April 4, 2024 • 43 mins
Across the country, more schools are considering a 4-day school week. But how would that look like for students and teachers?
Today we are talking to Dr. Claudia Singkornrat, a Florida science teacher at Pompano Beach High School, the only school in Broward County Public Schools that offers a 4-day school week. Claudia will give insight on her school’s 4-day schedule and how it impacts student learning. Plus, she’ll share how she made the switch from a successful career as a chiropractor to classroom teacher, and how she provides real-life science experiences to foster a love for learning.
Teachers in America profiles K–12 teachers across the country. Hear firsthand from the people who are shaping young lives in the classroom every day. If you or someone you know would be a good candidate for Teachers in America, please email us at shaped@hmhco.com.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Having this Friday works for the teachers and the
students to be able to step back, which allows for more creative
work.
I can have actually timewithout having to rush, without
having students come at me toreally plan something and come
up with innovative ideas, whereI really can sit and think.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome to Teachers in America, where we celebrate
teachers and their lastingimpact on students' learning,
journeys and lives.
I'm Jen Carujo and I'm acontent producer at HMH.
Across the country, moreschools are making the switch to
a four-day school week, but 20years ago my school, pompano
Beach High, was alreadyoperating on this now-trending
schedule.
I decided to contact my formerhigh school science teacher, dr
(00:45):
Claudia Sinkornrat, to get herinsight on the four-day school
week.
In this episode with hostNoelle Morris, dr Sinkornrat
will share how she navigates thelonger school hours and how the
shorter schedule impactsstudents' learning.
Now let's get to the episode.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, welcome, dr Sinkornrat.
We're so excited to have you onTeachers in America.
I'm Noelle Morris, the host.
I've heard great things aboutyou from our producer, jen, and
so let's get the conversationstarted with a topic that's
actually being discussed acrossthe country right now, which is
your school.
Is a four-day school weekcorrect?
(01:24):
Tell us about that and whatthat means for your schedule,
and then I'll ask some follow-upquestions, but definitely
curious about how it works foryou.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Gladly so.
Our school day is pretty long.
Monday through Thursdays we gofrom 7 in the morning and the
students end at 3.30.
The teachers end at 4.10 withhalf an hour lunch in there.
Fridays neither the studentsnor the teachers have to come to
(01:58):
school.
But that doesn't mean thatnothing is happening in the
school.
We many times have someenrichment going on, we have
tutoring going on.
We have all kinds of activitiesgoing on.
If a teacher also would like togo and plan at the school
rather than at home, that workstoo.
The classes in themselves arealso pretty long.
(02:21):
Mine is almost two hours long.
I teach four blocks a day.
We are on ABAB block and theyare 160 minutes long, which is
almost two hours.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Right, wow, so tell me more about the.
Explain more about thatenrichment.
So, if I heard what you'resaying, you and your students
are on four days a week, andFriday doesn't mean that the
school is closed.
It's open for all of thosethings that might generally
happen after school oropportunities for students for
(02:55):
enrichment, tutoring or teacherplanning it actually is extra.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So we have clubs and everything going on every day
too, so the day becomes prettylong, especially for our sports
kids.
Many times they don't get hometill 9, 10 at night, but I think
in other sports it is that.
But, for example, when I willrun my AP biology extra sessions
, I do that in a Friday morningmany times to get the kids in
(03:25):
that need to.
We have several of thecheerleading things going on.
We have debate tournamentsgoing on, also any other
practices, tutoring for the kidsthat are not doing really well.
We give them extra Fridaysessions.
There's volunteer opportunitiesand such, and, as I said, it's
(03:46):
not required but a lot of uswill do it.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
That's the teacher way you know for all of us,
right?
That's why we know it's likeit's one of those things.
Now did you?
I want to ask this question.
Then we're going to talk abouthow it's impacted learning, and
you've already alluded to thelong day.
Was it a choice?
Did you all get a choice?
Was it going to be Friday, thenot in brick and mortar, or was
(04:15):
it?
Were there other options?
Speaker 1 (04:19):
No, we were tagging along another school that had
started this and the otherschool started it because that
would be our parent school.
I'm in a full magnet school andat the parent school a lot of
kids, because of theirsocioeconomic class being low
and going to work they startedthe day and they tried it as an
(04:43):
experiment and they wanted toFriday, Saturday so that they
could work.
That school has given this uplong ago because it didn't work
for them Okay.
And that schedule just stuckwith us and actually everybody
at the school that I am at lovesit.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
And what are you noticing about the impact on
student learning?
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Okay, there are pros and cons.
Needless to say, I'm going togo with the pros first.
Number one having this Fridayworks for the teachers and the
students to be able to step back, which allows for more creative
work.
I can have actually timewithout having to rush, without
(05:26):
having students come at me toreally plan something and come
up with innovative ideas, whereI really can sit and think.
Also, as I told you, the daysare very long at our school, so
for students to study after theydid already all their academics
, sometimes it's very difficult,and I think that may be true in
general, but especially if theday is that long.
(05:46):
So for them having the time tobe able to say, okay, I'm going
to do this Friday or Saturday,makes it much easier in that
sense and I find that they canwork better.
A lot of students will tell methat I already mentioned the
enrichment, so that there ismore independent learning,
there's more, there are moreactivities, and I think one
(06:08):
thing that we should also thinkabout is, in the long run,
because we're running teachershortage.
It does attract teachersbecause it is very acceptable in
that sense.
I have to tell you that extratime that I put on in the
afternoon is well worth it forme to have this extra day off.
Wow.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, Whatever I could Right, Whatever you define
off as, but I love what you'retalking about the innovative
nature, the ability to becreative, you know, do more
collaborative without the rushright, Because when we're
rushing, collaboration is oftenthe first to go.
What have you?
(06:51):
Have y'all done any data oranalytics around?
Speaker 1 (07:15):
how many students do come to the school on Friday and
how many teachers AP exams comecloser, you're going to have
more people.
Also, we have end-of-courseexams, so that will make a
difference.
Sometimes, when we do bigcharity events, like for
Thanksgiving, you will see more.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
And more collaboration with the community
.
And how are families?
How have they made theadjustment?
Speaker 1 (07:45):
families.
How have they made theadjustment?
Well, that goes maybe a littlebit also with the cons.
When you have that kind ofschedule, Fridays can be a
problem if you have teenagers athome and the parents are
working and stuff even though Ithink it works okay for many of
our teenagers, but there is nobus service.
(08:07):
So when the kids want to go, ifthey're not driving, if many
are not getting to school, maybe an issue.
So it's not necessarily thebest for equality if you are a
magnet school, because we getkids from all over, If you are a
neighborhood school, it may notbe a bad idea because also,
again, they can get there.
(08:28):
Remember, also free and reducedlunches need to be somehow
provided, and they would be, butthe students have to make it to
school.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Okay, thank you.
Thank you for that insight.
I'm sure listeners you knowwill appreciate that.
I'm sure listeners willappreciate that.
Now, how are you managing yourinstructional time, so 160
minutes times four, even thoughit equates to similarly in an
A-B schedule across five days?
(08:56):
What adjustments did you make?
How are you managing now?
And then I'm going to love ifyou would share one of your
thoughts when you first startedthis, because I'm going to be
honest, claudia, I would go homeprobably exhausted, like I
might sleep in my car for alittle bit before I even make it
(09:18):
into my house.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Well, spoken like a true teacher.
You're not right.
So, yes, the classes are longand I have to say you cannot
pack the same five days intofour days, because there is
going to be a point where inclass the kids are going to be
fatigued.
You cannot just add on an extrahour of lecturing when you have
(09:44):
them fatigued.
So the day in that sense ishard on the teachers but it's
also hard on the kids.
So you have to figure thingsout and I feel that you have to
be a lot more active, whichnowadays for me is very
important anyway, Because thereis so much input into their mind
that they easily tune you out.
(10:05):
So you cannot lecture all thetime.
I think in a long class numberone, you can't Number two again
with them.
Having overstimulation is aproblem.
So I try to maybe do a littlepower lecture 15, maximum 20
minutes, even with my AP kids.
(10:25):
I find that after that I wouldlose them.
