What to think now? Just as I begin to better see and understand the connection between Classroom 10 and quality unit development in Dig Deep, I read this post from Dave Warlick. I have listened to parts of the conversations referenced in the blog that create even more dissonance. What is it that is most important in the education and preparation of our students today? Should we and can we, as a system, embrace what he suggests about technology being a platform? Are we missing something about social networks being a vehicle for learning?
I would welcome any feedback and guidance as we make critical decisions about what students need to know and be able to do and about how best to facilitate this in our classrooms.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Common Focus; the Beginning of Successful Change
Tomorrow, our leadership team continues our discussion of what Classroom 10 (our 21st Century Learning model) looks and sounds like. We have a definition and know the components of the model; what we need is to ensure that when we are in classrooms we have common focus and understanding of what we are seeing compared to what we should be seeing if the curriculum is implemented with fidelity. As a leadership team, our goal for the year is to ensure that when we visit classrooms we will make judgments that result in giving similar feedback to support individual teacher and team growth.
Given our varied knowledge and experiences this is a stretch goal for many of us. We will need to differentiate our delivery model and take advantage of the expertise that some bring to this work to support the learning of others. These are two strategies that we have not yet been able to successfully implement in our leadership staff development that I believe are now possible and necessary. It is possible because for the first time we are approaching that point where our team has a common vision and focus on how to make this vision come alive in classrooms.
Tomorrow when I speak to this I am sure there will be some eye rolling and desire to "get on with the work", but I will persevere through this because I have come to understand the importance of what the DuFours and others have identified as the foundation of Professional Learning Communities; vision, mission, values, and goals. In the absence of this foundation there will not be common focus and groups will struggle with persistence when obstacles emerge that drain energy and move the focus from students to staff.
I have many questions as we continue this work, but know that we will reach our leadership goal for the year. Can we successfully bring our vision to all classrooms? Yes, over time we can. It will take adaptive changes to our staff development model because current practices have not been successful at implementing and sustaining system wide change. One of those changes must be common mission and vision at the building and team level aligned with that of the leadership team. Only then will we be positioned to focus resources and identify practices that result in:
Given our varied knowledge and experiences this is a stretch goal for many of us. We will need to differentiate our delivery model and take advantage of the expertise that some bring to this work to support the learning of others. These are two strategies that we have not yet been able to successfully implement in our leadership staff development that I believe are now possible and necessary. It is possible because for the first time we are approaching that point where our team has a common vision and focus on how to make this vision come alive in classrooms.
Tomorrow when I speak to this I am sure there will be some eye rolling and desire to "get on with the work", but I will persevere through this because I have come to understand the importance of what the DuFours and others have identified as the foundation of Professional Learning Communities; vision, mission, values, and goals. In the absence of this foundation there will not be common focus and groups will struggle with persistence when obstacles emerge that drain energy and move the focus from students to staff.
I have many questions as we continue this work, but know that we will reach our leadership goal for the year. Can we successfully bring our vision to all classrooms? Yes, over time we can. It will take adaptive changes to our staff development model because current practices have not been successful at implementing and sustaining system wide change. One of those changes must be common mission and vision at the building and team level aligned with that of the leadership team. Only then will we be positioned to focus resources and identify practices that result in:
Quality Learning
Every Day
In
Every Classroom
for Every Child
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Enjoying Technology at Home - Learning at Work
I'm sitting at home with the Orange Bowl on TV and the Bear's wrestling match on my computer. We opened with a win; Kevin Tao our state champ from last year beat a tough kid from Kent Meridian. The picture quality was ok, but it was difficult at times to identify the score so I phoned my son who was at the match to make sure of the score. If he brought his lap top or I had my cell phone on me I wouldn't have had to make the phone call. Wow, what a way to watch a good football game (Kansas 17, Virginia Tech 14) while keeping up with the Bear wrestlers. Now we need to find a way for other sports to be video streamed. Do you think there might be a place for this in the classroom?
Earlier today I was able to give some feedback to Teaching and Learning staff from my observations of our early release on Wednesday with middle school and some junior high staff. I was pleased and impressed by the level of engagement of our teachers and the content of the learning opportunities. What became clear for me as we move toward implementing Classroom 10 was the need for us:
Earlier today I was able to give some feedback to Teaching and Learning staff from my observations of our early release on Wednesday with middle school and some junior high staff. I was pleased and impressed by the level of engagement of our teachers and the content of the learning opportunities. What became clear for me as we move toward implementing Classroom 10 was the need for us:
- To spend more time with teachers focused on the broader learning embedded in our units. The conversations I observed were more focused on lesson objectives both in unit implementation and unit review situations. The natural tendency is for teachers to want to move to the specific lessons as rapidly as possible. We need to intentionally plan these learning opportunities to also focus on the thinking skills, Habits of Mind, and Outcomes and Indicators that we identify as the major learning focus. Until we make this shift, we can not hold teachers accountable for understanding and implementing Classroom 10 learning. This is especially important when we are first implementing new curriculum.
