Editorials – Page 2

If you have an Instagram account, Twitter account, or Facebook, you’ve seen it. THE lightbox. The “must-have” teacher accessory of the back-to-school season. If you’re anything like me, you might have been intrigued the first 36 times you saw it. You might have even scoped it out on an unrelated run to Michael’s or Jo-Ann’s. If you are me, you likely messaged with your teacher BFFs hoping they too would have the little voice in the back of their head saying – what in the world?!

Which leads me to…

#1. It is just one. more. thing. to manage.

I don’t know about you, but on more than one occasion my classroom calendar has been two months behind. Once it said December after Spring Break. If I’m being completely honest, there are times when my pile of papers to grade is taller than my three year-old. I would be the teacher that has “Welcome Back!” on my lightbox in February. Or I’d have the vocabulary words from three units ago displayed in lights during my formal observation. I know myself. This would be one more thing on an ever-growing list of things that I’d have to keep track of and well, I wouldn’t.

#2. It is just one. more. potential distraction.

Full-disclosure: my rising second-grader has autism. He is highly distractable. He is the kid that will ask you about the Cold War (no, really) in the middle of your read-aloud about Thanksgiving. He is the kid that will stare – incessantly – at your lightbox while you’re trying to direct his attention to everywhere (anywhere, please for the love of Ticonderoga, anywhere) else. Lightbox-related job? He’s all over it. In fact, he’ll probably obsess over it. My point is this: there are likely to be some kids – maybe even many – for whom the lightbox will be a complete distraction. Negative-value added. My kiddo is one of them. And I can think of several past kiddos in my own classroom for whom it would also be true. Which leads me to my third and final point…

#3. What does it have to do with student achievement, really?

Now I know you might be thinking – geez, Sarah, could you be anymore of a killjoy? Yeah, I probably could be. And I totally acknowledge that the above question sounds like I could write the “active monitoring” manual for any number of state tests. More and more, though, this is a question I’ve been asking myself when I’ve been making decisions about my classroom. Student achievement is absolutely not the only thing I care about – I care an awful lot about my kiddos as tiny people, too (I mean, I spend my free time making things to that effect). But the most important job I have is to make sure each of my kiddos can experience success. I’m just not sure how a lightbox does that, especially when I consider points #1 and #2 above. There are other ways for me to display quotes, vocabulary, or emojis. For me, the time I spend making accessories for or updating the lightbox could be better spent elsewhere… and the risk of distracting my most vulnerable students is too high of a cost to bear in my classroom.

My bottom line is…

None of this is to say YOU shouldn’t buy one. I’m all about the #doYOU spirit. But for my fellow fence-sitters out there – my friends that scroll past trends like this on Instagram and have not-a-cool teacher guilt (it’s a thing, people!) – you’re not alone. Whatever your reason for not buying a lightbox (or single-handedly clearing out the Dollar Spot), it’s okay. I’m with you.

I’ve been an edublogger for almost four years now (although that term should be applied lightly as I’ve been more educator and less blogger as of late). I’ve noticed a trend: four years ago you’d see post after post about the goings-on of individual classrooms (with lots of authentic, unpolished images). Now the blogosphere and social media is filled with posts, images, and videos telling you (the reader and teacher) to do x, y, or z and why you should abandon a, b, and c.

As a teacher first and edublogger second, I have to say that I’m frustrated. I’m frustrated for new teachers, who may feel pulled in 1,000 different directions – and likely pit against the realities of their classrooms and the window dressing of social media (which the fantastic Jillian Starr talks about here). I’m frustrated for veteran teachers, who may feel like the many strategies and practices used during their successful teaching career are being called into question or labeled as “what not to do”. I’m frustrated for “in-between” teachers just hitting their stride in the profession, like myself, who now feel stuck between “what’s new” and “what’s working.”

After biting my tongue for months and scrolling on past image after image and post after post with the “you must do THIS” tone, it hit me like Monday morning on a full moon. We are, in many ways, doing to ourselves what we so ardently fight against legislators doing: making assumptions about classrooms other than our own and prescribing a one size fits all solution.

So this is my version of “you must do x, y, and z and NOT a, b, and c.”

Not every child will learn best sitting on the floor, a wobble chair, a rocker, a yoga ball, or while standing up. Some children will learn best at a desk.
Not every child will learn best with an iPad, or scanning a QR code, or making a video. Some children will learn best without a piece of technology in their hand.
Not every child will learn best by completing a craftivity, doing an interactive notebook, or finishing a recording sheet in a center. Some children will learn best with just a paper and pencil.
Not every child will learn best with a room filled from ceiling to floor with fluorescent anchor charts, laminated posters, or more bulletin board border than the teacher store. Some children will learn best with less stimulation.
Not every child’s behavior will be managed by classroom currency, a positive clip chart (yes, even mine!), brag tags, Class Dojo, or a positive note home. Some children will need a clip chart, color system, or “old-fashioned” phone call home.

Every child, however, will learn best with a teacher that considers their needs – not the needs of the child in a classroom clear across the country viewed through the lens of Periscope, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or a blog.

What’s one size fits all in education?

The need for a critically reflective, life-long learner in the role of teacher.

I believe fully that our community of educators in this digital space is a blessing. I have learned so much, and I have grown so much as an educator. I feel blessed to have shared my knowledge with other educators, too. But with an audience of this size, those of us that participate in these conversations about our practice have to acknowledge that we don’t know the reality of those on the other side of the connection – and must frame our opinions, strategies, and experiences accordingly.

If your students benefit from alternative seating? Rock on! If your students learn better by reading on an iPad? Do it! If your students are motivated by themed decorations and lots of color? Keep it!

At the end of the day, I don’t know what’s best for your classroom. I don’t know your students – or you! I can’t possibly give you better advice or insight than you can give yourself by making something your own. Do whatever is best for your students and leave the rest in your browser history.

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The Top 3 Reasons I Don’t Need a Lightbox

#1. It is just one. more. thing. to manage.

#2. It is just one. more. potential distraction.

#3. What does it have to do with student achievement, really?

My bottom line is…

#DoYOU: Just Say No to “One Size Fits All”