And then you add activities uh,group discussions, uh,
application questions,activities where they're using
hands-on.
I'm trying to incorporate asmuch movement as I can and as
much active thinking so thatthey're not sitting back and
taking it in like social mediaor movies, that they're actually
(10:48):
participating.
I find sometimes that that canbe an issue.
And with the long blocks,especially the last block, I
have an AP bio class.
That is the nicest class andthey're trying to participate.
So I really have to get them tomove around and everything so
that they can get themselves todo this and not feel that mental
(11:09):
fatigue.
So a lot of activities, a lotof change of pace is, I think,
extremely important.
And then I do the crazy thingwhich my school allows me to I
take every single one of myclasses for a seven minute walk.
School allows me to.
I take every single one of myclasses for a seven minute walk.
That time is very well spentbecause when my kids come back
(11:30):
they are so much fresher andbecause they like the walks and
they're happy with me, they gottheir social time in.
I can observe how the dynamicsare going.
I can do one-on-ones with thekids that don't need it, so when
they come back refreshed andwith goodwill, it makes it much
better.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Now I'm really now curious about the seven-minute
walk.
But I want to ask you aquestion, because you mentioned
student fatigue like end of dayfatigue.
So does that mean your A-Bschedule is it fixed times or
does sometimes this afternooncome in the morning, or is it
(12:09):
always afternoon?
Speaker 1 (12:11):
In my district, the same classes every day on a blue
day and the same classes on agold day.
So my fourth period is alwaysgoing to be my fourth period and
I would love to see what you'resaying, because I see such a
difference in my second periodand my fourth period for the
same class.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Obviously, so now let's unpack this seven-minute
walk, because the fact that youfigured out this brain break,
this need for a mindfulnessmoment with high school students
how did you set up thoseexpectations and are we all
(12:50):
walking together?
Tell us more about that.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Yes, I have to tell you I've been doing this work
for maybe now 15 years.
Oh, every time before they goout of the classroom, please
shush in the hallway, do nottalk.
And they make fun of me becauseof my shush.
They all try.
Oh shush, she said shush, butso I sent them.
Uh out there.
Uh, going down is usuallybecause there's not too much.
(13:17):
Uh, there are not too manyclasses, they're a little bit
louder.
Then it's a group that is aloosely formed group and I like
that because it gives me an ideato observe the group dynamics.
So if I see that a group isworking well together, I will
use it in a classroom.
If I see the kid that is beingleft behind or that feels a
(13:37):
little bit left out, I will seeinto what group I put them into.
How can I get them moreinvolved so that they don't feel
awkward in class?
Because you've got to haveeverybody feeling comfortable in
class and so many times I willtarget different students and I
will walk with them.
And the one oh, you didn't dowell on the test.
When do you want to do theretake?
(13:58):
What new learning strategy areyou going to try?
Let's do this, or are youdistressed?
So?
And look, I was a chiropractorbefore.
We're probably going to talkabout that later.
For me, I'm hoping that theytake this health skill to work,
that they're not just sittingaround but moving around, and
(14:19):
the goodwill, the lack ofdiscipline issues, because of
something so simple is amazing.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Oh, I love that.
I um.
I hope that our listeners likepeeked in.
Even if you don't have a fourday um school week, that just
seems to be that you'veincorporated into almost a
formative assessment of gettingto know and building this
culture within, I mean withinyour classroom, outside of the
(14:44):
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Now let's talk about.
You mentioned lectures.
(15:31):
You mentioned, you know, labs.
We have not specifically saidwhat subject you teach, so I
hope everybody has inferredscience is in Claudia'sudia's um
discipline, but, but, but, dr,sink and rat.
Let's like tell everybody whatyou teach every day.
What are your four classes?
Speaker 1 (15:48):
I teach.
I teach ap biology on one dayand anatomy and physiology on
the other day.
It worked out really wellbecause it makes it easy.
Anatomy and physiology getsrepetitive after a while.
But those are the two classes Iteach and I kind of liked it.
I teach two classes becauseeven after all this time I will
(16:09):
always try to reinvent the wheelin a way just to keep it fresh.
I'm constantly, and that's whyI like my Fridays, because then
I can say, oh, let's do the new,let's do this activity, let's
try that activity.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I love this.
So you were a chiropractorbefore?
Yes, which is probably also whyyou are about the movement
staying stretch.
You know how.
The ergonomics of yourclassroom?
I would love to see yourclassroom see if your desk and
(16:42):
chairs looked like mine, or areyou more?
You know thinking about theergonomics behind the learning?
Tell us how you went from beinga chiropractor to coming into
the classroom.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I practiced for 10 years but to be honest,
especially the business part ofchiropractic, I found it to be
very stressful and I didn'treally enjoy it.
And I realized that every timesomebody said, would you give a
guest lecture?
Oh I was there, I was doing theguest lecture and I had taught
while I was waiting to get mylicense.
(17:17):
In Florida, I taught a semesterat a massage school and I loved
it.
So I decided I'm going to makethe switch and I switched into
this and it actually worked outas a really great switch for me
because I absolutely loveteaching, I love my kids, but it
also gives me a lot of realworld experience that I can
(17:40):
bring to class, which is a lotof fun.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Do you run any of these um mindfulness and
stretching with your fellowfaculty?
Like I would totally have youat a faculty meeting leading
some of this?
Speaker 1 (17:58):
at a faculty meeting leading some of this we are
doing.
Time-wise that may be a littlebit of an issue, but we've done,
and little groups.
We had our group that we weredoing either some Tai Chi or
some meditation here and there,but I also bring it into the
classroom, especially withanatomy during the nervous
system.
It's a little bit iffy in thelast period because it would be
(18:21):
easy to fall asleep, so you doit just before you go for the
walk.
But here and there we are and westarted a couple of times a
little bit of exercise afterschool, but we're busy with our
students.
It's difficult to get that done.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
And how are the skills from being a chiropractor
?
What do you naturally elevatewithin your coursework?
That is just.
It's going to be special.
Because I was one of yourstudents, I know I'm going to
get this little bit of extrajust because of your background.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
I am such a fan of the human body and how to
maintain it, so all the thingsthat lead to healthy habits
mentally and physically no, yes,mentally and physically are
important to me.
So when I talk about how to eathealthier here, a lot of stress
(19:21):
.
How can you bring the stressdown?
How can you study so you haveless stress?
How can you keep the body andmind going so that you can
actually enjoy life and actuallyget the most out of it?
I can bring in a lot of storiesof patients that I had.
The kids absolutely love that.
I bring in some of the skillswe do blood pressure.
(19:42):
I show them how to do some ofthe vision tests and color
vision and stigmatism.
They love all of that.
So there's a lot of theselittle bit of hands-on you know
little fitness tests and all ofthat.
It really makes a bigdifference.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Now?
Have you been able to keep intouch with any of your former
students?
I mean, have they reported backto you, taking some of your
additional practices with themto their career or college?
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Because of another event.
I got a lot of emails back fromstudents lately and they were
telling me that you know some ohmy God, I ended up going into
the health care profession.
I also hear the kids when theyexercise a lot and say, see, I'm
(20:32):
still doing it, I didn't stopafter high school and I find
that very good.
But the things that probablyeven excite me more is when I
hear back that I helped themthrough a difficult or hard time
.
When they felt maybe alone, orwhen they didn't know what to do
(20:54):
, or when I just talked to thembecause they needed and that
they felt supported in thatsense, because I think a lot of
our kids may not be gettingenough of that nowadays.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
And is that something that is part of your seven
minute walk?
Do you also have those justconversations walking?
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Absolutely.
If I have a distressed kid, I'mgoing to pull them a little bit
aside.
As I said, we can walk a littlebit loosely.
I just hold them back togetherbefore we go back into the
school so we don't make too muchnoise.
But they know they have to stayaround.
But I have enough time that Ican pull them aside and we can
talk.
I will also not mind stoppingmy class for a minute.
(21:40):
If I see that a kid is verydistressed.
I take them out.
We have a little hallway in theback and I will talk to them.
Because there are things thatare more important and it shows
the kids that you don't leavepeople alone, that you help them
when they need help and thatyou do it nicely and seamlessly
and that you just just you'rethere for the people around you?
