Happy podcast. Matthew Killingsworth presented data that indicated strongly that staying in the moment was a way to happiness.  His app “Track your Happiness” https://www.trackyourhappiness.org ( which I would never use as it seems like I would be giving TMI)  has given his organization lots of data on what makes people happy.  One finding – when people’s minds wandered, they were less happy. Staying focused and on task- even, it appears, an unpleasant task- produced more happiness than getting off focus.


I see connections between these two presentations.  It is good for our brain to be challenged and expected to retrieve information.  At least for me, to retrieve information successfully, I need to be focused on the retrieval. This can be challenging for me.  But if I stay focused on my task, even if it is challenging, I probably will be happier in that moment.  This seems like a win/win for me!  We can learn, remember, be challenged, and be happy.

Stressing the Point

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“Stressing the Point” by Joel Penner is licensed under CC BY 2.0

My daughters call me the Stress Enhancer, and with good reason.  I am a worrier, and I like things done now.  Two traits that are not conducive to relaxation.* And traits that held me and a class back recently.

Christina Ditzel and Kate Cutright had invited me to work with them on their project using Scratch,  to code interactive scenes from Pride and Prejudice. Christina planned the lessons, but I would lead one section of the class on their journey, because she was teaching her own class.  I spent several hours over a few days with Scratch, drawing, uploading, causing movement and interaction and felt comfortable enough with my knowledge to be a demonstrator. My plan, developed under Christina’s guidance, was to demonstrate the basics of creating a stage and sprites and conversation the first day and then let students explore.  The 2nd-4th day would be used to show backgrounds, how to share,  and allow students to discover on their own the way to switch backgrounds and have sprites move, and create animation/game. Scratch has several elements, but the element react in similar ways, so once you understand one element, you are on your way toward understanding another.

Alas, an emergency came up and I discovered I would only be able to attend 2 days with the class.  The first day went fairly smoothly as I introduced the tool, students explored and asked questions.  Several students had already used the tool, and were able to act as guides for others.  All the students  were able to create a sprite, and understood the concept of the stage.   On the 2nd day,  the not-so- better angels of my nature came forth, and I started panicking that I was setting this class up to fail by demanding too much without grounding them in  knowledge first.  They needed to know about backgrounds!  They needed to understand costumes!  They  needed to understand the  X/Y axis and how movement occurs!  They  need to know the tricks of saving and sharing!  They needed to know sources for costumes and backgrounds!  And I only had 45 minutes for all this!

I jumped sternly in.  “Listen as I show you this”. “I need to show you this”!  Those lovely students soon recognized my stress, and were kind to me as I showed this tool and that tool. They said things like, “That makes sense, Mrs. Tracy” and, “Yes, I see how to do that now”.  Kate reassured me several times, and de-escalated some of my panic.  But what had I done? I had taken some of  the joy of self discovery away. I had enjoyed learning Scratch on my own, with a few sidebars with Christina.  I didn’t let that happen with these students.

The worst part of this experience for me was the why.  My family emergency was changing  the structure of this project.  That was a given – I could not be there for 2 crucial days.   I decided I, and I alone, needed to fix the structure.  I didn’t place my trust in the nature of Scratch, the joy of learning, the students, Christina or Kate – all variables in this project that were NOT changing.  I placed too much emphasis on me, and I only had the now.  A painful event.  Not my best moment as a teacher/librarian, but a lesson learned.  Trust is a much better atmosphere for learning.  And it will not happen NOW for everyone.   Give it the opportunity to happen WHEN.

* My daughters  have been saying this for years 🙂

What and when do we really know?

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Diagram of milling machine for ladder lumber.  New Jersey State Archives.
Lindbergh Kidnapping Evidence Photographs, 1935

What does it mean to learn and know something?
I had an obsession with the Lindbergh kidnapping case  and can definitely say I am acquainted with this historical event.  Recently I had to look up the name of a key participant in the case – the man who testified about the particular saw marks on the ladder found outside the house (Arthur Koehler, if you are interested). I could not remember this important witness’ name, and I wondered, do I still “know” this case? Should I not have this information at my beck and call? My electric car  has me on a new learning curve on something I feel comfortable saying I know how to do – driving. I am having to relearn a few things to get the best electrical mileage I can. So am I learning how to drive again, even though I already know how to drive?