- To ensure that our curriculum includes assessments that are aligned and measure the broader learnings in each unit. The assessments make the focus more clear and increase the likelihood that the curriculum will be implemented with fidelity, that whole issue of if it is tested it will be taught.
It also once again became clear that we are so fortunate to have quality teachers that care, that have the desire and capacity for continued learning, and that embrace the need for change if we are to provide young people with opportunities for success following their K-12 learning experiences. Add to this the expertise and experience that Nancy and her staff bring to this work, the leadership that principals and teachers have assumed in staff development, and a supportive school board and community and we have the ingredients for a Professional Learning Community to thrive. Oh, one more ingredient, GREAT KIDS!
Enough for now, have a great day.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
A Personal Change In Practice or Not?
Well, I stayed away from e-mail and blogs for five days and I have survived. But, something has changed. This morning when I was catching up on my blog reading I did something I don't recall doing before, I responded. It was on AssortedStuff and was about new technologies potential impact on teaching and learning in the next five years. I don't think I have anything new to add, but not seeing any comments bothered me and I do think about this a lot.
What should we be doing as leaders to respond to this challenge? Do we know what changes are needed that create learning environments that take advantage of current and projected technology advances? How do we create focus here with all the other issues that we face as leaders in school systems? Do we have the commitment necessary to make the changes?
We must find answers and ways because we have the responsibility of preparing these young people for success in their world, post K-12. And this world will not look and sound like the one that most students find today in their classrooms and schools.
It will be fun to self-monitor my future blog reading. Will I revert to keeping my thoughts private or will I continue the change to making my thinking more public? I may share with you at some time in the future.
What should we be doing as leaders to respond to this challenge? Do we know what changes are needed that create learning environments that take advantage of current and projected technology advances? How do we create focus here with all the other issues that we face as leaders in school systems? Do we have the commitment necessary to make the changes?
We must find answers and ways because we have the responsibility of preparing these young people for success in their world, post K-12. And this world will not look and sound like the one that most students find today in their classrooms and schools.
It will be fun to self-monitor my future blog reading. Will I revert to keeping my thoughts private or will I continue the change to making my thinking more public? I may share with you at some time in the future.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
That Student Voice in the Background
Below, I have pasted excerpts from Steve Hargadon's interview of three high school students participating in the Student 2.0 project that I wrote about in my last blog. I continue to be impressed by their insights into our work and their learning.
From Sean: "What's happened over the past few years, and in society, with technology and the web becoming a lot more important, I'd say that the stuff I'm doing at home [rather than at school] is right now a bit more relevant, in terms of the skills I will need later in life.... At the stage at which we are at school, I would say that we are not dumb, we've matured a bit, and I think we should have some form of say in what's happening... "
From Kevin: "It's an interesting model, the way school continues to operate, as opposed to the infinitely more learning that we can do outside of the classroom... I think that technology is a very important part of education today, and because of that the shift from the traditional student-teacher model is creating a whole bunch of new possibilities. The web is not the only method by which that will happen, but it is a very important one as well... At the core of everything else, all the technology usage, it's all about creating learners, not just students who are able to interpret the facts that the teachers just preach to them in the classroom... There are 300 - 400 teachers in my school district, maybe only a a handful, I can probably count on one hand, who actually read blogs, let alone write them." -Kevin, 17 years old, Illinois, USA
(Lindsea had less to say because she had to leave the interview early to get to class. She was on a world-wide Skype interview from her computer at school, cool as a cucumber, with all of the noise of a school campus in the background.)
From Sean: "What's happened over the past few years, and in society, with technology and the web becoming a lot more important, I'd say that the stuff I'm doing at home [rather than at school] is right now a bit more relevant, in terms of the skills I will need later in life.... At the stage at which we are at school, I would say that we are not dumb, we've matured a bit, and I think we should have some form of say in what's happening... "
From Kevin: "It's an interesting model, the way school continues to operate, as opposed to the infinitely more learning that we can do outside of the classroom... I think that technology is a very important part of education today, and because of that the shift from the traditional student-teacher model is creating a whole bunch of new possibilities. The web is not the only method by which that will happen, but it is a very important one as well... At the core of everything else, all the technology usage, it's all about creating learners, not just students who are able to interpret the facts that the teachers just preach to them in the classroom... There are 300 - 400 teachers in my school district, maybe only a a handful, I can probably count on one hand, who actually read blogs, let alone write them." -Kevin, 17 years old, Illinois, USA
(Lindsea had less to say because she had to leave the interview early to get to class. She was on a world-wide Skype interview from her computer at school, cool as a cucumber, with all of the noise of a school campus in the background.)
It makes me wonder what our students are thinking, but not saying, about their experiences in our schools. I am struggling to identify where we are intentionally including them in our conversations about Classroom 10 and the role of technology in supporting acquisition of our Outcomes and focus on thinking skills and Habits of Mind. Is this a voice we need to hear? If yes, why do we continue to not provide for this opportunity? It would seem that engaging them in these conversations would provide us with information to influence the quality of our curriculum and increase the likelihood that more students would find meaning in and embrace the learning opportunity.