Speaker 3 (22:02):
I mean, you're already melting my heart.
What now?
Let's talk about similar tomath, and even you know reading
and writing.
You know we all have studentsthat are intimidated by the
discipline that we love and arepassionate about.
So how do you recognizestudents that are intimidated by
(22:25):
science and what are someapproaches that you do to break
that down, to change the waythat they're thinking about
learning science?
Speaker 1 (22:35):
I think the important thing is that you build a good
rapport with your students sothat they feel they can talk to
you and that they want to talkto you.
And so you will hear but I'mnot good in science.
I've never did good in sciencetests.
I'm not going to study sciencebecause I cannot handle this,
and I think there are a coupleof techniques that work really
(22:58):
well.
With that Number one, show themstudy techniques and then allow
them to use them and to trythose techniques.
Many times I have 12th gradersthat I ask them so how are you
studying this?
And they tell me I read thenotes In 12th grade.
Nobody has really told them yet.
(23:18):
There is this, this, this, this, all these other techniques.
Um, it would be so much betterwhen you do this.
So we go through some of those.
But then also you need to allowthem to fail and to remediate
it so they don't feel sohelpless.
Many times tests are given and,okay, you got a 72.
That's all you're going to everget.
(23:39):
But if somebody wants to betterthemselves, yes, I will give
you a different test if youstudy and let's try something
else, so that they have thesafety and then celebrate the
success.
Show them that they're growing,show them that they can handle
it, and show them when they comeup with good ideas.
When you have discussions inclass or group work, see you
(24:00):
figure this out, uh, but alsoalways tie it in with things
that they like.
So you need to know yourstudents better and make sure
that you that you know.
So if they like dancing and Ibrought it up in a video I had
to do uh, and and this kid couldnot figure out why we needed
atp in the cell and, and so Ibrought in the dancing and I
(24:22):
said, uh, do you get tired whenyou dance?
And then he put things togetheruh, so once you can bring it to
their level and attach it towhat they're passionate about,
that many times uh works, uhtremendously well.
So got to see what youraudience is and work with them
(24:42):
in that sense and never, everlet them think that they can't
do it and show them that littleby little, progress.
It doesn't have to be from an Fto an A in a day.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Oh, just those micro goals Was another real-world
practice or a way that you bringthe real world into your
classroom.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
I have gotten several guest speakers.
I used to go to a universityhere in Florida and gotten the
last biotechnology so that Icould show them, but I could
also borrow the equipment of theuniversity and sometimes they
would even send the speakersplus the technology and oh, did
(25:26):
the kids feel wonderful becausethey were interacting with it.
I have had students that werein my class before that now are
graduated in the health fieldand in science field come back
and talk to them because theycan relate to that.
I am working with anotherteacher to do 3D models,
printing models of some of theprocesses and some of the
(25:50):
concepts that we are dealingwith.
And then, because I like humanbody and health so much, I
always get back to that and theycan relate to that fairly well.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
The 3D printing has come up a couple of times in
some of our episodes.
Was that a big process?
Was that just something thatyour school already was planning
on getting, or was that aninitiative you and some of your
peers and fellow faculty put ina grant or put in a request for?
Speaker 1 (26:25):
We're a technology school but I understand there is
a lot of now that the 3Dprinting companies are even
looking for schools because theywant their kids to understand
it so that they get excitedabout using that technology.
But in that sense we had it alittle bit easier.
But at the beginning they werejust making models and some of
(26:47):
them were already pre-programmedin the machine.
So the teacher and I just saidno, no, let's try to do
something different.
And we had them design somethingand then some students took it
further and made it even likemovable models.
That was, I think, where theythen really saw, because then
(27:08):
they saw they can really do itdifferent.
It's not just pressing somebuttons and getting a beautiful
skull.
You know, it's coming up anidea, problem solving because
the first two or three timesit's not going to work, and then
figuring out how to do that.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
And, as far as collaboration, it's one of the
top skills that we all need tohave.
In fact, the workplace ischanging more and more.
Even if you are virtual remote,you're collaborating, you're
problem-solving with others.
How are you bringing that andfostering collaboration and the
(27:46):
thought of collaborating beforeisolating your thinking?
How are you approaching that inyour classroom?
Speaker 1 (27:56):
I do a lot of group work so that they can discuss
together and figure out and docreative thinking.
Sometimes they start on theirown and then they go into groups
.
I usually let them go intotheir own groups most of the
time because I want them to becomfortable and I want them to
(28:17):
be in the level.
Once in a while I will guidestudents, but most of the time I
want them to form their owngroups because then they are
more willing to talk and tobrainstorm.
That means you have to givethem work where they have to
find something out.
And then at the beginning of theyear I may assign roles, but
(28:39):
more and more at the end I trynot to.
And then I observe the groupsand if somebody is disengaged
then I will maybe talk to themand figure out what to do.
Funnily enough and we know thatwith women in science, many
times I will always have onegroup somewhere where the girls
(29:00):
end up having to writeeverything and everything.
And then I go and I make surethat that is not the pattern and
that this could be donedifferently, that everybody
should be taking notes, not justthe girls.
So I think also giving them,empowering them to no, don't be
shy, your ideas are supposed tobe there.
(29:27):
I think another big thing thatwe really have to work on is the
soft skills.
I find that maybe it's becauseof the phone or so that
sometimes the Curtis speakingwaiting for somebody to finish
their sentence.
All of those skills, how youwork together and be also
tolerant and patient and notthink my opinion is the only one
(29:49):
and that's it.
But how you work together, evenif you don't necessarily agree,
is extremely important, and youcan do that when you have this
work as long as you're walkingaround and you are just guiding
them and they they're already ina classroom that I don't allow
even eye rolling in my classroomright from the beginning,
because I don't want anyjudgment.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
I would have gotten in so much trouble.
Claudia, I would get.
I mean because I'm an eyeroller, but it's it's more
towards direction, like, like agiven being, given a directive.
That I'm just like, seriously,you know, that's where my eye
roll.
But I'm curious about, I love,I love the conversation about
the soft, still the soft skills,um one I.
(30:34):
One of the things I was justthinking about the other day,
and so I would love to hear yourthoughts on it, is building
that confidence in spaces whereyou know all about innovation is
brain, is workshopping,brainstorming, throwing things
out there, and you have tosometimes say, say the things
(30:56):
and even if others like laugh atit at first or like that sounds
ridiculous, having the buildingthe confidence, confidence
inside, like all right, well,you might say it's ridiculous,
but here's why I'm throwing thisout there, or envisioning how
do you teach that?
Or how do you recognizelearners who you know you do not
(31:18):
want them to hold themselvesback at the same time, how
you're building that toleranceto let things just be thrown out
there to be heard.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Taking those intellectual risks.
I always tell them to do that,but it is not always easy and at
the beginning sometimes peoplewill chuckle.
But what I tend to do is then Itend to turn the comments maybe
around to where it made a lotof sense of what the person said
and that the other people maynot have seen it, and I make
(31:50):
this like a learning experience.
I say, and then I say you see,this wasn't what you meant.
But I also am very good atlaughing at myself and when I
make mistakes.
So I make it okay to makemistakes and it is actually, you
know.
I mean, if we didn't make themistake, you know number one we
(32:13):
wouldn't have the fun that we'rehaving right now.
But also, this is what lifetakes.
You cannot grow unless you makemistakes.
Okay, and I go into life is onebig mistake after another.
You know, if you keep learning,you're going to make mistakes.
And I go into life is one bigmistake after another.
If you keep learning, you'regoing to make mistakes.
But building the tolerance andhaving people keep their
(32:36):
opinions a little bit tothemselves, I'm very big in
teaching them not tocharacterize people by one or
two words, which we humans arevery good, that person is smart,
that person is stupid, thatperson.
And I show them that no personjust has one characteristic and
to respect that.
So that openness is veryimportant.
(33:00):
Just two days ago, I tell mystudents I don't do math in
public because I will mess upall the math factors that I did.
And in that class I had to do alot of math and I had it even
written down and I was messingit all up and I turned around
and I said look, um, and we werehaving fun, they were chuckling
.