I was thinking about what the terms “learning” and “knowing” mean after I went to CUE’s fall conference at Napa, and attended a few workshops about Virtual Reality.  I have been impressed by this technology, but these workshops opened up my mind to possibilities in the classroom.   I went home that weekend and spent time on  CoSpaces Edu:  & Google Expeditions  &  Google Cardboard – Google VR  & Google Street View on the App Store –  I began to get an understanding and an idea of how it may work.  I was shouting, “I get it! I learned it!”.  Even as I was celebrating with the space I created ( below  and you should see it in VR!) I realized of course I am at the very very very start of knowing anything about this.  I just know how to learn more about it.   When I know more  I’ll forget Arthur Koehler like details and have to relearn them.  Things will change in the layout of the gears and buttons as in my new car, and I’ll have to adjust.  But know what, I am claiming learnership on VR.   I can share what I do know.  I think that means learning.

Keeping Myself Accountable in a Simple Visual Way

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Today I was working on a project Gaeby is developing, on themes and movements in the Industrial Revolution and  if and how they are still true/active today. I am encountering numbers and statistics as I look into this.  I enjoy making data visible,  and  I wondered if VennGage, a tool I have used a little before, would work as a infographic tool for her students. It has lovely interactive capabilities and amazing charting and graphics.

I like to give tools a real life test, and thought of my project spreadsheet.  I keep track of projects I do with teachers (that do not have to do directly with Schoology) here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QVP3F0r2s83H1GU1TeMLW-Ej4TsSVM-qtlAzLmhQZrs/edit#gid=0  I do this to help me find, remember and reflect on what worked and what didn’t. I decided to add a query on the project sheet on if these projects contained students opportunities at the 4 Cs  (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity) and a goal of mine- quick and actionable feedback.

Here is the result.  I am glad I am doing this-I see I need to consider collaboration more.  The feedback  visual probably looks more impressive than it should, because I gave Membean a check for quick feedback and I am not sure that is true.   I need to discuss with the English department if this is their perception. I am disappointed in the creativity, and  actually in the number of projects.  I need to reach out more.  I  As I consider this, maybe I will make one by department too, to see what that visual might reveal.  A fun thing about this post is the graphic is embedded, so when I change graphic, this post will change, too.  I love that sort of thing. 

PS. Still not certain this is right tool for Gaeby’s project. But it may be for yours!

Twittering Away The Weekend

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“Bursts” by Sonny Abesamis is licensed under CC BY 2.0

I have a great fondness for the quick burst of inspiration, so it comes as no surprise to me that I like Twitter as a PD tool.  I especially love Twitter chats. Twitter chats are ones in which a group of people use the same # and discuss series of prepared questions. I follow #Catholicedchat, #leadlap, #hacklearning, and #sunchat.

Twitter chats go fast, and have a lot of side conversations. Be prepared to scroll up and down the chat for the questions, and to get distracted from questions by answers. It can seem a bit confusing in real time, but  the conversations are also “frozen” in Twitter for you to pursue afterward. In real-time, I find I do best answering the Qs when I have something to say, and following the side conversations when they interest me. I have connected with many educators who are doing great things, large and small, that teach me something.

When I say connected, I mean just that – I am interested in what they say, and feel a bond to them. They are colleagues. Their comments cause me to reflect on what I think and believe and practice.  We talk about things I am deeply interested in –  relationships as key to learning, student voice and choice, ditch the textbooks, authenticity, feedback. People share quick and clever ideas, blog posts and their beliefs.  Over the time I have been participating in Tweet chats, I feel I have added to my PLN in a way I never could have otherwise.  I recommend it.

Here are a few of the interesting ideas and inspiration I received this weekend during the two chats I participated in.

You can find me on Twitter @JoanJTracy.

