News and Issues: Teacher Spotlight ARCHIVE
A Note of Thanks, 2007
Kottie Christie-Blick in New Zealand, February 2007
To Madeline and Ellen:
I have worked with you from 1993 with me wheeling the science cart into your rooms, somehow surviving MathLand and on teams with both of you. I have learned so much and become more like you in your commitment to tough love and high standards of academic rigor.
“Around the World” was such a big help to me in teaching social studies. Ellen created that expository packet that had so much in it and was organized so well. The kids groaned at first, when I passed it out, because the thickness of the packet portended many hours of work for them. After I introduced the facets of it they were so excited to research the different aspects of the two countries, learn some of the language, color in the flags, compare and contrast… It was a masterful, teacher creation. They learned so much, not only about two countries, but also about researching, report writing, language, and presentation.
Ellen I remember how rigid and old school I thought you were when you challenged me over the “new, new math”. I was pretty mad at you (and most teachers were pretty steamed at me). You saw it for what it was, because of your experience and the teacherly, street-wise (hallway-wise?) wisdom that you had. Hindsight is 20-20 even for this myopic, idealistic teacher. I wish I had listened to you and saved everyone a lot of trouble, but, as you know, I wasn’t at the helm of that ship. I wonder what she’s doing these days?… but I digress. Thanks again for your commitment to academic rigor.
Madeline - such a lovely name – you also have mentored me. I’m amazed at how you weave materials and activities from so many different sources seamlessly into a coherent, rigorous, math curriculum, adding activities and enrichments of your own. I have learned so much from you.
The main thing Madeline mentors is to raise the bar and expect the children to stretch and grow. I’ve taken from you the principle of academic rigor with support. Expecting them to reach for it – to stretch some, and not spoon feeding them, but giving them appropriate support. From your modeling and your advice I’ve become, not only a better teacher but a better father to my kids as well.
You model love. These kids will look back and realize – hopefully – that you have loved them because they are equipped with perseverance, skills and knowledge that will take them through the challenges in life. They are better people because they had teachers who loved them enough NOT to coddle them and baby them, but instead to expect them to be responsible and hard working. You never wavered in that commitment. What I’m talking about is the idea of tough love. Children need this from us because they don’t get it from their parents these days.
I am going to miss both of you, sorely. I thank you from the heart, because I am a better teacher, leader and father because of my mentee relationships with you. I could have said so much more, but I wanted to keep it to one page, so I just highlighted some things.
Fair winds and following seas, as we used to say in the Navy.
--Philip Krump
Kottie Christie-Blick in New Zealand
Kottie
Christie-Blick has spent this school year living abroad in New Zealand.
What inspired you to go to New Zealand, and how long will you be there?
My husband and I are here in New Zealand for a year. Nick, a professor at Columbia University, gets a sabbatical every seven years, so this drives our timing and leave location. We have spent other sabbaticals in Australia and in England. New Zealand is made up of North Island and South Island. We live on the east coast of South Island, in the little seaside town of Sumner, outside of the city of Christchurch. We have no bank or petrol station in our town, but we do have a grocery store, postal shop, bakery, pub, and movie theater (An Inconvenient Truth has been a big hit over here!).
I have joined Global Educators for the year. It’s an organization in Wisconsin that places teachers in schools throughout the world to allow them to get into foreign schools while earning graduate credit. I worked with them several years ago when I was a visiting academic in Hong Kong. It provides a wonderful opportunity to learn what other countries deem to be important in the education of their youth.
What have been the highlights of your trip so far?
There are so many wonderful aspects of living here. First, and foremost, are the people. They are very welcoming to foreigners. Picture a culture that is predominantly a blend of traditional Britain and laid-back Southern California. Now mix in Maori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) and other Polynesians, Asians, and Indians. It is a very multi-cultural society that is accepting of human differences, and truly celebrates diversity.
New Zealand is also stunningly beautiful. Think of those shots of Lord of the Rings filmed here in the Southern Alps. Think of deep fiords and lush rainforests on the west coast, and sandy beaches and craggy coastlines on the east coast. Think of geysers and hot springs on the North Island, and rolling hills dotted with sheep and vineyards on the South Island. A year is not enough time to see it all, but we’re doing our best!
What is your impression of the
schools in New Zealand? How would you compare them to schools in the U.S.?
Global Educators has arranged for me to visit five schools, for two weeks each. It’s really been a wonderful experience, getting into the different schools and visiting a variety of classrooms. I am visiting only primary schools here, so the children range in age from five to thirteen. From what I’ve seen, the schools are not as content-driven as we are in the US. Everyone is more relaxed.
In the classrooms I’ve visited, the children have no homework, other than studying for the weekly spelling tests. The emphasis is on teaching skills for life-long learning, and teaching values (responsibility, hard work, etc.) that will help them have successful, happy lives while being good members of the community. It is recognized and accepted that many will go on to a poly-technical college to learn a skill, while some will go on to an academic university for a degree. Both are accorded respect, without trying to push everyone into university education.
What made you decide to create a website and blog about your trip?
In addition to spending a total of ten weeks in New Zealand schools, I’m required to complete related projects to earn credits for Global Educators. A New Zealand Web site was created last year for my fourth graders as part of their unit on how to read non-fiction. See http://www.socsdteachers.org/kchristieblick/newzealand/index.html. They were very enthusiastic about my upcoming trip and did much research on New Zealand for me. The information they found and put into a PowerPoint for me has been very useful. In addition to educating us all about this country in the southern hemisphere, it helped me to see the types of information that interested them. While here, I’ve created a blog to share my experiences of living in a different country with students back at Cottage Lane. See http://www.socsdteachers.org/~kchristieblick/. Unlike a traditional journal, a blog lives and breathes. It grows and changes with every new entry by all those who contribute to it. Although created to fulfill a requirement, I’ve continued it because it’s been such a fun way to communicate with people back home. I’m hoping the children will see how exciting it is to explore a different part of the world. I’m betting many of the adults will add it to their “Must Visit” list once they see what an extraordinary country it is!
Jacob Tanenbaum gave me the idea during the technology inservice he taught last year. The class was quite inspiring and gave me the knowledge and confidence to take on the blog project. I’ve modeled it after the blog he created last year. Jacob has been helpful with a number of blog glitches I’ve had while here in New Zealand. I am very grateful.
How have students responded to your blog?
It has been wonderful to have two-way communication with SOCSD students, staff, and parents via the blog. The CL students have been introduced to the blog during computer class, and have been shown how to read a blog, open links, and make comments. Many continue to visit the site on their own from school and from home. Some just want to comment on what they’ve seen. Others ask questions that I’m able to answer on the site.
What’s great about using Blogger.Com is that the children see photos as well as short videos; open links to related web sites; send written messages and see my responses; and read the messages written by others. To date, I’ve received over 300 comments. It really makes my day to log on and see new comments and questions.
Who is “Chirpy”?
Chirpy is a little stuffed animal – a robin – given to me in June by one of my fourth graders at CL. He has come with us to New Zealand and often joins us on adventures.
The idea to bring the little stuffed animal came from Jacob’s blog. He had a little bear given to him by some students. When my fourth graders visited his site while he was at sea, they loved seeing the bear onboard the ship. The stuffed animal makes an adult subject very child-friendly and hooks the kids into reading the blog, rather than just looking at the pictures, because they want to know what the stuffed animal is doing.
Anything else you’d like to tell colleagues, friends, and students back home?
Many thanks to all who have logged onto the blog and have left a message. Each one is greatly appreciated. It reminds me that even though I’m on the other side of the world I’m really not so far away.