I turned around and said ifthis is the only thing about
that you knew about me, howwould you feel?
(33:23):
And I told them not to answerit, see.
So I told them you know we allhave different strengths, so
look for the strengths and thenyou just keep reinforcing that.
I think the classroomenvironment is very important
and it takes a while to set itup at the beginning so that you
can and then throw out ideas,and when they throw it out at me
(33:47):
, I'm always going to turn itaround into something.
Yeah, we can use this, let's goa little bit further there, and
never.
No, this is not acceptable,because that's where kids, I
think, shut down, make them feelheard, make them feel important
, make them feel like, oh, I dohave something valuable to
contribute.
That's what the feeling thatyou need to give to the kids.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Oh well, I can tell, I know why Jen still thinks
about you, because our producer,jen, had you as a teacher and
she spoke so highly of you andso having that imprint on
someone like you know you'reopening my heart even more than
(34:27):
I think I have, you know, one ofthe biggest hearts out there.
I'm, like I kind of like amloving what you're saying, which
is why my other understandingfrom my notes is that you've
just been announced the BrowardCounty Teacher of the Year.
How did that feel when you gotthe news?
(34:48):
You know, how did you getnominated?
Because I can also see theteacher in you.
Like, sometimes we have a hardtime being praised or being
recognized because we wantcollectively everybody to have
that.
But I can tell you from thisconversation, I can understand
why someone would have nominatedyou, but tell us how.
(35:11):
What's going through your mind?
Because it's just been recent.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Yes, yes, I will, I will and I will be quite honest
about this.
In my school, first the schooldecides and usually you get
voted in by the rest of thestaff, and that was not my first
time.
I was selected teacher of theyear.
I mean, you know 50 teachers,it's going to happen here and
there.
And then I got a wholeafternoon to do my whole
(35:39):
application for the county, okay, so at one o'clock I had to
start and by four I had to haveit ready with three letters of
recommendation.
So, going through it fast, Iwent and then didn't think of it
much more, and then Browardfirst said that I was a
semi-finalist and then that Iwas a finalist.
(36:00):
When they announced thisfinalist, they even came into,
they visited each of thefinalists and they that I was a
finalist.
When they announced thisfinalist, they even came into,
they visited each of thefinalists and they brought it
back.
And you are right, I don't like.
I like being in front of myclassroom, the spotlight I am.
I had a hard time and, to behonest with you, I felt a lot of
imposter syndrome because I dowhat I think I should be doing.
(36:23):
I don't think I'm doing thisabove and beyond, which is so
valuable in so many differentways that people do.
They bring grants in, they doall these different projects
which I think they're amazing.
So why am I there?
Type of idea, type of idea andum, and then this spotlight here
(36:50):
, video, their video, um, talkhere, do this.
That has been, it's been, alearning experience to get there
, uh, but uh, on the other hand,it has recharged me because I'm
keep thinking again about again, again, what teaching is and it
is uh, just giving me againthis renewed energy to do more
and maybe, maybe, I should reachout to more people.
You know, I do some workshopsin school.
(37:10):
I, as you know, they always askme to do some of the uh
professional uh, development andI usually and classroom
management or so, and it'sgiving me more ideas why this is
necessary thing to do.
So it's, it's definitely been,an interesting journey.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
And it'll continue.
I mean it, you know it's, it'sone of those things that it's a
um, but it sounds like you'regoing to make the most of it.
I'm sure your students havebeen ecstatic and you know,
obviously, your former student,your former students I'm still
thinking about you.
What's your advice for somebodyI mean, we're always needing
(37:49):
more teachers.
I mean we have a teachingshortage Like, what's your
advice for someone who is in acareer that might be considering
teaching?
Basically, what's your advicefor them and how would you get
them to think about, like, makethe move?
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Yeah, um, and and I think these questions should ask
should be asked from somebodythat changed careers, because
when you look from teaching fromthe outside, uh, it looks very
easy.
You go in, you you spend acouple of hours with your kids
and you go home and you havenothing to do, right, and you
don't necessarily think aboutall of that.
(38:27):
So I think it is good that bothsides are brought in.
You can see, I have a passionfor this and I will tell people
it is an amazing, amazing career.
You can't get bored.
You're always learningsomething new.
(38:48):
You know that you're making adifference one way or the other
If you want to.
There is so many ways you canmake a difference and you keep
fresh with the world.
Also, you keep up with thetechnology.
You keep up with the news.
You understand where theteenagers are coming from.
So, um, very rewarding career.
Having said that, the first yearis going to be challenging
(39:10):
because you have no idea how todeal with kids.
When I first started, I thoughtyou teach, you deal with them
like, uh, they are, uh, adults,okay, no, you can't, but you
also cannot treat them like kids.
So you've got to learn how todeal with them.
You've got to learn how to dealwith the parents and what to say
, what not to say, and how youcan make the classes interesting
(39:33):
when you're just like 10minutes ahead of the student
that first year, you know, orhow do you, how do you get?
And I tell them that this isall made easier if you have some
really good mentors around you.
If you go into some classroomsand look and ask, and there is
always, there are always theseteachers, because I think that
(39:54):
is one of the characteristics ofteachers is that we like to
help each other, so there willalways be the one that will give
you some techniques that youcan try and then slowly you make
your own techniques.
Again, I cannot stress enoughhow it's important that they
make the students feel seen,make the students feel respected
, because then they can reallystart figuring out how to do
(40:17):
this without having theexperiences that could be very
negative in the first year.
So it's going to take a littletime, but it is very satisfying
and it is very enlightening andit's a great career.
Speaker 3 (40:33):
Solid advice.
Last question why teach science?
Speaker 1 (40:41):
Why teach science?
I will tell you why teachscience.
Why teach science?
I will tell you why teachscience.
To learn how to criticallythink about information.
Look at more than one side.
Use logic and not just take thefirst comment that comes at you
.
To get into great careersbiotechnology, engineering,
chemistry great careersbiotechnology, engineering,
chemistry, environmental science, the medical field Again, logic
(41:12):
and critical thinking skillsthat make life so much better.
To understand the world better.
If you need to fix your sink oryour toilet, did you understand
a little bit about water flowand gravity so you don't end up
with too many broken parts andwater all over the place?
So to get the part of thinkingthat is more analytical.
At the same time, you're goingto be also creative, so that you
(41:37):
can really think and applyinformation and not fall for
every little scam that is outthere as well.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Well, you are definitely no scam.
You are the true thing.
I have adored this conversation, I have to admit.
I have to admit I'm like now,you know, I need to go out into
my pool and, you know, do Ifloat.
What happens?
Speaker 2 (42:02):
You know I, you know things that are coming at me.
I don't know if you've noticedthis whole time.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
I'm like I'm watching you and not that you are ever
judging me but I'm like, am Isitting up straight and then I
would like do this, and then Iwould slouch and I'm like, ooh,
ooh, Like I need that properadvice.
I get that, but I have enjoyedthis conversation, so have I.
(42:31):
I know our listeners will takea lot from this and I hope you
have an amazing rest of theschool year.
Speaker 1 (42:40):
Thank you very much.
I've enjoyed this tremendously.
I never talk about what I love,but thank you.
Thank you for the wonderfulquestions.
It was amazing.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
You're welcome.
If you or someone you knowwould like to be a guest on the
Teachers in America podcast,please email us at shaped at
hmhcocom.
Be the first to hear newepisodes of Teachers in America
by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, spotify or wherever you listen
to podcasts.
If you enjoyed today's show,please rate, review and share it
(43:10):
with your network.
You can find the transcript ofthis episode on our SHAPE blog
by visiting hmhcocom.
Forward slash SHAPE.
The link is in the show notes.
The Teachers in America podcastis a production of HMH.
Executive producers areChristine Condon and Tim Lee.
Editorial direction is byChristine Condon.
(43:32):
It is creatively directed andaudio engineered by Tim Lee.
Our producer and editor isJennifer Carujo.
Production designers are MiaFry and Thomas Velazquez.
Shape blog post editors for thepodcast are Christine Condon,
jennifer Caruho and Alicia Ivory.
Thanks again for listening.