One Ring to Rule Them

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Here is something I know: there is no one piece of technology that does it all.  I gave up believing in one a while ago.  I now look for the Fellowship of the Tools.  Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Gandalf and Boromir. *  I think of them when I look at ed tech tools.  What does this one add to the Fellowship? 
“The Fellowship of the Ring”
by

Jukka Zitting

is licensed under

CC BY 2.0

I love having a place to hang my hat on the internet.  It is so convenient to be able to save information and send it out.  It is so great to be able  to direct people to my place and say, “You can find it there” or “You can send it there”. Schoology provides that space for me at school, and while it does a lot more, if it did only that, I welcome it into my fellowship. It is my Frodo, I suppose. The bearer.

Google is the Samwise Gamgee of my internet.  Endlessly useful, surprisingly cheerful, and completely necessary.  Great when working with Schoology and so many other tools.  I love the ability to use my Google signing with so many tools. This makes the Fellowship so much more efficient.

I find things easier to both explain and understand with visuals. Lately I have been using Canva as a graphics maker because it is so easy to use and has so many ready to go designs. And it works great on an iPad.   But I can’t add charts easily in Canva so I use Piktochart.  I love their app, but charts are only available in their browser view. Two tools to do a better job. And all I had to do is accept that I needed to use two tools! Legolas and Gimli, the entertaining ones!
Luna Pic  and PicMonkey are two of my favorite online photo editors.  Luna Pic has a great transparent background tool , and Picmonkey has great framing, overlay  and text editor.  I often use both when working with images. Here I used the transparency tool at LunaPic and the  overlay and text tool at PicMonkey. I can’t do this with 1 tool, but can quickly do it with 2.  Merry and Pippin, surprising even themselves.

I really love Google Slides both on my computer and on my iPad.  On my iPad, I find it to be a great journaling tool, easy to read , and easy to access and organize.  I especially like how easily it can work with the iPad camera to curate photos and record phenomena. It is a easy addition to the fellowship when I use Schoology to distribute.

On my computer, in Google Slides,  I love the ability to add shape frames to images.  This is a great tool when the shape of an image adds understanding, such as hexagonal thinking.  I also love the trick of replacing the final/edit in a Google slide with /copy and thus distributing templates of slides to students. I can only do this on my computer.  So… I use Google Slides on computer and Schoology  to send this to students. Students use Schoology and Google Slides on iPads to deliver content.  Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White or maybe the split  Gollum?* I  add Gollum in, because he is the tragic hero, and also the most interesting character.

In edtech there probably never will be  be one ring to rule them. I don’t think I really want one ring.  I’d rather have the creativity and richness of the fellowship. 

Untangling Tech from Procedure

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Many moons ago, as an elementary school librarian, I read and adopted Harry Wong’s classroom management strategies. I was working at a library that had a fixed schedule for library visits.  I, of course, wanted to create excitement for the library and the wonders it held, but I learned if I took the time at the beginning of the year to explain and implement processes and procedures, the class visits yielded so much more wonder and excitement to students over the year. Taking the time to adjust and to provide quick feedback when things started to go awry as students learned these procedures caused a slower start to what I knew was the great stuff. But when we got to the great stuff, the rules of the road established early allowed for greater freedom as year progressed.

I was reminded of all this at a recent training. I hadn’t taken the time to secure the procedures. I made the assumption all would have the Schoology and Adobe apps on their iPads. I did not think through some screenshots. I had to work through the miasma of forgotten passwords. It was painful and a little embarrassing. It took up time I could not spare.

I had to remember, though, that this was a failure in procedure, not technology. What felt like a disastrous waste of time could be seen, in a classroom, as the slow start to creating a procedure. Yes, it took a half hour for everyone to download the apps. In a classroom that means the next time the iPads would have the apps. Yes, passwords are forgotten, but if they are used daily they are not forgotten. Yes, not all the could complete the assignment. But in a classroom, next time they could.

Passwords and registrations, downloads and installs may be the bane of the ed tech world. But they are the necessary procedures that allow for the magic to happen.