I encourage you to mark this student web site and occasionally read what they are saying about their public school experiences. At the same time, let's identify the purpose for student voice in this work and then create the opportunity for the skillful discussions to take place. Who wants this opportunity?
Well, enough for now. Have a great day!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Student Voice
Thanks to Jeff Whipple on Whip Blog I discovered this site that is designed for students to have a voice in this Web 2.0 world. I read many of the posts - they are well written and contain insights important for us as we attempt to implement changes that serve students. Check it out and read some of the posts such as the Difference Between Teaching and Preaching and The World Won't Wait for Rome. The comments are also informative. This is a must RSS feed.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Thoughts on Frenzy In the Workplace
I'm sitting at home with the tablet in front of me and the football game in the background keeping my inbox below 10 items. The Ravens are tied with the Patriots and in scoring position making me more uncomfortable since the Seahawks still have to play the Ravens.
I'm also thinking about a recent conversation I had with three people I respect about what they labeled as the "frenzy" of our work place and the lack of reflection by those of us in key positions in our district. Being one who is always promoting the need to be reflective this observation is a concern for me. I can't say that I haven't observed this "frenzy" myself because I have. I have also labeled it to those in leadership positions and spent multiple hours in what I believed were skillful discussions attempting to influence the scope and pace of work in the department. Obviously, I haven't had significant success to date.
Our short conversation has created multiple concerns for me about how we approach and engage in our work. Two of these concerns have emerged as occupiers of my reflection. The first is that many of us have come to believe that the "frenzy" is simply a part of doing our work. If we are going to be successful in supporting teachers and students frenzy goes with the work. It simply must be done and the scope and timeline we impose on ourselves is what drives these perceptions of a place with harried people, scurrying from one project to the next with little time to engage in quality control and reflection. Lack of quality control leads to mistakes that reinforce negative ladders of inference. Lack of reflection is particularly troubling because it promotes TTWWADI. We get the project done, cross it off our list, and go to the next project. We don't take the time for continuous learning that leads to the adaptive changes necessary for improving what we do and how we do it.
The second concern is the perception created by how some of us engage in the work that success is only possible if all are equally committed to the work. This "equal" commitment means working 10-11 hours daily on site and then continuing at home. Obviously, this is not healthy and can't be sustained over a long period of time though I have observed it in place for multiple years now. What can we expect? What should we expect? What is too much? How do we answer these and other questions so that people don't question their commitment and work ethic if this is not what they choose to do? Why do they have to make the choice is probably even a better question?
This short conversation where three people shared their private thoughts has resulted in much reflection by me. They made the suggestion that we plan a series of meetings to reflect on the work and to continue to share our thinking to improve both the quality of the work and the satisfaction that results from contributing to the work in balanced, meaningful ways. The first meeting is now planned. In Professional Learning Communities people share their private thoughts to promote reflection, understanding, and growth. This is an example of that in practice and I thank them for this learning opportunity.
The Ravens are leading by 4 with 1:40 to play and the Patriots driving.
Well, enough for now. Have a great day.
I'm also thinking about a recent conversation I had with three people I respect about what they labeled as the "frenzy" of our work place and the lack of reflection by those of us in key positions in our district. Being one who is always promoting the need to be reflective this observation is a concern for me. I can't say that I haven't observed this "frenzy" myself because I have. I have also labeled it to those in leadership positions and spent multiple hours in what I believed were skillful discussions attempting to influence the scope and pace of work in the department. Obviously, I haven't had significant success to date.
Our short conversation has created multiple concerns for me about how we approach and engage in our work. Two of these concerns have emerged as occupiers of my reflection. The first is that many of us have come to believe that the "frenzy" is simply a part of doing our work. If we are going to be successful in supporting teachers and students frenzy goes with the work. It simply must be done and the scope and timeline we impose on ourselves is what drives these perceptions of a place with harried people, scurrying from one project to the next with little time to engage in quality control and reflection. Lack of quality control leads to mistakes that reinforce negative ladders of inference. Lack of reflection is particularly troubling because it promotes TTWWADI. We get the project done, cross it off our list, and go to the next project. We don't take the time for continuous learning that leads to the adaptive changes necessary for improving what we do and how we do it.
The second concern is the perception created by how some of us engage in the work that success is only possible if all are equally committed to the work. This "equal" commitment means working 10-11 hours daily on site and then continuing at home. Obviously, this is not healthy and can't be sustained over a long period of time though I have observed it in place for multiple years now. What can we expect? What should we expect? What is too much? How do we answer these and other questions so that people don't question their commitment and work ethic if this is not what they choose to do? Why do they have to make the choice is probably even a better question?
This short conversation where three people shared their private thoughts has resulted in much reflection by me. They made the suggestion that we plan a series of meetings to reflect on the work and to continue to share our thinking to improve both the quality of the work and the satisfaction that results from contributing to the work in balanced, meaningful ways. The first meeting is now planned. In Professional Learning Communities people share their private thoughts to promote reflection, understanding, and growth. This is an example of that in practice and I thank them for this learning opportunity.
The Ravens are leading by 4 with 1:40 to play and the Patriots driving.
Well, enough for now. Have a great day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)