Having this Friday works for the teachers and the
students to be able to step back, which allows for more creative
work.
I can have actually timewithout having to rush, without
having students come at me toreally plan something and come
up with innovative ideas, whereI really can sit and think.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome to Teachers in America, where we celebrate
teachers and their lastingimpact on students' learning,
journeys and lives.
I'm Jen Carujo and I'm acontent producer at HMH.
Across the country, moreschools are making the switch to
a four-day school week, but 20years ago my school, pompano
Beach High, was alreadyoperating on this now-trending
schedule.
I decided to contact my formerhigh school science teacher, dr
(00:45):
Claudia Sinkornrat, to get herinsight on the four-day school
week.
In this episode with hostNoelle Morris, dr Sinkornrat
will share how she navigates thelonger school hours and how the
shorter schedule impactsstudents' learning.
Now let's get to the episode.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Well, welcome, dr Sinkornrat.
We're so excited to have you onTeachers in America.
I'm Noelle Morris, the host.
I've heard great things aboutyou from our producer, jen, and
so let's get the conversationstarted with a topic that's
actually being discussed acrossthe country right now, which is
your school.
Is a four-day school weekcorrect?
(01:24):
Tell us about that and whatthat means for your schedule,
and then I'll ask some follow-upquestions, but definitely
curious about how it works foryou.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Gladly so.
Our school day is pretty long.
Monday through Thursdays we gofrom 7 in the morning and the
students end at 3.30.
The teachers end at 4.10 withhalf an hour lunch in there.
Fridays neither the studentsnor the teachers have to come to
(01:58):
school.
But that doesn't mean thatnothing is happening in the
school.
We many times have someenrichment going on, we have
tutoring going on.
We have all kinds of activitiesgoing on.
If a teacher also would like togo and plan at the school
rather than at home, that workstoo.
The classes in themselves arealso pretty long.
(02:21):
Mine is almost two hours long.
I teach four blocks a day.
We are on ABAB block and theyare 160 minutes long, which is
almost two hours.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Right, wow, so tell me more about the.
Explain more about thatenrichment.
So, if I heard what you'resaying, you and your students
are on four days a week, andFriday doesn't mean that the
school is closed.
It's open for all of thosethings that might generally
happen after school oropportunities for students for
(02:55):
enrichment, tutoring or teacherplanning it actually is extra.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
So we have clubs and everything going on every day
too, so the day becomes prettylong, especially for our sports
kids.
Many times they don't get hometill 9, 10 at night, but I think
in other sports it is that.
But, for example, when I willrun my AP biology extra sessions
, I do that in a Friday morningmany times to get the kids in
(03:25):
that need to.
We have several of thecheerleading things going on.
We have debate tournamentsgoing on, also any other
practices, tutoring for the kidsthat are not doing really well.
We give them extra Fridaysessions.
There's volunteer opportunitiesand such, and, as I said, it's
(03:46):
not required but a lot of uswill do it.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
That's the teacher way you know for all of us,
right?
That's why we know it's likeit's one of those things.
Now did you?
I want to ask this question.
Then we're going to talk abouthow it's impacted learning, and
you've already alluded to thelong day.
Was it a choice?
Did you all get a choice?
Was it going to be Friday, thenot in brick and mortar, or was
(04:15):
it?
Were there other options?
Speaker 1 (04:19):
No, we were tagging along another school that had
started this and the otherschool started it because that
would be our parent school.
I'm in a full magnet school andat the parent school a lot of
kids, because of theirsocioeconomic class being low
and going to work they startedthe day and they tried it as an
(04:43):
experiment and they wanted toFriday, Saturday so that they
could work.
That school has given this uplong ago because it didn't work
for them Okay.
And that schedule just stuckwith us and actually everybody
at the school that I am at lovesit.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
And what are you noticing about the impact on
student learning?
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Okay, there are pros and cons.
Needless to say, I'm going togo with the pros first.
Number one having this Fridayworks for the teachers and the
students to be able to step back, which allows for more creative
work.
I can have actually timewithout having to rush, without
(05:26):
having students come at me toreally plan something and come
up with innovative ideas, whereI really can sit and think.
Also, as I told you, the daysare very long at our school, so
for students to study after theydid already all their academics
, sometimes it's very difficult,and I think that may be true in
general, but especially if theday is that long.
(05:46):
So for them having the time tobe able to say, okay, I'm going
to do this Friday or Saturday,makes it much easier in that
sense and I find that they canwork better.
A lot of students will tell methat I already mentioned the
enrichment, so that there ismore independent learning,
there's more, there are moreactivities, and I think one
(06:08):
thing that we should also thinkabout is, in the long run,
because we're running teachershortage.
It does attract teachersbecause it is very acceptable in
that sense.
I have to tell you that extratime that I put on in the
afternoon is well worth it forme to have this extra day off.
Wow.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Yeah, Whatever I could Right, Whatever you define
off as, but I love what you'retalking about the innovative
nature, the ability to becreative, you know, do more
collaborative without the rushright, Because when we're
rushing, collaboration is oftenthe first to go.
What have you?
(06:51):
Have y'all done any data oranalytics around?
Speaker 1 (07:15):
how many students do come to the school on Friday and
how many teachers AP exams comecloser, you're going to have
more people.
Also, we have end-of-courseexams, so that will make a
difference.
Sometimes, when we do bigcharity events, like for
Thanksgiving, you will see more.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
And more collaboration with the community
.
And how are families?
How have they made theadjustment?
Speaker 1 (07:45):
families.
How have they made theadjustment?
Well, that goes maybe a littlebit also with the cons.
When you have that kind ofschedule, Fridays can be a
problem if you have teenagers athome and the parents are
working and stuff even though Ithink it works okay for many of
our teenagers, but there is nobus service.
(08:07):
So when the kids want to go, ifthey're not driving, if many
are not getting to school, maybe an issue.
So it's not necessarily thebest for equality if you are a
magnet school, because we getkids from all over, If you are a
neighborhood school, it may notbe a bad idea because also,
again, they can get there.
(08:28):
Remember, also free and reducedlunches need to be somehow
provided, and they would be, butthe students have to make it to
school.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Okay, thank you.
Thank you for that insight.
I'm sure listeners you knowwill appreciate that.
I'm sure listeners willappreciate that.
Now, how are you managing yourinstructional time, so 160
minutes times four, even thoughit equates to similarly in an
A-B schedule across five days?
(08:56):
What adjustments did you make?
How are you managing now?
And then I'm going to love ifyou would share one of your
thoughts when you first startedthis, because I'm going to be
honest, claudia, I would go homeprobably exhausted, like I
might sleep in my car for alittle bit before I even make it
(09:18):
into my house.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Well, spoken like a true teacher.
You're not right.
So, yes, the classes are longand I have to say you cannot
pack the same five days intofour days, because there is
going to be a point where inclass the kids are going to be
fatigued.
You cannot just add on an extrahour of lecturing when you have
(09:44):
them fatigued.
So the day in that sense ishard on the teachers but it's
also hard on the kids.
So you have to figure thingsout and I feel that you have to
be a lot more active, whichnowadays for me is very
important anyway, Because thereis so much input into their mind
that they easily tune you out.
(10:05):
So you cannot lecture all thetime.
I think in a long class numberone, you can't Number two again
with them.
Having overstimulation is aproblem.
So I try to maybe do a littlepower lecture 15, maximum 20
minutes, even with my AP kids.
(10:25):
I find that after that I wouldlose them.
And then you add activities uh,group discussions, uh,
application questions,activities where they're using
hands-on.
I'm trying to incorporate asmuch movement as I can and as
much active thinking so thatthey're not sitting back and
taking it in like social mediaor movies, that they're actually
(10:48):
participating.
I find sometimes that that canbe an issue.
And with the long blocks,especially the last block, I
have an AP bio class.
That is the nicest class andthey're trying to participate.
So I really have to get them tomove around and everything so
that they can get themselves todo this and not feel that mental
(11:09):
fatigue.
So a lot of activities, a lotof change of pace is, I think,
extremely important.
And then I do the crazy thingwhich my school allows me to I
take every single one of myclasses for a seven minute walk.
School allows me to.
I take every single one of myclasses for a seven minute walk.
That time is very well spentbecause when my kids come back
(11:30):
they are so much fresher andbecause they like the walks and
they're happy with me, they gottheir social time in.
I can observe how the dynamicsare going.
I can do one-on-ones with thekids that don't need it, so when
they come back refreshed andwith goodwill, it makes it much
better.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Now I'm really now curious about the seven-minute
walk.
But I want to ask you aquestion, because you mentioned
student fatigue like end of dayfatigue.
So does that mean your A-Bschedule is it fixed times or
does sometimes this afternooncome in the morning, or is it
(12:09):
always afternoon?
Speaker 1 (12:11):
In my district, the same classes every day on a blue
day and the same classes on agold day.
So my fourth period is alwaysgoing to be my fourth period and
I would love to see what you'resaying, because I see such a
difference in my second periodand my fourth period for the
same class.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Obviously, so now let's unpack this seven-minute
walk, because the fact that youfigured out this brain break,
this need for a mindfulnessmoment with high school students
how did you set up thoseexpectations and are we all
(12:50):
walking together?
Tell us more about that.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Yes, I have to tell you I've been doing this work
for maybe now 15 years.
Oh, every time before they goout of the classroom, please
shush in the hallway, do nottalk.
And they make fun of me becauseof my shush.
They all try.
Oh shush, she said shush, butso I sent them.
Uh out there.
Uh, going down is usuallybecause there's not too much.
(13:17):
Uh, there are not too manyclasses, they're a little bit
louder.
Then it's a group that is aloosely formed group and I like
that because it gives me an ideato observe the group dynamics.
So if I see that a group isworking well together, I will
use it in a classroom.
If I see the kid that is beingleft behind or that feels a
(13:37):
little bit left out, I will seeinto what group I put them into.
How can I get them moreinvolved so that they don't feel
awkward in class?
Because you've got to haveeverybody feeling comfortable in
class and so many times I willtarget different students and I
will walk with them.
And the one oh, you didn't dowell on the test.
When do you want to do theretake?
(13:58):
What new learning strategy areyou going to try?
Let's do this, or are youdistressed?
So?
And look, I was a chiropractorbefore.
We're probably going to talkabout that later.
For me, I'm hoping that theytake this health skill to work,
that they're not just sittingaround but moving around, and
(14:19):
the goodwill, the lack ofdiscipline issues, because of
something so simple is amazing.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Oh, I love that.
I um.
I hope that our listeners likepeeked in.
Even if you don't have a fourday um school week, that just
seems to be that you'veincorporated into almost a
formative assessment of gettingto know and building this
culture within, I mean withinyour classroom, outside of the
(14:44):
classroom.
Hey, teacher friends, if you'rean HMH user, did you know you
have access to Teacher's Corneron Ed Included with every HMH
program?
Teacher's Corner is a communityof teachers, learning experts
and coaches gathered in oneplace to support you with a new
kind of professional learningbite-sized, teacher-selected and
teacher-driven, with on-demandsessions, lesson demonstrations,
(15:08):
program support and practicalresources.
Teacher's Corner lets youchoose how you interact with our
content.
I like to think about it asinspiration on demand with our
content.
I like to think about it asinspiration on demand.
Now let's talk about.
You mentioned lectures.
(15:31):
You mentioned, you know, labs.
We have not specifically saidwhat subject you teach, so I
hope everybody has inferredscience is in Claudia'sudia's um
discipline, but, but, but, dr,sink and rat.
Let's like tell everybody whatyou teach every day.
What are your four classes?
Speaker 1 (15:48):
I teach.
I teach ap biology on one dayand anatomy and physiology on
the other day.
It worked out really wellbecause it makes it easy.
Anatomy and physiology getsrepetitive after a while.
But those are the two classes Iteach and I kind of liked it.
I teach two classes becauseeven after all this time I will
(16:09):
always try to reinvent the wheelin a way just to keep it fresh.
I'm constantly, and that's whyI like my Fridays, because then
I can say, oh, let's do the new,let's do this activity, let's
try that activity.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I love this.
So you were a chiropractorbefore?
Yes, which is probably also whyyou are about the movement
staying stretch.
You know how.
The ergonomics of yourclassroom?
I would love to see yourclassroom see if your desk and
(16:42):
chairs looked like mine, or areyou more?
You know thinking about theergonomics behind the learning?
Tell us how you went from beinga chiropractor to coming into
the classroom.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
I practiced for 10 years but to be honest,
especially the business part ofchiropractic, I found it to be
very stressful and I didn'treally enjoy it.
And I realized that every timesomebody said, would you give a
guest lecture?
Oh I was there, I was doing theguest lecture and I had taught
while I was waiting to get mylicense.
(17:17):
In Florida, I taught a semesterat a massage school and I loved
it.
So I decided I'm going to makethe switch and I switched into
this and it actually worked outas a really great switch for me
because I absolutely loveteaching, I love my kids, but it
also gives me a lot of realworld experience that I can
(17:40):
bring to class, which is a lotof fun.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Do you run any of these um mindfulness and
stretching with your fellowfaculty?
Like I would totally have youat a faculty meeting leading
some of this?
Speaker 1 (17:58):
at a faculty meeting leading some of this we are
doing.
Time-wise that may be a littlebit of an issue, but we've done,
and little groups.
We had our group that we weredoing either some Tai Chi or
some meditation here and there,but I also bring it into the
classroom, especially withanatomy during the nervous
system.
It's a little bit iffy in thelast period because it would be
(18:21):
easy to fall asleep, so you doit just before you go for the
walk.
But here and there we are and westarted a couple of times a
little bit of exercise afterschool, but we're busy with our
students.
It's difficult to get that done.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
And how are the skills from being a chiropractor
?
What do you naturally elevatewithin your coursework?
That is just.
It's going to be special.
Because I was one of yourstudents, I know I'm going to
get this little bit of extrajust because of your background.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
I am such a fan of the human body and how to
maintain it, so all the thingsthat lead to healthy habits
mentally and physically no, yes,mentally and physically are
important to me.
So when I talk about how to eathealthier here, a lot of stress
(19:21):
.
How can you bring the stressdown?
How can you study so you haveless stress?
How can you keep the body andmind going so that you can
actually enjoy life and actuallyget the most out of it?
I can bring in a lot of storiesof patients that I had.
The kids absolutely love that.
I bring in some of the skillswe do blood pressure.
(19:42):
I show them how to do some ofthe vision tests and color
vision and stigmatism.
They love all of that.
So there's a lot of theselittle bit of hands-on you know
little fitness tests and all ofthat.
It really makes a bigdifference.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Now?
Have you been able to keep intouch with any of your former
students?
I mean, have they reported backto you, taking some of your
additional practices with themto their career or college?
Speaker 1 (20:12):
Because of another event.
I got a lot of emails back fromstudents lately and they were
telling me that you know some ohmy God, I ended up going into
the health care profession.
I also hear the kids when theyexercise a lot and say, see, I'm
(20:32):
still doing it, I didn't stopafter high school and I find
that very good.
But the things that probablyeven excite me more is when I
hear back that I helped themthrough a difficult or hard time
.
When they felt maybe alone, orwhen they didn't know what to do
(20:54):
, or when I just talked to thembecause they needed and that
they felt supported in thatsense, because I think a lot of
our kids may not be gettingenough of that nowadays.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
And is that something that is part of your seven
minute walk?
Do you also have those justconversations walking?
Speaker 1 (21:16):
Absolutely.
If I have a distressed kid, I'mgoing to pull them a little bit
aside.
As I said, we can walk a littlebit loosely.
I just hold them back togetherbefore we go back into the
school so we don't make too muchnoise.
But they know they have to stayaround.
But I have enough time that Ican pull them aside and we can
talk.
I will also not mind stoppingmy class for a minute.
(21:40):
If I see that a kid is verydistressed.
I take them out.
We have a little hallway in theback and I will talk to them.
Because there are things thatare more important and it shows
the kids that you don't leavepeople alone, that you help them
when they need help and thatyou do it nicely and seamlessly
and that you just just you'rethere for the people around you?
Speaker 3 (22:02):
I mean, you're already melting my heart.
What now?
Let's talk about similar tomath, and even you know reading
and writing.
You know we all have studentsthat are intimidated by the
discipline that we love and arepassionate about.
So how do you recognizestudents that are intimidated by
(22:25):
science and what are someapproaches that you do to break
that down, to change the waythat they're thinking about
learning science?
Speaker 1 (22:35):
I think the important thing is that you build a good
rapport with your students sothat they feel they can talk to
you and that they want to talkto you.
And so you will hear but I'mnot good in science.
I've never did good in sciencetests.
I'm not going to study sciencebecause I cannot handle this,
and I think there are a coupleof techniques that work really
(22:58):
well.
With that Number one, show themstudy techniques and then allow
them to use them and to trythose techniques.
Many times I have 12th gradersthat I ask them so how are you
studying this?
And they tell me I read thenotes In 12th grade.
Nobody has really told them yet.
(23:18):
There is this, this, this, this, all these other techniques.
Um, it would be so much betterwhen you do this.
So we go through some of those.
But then also you need to allowthem to fail and to remediate
it so they don't feel sohelpless.
Many times tests are given and,okay, you got a 72.
That's all you're going to everget.
(23:39):
But if somebody wants to betterthemselves, yes, I will give
you a different test if youstudy and let's try something
else, so that they have thesafety and then celebrate the
success.
Show them that they're growing,show them that they can handle
it, and show them when they comeup with good ideas.
When you have discussions inclass or group work, see you
(24:00):
figure this out, uh, but alsoalways tie it in with things
that they like.
So you need to know yourstudents better and make sure
that you that you know.
So if they like dancing and Ibrought it up in a video I had
to do uh, and and this kid couldnot figure out why we needed
atp in the cell and, and so Ibrought in the dancing and I
(24:22):
said, uh, do you get tired whenyou dance?
And then he put things togetheruh, so once you can bring it to
their level and attach it towhat they're passionate about,
that many times uh works, uhtremendously well.
So got to see what youraudience is and work with them
(24:42):
in that sense and never, everlet them think that they can't
do it and show them that littleby little, progress.
It doesn't have to be from an Fto an A in a day.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Oh, just those micro goals Was another real-world
practice or a way that you bringthe real world into your
classroom.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
I have gotten several guest speakers.
I used to go to a universityhere in Florida and gotten the
last biotechnology so that Icould show them, but I could
also borrow the equipment of theuniversity and sometimes they
would even send the speakersplus the technology and oh, did
(25:26):
the kids feel wonderful becausethey were interacting with it.
I have had students that werein my class before that now are
graduated in the health fieldand in science field come back
and talk to them because theycan relate to that.
I am working with anotherteacher to do 3D models,
printing models of some of theprocesses and some of the
(25:50):
concepts that we are dealingwith.
And then, because I like humanbody and health so much, I
always get back to that and theycan relate to that fairly well.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
The 3D printing has come up a couple of times in
some of our episodes.
Was that a big process?
Was that just something thatyour school already was planning
on getting, or was that aninitiative you and some of your
peers and fellow faculty put ina grant or put in a request for?
Speaker 1 (26:25):
We're a technology school but I understand there is
a lot of now that the 3Dprinting companies are even
looking for schools because theywant their kids to understand
it so that they get excitedabout using that technology.
But in that sense we had it alittle bit easier.
But at the beginning they werejust making models and some of
(26:47):
them were already pre-programmedin the machine.
So the teacher and I just saidno, no, let's try to do
something different.
And we had them design somethingand then some students took it
further and made it even likemovable models.
That was, I think, where theythen really saw, because then
(27:08):
they saw they can really do itdifferent.
It's not just pressing somebuttons and getting a beautiful
skull.
You know, it's coming up anidea, problem solving because
the first two or three timesit's not going to work, and then
figuring out how to do that.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
And, as far as collaboration, it's one of the
top skills that we all need tohave.
In fact, the workplace ischanging more and more.
Even if you are virtual remote,you're collaborating, you're
problem-solving with others.
How are you bringing that andfostering collaboration and the
(27:46):
thought of collaborating beforeisolating your thinking?
How are you approaching that inyour classroom?
Speaker 1 (27:56):
I do a lot of group work so that they can discuss
together and figure out and docreative thinking.
Sometimes they start on theirown and then they go into groups
.
I usually let them go intotheir own groups most of the
time because I want them to becomfortable and I want them to
(28:17):
be in the level.
Once in a while I will guidestudents, but most of the time I
want them to form their owngroups because then they are
more willing to talk and tobrainstorm.
That means you have to givethem work where they have to
find something out.
And then at the beginning of theyear I may assign roles, but
(28:39):
more and more at the end I trynot to.
And then I observe the groupsand if somebody is disengaged
then I will maybe talk to themand figure out what to do.
Funnily enough and we know thatwith women in science, many
times I will always have onegroup somewhere where the girls
(29:00):
end up having to writeeverything and everything.
And then I go and I make surethat that is not the pattern and
that this could be donedifferently, that everybody
should be taking notes, not justthe girls.
So I think also giving them,empowering them to no, don't be
shy, your ideas are supposed tobe there.
(29:27):
I think another big thing thatwe really have to work on is the
soft skills.
I find that maybe it's becauseof the phone or so that
sometimes the Curtis speakingwaiting for somebody to finish
their sentence.
All of those skills, how youwork together and be also
tolerant and patient and notthink my opinion is the only one
(29:49):
and that's it.
But how you work together, evenif you don't necessarily agree,
is extremely important, and youcan do that when you have this
work as long as you're walkingaround and you are just guiding
them and they they're already ina classroom that I don't allow
even eye rolling in my classroomright from the beginning,
because I don't want anyjudgment.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
I would have gotten in so much trouble.
Claudia, I would get.
I mean because I'm an eyeroller, but it's it's more
towards direction, like, like agiven being, given a directive.
That I'm just like, seriously,you know, that's where my eye
roll.
But I'm curious about, I love,I love the conversation about
the soft, still the soft skills,um one I.
(30:34):
One of the things I was justthinking about the other day,
and so I would love to hear yourthoughts on it, is building
that confidence in spaces whereyou know all about innovation is
brain, is workshopping,brainstorming, throwing things
out there, and you have tosometimes say, say the things
(30:56):
and even if others like laugh atit at first or like that sounds
ridiculous, having the buildingthe confidence, confidence
inside, like all right, well,you might say it's ridiculous,
but here's why I'm throwing thisout there, or envisioning how
do you teach that?
Or how do you recognizelearners who you know you do not
(31:18):
want them to hold themselvesback at the same time, how
you're building that toleranceto let things just be thrown out
there to be heard.
Speaker 1 (31:29):
Taking those intellectual risks.
I always tell them to do that,but it is not always easy and at
the beginning sometimes peoplewill chuckle.
But what I tend to do is then Itend to turn the comments maybe
around to where it made a lotof sense of what the person said
and that the other people maynot have seen it, and I make
(31:50):
this like a learning experience.
I say, and then I say you see,this wasn't what you meant.
But I also am very good atlaughing at myself and when I
make mistakes.
So I make it okay to makemistakes and it is actually, you
know.
I mean, if we didn't make themistake, you know number one we
(32:13):
wouldn't have the fun that we'rehaving right now.
But also, this is what lifetakes.
You cannot grow unless you makemistakes.
Okay, and I go into life is onebig mistake after another.
You know, if you keep learning,you're going to make mistakes.
And I go into life is one bigmistake after another.
If you keep learning, you'regoing to make mistakes.
But building the tolerance andhaving people keep their
(32:36):
opinions a little bit tothemselves, I'm very big in
teaching them not tocharacterize people by one or
two words, which we humans arevery good, that person is smart,
that person is stupid, thatperson.
And I show them that no personjust has one characteristic and
to respect that.
So that openness is veryimportant.
(33:00):
Just two days ago, I tell mystudents I don't do math in
public because I will mess upall the math factors that I did.
And in that class I had to do alot of math and I had it even
written down and I was messingit all up and I turned around
and I said look, um, and we werehaving fun, they were chuckling
.
I turned around and said ifthis is the only thing about
that you knew about me, howwould you feel?
(33:23):
And I told them not to answerit, see.
So I told them you know we allhave different strengths, so
look for the strengths and thenyou just keep reinforcing that.
I think the classroomenvironment is very important
and it takes a while to set itup at the beginning so that you
can and then throw out ideas,and when they throw it out at me
(33:47):
, I'm always going to turn itaround into something.
Yeah, we can use this, let's goa little bit further there, and
never.
No, this is not acceptable,because that's where kids, I
think, shut down, make them feelheard, make them feel important
, make them feel like, oh, I dohave something valuable to
contribute.
That's what the feeling thatyou need to give to the kids.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
Oh well, I can tell, I know why Jen still thinks
about you, because our producer,jen, had you as a teacher and
she spoke so highly of you andso having that imprint on
someone like you know you'reopening my heart even more than
(34:27):
I think I have, you know, one ofthe biggest hearts out there.
I'm, like I kind of like amloving what you're saying, which
is why my other understandingfrom my notes is that you've
just been announced the BrowardCounty Teacher of the Year.
How did that feel when you gotthe news?
(34:48):
You know, how did you getnominated?
Because I can also see theteacher in you.
Like, sometimes we have a hardtime being praised or being
recognized because we wantcollectively everybody to have
that.
But I can tell you from thisconversation, I can understand
why someone would have nominatedyou, but tell us how.
(35:11):
What's going through your mind?
Because it's just been recent.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Yes, yes, I will, I will and I will be quite honest
about this.
In my school, first the schooldecides and usually you get
voted in by the rest of thestaff, and that was not my first
time.
I was selected teacher of theyear.
I mean, you know 50 teachers,it's going to happen here and
there.
And then I got a wholeafternoon to do my whole
(35:39):
application for the county, okay, so at one o'clock I had to
start and by four I had to haveit ready with three letters of
recommendation.
So, going through it fast, Iwent and then didn't think of it
much more, and then Browardfirst said that I was a
semi-finalist and then that Iwas a finalist.
(36:00):
When they announced thisfinalist, they even came into,
they visited each of thefinalists and they that I was a
finalist.
When they announced thisfinalist, they even came into,
they visited each of thefinalists and they brought it
back.
And you are right, I don't like.
I like being in front of myclassroom, the spotlight I am.
I had a hard time and, to behonest with you, I felt a lot of
imposter syndrome because I dowhat I think I should be doing.
(36:23):
I don't think I'm doing thisabove and beyond, which is so
valuable in so many differentways that people do.
They bring grants in, they doall these different projects
which I think they're amazing.
So why am I there?
Type of idea, type of idea andum, and then this spotlight here
(36:50):
, video, their video, um, talkhere, do this.
That has been, it's been, alearning experience to get there
, uh, but uh, on the other hand,it has recharged me because I'm
keep thinking again about again, again, what teaching is and it
is uh, just giving me againthis renewed energy to do more
and maybe, maybe, I should reachout to more people.
You know, I do some workshopsin school.
(37:10):
I, as you know, they always askme to do some of the uh
professional uh, development andI usually and classroom
management or so, and it'sgiving me more ideas why this is
necessary thing to do.
So it's, it's definitely been,an interesting journey.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
And it'll continue.
I mean it, you know it's, it'sone of those things that it's a
um, but it sounds like you'regoing to make the most of it.
I'm sure your students havebeen ecstatic and you know,
obviously, your former student,your former students I'm still
thinking about you.
What's your advice for somebodyI mean, we're always needing
(37:49):
more teachers.
I mean we have a teachingshortage Like, what's your
advice for someone who is in acareer that might be considering
teaching?
Basically, what's your advicefor them and how would you get
them to think about, like, makethe move?
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Yeah, um, and and I think these questions should ask
should be asked from somebodythat changed careers, because
when you look from teaching fromthe outside, uh, it looks very
easy.
You go in, you you spend acouple of hours with your kids
and you go home and you havenothing to do, right, and you
don't necessarily think aboutall of that.
(38:27):
So I think it is good that bothsides are brought in.
You can see, I have a passionfor this and I will tell people
it is an amazing, amazing career.
You can't get bored.
You're always learningsomething new.
(38:48):
You know that you're making adifference one way or the other
If you want to.
There is so many ways you canmake a difference and you keep
fresh with the world.
Also, you keep up with thetechnology.
You keep up with the news.
You understand where theteenagers are coming from.
So, um, very rewarding career.
Having said that, the first yearis going to be challenging
(39:10):
because you have no idea how todeal with kids.
When I first started, I thoughtyou teach, you deal with them
like, uh, they are, uh, adults,okay, no, you can't, but you
also cannot treat them like kids.
So you've got to learn how todeal with them.
You've got to learn how to dealwith the parents and what to say
, what not to say, and how youcan make the classes interesting
(39:33):
when you're just like 10minutes ahead of the student
that first year, you know, orhow do you, how do you get?
And I tell them that this isall made easier if you have some
really good mentors around you.
If you go into some classroomsand look and ask, and there is
always, there are always theseteachers, because I think that
(39:54):
is one of the characteristics ofteachers is that we like to
help each other, so there willalways be the one that will give
you some techniques that youcan try and then slowly you make
your own techniques.
Again, I cannot stress enoughhow it's important that they
make the students feel seen,make the students feel respected
, because then they can reallystart figuring out how to do
(40:17):
this without having theexperiences that could be very
negative in the first year.
So it's going to take a littletime, but it is very satisfying
and it is very enlightening andit's a great career.
Speaker 3 (40:33):
Solid advice.
Last question why teach science?
Speaker 1 (40:41):
Why teach science?
I will tell you why teachscience.
Why teach science?
I will tell you why teachscience.
To learn how to criticallythink about information.
Look at more than one side.
Use logic and not just take thefirst comment that comes at you
.
To get into great careersbiotechnology, engineering,
chemistry great careersbiotechnology, engineering,
chemistry, environmental science, the medical field Again, logic
(41:12):
and critical thinking skillsthat make life so much better.
To understand the world better.
If you need to fix your sink oryour toilet, did you understand
a little bit about water flowand gravity so you don't end up
with too many broken parts andwater all over the place?
So to get the part of thinkingthat is more analytical.
At the same time, you're goingto be also creative, so that you
(41:37):
can really think and applyinformation and not fall for
every little scam that is outthere as well.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
Well, you are definitely no scam.
You are the true thing.
I have adored this conversation, I have to admit.
I have to admit I'm like now,you know, I need to go out into
my pool and, you know, do Ifloat.
What happens?
Speaker 2 (42:02):
You know I, you know things that are coming at me.
I don't know if you've noticedthis whole time.
Speaker 3 (42:10):
I'm like I'm watching you and not that you are ever
judging me but I'm like, am Isitting up straight and then I
would like do this, and then Iwould slouch and I'm like, ooh,
ooh, Like I need that properadvice.
I get that, but I have enjoyedthis conversation, so have I.
(42:31):
I know our listeners will takea lot from this and I hope you
have an amazing rest of theschool year.
Speaker 1 (42:40):
Thank you very much.
I've enjoyed this tremendously.
I never talk about what I love,but thank you.
Thank you for the wonderfulquestions.
It was amazing.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
You're welcome.
If you or someone you knowwould like to be a guest on the
Teachers in America podcast,please email us at shaped at
hmhcocom.
Be the first to hear newepisodes of Teachers in America
by subscribing on Apple Podcasts, spotify or wherever you listen
to podcasts.
If you enjoyed today's show,please rate, review and share it
(43:10):
with your network.
You can find the transcript ofthis episode on our SHAPE blog
by visiting hmhcocom.
Forward slash SHAPE.
The link is in the show notes.
The Teachers in America podcastis a production of HMH.
Executive producers areChristine Condon and Tim Lee.
Editorial direction is byChristine Condon.
(43:32):
It is creatively directed andaudio engineered by Tim Lee.
Our producer and editor isJennifer Carujo.
Production designers are MiaFry and Thomas Velazquez.
Shape blog post editors for thepodcast are Christine Condon,
jennifer Caruho and Alicia Ivory.
Thanks again for listening.
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